I absolutely love a voice that has a take, an opinion, standing for something. I’m not specifically talking about political takes, although those do matter. What I’m talking about is the individual tastes and opinions that make up a person and come out in their writing, speaking, and creativity. 

It’s hard to get this from larger forms of media. Often that voice gets sanitzed and ground down. The goal at a larger organization, of course, is to have everyone in the org speak with one voice; but the reality is a dullness that is often uninteresting. 

This is why I love forms of media such as individual blogs or small podcasters. That person has developed a way of thinking and sharing; often through years of feedback and pushback, and has used that to continue sharing with their own opinions and biases built in. 

This is delightful, and the reason why I’ve stuck with some authors and podcasters for years (and in some case approaching decades). 

For several years I made myself write 1,000 words each day (with Saturdays being my exception). Most days my thoughts turned to drivel. It wasn’t worth much. But in the constant practice, and in reading and watching others to learn how to improve, something changed. I started to develop a take on things, a voice, a way of thinking.

Now; I feel an absolute novice if I compare to others. But that isn’t the point. We can each contribute something beautiful that will benefit at least one person. Our job, then, is to learn how to do that the best way we know how, improve with feedback, and find joy in the sharing. 

If you’ve ever had the problem of a laptop (especially a slick aluminum MacBook) not staying on your lap, do yourself a favor and buy a roll of CatTongue Grips. 

It’s the first thing I put on a new laptop (well other than critical software) 

I know, I know. Ergonomically we shouldn’t work with a laptop longterm. It’s bad for the shoulders and neck. That’s why I alternate between a laptop stand at a desk and kicking it back on a reclining chair. 

This tape is fantastic. On the one side it’s rubbery (but doesn’t leave any residude on your clothes), and it stays pretty well stuck to the metal of the laptop. A side benefit is it’s easier to hold onto the slab of metal when you’re slinging it into a bag. 

It’s more important now than ever, being in a mostly remote world, to practice kindness and empathy, as you never really know what someone is going through.

This week, more than ever, we can be kind. 

(Via JEDDACP)

Some of us have been holding on so tightly for so long that we don’t even remember how it feels to let go.

In my calmer moments I’m able to see the need for breathing, opening up, allowing my senses to flood my brain, and finding space for something greater then myself. This is a good reminder. 

(Via Nathan Peterson)

Here’s a rolling list of posts, blogs, and links that I’ve been enjoying. Links that roll off (after 30) will be highlighted in my Week Notes for posterity purposes.

What a beautiful idea. I’ve never had a blogroll myself, but I’ve occassionally benefitted from others. Its such an old thing I didn’t realize it was regularly practiced these days. Maybe it’s another rebudding of the old web coming back. 

I may try this. For now I find like to link off to other bloggers and reference them whenever I see something I like. Its may way of giving back. 

I don’t reach out to the authors generally, but maybe I should. 

Via JEDDACP)

I see this experience a bit like what happens after an intense fire burns a stretch of forest down to ash: seeds that were dormant and waiting for just that moment suddenly germinate and stretch up to the clear, bright sun.

Years ago (less than I wish) I was part of a company that had to let most of the team go. I really liked the team and enjoyed the things we built together. But right before the layoffs came I had a feeling; a sense of walls closing in. We were trying so hard, pushing in so many directions, flailing against the inevitability of math. 

In my heart I knew the company would be better without me; and I even told that to my wife on the Friday before the layoffs. When the news come I felt a mixture of terror and relief. The job market was still pretty good so I figured I could find another job before too long. I was still scared, since the work represented 100% of our income at the time. But I was also relieved because I could finally hang up my shoes on that particular challenge. Everything I’d tried couldn’t stop a greater market change with the project. It was time to move on; and I was thankful. 

A secret I share about these transitions is that big changes only make sense in hindsight. Some day, years from now most likely, you’ll look back and tell a beautiful story of getting laid off or fired or whathaveyou, and how from that dark and terrible moment came a new beginning. But when you are in the thick of it, when you don’t yet have the gift of a rearview mirror, it won’t feel anything like providence.

I agree completely. In hindsight I’ve seen less a direct distinct path to my current place, and more a series of steps as I try to push forward and find my way; they often connect in beautiful, unexpected ways. 

