Tag: microcast

Sound Quality – Noise Prints

To start, this will sound more complicated than it is. Sound quality, ironically, is more easily shown than written about. To start, find your favorite audio editing software. The arguably most popular is Audacity. Multiple other options are available, but for the most part share the same features.

Sound exists at all times. If you buy a fancy mic, it will hear everything. Even that pesky air that’s floating around everywhere. This will create one of your biggest struggles while podcasting (if not the biggest). The good news is it can be simply deleted. You will be using this to create what I call a “noise fingerprint”. If using the Audacity program I linked above, the process is simple.

Before every episode be sure to record dead air for a few seconds. No talking, movement or pen tapping. Just record nothing.

Highlight the section of audio that you recorded at the beginning (the dead air).

On the toolbar towards the top of the application, select the dropdown for “Effect”.

Next, select “Noise Reduction…”.

A box will pop up with numerous options. In the top portion is an option for “Get Noise Print”. Select it.

You will be returned to your recording, and your screen should look like the picture below.

Now you will want to select your entire project. You can do this by pressing CTRL+A if on a Windows keyboard. The classic click and drag works as well simply by clicking the start of the audio and dragging until the end.

Once all audio is selected you will need to return to the Noise Print Options. As a reminder, this is done by: selecting “Effect” in the toolbar and selecting “Noise Reduction”. You will see a dialog box appear again. Instead of “Get Noise Print”, this time you will select “OK”. You can also preview the first few seconds to be sure any background noise has been removed.

Once “OK” is selected you are returned to your project. This step by step will help remove almost everything. It will not however remove what I call mechanical noise. This is noise created by vibrations to the mic. It can be caused from your mic being on the same desk as you PC or Mac for example. I will go over simple fixes for those problems at a later time.

Ykyz- A place to get it off your chest.

I would list other reasons as number one, two, or three why it is awesome to be a microcaster on ykyz, but I feel like going straight to number four or five: You get to share with other users what you are up today, how you feel, what is bothering you.

When I first started off with my cast I wanted to create professional bits with information on historical events, culture and so on. Then I noticed that people react less to those kinds of casts and react more often to my random rants. I don’t blame them at all as with time I realized that although I am an avid fan of history, it is really easier to prepare a 90 seconds max audio of how I was today or what was on my mind than preparing a mini-lesson on the Austrian Empire and the Austrian national identity or where the name “Russia” comes from.

This is not about easy. Besides all other types of fun one can have on ykyz, I found out it is a great place to vent or to just share. Maybe two or three weeks ago I stumbled upon the cast of this female ykyz-er sharing her doubts and emotion regarding her teenage daughter going through and coming out of depression and suicidal thoughts. I may be an extrovert and a communicative person, but I’ve been through that and I related on the double. I bleated back to her, she bleated too. We talked. We didn’t see each other’s faces, which I think made communication more genuine. We only cared about the message of the other person.

 I went on ykyz a couple of times to get it off my chest – me turning 30 or my attempts to tone down alcohol a notch. We have a friendly environment here. Not because of some regulation, not because correctness has been imposed on us, but simply because literally everyone on this platform is a cool, open-minded human being. We do not always agree, but we are perfectly cool about that. You know, as Voltaire once said: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

How to Promote Your Microcast and YKYZ

Why should you promote your microcast? Well, there are a few reasons why. First of all, people won’t listen unless you promote them. I’ll go over ways to do that in a bit, but it can be as simple as an eye-catching title or a relevant topic that gets people talking. Second, promoting your microcast, and thus YKYZ, helps the site, which helps you because if YKYZ is successful, you have a good chance to be a success as well. It’s all intertwined – the circle of life if you will. Last, promoting your microcast is necessary because there is a ton of content out there. People aren’t likely to accidentally stumble across it. You have to shove it right in front of them so they have to stumble upon it. How do you do that? There are quite a few ways, some of which I’ll go into below.

Word of Mouth

I’ve listed this one first because it’s the easiest and the most likely to get results. If you have friends, relatives, neighbors, or work colleagues, mention your microcast in conversation. “What are you doing to stay busy these days?” “Well, I have a microcast on this site called YKYZ – let me send you the link!” Simple as that. If you haven’t already, go here  https://blog.ykyz.com/index.php/how-to/email-signatures/ to change your email signature to promote your microcast. It takes maybe five or ten minutes, and then every email you send will have a link to your microcast at the bottom.

