Algorithm malaise: notes from the other side
Social media is turning into a disease. It wasn’t until I stepped away from it that I realized how much I was engulfed in the desire to just get one tiny more hit of content that would make me feel alive.
Joshua Wold
New website, new new
If you've been a reader for the past few months (or longer), you might notice a change to the design of this site. First, thank you for following and reading along, and thanks to the awesome readers who reached out for feedback (typo callouts, disagreements, and positive affirmations
The myth of first impressions
Most people aren't paying nearly as much attention as we think. There's freedom in caring less about a perfect projection to the world—and instead seeing the connections that can evolve from being curious, and real, with those around us.
Capture, sort, and share
Great design isn't a single insight, isn't a jolt of lightning. Rather, it's a daily process of capturing inputs, sorting them with a few simple tools, and sharing them. Instead of relying on perfection, try a process focused on imperfection and speed.
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Adapting to the hedonic treadmill
It won't always be this hard. That hurdle you're facing, that overwhelming sense of impossibility, will pass. The anxiousness you feel when considering the weight of decisions, events, and responsibilities in the coming days, weeks, and years, will shift. The hedonic treadmill is an idea from
Daily rhythms, outliving my father, running, physical conversations, and the rollercoaster of life
A funny things happens when you start deciding to write a short essay each day. Your brain accepts the constraint and rises to the task. The last two weeks have been a bit chaotic, but I've written a few short essays that I'm proud of. Since
Life is a roller coaster, stop and take a picture
Life is a series of roller coaster rides. One day we're up, another we're down. Years ago my therapist recommended a practice that my wife and I have tried implementing. When something good happens we celebrate the event. Sometimes it's in the smallest way,
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Drawing the ChatGPT logo
In the latest episode of Sharp Tech, Ben Thompson lamented his poor recreation of the ChatGPT logo. For years, Ben has used Linea Sketch on the iPad to illustrate technical concepts.1 Those have made their way onto his Stratechery blog, and I’ve been an appreciative recipient of the
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John Gruber and friends
Years ago my brother and friend started a podcast, Crossword, to talk about WordPress. I’ve listened to most of the episodes at this point, and it’s a regular part of my podcast feed. They do an excellent job bringing the yin and yang of podcast hosts, with their
Joan Westenberg: I Deleted My Second Brain
For years, I had been building what technologists and lifehackers call a “second brain.” The premise: capture everything, forget nothing. Store your thinking in a networked archive so vast and recursive it can answer questions before you know to ask them. It promises clarity. Control. Mental leverage. I’ve been
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Experiencing physical conversations
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the chance to spend time in a number of great in-person conversations with real people. These have been dynamic, engaging discussions on all kinds of topics—with real humans in a physical space. Yes, I get to do this on a
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Why I run
It’s nearing 90 degrees, the running trail has gotten a bit dusty and dry as summer comes on, and I’m feeling the heat. I dance around bushes and cut across a dry riverbed to make it to my spot. At a dip in the river I strip down