(Via everything changes)

The rise of remote work and, in turn, employee-monitoring software sparked a boom in mouse and keyboard jigglers and other hacks to help staffers fake computer activity—often so they can step away to do laundry or a school pickup.

Now some companies are cracking down on the subterfuge, deploying tools that can better spot the phony busywork.

What is this crap? Was this written by an angry micro managing boss who finally learned that their minions didn’t bow to their every word? 

The whole tenor of the opening paragraphs is poison. If a boss has to resort to catching workers who are using jigglers; well they’re already missing the whole point of being a leader. 

Years ago I worked with a designer who—upon being required to report activity and being monitored by a busybody manager—quit and joined my team. He had the option to change and jumped at it. He knew what many designers (and anyone in a creative field) knew; that a butt locked into a in seat doesn’t equate to quality of work. 

It’s absolutely insane to think that the movement of a mouse will get more widgets or TPS reports done. The whole thing is insane. 

I can totally see how employees would look for ways around this, anything to push off the tyranny of tiny mindsets roving the office and looking for ways to toss around busy work. Has noone seen Office Space? Go give it a watch, I’ll wait. 

I’ve been incredibly grateful to have worked—for the most part—with teams and managers who got this. They knew that sometimes I needed to pace, sometimes I needed to think, sometimes I need to grab a notepad or iPad and start sketching; sometimes I need to go on a walk to solve a problem; and sometimes—heaven forbid!—I might need to sleep on a particularly challenging issue. These are the things that make for better creative work. 

Now; I’ll grant that some jobs aren’t that. But it’s pretty rich coming from Wells Fargo that their concerned about unethical behavior. 

(Via WSJ [Apple News])

Brown noise.

It’s essential to helping me sleep. Even though iOS has this built in now I still prefer Dark Noise and just turn on the Brown Noise option at medium to high volume. 

Also, it’s better than white noise, or pink noise. 

It started as a kid, where my mom turned on a fan in our room to create white noise. I love it and I still fall asleep to some sort of noise every night. 

My ideal is an iPad with Dark Noise turned on; reseting a few feet away from my pillow. An iPhone has a tinnier, sharper sound; whereas the larger speakers of an iPad (especially the Pro) create a bit of Bass and don’t feel as pitchy. An iPhone is fine in a pinch, but I love having an iPad. 

When I’m traveling, though; or sleeping in an area with new noises, I’ve often resorted to AirPods for a noise maker. It’s not super ideal since I sleep on my back and side; but I’ve found that cupping a hand around my ear helps me sleep and removes the pressure my ear would feel from the AirPod pressing into the pillow. 

It’s a workable arrangement, and using Apple’s accessibility settitngs to limit the volume potential (trying to avoid ear damage), I turn up the brown noise until the world drowns out and sweet sleep arrives. And now, with active noise canceling (ANC), it’s pretty amazing. 

The problem, though, comes in the battery life. Every AirPods model I’ve tried lasts no more than 4-6 hours, especially if ANC is turned on. And then, there’s the low battery notification. It’s a scourge to humanity; at times when I’ve finally managed to fall asleep I’ll wake up to the blasting alarm, letting me know the earbuds are ready to be recharged. It’s so infuriating. It seems this can be turned off (I’m so thankful!) but I haven’t been able to prove it yet. 

I can kind of make it work by putting in one AirPod for the ear facing up from the pillow, and putting a loop earplug in the other ear. But it’s not perfect, best case I sleep a solid 4 hours before having to switch things out. 

I tried Beats Studio Buds +, but with ANC the battery just doesn’t last a full night’s sleep. 

I’m happy to report that The Beats Solo Buds are fantastic for my purposes. They’ve got an 18 hour battery life built into the headphones. That means the case has no battery at all, but it’s the only Apple W1 Bluetooth chip compatible headphones I’ve found with enough battery to easily last eight hours. 

I’ve now tested them for a few nights and am happy to report my results. 

First, they do what I need. They push noise into my ears and I don’t have a subconscious fear of the battery running low. 

However, because they have so much battery built in, they have a much larger profile than AirPods. By cupping my hand just right I can make it work; and I can turn on my back and know I don’t have to do the switcheroo for extra battery. If I had to choose I’d take AirPods anyday over them, but they work well enough; and they’re the cheapest earbuds with W1 chips I can buy; so I’m thankful. 

