Espresso Shots 5-4-25

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 ☕️

• The Seven-Year Rule. My 'read of the week' circles around 'a fascinating concept in a book by the Dalai Lama: every seven years, human beings transform into entirely new versions of themselves. This idea stems from the biological principle that our bodies replace virtually all their cells over a seven-year cycle. The person you are today doesn't share a single cell with the version of you from seven years ago.' Grab a whiskey, look at the water, and think about that for a bit.
• Programming Sucks. I was sent this one after last week's Espresso Shots (and an even earlier blog post), while humorous, do outline the daily struggle that will be familiar to most software engineers. I'll admit, I laughed out loud at 'all programming teams are constructed by and of crazy people.'
• Don't Overthink This. A simple reminder (and something I just dropped into my quotes journal) that often, 'don't overthink this' is the best advice you need.
• You Can Be a Great Designer and Be Completely Unknown. There's a lot to be said about where we are today as a society that swirls around the attention economy - where we often prioritize 'being noticed over being useful.' A wonderful reminder that 'Great design isn't defined by who knows your name but by how well your work serves human needs. It's measured in the problems solved, the frustrations eased, the moments of delight created, and the dignity preserved through thoughtful solutions. These metrics operate independently of fame or recognition.'
• My Hyperkey Setup: The Mac Customization Tool Everyone Needs. Ever heard of a 'hyper key'? I've been using one for 15 years, but it always surprises me that more don't. The idea is to remap the caps lock key into something more useful - a combination of shift+control+option+command keys pressed simultaneously. Since this combination isn't often used, it's safe to create all sorts of wonderful shortcuts; for example, when I press "hyper+p" (capslock+p), it opens my password manager, etc. This video shows many useful ways to unlock this power user feature.
• What Civilization Can Learn from Pizza. As a long-time advocate of 'choose boring,' I agree that 'complexity can lead to chaos.' And there's nothing wrong with the philosophy of 'complex problems are not solved by more complexity, complex problems are solved by human beings, acting human to other humans.'
• The Creative Power of Constraints. 'Through constraint, you find freedom' is something I like to say when thinking through a problem. According to this post, 'constraints are the primordial soup from which creativity arises.'
• How to Claim Your Life: D.H. Lawrence on the Most Important Choice Within. I enjoyed this retrospective on D.H. Lawrence and the notion that most of life outweighs many of our personal choices and is based on chance: time, place, and circumstances. But despite all this, our choices provide meaning and direction, and the most impactful decisions are around our mindset.
• Getting Older Isn't What You Think. As I recently turned 54, I spent more time ruminating on 'how old' I am getting than expected. I especially appreciated the commentary that 'curiosity and open-mindedness are essential traits to cultivate at any age, promoting growth and understanding across generational divide.'
• An Alternative Take On Sleeping With The Apple Watch. As someone who has slept with their Apple Watch for years, I know it is a valuable resource for better understanding what is happening with my body. Your mileage may vary, of course.
• How This Former NYT Columnist Uses Chatgpt To Brainstorm Ideas, Do Research, And Find The Perfect Metaphor. I'm always interested to see where people go with all of the Generative AI hubbubs these days; are they looking for a magical silver bullet (bad), or is that person going to look towards using these tools as a thinking accelerator (not a replacement)? I was pleased to watch Farhad Manjoo, a former New York Times and Wall Street Journal columnist, take a more practical and reasonable approach.
• A Brief History of 'The Sims'. I remember when The Sims debuted in 2000. At the time, it was a fascinating idea, so I was intrigued to read a bit about its history in this piece. I now know their language is called 'Simlish,' which was developed through improvisation by the voice actors. For a side trip down the humor aisle, check out some of the wacko ways people have tortured their Sims, like relegating them to a claustrophobic 1x1 nightmare square.
• Staring Into the Abyss as a Core Life Skill. I enjoyed this post, which challenges you to confront the uncomfortable truths we often find in life.
• Jeff Bridges Is Digging It. A look at the creative process that Jeff Bridges (oh, his website is nothing short of amazing) undergoes when taking on a task. He also discusses his near-death experiences with cancer and COVID-19; I liked his perspective on using them as transformative gifts that deepened his appreciation for life and art.

Amor Fati ✌🏻