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A Silly Spreadsheet Mistake

I apparently don’t know how to do math anymore.

November 12, 2019Filed under blog#humor#math#writingMarkdown source

Four Miscellanies

A bit of evening writing, of the scattershot sort.

November 11, 2019Filed under Blog#learning#poetry#walking#writingMarkdown source

The Problem with Word Count Goals

I’m glad I’m doing this project—but it doesn’t handle edits!

November 10, 2019Filed under Blog#editing#productivity#writingMarkdown source

Happy Birthday, inessential!

A brief history of this blog, and thoughts on its value.

November 07, 2019Filed under blog#writingMarkdown source

Tending My Word-Garden

On building essays and tending blogs.

November 06, 2019Filed under blog#productivity#writing#zettelkastenMarkdown source

At Least 15,000 Words

A writing goal for the month of November

November 02, 2019Filed under blog#writingMarkdown source

No More Alarms

Leaning into my body’s natural rhythms.

September 10, 2019Filed under Blog#burnout#mental health#productivity#restMarkdown source

Stealing a Page From Bullet Journals

An experiment: using bullet journal notation as a complement to my existing habits.

August 29, 2019Filed under blog#bullet journal#getting things done#pomodoro#productivityMarkdown source

Cronos Follow-Up

A sad story about webfont licensing.

August 26, 2019Filed under blog#design#licenses#typographyMarkdown source

Cronos

This lovely typeface deserves a wider showing!

August 25, 2019Filed under Blog#design#typographyMarkdown source

A Healthier Calendar

Don’t let other people keep you from doing deep work.

July 31, 2019Filed under Blog#getting things done#productivityMarkdown source

Update: Writing Down What I Do

Making better use of Bear’s “Archive” functionality.

July 29, 2019Filed under blog#getting things done#pomodoro#productivityMarkdown source

Starting

I actually have no idea how to do this!

July 16, 2019Filed under Blog#rewrite#software developmentMarkdown source

All Things Open 2019!

My talk: “Don’t Go Bankrupt! Managing Technical Costs”

June 25, 2019Filed under blog#speaking#technical costsMarkdown source

From My Sent Folder: On Social Media Tradeoffs

The non-neutrality of our tools, and the ways wisdom plays out in our using them.

June 14, 2019Filed under Blog#ethics#from my sent folder#social media#wisdomMarkdown source

Breaking Up With Social Media

In which I commit to a kind of social media monasticism—because enough is enough.

June 13, 2019Filed under blog#attention#ethics#social media#writingMarkdown source

Finishing Things on the Internet

Reflections on the event of finishing New Rustacean.

May 27, 2019 (updated May 29, 2019)Filed under blog#burnout#podcasting#writingMarkdown source

2019 Colfax Half Marathon

A mile-high sub-1:30 (despite making some mistakes)!

May 19, 2019 (updated May 19, 2019)Filed under blog#fitness#runningMarkdown source

Burnout, Six Months Later

A bit more on what “recovery” looks like.

May 05, 2019Filed under blog#burnout#mental health#podcasting#writingMarkdown source

What is a Zettelkasten?

Because a definition is surprisingly hard to come by!

April 29, 2019Filed under blog#note-taking#writing#zettelkastenMarkdown source

Being an Amateur Again

Starting up on iOS and macOS development is a strange feeling!

April 05, 2019Filed under blog#learning#software developmentMarkdown source

Seeing Things Through

Getting a handle on actually finishing things I care about.

March 02, 2019Filed under blog#productivity#running#software development#writingMarkdown source

“Serious” Running and My Heart Rate Monitor

Some amused thoughts on the effects of habit.

February 24, 2019Filed under Blog#fitness#habit#running#thinkingMarkdown source

On Burnout and My Recent Job Change

How the experience of burnout did—and did not!—contribute to my leaving Olo for LinkedIn.

February 02, 2019Filed under blog#burnout#careerMarkdown source

A New Job!

Why I’m changing jobs—and how change feels as an adult.

January 24, 2019Filed under blog#adulthood#career#tolkienMarkdown source

Don’t Forget Your Notebook

An observation on Zettelkasten and the continuing value of physical media.

January 03, 2019Filed under Blog#note-taking#research#writing#zettelkastenMarkdown source

I Have a Patreon!

If you like what you get from reading this site, you can support my writing.

January 01, 2019Filed under Blog#crowdfunding#patronage#writingMarkdown source

iZotope RX is Amazing

Expensive—but worth it!—audio post-production for podcasting.

December 31, 2018Filed under Blog#audio#podcasting#softwareMarkdown source

My Top Five Posts of 2018

Sorted by what I think is best, not traffic!

