Hello, all. We’d like to formally welcome you to Happy Medium Club: Volume 24…which includes:
Important football updates
Respect for Lil Yachty
A solid and refreshing reflection on seasonal depression
The subtle yet profound chaos of Darla Vasquez
Good TV shows
Other stuff
Make yourself at home, nerds. 😊
As the spirit moves you, please add to our collaborative Spotify playlist. Have fun scrolling, skimming, scamming, and winning.
7 Important Football Updates Ahead of the 58th Superbowl
“So cute.”
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce shared a kiss after the Kansas City Chiefs won the AFC Championship.
The 49ers made an incredible comeback, winning against the Detroit Lions after being down 17 points.
On February 9, the 49ers and Chiefs will face off at the Super Bowl in Las Vegas, Nevada. It will be confusing because one of the teams has a red and yellow uniform, and the other team has a red and yellow-ish uniform.
After the Kansas Chiefs beat the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC championship, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce shared a celebratory kiss on the football field.
Samirah Montana Swaleh was named after historic 49ers quarterback Joe Montana.
While sharing a kiss with her boyfriend, Taylor Swift sported cute-as-hell curly bangs, reminiscent of the folklore era. Speaking of folklore Era, another BEST ALBUM GRAMMY yeet.
My brother told me I look like Patrick Mahomes even though I look nothing like him.
Can't wait for the red team to win the Super Bowl. What a time to be alive!
Cool Person Spotlight: Lil Yachty
“Lil Boat continues to impress with his humor, music, and style.”
Joel Moisa
It’s funny to think that SenseiLeFox helped jumpstart Lil Yachty's stardom when he created a skit featuring Lil Yachty's song “One Night” that went viral on then-called Twitter.
In 2016, Lil Yachty’s catalog landed him a spot in the most memorable XXL Freshman Cipher of all time. Shortly after, he lost steam for a little while but continued to create music that featured hits with Drake, NBA Young Boy, and the late Juice WRLD for those who were willing to listen. I def listened to everything.
Lil Boat has carved out a space for himself in the music industry, and he’s made himself a staple in rap.
Recently, he started Concrete Boys, a group that features three up-and-coming rapper: Karrahbooo, DC2Trill, and Draft Day. It's beautiful to see the shift in his career from “the younger brother people liked to have around” to someone who is spotlighting other new faces coming up in the industry.
Lil Boat continues to impress with his humor, style, and music. I don’t think anyone would have expected that his soft- sorta half-ass - voice-rapping style to launch turned him into the musician and collaborator he is today.
I’m looking forward to replying to his Instagram stories for many years to come as he continues to refine himself.
Follow him:
Good TV Shows
Just a few recommendations for good TV shows.
Percy Jackson & The Olympians (and The Wire)
“I’m watching Percy Jackson and The Wire right now.” — Joel
The Curse
“Omfg I’m on the last episode. It’s changing my life. What the **** am I watching. Bruh hurry up and watch every episode. Just know I am about to throw up in a good way and in a bad way.” — Dom (in a text message to Joel)
“I didn’t finish the first episode.” — Samirah
Reacher
“I love the show Reacher.” — Dom
“It’s so good. I love that they added those characters in the second season.” — Samirah
What streaming service?” — Joel
“Amazon Prime.” — Dom
Echo
One of the best Marvel TV shows to date for so many reasons. Good story, incredible characters, refreshing representation that doesn’t feel like a corporate DE&I seminar. Also, the fight scenes are so so so so so so so so so so good. Especially the one-take brawl in the first episode. And the train scene in the second episode. — Dom
True Detective
Samirah’s review is too problematic to put in writing. But she still recommends it.
The Brother’s Sun
“Watch The Brother’s Sun. Hot. Two brothers that grow up living different lives but belong to a Chinese mob family.” — Samirah
“Holy moly it’s so good wtf. I watched the first episode twice in a row because I didn’t pay close enough attention the first time and I wanted to give the fight scenes the attention they deserved!!!” — Dom
Amazing World of Gumball
“Can we go sit on the couch and watch Amazing World of Gumball? I know you like it. I’ve seen you laugh at it while I’m watching it even though you’re an adult. So can we go watch it right now?” — Dom’s niece Madeline
Station Eleven
“I know this show aired like four years ago, but I just rewatched it and it made cry several times (again).” — Dom
“Station Eleven imagines a post-apocalyptic earth with some optimism. It focuses on art and community and our human superpower to foster connection with our fellow people and create meaning from those connections. It is decidedly hopeful.” — Skip Intro’s awesome video essay about “The Last of Us” and other apocalyptic TV shows.
