The Weekly Write-Up #30

I apologize for missing the past two weeks! These past two weeks have been super busy! I’ve had prom, a retreat, a big project, etc. In the meantime, I did update my website, so be sure to check that out. Sadly, I wasn’t able to get to writing the newsletters, but I’m back for #30. Enjoy!

In this newsletter…

• Do I enjoy Shakespeare, specifically the Merchant of Venice?

• Which horse won the Kentucky Derby?

• What games make Apple Arcade so good?

• Some of the best ice cream on the planet!

Literary Picks

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

Oh, Shakespeare! We all love reading him...right? When my literature teacher told us we were reading Shakespeare next, I definitely groaned internally (maybe I did it out loud too). Shakespeare is just not my thing, as many people would agree with. What are my impressions, though, after reading The Merchant of Venice?

First, the positive attributes of this play: The Merchant of Venice tells the story of a man named Bassanio who wants to court Portia, but to do so, he must borrow money from his best friend, Antonio. Antonio, a merchant of Venice, happily lends him money. But Antonio must sign a bond with Shylock, the Jew, who is a crafty man. Is Bassanio able to pass the test to marry Portia, and is Antonio able to hold up his bond? Read the play to find out! The plot was actually pretty interesting and very well-thought-out. Being a comedy, the play also had some jokes that Shakespeare sprinkled in. I will admit that I enjoyed the plot, and though it was boring at times, it was very well done.

The negatives consist of three things that I don’t like about reading Shakespeare in general. The first is quite obvious, and it is the old English. Since this was the language at the time, the people back then were able to understand it, but today we speak a very different form of English that is unlike the English found in Shakespeare. This makes it very hard to read, and I feel like I’m translating the book more than enjoying it. Besides this, Shakespeare also writes in a lot of poetry, which I don’t particularly like. Again, I feel like I’m translating it into prose, rather than just being able to enjoy it. Finally, since this is a play, I would much rather watch it performed (which was Shakespeare’s intent for these), rather than just read it, which can make it very dull at times.

Overall, I have mixed feelings about The Merchant of Venice. The plot was really well-written and intriguing, but the way in which the book was written made it quite dull at times. I would recommend it to those who already enjoy Shakespeare. You can buy it on Amazon.

Watchlist Wonders

THE KENTUCKY DERBY

Yesterday was the running of the 149th annual Kentucky Derby! The Kentucky Derby is an annual horse race held in Louisville, Kentucky. My family actually got to visit Louisville and Churchill Downs (where the race is held) just a few weeks ago, which made the Kentucky Derby even more exciting (I wrote about our visit to Churchill Downs here)! The Kentucky Derby determines which 3-year-old thoroughbred is the fastest racehorse over a distance of 1 1/4 miles. Even though the race is only about 2 minutes long, it is often referred to as the “Most exciting two minutes in sports.” Not to mention that the Kentucky Derby is a HUGE event with food, drinks, partying, and of course, tons of celebrities (Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Peyton Manning were all present at this Kentucky Derby). It is also a huge betting event, with many Americans putting money on the horse they think is going to win the roses. Going into the race, Angel of Empires was the favorite with betting odds of 4:1, but as with most Kentucky Derby races, it is pretty unpredictable and things get exciting…

At the beginning of the race, Verifying, Kingsbarns, and Reincarnate take the lead. They hold their position for a good portion of the race until Two Phil’s passes the leaders with less than a minute left in the race and takes first position, while Verifying falls out of the top 3. Two Phil’s, Kingbarns, and Hit Show are in the top 3 positions with not much left in the race. Suddenly, Mage comes from the middle of the pack and speeds up to Two Phil’s as they approach the final stretch. Two Phil’s and Mage fight for the lead and finally, Mage takes the lead from Two Phil’s! Just as the horses are approaching the finish, Angel of Empires speeds up in third and suddenly catches up with Two Phil’s and Mage. It comes down to the wire with Mage, Two Phil’s, and Angel of Empires as Mage crosses the finish line with a time of 2.01:57! Two Phil’s comes in second and Angel of Empires finishes in third.

Mage won the 149th Kentucky Derby! This was pretty unexpected for two reasons: 1) Mage’s odds were only 16:1 which isn’t super great and 2) Mage’s jockey, Javier Castellano, had raced in 15 Kentucky Derby races before this one and had not won a single title! Defying the odds, though, Mage and Castellano win the 2023 Kentucky Derby! Castellano, being from Venezuela, says this win is big for Venezuela. We will see if Mage goes on to win either of the other two big races: the Preakness (May 20) or the Belmont Stakes (June 10). He could even win the Triple Crown (meaning that Mage wins the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes), but this is very unlikely! One thing is for sure, Castellano and Mage had a terrific comeback and a well-deserved win last night at the 149th Kentucky Derby!

