I said last month that I needed to reset my YouTube algorithm so I was getting better recommendations. I think I’ve accomplished that, spending way too much time on the platform over the last six weeks. Now it is skewed to like 90% car stuff. Which I’m fine with, at the moment. That has caused me to add a new category for at least this month.
Otherwise, not a lot of long form programming in March. Blame basketball and spring break, but the real reason was watching those 8000 hours of car vids.
Movies, Shows, etc
The Tourist, season one
This was one of the strangest shows I’ve watched recently. Equal parts hilarious, bizarre, confusing, confounding, compelling, and off-beat, while always being super Australian. I think I liked it, but there were moments when I almost wanted to turn it off. I guess I’ll give season two a shot at some point.
B+
Griselda
This was promoted as an expansion of the Narcos world, another look at the Colombian-centered drug trade of the 1980s. That’s true to a certain extent, but Griselda suffers from that comparison.
It began well, but in the middle began to take a very strange path. By the final episode I was hoping it would be over. Shows like this, about drug lords, need something compelling about the bad guys to keep you interested. Griselda Blanco comes across as a pure psycho and gives the viewer no real reason to hope she somehow survives. So many of the characters, from Sofia Vergara in the title role to the police who chased her, seemed one-dimensional or cartoonish. That every Narcos season was so good made Griselda’s flaws even more disappointing.
C+
Renovation Aloha
Our home reno show of the month. This couple does amazing things with truly shitty homes in Hawaii. We couldn’t get over the cost of real estate out there. S and I also laughed at the height difference between the couple that hosts. Then we realized that’s kind of what we look like.
A-
Gold
Our first spring break movie, our housemates randomly picked this one night. Interesting story but not a great movie. Afterward I read the true events it was based on and decided that they adjusted the timeframe back a decade just so Matthew McConaughey could play a 1980s oilman.
B
Larry and Marge Go Large
Our second break movie. Our housemates had seen this before and insisted we watch it. Wonderfully charming and fun.
A-
Shorts, YouTubes, etc
Oberammergau Alpine Coaster 4k
Imst Alpine Coaster 4k
These look awesome. Since they are German-engineered I’m sure they’re perfectly safe.
Anakeesta’s NEW Hellbender Mountain Coaster in Gatlinburg Tennessee
Next I found this American version. I’m deep into Alpine coaster YouTube now.
Mountain Coaster Oeschinensee Kandersteg Switzerland
Finally – HOLY SHIT! – there’s this one, which basically looks like you’re going down a luge course without ice. This one has to crash occasionally, right?
Building a Dream Home on a Hidden Beach in New Zealand
If we ever buy property in New Zealand I’m going to look up this design team.
These 2 Italian dream homes will make you reconsider your life… Southern Italy, Gagliano del Capo
Or why not buy an existing property in southern Italy?
Our 1960 Mid-Century Glass Home Tour
Then you’ve got these fucking hipsters and their expensive-ass lighting.
DIRT Episode 6— Alaska
Somehow I missed this when it was released. Alaska seems pretty cool.
My Solo Trip to Hanoi, Vietnam
Vietnam looks awesome.
A Photography Trip Turns Prosperous
Photographing Old British Petrol Stations on Expired 4×5 Film
A Week in Thailand
With the weather improving, I’ve been feeling the urge to pick up a camera again. So adding some of my favorite photography YouTubers back into the stream.
How the Dutch SOLVED Street Design
Scratching my urban planning itch. They SOLVED that shit.
I wasted $1,000 on old junk at the Apple Store!
Some weird products on this list.
Glide with Josie Prendergast
Surfing videos are cool. Surfing videos featuring surfers who look like supermodels are even cooler. Don’t tell my wife or daughters.
Surfing With Whales
Travel + surfing = dopeness.
Being Different // Sony A7siii Canada Travel Film
I thought this was going to be a lead-in to a series. So it was refreshing to just be a seven minute video about this guy’s adventures.
Sick of second hand life? So was I.
There comes a time in life where you have to sort your sh*t
Short-form Beau Miles bullshit. “Netflix is gunna be knockin’ after this.” 😂
How He Stumbled Upon The US Government’s Nuclear Bunkers
This wasn’t as interesting as I hoped it would be.
The Paradox of an Infinite Universe
Science!
Here’s the Thing about the M3 Macbook Air…
I’ll save you some time: unless you’re a pro, always buy the cheapest model with the biggest storage.
Car Content
In addition to watching tons of videos from several core channels, mostly on the Out of Spec network, I also caught these.
NEW £80k VW ID Buzz EV Camper Van Overnight REVIEW
Good thing these aren’t available in the US yet or it might be top of my new car list.
Full Tour: Electrify America Flagship Indoor Charging Hub! The Nicest Public EV Station In America
A big issue with EV adoption is that many of the people who are most interested in them live/work in congested urban areas where there isn’t room for chargers, and apartments/condos often don’t allow Level 2 home chargers. This solution seems best suited for tech-savvy cities like San Fransisco.
How Tesla Became The Most Popular Car Brand In Norway
Interesting series of events.
Living with the Tesla Cybertruck So You Don’t Have To!
Sorry, this thing is incredibly dumb looking.
My First Look At The Audi Q6 e-tron! Tech Specs, Quick Tour, & First Drive
Then there’s this, which, HOLY SHIT IS IT SEXY!!! Maybe I’ll win the lottery before it’s time to buy my next-next car and I can afford an e-tron.
How far can electric cars REALLY go??
None of these are on my list of potential cars but I still was interested in the outcome.
Do We Regret Buying a Rivian R1S? 7 Months Later…
I hate how videos like this are titled to generate controversy. This is actually a very fair, honest, mostly positive accounting. The estimate they got for repairing some minor damage was indeed insane, though.
A Tour of the Rivian Plant | Go behind the scenes with founder RJ Scaringe
Kinda cool. I hope they make it.
This $40,000 Tesla Solar & Powerwall Setup Is The Ultimate Home Power Station
Not strictly about cars, but another step on where we should be headed as a society. If we ever build a house – something that seems pretty unlikely – I would 100% roll the cost of adding solar into the project. As it stands, though, we don’t have a spare 40K sitting around to add it to our current home. Unless C or L get full rides to college.
Lucid Air: How to One-up Tesla!
I’ve ridden in a Lucid, and they are indeed awesome. I disagree with his critique of the Air’s looks.
The Vinfast VF8 is…. trying
One of the crazy things about the EV space is that there are some cars out there that are kind of crappy, yet still start in the $50K range. Boggles the mind.
Why Car Insurance Rates Are Skyrocketing In The U.S.
They leave out the most important part: the insurance industry is a scam.
Porsche Macan GTS v BMW X3 M40d v Tesla Model Y: DRAG RACE
I watched a lot of Car Wow videos three years ago, before and after I got my Audi. I’m glad they are showing up in my feed again.
Music/Podcasts
A final reminder that the magnificent 60 Songs That Explain The ‘90s pod came to an end in March. If you’ve never listened to it and love music, I can’t recommend it enough.