Finished reading: Slow Productivity by Cal Newport.
What a spectacular book for post-pandemic white-collar knowledge work. Partly philosophical and partly actionable, Newport says maybe we should step back from the cliff of minute-to-minute …
Reading
How to Take Smart Notes
Sönke Ahrens
- Altstadt Okt
- Samuel Adams Jack-O
books
Expanded the photo wall today to include our trips to Munich, Zermatt, Big Sky (Montana), and Solitude (Utah). I love seeing all our big trips together at a glance.
books
Finished reading: Hangman’s Gate (War of the Archons 2) by R.S. Ford
This world of forgotten gods where prayer and worship actually affect their powers continues to fascinate me, but unfortunately the writing doesn’t measure up to the story. …
Had to renew my driver’s license in person today. Texas allows one renewal online, but today I had to brave the DMV. Or as Texas inexplicably calls it, DPS.
It wasn’t Kafkaesque—it was actually quite easy once I found an office with an …
First First Robotics
Last Saturday, I judged a First Tech Challenge for the first time. In fact, despite having been a professional roboticist since 2009, this event was my first interaction with any First competition.
I shouldn’t have waited.
The kids are excited and …
This one went by quickly.
Conlextions #138 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟦🟦🟦🟦 Solve Time: 28 seconds
books
Finished reading: The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson
Apparently Sanderson’s fiftieth novel, and the last of the four Kickstarter books. Directly impacts the Cosmere, and the first of these weird ones where having read everything Cosmere really …
books
Finished reading: A Demon in Silver (War of the Archons) by R.S. Ford
Magic is creeping back into the world. Some parts think they’re ready; others have no idea; almost nobody’s prepared for what actually happens.
A fun read, with disparate threads …
Last night, I entered all my upcoming trips into my Obsidian trips database. The year is getting crowded, and we haven’t made it out of January yet. (I also haven’t entered some known trips for the back half of the year; at least August, …
One day I’ll post something more interesting. Today, it’s another puzzle.
Conlextions #132 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟦🟦🟦🟦 Solve Time: 1 minute, 6 seconds
Posting NYT instead of @lex because the purples today are hilarious.
Connections Puzzle #219 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟪🟪🟪🟪
Also I initially made a silly mistake with the blues in Conlextions today, but I fixed it.
Conlextions #129 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩 Solve …
This puzzle continues to bring a little joy (and sometimes frustration) to my day.
Conlextions #128 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟩🟩🟩🟩 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟪🟪🟪🟪 Solve Time: 1 minute, 24 seconds
I found this one took a little more patience than some.
Conlextions #127 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟩🟩🟩🟩 Solve Time: 2 minutes, 59 seconds
Conlextions #119 🟨🟨🟨🟨 🟪🟪🟪🟪 🟦🟦🟦🟦 🟩🟩🟩🟩 Solve Time: 1 minute, 59 seconds
I discovered @lex‘s Conlextions puzzles through Dr. Drang at the end of December and immediately ripped through the archives. It has just now occurred to me I can post results here.
Obviously, I will cherry-pick the good ones where I made no …
books
Finished reading: The Law by Jim Butcher.
A fairly weak entry in the series, maybe intended as a palate cleanser after Battle Ground. We see a little of Dresden’s psyche, but not much. A short return to the early novels’ PI theme, but with Dresden …
books
Finished reading: Heroes by Stephen Fry.
A fantastic addition to Mythos. Fry picks some of the best-known Greek heros (and one not-so-well-known) and brings them and their complete stories to life. He tells complete stories, bringing in all the …
Year in books for 2023
Here are the books I finished reading in 2023. I also keep a running log throughout the year.
books
Finished reading: Mythos by Stephen Fry.
Excellent retelling of the classic Greek myths. Plus some I’ve never heard. If you ever read (or refused to read) Edith Hamilton’s Mythology, you owe it to yourself to read this one. Fry brings the characters …
Two more fall beers tonight:
🎃🍻
Every year, my wife and I grab as many pumpkin/yam/märzen/oktoberfests as we can and do a little home tasting. The selection at our local H-E-B this year is shockingly good, so I have a lot to post. I’ll make it a full page later; for now, just a …
Not a good day for football in our house. Nice of Apple News to sum up the day so conveniently though… 🏈
books
Finished reading: Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie. An epic end to an epic trilogy. Disappointing in all the best ways. One smidge darker than I’d hoped, but you have to be realistic about these things. 📚
Got off a plane from New Zealand Thursday night, back on a plane (to Atlanta this time) this afternoon. I often can’t decide whether I love this life of travel or wish I could spend some more time in my own bed. Today it’s the former.
books
Finished reading: Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie. Even better than the first. Characters you want to know better, mysteries abound, swords and sorcery and sex and what else do you want from a book? 📚