1. Wow. I was making footnotes¹ way harder by trying to match up numbers at the bottom of the document. [iA Writer]
2. This video of concert goer “Kiss Guy” getting invited onstage and absolutely shredding at a Foo Fighter concert was a fun watch. [Via ATP]
3. Cherry, the other hand, was an intense watch. Tom Holland was superb in his role, leaving me on the edge of my seat and face in my hands throughout most of the movie. I can surely say it made me want to never get caught up in war, drugs, or robbery — that’s for sure. [Apple TV+]
4. Apple published a webpage to consolidate the Privacy Labels for its own apps. There are way more of them here than I ever knew about! [Via 9to5Mac]
5. We recently picked up Spyro: Reignited Trilogy for the PS5. It’s been super fun to play back through one of my favorite games as a kid. It looks great with updated graphics, but plays just the same which is perfect for turning off my brain. [Wikipedia]
6. This video of outtakes from a classic Parks and Rec scene sent me down a Craig Middlebrooks rabbit hole. What a unique character. [Via Do By Friday]
7. Marques Brownlee released a 45-minute opus on the iPhone as an exploration of long-form video on YouTube. It was impressive. While I can’t say I’d want one of these every week, I’m curious to see what comes of him flexing his production chops like this in the future. [MKBHD]

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1. Like this.↩︎

7 Things

Some insight from Jason Fried on his HEY World blog:

Whenever I write something with the intention to explain, sell, or promote, I’m aiming for head nods. I’m looking to find a certain resonance with those who are already traveling in this direction, who already see things similarly.

I could learn from this. Reflecting now, I see that when I write content for summer camp promotion, I start with the assumption that the reader has better things to do. I try hard to convince them. This is likely why I write too many words and then have to edit way down.

While there are certainly people who need convincing, they’re probably not the ones who are going to spend the time to get to the bottom of the page. The people who already have an interest are 1) the people who have found their way to my content for a nibble, and 2) are also the most likely to finish the bite. In reality, it’s a more valuable use of time and resources to write directly to them.

→ Source: Jason Fried on HEY World

Linked

Dr. Drang, writing about his bananas software update experience:

A few days ago, I updated my Watch Series 3 to watchOS 7.3. It was, as many Series 3 owners would have predicted, a nightmare.

The updates have grown so large that they barely fit onto a Series 3, which Apple still, bafflingly, sells new. My mom, my sister, and I have all faced this exact problem with Series 3 Apple Watches. Trying to troubleshoot an update problem remotely for my sister at Christmas was nearly impossible, and we guess-and-checked our way through the steps that Apple suggests in their support document. Since then, I’ve battled it myself for each point update.

Like Dr. Drang, I’ve come to the conclusion that the fastest way to accomplish an update at this point is to skip trying to remove synced content and restarting and instead jump straight to the unpair, update, and then re-pair process. But it’s not fast. The experience is so bad that I, someone who always updates on day one, am currently putting off a watchOS update because I don’t want to deal with it. I’ll do it eventually, but I imagine that everyday users will simply choose not to update their Series 3’s software, which is a terrible outcome and an embarrassment for Apple.

They should either figure out how to reduce the update size so that most users can update without jumping through hoops or stop selling the Series 3 (which debuted with watchOS 4) and kidding themselves that watchOS 7 can fit it.

→ Source: leancrew.com

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UPDATE: As it turns out, not all Series 3 models face this update issue. At some point in the product’s life cycle, it appears that Apple upgraded the storage of the Series 3. Plus, and I’d forgotten this, cellular models used to come with higher capacities.

According to Apple’s website¹, the Series 3 now comes standard with 8 GB storage, even for the GPS-only models. Compare that to my original Series 3 which has only 4 GB.

The higher capacity of Series 3 models purchased today means at least customers won’t face this trouble on their brand-new device. I’m happy for them.

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1. Not on the Apple Watch page proper. No, to find capacities, you have to go to the compare page, and then also click on the “Compare All Features” link, or scroll all the way down to Tech Specs and expand “Features”. Sigh↩︎

Linked

For the last few weeks, I’ve felt bogged down by my ever-growing task list. Each day I add more to-dos than I can complete, and it’s been getting to me. Rather than lighting a fire under my ass to pare down the list, I find myself either paralyzed by choice or flitting between projects without accomplishing anything of substance.

Typically I scan through my project list at the beginning of the week and judge how much I can get done each day. Inevitably I bite off more than I can chew, and the previous day’s tasks pile up alongside the new items that get added. It’s become untenable.

I’ve tried approaches like tagging things as #radar that should be on deck and then choosing from those tasks for each day. In time, everything could be classified as needing to be on my radar, so that’s become less useful. Time-blocking has helped, but I’m not in the habit of sticking to it yet. Plus, I try to fit too much into each day.

So I’m trying a different approach, and it’s roughly equivalent to putting blinders on a horse: reduce my task list to only three things at a time. Before I can get overwhelmed by what needs to be done, I quickly scan my task manager for the day and choose three that are both relevant and attainable and tag them as #top3.

