Espresso Shots 9-14-25

It's that time again for my weekly update, which includes a short collection of noteworthy finds, posts that inspire, as well as a few reflections from the past week or two. I'll aim to land these in your inbox by the weekend, in time to pair with your morning coffee (or your preferred cup of inspiration).

The Latest Drippings ☕️

• Why I Delete Every Unanswered Email, Every Month. For years, I've been incredibly proud of my ability to keep close to inbox zero. I've documented the flow with the basic idea that my 'inbox never becomes a dumping ground for tasks.' The idea resonated with me, despite more recent criticism, and I kept at it. Something changed, though, for me about a year ago, and Joan really captured my feelings in this post. 'Inbox Zero is the illusion of mastery... When I wipe the inbox at the end of the month, I reject that illusion. I choose to live with imperfection, with loose ends, with the possibility that I missed something. The time saved is not the primary gain; I'm far more interested in the absence of constant background pressure - in the ability to attend, at least for a few precious moments, to something larger.' And that's where I'm at now - end of the month, it all gets deleted.
• On Em Dashes. I agree with Manuel here - 'No you can't have them. Yes, we can still use em dashes. And no, I’m not going to stop using them because fucking chatgpt is abusing them.' I like em dashes. Not gonna stop.
• Why Things Go to Shit. An important reminder: 'So if you care about something, make sure you build a good, strong incentive to keep it from going to shit. Because if you don’t, that’s exactly where it will go.'
• I Started Talking to My Computer Instead of Typing. It Changed How I Think I love this approach - (EM DASH DAMNIT!) to use 'talking as a mode of work.' One of the most powerful shifts I've made to my morning ruck is just to leave the phone at home, turn on the AirPods, and (via the Apple Watch), talk to myself. The unlock for (ehem) 'vibe' coding, was to direct instead of implement. This post goes a step further: 'monologue keeps the words flowing while my hands stay off the keys.' Fascinating and a huge unlock. If you haven't tried this approach, I highly recommend it.
• Reverse Centaurs. I seem to be reading a ton of Cory Doctorow these days. In this post, he discusses his column on Reverse Centaurs in Locus magazine, where he 'sets out to unravel a paradox: how is it that some AI's users describe their experience as a hellish ordeal, while others delight in the ways that AI is changing their lives for the better?'. The answer, he goes on, is found via automation theory: 'A "centaur" is a human being who is assisted by a machine (a human head on a strong and tireless body). A reverse centaur is a machine that uses a human being as its assistant (a frail and vulnerable person being puppeteered by an uncaring, relentless machine).' Brilliant read.
• Elicitation: CIA's Technique to Make People Talk Without Them Realizing. TIL what the term 'elicitation' means: collecting intelligence information from people as part of human intelligence. The whole talk can be found on The Diary of a CEO and (while long), is an excellent watch on behavioral science and body language.
• You Need to Be Bored. Here's Why.. Another video to watch for you all, this one on the importance of boredom. 'You need to be bored. You will have less meaning and you will be more depressed if you never are bored. I mean, it couldn't be clearer.' Why? 'Boredom unlocks creativity, activates a powerful brain network, and might even protect you from depression.'
• Using Technology Skills for Positive Change. Ben kicks off this post with 'Let's help build the world we want to see.' Lots of excellent advice in here on both defining your mission and establishing what you can offer in terms of a career (or life?). 'Both your skills and mindset need to be compatible. It’s not enough to want to do good; you need to be able to slot into an organization and meet it where it's at. If you go in thinking you’re going to be a savior on a white horse, you’re going to fail. You have to respect its needs, its values, and its culture. There are experts in each space, and you need to learn from them.'
• I Sat Down With Werner Vogels. I've been a long time fan of AWS's Werner Vogels (who used to read my old blog, Furrygoat, back in the day - I wonder if he remembers me :)), was apparently at a fireside chat, and gave a talk/lessons that really resonated with the way I've been thinking. 'Gen AI won't save you. But it can accelerate you. It helps junior devs onboard faster. It helps sift through logs. It helps update legacy code. But it's not thinking. It's remixing. And you're still on the hook for the consequences. Werner's advice: stay curious, stay responsible. AI is a powerful tool, not a replacement for good engineering.' Great advice in here.
• How to Kick the Cycle of Comparing Yourself to Others. Theodore Roosevelt said 'comparison is the thief of joy', and he's not wrong. Put your energy into doing something that helps yourself. 'Focus on getting 1% better in three areas of your life every day. Health, relationships, and business. If you do that, you will be amazed at where you are in three years. This is actionable, measurable, and within your control.'
• The One Weekend Habit That Makes You Less Unhappy. Another +1 on boredom - 'sometimes the most productive thing you can do is appear to do nothing at all.'
• Strategy & Urgency. 'Regrettable urgency occurs when a company is forced to act due to external pressures, while proactive urgency involves strategic, forward-thinking actions.' A great read which dives into the interplay between strategy and urgency in business decisions, and how most companies 'face a lack of strategic options due to being in a state of regrettable, reactive urgency.'

Amor Fati ✌🏻