For the last 51 weeks, you've listened to me yap about a bunch of not-controversial issues and my takes on them. Today, to celebrate 52 weeks of consistent writing (and then some), I'd love to get to know YOU!
So, please, take the three or so odd minutes you'd have used to read today's issue and tell me about yourself in this thread! Think of it like a Slam Book or a Year Book, and we're signing off after a whole year of being together in your inboxes.
Questions to get you started (you can answer all or just the one(s) you want):
Who are you? You can answer this however you like.
What are you currently reading/watching/listening to?
A random fact you'd like to share (about you/the universe/anything).
Your favourite/least-liked Not Controversial issue.
Three words you'd use to describe yourself.
One piece of advice for me/the world.
How’d you find me/this newsletter? Or as Natasha put it, where did we “meet”?
Substack Grow recommended it, and I took a page out of Theory Gang's discussion thread too. It'll ultimately help me write better and more interesting stuff for you to read, I promise.
I massively appreciate you taking the time to talk to me, thank you very much!
Regularly scheduled programming will be back next week as I discuss comfort zones and suchlike. 👀
Finally, one link before I go (I’ll drop a gift link in the comments so it’s added incentive for you to participate).
Who are you? — Right now, I'm a writer. Other times, I'm a human dealing with an existential crisis in a world that seems both cruel and kind. Mostly, I am Nia.
A random fact you'd like to share (about you/the universe/anything) — Gmail doesn't recognize dots so xyz.abc@gmail.com is the same as xyzabc@gmail.com.
What's your favourite Pokemon? Squirtle, hands down. He's too cool, y'all.
Hi, hi, I'm Simran, and I should be asleep because I have an early morning but I'm great at procrastinating. So here I am, replying to this thread.
- I'm curious, confused and just figuring out life, I guess. Also a journalist. Journal-er too.
- Random fact: The word 'ok' looks like a sideways person. And 'lol' (un-funnily enough) looks like someone drowning.
- Just finished watching Stranger Things and for someone who dislikes metal, I squealed with excitement when Eddie played a Metallica song. (Spoiler up ahead) And then went on to have a full-blown cathartic crying session when he said, "It's my year, Henderson." Oof.
- My favourite issue has been about pay transparency
- How I found you (and eventually this newsletter): Postcards! You had left a comment on Joanna's post and somehow we got talking about our postcard collection and Percy Jackson, haha!
Ahh, hii Simran! Thank you for reading and sticking by this newsletter! <3
I had seen the OK fact somewhere but the lol one really made me lol ehehe. It's bed (which looks like a bed all over again. On Stranger Things — I need to watch the latest season but need a full-blown recap of 1-3 because I've the memory of a goldfish when it comes to shows i.e. two years max.
Hi I’m Kez, currently working (read: dying) in Sales. I’m watching (binging) A Business Proposal. Three words to describe me? - lacks self awareness xP
Fav NC issue is the one where she talks about how we should be open about discussions regarding money.
I'm dying to watch Everything Everywhere All At Once! It's so high up on my watchlist, oof. Also, ditto on Ted Lasso! Can't wait to see Nate's new arc 😈 and I'm ALWAYS missing Schitt's Creek too, so we're legit on the same wavelength here!
Thank you for the piece of advice, it's a pretty timely one! And now I'm off to google Cloud Eggs?!!
Hi Nia! I'm a software engineer by day and blogger by night. When I'm not either of those, I'm a reader and Kdrama binger.
I'm currently rewatching Falling Into Your Smile and it is making me realllllyy want to start League of Legends again. It's been almost 3 years since I last played and all of my friends have advanced a lot since then but I still feel like picking it up again. Just a little bit, though. If I avoid it, I'm sure the feeling will go away because I genuinely don't have the time to become a gamer.
I found your newsletter through Salonie, I think? I've been following her for a long time and I'm pretty sure I found you through your newsletter announcement or share link.
Three words to describe myself: calm, confident, and creative.
Hi Sumedha! Thank you so much for stopping by and writing a comment!
