Something very special happened recently, and I almost didn’t even notice it. For a few days, I had achieved the domestic trifecta: I had a full tank of gas, my fridge and pantry were stocked up, and I had a load of laundry cleaned, folded, and put away.
There are all these open loops in life, unresolved things that are constantly gnawing at the back of my mind because I know they’re not yet done. So many of them are perpetual. Getting food, being able to go from point A to point B, having clean clothes. It’s a never-ending cycle of things that I must remember to do or life gets uncomfortable.
It was such a relief to realize that I didn’t have to think about those things. For a brief and wonderful time, I was free. Which is why I have to remind myself that this stuff always gets done, somehow, some way, as it always has. Things will be fine. And when everything lines up for a few days like this? Pure domestic bliss.
My Picks
I just love this retro ’90s way of checking out my local weather. Lots of bits to configure if you’d like, too.
There are plenty of good, easy ways to create and explore color schemes, but sometimes I like to overcomplicate approach things from a different perspective. This is a roll-up-your-sleeves tool modeled like an analog synthesizer, with tons of room for experimentation and discovery.
This 33-episode documentary on YouTube is one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen. It’s rare to get this kind of access to a creative team working to balance limited resources and the pull of market forces with making art and publishing a top-tier game. Yes, it’s long and involved. That’s the point, and it’s an unparalleled experience.
A history of the Internet, part 3: The rise of the user
Jeremy Reimer’s final installment in his excellent history of the Internet covers the period where it became a fixture in everyday people’s lives. I remember the early 2000’s web fondly, and miss the weirdness that used to be a big part of it.
Recently Published
This month I wrote about an open protocol tool that’s become indispensable and my upcoming class. I’ve also shifted to a new graphic format for my post banner images.
RSS Readers and the Art of Self-Curation
There’s an Internet protocol called RSS (Really Simple Syndication) that lets us collect new content from our favorite online providers all in one place. It’s integral to making the most of my online time, and super easy to set up. Check it out and give it a try, it’s free!
Learning Web Development in an AI World
I’m teaching a new web development class in a few weeks, and it’s forced me to face the fact that AI can create perfectly serviceable web pages and sites. Why learn about this stuff if we can offload the work to a computer? It turns out that there are some very good reasons to put in the effort.
In the Groove
I’ve been listening to a lot of Indian classical music lately, and find that it transports me to a place that no other music can. There’s a feeling that comes from this brilliant music that is rooted in millennia of tradition. It balances improvisation with a set of rules that keep things together enough so that it doesn’t become chaotic. Everything is harmonious.
This is music that is perfect for meditation and contemplation, but it also features a dynamism and energy, especially with the interplay between expert musicians. They’re working with forms that they have perfected over years, sometimes decades, and elements interlock and dance with one another in ways that are just delightful. These aren’t pop songs. You have to settle into it, and give it time to permeate.
I also find it very refreshing to listen to music from a non-Western tradition. It evokes a different sensibility and understanding of tone and time. I’ve been very lucky to have been to several live performances from greats including Zakir Hussain, who sadly passed away recently, and the experience is truly transcendent. Being there, in that space together with the musicians and audience, is unlike any other concert experience.
If you would like to experience some of it for yourself, a good start might be a wonderful live recording of two ragas on the album Shringar released by Peter Gabriel’s Real World label. Read the liner notes to see how deeply spiritual the music is, wait for a full moon, then put it on and get ready to sink into the beautiful sound.
Until Next Time
How do you deal with your open loops, with the things that never seem to get done? For me, I’m learning to notice those rare moments when everything’s handled, even briefly. We’re all working through the same perpetual cycles, and somehow that makes it feel a bit less overwhelming.