Issue 15: Digital Detox and Kicked by a Moose
My Alaskan Adventure comes to an end but hello hippy van!
Honey, I’m home! 🏔️🌲🦅🐟❄️⛵🌸🐾🏡
Back from Alaska and still floating on that high of doing the Today Show with the legendary Al Roker, endlessly sunny Dylan Dreyer, radiant Kaylee Hartung, and incomparable producer extraordinaire, Alicia Ybarbo—broadcasting from the top of Alyeska Ski Resort like it was no big deal (but it so was).
If you haven’t seen the Today Show video yet, check it out below.
To add the absolute cherry on top—spending time with my family in can-only-get-there-by-boat cabins in Tutka Bay (see us boating in below), where we watched eagles soar, seals splash, and our phones… do absolutely nothing.
No WiFi. No cell signal. No doomscrolling.
Just the wild, the water, and the wonderful realization that sometimes the best connection is the one without a cord.
And apparently, I’m not the only one craving that kind of unplugged bliss. Google searches for “how to make a dumb phone,” “how to go offline and read more,” and even “landline mode” are spiking. Turns out, nostalgia isn’t just a vibe—it’s a movement.
From pink flip phones to disposable cameras and clear record players, vintage tech is having a major comeback. Who knew? 🙋♀️ Me. I did. I’ve been covering this trend since last year—and clearly we cannot get enough of it!
So this week ahead, we're diving into the great digital detox—and the surprisingly high-tech ways people are going low-tech.
🔗 Read the full story, including links to where to buy the hottest new-old gadgets coming next week @Techish.com.
Also in this newsletter:
🫎 Watch a moose kick my car … yes, that really happened. #Alaska
🚐✨My first impressions of this all-electric hippy van
🔐💻 Five things everyone using the internet should do RIGHT THIS SECOND.
😎 Netflix subtitle cheat sheet — because everyone’s using them — but are you using them right (or just squinting stylishly at the screen)?
👀 Sneak Peek for next week: robo-mowers and gadgets for the school year ahead
🫎💥🚗 But first… getting kicked by a moose. Yep, that happened.
I’ve been reporting on tech for over a decade, but nothing prepared me for one of the wildest “device tests” of my life: a borrowed SUV, my “dog-ter” Juni, and a 1,300-pound mama moose with strong opinions.
It all started at my best friend Rona’s house in Anchorage. Picture this: the endless Alaskan twilight, where it’s somehow both 10 PM and high noon. Mosquitos the size of crows. A calm evening interrupted only by the sound of my dog softly snoring in the backseat of a borrowed car, doors wide open to the crisp, spruce-scented air.
Then it happened.
Out of their cozy little spot next to the hot tub comes a mama moose and her calf. Strolling. Casual. Like they’re out for a neighborhood check-in and I’m the one disrupting their HOA-approved wildlife routine.
Juni, blissfully unaware, is sprawled in the backseat like it’s a spa day. From the deck of Rona’s house, I see how close the moose is to my baby, so I do the only thing that makes sense: I wait till mom and baby are behind the car, then scurry into the backseat and calmly close the doors. Now, we’re both stuck.
I try speaking gently.
“Hi, beautiful mama. Big fan of your work. Any chance you’d mosey along so we can get out of here alive?”
She looks at me. Blinks. Snorts.
Then, with zero hesitation and the bone-deep confidence of someone who always gets the last word, she turns and kicks the side of the car.
I’m talking full hoof to metal. Not a tap. Not a bluff. This was Alaska’s version of flipping the bird.
And then she just… trotted off. Tail high. Power move complete.
Juni? Still asleep.
Me? Emotionally concussed and Googling “moose vs. SUV insurance claims.”
📹 Here’s the video proof. Because, of course, I got it on camera.
Tiktok failed to load.Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browser
TikTok caption options (add your own!):
“Apparently I parked in her emotional support gravel.”
“She kicked my car and didn’t even buy me dinner first.”
“Just a girl… in a car… getting body-checked by a forest horse.”
Bottom line: Alaska doesn’t mess around. And neither does Mother Moose. (Yes, I know this. Remember, I grew up there.)
CAPTION CONTEST — LEAVE YOUR COMMENT BELOW!
🚐✨ Look What I’m Reviewing: The Cutest Electric Hippy Van on the Road
I’ve been driving the 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz 1st Edition—yes, the one in that outrageous, can’t-miss-it “energetic” 🍊 orange—and here are my first impressions:
First of all, the color slaps. This orange isn’t just bright—it’s a whole mood. I’ve had people stop me in parking lots, yell compliments out their car windows, and strike up full-on conversations about it at red lights. It’s a head-turner in the best way.
