I’ve done something for National Novel Writing Month each year since 2019. That first year was the only time I’ve “won” by getting to fifty thousand words, but I’ve always appreciated the exercise and change of pace required to make a reasonable attempt. November is just around the corner, so it’s time to consider my plans for this year’s effort.
Continue reading “NaNoWriMo 2023 Announcement”(Another) iPad Writing Setup
I switched back to Ulysses and refined the Writing homescreen on my iPad. I have no idea how long this particular setup will last considering the short time spent since I previously discussed this, but it feels stable, all my writing can live in a single app, and I can drop the dance I’d tried with iCloud to make iA Writer work across all my devices.
Continue reading “(Another) iPad Writing Setup”Tracking Tasks at Work
I had a moment of panic followed by clarity and motivation when I realized my tenuous approach to managing tasks at work was no longer tenable. I needed to make a change.
Continue reading “Tracking Tasks at Work”Our First Wedding While Married
Last night the wedding of Erin’s younger brother and his lovely now-wife. It was fun to participate in the process of wedding preparation from a new perspective—one where we have tangible advice to offer, a calmer presence from experience—only one year after our own.
This took form in a few ways. Erin saw how our coordinator worked through each little detail as we got closer to the date, so she made sure to do the same with the bride who had painstakingly planned venue decoration. I mainly acted as a role model to the groomsmen who, though absolutely great friends and nice guys, still end up a little immature for self-governance.1My biggest suggestion from the rehearsal: They have the opportunity to give Jeremy a hug or handshake as they approach the front of the ceremony. That’s a great chance that they should capitalize on. This also meant during decorating in the morning and post-reception teardown, I could yield my influence to direct their help.
We could more fully take in their ceremony, focusing on how it reflected their ideals as a couple. We’ve been to weddings as a couple and the ceremonies always make you consider your own relationship, but this time we could do so with the added dimension of having experienced precisely what they were feeling up there: nervous excitement bubbling on top a foundation of certainty.
It was a fantastic day and a raucous reception. I’m so proud of them and happy to have had the opportunity to relive some of the wedding process without the full weight of the pressure behind it.
- 1My biggest suggestion from the rehearsal: They have the opportunity to give Jeremy a hug or handshake as they approach the front of the ceremony. That’s a great chance that they should capitalize on.
Switching to iPhone
With the iPhone 15 series switching to USB-C, my last tangible reason for holding onto Android phones has been erased. In part thanks to the huge trade-in promotions offered in exchange for cell carrier lock-in, I’ve given up my Pixel 6 Pro and switched to an iPhone 15 Pro.
Continue reading “Switching to iPhone”Netflix and Value
Erin and I decided to cancel Netflix the other week after subscribing for about eight years. I’d been infrequently toying with the idea for a few years, but while recording a recent episode of Comical Start Grant asked me something that solidified my reasoning.
Continue reading “Netflix and Value”First Anniversary
One year of marriage has sped by. We unintentionally packed it full of travel, hosting visitors, and yet another road trip back to Minnesota. We spent time with friends, watched plenty of movies, found good restaurants, and made excellent meals. Throughout it all was a comfort, security, and joint responsibility of finally being married and working through what that means to us.
Continue reading “First Anniversary”Exploring Effective Altruism
I recently came across William MacAskill and his books Doing Good Better and What We Owe the Future.1I actually came across Future first and had it on my reading list, then came across Doing once I was ready for a new book. The former details a template for a model of approaching the world called effective altruism, while the other looks at an adjacent set of ideas called longtermism. While I’m still working through the second book, I’ve become quite interested in the concepts laid out in each and thought it was worth sharing.
In short, the idea behind effective altruism is that if we want to do good things for the world in which we live, it’s best if we focus our efforts on making the largest possible impact. MacAskill argues that this requires a tough look at the relative improvement one can make in the lives of others. Five dollars has a much higher impact on a farmer in rural Africa than it does on people poorly off in the United States.
From this basic tenet, MacAskill addresses just about every question and caveat that popped into my head2 Some highlights include determining whether it’s best to spend your career earning as much money as possible so you can give away as much as possible, or finding a career that is directly impactful on society. while reading Doing Good Better. It’s a difficult idea to take to its final conclusion, yet the depth of thought that goes into the provided framework is clear and insightful. There are value judgements galore, and socioeconomic estimates that, to a certain extent, you simply must accept if you’re going to get anywhere. But they are all explained, and the focus on transparency and a scientific approach to altruism was extremely innovative and inspiring.
I don’t think it’s necessary to commit to the book. Just check out https://www.effectivealtruism.org to get the basics; if it appeals to you there might still not be a need for the book. But I do recommending taking a few minutes to read through what they present and let the ideas simmer. There’s something refreshing about this practical approach to making the world a better place.
- 1I actually came across Future first and had it on my reading list, then came across Doing once I was ready for a new book.
- 2Some highlights include determining whether it’s best to spend your career earning as much money as possible so you can give away as much as possible, or finding a career that is directly impactful on society.