Space Penguins, the Ice Man, Big projects, and Grilled prawns.

HUNGRY

It’s the summer of grilled prawns. My wife and I recently took a trip to Vegas, CA, and DC. We ate at a bunch of amazing restaurants, so now’s the time to hit me up for recommendations.

We found grilled prawns on half of the menus, and I don’t think we skipped an opportunity to order them. And I wouldn’t change it if I had a time machine. They made me smile every time.

So they’re going on my summer grilling menu all year.

The game plan:

• I’m getting the biggest prawns I can find, shell on,
• Tossing them in Cajun seasoning, butter, and garlic,
• Skewering them
• Grilling over medium-high heat for about 2 min per side
• Eating them, head and all.

I may lose some people on that last point, but at least try it. They’re crunchy, hold extra juices, and earn you cool points.

If you don’t want them, save them for me. I’ll eat yours.

ANGRY

I’ve had a big project on my plate for the last 4.5 years. First it was getting sober. Then fighting cancer. Now it's my book.

I recommend everyone has something they work on for longer than 6 months. It’s slightly ironic, but having a project like that will teach you so much about the little things.

You have to focus on the little things with big projects because you’ll drive yourself crazy otherwise. What chunk of this can you solve today? Do that. Celebrate that win, and then move to the next.

You’ll also develop skills that you never thought you’d need as you overcome unexpected roadblocks. This week’s prompt focuses on that:

What unexpected insights or discoveries have you made?

LONELY

It’s time to return to game night. The problem with game night is game nerds. They come up with awesome games that suck for big groups. People get really into their pet games, but they can’t share them with their friends. The rules take too long to explain, and the nuances take time to learn.

Not this one.

It’s King of Tokyo. If you like chaos, dice, and violence against space penguins, then we can be friends. And we can play this game.

Essentially it consists of everyone picking a stylized godzilla-inspired monster. Then you battle each other. If you’re in Tokyo, then you claw everyone outside the city. But you have to survive the attacks from everyone on their turns. You get rewarded if you stay for a full rotation, so there’s some gambling involved as well.

Adults love it. Kids love it. I love it. You’ll love it.

TIRED

Occasionally I’ll lay in bed with my eyes open, staring at the ceiling. I used to listen to sleep meditations, but that went away when I banished the phone to the other room.

The words from my favorite meditation still ring in my ears when I need them, “Your body knows how to sleep.” It often does the trick.

When nothing else works, though, I go to breath work. Many people talk about box breathing, where you breathe in for a four-count, then hold your breath for four, out for four, and hold again for four. Continue until you’re calm and asleep. Navy Seals do it to calm themselves down. It doesn’t do it for me. I’m not Navy Seals material, I guess.

But Wim Hof breathing does it for me every time. I fill my lungs completely and quickly, hold for a half beat to transition to the exhale, and force all of the air out of my lungs. Every last drop of it. Then right back to the inhale. All the way! Then out all of the way. Thirty times.

After cycle 6, I start to feel a little tingly, and cycle 23 is my favorite. When I finish the thirtieth exhale, I hold it. It’s amazing how much air you don’t need when you’re full of so much oxygen. My body feels like it’s floating above the bed. When I can’t take it anymore, which can be up to a slow 40 count, I breathe in for a count of 15 and hold that until I have to breathe out. Then I breathe normally until I’m asleep. It doesn’t take long.

The waring from Wim’s website puts it well:

“NOTE that Wim Hof Method breathing can affect motor control and, in rare cases, lead to loss of consciousness. Always sit or lie down when practicing the techniques. Never practice in or near bodies of water, while piloting a vehicle, or in any other situation where losing consciousness could cause harm to you or others”

Great. That’s why I’m there in the first place.