Social Media

If you haven’t already, follow YKYZ on Facebook and Twitter. Like and share/retweet the official YKYZ posts, and any of the other YKYZ users’ posts you wish. Start your own account – you don’t have to have an account on every social media site, although that will certainly get you more exposure. However, if you only have time for one, pick a platform you will be most likely to engage with. Spend time gathering followers – this can be as simple as liking or commenting on posts, following users with similar accounts – e.g., if your microcast is about gaming, follow other gamers, etc. Make sure to post at least once a day, and ideally four to five times throughout the day. This can be done in five minutes or less – just click on the drop-down link under your episode, then select the link for either Twitter or Facebook. This eliminates the long link in your posts and makes it look more professional. Try to be engaging – grab people’s attention. Ask questions – people love to give their opinion. Another thing I would suggest is using relevant hashtags. For example, those of you who have historical/education microcasts, try using #homeschooling or #homeschool to get your microcast to parents or teachers who could use it. And, as always, make sure to tag YKYZ in your posts!

Linktree

Addie from Music and Peace did a great job with this on Reddit, so I won’t go into a lot of detail. https://www.reddit.com/r/YKYZ/comments/esiqc5/linktree_for_your_instagram_and_social_media/  Basically, this allows you to combine all your links for various platforms into one spot. You can just use this link for promotion instead of trying to decide if you should post your Spotify or your iTunes link. It takes maybe 2 minutes to set up each link. Make sure this is posted in your bio/profile on social media as well – I’m not as familiar with Facebook, but I know Twitter has a website option you can put this in.

Upload your microcast to podcasting platforms

There are tutorials in the YKYZ blog on how to do this for some of the more popular sites: https://blog.ykyz.com/index.php/how-to/. Again, this takes maybe five or ten minutes – once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty much autopilot. Some sites require verification, others just let you upload and go. YKYZ automatically uploads to the sites, so once you’ve done it, that’s it. New episodes show up on iTunes or wherever you’ve uploaded every time you upload to YKYZ.

Say Hi to the new users

When you go on the YKYZ site, take the time to go to https://ykyz.com/c/intros. Go through the list of new users and say Hi. Even if that’s all you say! It can be a little intimidating to talk into the void, so to speak, and sometimes new users don’t stay for very long. If you notice a new name, try to engage with them, even if their microcast or comment isn’t something you would necessarily find relevant to you. It’s about being friendly and making them feel at home so they want to stick around. Community is a big thing here, and we want new users to feel welcomed.

Time to take action!

I know we are all busy right now, lives have been rearranged, and things are uncertain. But I’m pretty sure we can all find ten or fifteen minutes a day to promote our microcasts, and, by extension, YKYZ. Any of the action items listed above should take you five-fifteen minutes, and you’ll be surprised by how much progress you will make. It’s encouraging to see your followers grow, and to see people on the site that you know came there because of you. So here’s to YKYZ – and all of us. Let’s all pull together – promote like crazy, let people know there’s a site out there that is friendly, doesn’t censor, and is exciting and engaging – something we are all proud to be a part of. Cheers!

Editor’s Note: Originally posted on 4/1/2020. Updated on 4/13/2020, for sake of clarity.

Why You Should Microcast While It’s Hot!

Everyone today has a YouTube channel, podcast or even a streaming show they push. It is the future of entertainment and nothing will change that. Today the average person can make money from the comfort of their own home by simply making a video and monetizing. Due to the increase saturation however, the market has become almost impossible to jump into. It has adapted the “Rockstar” concept of needing an immense amount of luck to achieve success.

That is not the only thing standing in your way either. YouTube’s adpocalypse and more have hinder even the best YouTuber’s ability to capitalize on advertising. Creators have now adapted to a whole new marketing scheme that goes far beyond Twitch and even Twitter. YouTubers are now streaming on Twitch, Streamers are now reviewing games on YouTube, the industry is changing everyday. New ways of standing out themselves are being saturated.

So now is the time. Depending on the video, it can take an entire day of editing to post content, just for it to be taken down due to rule violations. That’s where YKYZ.com comes into play. Free speech and content creation over the last couple of years has been blockaded behind rules and fear. “I can’t post this video because I’m on my final strike, and could lose my channel.” “This is too political to post, so I’m staying away from it.”