Morning Show
“This is so chaotic and I’m obsessed with it.” — Iyanu
Jujutsu Kaisen
“Add JJK to the list.” — Joel
“Everything that could go wrong did go wrong but in a good way because this season was amazing.” — Dana
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
“Changed my personality.” — Dom
Spiraling Up
“Leverage my overthinking to combat seasonal depression.”
Abigail Wells
The irony of this post is that I started writing it in October, then my seasonal depression compounded on top of my regular depression, and I never finished it. The upside to this is that I’ve had months to test-drive my own theory. So let’s get into it.
Seasonal depression is a rather new concept to me. I have struggled with poor mental health throughout my adult life. My depressive patterns range from rotting in bed for days to experiencing panic attacks and thoughts of taking my own life. I didn’t recognize how these symptoms changed with the seasons. Truthfully, I thought “seasonal depression” was something people would say to feel relatable. Truthfully, I still think that sometimes.
What is seasonal depression? As described by the the American Psychology Association, “people with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) experience mood changes and symptoms similar to depression” usually during fall and winter when there’s less sunlight.
After a particularly bad month, I decided to take an analytical approach to looking at my triggers. I examined my last few years, noted my worst seasons/episodes, and tried to track my triggers.
When I looked at my last few winters, there were some common denominators. Everything seemed to fall under the categories of feeling cold, uninspired, depressed, and sick. If I view these factors as points on a sliding scale then the question becomes: how do I move towards something healthier?
Two things you should know to understand my incoherent ramblings are:
I am an over-thinker.
If spiraling were a competitive sport then I could afford therapy for every subscriber of HMC.
Don't pity me, though. I’ve found a way to make it work!
Recently, I had a revelation: A spiral goes two ways!
In their first episode of Gender Spiral, Ally Beardsley presents this idea of an upward spiral as a way of viewing their journey to understanding their gender identity with less criticism. They said:
“None of this is linear…people are always like, oh my God, I'm spiraling right now. But a spiral can go up and down. I'm obsessed with that idea! You can have an upward spiral, that's gorgeous! And my therapist was talking to me about this…you keep repeating patterns, and that's the spiral, but you're one rung up and you have a little bit of perspective.”
I am not exaggerating when I say it’s the most brilliant concept I have ever heard and it completely my life. (Check out Gender Spiral as Ally and Babette interview incredible queer and trans people about their lives and experiences!)
Writing this has helped me funnel the things I once viewed as hindrances into positive energy. I guess that’s tip number one: play to your strengths.
Anyway, here is my best attempt to leverage my overthinking to combat seasonal depression and spiral upwards.
FROM COLD TO WARM
This was the simplest of each section to tackle. But that isn’t bad. Sometimes it’s nice to put things on the to-do list that are guaranteed to be checked off. Sliding towards warmth involved internal, external, and planning ahead.
I bought a good winter coat, fuzzy socks, and better layers (external warmth). I have become quite the soup/curry maker (internal warmth). I knew planning ahead would be my downfall. I never give myself enough time to get my car warmed up, eat a good breakfast, or get to work nice and slow.
I’m not great, but I’m trying.
FROM UNINSPIRED TO INSPIRED
This has been the biggest game-changer for me! I took a month to note each time something I was consuming actually sparked inspiration in me. Truthfully, it wasn't much. It was disheartening to realize that most of the stuff I was engaging with was just to dissociate or doom-scroll. As I’ve kept a list of the TV shows, podcasts, and books that made me feel good, I have tried to discipline myself to engage in only those things.
