I enjoyed this year’s World Cup immensely, and got completely absorbed in the stories of the teams and players as the tournament progressed. From Curaçao’s historic goal against Germany in their opening match all the way to the spectacle of the final game between Spain and Argentina, I discovered a sport that’s both inspirational and troubling, along with a whole history that I’d had no idea about.

I’ve gone on to watch Sunderland ‘Til I Die and #SeAcabó now that I have a little grounding in the game, and what comes through to me more than anything else is how incredible the fans and athletes are, even in the midst of owners and organizations that are often corrupt, inept, and abusive.

We have limits to our time and attention. I realize that there’s so much out there that I’d love to know, but will never even discover. I’m so glad I made some space in my life to get into soccer, and now I consider myself a big fan. Who knew?

My Picks

Sister Rosetta Tharpe — Didn’t it Rain

A bit of joy came my way this month and made me smile from ear to ear, so I have to share. It’s 1964. Ms. Tharpe arrives on a rundown train platform, descending from a horse-drawn carriage, chatting idly. She walks to the middle, passing a small rhythm section laying down a groove, straps on an electric guitar, and galvanizes the crowd of white kids sitting across the tracks with her electric gospel blues. It’s an unparalleled performance.

You’re Weirder than You Think

I often marvel about how different I imagine other people’s lives are from mine. What’s it like to be in a motorcycle family? To drive Uber? To go on a shopping spree, get a pedicure, or hit the clubs? I have no idea. This website asks us to answer seven questions to see how unrepresentative our own lives actually are when compared to everyone else. I like the fact that it uses sound methodology and data from the General Social Survey. You can even explore the underlying data in detail.

Kagi Small Web

The World Wide Web was built for regular people, not megacorporations. Just because we don’t see this side of the Internet much anymore doesn’t mean that it’s not there, we just have to go looking for it. I think it’s vital to celebrate and recognize all of the high-quality noncommercial contributions that people are putting online. My favorite search engine, Kagi (I pay them, and it’s worth every penny), has a wonderful Small Web site to help discover recently published content by individuals. So much great stuff to explore.

What Every Adult Should Know About Parasocial Media and Teens

danah boyd has been helping me navigate online spaces for decades, both in my professional and in my home life. I often turn to her writing and research to make sense of things, and her recent discussion with Colin Angevine about how social media has evolved really resonates. Social media, spaces where we’re posting about our lives and reading the posts of others we care about, is largely dead. It’s been replaced by influencers chosen by algorithms, a passive consumption of ever-spiraling drama and increased production value. We need to make sure young people have opportunities to create social bonds with others, across generations and interests, because these online technologies are not the right tools for authentic social connection (and never really were).

Recently Published

Fable is Great, and That’s Kind of the Problem

Anthropic’s newest and most powerful AI model, Fable, got lots of press when it was banned by the government shortly after launch. Now that it’s returned, I wanted to try it out to see if the hype was worth it. What I ended up with was a lesson in how our access to the latest and greatest in AI technologies is changing, and not for the better.

Why I’d Still Say Yes

If I were graduating high school, would I pursue a technology degree in today’s climate? What would I say to a young person who loves computer science and wants to make a career of it, but is worried about displacement, vanishing opportunities for entry-level work, and mass layoffs? While it does depend on a few important factors, I’d generally still say yes. Here’s why.

In the Groove

Thirty years ago, an album came out that completely changed my thinking about music and exploded my sonic consciousness. DJ Shadow’s first album, Endtroducing….., is an instrumental hip hop tour de force that demonstrates how much of an art form sampling can be.

It’s the first album created entirely from samples, and was composed on the iconic Akai MPC60 MKII. In DJ Shadow’s hands, this sampler allowed a level of creative freedom and experimentation that’s like nothing that came before. There’s haunting beauty and melancholy along with plenty of deep, crunchy beats, found sounds, spoken word interludes, and unexpected turns.

Start with Midnight in A Perfect World to get a taste. If it grabs you, set aside an hour, get a good pair of headphones, go back to the beginning, and be ready to be swept away.

He’s actually touring to promote the 30th anniversary of the album, if you’re lucky enough to be near a stop. I will be jealous if you go!

Until Next Time

What are you still open to discovering? I’m glad there’s still room for something new, and wonder what else might be just around the corner, waiting for me to find. See you next month!