Five Things You Should Know

[This blog will always be free to read, but it’s also how I pay my bills. If you have suggestions or feedback on how I can earn your paid subscription, shoot me an email: [email protected]. And yes, I am available for speaking engagements. And if all this is too big a commitment, I’m always thankful for a simple cup of coffee.]Happy Monday, folks!It’s that time again. I’m sorry for missing last week; I was under the weather. Here are five positive/interesting/fun things that’ll hopefully make you smile, make you laugh, and make you think. And in case you missed it, check out the previous iteration.1. The Mega Viral Ad for Down Syndrome AwarenessThis past Thursday (3/21) was World Down Syndrome Day, first celebrated in 2007 and observed by the United Nations since 2012. In advance of it, the folks at the National Down Syndrome Society released an absolutely fantastic ad about those proudly living with it. Starring actress and model Madison Tevlin, it humorously points out how ridiculous it is to have low standards for folks with Down Syndrome. The ad has been making enormous waves online, garnering praise and widespread discussion. And if this doesn’t make you smile, I don’t know what will.2. Historic World Championship Free Skate By Teenager Ilia MalininIf you don’t yet know Ilia Malinin, you will soon. The 19 year-old American figure skating superstar captured the world title this past weekend with what’s being called by many the greatest free skate performance of all-time. His name was already in the history books: two years ago, he became the first person to land a Quadruple Axel, almost 45 years after the first Triple Axel was landed in competition. All that is wildly impressive, sure, but what undeniably sets apart the performance aspect of his routine on Saturday was setting it to the theme of “Succession” — unexpected and totally right. I reached out to my pal Kaitlyn Weaver, three-time Canadian national champion and three-time world medalist, for her expert take: “Ilia is performing elements that have never been done before! He’s giving the sport the BADASS reputation it deserves.” (By the way, you should absolutely follow her on Instagram; she’s fantastic.)3. “Stranger Planet” by Nathan W. PyleHow do I even explain this comic? Imagine a completely wholesome world in which alien beings use overly complex language (yet adorably specific) to describe the minutiae of the day-to-day life of human beings. Part of the fun is deciphering what’s being referenced in our real world (“Existence??” = LIFE cereal, for example). It’s always witty, interesting, warm, and hilarious. Pyle’s artistic and comedic approach is strikingly optimistic against a moment in our cultural landscape that leans heavily on cynicism and ironic detachment.4. University of Idaho Pep Band Fills in for Yale UniversityCollege basketball phenom Caitlin Clark is probably the biggest story in sports at the moment, so it’s understandable that other narratives coming out of March Madness may get overlooked (“March Madness” is the nickname for the NCAA Division I basketball national championship tournament, for you non-sportsball folks). That’s why I wanna draw some attention to this heartwarming nugget. Yale University’s men’s team—the Ivy League Champs—played their first round in Spokane this past week, but the university’s pep band couldn’t make the trip due to a travel conflict. So, naturally, the University of Idaho’s pep band stepped up and said: “You know what? We got y’all covered.” With only one practice beforehand (to learn Yale’s music, cues, etc.), the band dressed up in Yale garb and came out swinging. This is the same game in which Yale (#13 seed) delivered a huge upset against Auburn (#4 seed). How damn cool is that?5. I’m Speaking at the Texas Democratic Convention in JuneAs many of you know, I’m from Texas, and the folks down there on the ground are fighting tooth-and-nail for a better future for all people. From Rep. Colin Allred to Rep. Jasmine Crockett to Lauren Ashley Simmons, there are Democrats up and down the ballot who deserve our support because of how powerfully and relentlessly they’re advocating for our collective future. So, when the Texas Democratic Party reached out and asked if I’d like to speak at their convention in El Paso this year, it was a very easy decision, to say the least. On a more personal note, this was something of a childhood dream for me, the kind of thing that, while growing up, I imagined would be pretty cool to do someday but never thought I’d actually do it. And yet, here I am. I wanna thank all of you for supporting my writing and advocacy. You made this possible. For those of you living in Texas, come to the convention!Charlotte's Web Thoughts is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Charlotte's Web Thoughts at charlotteclymer.substack.com/subscribe