I’ve been listening to music regularly since I had gotten my first walkman in my childhood. I had always been a boring mainstream pop person. Before the internet and mobile phones I listened to music for long commutes. But I think this is the first time in my life I am listening to music – specifically jazz – at every opportunity. I can listen to it while reading or writing because I listen to non-vocal jazz. In fact, I think it helps me focus more on these cerebral activities because it puts my mind in some sonic bubble.

[...]

Listening to jazz: it soothes my brain. I don’t really understand why. Is it because the brain needs to focus on the music and hence it stops existing in chaos? Is it because the brain has a primal connection to music? Is it the invisible math that inherently exists in music?

Same for me, but lately, it's been punk music. Specifically, upbeat pop punk music with optimistic lyrics.

Further, I'm getting more aware of what music works for me in different contexts. When I'm doing computer work¹, I need music that's more like jazz or lo-fi. When I'm doing housework, punk is the ticket. When I am lifting weights, I need aggressive rap.

Also appreciate the recommendation for "This Is Your Brain On Music", gonna put that book in the queue!

I can’t predict which post will matter, or to whom.

I just keep leaving little lanterns along the path.

Some of them will light the way for strangers.

Some of them will light the way home for my family.

And that’s enough.

Actually, I think it’s more than enough.

Maybe we’re all leaving lanterns behind in ways we don’t even realize.

WhatCable explains cable speed, charging limits, e-marker data, and connected devices in plain English. Name a cable and it tracks how the cable actually performs over time, so you can spot the one that has started misbehaving. No more guessing why a cable charges slow or refuses to drive your display.

Did you know that not every USB-C cable is the same?

If you answered "yes" to that question, then my friend, do I have the application for you!

After I mentioned a Jurassic Park anecdote the other day, I watched the movie again. I must have seen it at least ten times now. This time, I researched every computer/software I spotted.

I appreciated the continuity error call out; my daughter has started pointing out these things in movies and I am equal parts proud and horrified.

Saw this on Noisy Deadlines, had to give it a go.

Introduce yourself with five albums that have shaped you:

1. Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea (1998)
2. The Presidents of the United States of America - The Presidents of the United States of America (1995)
3. Daft Punk - Random Access Memories (2013)
4. The Rezillos - Can't Stop The Rezillos (1978)
5. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere (2006)

I spent several days on vacation thinking about this, but ultimately I scrolled through my janky, vibe-coded music library page and went with my first instinct like Ariadne.

If you end up doing something like this on your own blog, please let me know!

For years now, I’ve documented the “glimmers” that brighten each month—the small moments that make me pause and feel safe, calm, or hopeful.

Glimmers, as coined by psychotherapist Deb Dana, are the opposite of triggers. Triggers, which are unique to each person, tend to pull us into fear or distress. Glimmers, also unique to each of us, bring us comfort and steadiness.

Documenting glimmers isn’t simply a saccharine exercise or reliable newsletter content. It’s a way to counter the more challenging moments of life. For me, glimmers are padding for a harsh world. By collecting them, I create some protection against the sharp edges that can snag and snarl a day.

I never considered that there could be an antonym for a "trigger".

Without a sense of self, it is impossible to know what we truly want out of our life. Without knowing what we want out of life, we are susceptible to games people play or living on autopilot. It is difficult to have a fulfilling life without being intentional. Knowing what we want out of life will give us the courage and will needed to carve out our own path.

All solid pieces of advice, but this last piece of advice resonated the hardest. It's embarrassing to admit how long it has taken me to recognize that I'm responsible for defining my own sense of self, but hey, I'm here now, doing the thing!

It is not acceptable to bounce users on old browsers, users with bad network connections, users using assistive technologies. Certainly not from a monopoly public service. A lot of hype and noise is pressing us to extend the cowboy, wild-west phase of the software industry’s expansion. We should set that aside, and take ourselves seriously as a mature industry. Build a web application that works on a playstation portable on a 3G connection - if you do, it will work for all your users, and it will still work 30 years from now.

My daughter's watching this episode right now, and it makes me wonder... could something like this happen if we all collectively decided not to use social media or AI tools?