Category: Longform
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My fears about doing a roundup newsletter
Whenever I’ve run a newsletter sharing links of stuff I find interesting, I’ve always worried it will become obsolete. Surely people would just start following the same sources I do and find what I find before I share it. But yesterday I realised that is not true. Many of the roundup newsletters I follow share articles from some regular sources and while I end up following some, I still appreciate when they share something I missed or also read. Plus, I never follow ALL their sources.
I love this as it’s a classic example where from my perspective as a creator, things look completely different than my perspective as a consumer. It’s basically the “Assuming everyone knows what you know.” or “No one else is paying you as much attention as you are paying yourself.”
If you’ve been thinking of making a roundup newsletter but have faced this fear, I’d bet that you don’t need to worry.
awkward product placement in Ted Lasso and The Morning Show
One of the most annoying parts of Ted lasso and the morning show is the awkward use of iPhones. Anytime someone gets a text, it’s shown on the iPhone and the camera has to do a close up of this small text. Shows like Sherlock found an easier way to show texts by making bubbles appear around the character, but these shows don’t do that as they must include the product placement of the iPhone.
🔗 First Look at WordPress’ Upcoming Twenty Twenty-Two Default Theme: “The Most Flexible Default Theme Ever Created for WordPress” – WP Tavern
Reigstad said the theme will be “built for Full Site Editing first,” with as little CSS as possible, and all theme styles configurable through theme.json wherever possible, so users can edit them through Global Styles.
Of course WordPress would have to tempt me with an upcoming default theme! The tie in with 5.9 makes sense with the full site editing push. Still not sure what I make of WordPress’s direction. It’s surprising how page builders still seem prevalent despite the advances in Gutenberg.
🔗 Scotland's version of 'hygge' - BBC
“But it isn’t just MacLeod’s sumptuous hot toddy choux buns, Heilan' coo cupcakes or haggis bon bons that have made the soft-spoken chef a viral sensation. By serving his food with a side of Hebridean folklore, Scottish Gaelic tongue twisters and traditional music – as well as the occasional cameo by his wee Westie pup, Seòras – Coinneach’s goal is to bring the best of Hebridean culture to the world”
A hot toddy choux bun sounds fantastic! Not so sure about the haggis bon bon though.
🔗 Best Habits to Track in 2021. Analyzing Habit Tracking Behavior from… by Coach Tony Coach.me App Medium
Every year I go through our data from Coach.me to see what habits people have started tracking and what habits they’ve stopped tracking. The result is a snapshot of what is becoming more popular and what is becoming less popular.
A really interesting list of habits and what are the most popular (see if you can predict the top five).
Bullet journaling just isn't for me...or is it?
Me two weeks ago: I think I’m finally done with Bullet journaling. It just doesn’t work for me and I’m doing everything in obsidian now anyway.
Me today: You know I like interstitial journaling but it’s a hassle to get my journaling page up and add to it. If only I had a separate window with it…or maybe a note book. I guess I could write in a paper notebook and maybe migrate some items at the end of the ….oh crap I’ve invented bullet journaling haven’t I.
So now I’m looking at getting a new notebook to replace my last one.
How do you know if they're a good app reviewer?
Would you more trust a reviewer who jumps apps as often as they change clothes or one who hasn’t changed app in years? The one who always changes probably is probably too interested in novelty over real usefulness, but the long term user might be too stuck in their ways. I saw a forum discussion with defenders of certain reviewers locked in verbal battle with each other. It made wonder if you really can achieve unbiased reviews. I guess that’s why I try to find a tool I like and then work out how to get as much value out of it as possible. Obsidian may well not be the best of these connected notes apps (and I may not be using the “best” plugins) but it works for me and I’m happy with that.
Podcast Appearance: Sharing and Privacy; Delayed Reaction [Podcast #328] - ChurchMag
Sharing and Privacy; Delayed Reaction [Podcast #328] - ChurchMag
Yes, we know, we know. Apple’s WWDC 2021 happened a while ago. But guess what? Somewhere in the mine conversation post that event there were some gems we just had to share. In this episode Blessing Mpofu and Chris Wilson unpack two big themes––sharing and privacy, that came out of the event.
🔗 Why Italian football does not make sense in the English language Serie A The Guardian
Why Italian football does not make sense in the English language | Serie A | The Guardian
Italian football is often criticised for being overly dramatic, with players spending too much time feigning injury, encircling the referee or dropping to the grass with their faces in their hands after they have missed opportunities. These criticisms carry weight but, given the language of the game in Italy, it is hard to see how the game could be any other way. An Italian match is more than just that; it is a performance in which the players are fighting not just to win but to win over the audience. I was reminded of this article while watching the match yesterday. The whole piece is really enlightening about the differences between Italian and English football.
A Week off social
In theory I’m just over a week into my social media fast… But in reality I’ve been breaking it left right and centre. Some has been for good reason (like checking content for work, finding an old bookmark or messaging regarding an upcoming newsletter interview) but a good amount has been “the twitch”.
The twitch
You know, when suddenly you find your phone is unlocked, in your hand, and your thumb has magically found the hidden app icon and twitter is open before you.
How did it happen? You twitched and it was there.
Who knows what the exact trigger was
- boredom
- being in the “right” location (the sofa?)
- reading something about a social network?
But the effect is undeniable.
I’ve been using a scheduling app to continue an experimental social media profile (it’s always good to experiment when marketing is your job) which has certainly helped, but it’s not a miracle cure.
What has been good
It’s not all doom, gloom and failure. I’ve definitely been using social media less. My screentime proves it! Even when I do twitch and find twitter open, I often move over to an ebook or switch the app off. Checking my screentime also reveals that in this second week, twitter is no longer my “pick up” app or even in the top ten. Perhaps the “twitch” is wearing off?
Awareness
Around 2016 I started to feel that personal messaging was the better type of social media and what I should use these services for more. This fast has proven that more to me. I continually find myself wanting less to scroll the feed (although I do want that too) and more to reach out to certain people whom I can only contact via twitter DMs or microblog replies.
It turns out the part of social media I miss the most, is the social part.
And while that’s also a good reason to take a break and invest in more face to face social interactions (thank you easing lockdowns) it’s also something I will invest in more when I do return to social media… however that looks.
(written in drafts to avoid the feed).