The web is the backbone of so much of what we do, the pipeline, but how we access it changes so quickly. The various services that make use of this pipeline offer us a myriad of choices to ‘plug in’, and it can be hard to find the right balance that enables us to partake, yet not be inundated. The intake Shawn Blanc recently posted an article comparing RSS and Twitter [http://shawnblanc.net/2011/06/rss-v-twitter/] that resonated with me. Through a series of good points, he illustrates how the n…
“You can pry Shift+Alt-Hyphen from my cold, dead hands!” That was the thought going through my mind when this article [http://www.slate.com/id/2295413/] entered my flow of information. I've long had a bit of an infatuation [https://chrisbowler.com/journal/would-you-like-that-with-or-without-the-space] with the EM dash. And so, firm in my convictions, I read the article confident in an unwavering stance. Dang … Noreen Malone argues her point well. I know that I've grown too fond of this nice, l…
Adam King recently wrote a great post on his paper based “stay-on-top” set up, titled The Daily Rind [http://b.aking.ca/post/5787137408/the-daily-rind]. It's the kind of post I've always enjoyed ever since this topic started to replace actual real work. I say that with tongue in cheek, and I'm laughing at myself, not Adam. I always enjoy getting a look at how the people I admire process things and complete their work. The difference for me now is that I quickly recognize the pull to adapt my ow…
Like Ben Brooks [http://twitter.com/benjaminbrooks], I've long had some thoughts about Twittiquette rolling around in my head. Ben expressed some thoughts [http://brooksreview.net/2011/05/follow/] this morning on the service and how he thinks people should react when they are followed or unfollowed by others. It's an interesting subject as we all react towards these actions differently. But I try to keep a few things on my mind. Don't take it personally At some point, you're going to find out…
Due to the fact that I work in front of a computer all day, I love doing yard work on the weekends. There's nothing that feels more natural, or more manly, then working up a sweat and getting dirty. This past weekend I had the opportunity to clear a few stumps from our garden. I love pulling out stumps. It's a combination of physical power and cunning strategy. While I was going about my business on Saturday, I got to thinking that all my projects are like pulling stumps. The prep First off,…
A well designed application, whether native or web based, will have clever UI elements that make the usage more pleasant. Some are obvious from the start, others are delightful surprises that you come across during your usage. Rdio [http://www.rdio.com/] is an application that gets you on both ends. I love the service since it has given me access to so much new content that I could never afford to purchase on iTunes. And in the course of finding all this great new music, there are often times w…
There was a chunk of time in my childhood — maybe as long as two years — where every kid at school was completely focused on marbles. Having first persuaded our parents to buy us each a large bag of them, the school yard was daily transformed into a huge marble tournament. I can't remember all the specifics of the games (dropsies rings a bell), but the overall sense of building a collection is still vivid. Every game in which you bested your opponent, you got to keep his or her marble. You save…
There are a few reasons I like Apple and use their products and services. A primary one is the experience: beginning to end, Apple has crafted a culture that makes for a positive interaction between them and the customer, whether it's online or in a retail store. They seem to understand that our culture offers too much choice and gives little regard for how you get to the end point (taking out your wallet). Here's a recent sequence of events in our home: * Thursday, March 17 6:30 PM — my wif…