The Random Post

"All I’m saying is, I don’t always have to know the answer, but I like it when the option of knowing..."

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:31:57 -0500

“All I’m saying is, I don’t always have to know the answer, but I like it when the option of knowing is available.”

- Knowable - Neven Mrgan’s tumbl

I’ve read this piece several times now. Love this last sentence. It really speaks to me. Also, the music recommendations he makes therein are wonderful.

Travel Hack – Flat Rate Mailing Envelope

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 09:37:59 -0500

If stoping by the post office, pick up some of those nice, Tyvek flat rate envelopes and equivalent stamps. At your leisure, stamp and self-address the envelopes. Now, before your next big conference or vacation, grab one of the envelopes and pack it, they are very lightweight and foldable so easy to accommodate even if you are a travel light kind of guy like me. At the conference, feel free to pick up as much schwag, marketing muck, and business cards as you can fit in the envelope and drop it already stamped and self addressed in a post box or the hotel front desk. It will be back home to you in a day or two and you saved yourself from having to carry it back.

(This hack was inspired and refined by my Dad, who is one of the smartest travelers I know.)

Randy Murray – Things That You Are Wrong About

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 10:30:00 -0500

Randy Murray – Things That You Are Wrong About:

Teach your young children something verifiably false. You must start with them very young and be very clear, detailed, and back it up with complete nonsense. If you’re lucky, they’ll later discover that something they believed was false and make the leap to the all-important realization, “I wonder what else they’ve been lying to me about?” Congratulations! You’ve set your child on the healthy road to skepticism and a life long pursuit of checking things out, probing, and thinking. And Merry Christmas!

This is such a great idea. Deceptive but an important lesson to learn. Beatrix is currently well into her “Why?” phase. Almost every statement we make is met with this question. At first, I would answer only to have her retort with another “Why?”. Then, I tried returning with “Why do you think?” in an effort to try to spur her own discernment. Teaching kids how to think is far more important than giving them the answers.

In order to keep this link love with Dave going, here is what I...

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:42:00 -0500

In order to keep this link love with Dave going, here is what I carry in my pockets these days. Here is the breakdown:

Levenger Shirt Pocket Briefcase (the link is to a video of how I use it).
Keys. I keep car and house separate because I stow the house keys in the cup holder of my car once I’m in it. Then, I just have my car keys in pocket.
Waterfield Wallet. (I’ll do a video post about what I keep in there soon)
iPhone 3G.
Uniball Signo Micro 207 (though I often have others)

I love seeing this stuff. If you care to share yours, let me know on Twitter.

Update: Well, lots of people shared their pockets with me so I thought I would add links here:

Randy Murray (video)

Eric Senf

Brett Kelly

Uri (of Minimal/Simple Software)

Ben Brooks

John Infante

Jack Mottram (of One Thing Well)

Ian Hines

Dear Ford Motor Company,

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:03:00 -0500

I should state, right off the bat, that I have never owned one of your cars. That said, I must admit a serious lust for your new Festiva:

Which, it turns out, leads to this letter and bit of confusion.

I was recently at a stoplight in my Nissan Versa (which I love and could not recommend more highly. In fact, you could learn a lot from that car but I’ll get to that in a bit). I was stopped behind a Chrysler Pacifica Crossover SUV:

Then, in the lane next to ours, a brand new 2011 Taurus SHO pulled up to the stop along side of the Pacifica:

That is when I noticed something. This car was larger in size, in every detail, then the Pacifica.

Therein lies my confusion. In what America is it any longer OK to make any car, full size or not, larger than what is classified by most standards as a truck? How can a company that makes such lovely small cars for the rest of the world, who is finally bringing those cars to here, still think that the world needs any “car” as big as the Taurus? It’s embarrassing.

I also noticed the badge of this car proudly advertised it’s EcoBoost™ engine. Which I have heard advertised on radio and TV and touted as some boon to gas economy and the environment. Sounds great on paper but when you stick it in a car this size, the result is meager at best. The standard engine Highway EPA for this car rating is only 25MPG. With EcoBoost™ it is 28MPG. Come on, this is 2011! This is America! We can do better than that!

By contrast, your Festiva gets 40 MPG on the Highway, my Nissan Versa is rated for 34 MPG but I get 40 MPG on a consistent basis on the Highway.

I think you are the only great American car company. I really believe you can make really great, affordable, gas efficient cars. This open letter is simply to ask you not to make another design and environmental catastrophe like the Taurus. I think you are better than that. I think America is better than that.

Sincerely,

Patrick

No Baggage Challenge -- Around the World with no luggage

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:04:00 -0500

No Baggage Challenge -- Around the World with no luggage:

But I also see my journey as a field-test for a more philosophical idea — that what we experience in life is more important than what we bring with us.

