"Capitalism is the machine that will do whatever it takes to prevent us from turning it off"
More than two years after it was published, I still think about this provocative post by Ted Chiang. Will A.I. Become The New McKinsey? We...
Archives
2025
"The ceiling on my appreciation is high, but the floor is high, too"
Sasha Chapin wrote about How to like everything more, and it made me think about how important it is to cultivate appreciation. A lot of...
"I walk slowly on the race track, but I can climb a ladder"
Collin Lysford, in a recent issue of his Desytemize newsletter, eases into a thoughtful discussion about intelligence (artificial and otherwise) through a baking analogy. Here's...
"We only know how to value things that are scarce"
Adam Mastroianni, writer of the unmissable Experimental History newsletter, recently shared some writing wisdom in a piece called 28 slightly rude notes on writing. Here's...
A few things I've learned about writing
If someone were to ask me how to improve their copywriting, this is what I'd tell them: The best writer is the one who can...
Restore Logic Pro X files corrupted by Google Drive
If you’ve ever stored Logic Pro X project files (.logicx) in Google Drive, you may have gone back to them after a while only to...
Don’t have a guide for the responsible use of AI at your company? Now you do!
I've written a shareable guide to using AI responsibly at a company—any company. Maybe even your company. You can find it at howweuseai.guide. It starts...
Sharing art with artificial intelligence
Every time I sit down to write music these days, I’m visited by an unwelcome thought. Somewhere, right now, my art—music and writing—is being ground...
Seen on Homepage
Obsidian and the draw of durable technology
These days, I’m less inclined to invest my time, my trust, and myself in the enormous tech companies looming over us like a gathering storm....
My Obsidian setup for early 2025
Obsidian is a topic of deep interest for me and for many of you reading this, so I wanted to follow up on my first...
Bowers & Wilkins Px8 vs. AirPods Max: redefining luxury headphones
Back in 2017, Bowers & Wilkins convinced me that wireless audio had reached a point of excellence. I no longer own the P7, but today...
Burn-in is for your brain, not your headphones
A core tenet of audiophile folklore is “burn-in”, the idea that headphones, speakers, and other audio equipment benefits from a period of time (usually measured...
Reviews are supposed to be biased
If you see a link to a product or service on this blog, it’s not an affiliate link. I earn no kickbacks and accept no...
2024
My stance on artificial intelligence
I don’t have to like it, I don’t have to trust it...but I also don’t have to doubt it at every turn. One thing I...
AirPods Max: 4 years later
I’m not sure there’s been any product I’ve had a more mixed relationship with than the AirPods Max. I returned my first pair…then missed them...
Why take photographs?
To slow down time. Life feels longer when there’s more of it to look back on. Take more photos and you preserve more memories. The...
I guess I collect analog watches now
Lately, I’ve found myself captivated by analog watches. I spent a long time admiring them from afar, mostly as intricate little capsules of human ingenuity...
The Vampire Survivors soundtrack has no business being this good
Well ok, of course it does—but I need to get your attention so I can hold this in front of you enthusiastically. Quick recap: Vampire...
How I use Obsidian at work
I use Obsidian the same way I use most productivity apps: simply. My email and my personal notes app have no folders. There are no...
"Reports From Unknown Places": a blog about the weather
Ninn Salaün, a talented and expressive illustrator, seems to have equal skill wielding the pen as she does the proverbial brush if her ongoing short-form...