Have your say is so much more than a slogan, it’s a philosophy. You can report long form news on your favorite platform, but why not bring it to a place you can speak freely as well. Watching your tongue to keep your subscriber count up? Let them know they can come to ykyz.com for a little extra conversation where you present how you FEEL about a topic. Everyone reports the news, make your fan base interact with it. Interact not behind a keyboard, but in front of a mic for all to hear.

Most sports seasons are on hold or completely canceled right now. Maybe you do not have enough news to make a normal twenty minute video? Bring it to YKYZ and microcast it. Content should not be hidden behind quantity. The most important things ever said happened in less than ninety seconds.

Microcating is the future of content creation. It can not only be an add on to a service you already offer, but the home to your thoughts and feelings. A home to your new fan base.

Cast of the Week XV

CotW XIII
You’ll find all the nominees for this week at https://ykyz.com/c/na?faveOf=cotwxv

And now, without further ado, I’m handing things over to u/Mattasher for the winners of Cast of the Week XV (The Quiñcenero):

But first, some shoutouts.

Shoutout to Kayla (Violaceous Curiosity) for trying her hand (or voice) at the cold opener. Together we are exploring this new micro podcasting space.

Shoutout to MyNameIsQuest for the intriguing teaser episode The Spot. Everyone loves a good treasure hunt or vaunt opening tale, just don’t let us down like Geraldo.

Shoutout to our own Teresa (ThatOneGirl) who took over the Astrocast By Diz microcast to give Aries their due (and do’s).

Shoutout to Joanie for the bold and brave decision to review her own face in episode 93. Rambling About my Ugly Face

And now, on to the winners! But first, some honorable mentions:

35. But How are YOU doing? by jen.again
Good old Jen checks in with all of us in this friendly, nicely scripted episode.

153. Vinegar by Brown Skin Pearls
Clare examines the idea of using vinegar as a skincare product and concludes with a gentle reminder that when it comes to applying things to our body, we might want to leave the chemistry to the chemists, a reminder that seems particularly relevant right now.

148. Own Your Choices by Voluptuous Voyager
In this easy to listen to episode, Asi the Voluptuous Voyager introduces an expression that captures the distinction between where we land, and where we stay.

And now, the winners of CotW XV

Third Prize:
193. Paul Bunyan And Pancakes by SnippetsWithSophia
Sophia goes over one of my favorite characters from childhood, the tall tales of Paul Bunyan. Everything about this legendary lumberjack was supersized, including the story, Sophia tells about frying up pancakes in an acre-sized griddle. Grab a pick and pluck along with this giant microcast episode.  

Second Prize:
108. Fast Facts: IPA’s – A Brewtiful Mind by A Brewtiful Mind
Micah opens with a teaser of an upcoming episode, then goes all fast and furious on us with facts about India Pale Ales. This 86 second episode would have to be rated with an IBU of 0, given the smooth delivery and how easily Micah makes the info go down.  

Grand Prize:
10. My job isn’t real and the gaming industry is a joke by Maleficent Gaming
Our grand prize winner this week is from Lilith, who has just the right mix of personal experience and hard data in this episode about the gaming industry in her home country of Serbia. Lilith takes us into her narrow and misunderstood professional world, and leaves us with a broader understanding of how it fits into her countries overall economy.

Cast of the Week XIV

CotW XIII
You’ll find all the nominees for this week at https://ykyz.com/c/na?faveOf=cotwxiv

And now, without any further ado, we present the winners of the 14th weekly CotW.

But first, some shoutouts:

Shoutout to Life in Ancient Egypt for passing 100 episodes this past week, and marking the occasion with a celebratory cast about celebrations in, you guessed it, Ancient Egypt.

Shoutout to both SmartMoney and DoctorIrish for passing the 200 episodes mark. So did NerdyOldGuy, and I’m not gonna lie, he had us in the first half of the episode.

Shoutout to Joanie for choosing to review her Annoying Spastic Eyelid. Spoiler alert: It gets a 0.

A second Shoutout to Joanie for doing a perfect imitation of a broadcaster in her episode 80. 🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨

Shoutout to Clare for getting that perennially hated, but somehow never quite forgotten, Vanilla Ice hit stuck in my head with her episode 145. Ice, Ice Baby.

