Espresso Shots 3-30-25

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.

Random Insights

I'm not sure I agree with the reframing of this classic Steve Jobs clip into a 'vision of AI', but I certainly love the wisdom and vision on where technology can take us.

The Latest Drippings ☕️

• 10 Zombie Types & How to Defeat Them. While 2025 feels like it's filled with uncertainty, one of the things that I am looking forward to is the return of The Last of Us (and a season 1 recap for those that need a quick catch up), there are different types of zombies we all come across. The Martyr Zombie: 'They will tell their prey to 'Just suck it up' while they trip over their own intestines and their feet fall off. The only way to defeat them is to refuse to suffer under their oppressive nostalgia for pain.' How many of these different zombies do you know?
• The Best of What You Have. Rick Rubin's book, The Creative Act, is one of the most profound reads of last year. But this 52-second audio clip from an interview with Rick Beato is something that you should listen to daily. 'Using the things you have and making the best of what those things are, instead of trying to turn them into the thing you wish they were, is a really good way to go.'
• Beware tech career advice from old heads. I fall into the category of an 'old head' when it comes to tech advice, and 'keeping my advice relevant by spending lots of time talking with and listening to people newer to the industry, and applying their lessons learned rather than my own' is incredibly important to remember.
• When DC Comics Killed Off Superman. In 1992, I was an avid comic collector, and to this day, I still have my sealed copies of the infamous 'Death of Superman' run from DC Comics. I enjoyed the nostalgia of this retrospective on the origin of the concept: 'Let's just kill him.'
• How to Be Quiet and Fierce at the Same Time. There's a common misconception that being quiet equates to some form of brokenness, but there's incredible value in just shutting up (a skill I need to work on and be conscious of continuously). While this piece focuses more on the unique strengths of introverts, I found it particularly insightful regarding mindful listening.
• Why You Should Get Lost More Often. Why it's important to seek out 'blank spots on the map.' Not only is this awesome advice for life but there's something to be said about looking at how you work: continuous learning. 'How we think about the benefits of learning new stuff versus doubling down on stuff we already know.' (Side note: just added 'The Explorers Gene' to the book pile to read this year).
• Stickers Were Everything. What Happened?. A look at stickers as a youthful way to recognize and celebrate achievements.
• Types of Time Travel in Movies. I'm always a sucker for a good mind-bending time travel movie (and often joke that 'I am from the future'; I mean, who would really know?). This great video reviews the different types of time travel and examples to show how each method works via media. From branching timelines to time dilation to time loops, I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.
• How Much of Your Reality Is Fake? Chomsky's Chilling Truth About Everyday Lies. Noam Chomsky dives into the daily deception faced by the public, questioning how much is genuinely noticed, and how society is mainly oblivious to the extent of misinformation, often distracted by trivial content. It's chilling but essential to remain informed.
• Assault at Antarctic base could be a warning for future travelers to Mars. Yikes; a South African Antarctic research base, SANAE IV, is located at a remote location in East Antarctica. The base houses a nine-member team of doctors, scientists, and engineers who spend 10 months in isolation during the harsh, dark southern winter. Read what happened when an altercation broke out; I wonder when this will be made into a movie.
• The Life-Changing Power of Shutting Up. In the same vein as another link above, great thinking around 'I have never come out of a situation where I was negative to or about someone else and felt better.'
• Physicists unlock another clue to brewing the perfect espresso. As an admitted coffee addict, I always look for different ways to up the bar for my morning ritual. I just recently purchased an ARO Orbit PRO distribution tool to reduce channeling, but this article gets down to the actual physics involved.
• Former Golf Courses Are Going Wild. It is a bit of a different lens than what Abandoned America usually photographs (which is also amazingly creepy); take a look at the transformation of old, unused golf courses across the U.S. and how they are being transformed into wildflower meadows and natural spaces.

Amor Fati ✌🏻