Tangible Life
Thoughts on Social
My tagline on social profiles has been “I father. I write. I drink coffee.” for as long as I can remember. For almost as long, I’ve only consistently done two of those things.
Instagram was different. It wasn’t Facebook, which I deleted many years ago and never looked back. It was visual and immersive and you could find photos and collections that inspired you. You could curate an amazing group of accounts to follow on almost any creative topic. Typography, architecture, Air Jordans, interior design, graphic design, and, of course, coffee porn. It has served me well for all of those things. It has also been a great way to consume hilarious content from several comedians I follow.
All that to say, Instagram has been, and continues to be, a positive experience for me to use. Even after they started implementing features and modes that were obviously to mimic features in other platforms I don’t use and don’t care to use. Stories is Snapchat. Reels is TikTok. The list is sure to go on.
Even after they were purchased by Facebook. Even after the original leadership took issue with the direction Facebook was forcing and left the company. Even after they added “from Facebook” throughout the UI of the app. Here I am, a pleased user of a free platform I get joy from using…knowingly being the product. My data being Instagram’s digital asset. Facebook’s asset. Being targeted by their scary good ad algorithm. Justifying that the inspiration and the creators that post it somehow negates the concerning practices of the parent company and its executive leadership.
Twitter is a bit different. It’s mostly my place to follow podcasters and internet pundits I feel have something worthwhile to say or promote. Little chunks of text, often with a link out to more, that don’t take much of my attention for any significant amount of time. Occasionally a platform where I post a quick thought on something about tech or a funny take on life. Informative, but without the joy or engagement that Instagram fosters.
Reddit is pure information junkie territory. If there is a topic that interests someone, chances are other people are interacting with one another about it via a subreddit. I’d steered clear of Reddit for a long time because I worried the value wouldn’t outweigh the distraction. That wasn’t the case once I started using it. If anything, it saved me time searching for things across online forums and sites. It’s a useful platform when you curate the subreddits you subscribe to carefully and aggressively. I wouldn’t necessarily classify what I get out of it as “joy”, but learning something new or solving a problem usually brings positive emotions to my brain.
So here I am… not believing my use of “social media” is anything concerning with relation to my focus or attention. Not being consumed by it, or letting it dictate my emotions on any topic of relevance in my life. Not having written a blog post in a very long time. Not having finished a novel or a long-form piece of written prose outside of an email newsletter or in-depth investigative journalist piece. Inspired and motivated, but without the time I need to execute.
My life is a bit more hectic than most. I have a large family and a long work commute (pre-pandemic). Of course, it will take time to get my ideas out into something well-written and consumable. Of course, the list of interesting books I feel inclined to read will continue to grow. Of course, none of this makes sense when I step back and take inventory of what content consumes my time. So, I’m taking a break. I’m going to see what the rest of this insane year of 2020 can bring with a few seemingly simple changes (considering the year so far, this is peanuts).
Here’s my to-do list:
- Remove Instagram, Twitter, and Reddit apps from my phone and tablet. I’m not going full “tinfoil hat”, so if someone sends me a post they think I’d especially enjoy via text or if I see a link to one in a newsletter I keep around, it will load in the browser just fine. I’m not canceling/closing my accounts at this point; just creating a barrier.
- Setup shortcuts/automation to post about the content I’ve created to the social profiles I maintain for that purpose. Set these up using methods that don’t require the app to be installed on the devices mentioned above.
- Setup shortcuts/newsletters for an aggressively curated highlight reel from these sources. Limit consumption of this highlight reel to 20 minutes per week.
- Link to this post in the profile of my social accounts. Not because I anticipate anyone will care (I have a small number of “followers” anyway), but if they do, this experiment may interest them.
- Write posts. Read books. Evaluate how that’s gone in a few months.
Don’t consider this me quitting social media. Consider it me heading out for a coffee… or a pack of cigarettes.
The science behind a good cup of coffee
Beth Mole, writing at ArsTechnica, gives a great breakdown of why coffee is clearly the best beverage on Earth.
But, the researchers did note that in the drip coffee method, the last drops out of the coffee maker were most packed with caffeine and chlorogenic acids. This suggests that longer steeping times (5 to 6 minutes in the study) would get the most out of the beans.
This lines up with my brew methods and what I have found suits my taste.
