The Sunday Reed :: Take A Deep Breath and A Day Off
It's Super Bowl Sunday, Rest, Recover, Enjoy Some Fellowship (and Some Food)
Super Bowl Sunday is America’s great secular holiday. This year, too, it is a unifying event. Of the two teams playing, 49 states want the Seattle Seahawks to win, one state (guess which) wants New England. (Count me among the 49.)
For a few hours today, enjoy the spectacle and the ridiculousness of how much time, money, and attention are given to a game involving men in tight pants throwing an inflated pigskin around a grassy field. I say this as a huge football fan. But, c’mon.
Author’s Note: If you want to super-set your no-phone time, watch the Olympics while doing nothing else before the game.
Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote in his Meditations*, “You always have the option of having no opinion.”
*If you don’t have a copy, buy one. You can flip to any page and find wisdom about how to get through what you’re dealing with.
The fight over Bad Bunny’s halftime performance is a object study in America 2026. He’s from Puerto Rico, is outspoken on issues he cares about, and doesn’t speak English as a first language. Catnip for nativists and morons who have nothing better to do.
As Marcus said, you don’t have to be among them. Sometimes a song is just a song.
But, while I have you, here are a few Bad Bunny stats: He is an incredible young talent, was Spotify’s most-streamed artist in 2025 (20 billion streams,) with nearly 91 million monthly listeners. For context, 200 million Americans are expected to watch the game today.
Enjoy the game. Enjoy the ads. Enjoy your friends and family and too much food. Eat one too many wings. Take an extra Pepcid so you can enjoy the Buffalo chicken dip. Turn your phone off (gasp!) and enjoy a few hours of unfettered, unregulated IRL.
Ask questions of those around you - about them, about their families, reconnect in three dimensions, work out those interpersonal synapses that don’t get enough exercise. You can keep the pilot light burning in the back of your head: Yes, the world will still be here tomorrow (probably) and it will still need plenty of un-fucking.
You’ll be better off, and be better prepared to help in your way, if you’ve given yourself a day off, a little grace, and the chance to clear your mind. There is plenty of work to do and it’s not going anywhere. For now, read this AND THEN turn your phone/ipad/laptop office.
Happy Sunday, folks. Be safe, be good to each other.
The Super Bowl game was a display of great defenses. Glad the Sea Hawks won just because they have not won that many Super Bowls. Also, glad New England finally scored. What team wants to set the record of never scoring a point in the Super Bowl. The big ta do over Bad Bunny was so ridiculous. Seems many folks also didn't know that Puerto Ricans have been US citizens since 1917. (Duh) As to the Super Bowl commercials: Not sure what most we were selling. Thank goodness the Clydesdales were there to make us smile and warm are hearts. Missed my old favorites in the game: The Bills and The Chiefs but congrats to the Sea Hawks. Hope you enjoyed Reed. Thanks for all you do.
Watch what the VICTIMS of Epstein are going to share during the SB. And then have at it going after the RAPISTS!