Then there are the adorable, quirky touches: a built-in ❄️ ice scraper tucked into the driver’s door, a bottle opener in the center console divider, and tons of clever compartments and hidden features.
It’s like Volkswagen sprinkled joy throughout the entire cabin. Every time I find something new, I squeal.
It’s cute as hell and kind of magnetic. People just want to talk about it.
But here’s the stuff you might not see at first glance:
💵 Starter price: ~$59,995
🔋 Range: ~230–234 miles depending on trim
🧳 Room: Three rows, up to 145.5 cu ft of cargo space
That’s enough room to fit:10+ large suitcases
A queen-size mattress (with room to spare)
About 4 golden retrievers (safely, of course)
Or, in my case, a week's worth of glacier gear, a giant dog, and enough snacks to feed a moose (see above). It’s basically the storage equivalent of a walk-in closet... on wheels. And yes, it’s still somehow adorable.
Bottom line:
It’s not just cute—it’s smart, spacious, and ridiculously fun to drive. A little retro, a lot electric, and 100% conversation starter.
Full review coming soon! Beep Beep.
👀 DID YOU SEE THIS? Five things everyone using the internet should do RIGHT THIS SECOND!
This isn’t your grandma’s cyber hygiene list (but it should be)!
This week, our brilliant teammate Mike dropped a digital safety explainer that actually made us check our browser extensions and rethink that sketchy QR code on the parking meter.
📲 "5 Things Everyone Using the Internet Needs To Do Right This Second" isn’t your typical “change your password” snoozefest. It’s a punchy, plain-English guide to the real threats most of us aren’t thinking about — like why your phone number is the new skeleton key to your online life and how vishing (yep, AI voice scams) could trick even your savviest relatives.
💡 Give it a read, then hit reply and tell us:
What's one smart, slightly paranoid thing you do to stay safe online?
Subtitles 101: How to Read Between the Lines on Netflix
Half of Americans now watch TV with subtitles on most of the time. Netflix says 50% of U.S. viewers turn on the words—whether it's to catch whispered dialogue, multitask while folding laundry, or avoid waking the baby. Makes sense. Subtitles = secret superpower.
So, we asked our friends at Netflix for the ultimate cheat sheet to subtitle like a pro:
🎬 1. Turn 'em on in two taps
Watching anything? Hit the speech bubble icon → pick your subtitle language. Boom. Reading while watching = activated.
🔊 2. Want more than dialogue? Choose “CC”
In the subtitle menu, you’ll see two options:
[Language] = basic subtitles (just spoken words)
[Language] CC = full captions with sound effects and speaker labels (perfect if you want to know who’s whispering and what just exploded).
💡 Pro tip: Watching the new season of Squid Game (June 27)? Use “English (CC)” for the most accurate translation of the Korean script.
🛠 3. Make subtitles yours
Too small? Hard to see? You can change font, size, color—even add a drop shadow. Go to:
Account > Subtitle Appearance
Customize away.
👥 4. Each profile = your own vibe
Netflix saves your subtitle style per profile. So your big, bold, yellow captions won’t mess with your roommate’s minimalist vibe.
⏯ 5. Switch mid-scene, no stress
Changed your mind? Hit pause, pop open the menu, adjust on the fly.
You’re not just watching TV anymore—you’re watching like a subtitle savant.
📅 COMING UP NEXT WEEK:
🌱The Great American Mow-Off: Who Will Cut It?🌱
Five of the top boundary-free robo-mowers. One lawn. All summer.
It’s Top Gear meets Homeowner Hunger Games — and only one bot will be crowned the King of Cut.
🎒📱✏️ Plus, we’re finalizing all of our Back-to-School Gadget Guides now — to help you beat the rush, power up your gear, and start the school year with fewer meltdowns (and more fully charged devices).
If you want in, email us: jj@techish.com, scott@techish.com, peter@gourvitzcommunications.com
💬 Moose Wisdom to Live By
If a moose can kick your car for simply existing, maybe you can turn off your notifications for an hour. Take a walk. Read a book. Choose the slower thing. And whatever you do...
Don’t sass the wildlife.
🫎💥🚗
—XO, Jenn
P.S.
👋 Hey! I want to hear from YOU.
What do you want me to cover, test, show, unbox, investigate, or rant about next? Hit that little orange “leave a comment” button and tell me.
Seriously — I exist for you.
Not the algorithm. Not the brands.
You. For reals. 💛