Why the US Government Just Made Its Own Font
Interesting read from Vice:
While most of the changes won’t be terribly interesting to anyone who doesn’t build websites for a living, one big change caught our eye: the federal government has created its own bespoke typeface for the project, fittingly named Public Sans.
Coolest thing I have seen about the government in quite some time.
Fortunately, the GSA is releasing Public Sans under the SIL Open Font License, so designers working on projects outside of the federal government will be able to freely utilize the new typeface.
I actually used to run a call center program for the General Services Administration (GSA).
Begin
The hardest part of any endeavor is beginning it. Many would say that seeing things through is the hard part. I disagree. I think the minimum amount of effort is required to start any task, therefore, it is the most critical component of the path to completion. The irony is that many people thrive on the motivation to complete something due to the forward progress. None of that momentum exists without having begun.
When something seems daunting or impossible, just start. Make starting the focus of your thought and energy. Nature supports the theory as well. Watch a bird take flight. The hardest part is the take off. Once it is soaring, it glides and decides when to spend more energy to either remain forward progress or coast. It finds the way forward once flight has been achieved. Treat your goals the same.
Take off.
Drinking coffee, notebook open
Still drinking lots of coffee, but starting to want to write more about it (and all the tech). More to come…
Drinking Coffee, notebook closed
Coffee with a notebook
I was looking through some awesome coffee photography recently and saw this image. It pretty accurately describes the state of the site lately. I’m using a lot of technology, drinking a ton of coffee and not writing about any of it. Until that changes, check out some of my own coffee photography on the techandcoffee Instagram account.
Instagram Logo and UI Updates
Great post from the designers behind the changes to Instagram’s logo and UI.
Instagram logo evolved
How I Use My Notebooks
Great update post from Jenny Mason over on The Finer Point! I have a bit of a notebook fascination (or fetish, perhaps) and seeing how others use various types has always been of interest to me.
Jim Henson’s Violent Wilkins Coffee Commericals
This pre-Kermit character sure knows how to sell coffee!
Shifty Jelly
What a great highlight of the Shifty Jelly development team. Pocket Casts has been my podcast app for years now and the Android experience is by far the best.
Macstories iOS 10 Wishlist
This is why Federico Viticci and the MacStories team are best in class. Go watch the video and read the article that accompanies it.
Favorite Android Utility Apps
Every year I try to avoid “resolutions,” but that doesn’t mean I don’t take inventory and try to make changes where needed. Over the coming weeks, I’ll cover some of my favorite apps on various platforms. I use iOS, Android, Mac and Windows, so hopefully at least one of the posts will be useful to every reader.
The following Android apps do not require root privileges. Some are paid apps, but most have a free version or trial. I believe in paying for apps I rely on because the app ecosystem is ripe with apps that do not get maintained over time when there is no clear support model for the developer.
These are the Android utility apps that have made me more productive on my HTC One M8:
1Password
1Password is a great password manager on its surface, but I’ve come to use it for so much more over the last few months. It can be used to securely store credit cards, identity data like Social Security cards, software license keys and even secure notes. The Android version includes the option of a custom keyboard that will populate usernames and passwords automatically with the touch of a button.
1Password also has Mac, Windows and iOS versions that all sync reliably so that your passwords and more are available on every major platform.
Texpand Pro
Texpand Pro is a text expander/text automation app. I’ve used TextExpander from Smile Software on Mac and iOS for years, but was never satisfied with the Android alternatives until Texpand Pro came along. While it doesn’t sync with TextExpander (importing snippets from a TextExpander Sync/export would be a great feature to add), adding snippets is very intuitive and the app follows modern Material Design guidelines. Backup and restore options are available in the app settings, so moving to a new device shouldn’t be much work. Some other notable feature are as follows:
- Write phrase snippets to user dictionary
- Import snippets from user dictionary entries
- Hovering expansion button that floats as recognized phrases/abbreviations are typed
I do not use the last feature, personally, but I can see how it would be useful for some. I keep it simple and just expand snippets using a short abbreviation. For example, when I type scb it automatically expands to my full conference bridge phone number and ID. It makes creating meeting invites a snap.