This Chinese drama sounds really intriguing! I think other than Ready Player One and one other YA gaming book I can't remember the name of, I haven't consumed a lot of 'gaming' media. Maybe this is the one I begin with? Do you recommend it for a first Chinese drama?
I haven't seen enough Chinese dramas to recommend any as good for first timers tbh. I watched a couple before this one and didn't notice much difference in beginner friendliness.
Hi, I am Maria Alejandra. I am a human with a lot of existencial crisis and a film lover. I also love to write and work as a video editor. Currently I am watching the tv show 'Our flag means death's and I am reading the book 'One last stop'. My favorite letter from you is the one about chasing productivity.
Hi María! It's so lovely to have you here, thank you for reading Not Controversial!
Yoo, OFMD is on my list of shows to watch this summer and I'm saving it for when I'm going on holiday so I can properly savour it. Taika Waiti's works are always a great source of joy and comfort for me and I fully expect this one to be the same.
Lmk how you find One Last Stop! Casey McQuinston's books are on my TBR and I might pick them up this summer (finally!).
Hi hi! I am currently a sentient puddle suffering through a heatwave, living off ice cream. Currently watching Ms Marvel and reading too much (book refs: Plain Bad Heroines if you like creepy/horror, book lovers for romance, the scholomance for dark academia/fantasy and pachinko for slice of life). Fun fact, about 4% of the population (me included) doesn’t have a minds eye and can’t visualise things in their brain, and finally I’m team Eevee (and all the eeveelutions)
Woahh! I think I may not have the mind's eye either! When someone says "apple" or the classic "pink elephant" phrase, nothing pops up unless I really concentrate and pull up something from my stock photo gallery.
Also yay! I've just started Ms Marvel too! I read the first volume the other day and much, much preferred the tone and vibe the show has taken. Can't wait to watch ahead!
TY for the book recs, I'm checking them all out! :D
Hi, I'm George, a doctoral student in neuroscience. I am currently watching Squid Game. Did you know that the earth isn't actually a sphere? It's flatter at the poles, and this shape is called a geoid, if I remember correctly. My favourite NC issue was the one about how comic books count as literature/books (if I remember correctly?). All your NC issues are cool so there's no 'least liked' one, honestly. Three words to describe myself? Anxious. Curious. Social. Piece of advice (also to myself): be as kind as you can be, consciously, everyday. We met in college lol. I haven't thought about my favourite Pokemon, but off the top of my head, Rapidash.
I had to google Rapidash because I was imagining the little turnipy pokemon (Oddish) because I thought it was something to do with radish? No idea why my brain made that connection — perhaps you're the right person to ask though?
HOW DID I FORGET SNORLAX omg. I relate to Snorlax so much because I too would like to sleep all day and do no work (like all of us). I've just started Ms Marvel too! I like the tone and vibe the show has taken compared to the comic book (I wasn't a fan).
Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting, I really appreciate your support w this newsletter! :D
Hi yall, I’m Catharina, mostly known as Cat. I’m a writer, editor, translator, and veteran in the BTS Army. Find me on Twitter @catharinacheung!
Currently watching Stranger Things S4, reading the English translation of a Chinese novel called Heaven Official’s Blessings, and listening to Hobi’s Jack In The Box on loop ✌️
Random fact: I’m a massive fan of smart / curly quotes (as opposed to straight quotes), so here are the Mac keyboard shortcuts.
Open single quote: Option + ]
Close single quote: Option + Shift + ]
Open double quote: Option + [
Close double quote: Option + Shift + [
Advice: Learn ALL the foreign languages as young as possible!
Hi Cat! So nice to have another ARMY in the house! :D
AHH my best friend also loves Heaven's Official Blessings! I hope to pick it up some day too. ;)
I'm saving JITB for a an upcoming long flight so I can properly savour every song and listen to the album in the way Hobi asked us too! Do you have a favourite track? I've heard great things about =(Equal Sign).
Also, thanks for the curly quotes tips! Today, for the first time, I changed all quotes to curly ones when Grammarly suggested making them consistent across my latest newsletter issue and it's only bc I saw your comment here hehe.