My shortlist of dope stuff that sparks creativity:
Everything on Dropout.tv
Guilty Pleasures podcast
Worlds Beyond Number podcast
D&D (irl) with the homies
Planning my upcoming podcast Dungeons&Depression (guess this is our soft launch)
Facetime/phone calls with friends in other states
Playing with my friend’s new kitten- Loaf
FROM DEPRESSO TO DECAF
This one is more of a bit between friends. In this household, we drink fully caffeinated beverages even when our dentist and doctor tell us to lay off. I digress. It has really helped me to view my depression as something that could slide away from being fully “caffeinated” towards something less stimulating.
The heart behind this has been mindfulness and connection. Part of my health journey was bringing my people into it — putting my heart on the line and allowing them to encourage me and offer constructive criticism.
If you have healthy, kind people in your life who can speak to your strengths and blindspots, then I encourage you to let them in. They could be the factor that helps you get unstuck.
FROM SICK TO HEALTHY
I have health insurance for the first time in my adult life and I have been using it! As much fun as that has been, I am an actor/writer. Full-time artists don't always have stable sources of income, let alone healthcare. This has been even more motivation for me to look for sustainable practices in my health.
I cut out coffee, and each time I wanted to go to Dutch Bros, I put that money in my savings (I had $400 in one month). I found supplements that are actually improving my gut health (shout out to naturopaths and hot girls with IBS). I've been prioritizing stretching every morning and hot girl walks at night (watching tv on my phone at Planet Fitness).
Living next door to my 85-year-old grandparents has given me a new perspective on how long life really is. I don't know if I'm qualified to give any advice here, but whether your resources are many or few, find new ways to incorporate little pockets of healthy habits in your routine.
Conclusion
If you've made it this far, you have entirely too much time on your hands, or you can relate. In either case, my heart goes out to you. Seasonal depression and all forms of mental illness suck. If you deal with it, I’m sorry that life is heavy. I hope this encourages you to find rhythms that work for you.
Remember that health and wellness isn't an on/off switch. It’s a sliding scale. Cheers to finding things and people that help you slide towards a happier and healthier place.
Best of luck as we start this new year and round out winter. I hope all of you spiral upwards!
Six True Stories About Darla Vasquez
“Absurd, but true.”
Dom Johnson
Allow me to introduce you to Darla Vasquez’s quiet yet potent chaos. I met Darla when I started working at FleishmanHillard in 2018. On my first-ish day at the PR firm, she invited me to join her for lunch and taught me how to ride the train without paying. She also tried to convince me she was a jazz musician. She is not a jazz musician. Lying for fun is my love language. We were fast friends by the end of the day.
Since then, I’ve accumulated a handful of Darla Stories that might seem fictional. But I assure you, they are true. Absurd but true.
When I started writing this blurb, I realized I had no idea where Darla lived. She’s made quite a few big changes in the past few years, geographically and professionally.
Examples include:
Signing with the Peace Corps to support public health and education in Vanuatu (though the pandemic canceled her plans).
Enrolling in a culinary school based in Spain and promptly securing an adorable apartment in Barcelona (lockdown messed that up too).
Moved out of her apartment so she could live in a trailer.
Moved to Hawaii to work for the state’s Climate Crisis Communications Department.
Relocated to Colorado to do marketing stuff while pursuing a Master's degree in Geographic Information Systems.
Darla makes quick decisions, follows her instincts, and adapts when things don’t go as planned. She is not irresponsible. She’s just unhinged, as evidenced by the stories below.
1) TRICKING DOM INTO CHUGGING VODKA AT THE TEXAS STATE FAIR.
I was at the Texas State Fair with work friends (including Darla). I do not like the Texas State Fair. But our office bought us tickets and gave us a day off to attend. So I went. It was a bad idea.
After spending several hours at the dumb fair, I was pretty dehydrated and asked Darla for a sip of her water. She handed me her water bottle with a polite smile. I didn’t want to share my germs, so I poured it into my mouth instead of sipping directly from the bottle.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered it was VODKA!!! I reflexively spewed vodka everywhere, convulsed a little, gagged, and then fell prostrate on the ground (always a drama queen). When I stood up and gained my composure, I realized I was standing in the middle of the MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. EXHIBIT!!! In her defense, she didn’t know we were standing at the MLK exhibit and she didn’t expect me to cause such a scene.