Twilight
Twilight’s premise is simple; blue light from your device is bad when you need to go to sleep. Reading on phones and tablets trick our bodies into trying to stay awake. Twilight tweaks the color of your screen so that the bad blue light is filtered. You control how aggressive the filter performs and it will even allow you to dim the screen more than turning the standard brightness setting all the way down. Twilight has the option to automatically enable/disable based on on sunrise/sunset for your current location. You can also set it to start/stop at specific times. If you want to read more about what blue light is doing to your brain at night, the developers put several great references in the app description on Google Play.
Coffee in Space: A Bold Cup of Innovation
Finally… I can book space travel.
In partnership with ASI, the Italian space agency, Argotec and Lavazza have produced ISSpresso (get it?), a capsule-based machine that promises to deliver “a perfect espresso” in the weightless environment of space. Microgravity complicates literally every action astronauts perform in space, and liquids are particularly tricky to deal with up there. With this new appliance, however, they can insert a pouch of water, add a capsule of espresso, press “brew,” and voila! Caffeinated bliss.
Kit Kat Dunk
I’ve been missing out…
See it there, right next to lemon cookie and giant cookie? There is the Kit Kat — a common candy bar — pretending to be a cookie.
Aeropress Love
Shawn Blanc details why the AeroPress is the coffee brewing system he utilizes most often.
The AeroPress has become this sort of cult classic, popular geeky way to brew coffee. Everyone with a Twitter account recommends it.
While I do not have a cupboard full of coffee making contraptions, the combination of my Bodum burr grinder and the AeroPress have become my go to method for making a great cup.
Inside the Company that Rebuilt Digg
Informative post on Vox about Betaworks.
I really like the new Digg and use it when looking for something interesting to read. I was never an original Digg user, but I was familiar with Betaworks due to it’s acquisition of Instapaper (which it has done a great job with).
Podcasting 101
This is an excellent post by Marco Arment, of Build and Analyze and Accidental Tech Podcast fame.
The only piece I’ll disagree with is his one:
First and foremost: as a listener, I should never know that you use Skype.
Roderick on the Line wouldn’t be the same without that ringing.
App Highlight: Pocket Casts
Pocket Casts is an app for listening to, discovering and managing podcasts. This post will focus on the Android version, which is available on the Google Play Store for $3.99.
Over the years I’ve used several podcast apps but have stuck with Pocket Casts for two reasons. The first is that it is cross-platform. It has an iOS version and a recently launched desktop web app that make listening to podcasts across multiple platforms seamless. The other reason is the app’s design. The app is beautifully designed and the developer frequently updates it to make it fit in with the current UI decisions of the platform itself.
From discovering new podcasts to downloading (or streaming) ones that you’re already subscribed to, Pocket Casts makes the entire process elegant and intuitive. If you’re new to listening to podcasts, it has a Discover section where you can view what podcasts are popular in different genres. You can even browse through podcast networks so that all shows on that network are available in a single view. No matter how you discover a podcast, a full show description is available and you just tap a button to subscribe to ones you like. Once subscribed, you can select how many downloaded episodes to keep and you can have all new episodes automatically download any time you are connected to WiFi. It makes managing podcast updates something you never have to think about.
The player interface is designed with advanced users in mind, however, the careful placement of controls doesn’t overburden even the casual listener. It makes accessing things like show notes (which allows links to be opened), the Up Next playlist and playback speed controls accessible, but not distracting. Podcast artwork is front and center in this view and it is presented beautifully.
App Highlight: Croma
Croma for Android is a lovely app for managing and creating color palettes. It is available for free on the Google Play Store and offers enhanced functionality via in-app purchase.
If you’ve ever done design work, you know how much a good color palette can make all the difference. Croma is designed with Android’s new Material Design asthetic, which makes it feel all the more fresh. As the quick walk-through video shows, creating a palette (complete with color code values) from an existing image is simple and elegant.
Lift
I mentioned in the previous post that this month I’m working to build a new habit by writing 500 words each day. To track the progress for this habit, as well as others I am working on, I am using an app called Lift. Lift has been around for awhile now, but when I looked at it in the past it did not offer an Android version. Using the iPhone version on my iPad was less than an optimal experience, but with the Android app available, it’s a great choice for me.
Overview
Lift is designed to make creating, finding and tracking goals or habits simple. You can browse what habits have already been created by other users and see how many participants they have. You can add your own habits if the one you are looking for does not already exist. You can even mark a habit private so that other Lift users cannot see that you are a participant.