This is an idea that goes back to the initial travel-dreams of my childhood. When I was a kid dreaming of faraway places, I didn’t imagine what I would pack — I imagined what I would do.

Rolf Potts, of Vagabonding fame, is going to travel around the world for six weeks without any luggage. Just what he has in his pockets. Those who know me or have been reading my work for some time know that I am a fan of lightweight travel. Here is a video of what I carry on a typical three day trip. Therefore, this really intrigues me.

Also, it is being sponsored by ScotteVest, makers of travel clothes with a plethora of pockets designed to do this very thing. I have a ScotteVest Microfleece Pullover and it is excellent. Their Travel Vest has long been on my wishlist.

I’ll be watching this closely for sure.

(Though I saw this in my own feed, I’m giving the via to Randy Murray, who linked it on Twitter and reminded me I had something to say)

Read Your Own Blog Or Website

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:20:00 -0500

Read Your Own Blog Or Website:

Reading your own work is an important part of being and improving as a writer, but it’s critical for bloggers and website owners. You have to occasionally test yourself and make sure that you’re doing what you set out to do.

This is a typically excellent post from Randy. If you do any sort of writing at all you should read it. It applies to more writing than just online. That said, I’m going to offer up the reason why I go back and read old writing I’ve done and why I think you should too…

When I was a teenager, I took a summer long creative writing class. I largely credit that class for the reason I consider myself a writer today. In the class, we explored all facets of creative writing – poetry, prose, memoir, essay, fiction. It was beneficial in not only giving me the foundations of these forms but also allowing (and, at times, forcing) me to explore styles and boundaries I never would have before.

But of all of the lessons I learned in the class, it was something that the instructor said to us early on that still resonates strongly with the work I produce today:

Nothing I write is sacred.

There is no work made by any writer that does not retain the license, or, more so – the duty, to change for the better. And the only one that can define “better” is the writer themselves. For it is they alone who put idea to page with intent to communicate and articulate such. Even if making it “better” means rewriting it or destroying it completely.

Bloggers, as we writers who produce work primarily for an online audience are called, often are quick to write and lazy to edit. I am certainly guilty of this more often than not. Perhaps it is the immediacy of the publishing instrument we use. Perhaps it is a more forgiving audience that has far more important things to do then shoot you a typo correction or critique of style. That said, I often go back to look at pieces I have written in the past. If I see a typo, I correct it. If I see a way I could have said something better, I do so.

Most of the time it is a change of one or two words. Sometimes, I add, delete, rewrite a whole paragraph or post. I don’t consider the fact that few are likely to read it again, let alone notice the change. I do it because, well, words *mean* things. I want my words to be a reflection of the idea I had at the time and to articulate it in a manner that is clear and consistent.

Therefore, when you do follow the advice, both linked and herein, use the red pen liberally and with malice aforethought to make it even better.

Update: To prove my point, I will note any changes I make to this post below:

Changed “so beneficial” to “beneficial” in the second paragraph.

Changed “malace of forethought” to “malace aforethought” which is the proper legal term (thx Jonas Wisser)

Changed “then just” to “than just” in the first paragraph. (thx Pat Dryburgh)

Note to self with help again from Jonas: It’s “malice”, not “malace”. Mal ass! (which I think is French for Bad Ass so I’ll take it as a compliment)

Why Sharpie Liquids Pencils Don’t Live Up to the Hype | John Rust

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:01:36 -0500

Why Sharpie Liquids Pencils Don’t Live Up to the Hype | John Rust:

The Sharpie Liquid Pencil barely works, even if I push down hard. The experience of using it is almost miserable, and I can think of no context where it would actually be handy, given its flaws.

So very sad. So much promise. I’ve read a few other reviews and they all say pretty much the same. I was really excited for these but now could care less.

Lesson: An idea, no matter how great, is only as good as it’s delivery.

"Through stacks of unread books, seas of feeds, people, invitations, events, and unanswered emails,..."

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:32:37 -0500

“Through stacks of unread books, seas of feeds, people, invitations, events, and unanswered emails, if we stand still long enough, if we listen and look, if we pause, we see that nothing is ever the same again tomorrow.”

- Liz Danzico – The extraordinary of doing ‘being ordinary’ - Bobulate

My new favorite sentence on the internet. Such a gracefully and humanely stated lesson on mindfulness and our ability to achieve it even in the face of today’s demands on our mental bandwidth.

Writing and reviewing.

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:45:14 -0500

Writing and reviewing.

So very beautiful. As an introvert by nature, it captures so...