I’ve not changed any other variable yet, so I still schedule tasks for the particular day I’d like to get them done, but now I filter my Today view to only see the things tagged as #top3. Nothing else can get that tag until all three are checked off. I’m trying to trick myself into sprinting to clear the list. Clear, add three more, clear, add three more.

Ultimately, I know this won’t fix my underlying issues in project management, like making the most effective use of my time. But it has helped me to feel less overwhelmed and get some stuff done.

Here’s how Apple describes its most abstract addition to the slate yet:

Calls is a groundbreaking immersive television experience that masterfully uses only audio and minimal abstract visuals to tell bone-chilling snackable stories.

Definitely check out the trailer. This show feels like something straight out of the QCode podcast playbook but enhanced for TV. I’m intrigued. It debuts in just a few weeks on March 19.

If you haven’t heard of QCode before, they create highly-produced podcasts telling fictional stories. They’re kind of like audiobooks but with impressive sound effects and built specifically for the podcasting medium. I can recommend shows like Carrier, The Edge of Sleep, Borrasca, and Blackout.

(Via MacRumors)

Linked TV Shows

1. MrBeast. I found MrBeast a few years ago and was really put off by his video style, which I found immature at the time. But now I’m so impressed by the empire Jimmy’s built by doing crazy moonshot stunt videos and by the philanthropy he does helping people with his money. A good starter video. [MrBeast Channel]
2. MKBHD. If you’re into tech and not watching Marques, you’re missing out. I enjoy that his videos aren’t focused on just one type of technology or just one company — he branches out from your typical smartphones and laptops into amazing new devices coming up, retro tech, and more. And the video quality is always spot on. A good starter video. [MKBHD Channel]
3. Us the Duo. I’ve been a big fan of Us the Duo as a band for many years. Michael and Carissa Alvarado are a married couple who produce music together, and they have a young toddler daughter, Xyla. For the past few months, I’ve been as entertained by their pandemic video projects as I am by their music. Once a week, they create a new song or cover live with an audience on Twitch, and then the 6-8 hours are artfully condensed down to roughly 10 minutes. They’ve also been making a weekly vlog about their family life; they seem like great parents and loving partners. A good starter video. [Us the Duo Channel]
4. zefrank. After a multi-year hiatus, zefrank is back with hilarious videos about unlikely animals. I can’t say that I retain the true facts that he puts into every video, but I sure do laugh at each one. A good starter video. [zefrank]
5. The Slow Mo Guys. In my opinion, Gav and Dan are the understated kings of YouTube. They’re down-to-earth, relatable people who enjoy creating something and putting it out into the world. They found a topic that they found interesting (showing the inner workings of everyday things, but in slow motion) and have been consistently improving video after video for over ten years. Gav’s a wizard with editing and sound design, and Dan is so funny and willing to go the extra mile for an entertaining video. We haven’t seen much of Dan during the pandemic, but Gavin’s done a superb job of keeping up the channel solo and sharing some behind-the-scenes of their process. A good starter video. [The Slow Mo Guys Channel]
6. Becca Farsace. I think I linked to Becca’s first video when she launched her channel, but I’ve continued to enjoy her vlogs. Becca’s day job is as a video director for the The Verge, so the quality of her videos is predictably excellent. Beyond sharp shots and masterful editing, Becca tells stories well and lets her goofy personality shine in each one. A good starter video. [Becca Farsace Channel]
7. CGP Grey. Another decade-long YouTuber, Grey does explainer videos for whatever catches his interest. Luckily, a lot of our interests overlap! The research and preparation that go into each video are visibly enormous, and the animations are full of whimsy and easter eggs. I also listen to Grey on the Cortex podcast, which I likewise recommend. A good starter video. [CGP Grey Channel]

7 Things

Today the folks at HEY Email launched HEY World, a dead-simple blogging solution. The long and short of it is that you write an email from your HEY account, address it to world@hey.com, and hit “Send” to publish your words to the web. It arrived much sooner than I expected, having been introduced as an experiment just last week. It also has me considering the notion that blogging really is just like sending an email to the world and what that idea means for HeyDingus.

Some background: I’ve been an avid follower of Basecamp, the people behind HEY, for several years. Their project management platform, which we use at work, is great and has made me reconsider the value of asynchronous communication (like email!). I’ve read books by their cofounders, Jason and David, and largely agree with the way they see the world. (Update from 2024: Our views have diverged significantly over the years, and I bristle at most things DHH writes these days. Enough that I mostly ignore them now.) When HEY Email launched last year, I eagerly awaited my chance to sign up and pay money for an email address. Who does that?!

I have opinions on HEY Email as a product that are mostly good, but they’ll have to wait. Today is about the entirely new blogging platform that they added to an email service (for no extra cost, which feels good). 

