Hey Reader,

Welcome to the inaugural journey of this newsletter! I'm incredibly excited to be here, and I'm stoked you've chosen to join me.

Writing these will be quite a learning experience, so expect nothing but the most average (for a bit) - hopefully that makes it feel more human? That's what I'll tell myself.

My current plan is to share about life - what's new and what's been inspiring/exciting to me as of late. In sharing, my hope is that you'll be inspired (or at least encouraged) as well. Some months may have an article that changes your life, and some might not vibe with you at all.

Whatever the case is from email to email, I appreciate you taking the time to be here!

Cheers,

James

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​Why You Should Stop Accepting Free Shirts​

Recently I heard someone say, "everybody likes free merch".

While I'm already a contrarian at heart, that statement rubbed me very much the wrong way. Not only was it not true for me but it was also a demonstration of the extreme consumerism present in the western world.

Inspiration hit like a truck. Research was done. A new blog post was born.

Did the article change the way you think about free merch?

​Terroir and Beer?​

While most will connect the idea of terroir with wine, meaning the beverage has a "sense of place" and represents a region's weather, soil, traditions, etc, beer has often been left out of the conversation.

It's complicated with beer because of ingredient sourcing - it's rare for a beer to use exclusively hops, malt, and yeast from one specific region. Additionally, hop and malt varietals are rarely marketed by location. The average consumer sees Citra or Mosaic and doesn't ask which hop farm they were grown at - they expect a certain flavor profile and move on.

Although that's the case, this article digs into some recent research on regional differences in hop characteristics.

What makes this exciting is the possibility of a greater understanding of regional qualities and thus a more terroir-focused beer scene.

Imagine getting to try a side-by-side comparison of the same IPA made with Willamette Valley Citra and Yakima Valley Citra.

It's a beer nerd's dream.

​The Practice - Seth Godin

Have you wanted to become a master gardener, a world-famous barista, a gallery-featured painter, or a published author?

While it might feel like a daunting task, Seth Godin argues the case for the practice - the art of showing up each day and producing your work.

If you need a kick in the pants or a refreshing take on becoming a creator, give this book a listen or read.

Bonus: Chapters are uber short. Even if you abhor reading, this book can be treated more like a daily devotional - two minutes of inspiration each day!

Creator Highlight - Em Sauter aka Pints and Panels​

While I've chosen to combat subpar glassware and poor pouring techniques through writing, Em Sauter has taken a cartoonist's approach to beer education.

Whether it's an illustration about a hop variety, style of beer, or how to clean tap lines, Em has consistently created lighthearted and easy-to-grasp visuals that immediately draw you in and make learning about beer a joy!

On top of cranking out commissions and large volumes of visuals for her website, Em has recently released her second book, Hooray for Craft Beer!​

Whether you're a casual beer drinker or a beer fanatic, Pints and Panels is worth the look!

​Lofi Ping Pong​

While I was scrolling through games for sale on the Nintendo Switch on a Sunday evening (dangerous idea), I noticed this gem.

At its core, it's a lofi-rhythm game. The gameplay and visuals immediately give old-school, arcade vibes, and when paired with effortlessly chill music you can easily get lost in the nonstop gameplay loop.

If you're looking blow off steam on your break or wind down your day with some relaxing music, consider giving this game a look!

Hint: The tutorial is somewhat lacking - press the correct button (left, right, or up/down) when the ping-pong ball is over the corresponding square.

Is This the End?

I'm of two minds about the newsletter format.

On one hand, it seems too easy - too casual. On the other, I love that it feels like we're in the same room together shooting the shit. It's like a one-way conversation where I'm telling you the highlights of what's been exciting to me.

The only issue is that one-way conversations usually suck, so don't be afraid to reach out and share what's been inspiring to you!

Or let me know what I misspelled and what I can improve on. I'm open to suggestions. :)

Until next month,

​James Moller​

P.S. Is naming a newsletter a thing? If you have a killer idea for one, let me know!

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