Maybe Apple will release AirPods with a longer battery; one can hope. 

Watching Apple’s WWDC demos of Apple Intelligence, I too had my brain racing with the concept of just asking my phone to do things and have it go into apps and services to get it done, but I also can’t help but feel like we’ve been here before and a couple years from now I’ll still be opening apps just like I do today. We’ll see, though, maybe this time we are going to get a real shake up to our usage patterns.

I wonder if it will be more like orchestrated features built into the OS. Apple slowly does more and more, and niche areas open up with SOME build in automation, but if you care deeply about a particular app you’ll still use it manually. 

(Via Birchtree)

There’s a sound. There’s a note that begins everything. But before the note there is silence, silence is where everything begins. There’s a blank page before the words appear, there’s a white canvas before the picture materialises. There’s space and time between us, emptiness filled with words. There’s nothingness before a thought illuminates the mind.

There’s silence and empty space, there’s a white canvas, there has to be nothing before anything can happen. Making that space, finding that time, being with that person. All this leads to joy.

I learned to relish the moment before I create. I used to dread the blank page, the empty canvas. Now I look forward to each time when I can put idea to empty space; that tiny instant before a thing begins to exist. It’s beautiful, it’s joyous. 

(Via my friend Michal Zelazny)

Blogging and posting on social is easy. But why is it so hard to publish a whole book on the web? It’s not anymore. Writebook is remarkably simple software that allows you to publish text and pictures in a simple, browsable online book format.

Ok I’m intrigued. I’ve run across this situation numerous times where I want to publish something larger than a blog post, but I’m not ready to commit to creating a whole other book. 

I don’t have an immediate use case for this, but will give it a try. 

(Via Writebook)

A long time ago, in a universe far, far away, I used to write about / really care about digital reading. A whole chapter of my life / career pivoted around digital reading and books, what could be, and I travelled the world (?!) talking about this stuff. I lectured at Yale for nine years about this stuff! (“Margins”!!) But I haven’t really talked about reading on a screen in a long time. Mainly because: It’s been boring / depressing. Not much has happened. Patents and monopolies chopped the feet off digital books. Well, I’m happy to report that I think — I THINK — something is once again maybe — just maybe — happening:

I’ve been following the saga of the BOOX Palma ever since Craig first posted about it. I’m hoping the company (or other companies) is paying attention and will double down on a product suited perfectly for reading in a pocketable device. 

Reading is a passion of mine, a hobby, a pasttime. However, I don’t generally read longform. Something about my attention span or how I approach life, but I feel broken in that regard. Everytime I try to pickup a book or read on Kindle I last about 5 minutes then switch away to do something else. That’s why audiobooks has been a lifesaver. I listen to audiobooks and podcasts for hours each day. 

Like, I suspect, many others I’ve longed to keep reading books the old fashioned way. I bought a Kindle and loaded it up. But then the battery died and I’d have to find a micro usb charger to plug it in again. I’ve considered buying a USB-C Kindle, but know it will end up the same way.

I’m tempted by the BOOX Palma; but the cost is just too high at this point. 

(Via Craig Mod)

 One thing is abundantly clear to me: the skills that made people good at building websites are readily transferable and even sought out skills in other fields. Not just the code or the pixels, but the ability to organize, to project manage, to break a big goal down into discrete steps, to collaborate with people with very different expertise, to deeply understand how people experience technology in their lives, to learn and to be constructively critical when the work could be better.

I love Mandy’s take on being part of buiding the early web. Thanks to my brother, who was an early adopter of all things related to building online, I learned HTML and CSS as early as 2006 and began tweaking and building things. Being a web designer in those days was a lot of fun. There was so much to learn; your skills were incredibly valuable, and each day presented a new challenge.

About a decade in, though, something changed. Maybe I was too burnt out, maybe I didn’t know where to grow, but I making websites just wasn’t fun anymore. I’m incredibly grateful to have been able to transition; moving more into product design and building and tinkering with UI/UX related work (namely, building apps). As Mandy called out my skills were able to transfer; and that transfer is what has me hoping I’ll be ready for whatever comes next. 

(Via everything changes)

After a year of publishing Fractional we finally hit some numbers that Lance and I were excited about, a recent episode hitting 2x the numbers of any previous episodes. We don’t really know why—we’ve loved meeting with so many fantastic guests before and look forward to talking having repeats on again! 

