Although one of the hosts can be extremely tangential and talk like he's had too much caffeine, he seems very well-read on the topic of productivity, and getting “back to work”. The over-arching theme to this episode is about having "an unhealthy emotional attachment to physical objects that are not making your life better." His main reference point is a book (really, a chapter from it) by Peter Walsh called It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff. I'm no hoarder, but I'm guilty of keeping things I don't really need. I sense a theme for this year's spring cleaning.
Unrelated to the main theme: Merlin Mann throws out a one-liner I liked: "There are a lot of maxims that are impossible, but are a pretty good yard stick for deciding if you're going in the right direction." #
I know I haven't posted in a while, but I couldn't agree more with Marco's thoughts about the Curator's Code. My favorite piece:
…that’s how I feel about links in general: the source author creates something worth linking to, and the rest of us can link as we see fit, regardless of how we found it.
The proper place for ethics and codes is in ensuring that a reasonable number of people go to the source instead of just reading your rehash.
I obviously don't spend a lot of time looking for things for you to read, but both his style, and John Gruber's style is what I've tried to follow. #
It's a simple concept, but one I didn't articulate on my site.
A musician is more likely to dream up new songs by strumming on the guitar than by writing notes on the page. A chef is more likely to invent a new recipe by trying a bold variation on an otherwise known formula - while actively preparing the invented dish, not while sitting in the park with a pen and a notepad. A painter, no doubt, benefits by investing some mental energy in deciding on subject or approach, but I think that the genius of Mona Lisa happened while standing at the canvas with paint.
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Building isn't just for final decisions, it's also for arriving at better decisions. Don't just build to keep what's built; build to think, and build to answer questions.
I couldn't agree more. #
I still have anxiety when it comes to using my real name online. I still stick a variation of my very first email address (which got deleted by a hacker, back when you couldn't undelete/recover AOL screen names). It was pedro423. A combination of a nickname I've been called my whole life, and my grandparents' house number. #
I think I might just like DKNG's style. You might remember the Cake poster I linked to a bit ago. This newer poster for The Black Keys (whose Brothers album I thoroughly enjoy, and you may as well), has a similar feel. I like the touch of having the artists (barely) in the illustration as well. (I also really like that the whole design process played out on dribbble (click the rebounds link).) #
Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, tells his story of being an undocumented immigrant in the United States. It's a fascinating and compelling argument for some form of immigration reform. This isn't the usual sort of thing I link to, but it was too interesting to pass up. #
Kind of similar to Record Envelope, except for the actual album covers themselves. I love this collection, and already see lots that I'd happily use as inspiration. #
Recently I visited the Columbia Restaurant in St. Augustine, Florida, and was fortunate to have somebody suggest this salad for my meal. To my surprise and pleasure, they give the recipe away on their own website. If I'm ever there again, I'd still order it (and get the shrimp like I did the first time). #
Joey Ellis designed this t-shirt, with proceeds benefiting the Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services. A good cause, and a good looking shirt. Just $20. #
Sign me up for one of the Factory Floor Orange patches. His work speaks for itself. #