And now, on to the winners. But first, some honorable mentions:

50. Interview with Chris Martin of Coldplay! by BeyondRhythm
This fun, nicely spliced “interview” with Coldplay’s frontman kept us entertained for the full 90 seconds.


76. What makes you happy? by Poegosi The Poet
In times of trouble, Poegosi comforts us with this ode to drinking. There seemed to be a lot of drinking talk this week among bleaters, and not just on the Brewtiful Mind microcast.


Third Prize:
182. Kottabos – An Old Drinking Game by SnippetsWithSophia
Who knew drinking games were invented by the actual greeks, and not their modern(ish) day Animal House imitators? We just might give Kottabos a try at our next soiree, all the while keeping the appropriate social distance, of course.


Second Prize:
289. Hypothetical Musicians In Quarantine by Music and Peace
Beyond being a solid episode of musing about musicians under lockdown, Addie gives us the wonderful, and quite welcome, analogy of 2020 as a restart your computer year. Remember folks, “It’s just a little reset”. We can only hope.


Grand Prize:
193. Stockpile your VODKA! “Vodka can make Hand Sanitizer” – False by Doctor Irish
The Doctor is in with this myth-busting episode about the use of distilled spirits to kill the evil spirits on your hands, otherwise, know as germs. Bottom line, unless your Vodka is actually moonshine, you may want to splash it down your throat instead of rubbing it between your palms.


Thanks again to everyone who was part of our week at ykyz, and don’t forget to follow us on twitter @YKYZHaveYouSay and like our Facebook page.

Cast of the Week XIII

CotW XIII
You’ll find all the nominees for this week at https://ykyz.com/c/na?faveOf=cotwxiii

We’ll get right into the winners of Cast of the Week XIII.

But first, some shoutouts.

Shoutout to Elvira for crossing the 100 episode barrier with her Mistress of the Microcast series.

Shoutout to Joel for clocking in with 200 episodes of his NerdyOldGuy microcast.

Shoutout to Fredrik for the lovely episode 38. March Madness – Improvisation on Swedish Folk music (Guitar) (Original music by Fredrik). We always appreciate your original compositions.

Shoutout to the many users who jumped into March Madness with swaps and guest hosting. We listen to all of these, and you can find them collected in one place at https://ykyz.com/c/na?faveOf=marchmadness

And now, on to the winners. But first, some honorable mentions.

Honorable mentions
2. Mobile Gamers And Console Wars by Maleficent Gaming
Lilith got a big response for just her second microcast episode, an invitation to weigh in on the current state of mobile vs console gaming.


146. Kabbalah Numerology by Astrocast By Diz explains how to turn your name into a number as part of the ancient Hebrew practice of Kabbalah. Also, check out the fun and opinionated 155.Storytime: Zeus by Astrocast By Diz


60. Free Speech – Not Just Another Value by Just Thinking Aloud
At a time when patience for free speech is at the lowest point, it’s been in my lifetime, and censorship seems to championed even by the media itself, Mark succinctly explains the connection between free speech and honestly confronting reality.


And now, on to the winners!

Second place
87. Rosetta Stone with Alba of the Culture Mix by Life in Ancient Egypt
Alba steps into Marwan’s sandals and picks up his staff to lead us out of Egypt and into the British Museum, current home of the Rosetta stone, for a tour-guide quality description of this famously fractured artifact.


Grand prize
168. Takeover – Voluptuous Voyager – Swedish Death Cleaning by ThatBeardedSwede
This week, one caster perfectly captured the vibe of the show she swapped with. Asi, of Voluptuous voyager fame, gave us a wonderful slice of Swedish life in her guest appearance in episode 168 of ThatbeardedSwede’s microcast. Focusing on the practice of Death Cleaning (döstädning), or getting one’s affairs in order before it’s game over in this simulated we all share, Asi nails the feeling and focus of her host’s microcast. We also highly recommend Asi’s other Swedish take over episode on The Ice Hotel.

Cast of the Week XI

CotW XI
You’ll find all the nominees for this week at https://ykyz.com/c/na?faveOf=cotwx


Before we get to this week’s winners, we have some shoutouts to microcasters who made our week great.