The process of trying to build an audience has gotten me thinking about the various things I do online. I want to create for its own sake. I want to write, draw, design, build, tinker, because those things bring me joy and fulfill my need to make. However; it’s helpful to have a feedback loop, to hear from others who appreciate the efforts of what I’m making and help me improve. 

If you’re new to creating I want to share that you’re not alone. It’s challenging, but also worth it, to keep tweaking and creating and making something new. 

For years—like actual years—I avoided TikTok. I was convinced the format would be short-lived and not impact how the rest of us were doing content. Then, on a whim, I used the bloody thing. Its algorithm and “For You Page” hooked me.

That has been me with Threads over the last year. I loved Mastodon once Twitter took a nose dive. I still check out daily, but the algorithmic timeline just works better for unearthing things I care about. I’ve curated it over months by liking and engaging with people that align with my interests, so it now surfaces things that I find interesting and save throughout the day for writing about later. 

I’ve been thinking a lot about WordPress and other content creation platforms the last few months, and even been considering other options. In an age where AI feels poised to steal everything from us, I feel the desire to double down and bring my humanity to the things I share and do online. 

I contributed to WordPress years ago, and from the side of a contributor found it hard, even then, to get involved. It took the help of several friends to get me up and running. 

I’m thinking about some future posts I want to write, currently in my backlog, where I want to double down on the creative, manual, process I go through to make things. For another day.

The challenge I see with WordPress is it is not easy to get started. It takes a lot of energy to get up and running on a blog; especially if you care about the design of that blog and want a custom domain. It’s nothing like Threads where you can create an account and post away. The friction between the two is worlds apart. 

It is, however, worth it. Having a presence where I can’t be shut down because of some glitch with a trillion dollar company—well that’s a good thing I think. 

(Via James Giroux)

Long ago I learned the trick to helping my brain remember something. Whenever I learn something that feels important I’ll make sure to immediately capture the thought in some form. That usually involves a screenshot, writing it down, sending a voice memo to a friend, taking a picture of a timestamp from an audiobook, photographing a physical book, or saving a Thread to my account. The goal is to save the information I’ve learned in some form. 

That’s just the first step. I have literal thousands of examples of saved information across all my digital devices using the above methods.

The next step, if I really want to remember, is to share it. In the past I’d get on the phone with my wife or brother and talk through some interesting thing I’d learned. I still do that, but I’ll sometimes write a blog post, or send that information along to a friend with some context about it. 

In that way I’ve made a small action to tie to a moment, and give it the chance of becoming a memory for later. If I read a great book I’ll share my favorite parts with friends for several months (often against their will), further cementing the concepts in my brain. 

I’ve been following M.G. Siegler for a long time; back in the days of Techcrunch. I remember back then posts about the struggles with movie theatres. 

In his recent post (requires a paywall) he touches on multiple points of why movie theatres are struggling, and will continue to do so.

I’ve had reason to think about this a lot in the last year, and have really appreciated the takes from Jason and Julia as we’ve seen streaming and movie giants struggle since COVID. With announcements of Avengers 5 I feel a bit nostalgic for the closing moment of Endgame. Still gives me chills everytime. 

P.S. I’m not a paying subscriber, yet. Waiting for an audio version of his posts (yes, I know, a very unique problem on my part).

This list from Brilliantcrank is, well, brilliant. Reading through I find myself nodding with each. This one especially resonates:

Designers are incapable of working well with developers and engineers if they can’t collaborate. Throwing work back and forth over a fence never produces great results. So stop doing it. Designers and developers should work side-by-side

As a designer I look to my fellow developers as partners to help with feasibility and possibility. We are in it together to solve a problem, and I don’t hold the keys to “design”. I’m not the gatekeeper, I’m the custodian and as such welcome feedback and pushback from the others working directly alongside me. 

Designers are incapable of coming to work excited, energized, and ready to deliver amazing work when they are merely asked to color in wireframes or make whatever engineering cooked up look “good.”

I’ve failed in teams where I was told to chuck things over to developers without getting their feedback. I’ve also failed when I was told to make things look pretty. 

When I have autonomy, time to wrestle and struggle through things, am part of a team where we’re pulling together with the right vision—well, that’s when magic happens.