Some recent thoughts:
I just rewatched The Martian and WOW is it good! Space flight can be really really exciting and fun when it’s not tainted by people with the wrong motives… Also Jeff Daniels is such an amazing actor. I loved watching him in Steve Jobs, and on stage on Broadway in To Kill A Mockingbird.
I bought a glass dip pen from Blick to help write some thank you notes after my wedding. It was so much to slow down and feel the pen glide along the paper. Using a dip pen makes writing or drawing really fun and, I think more importantly, really encourages you to slow down.
I tried Claude Code for the first time recently for work. And day one was rough - AI over promises and under delivers. However, once you temper your expectations, it’s not too bad. I’ve been telling peers - AI is usually like a good high school intern - really eager but you need to oversee and provide a lot of guidance. I really want to try using Claude code for personal projects in the future. I’m hoping to have more in-depth thoughts in the future.
Does anyone have a Design Mentor? Or a design therapist? I switched jobs a few months ago and as the sole designer, I sometimes feel very isolated and struggle to get feedback on strategy and design work. Any guidance or suggestions is very welcome! (I have some stuff working in the background but I’ve been slow to make it happen…)
I’ve been really enjoying Dithering.fm and ATP more recently. I think with the world as it is, it’s been fun to listen to people talk about tech in an interesting and fun way. I wish I could listen to more Pivot and On with Kara Swisher, but I find it makes me really depressed with the way things are happening. Oh also, excellence actually is another amazing podcast that’s not about tech or politics and just about doing the best that you can - 12/10 highly recommend!
I was really hesitant about getting the iPhone 17 pro but a friend made some really good suggestions and I pulled the trigger. Honestly? No regret. I’m coming from a 13 pro and the 17 is so nice! The aluminum is lovely as is the plateau. I know some people are mixed on the camera button but I think it’s a nice add, I just need to find the right workflow to use it. I’m currently using the phone with a case (sad but it’s the Apple case so I’m not too sad) because I want my phone to last a few years before I need to upgrade. I ended up getting the blue phone with a siena case… the orange seemed nice but I don’t think I could live with that every day. I still think the 13 pro’s color was a bit better, but overall, no regrets. Great camera, great battery, with a lovely form factor.
A bit of a personal reveal… most mornings on a workday, I’ll go to YouTube and watch Jony Ive narrate the Designed by Apple video that they released with the book. I find it motivating and calming all at once - focus on the work, don’t dismiss ideas, and keep looking forward, among other themes and lessons. Anyone else miss his yearly videos and thoughts?
I miss talking about some of these tech and design happenings in the world, so I’m hoping to be more active on the blog!