December can be kind of a drab—there’s fewer hours of daylight, the weather’s colder, and, for some people, the holidays is a source of stress.
But instead of wallowing in the “not so great”, I took a page out of John Krasinski’s book and wanted to highlight some pretty cool things that I’ve come across this month so far.
Let’s go feel some hyggelig feelings!
Hype Alert: Discord server coming soon!
First things first… I’m super excited to announce the official launch of the Rampant Discord server next week!
I know folks have been asking if I had one (since the start of my Twitch streaming days) and the answer was no, because I wanted to be sure that the server was going to be purposeful—that it was going to serve you. Not just me.
With that said, the Discord server is going to start out as a meeting spot for folks who strive to become the best versions of themselves. Whether you need accountability buddies (let’s go 2021) or some tough love, it’s my hope that the people you meet in this server push you to do better and be better.
I’ll be sharing the server invite link on Friday’s Twitch stream so you can keep your eyes on it! 👀
Winner, winner: First celebrity to win Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
TL;DR—David Chang, founder of Momofuku Group, wins $1M and donates it all to non-profit Southern Smoke.
I’m a fan of David Chang, because he seems to be a good-natured guy who brings his good-natured personality to the culinary world, which sometimes to me can seem a bit hoity-toity. (If you enjoy food shows, I recommend watching Ugly Delicious on Netflix!)
His charity of choice, the Southern Smoke Foundation, raises funds for those in the food and beverage industry facing hardships. It’s a particularly important organization that’s doing a lot of good, a bright spot during a time when COVID has closed more than 100,000 restaurants for good.
For a nail-biting experience, I highly recommend watching the video in the article that shows David Chang phoning a friend and (ultimately) winning. Not gonna lie, when he started tearing up, so did I.
You go, David Chang!
Ultimate c-c-c-combo: When something good happens in 2020, let’s cherish it
TL;DR—900+ cars IN A ROW shared the holiday spirit and “paid it forward” in drive-thru.
Now with this news, I physically felt a smile pull at my face when I read it.
It all started with one guy at a Minnesotan Dairy Queen drive-thru wanting to pay for the meal of the car behind him. That kindness was contagious, and it began a combo chain that spread over two and a half days.
Stories like these sometimes do make the news, and when they do, it helps me remember that the world is actually full of pretty darn good people and that good things can still happen, despite *sweeps hand* all this.
Neat Find
If you want a good (slightly angsty) cry, watch No Crying at the Dinner Table, “an emotionally complex and meticulously composed portrait of intergenerational trauma, grief, and secrets”. It’s directed and produced by filmmaker Carol Nguyen and has been featured in 75+ festivals and received 15+ awards.
As a first-generation Asian American myself whose parents have had their own struggles, this short film hit me straight in the feels.
What other feel-good stories or neat stuff have you run into the past couple weeks? Share them with me!