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:24:00 -0500

So very beautiful. As an introvert by nature, it captures so eloquently the value I get out of spending time alone. Something I so rarely get the opportunity to do yet so desperately need. (via Swiss Miss)

"Beautiful is the world, slow is one to take advantage."

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:07:38 -0500

“Beautiful is the world, slow is one to take advantage.”

- Charlie “Bird” Parker – Letters of Note

Boardwalk Empire is an upcoming HBO series from Terence Winter,...

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 15:29:47 -0500

Boardwalk Empire is an upcoming HBO series from Terence Winter, Emmy Award winning writer of The Sopranos, and director Martin Scorsese. It looks fantastic. I don’t have cable but it might be worth it just for this.

"I look into my screen as if an abyss. Trying to wrap my head around the several projects not yet..."

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:54:34 -0500

“I look into my screen as if an abyss. Trying to wrap my head around the several projects not yet formed. Trying to stall by searching for the right tool. Knowing it is not about the tool. Any one of the several I have will do. I must simply act.”

- Fifty words on me right now – My results from Randy Murray’s excellent writing assignment.

"For the digitally excluded, the route to the world wide web is via the heart, not the brainbox. We..."

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:10:00 -0500

“For the digitally excluded, the route to the world wide web is via the heart, not the brainbox. We just need to work out what they love. Then show them how to find it”

- Broomeshtick — FirstPlaces. A prototype thing for digital inclusion.

This is one of my favorite paragraphs on the internet right now.

Alone, it could be titled “Why Curation Matters”.

I love it when the commentary on a link is just as clever and insightful as the post it links to.

My friend Chris has launched his new shoppe (that is how the...

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:26:32 -0500

My friend Chris has launched his new shoppe (that is how the Canadian’s spell it, right?), Idea Cafe, for the folks that love to use quality paper goods. Words can’t describe how beautiful the site is with very smart pre-packaged “bundles” geared towards specific users.

Plus, look at that logo! That is done by my friend Aaron of Wet Frog Studios.

I’ve got amazing friends.

The New Sharpie Liquid Pencil. Available in-stores September...

Sun, 08 Aug 2010 23:27:00 -0500

The New Sharpie Liquid Pencil. Available in-stores September 2010

(via Rands)

Seriously, folks. Can’t we all just simply agree to skip this whole August thing? It’s simply a conspiracy to make us hate Summer just enough to enjoy the Fall anyway.

Prediction #3: You Will Get Skin Cancer

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 13:39:23 -0500

Prediction #3: You Will Get Skin Cancer:

There is no safe level of tanning. All tans are radiation burns. Base tanning is still skin damage. And the use of tanning booths is a shocking example of intentionally damaging one’s skin for the sake of fashion. Imagine if bruises were suddenly to become fashionable. Would you go to a bruising salon to have yourself pummeled?

Despite the dire title, there is important and potential life saving information contained herein. Please read and share with your loved ones. Also:

If your skin color is naturally dark, that’s not an automatic pass for skin cancer, either. Cover up!

As a person of color, I can confirm this is true. I have to wear sunscreen just like you colorless folks.

Analysis: You Have No Idea What Health Costs - washingtonpost.com

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 08:26:46 -0500

Analysis: You Have No Idea What Health Costs - washingtonpost.com:

For many, it’s among the largest investments we’ll make, on par, even, with the money we spend on a house or tuck away for retirement. But while it’s easy to track our stock portfolios as they tank along with the market, our outlay for health care is less obvious. Employers pay some, and so do individuals, and taxpayers. And some even hides behind the deficit. As such, few of us see the full picture. But to make sense of the proposals for reform, getting a grasp of the cost is critical.

While this piece was written before the final legislation, it is still the smartest piece I have read on the problem of why people do not have the same sense of urgency government does about this issue and why, in the end, what we got was a watered down bill that helps virtually nothing.

Read One Book a Week - Modern Nerd

Sun, 01 Aug 2010 21:45:03 -0500

Read One Book a Week - Modern Nerd:

So here’s the challenge: starting next Monday, I’d like you to read one book a week for one month. Choose your first book and follow-up text right now. Go on. I’ll pop the kettle on while you do it. Don’t do it for me, though. Do it for you.

A great challenge that, if you are like me, seems daunting on the face of it. It is made less daunting by Nick correctly pointing out that one can get through a 350 page book in a week by reading 50 pages a day.

That said, my biggest challenge is that I need a tremendous amount of focus to read anything long form (it is just the way my brain works). For me, solitude is the only real solution (seems interruptions can’t help themselves from finding me) and I get such solitude so rarely. Therefore, I do not even try.