The Weekly Write-Up #37

Polls, Bricks, Computers, and Dudes

In this newsletter…

• The FIRST-EVER Readers Write!

• An AWESOME YouTube channel for those who love LEGO!

• Is this the best MacBook for the average user?

• A FANTASTIC tour for those who love this great YouTube channel!

Literary Picks

READERS WRITE: FAVORITE BOOKS SERIES

Introducing “Readers Write” which is something I will begin to feature in my newsletter. What exactly is “Readers Write?” Well, it is exactly what is sounds like! “Readers Write” allows the readers of The Weekly Write-Up to respond to certain questions I have posed. This will be done through the comments section. Whenever this is featured, I will ask a question for my readers to discuss in the comments section. This (obviously) isn’t mandatory, but it is a way to grow the community here at The Weekly Write-Up. I would really like to build a community with my newsletter where I share books, movies, tech, and more with you guys, but occasionally, you share some of your favorite things with each other. “Readers Write” won’t be something that happens weekly or even super often, but I will occasionally feature it in future newsletters. This one is the “guinea pig” to see how it goes. I really hope it goes well and many people respond because this is a great way for my readers to join the community and be a part of my newsletter. Without further ado, let’s talk about the first ever “Readers Write!”

The first question is “What is your favorite book series?” I have talked about my favorite book series numerous times before! I have mentioned series like:

• Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

• The Codebearers Series by the Miller Brothers

…and so many more! Those who read my newsletter weekly know what all of my favorite book series are! (Check out hyperlink index to read about all the books I’ve talked about!) I have talked about SO MANY books in this newsletter, but this week I want to do something different. I would like to know what your favorite book series are! So, head down to the comments section, and post what your favorite book series is. You don’t have to explain why (if you don’t want to); just write the title and the author. This is also a chance for my readers to get involved in my newsletter. If someone mentions a book series they love, and I haven’t read it before, I will definitely consider reading it and reviewing it in a future newsletter. So, click the button below and take 10 seconds to let me (and other readers) know your favorite book series! I can’t wait to see what all of you write!

Watchlist Wonders

BRICK SCIENCE

I LOVE LEGO! I have been playing with these tiny little bricks for years (probably since I was only 6). I have tons of LEGO sets and endless piles of LEGO! I have built some pretty amazing stuff, but nothing as cool as the things that Brick Science has built. With over 1.21 million subscribers, Brick Science is a YouTuber who posts videos about his LEGO builds. He has built working LEGO machines, LEGO weapons, a city solely out of LEGO, and so much more!

What makes his videos so great? Well, first off, they are really cool! I mean, what isn’t to like about LEGO? I have loved LEGO for years (and I still do)! Brick Science has built some really cool stuff! Most of his builds are really cool mechanic inventions that actually work (cars, robots, power tools, etc.)! I’m not even sure how he comes up with the designs for some of these. I’m pretty good with LEGO, but he is on a whole other level! I mean, the dude is excellent with LEGO! Second, I like how he explains how he builds everything. As he builds, he shows you the techniques he uses as well as other tips. I doubt that I could build the things he does solely based off these videos, but it makes me feel like I can! Third, the videos are clean. Riley (the creator) is a Christian, so all of his videos are clean. There is no language, inappropriate content, or anything else of the sort. This makes these videos great for kids (but I’m sure adults will enjoy them, especially if they played with LEGO as a kid)!

I think kids (and adults), who love LEGO, will love the Brick Science YouTube channel! His videos are really cool and just a lot of fun to watch! Check out a few of my favorite builds below, or check out his channel here!

• Build a LEGO City in 30 Days to Flood It- By far his largest build, here he builds an entire city including everything you can imagine (houses, streets, cars, grocery stores, skyscrapers, and so many other cool buildings)! After building the whole city, he floods it with 300 gallons of water. Disclaimer: this build was just finished a few days ago, and he hasn’t posted the video of him flooding it yet.

• LEGO Lightsaber- Yes, you heard that right! Brick Science built a functional LEGO Lightsaber! It actually turns on, and it looks really awesome! This build is super cool!

• Working Rocket League Game with LEGO- In this video, Brick Science builds a Rocket League stadium, as well as functioning cars, based off the game “Rocket League.”

Tech Thoughts

MACBOOK AIR WITH M2

How long do you think a MacBook Pro 2015 would last? Well, over 8 years is the answer. My dad purchased this computer back in 2015 and it still works! It was beginning to get slow and difficult to use, though, so he decided to upgrade. He purchased the MacBook Air with M2. After talking to him about it and playing around with it a bit this week, I think this might just be the best MacBook for the average user!