December 27, 2018Filed under Blog#writingMarkdown source

Trying a New Book-Reading Strategy

Improving my approach to deep reading with better notes and my Zettelkasten.

December 26, 2018Filed under Blog#note-taking#reading#research#zettelkastenMarkdown source

2018: Some Closing Thoughts

This was not the year I expected.

December 23, 2018Filed under blog#burnout#career#fitness#health#podcasting#reading#writingMarkdown source

Hey Siri, Record a Zettel

Making some small Siri shortcuts for adding to my Zettelkasten on the fly.

December 14, 2018Filed under Blog#automation#ios#notes#research#zettelkastenMarkdown source

Stewarding My Reserves

I seem to be through the worst of this burnout. But stewarding my recovery is its own challenge.

December 09, 2018 (updated December 09, 2018)Filed under blog#burnout#productivity#restMarkdown source

Zettelkasten Update: All in on Bear

At least for me, Ulysses is not the right home for prompts or ideas. Bear is.

December 08, 2018Filed under Blog#research#tools#writing#zettelkastenMarkdown source

Starting to Build a Zettelkasten

An update on my work-in-progress research system, using Bear.app.

December 05, 2018Filed under blog#notes#research#writing#zettelkastenMarkdown source

Just Write Down What You Do

Career tip: for every day, week, and month, summarize the things you accomplished.

November 13, 2018Filed under Blog#career#getting things done#productivityMarkdown source

Assumed Audiences

“The Internet” is far too broad an audience for, well, basically any post I write.

October 18, 2018 (updated October 19, 2018)Filed under blog#reading#writingMarkdown source

Neither Being Dumb Nor Giving In

With burnout, getting out on a run (for example), can feel impossible—but it’s essential.

October 15, 2018Filed under Blog#burnout#exercise#runningMarkdown source

Burnout Symptoms

Just a list of weird things that have happened to me while dealing with this.

October 11, 2018Filed under Blog#burnout#exercise#healthMarkdown source

Making Things Helps

At least for me, doing “non-stressful” things as part of burnout sometimes means doing things other people would find stressful. That’s okay.

September 28, 2018Filed under Blog#burnout#open-source software#productivity#restMarkdown source

Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop

Some people have a hard time keeping their blogging resolutions. I… have the opposite problem.

September 26, 2018Filed under blog#blogging#burnout#writingMarkdown source

Your Job Is Not Your Community

Thoughts on third spaces, remote jobs, misplaced flirtation, and the thread that ties them together.

September 15, 2018Filed under Blog#community#corporatism#remote work#sexismMarkdown source

Give Me Chronological Archives or Go Away

Algorithmically-sorted archives for blogs are hyper-user-hostile and I hate them. Looking at you, Medium.

August 25, 2018Filed under blog#blogging#medium#publishing#writingMarkdown source

Blog as Note-Taking Tool

Notes apps, Zettelkasten, external memory, notecards… I just have this website.

July 16, 2018Filed under Blog#blogging#memory#notes#writing#zettelkastenMarkdown source

Some Mild Burnout

But ‘mild’ does not mean ‘not dangerous.’

July 15, 2018Filed under blog#burnout#productivity#workMarkdown source

The Value of a Good Habit

Reflections on my writing mornings, over half a year in.

July 10, 2018Filed under blog#productivity#writingMarkdown source

Continuing to Reflect on My Internet Presence

Something new and unusual, am I right? This time: on Pinboard as my link-sharing source.

June 25, 2018Filed under blog#blogging#pinboard#writingMarkdown source

Good Arguments

Learning a great deal by disagreeing with an excellent interlocutor—and thinking hard "out loud."

June 04, 2018Filed under Blog#ethics#philosophy#writingMarkdown source

Strategies for Maintaining Motivation

Because we all know projects themselves cannot be interesting forever.

June 03, 2018Filed under Blog#productivity#workMarkdown source

Going Dark For a Week

Vacation as an opportunity for some mental silence.

June 02, 2018Filed under blogMarkdown source

Delivering Talks a Bit More Accessibly

Or, why slides are great but can also be terrible.

May 22, 2018Filed under blogMarkdown source

Vacation as Recharging

May 19, 2018Filed under blogMarkdown source

Writing Plans for the Rest of 2018

May 18, 2018Filed under blogMarkdown source

Vacation as Helpful Reminder

May 09, 2018Filed under blog#workMarkdown source

On Tweeting (Instead of Writing)

Or, a lesson (re)learned.

