A nice perk of the rental house is the much larger backyard. Certainly good for the dog.
Microposts
We’re moving out for a big renovation. So, let the kids draw on the wall and smash it with a hammer.
Entering the chaos phase of moving
Busy feet
The release of the very good Fantastical is another opportunity to reflect on App Store pricing. I simultaneously support app developers asking for continuous income for good apps and appreciate everyone’s subscription fatigue. Seems like upgrade pricing from Apple would help
I’ve enjoyed the new The Joy of X podcast from Quanta Magazine with an episode on black holes and one on pure math. The focus is more on the scientists than the research, which I like.
Anyone else having trouble with the Siri watch face on WatchOS 6? It used to be pretty good at surfacing useful items. Now all I get are Breathe, News, and Weather tiles. All of the right data sources are enabled in settings.
I enjoyed reading this article on solitude in the woods and can particularly relate to:
this anxiety, which amounts to a sort of cost-benefit analysis of every passing moment, is a quintessentially modern predicament
Interrupting the usual feed content with a work announcement to say that I’m hiring. Anyone interested in cultivating a culture of evidence for transit decisions should take a look at this LinkedIn post for the Manager of Planning Analytics 🚉 🚃 🚌 🚲
Although difficult to choose, Death’s End by Cixin Liu is the best book of the trilogy. Incredibly imaginative and immense in scope with a hopeful end, despite some grim content. 📚
Some heavy snow flakes today
There was a raccoon in our office ceiling making all sorts of noise and commotion. As soon as the peanut butter trap was setup, the raccoon vanished. Must have been caught before and is wise to our tricks.
I upgraded from an iPhone 7 to 11. Now I’m back to having the best phone in the house, which is how it should be. I felt strange (jealous?) when my kids had better phones than me 😏
An interesting article on neurons being more complicated processors than originally thought: Neural Dendrites Reveal Their Computational Power - Quanta Magazine
After 13 years in our house, we’re starting a big renovation that requires moving out. I’m amazed (though shouldn’t be) at how cathartic it is to purge the accumulated junk. I hope that, as a family, we can be mindful about what we allow in, once the renovation is complete.
A good historical perspective on the Hubble constant: How they pinned a single, momentous number on the Universe
A good article on the importance of concentration: Playing chess is an essential life lesson in concentration
There are smiles under those scarves ⛷ ❄️
Our records management team is holding a “clean desk” contest to promote good practice.
Here’s my before image:
And, thanks to significant effort, the after:
Maybe I’ll get most improved? 😀
With the hope that some public accountability will help, I’m declaring a 30-day ban on my use of the following sentence phrasing:
Something, but something else
I write this phrase often, but it is a lazy construction (okay, that was the last one 😀)
I’ve listened to more Rush in the past few days than in the last several years. I regret neglecting their music and am glad to have them back
This Micro Monday I’d like to suggest @Dominikhoecht for a good mix of interesting photos, parenting observations, and geekery.
Something Deeply Hidden by Sean Carroll is the best kind of non-fiction: engagingly written, sophisticated enough to take the audience seriously, and about a fascinating topic 📚
I find it amusing that the Universe Splitter app is categorized as entertainment: it splits the entire universe with the tap of a button! Should at least be a utility 😀
Farewell to Neil Peart. His music has been part of my life from the start. 🥁😢
This Strong Songs episode on Stairway to Heaven is a fun listen and insightful analysis of a classic song 🎙
I finished Season 3 of The Leftovers, a fascinating exploration of loss, love, and family. Well worth watching if you like mysterious plots and unresolved narratives. The actors and writing are great and the ending is satisfying. 📺
I really enjoyed this Mindscape podcast episode with Dan Dennett 🎙
The snow wasn’t great, but still nice to get out for a ski this weekend.
Bob Boilen’s Top 20 Albums For 2019 is a good list