What makes it such a great computer? Though this is technically one of Apple’s “base level” computers, this thing is loaded with great tech. It has a Liquid Retina display, the extremely powerful M2 chip, and up to 18 hours of battery life. As my dad has used his new computer, he has noticed just how fast the M2 chip is. This thing can really pack a punch. You can have tons of windows open, tackle huge workflows, and do basically anything else you set your mind to. Now, of course, the M2 isn’t Apple’s most powerful chip. The MacBook Pro, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro all have more powerful chips (M2 Pro, M2 Max, M2 Ultra, etc.). Nonetheless, the M2 chip allows your MacBook to handle practically any task the average user is going to perform. The M2 MacBook Air comes in two different sizes: the 13-inch model and the new 15-inch model. Of course, like all Macs, this device is customizable. You can customize sizes, colors, storage, RAM, and more! The powerful M2, Liquid Retina Display, beautiful design, and so much more makes this a great computer!

Let’s talk about use in daily life, though. Why is the MacBook Air the best MacBook for the average user? Well, I think it comes down to 3 things: power, portability, and price (see what I did there?). The MacBook Air, like we already talked a bit about, has the perfect amount of processing power for the average user. The M2 chip provides trailblazing fast performance, allowing you to tackle basically any task. Okay, you might notice lag while editing pro-res in Final Cut Pro, but most of you aren’t doing that! For checking emails, attending Zoom meetings, writing papers, browsing the web, watching YouTube videos, planning a vacation, or anything else you find yourself doing, this device will handle all of these tasks swimmingly! The next great aspect is the portability. This device, being an Air model, is very light. Even with all the tech packed inside of it, this device is actually so light! The 13-inch model weighs only 2.7 pounds, while the 15-inch model is 3.3 pounds. The MacBook Air is also extremely thin (about 0.45 of an inch). This device will fit in most backpacks, making it easy to carry around and take on the go. Finally, the price isn’t terrible. The MacBook Air starts at $1099 (or $1299 for the 15-inch model), which isn’t extremely expensive for what it offers. While it might be slightly overpriced, it is much cheaper than any other Mac model, and you get a lot for this price.

Overall, I think the M2 MacBook Air is a fantastic device! It has the powerful M2 chip, all-day battery life, a beautiful display, and a great design. It has the perfect amount of power, portability, and price. If you are looking for a new MacBook, you should definitely consider this laptop. You can learn more or purchase this MacBook here. Overall, I think it might just be the best MacBook for the average consumer! Let me know in the comments: would you buy the M2 MacBook Air?

Wild Card

DUDE PERFECT: PANDA-MONIUM TOUR

On Friday night, I went to see the Dude Perfect: Panda-Monium Tour! It is no secret to those who know me or have read my newsletter for a while that I love Dude Perfect! They are quite possibly my favorite YouTubers, and I truly enjoy their content. I’ve talked about their channel and one of their books before in my newsletter. Anyway, I have been wanting to go to one of their tours for years, and this year I finally got to go (as an early birthday present). Let me just say, this show was awesome, and I highly recommend it!

Dude Perfect started doing a tour back in 2019 and have done it every now and again since. The Panda-Monium Tour is their 4th tour. What is this tour exactly? With each tour, Dude Perfect visits about 20 cities (in this case, 24 cities) and performs their live show. This live show is basically an extension of their YouTube videos. They compete in battles, play “Overtime” segments (like Wheel Unfortunate, Cool Not Cool, and Get Crafty), and do tons of other fun things. The crowd is involved in the show, which makes it a lot of fun. Each show is about 105 min long with a 15-min intermission (120 min total). I thought it was an outstanding show, and it even exceeded my expectations.

I highly recommend going to see this tour sometime! I know the one in Indiana already happened, but they are going to some nearby cities in the coming days. Plus, I’m sure they will do another tour next summer, so you can always see it next year. One of the coolest aspects of this show is that all ages will enjoy it. Dude Perfect is very clean, and their tour (and all of their videos) are very clean and kid-appropriate. Although the “target age” is probably 6-14 year-old boys, I had a fantastic time, as did my brother and my parents. This is a show the whole family can enjoy together! Tickets range from $15 to $2500, depending on city location, seat choice, whether you get to meet the Dudes, etc. If you or your family enjoys Dude Perfect, I know that you will enjoy this live show. Learn more about it here. If you haven’t watched Dude Perfect, you should check out some of their videos here! Pound it! Noggin! See ya!