What’s in a name

May 5, 2022

A challenge arises when we make something over a long period of time. As we evolve — as we add experiences, impressions, memories, deepening knowledge and self-knowledge to the combinatorial pool from which all creative work springs — what we make evolves accordingly; it must, if we are living widely and wisely enough. Eventually, the name we once chose for it begins to feel not like a choice but like a constraint, an ill-fitting corset ribbed with the ossified sensibility of a former self.

~ Maria Popova from, Becoming the Marginalian: After 15 Years, Brain Pickings Reborn

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Popova changed the name of her project a while back, and this is a nice unpacking of her thinking. I’ve a lot of projects, and they have various names; Names that are public and names for them in my own mind.

With each project, I continuously struggle to balance the desire for concision and the desire for clarity. I drive myself mercilessly to find the simplest phrase that is something memorable and meaningful. And then I drive myself mercilessly to be ready and able to explain things as iterative layers of unpacking. That name. A few sentences. A few minutes of explanation. And so on, expanding to a fully dynamic conversation about the thing. On one hand, I know that this zooming in, (towards a concise name,) and zooming out, (toward a coherent and thorough explanation,) improves my thinking and understanding. But on the other hand. It’s really exhausting.

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Instincts

May 4, 2022

Our instincts as humans are slowly dimming the less time we spend in wild nature: rainstorms, cold, whiteouts, loose rocks, adventure. Climbing is an important and sacred opportunity for us to exist in situations that we faced a hundred thousand years ago. The animalistic side of human beings. Our instincts are an important element of our intelligence.

~ Reinhold Messner

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Create a space

May 4, 2022

Today I’d like to share an idea for getting things in order: just as I recommend for decluttering your house, create a place for everything that matters to you.

~ Leo Babauta from, Create a Place for Everything That Matters

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When you first hear this idea—for physical things and for the things “in” your life—it sounds insanely hard. If you manage to push through that initial resistance you find out that the problem isn’t the things in, or “in”, your life. The problem is that you let them in. And then you realize, that you didn’t actually let them in, you invited them in.

For me, solving the problem is not about my ruthlessly removing things. (And to be clear, thoughts this post I’m talking about physical things that are around me, people around me, ideas around me… everything.) Solving the problem is not about my ruthlessly trying to keep things away. No. The real problem is to identify and then resolve the urge. The urge to want more. The urge to collect. The urge to—I think—try to fill some sense of need.

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Standing desk

May 3, 2022

Long story short: I was given a very nice standing desk. I’ve been a long-time ignorer of these things. After a few weeks now, I am officially converting to team standing-desks. Yes, all the reasons you hear are true about them, but there’s one reason I’ve never heard mentioned which is the real reason I’m on board: Convenience.

From a chair, with my obviously finite reach, I am forever rearranging what is within reach. …now I simply half-step to the right—and all my books are at hand. …half-step left—all that office-supply and notes and note-taking stuff is in reach. Start writing—walk to something—walk back and finish writing my paragraph. Walk up, pick off a small task (answer an email)—walk back to mowing my lawn. I never realized how often I was sitting down and standing up, and how often I sat down only to get up to get something.

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Coregulation with Matthew Word Bain

May 2, 2022

What is the relationship between creative mediums, human connection, and self-expression?

The creative process intertwines visual, auditory, and emotional elements to invite a relationship with the unknown.

What I’m intending to do is invite people into a relationship with the unknown.

~ Matthew Word Bain (16:24)

The conversation explores how creative endeavors, such as photography, music, and podcasting, serve as forms of recording and self-expression. Matthew describes creativity as an act of documentation and invites a relationship with the unknown through mediums that capture moments, emotions, or ideas. He emphasizes the fluid boundaries between visual and auditory art, such as pairing photography with poetry, and the layered nature of the creative process.

A significant focus is on human connection, particularly through co-regulation and its impact on creativity and communication. Matthew highlights the physiological and emotional benefits of co-regulation during conversations and podcasting, emphasizing how prosody and visual cues support nervous system resilience. These ideas reveal a deeper understanding of how creative and conversational contexts shape human experiences and relationships.

Takeaways

The relationship between creative mediums — Creative practices often share a foundational goal of documenting and exploring experiences.

The interplay of photography and poetry — Combining visual and textual mediums creates layered expressions of meaning.

The role of co-regulation in communication — Human interaction benefits from the subconscious regulation of emotions and safety.

Hidden values of podcasting — Podcasts support nervous system regulation and foster a sense of connection for both creators and listeners.

