Espresso Shots 3-23-25

Here's my weekly update with a few interesting random findings that I came across the last week or two. I am going to try to make sure they're here in time for you to enjoy with your morning coffee (or beverage of choice) every Saturday or Sunday, and include some of my thoughts around them.

The Latest Drippings ☕️

• Diane, I wrote a lecture by talking about it. For years now, I've been trying to rewire my brain around a "watch first" ecosystem; something new that uses a combination of AirPods and the watch, just leaving the phone behind (the 'personal network'). Whether being used for streamlined notifications or a complete health ecosystem, this space fascinates me. This post goes into a workflow for 'turning your ramblings into paragraphed articles, and emails them to you' using Whisper AI models, and only the watch is inspired. Bonus read: the link to all of Twin Peaks's Agent Cooper recordings to Diane.
• Podcasting's Shift to Video Comes With Pitfalls. Interesting space to watch: Have you noticed the recent trend where more and more podcasts now have a YouTube video as well? I was curious about this (as I hardly have time to listen to podcasts), let alone watch someone talk into a mic. I was surprised to learn that the data from Cumulus Media shows that YouTube 'podcast' consumption has grown to 34%, up from 28% a year prior. Edison Research has a similar view, 'The reality is that the overwhelming majority of people who watch podcasts will say that they are podcast listeners. But as more people discover the platform via video, it's smart to think about it as consumption instead of just listening.'
• Why Great Engineering Orgs Thrive on 'Normal' Engineers. 💯% agree with this one; ever since the famous 10x engineer meme hit, it rubbed me the wrong way. Enabling great teams is the path to success, and 'best engineering organizations are the ones where normal engineers can do great work' sums it up nicely.
• Asking Good Questions Is Harder Than Giving Great Answers. While the post centers around limitations with Generative AI, I liked where the author went on general critical thinking. 'It's not about correct answers. It is about asking distinctive, uncommon questions.'
• Creating Saturday Night Live: Cue Cards. It's an older video, but it's interesting how Saturday Night Live uses cue cards — a short watch from SNL's cue card supervisor, Wally Feresten.
• Playing Catch Up. We've all been there: you fall behind. This is a quick read with some ideas on what to do when you do.
• Operating Rules for Email Collaboration. It should be required reading for anyone who sends an email. The short version: 'stick to the facts, write clearly, keep it brief, use headers, sections, and lists, and be kind.' Bravo!
• The risk of outsourcing judgment to AI. I spend a lot of time continuously learning new technologies and how they can be used to work smarter. 'You can leverage AI to outsource parts of your job, but never leverage AI to outsource your thinking' is a fantastic way to think about it. Grounding yourself there is imperative, as digital dependence is reshaping our brains.
• AI can't do your job. In a similar thread, Cory Doctorow nails it: 'an AI salesman can convince your boss to fire you and replace you with a chatbot that can't do your job.'
• A Funny Thing Happened On My Way To Being "Ready". I mentioned Brad Montague 's latest book last week; I just totally respect the honest vulnerability he shares every week in his posts. A good read here.
• Anthony Bourdain: 'Eat at a Local Restaurant Tonight' Quote. I've seen a quote from Anthony Bourdain float around a lot the last week, but what most don't realize is that he never said it. Regardless, 'enjoy the ride.'
• Ancient Wisdom Reveals 6 Secrets To A Long Awesome Life. This is an insightful read on 'how to grow old'; there are many great nuggets of wisdom here.
• Why Qualitative Data Belongs in Your Key Results. If you're rolling out OKRs or just a data dork, I liked how this post discussed how it's important to remember that 'progress and tasks are not results'.
• How to stay sane AND informed. Important advice for 2025.
• Taming my Brain... or, My Notebook Setup for 2025. I buy (and don't use) too many notebooks, but I love their tactile feel - the opportunity of a blank page. It's always interesting to see how different people use them to sort their thoughts and keep track of things that matter to them.

Amor Fati ✌🏻