Shoutout all seven microcasters who entered the 100 episode club this week. I’m talking about you Black Girl Baker, Dancing Bartender, Aspie and Proud, Astrocast by Diz, Plant Based Podcast, Voluptuous Voyager, and last but not least, xXxDisturbedOnexXx

We’re sending a second Shoutout to the Voluptuous Voyager for her episode 97. Be the bigger person? which is not only good but experiments with a delayed intro. While certainly not an approach that works all the time or for all microcasts, it worked well here and we encourage you to try out new things, especially this month (did we mention it was March Madness on ykyz?)

Shoutout as well to all of you who have offered to help out generally with promoting ykyz, we’ll be counting on your efforts to take ykyz up to 11.

Honorable mentions
Before we get to the prize winners, here are the honorable mentions for this week.
 
30. Steelman-ing by Just Thinking Aloud
Mark provides us with a concise, well thought out description of this important technique in arguing, which involves making the strongest possible case for your opponent before you begin to attack it.


145. You Should Never do this. The Stigmas in Health by Doctor Irish
In this episode, the good doctor gives us an important reminder to distinguish between the patient and the condition, and not stigmatize people by identifying them with their disease. I’d also highly recommend listening to the Doc’s episode 20. 600 Dollars on microtransactions on his Imperfect Reviews microcast, a warning tale for anyone who lets the little ones access an app store, intentionally or otherwise.


80. I Was A Communist by SteinerLand
Andrew tells us his first two words when growing up on the Kibbutz, an institution which is on the ropes in large part because people move away from them in search of Andrew’s third word.


Winners:
Just for March Madness, we’re adding a third prize level.  

Third place:
12. Paranoid Android by BeyondRhythm
This well-crafted episode by Cyannade tells the story behind one of my favorite Radiohead songs. Rich in detail, and bookended by a couple of nicely appropriate sonic touches, BeyondRythm picks up our inaugural third place with an entry that’s well worth the 90 second listen.


Runner up:
22. Disneyland is Too Expensive by The Broken Down Starship
James clearly touched a nerve with his discussion of the high cost of Disneyland. Mixing news, official explanations, and a personal take, this excellent episode expertly lays out a lament shared by all too many parents.  


Grand prize:
145. Chili Bricks – Just Add Water by SnippetsWithSophia
With her signature mix of perfectly recorded episodes, quirky history, and heaping spoonfuls of information, Sophia once again puts the spice in our bowls and takes home top prize in this week’s microcast cook-off. Who knew the freeze-dried bags of beef stroganoff campers carry today can trace their lineage back over a hundred years to bricks of dried beef, fat, salt, and chilis. Either way, it beats lembas bread.


Thanks to everyone who took part in CotW XI, talk to you soon on ykyz!

Cast of the Week X

CotW IX
You’ll find all the nominees for this week at https://ykyz.com/c/na?faveOf=cotwx

First, some shoutouts:

Shoutout to Astrocast by Diz for dropping her magic number 100. Allow Me to Reintroduce Myself

Shoutout to Music and Peace for giving ykyz its first serenade (and we’re just going to pretend it was for us). Addie’s episode 197. Take 7 – Original Music, Here’s A Serenade showcases her lovely voice and is a must-listen. Twice.

Careful watchers of CotW will have noticed that while many multi-part episodes have been nominated, none have won a grand or second prize. This isn’t for lack of good episodes that were part of a series, it’s more a reflection of the trickiness of selecting a single episode out of a series, or giving an award to a series that may not be done yet, or whose start or finish date may not coincide with the previous week.

All that said, we want to shoutout several well done multi-part series that are either in progress or done. In particular, we send a Shoutout to Just Thinking Aloud for his episode on End of our Universe pt1 – Heat death, which gives a detailed yet friendly introduction to this fascinating topic, a Shoutout to A Brewtiful Mind for his well-researched series on Monks and Beer, and a giant Shoutout to The Broken Down Starship’s fantastic series on the fake moon landing conspiracy theory. This series by James is a perfect example of using the microcast format to give multiple self-contained snippets that build on each other in service of exploring a single, larger, topic.

And now, on to the winners. But first, some honorable mentions:

78. My Father – A Hero and A Villain  by Voluptuous Voyager
This tightly scripted, emotional yet contained, episode by Asi is a lovely gem of personal reflection.


128. Money Vs. Time by SmartMoney
In this smooth and well-paced episode, Becky explores the tradeoffs between working more (or for more) versus having more money by spending less on “all the things”.