The influence of cultural disembodiment — Western tendencies toward disconnection from the body impact creative and conversational dynamics.

The intentional use of social objects — Art and media can serve as focal points for conversation and connection.

The role of prosody in communication — The musicality of speech conveys emotional safety and enriches interactions.

Resources

Sacred Terrain — Matthew’s website showcasing photography and poetry.

Patreon (Matthew Word Bain) — A platform for supporting and accessing Matthew’s creative work.

The Master and His Emissary — A book by Dr. Iain McGilchrist exploring brain hemispheres and their roles.

Gaping Void — A resource on social objects and art by Hugh MacLeod.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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Best practices for textual websites

May 2, 2022

[…] here’s a non-exhaustive, highly-opinionated list of best practices for websites that focus primarily on text. I don’t expect anybody to fully agree with the list; nonetheless, the article should have at least some useful information for any web content author or front-end web developer.

~ Rohan Kumar from, Best practices for inclusive textual websites

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Zoinks! Just reading the few paragraphs in Kumar’s Introduction suddenly renewed my pride at being among the few humans who build web sites. I’ll go so far as to say: Insomuch as it is within my powers, I hereby declare said Introduction to be mandatory ready for anyone who types upon a keyboard anything which subsequently appears on the Internet.

Next I’ll point out—imagine I’m the tour guide with the headset-mic and we’re on the open-air bus touring behind the scenes of How the Internet Really Works—that this enormous article will show you just how complex a modern web site has become. But rather than panic, I take this as heartening. Having danced lightly through this page, each thing which I learned, helps me to do better going forward.

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Weekly email redesign

May 1, 2022

I’d like to do a bit of meta-discussion to start this week’s email. (If you’re reading this on the web site, these posts are assembled into a weekly email. This post sits atop this week’s assemblage.)

I reworked the stuff at the top to ensure that each email has a little more “what the heck is this?” context. I’ve moved the “hey could’ya?” contribute stuff down to the very bottom, (and added a non-subscription, any amount you like option.) I’m imagining that keeps it from being in the way, but is still noticeable—if you scroll all the way to the bottom, you’re probably finding at least some value in the email.

I’d be happy to hear any thoughts you have about these changes: Is the please-support-my-work stuff too out-of-sight now? Does the stuff at the top make sense? After reading these emails, is there anything you’ve wanted to do—anything at all—that you didn’t know how to do?

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Systematic abandonment

April 30, 2022

To that end, Drucker recommends that executives routinely take part in “systematic abandonment.” Every few months, an executive should do a reevaluation of all the organization’s practices, looking at everything the organization is doing and deciding anew if the organization should stop or continue it.

~ Brett McKay from, Peter Drucker’s Question for Eliminating Practices That No Longer Serve You

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Drucker was writing explicitly in the context of business executives. McKay does a nice job of showing how those principles which serve executives so well, work equally well in one’s personal life. I didn’t have this process—this guiding principle from Drucker’s work—identified clearly in my head. But I have it firmly implanted into how I instinctively do things.

I’ve had more than one person make the joke, “Craig, how many clones do you have?!” (I like to jokingly reply, “Yes, I have several clones, but none of us can get the others to do anything we don’t want to do ourselves.”) I accomplish a lot. While I have a number of clear advantages—such as where I was lucky enough to start in the game of life, luck in biology, and luck in opportunities I was shown—those aren’t the truly magic ingredient. The magic ingredient is what I don’t do. It doesn’t matter what specifically it is that I don’t do; Each of us has to make those decisions for oneself. What does matter is that I am willing to regularly and often spend a prodigious amount of time examining what I am doing, and how I am doing it. And then ruthlessly cutting away things that I should stop doing.

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Judgement

April 29, 2022

As climbers, we are inventors of our own goals, and must decide on our own how to achieve them. There is nobody else there. Nobody to control. We do extreme, dangerous things, and nobody else can say what is right or wrong. There is no moral loathing. We have only our instincts about human behavior, and in the end we are our own judges.

~ Reinhold Messner

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Cost per use

April 29, 2022

Second, and maybe more practically, I now think about what I buy on a cost-per-use basis, which lets me account for the replacement cost and lifespan of a product when comparing between products.

~ Chris Bailey from, Basically everything is a subscription service

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Bailey presents some interesting way of thinking about purchases. One idea he presents is that you can think about anything as a subscription service— if you imagine it will be recurring. Toothpaste? …that makes sense; it’s silly to consider the cost of my “subscription” to toothpaste, (but it makes intuitive sense since we know we’re going to buy it over and over.) I’ve often heard about lifestyle creep, where the money we spend expands to meet our paycheck. And one way that happens is by habit development.