But still. She handed me a Smart Water Bottle filled with Vodka (that she snuck in) and watched me chug it like it was ice-cold water. Lock her up!
2) ALMOST RUNNING OVER PATRICK MAHOMES.
Several years ago, Darla was driving through the Texas Tech student parking lot. Out of nowhere, a random pedestrian walks directly in front of her car. She swerves out of the way at the last minute, narrowly missing him. The pedestrian was PATRICK MAHOMES by the way.
Heard of him? He’s the quarterback of Taylor Swift’s boyfriend. And he’s got a few cute little Superbowl rings. Except at that point in time, he was just Texas Tech’s star quarterback. Darla almost gave an entirely new meaning to “wreck ‘em tech.”
3) ACCIDENTALLY INVENTING THE CUBAN SANDWICH.
In her childhood, Darla enjoyed a sandwich with ham, swiss, pickles, mayonnaise, and extra mustard on a French hoagie. Later, she discovered that this sandwich was actually a Cuban sandwich, although she had never heard of it before and simply liked the combination of ingredients.
Darla’s dad is a second-gen Cuban immigrant. Call it nature, call it nurture, fate, serendipity, whatever you want. But it is significant that little Darla would walk up to the Subway counter, and accidentally order a Cuban sandwich before she even knew what a Cuban sandwich was. That is so cool.
4) PHILANTHROPIC KEG STANDS.
On her 20-something-th birthday, Darla joined forces with our mutual friend and coworker to throw a philanthropic kegger. They encouraged people to pledge a donation for each keg stand performed at the party. All proceeds would go to the North Texas Food Bank. They sent an office-wide email, posting a sign-up sheet in the breakroom, and
5) INTERVIEWING FOR A JOB RIGHT AFTER GETTING HER WISDOM TEETH REMOVED.
This one is straightforward. A day after getting her wisdom teeth removed, while doped up on painkillers, Darla interviewed for a job at FleishmanHillard (the fourth largest PR firm in the world). She barely remembers the interview. She got the job! It’s where we met!!!
6) THE TRAGIC TALE OF DARLA & PLANK.
One Halloween, Darla dressed up as Jonny from Ed, Edd, and Eddie. Her costume featured Jonny’s best friend, Plank. It was a great costume, tbh. At some point in the night, Darla set Plank down on a table or something. She returned to find him missing. Someone kidnapped Plank.
The following day, a distraught Darla posted signs around Dallas with a picture of Plank, information about his last known whereabouts, and an email address she set up for tips. She promptly forgot the password to the email address. We’ll never know if anyone found Plank.
Honorable mentions:
Getting her car towed over 12 times (sometimes she literally just parks wherever she wants).
Voted by her intern class as “Most Likely to Gaslight the Entire Office.”
Driving from Dallas to Louisiana without GPS like it’s the damn 1990s or something.
Befriending an elevator ghost. Setting off fireworks in the parking lot of a dive bar. Wearing a silver ball gown to our office’s business casual holiday party.
Exclusively referring to my brother as my “hot brother.”
Breaking into my apartment (alongside Samirah and Ashley).
Helping me fight a street sorcerer (long, long, long story).
At first glance, you might see Darla and assume she’s wandering through life without a solid, structured plan. And you’d be a little bit correct. But you’d also be a little wrong because Darla knows exactly what she’s doing: whatever the hell she wants. It’s been working pretty well so far.
HAPPY BITS
You’ve got six frames to guess the movie!!! Or if you’re a nerd, you’ve got six attempts to guess the country!!! Or if you’re even more of a nerd, you’ve got six attempts to guess the country (based on exports)!!!
If you think you’re above audiobooks, you’re not above audiobooks. Iyanu, a friend of HMC, has been tapping into Spotify’s giant library of audiobooks (included with Premium) and it’s going well: “I’m literally driving, listening to Britney Spears talk about her childhood like wut.”
YouTube for Kids can be really weird sometimes. But the lullabies from Super Simple Kids Songs are a bright spot in the abyss. So dreamy. So sweet. “The Snowflake Song” and “Sweet Dreams (Goodnight Song),” work like magic for helping Dom’s chaotic nephews and nieces fall asleep.
That’s it!
See ya later, haters. Be cool.