Social Features
I’m not using the app for the social features that it offers, however, they seem to be helpful to those that do. From simple positive feedback/reinforcement to the ability to ask questions of other habit participants, Lift gives you the ability to interact with other users to motivate you to succeed. Some goals are even sponsored by experts that then make themselves available for question and answer sessions in the app. I have noticed that this is typically also tied to a chance for the expert to market themselves or their services, but I can understand why they see the opportunity as a good one for both parties.
Design
A big part of what makes me want to use an app is the design and user experience. Many Android apps feel out of place when the iOS version came first. Lift is an exception. The Android app is great and feels like it was developed with the Android platform in mind. The user interface is very clean and minimal, yet informative and clear as to the progress on each goal or habit.
Don’t Break the Chain
The value in having an app like Lift is that it gives you a very visual and material way to measure how you are executing on your goals. It adds the achievement of checking a box each day. The idea of not “breaking the chain” is a large component in building any habit. You don’t want to kill the streak, and having an app that shows you that really does seem to have a motivating effect.
500WED
Update: I failed. I literally only met the goal 2 or 3 days out of the 30. I would say I feel defeated, but it has been a busy time in many respects. I’ll think about a more reasonable goal at a more reasonable time.
The Challenge
For the month of September, I have decided to take on a challenge. The goal of the challenge is to build a more consistent writing habit. Daily success is measured by 500 words written. I’ve wanted to build a better writing habit for years. Posting more content here has always been a big motivation, but obviously not enough to push me to write more regularly. My hope is that by doing something every day for 30 days, I will form the habit.
Potential Risks
- I’ll have no desire to write after a few days
- I won’t have anything worth writing about after a few days
- The structure will make my writing more robotic
- I won’t be writing because I enjoy it
Potential Rewards
- After this month, content will be posted to the site regularly like magic
- I will form good writing habits
- My writing will continually improve throughout the month
- Site readership will increase due to more regular posts
Tools
Most of my writing will likely take place on my phone or my iPad. I would love to sit here, lie and say that I will set aside time to sit in front of my iMac and crank out post after amazing post like Stephen J. Cannell at the end of an episode of Hunter. While the desktop computer in my makeshift home office is great, it isn’t where most of these words will be created. This post is being written on my iPad. This is actually the second time I have written this post. I wrote it to the tune of 542 words last night and then proceeded to accidentally delete it with a poor default action step in the Drafts app.
I want this exercise to also filter my toolset. I want my writing workflow to improve along the way. I want to know what apps aid my writing and which ones should be deleted because they add nothing to the process. I want to find the groove in the technology I have at my disposal so that future efforts aren’t over complicated by the plethora of cool apps or devices I have built up around me. I can see why an app that is available on all the platforms I use that also syncs the data from one instance to the next would be an obvious choice. I can also appreciate using the best of the best apps on each platform and letting sync be carried out by Dropbox or some other external syncing or file storage service. Needless to say, I’ll keep readers informed along the journey.
Disclaimers
I should clarify that the goal is to write 500 words each day. It is not to post to this site daily. It is also not to make sure all posts during the challenge are a minimum of 500 words. Some of the words I count towards my daily goal will never see the light of day on any website. Some will be components of larger efforts. What I have decided is that only words created outside of my day-to-day “real job” will be included towards the goal. I have never counted how many words a day I generate answering and creating emails, writing code or having conversations through instant message/IRC. Counting those towards this effort would simply be pointless. It wouldn’t develop any new or good habits.
Go
Consider the starter pistol trigger pulled. This is day two and I’m happier with this version of the post than the one I wrote and accidentally deleted yesterday. Seems like progress to me.
The Invention of the Aeropress
The AeroPress has become my preferred method for making coffee over the last year and a half. Priceonomics provides a great history lesson on the AeroPress and its inventor, Alan Adler.
Reading Literature on Screen: A Price for Convenience?
I’ve often been curious if reading on screen was as valuable as reading a physical page. I’ll be interested in future studies, but I know I read more with my phone and iPad than I would without them.
She said more research is needed to understand what’s lost by reading literature on screen. She added that the type of text, the device used, and the background experience of the reader could all influence the outcome