I get a pay raise—HA, yeah right… sorry. And I try this new Thai restaurant. It’s a little pricey, but I start going there occasionally, then more often, then… I’m suddenly the largest-by-purchasing-total customer of that business. doh. If instead, I had considered: This $30 meal is a subscription… wait wat. I don’t even get to the part where I try to wonder-out how often I want to eat there. I’m on the maybe-don’t-purchase-it brakes as soon as I combine “$30” and “subscription.”

Bailey also mentions the good old “cost per use” idea, which I use all the time. But just in case that’s new to you, you really need to click through.

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Exploration with Elise Smith

April 28, 2022

What lessons and insights can be gained from exploring podcasting techniques, storytelling, and the challenges of capturing personal narratives?

The challenges of starting a podcast while maintaining authenticity take center stage in this dialogue.

I’ve found it much easier to interview someone I barely know, much harder to interview someone I know really, really well.

~ Elise Smith (20:04)

This conversation centers on the art and technicalities of podcasting, from choosing equipment to crafting meaningful episodes. Elise shares insights into how minimal research can simplify podcast production, emphasizing focusing on impactful storytelling over technical perfection. This approach reflects a desire to balance efficiency and creativity in podcast creation.

The discussion also explores the challenges of finding and interviewing guests, particularly those who have experienced significant turning points in life. Elise highlights how podcasting provides an intimate platform to capture raw, emotional experiences quickly, contrasting the immediacy of podcasting with the long timelines of book writing. Additionally, the dynamics of interviewing strangers versus close acquaintances reveal the complexities of creating content that resonates with listeners while addressing the unique comfort levels of guests.

Takeaways

Finding balance — Producing a podcast with minimal research can increase focus on storytelling.

Interview strategies — Open-ended questions and familiar anecdotes help guests ease into conversations.

Tech simplicity — Choosing simple, functional equipment avoids unnecessary complexity.

Guest dynamics — Interviewing strangers is often easier than interviewing close friends or family.

Raw narratives — Podcasts can capture immediate emotional experiences that books often cannot.

Intimacy of podcasting — The medium’s immediacy can make it more personal than other forms of storytelling.

Navigating topics — Creating a safe space for guests is critical, especially for sensitive discussions.

Momentum and format — Adjusting frequency and structure of episodes can sustain production energy.

Resources

The Akimbo Podcasting Workshop — A course mentioned as influential in shaping podcasting strategies.

Tim Ferriss — Referenced for his advice on using familiar anecdotes to ease guests into conversations.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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File not found

April 28, 2022

All of our digital platforms and systems, from the social media networks we post on every day, to the storage services we rely on to back up our most important files, to the infrastructures that power our digital world economy, are vulnerable to irretrievable data loss. Over time, file formats, applications, and operating systems go obsolete. Legacy systems become impenetrable. The migration of data to new systems risks breaking the chain of information transmission.

~ Ahmed Kabil from, The Permanent Legacy Foundation Wants to Preserve Your Digital Legacy for Future Generations

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Data loss is a tremendous issue. (I’m setting aside the other problem of data which stays around despite our desire for it to go away.) All forms of data storage “rot” in some fashion or another. (Because, entropy.) It’s not so much about our storing data, as it is about our continuously moving data forward to better—which isn’t always the newer or newest technology at hand—storage. Don’t think “data storage,” but rather think “data movage.”

I’ve absolutely mastered the art of wringing maximum utility for me out of all of the data I create. But in terms of post-mortem— well, it seems a lot harder for me to actually care about that, so I’ve ignored it. While I’ve not gotten behind the Permanent Legacy Foundation myself, it is interesting none the less. I sometimes wonder if my slipbox is worth wondering about preserving? …what about my journals? (They could be a treasure trove of research data on mental illness.) …what about the thousands of pages on this blog? …what about my collection of quotes? …physical (slides, prints) or digital photography?

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Pessimist? Optimist?

April 27, 2022

This has been distilled to a motto: “pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will”. I am a pessimist or optimist of the intellect according to facts on the ground, but I am ever an optimist of the will.

~ Jason Crawford from, Descriptive vs. prescriptive optimism

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Frankly, I’ve never cared for the simple dichotomy of, “are you an optimist, or a pessimist?” There is simply too much complexity—in the world, in the mind—for that level of simplicity to be useful. I’m interested in models, and this article from Crawford spreads out some of the complexity nicely. (It also includes some interesting references.)

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