It’s gonna be MAY

did u guys do the voice i did the voice.

It's been more livable in Chicago lately. Among the horrors, the cherry blossoms are blooming, the tulips are at their finest, and the trees are finally trees and not sadness skeletons. We say this a lot but it is still important to look up and take a breath and feel alive.

As always, we've also included things to watch out for in the upcoming month, and a look at what's happening on our Patreon (which you can join for ~as little as a dollar~) & Discord which is now open to all!

Now for something completely different: t h e   f e e l i n g s

STELLA:

Now that I’ve completely caught up on Critical Role (BIG FLEX) I have time to listen to audiobooks. I’ve listened to a couple so far, but man Demon Copperhead is 100000% as good as they say it is. Yes it is long and deals with heavy topics (poverty and opioid addiction), but just like David Copperfield the narrator is so personable that it flies by. HIGHLY recommend.

Speaking of Critical Role, Critical Role live was SO MUCH FUN. The audience was packed full of cosplayers and superfans and everyone was so respectful and just wanted to have a good time. One of the best audiences I’ve been in in a while. Nothing like being in a crowd of people who love something as much as you do. And the show? It was awesome. No spoilers but it was a fun as hell stand alone and I highly rec watching the VOD if you are a CR fan. Though I will say CR fans need to give Bells Hells some more flowers. Mighty Nein is great, but Bells Hells rules too! You’ll understand what I mean if you watch.

I am for some reason reading all of the New 52. Yep you heard me. I’m following this guideline and I’m having a good time. I’m doing it slowly, but it’s been fun - even when it’s bad. Here are my current ratings:

• Batman Vol 4 - 4.5

• DC Zero Year - 5

• Batman Vol 5 - 4.5

• Batman/Superman Vol 1 - 3.25

• Action Comics Vol 1 - 3

• Justice League Vol 1 - 4.5

• Action Comics Vol 2 - 2.5

A mixed bag! 

Finally, you know what rules? Springtime walks. Stop reading this and go for a walk!

ERIN

I’m doing much better mental health wise recently, but honestly I don’t really want to talk about it! So here’s some stuff!

This video about the elements of art is so good and well done and doesn't talk down to its audience. Throw it on sometime and enjoy a lovely series of songs about shades and lines and texture and tone (and more!).

I'm obsessed with this sweatshirt and cannot find it ANYWHERE. It's so my vibe i can't stand it!! I saw a college aged woman wearing it while I was outside and could not ask her where it came from. Someone who is good at Internet help me out!

Things I'm also into this month: my friend builds this sick mid century modern furniture that you may enjoy viewing with your eyeballs. Also this person, who is not my friend, but does make truly extraordinary stained glass art you should also view, again with the eyeballs.

I love you guys, have a delightful afterschool special of Gene Kelly teaching America how dance is actually sports. Muhammed Ali is in it. It's so good.

PRODUCER BOBBY (who totally did the voice as well)

Have you ever mourned the loss of data? It’s odd. I had a hard drive fail on me this last month and while I had everything that was really important backed up I still haven’t recovered some of the stuff that’s just... stuck on it. Specifically a file I had been using for journaling and some sound files for a project I was working on. All will be well, things can be redone (delete your art!), just a weird loss to actually feel in the torrential downpour of enshittification around us. N_e_ways. STUFF!

To play: The multiple games of the year that came out last month will have to wait, because this month I’m recommending Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 from the good people at Strange Scaffold. It’s an absurd match-three-metroidvania-rpg with a delightfully “don’t really think about any of this too hard it’s for jokes” story. Just a slice of fluffy brain-off cake. Some jerk steampunk uncle’s mansion can build itself some other month (yes of course I’ll end up playing all of Blue-Oblivi-Oscur eventually). 

To listen: Witchy playlist favorites of mine Messa (psych-doom sabbathmetal) released a fucking good new record last month. The music video for Fire On The Roof accurately presents their vibe. 

To watch: One of my longstanding YouTube subscriptions is Highlight Reel, a weekly-released America’s Funniest Home Video’s for video games. The creator used to make the show for Kotaku before corporate greed culled all good content from gaming sites but was able to crowdfund making it an independent project. If you’ve never seen it before you can just click once and let it jump around glitches and humorous moments from 4 years of video games. 

To drink: Sidral Mundet apple flavored soda from the corner market both by itself or as part of a cocktail. I’m not even trying to get sponsored, I'm just hooked on the stuff.  

Let's highlight some local and personal things in this month’s Whatever I Want Section

• Help cat friend of the company Martha with unexpected care costs

• Vote for human college friend of the company Alex as she moves closer to being on the cover of Maxim

•  We can never talk enough about Open Books’ Reading Buddies program, they're great and you should throw them some time or dollars

If you've ever thought “Jesus CHRIST my rep does nothing” - great news! Run For Something is going strong and is making it easy to get involved. Sign up for their mailing list and see what you can do.

Things coming this month:

• Come to Plan 9! Our Haus of Horrors show is May 17th and you should be there! We all will!

• 2 X-Treks episodes this month on 5/17 and 5/30

• New Not Your Demo drops??? Y/N??

• Will we still be on Instagram in the June newsletter? Only if the Bluesky alternative isn’t up yet! Until then at @nydproductions you can get show announcements, hilarious clips, and general revelry. 

• Tumblr?? We have one…u should check it out…pretty cool if you did

• We have a Bluesky! @nydproductions - I have no idea who is manning this but it exists!

Exclusive to our Patreon (it's only a dollar!) and open for all Discord!

• May book club! We're reading the graphic novel BTTM FDRS by Ben Passmore. Secondary read is Suicide Forest by Haruna Lee (it's a weird little play and Erin has opinions!). The date and time information is in our Discord!

• X-Treks xtras on the Patreon include:

  • Show notes - Our watch-along notes. Stella & Erin’s first reactions to the episodes as they watch them for the first time

  • Scripts - these things are a travesty and you get to see it

  • Episode outtakes, featuring our truest selves (yelling)

The timing of a new episode of Unofficial Channels…. Is mysterious and important.

And, of course, we’re having a wonderful time in the Discord generally, come hang with us.

• Once a month Erin has been livetweeting (livediscording??) as she reads through a fanfic provided by Stella in Stella’s Link Lounge. Erin has voluntarily jumped into hell and will be reading and posting through a SECOND Mulder/Krychek fic, so hold on to your butts. (it’s also set in Russia and i bet there is only one bed..)

• There are a lot of Simpsons, Spiderman, and Supernatural memes ngl that’s just how it is

• Do you like comics?? Specifically Superman??? Why aren't you in the Discord chatting with us??

Be like The Sun. Unstoppable and inevitable and super super fucking hot.