May 03, 2018Filed under blog#rss#social media#twitter#writingMarkdown source

Career Trajectory

Almost a decade in, and starting to get a handle on what I'm good at and what I care about.

May 02, 2018Filed under blog#career#software development#workMarkdown source

The Cost of Google as Memory Prosthesis

A number of really excellent posts by L. M. Sacasas on memory, thinking, and learning

April 30, 2018Filed under blogMarkdown source

Disciplining

A quick thought on parenting.

April 18, 2018Filed under blog#familyMarkdown source

On Steam (Specifically, Running Out of It)

Or, what happens when you stay in “go mode” for a really long time.

April 05, 2018 (updated October 11, 2018)Filed under blog#burnout#open-source software#productivity#writingMarkdown source

How I Write a Talk

This might not work for you. But it works for me!

March 16, 2018Filed under Blog#talks#writingMarkdown source

Stop Saying “What Capitalism Does”

Or, Winning Slowly Season 5 redux.

March 09, 2018Filed under blog#ethics#technologyMarkdown source

Intentional Cyclicality

(Being a bit seasonal on purpose.)

March 06, 2018 (updated May 29, 2019)Filed under blog#writingMarkdown source

A Forgotten Blog Post Idea

And in trade, a couple paragraphs on one specifically-conservative folly.

February 25, 2018Filed under blog#ethics#politics#writingMarkdown source

Against Doing What Comes Naturally.

Fighting my instinct to fight.

February 22, 2018Filed under blog#ethics#writingMarkdown source

Good Work Takes Time

(And most of that time is invisible from the outside.)

February 17, 2018Filed under blog#ethics#software development#writingMarkdown source

A Meander

Because some days you want to write, but don’t have anything particularly focused or coherent to say.

February 09, 2018Filed under blog#ethics#literature#open-source software#reading#writingMarkdown source

Getting the Right Things Done

When I write about “productivity,” what am I actually talking about? And why?

January 10, 2018Filed under blog#productivityMarkdown source

Tweet less. Blog more.

An uncomplicated game plan for writing this year.

January 02, 2018Filed under Blog#productivity#writingMarkdown source

2017 in Review: Looking Forward

Some hopes and (tentative, as ever) plans for 2018.

December 26, 2017Filed under blog#2017-review#family#fitness#podcasting#productivity#software development#writingMarkdown source

2017 in Review: My Goals

Not the year we expected. But a good year nonetheless.

December 24, 2017Filed under blog#2017-review#family#fitness#podcasting#productivity#software development#writingMarkdown source

Momentum

Two weeks of daily writing, and how “productivity” happens.

December 22, 2017Filed under blog#productivity#writingMarkdown source

Star Wars, The Internet, and Me

Learning to be a citizen of the internet. Or, why I'll be mad if you spoil The Last Jedi.

December 14, 2017Filed under blog#friendship#star wars#the internetMarkdown source

A Little Status Update

How my experiment in early-morning writing is going, three days in.

December 13, 2017Filed under blog#productivity#writingMarkdown source

Knowing Your Rhythms

Or: why I'm marking out all the time before 7am as mine.

December 11, 2017Filed under blog#productivityMarkdown source

Why Do I Need A Research Tool?

Follow-up on this morning's request.

December 10, 2017Filed under blog#writingMarkdown source

How Do You Manage Your Research Notes?

December 10, 2017Filed under blog#writingMarkdown source

The Value of Silence

Less noise, more thinking carefully and clearly (I hope).

November 26, 2017Filed under Blog#social media#writingMarkdown source

Thinking, Fast and Slow: A Review

Learning how we think can be a powerful tool for thinking better.

July 11, 2017Filed under Blog#book-reviews#booksMarkdown source

A Book List!

Because I want to tell you everything I'm reading!

July 08, 2017Filed under blog#reading#writingMarkdown source

Log All the Things!

Or: sometimes it’s nice to know what I did this week.

July 07, 2017Filed under blog#pomodoro#productivityMarkdown source

On Decompression

A (brief) meditation on rest—and reading lists.

June 10, 2017Filed under blog#reading#rest#writingMarkdown source

Corraling My Coffee Habit

Overthinking it? Maybe. But that should surprise no one!

February 23, 2017Filed under blog#coffee#financesMarkdown source

Where Do I File This?

Information architecture is hard.

February 19, 2017Filed under blog#writingMarkdown source

2016 in Review, Part 6 of 6

Plans for 2017!

January 01, 2017Filed under Blog#2016-in-review#family#fitness#podcasting#productivity#software development#writingMarkdown source

2016 in Review, Part 5 of 6

Getting things done in 2016 and beyond.