DITTO! Someone got a tattoo of Ditto with the phrase "Be whoever you want" around it when I got my first tattoo and I absolutely loved how they wove that in.
I’ve only just started Heaven Official’s Blessing so not much to comment, but the author MXTX’s most famous novel, Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, has a good plot and compelling main characters. We do it for the gays 🙌🏼 Grandmaster also spawned a series, The Untamed, which is on Netflix—I just finished it a couple of weeks ago.
Equal Sign is amazing, I love it so much! Pandora’s Box is also really good, seems underrated.
I’m so happy to be spreading the curly quotes love hahahaha!
Hi! I'm Bandhuli, a doctoral fellow in French and Comparative literature. I am currently reading Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov (and desperately trying not to get lost in the labyrinth of Russian names). And I am currently on the fourth season of Schitt's Creek! (So loved the meme hehe).
A random fact: I love hunting for (and smelling) tattered copies of old classics in second-hand book shops.
Favourite Controversial issue: "Have you read the classics?"
A piece of advice: Never stop writing! And maybe share with us sometime (in greater detail) your journey of becoming a writer.
I had met you seconds after walking into college on our very first day, and well, the rest is history. :D
Woo! Love this thread and love all the cool people hanging out here.
Who are you? You can answer this however you like. I substack, therefore I am.
What are you currently reading/watching/listening to? The Bear on Hulu is very good, we just finished Barry. And I'm reading The Netanhayus which is making me literally LOL which never happens with books.
A random fact you'd like to share (about you/the universe/anything). My son just started wanting to hold my hand when we walk and there has never been a better feeling.
Your favourite/least-liked Not Controversial issue. I like the one about TV watching becoming a job lol
Three words you'd use to describe yourself. Just a guy
One piece of advice for me/the world. It all works out
How’d you find me/this newsletter? Or as Natasha put it, where did we “meet”? Substack Grow
What's your favourite Pokemon? Squirtle that guy is a freak
Hi! 👋🏼 I'll kick it off so you're not alone here:
Who are you? — Right now, I'm a writer. Other times, I'm a human dealing with an existential crisis in a world that seems both cruel and kind. Mostly, I am Nia.
A random fact you'd like to share (about you/the universe/anything) — Gmail doesn't recognize dots so xyz.abc@gmail.com is the same as xyzabc@gmail.com.
What's your favourite Pokemon? Squirtle, hands down. He's too cool, y'all.
As promised, a useful link for all those who check this discussion out: 7 Gmail Tips to Try (https://twitter.com/TessaRDavis/status/1546435834580189184) 💌
Squirtle is 100% the best Pokémon. Squirtle Squad? Incredible. Iconic. 😎🐢
He is *the moment*. I fell in love as soon as I saw him in his cool AF sunglasses but also cause he's SUCH a dork under the facade.
Hi, hi, I'm Simran, and I should be asleep because I have an early morning but I'm great at procrastinating. So here I am, replying to this thread.
- I'm curious, confused and just figuring out life, I guess. Also a journalist. Journal-er too.
- Random fact: The word 'ok' looks like a sideways person. And 'lol' (un-funnily enough) looks like someone drowning.
- Just finished watching Stranger Things and for someone who dislikes metal, I squealed with excitement when Eddie played a Metallica song. (Spoiler up ahead) And then went on to have a full-blown cathartic crying session when he said, "It's my year, Henderson." Oof.
- My favourite issue has been about pay transparency
- How I found you (and eventually this newsletter): Postcards! You had left a comment on Joanna's post and somehow we got talking about our postcard collection and Percy Jackson, haha!
Ahh, hii Simran! Thank you for reading and sticking by this newsletter! <3
I had seen the OK fact somewhere but the lol one really made me lol ehehe. It's bed (which looks like a bed all over again. On Stranger Things — I need to watch the latest season but need a full-blown recap of 1-3 because I've the memory of a goldfish when it comes to shows i.e. two years max.
