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[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yZIJBqwwR0?ecver=2] Today’s featured Youtuber is Andrew Reams, a railroad freight conductor and self-proclaimed “elevator enthusiast.”  Andrew is better known by the handle of “DieselDucy”, and as I’m writing this his Youtube channel has nearly 40,000 subscribers.  That’s pretty impressive, particularly when you consider that most of his videos are silent recordings of his favorite elevator rides!  No commentary, no background music, just the blissful sound of a lift in motion. On his website, Andrew explains that he is an adult diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, an autism spectrum disorder.  One of the characteristics of autism spectrum involves “fixating” on certain things, and in Andrew’s case he’s particularly intrigued by elevators, locks, lighting and trains.  Although he didn’t start uploading videos until 2006, Andrew’s actually been recording his favorite elevators rides…

Full disclosure:  I once worked at a McDonald’s restaurant for two years straight, which is why I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit that I’ve never actually tried the McRib sandwich.  The “for a limited time only” pork-and-sauce delectable was first introduced in 1981, invented by the same genius who brought us the Chicken McNugget.  Although the McRib was removed from the chain’s permanent menu in 1985, it’s continued to make occasional re-appearances and “farewell tours” over the years. Not having actually eaten the sandwich, the thing I find most impressive about the McRib are its legion of dedicated fans.  One of them, Alan Klein, actually founded the McRib Locator website in order to help others track down their dream lunch.  For us road warriors, Klein also created an app (of course)…

This quiet, appealing neighborhood bookstore has been a staple of Christchurch for over 40 years.  Although its original building was damaged during the massive earthquake of 2011, the business itself lives on. When I first visited the store in late 2015, Scorpio Books occupied a humble shipping container in the trendy Re:Start Mall.  It was definitely a unique shopping experience, although the selection was understandably limited.  When I came back through town a year later, I was pleased to see that Scorpio Books had moved into a larger, more open shop just down from its original building on Hereford Street. With a great local selection and friendly staff, it’s a sure bet that you won’t be walking out empty-handed.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiDF0Zd-rFc?ecver=2] Reed Naiper has to be one of my favorite “celebrities” of the modern era.  Although his Youtube channel features a lot of standard fare such as video game walkthroughs, in my opinion Reed shines brightest during his product reviews.  “Casual Gamer Reed”, as he’s known online, offers his unbiased (and unedited) thoughts on a range of products from the driver’s seat of his car, which is usually stationed in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart Supercenter.  Whether or not Reed actually lives in his car has yet to be determined. In my mind, it’s a sure sign that the American dream is alive and well if a young man is able to build a successful brand by extolling the virtues of a McDonald’s M&M Flurry, or discussing the…

A quick trip through Auckland last week was the inspiration for this paragraph, a brief shout-out to one of the best bookstores I’ve come across.  Unity Books only has two locations, this one plus another in Wellington, but their reputation is huge.  In a world where massive chain booksellers offer office supplies, toys and games, Unity Books stands out for their simplicity.  This place sells books, nothing else.  Not even a café, although you’ll almost certainly find something worth reading over your morning flat white.  If your travels ever lead you to the land of the long white cloud, be sure to stop in and have a browse for yourself.