HeyDingus, too, is a new project. I published my first blog post just over two months ago after spending several weeks “building” the website. I really enjoyed learning the ins and outs of crafting a Squarespace site and tweaking the fonts, colors, link style, and other visual flair you see here. But that time spent adjusting each page, getting the footer right, purchasing and setting up the domain…it wasn’t spent writing, which was the whole point. Further, it made me think about this blog as something I had to live up to. It was to be my public home on the internet, so I wanted all the clutter put away and the best decorations out for people who stopped by. My writing had to earn its place on the pedestal that I had created in my mind.

I think that’s partly why I’ve written here less than I thought I would. But then along came HEY World, and now I’m thinking differently. When Jason said, “Email is the internet’s oldest self-publishing platform,” it clicked with me. I love email. I feel great about working through my inbox each day and writing thought-out replies in a timely manner. I’ve been commended time after time about how people can rely on getting taken care of if they send me an email. So, what if I think less about writing an article for HeyDingus, and more about writing an email to readers? 

People don’t expect perfect grammar and punctuation in an email. There are no fancy footnotes¹ in an email, just postscripts. Adding an image is as simple as dropping it in the composing window. Emails are written to be replied to, not hewn from stone, and the conversation continues. You get an email from someone who cares about you.

I’ve spent time tonight reading the first HEY World posts from people all over the internet, many of whom say it’s their first time writing a public blog. It’s inspiring to see those people put a bit of themselves out into the world, just like I am, and feel empowered by a simple piece of software. While I don’t intend to switch to blogging on HEY World — since I do appreciate the ability to tweak, categorize, and have static pages alongside an ongoing flow of blog posts — I have to admit that I admire its simplicity. And I’m feeling a little silly about sleepless nights spent creating three — yes, three — separate sites before landing on the one you see now. But that’s a story for another time.

Everyone says sheer volume will make you a better writer. For now, I’ll think about writing this blog as if I’m writing an email to you, the reader, and do my best to simply write more. And to get my words on the web, I’ll copy the Markdown text from iA Writer and archive the draft, then create a new post on Squarespace, then paste in the text, then check the URL, tags, and categories, then finally hit “Publish”. Or if I were using HEY World, I would just hit “Send”.

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1. Footnote support was a sticking point when I was selecting a blogging platform. Though I like them, they’re more trouble than they’re worth and leave me dealing with HTML rather than plain text when I use them.↩︎

Blogging

1. At 21, I had a Harry Potter-themed birthday party with fun alcoholic drinks. [Photo]
2. At 22, I made a snowman in crocs. [Photo]
3. At 23, I asked the woman of my dreams to marry me while we hiked on the Appalachian Trail. [Photo]
4. At 24, I have no pictures, so I must have done some devious.
5. At 25, I celebrated at the zoo. [Photo]
6. At 26, I rented a cabin in the woods with my wife and puppy, and unplugged for a few days. [Photo]
7. At 27, I went for a run. [Blog Post]

7 Things

Today, I turn 27 years old. It’s not a particularly significant number. It’s one before my golden birthday. A few before the big 3-0. Still, it’s as good a time to reflect a little.

I leaned into it and went for a 2.7-mile run this afternoon with my dog. Today was the first day in what feels like months that it has been both warm enough outside and not blanketed in snow, so running would be enjoyable. I’ve been itching to get out, so I was grateful for that today.

Over the past few months, I’ve been closing my Apple Watch rings every day using the Fitness+ service. I was pleased to find the daily exercise made jumping back into a long-ish run not only possible but fun. I wasn’t gasping for breath, my legs felt strong, and I could have kept going. Blisters might be my only speed bumps for this latest restart of my running obsession — rather than having to rebuild my endurance.

I wasn’t the only one outside on this pleasantly warm Sunday. There were parents walking babies and dogs walking parents. Everyone seemed just as happy as I was for the opportunity to get outside without bundling against the bitter cold. I could give that small wave and receive a smile in return. On a birthday where I won’t be able to meet up with friends for a drink, or go to dinner with family, that bit of normalcy was nice.

I always look forward to my birthday. As I get older, it’s less about the excitement of a celebration, but instead, because it’s as good a day as any to be kind to myself. I sleep late. I eat foods I enjoy. I watch or play what I like. I make myself stop worrying about things, breathe, and relax. At a time in my life when I feel pulled between wanting to make a difference in the world and also just worn down by it all, this is a much-needed day of solace, of smallness, of simplicity.

My wife recently asked what my favorite season was these days. Late summer and into fall was what I said. I love the smell of crunchy leaves in the air and the cool autumn breeze whisking away the heat of the summer. But I was reminded today that spring is pretty great too. Spring is the time to reflect, restart, and renew.

Happy birthday to me.

Journal

1. “Don’t Let Me Down (feat. Daya)” by The Chainsmokers [Apple Music]
2. “Lonely (Acoustic)” by Justin Bieber & benny blanco [Apple Music]
3. “Sinking” by Clairo [Apple Music]
4. “Sky Above” by Jacob Collier [Apple Music]
5. “Afterglow” by Ed Sheeran [Apple Music]
6. “Mr. Whoever You Are” by Tim McGraw [Apple Music]
7. “She” by dodie [Apple Music]

7 Things