For the lurking folks, here's the pay transparency issue Simran likes: https://niacarnelio.substack.com/p/pay-transparency
Oh yes, fully recommend getting that recap, it'll help!
Hi I’m Kez, currently working (read: dying) in Sales. I’m watching (binging) A Business Proposal. Three words to describe me? - lacks self awareness xP
Fav NC issue is the one where she talks about how we should be open about discussions regarding money.
Hehehe, hi Kez! <3 Business Proposal is on my list too, so I'll wait for your reviews before I begin!
For the lurkers, here's the issue about money: https://niacarnelio.substack.com/p/why-we-need-to-talk-about-money
Who are you?
Mom. Educator. Accidental journalist. Novelist, when circumstances allow.
What are you currently reading/watching/listening to?
Just finished Stranger Things. In the middle of Everything Everywhere All At Once. Eagerly awaiting Ted Lasso and desperately missing Schitt’s Creek.
A random fact you'd like to share (about you/the universe/anything).
Cloud eggs are a thing, and they’re delicious.
Three words you'd use to describe yourself.
Passionate. Objective. Ambitious.
One piece of advice for me/the world.
Go slow to go fast, and try not to get frustrated in the meantime.
How’d you find me/this newsletter? Or as Natasha put it, where did we “meet”?
Substack Grow 🌱☺️
Happy to be here :)
Hi Nicci! Thanks for stopping by! 👋🏼
I'm dying to watch Everything Everywhere All At Once! It's so high up on my watchlist, oof. Also, ditto on Ted Lasso! Can't wait to see Nate's new arc 😈 and I'm ALWAYS missing Schitt's Creek too, so we're legit on the same wavelength here!
Thank you for the piece of advice, it's a pretty timely one! And now I'm off to google Cloud Eggs?!!
You won’t regret it.
Aww thanks for the shout-out!
*who am I? I'm a neuroscientist, podcaster, writer!
*Random fact: volleyball coaches now discourage the use of the term "bump" and prefer "pass"
*Favorite issue: stop chasing productivity!
*Me in three words: Bold, creative, fun
*Advice: only thing constant is change. Learn to adapt!
*Where'd we meet? Substack grow!
Hallo friend! Your issue was so great, I had to link it out for others to find Theory Gang for themselves, hehe.
For the lurking readers, here's the issue on Chasing Productivity that Natasha's talking about: https://niacarnelio.substack.com/p/can-we-stop-chasing-productivity
🌟🌟
Hi Nia! I'm a software engineer by day and blogger by night. When I'm not either of those, I'm a reader and Kdrama binger.
I'm currently rewatching Falling Into Your Smile and it is making me realllllyy want to start League of Legends again. It's been almost 3 years since I last played and all of my friends have advanced a lot since then but I still feel like picking it up again. Just a little bit, though. If I avoid it, I'm sure the feeling will go away because I genuinely don't have the time to become a gamer.
I found your newsletter through Salonie, I think? I've been following her for a long time and I'm pretty sure I found you through your newsletter announcement or share link.
Three words to describe myself: calm, confident, and creative.
Hi Sumedha! Thank you so much for stopping by and writing a comment!
This Chinese drama sounds really intriguing! I think other than Ready Player One and one other YA gaming book I can't remember the name of, I haven't consumed a lot of 'gaming' media. Maybe this is the one I begin with? Do you recommend it for a first Chinese drama?
I haven't seen enough Chinese dramas to recommend any as good for first timers tbh. I watched a couple before this one and didn't notice much difference in beginner friendliness.
Hi, I am Maria Alejandra. I am a human with a lot of existencial crisis and a film lover. I also love to write and work as a video editor. Currently I am watching the tv show 'Our flag means death's and I am reading the book 'One last stop'. My favorite letter from you is the one about chasing productivity.
Hi María! It's so lovely to have you here, thank you for reading Not Controversial!
Yoo, OFMD is on my list of shows to watch this summer and I'm saving it for when I'm going on holiday so I can properly savour it. Taika Waiti's works are always a great source of joy and comfort for me and I fully expect this one to be the same.