December 31, 2016Filed under Blog#2016-in-review#family#fitness#podcasting#pomodoro#productivity#software development#writingMarkdown source

2016 in Review, Part 4 of 6

Writing software for Olo and for open source.

December 30, 2016Filed under Blog#2016-in-review#family#fitness#podcasting#productivity#software development#writingMarkdown source

2016 in Review, Part 3 of 6

Podcasting: Winning Slowly, New Rustacean, and more!

December 29, 2016Filed under Blog#2016-in-review#family#fitness#podcasting#productivity#software development#writingMarkdown source

2016 in Review, Part 2 of 6

So. many. words. I had no idea how many words.

December 28, 2016Filed under Blog#2016-in-review#family#fitness#podcasting#productivity#software development#writingMarkdown source

2016 in Review, Part 1 of 6

Running headfirst into a wall of pneumonia.

December 27, 2016Filed under Blog#2016-in-review#family#fitness#podcasting#productivity#software development#writingMarkdown source

2016 in Review, Introduction

Or: a ridiculous year summarized!

December 27, 2016Filed under Blog#2016-in-review#family#fitness#podcasting#productivity#software development#writingMarkdown source

A New Schedule

Trying to make better use of my time toward my goals.

July 16, 2016 (updated July 18, 2016)Filed under blog#productivityMarkdown source
May 31, 2016Filed under blog#history#quotesMarkdown source

One of the reasons we do history… is because it acts as a brake… on our otherwise unbridled enthusiasm for our own ideas.

—N.T. Wright, Paul and the Faithfulness of God, Parts I & II, p. 54

Run With Me!

A new (micro-)podcast (yes, I know I'm crazy)

April 11, 2016Filed under blog#design#fitness#podcastingMarkdown source

Trust, Fame, and Deceit

On manipulative "anti-sexism," public faces, and social media.

January 10, 2016Filed under blogMarkdown source

Thoughts on 2015 (and 2016)

December 26, 2015Filed under blog#family#podcasting#rustMarkdown source

How I Became a (Relatively) Quick Runner

Or: Heart Rate Monitors are the Best. Seriously.

November 22, 2015Filed under blog#fitnessMarkdown source

How I Became a Runner

Or: That Time I Got Mono and Couldn't Play Ultimate Anymore

October 12, 2015Filed under blog#fitnessMarkdown source
August 13, 2015Filed under blog#quotesMarkdown source

Yes.

In my dream of dreams, Trump actually runs third party, which emboldens Bernie Sanders (should he not get the nom–whoa, Sanders vs. Trump would be the greatest political race OF ALL TIME) to also run third-party, since all of them have viable “cores,” and we get a four-party race that spawns four actual parties and American politics is freed from its bipartisan lock and a bald eagle screams across the sky while Stephen Colbert tears his shirt and flexes his muscles and fireworks explode in the shape of America over his head.

—A friend

Faithfulness

Different seasons, different responsibilities.

June 18, 2015Filed under blog#family#writingMarkdown source

These Are My People

May 17, 2015Filed under blog#joy#software developmentMarkdown source

Snow Days and Friends Moving

March 14, 2015Filed under blog#ellie#family#jaimie#kateMarkdown source

Small Caps and Margins

Yes, typography does matter.

March 13, 2015Filed under blogMarkdown source

The State of Our Family in Early 2015

February 10, 2015Filed under blog#ellie#family#jaimie#kateMarkdown source

The Joy of Good Tools

Or: How deciding to pay for GitHub made me think about delight.

January 09, 2015Filed under blog#design#joy#software developmentMarkdown source

Public-ish Plans

A few goals for 2015

January 02, 2015Filed under blog#listiclesMarkdown source

Boosting My Productivity

December 18, 2014Filed under blog#email#inbox zero#pomodoro#productivityMarkdown source

Whiplash

July 14, 2014Filed under blog#family#kateMarkdown source

A Few Theses on Blogging

(Twelve, to be precise.)

July 09, 2014Filed under blog#listiclesMarkdown source

Three Month Cycles.

Or Something Thereabouts

May 27, 2014Filed under blogMarkdown source

The Long Race

May 24, 2014Filed under blog#family#fitness#software developmentMarkdown source

Spinning!

March 20, 2014Filed under blog#ellie#familyMarkdown source

On Days Off

February 23, 2014Filed under blogMarkdown source

Hey, Look—A Podcast!

January 28, 2014Filed under blog#podcastingMarkdown source

A Note to RSS Subscribers

January 05, 2014Filed under blogMarkdown source