103. MSC Cruise ship crashing into the pier by Dancing Bartender
This detail-rich episode gives a (likely) explanation of what happened in a now-infamous video of a cruise ship docking with full force right into a pier, and another ship, in Venice. We recommend watching the video while listening to the episode.


99. ATTENTION – MERCURY IS NOW IN RETROGRADE by Astrocast by Diz
This innovative episode by Diz begins with a bomb siren alert and warns us of the dangers of Mercury’s movement into retrograde. Diz warns us to expect higher levels of ghosting. If only we had a little more context as to why this truly cosmic event means we shouldn’t update iTunes during the retrograde, which IMO has been solid advice for at least the past five years.


120. Manorial Food Rights by SnippetsWithSophia
Sophia delivers yet another fascinating, well-researched microcast episode with this look at “banal” laws, applied to peasants by lords in the middle ages and lingering until the period when heads began to roll, literally.


And now, without further ado, the winners of Cast of the Week X.

Runner up:
38. Stouts and Porters, Are They Different? by A Brewtiful Mind
Micah takes second prize for this insightful episode explaining the history, and difference, between two interrelated types of dark ales. Framed with the perfect short intro and outro music, Micah sticks the landing right at 90 seconds with just the right tidbit of info.  


Grand prize:
152. Bloodbread by ThatbeardedSwede
In this episode, ThatbeardedSwede is truly at the top of his game. In just 70 seconds, Fredrik gives us an informative look at bread made with animal blood as the liquid ingredient. Fredrik packs in a detailed description of the bread, its historical context, an insightful quote by the late, great food critic Anthony Bourdain, and a personal reflection on eating it as part of a meal growing up.

Cast of the Week IX

CotW IX
You’ll find all the nominees for this week at https://ykyz.com/c/na?faveOf=cotwIX

u/mattasher writes:

And now, without further ado, we present the winners of Cast of the Week IX.

But first, some shoutouts:

Shoutout to SnippetsWithSophia for joining the 100 club this week with her fascinating episode Rum And The British Navy

Shoutout to Clare for booting up a second microcast about African Food.

Shoutout to Doctor Irish for adopting an emoji for us on twitter. We wish there were a lovely Ram emoji out there, but sadly that’s not the case.

Another Shoutout to Doctor Irish for his touching and moving series on forgiveness.

Shoutout to @ndrewSteiner for becoming ykyz’s first user to offer Tarot readings, though I suspect his interpretations are mostly fake news.

And now, on to the winners. But first, some honorable mentions:

85. Wishing on a Star by Astrocast By Diz
Making the most of her 90 seconds, Diz takes us on a tour of some of the many cultures that have prayed to the stars and ends with her own heavenly experience wishing on a star.


16. Unreliable Eyewitness Testimony by Crime Research Perch
Sridevi begins a deep dive into why you can’t always believe your eyes in this intriguing episode.


189. Album In Review – Magical Mystery Tour, The Beatles
by Music and Peace
If nothing else, Addie’s album review episode is worth a listen for her two perfectly timed chipmunk interludes.


50. BEST Valentine’s Day date idea by MarassleTassle
Sonic never lets his friends down, and neither does Marassle in this VD recommendation for the pairing of a movie and mozzarella sticks.


140. Movie Myths – Wizard of Oz by The Broken Down Starship
James dissects one of the most persistent movie legends of all time, the hanging midget of oz. This well-researched episode reveals what’s really moving in the background of that infamous scene.


And now, on to the winners:

Second place:
71. Millennium – is Lisbeth Asperger? by Aspie and Proud
Aspie and Proud’s interesting meditation on whether the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo girl is on the spectrum takes the runner-up spot this week. Elsa’s thoughtful episode makes me want to re-read Stieg Larsson’s disturbing thriller.


Grand prize:
7. My Cat Peach by Joanie Reviews Stuff
In this quick-moving and packed episode, Joanie takes on the task of reviewing (drum roll please), her cat. Lively, well-paced, and funny to the point of actual LOL, this episode rates a five out of five, just like Peach. This is the first spin-off microcast episode to win a prize. We also highly recommend you check out Joanie’s other reviews, especially her takes on Metal Straws, Textbooks, and her Boyfriend’s Snoring.