Lmk how you find One Last Stop! Casey McQuinston's books are on my TBR and I might pick them up this summer (finally!).
One more vote for: https://niacarnelio.substack.com/p/can-we-stop-chasing-productivity
Hi hi! I am currently a sentient puddle suffering through a heatwave, living off ice cream. Currently watching Ms Marvel and reading too much (book refs: Plain Bad Heroines if you like creepy/horror, book lovers for romance, the scholomance for dark academia/fantasy and pachinko for slice of life). Fun fact, about 4% of the population (me included) doesn’t have a minds eye and can’t visualise things in their brain, and finally I’m team Eevee (and all the eeveelutions)
Woahh! I think I may not have the mind's eye either! When someone says "apple" or the classic "pink elephant" phrase, nothing pops up unless I really concentrate and pull up something from my stock photo gallery.
Also yay! I've just started Ms Marvel too! I read the first volume the other day and much, much preferred the tone and vibe the show has taken. Can't wait to watch ahead!
TY for the book recs, I'm checking them all out! :D
OH wait I've already read Book Lovers recently and loved it so I can already tell these are *excellent* recommendations, thanks, Emily! :D<3
Hi, I'm George, a doctoral student in neuroscience. I am currently watching Squid Game. Did you know that the earth isn't actually a sphere? It's flatter at the poles, and this shape is called a geoid, if I remember correctly. My favourite NC issue was the one about how comic books count as literature/books (if I remember correctly?). All your NC issues are cool so there's no 'least liked' one, honestly. Three words to describe myself? Anxious. Curious. Social. Piece of advice (also to myself): be as kind as you can be, consciously, everyday. We met in college lol. I haven't thought about my favourite Pokemon, but off the top of my head, Rapidash.
I had to google Rapidash because I was imagining the little turnipy pokemon (Oddish) because I thought it was something to do with radish? No idea why my brain made that connection — perhaps you're the right person to ask though?
For those keeping score, a new entrant to the fav NC issues: https://niacarnelio.substack.com/p/are-comic-books-literature
Hi Nia and friends, I am the newsletter manifestation of a New Yorker who likes reading and talking about books, but my friends call me Mike.
I am currently reading 'The Secret Lives of Church Ladies' and watching 'Ms. Marvel' but not listening to anything new.
One of my favorite editions of your newsletter is the one about comic books as literature. I think I first 'met' your newsletter through Twitter.
I am on Team Snorlax.
HOW DID I FORGET SNORLAX omg. I relate to Snorlax so much because I too would like to sleep all day and do no work (like all of us). I've just started Ms Marvel too! I like the tone and vibe the show has taken compared to the comic book (I wasn't a fan).
Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting, I really appreciate your support w this newsletter! :D
Two votes for comic books & literature: https://niacarnelio.substack.com/p/are-comic-books-literature
Hi yall, I’m Catharina, mostly known as Cat. I’m a writer, editor, translator, and veteran in the BTS Army. Find me on Twitter @catharinacheung!
Currently watching Stranger Things S4, reading the English translation of a Chinese novel called Heaven Official’s Blessings, and listening to Hobi’s Jack In The Box on loop ✌️
Random fact: I’m a massive fan of smart / curly quotes (as opposed to straight quotes), so here are the Mac keyboard shortcuts.
Open single quote: Option + ]
Close single quote: Option + Shift + ]
Open double quote: Option + [
Close double quote: Option + Shift + [
Advice: Learn ALL the foreign languages as young as possible!
And my favourite Pokémon is Ditto lol
Hi Cat! So nice to have another ARMY in the house! :D
AHH my best friend also loves Heaven's Official Blessings! I hope to pick it up some day too. ;)
I'm saving JITB for a an upcoming long flight so I can properly savour every song and listen to the album in the way Hobi asked us too! Do you have a favourite track? I've heard great things about =(Equal Sign).
Also, thanks for the curly quotes tips! Today, for the first time, I changed all quotes to curly ones when Grammarly suggested making them consistent across my latest newsletter issue and it's only bc I saw your comment here hehe.