Tech Thoughts

APPLE ARCADE

A few weeks ago, I talked about Apple One and the services that it entails (read that newsletter if you haven’t already), but today I want to focus in on one of those services. Apple Arcade has a huge selection of all types of games. There is something for everyone here (action, strategy, racing, puzzles, sports, and so much more). Once you purchase an Apple Arcade subscription, you get access to hundreds of games you can play. The best part is that if you have Apple Arcade, these games are completely “free.” The app doesn’t cost anything, there are no in-app purchases, and there are no ads. Apple Arcade has both Apple Arcade original games (games that are exclusively on Apple Arcade) and App Store classics (games that are already on the App Store, but are either upgraded or made to be free). Apple Arcade is something that I use almost every day, and these are just about the only games I play. There are truly some great games with Apple Arcade, but I will admit that there are some games that I wish they would bring to Apple Arcade or make an Apple Arcade version. Nonetheless, there is a huge collection of great games on Apple Arcade.

Below I have listed some of my favorite Apple Arcade games, so if you have Apple Arcade, you can find the best games. Or, if you don’t have Apple Arcade, these great games may convince you to get Apple Arcade…

5 Best Games:

• Sneaky Sasquatch: This was one of the original and perhaps most played Apple Arcade games. I’ve been playing this game for a while. Sneaky Sasquatch is an adventure game where you act as a Sasquatch whose goal is to cause mischief. There are tons of actions you can do in this game. You can make friends/enemies, sneak around, make purchases, eat food, and so much more! There are multiple different plot lines, and the creators are constantly updating the game and adding new things to make it even better.

• Asphalt 8: Airborne+: Asphalt 8: Airborne+ is my current favorite game on Apple Arcade, and quite possibly the best racing game that I have ever played. Asphalt 8 has a huge collection of cars to purchase, upgrade, and race. There are numerous game modes, and unlike some other games, Asphalt 8 takes a very long time to beat the game. I’ve been playing it for months, and I still haven’t beat the game. This is easily my favorite Apple Arcade game right now!

• Oceanhorn 2: I don’t normally play very many action-adventure/RPG games, but Oceanhorn 2 looked fun, and I decided to try it out! This is an extremely fun game and one that I really enjoyed playing. In Oceanhorn 2, you are a young knight who must save Gaia from the Dark Army and their evil plan. Both the graphics, gameplay, and storyline are fantastic!

• Riptide GP: Renegade+: This is another fun racing game that I really enjoyed playing. Instead of dealing with cars, though, Riptide GP uses water bikes that race on the water. My only critique of this game is that it doesn’t take very long to beat the game, and my brother and I beat the game in 2–3 weeks.

• Mini Motorways: This is a fun, “casual” game where you try to manage traffic in heavily populated towns before time runs out and traffic gets too congested, meaning that civilians can’t reach their destination. This game seems easy and relaxing, but I would describe it as stressful but at the same time, a ton of fun!

Other Amazing Apple Arcade Games: There are so many more great games on Apple Arcade, including… Outlanders, Bloons TD6+, Mini Metro, The Oregon Trail, Clue, and so much more!

Note: The plus (+) sign means that it is a game that was already on the App Store, but added to Apple Arcade.

Apple Arcade is something that I would definitely recommend, especially for those who are already spending money on games, in-app purchases, etc. It is especially worth it if it’s part of an Apple One subscription. Learn more about Apple Arcade here.

Wild Card

GRAETER’S

Yesterday, my family went to Graeter’s Ice Cream in Fishers, Indiana. My family has been to this ice cream store multiple times, and it is one of our long-time family favorites. This is because Graeter’s ice cream is just SO GOOD! Graeter’s offers ice cream, sorbet, ice cream sandwiches, ice cream pies, and so much more! They have tons of flavors and even limited edition flavors that change out every few months. You can even buy pints of ice cream from Graeter’s to take home.

If you do go to Graeter’s, I wanted to provide you with my family’s three favorite flavors, so you know what to get (or at least sample)…

1. Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip: (I think this is my personal favorite). “Black raspberries grown in Oregon’s Willamette Valley are puréed and combined with our sweet cream and signature chocolate chips.”

2. Buckeye Blitz: “Buckeye Blitz combines a chocolate peanut butter ice cream, peanut butter cookie dough and our signature dark chocolate chips.”

3. Mint Chocolate Chip: “Pure Peppermint Oil provides a blast of minty freshness that is pure perfection when matched with our gourmet bittersweet chocolate chips.”

Graeter’s ice cream uses all natural ingredients rather than artificial flavors, as with a lot of ice cream. They also create their ice cream in French Pots which makes it very dense and creamy. Their ice cream is delicious and unlike any other!

I would definitely recommend going to Graeter’s if you are ever in an area that has one (they have multiple locations around the Midwest). They have outstanding ice cream that I completely recommend you try! Go to the website to learn more! Enjoy!

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