DITTO! Someone got a tattoo of Ditto with the phrase "Be whoever you want" around it when I got my first tattoo and I absolutely loved how they wove that in.
I’ve only just started Heaven Official’s Blessing so not much to comment, but the author MXTX’s most famous novel, Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, has a good plot and compelling main characters. We do it for the gays 🙌🏼 Grandmaster also spawned a series, The Untamed, which is on Netflix—I just finished it a couple of weeks ago.
Equal Sign is amazing, I love it so much! Pandora’s Box is also really good, seems underrated.
I’m so happy to be spreading the curly quotes love hahahaha!
Hi! I'm Bandhuli, a doctoral fellow in French and Comparative literature. I am currently reading Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov (and desperately trying not to get lost in the labyrinth of Russian names). And I am currently on the fourth season of Schitt's Creek! (So loved the meme hehe).
A random fact: I love hunting for (and smelling) tattered copies of old classics in second-hand book shops.
Favourite Controversial issue: "Have you read the classics?"
A piece of advice: Never stop writing! And maybe share with us sometime (in greater detail) your journey of becoming a writer.
I had met you seconds after walking into college on our very first day, and well, the rest is history. :D
Woahh! I love Schitt's Creek and it's like my second-fav show at the moment (second to Derry Girls which I highly recommend esp if you liked SC)!
Thank you, I will do my best to continue writing and also share a glimpse into the chaos that is my brain when I write. <3
For those simply reading the comments (hi), this is Bandhuli's fav issue of NC: https://niacarnelio.substack.com/p/choosing-new-literary-classics
Woo! Love this thread and love all the cool people hanging out here.
Who are you? You can answer this however you like. I substack, therefore I am.
What are you currently reading/watching/listening to? The Bear on Hulu is very good, we just finished Barry. And I'm reading The Netanhayus which is making me literally LOL which never happens with books.
A random fact you'd like to share (about you/the universe/anything). My son just started wanting to hold my hand when we walk and there has never been a better feeling.
Your favourite/least-liked Not Controversial issue. I like the one about TV watching becoming a job lol
Three words you'd use to describe yourself. Just a guy
One piece of advice for me/the world. It all works out
How’d you find me/this newsletter? Or as Natasha put it, where did we “meet”? Substack Grow
What's your favourite Pokemon? Squirtle that guy is a freak
Immediately after I saw your comment, The Bear has been popping up ALL around me so I am now watching that next as soon as I finish Ms Marvel.
I love the blurb for the book you're reading too — it's gone straight onto my TBR!
Also, I can't imagine a better feeling so you're right, you've won at life and I hope your little one continues to make you feel such lovely things. 🥰
Ayy, we have the same favourite pokemon! And I agree, he really is a WILD one.
Hi, I'm Jes 🙋🏻♀️
What are you currently reading/watching/listening to? --> A k-drama, obviously. 😂 Two actually - Extraordinary Attorney Woo Young Woo and Why Her.
A random fact --> Uluru in Australia has the best view of the Milky Way on Earth.
Your favourite/least-liked Not Controversial issue. --> The "Teenage girls make superstars" one, loved it!
Three words you'd use to describe yourself --> Full time procrastinator
One piece of advice for me/the world. --> Keep writing!
How’d you find me/this newsletter? Or as Natasha put it, where did we “meet”? --> Best friend benefits
What's your favourite Pokemon? --> None, haven't watched it 🤷🏻♀️
Uluru is also such a rad name for a place, no? Putting it on my list of places to visit and check out the stunner that our Milky Way is.
Thank you for the piece of advice hehe. I will do my best to continue writing. <3 Thanks for stopping by, I appreciate it! :)
Jes' fav issue of Not Controversial also happens to be one of mine in case anyone wanted to check it out: https://niacarnelio.substack.com/p/exploring-the-bts-army-fandom
True! Who you are (right now) is a better question maybe. Nice to have to here, Elmer — lovely picture of you on your Substack hehe.