A PSA On Staying Hydrated

I fainted for the first time last week from dehydration. I have the scabs on my left knuckle and forehead to show for it, and the memory of losing a hold on my balance and waking up to the impact of concrete. ...

August 14, 2023 · 2 min · 325 words · Mark Richard

Rolling Every Number on a Die

Thanks to Mikhail for posing this problem. On average, how many rolls would it take to see every face on a particular die? ...

August 7, 2023 · 2 min · 284 words · Mark Richard

A Little Rain Never Hurt Anyone - Joel Haver

I wrote about Joel Haver some time ago. He has a second channel, Joel Talks About Movies, which is focused on his ideas about movies and life rather than actual short films he produces for his main channel. His most recent video on that second channel, a little rain never hurt anybody, was a lovely take on an idea I’ve tried to embody as I grow older. The thesis—which operates as both a direct idea and a metaphor—is to stop worrying about getting wet from the rain. If you get caught in some rain, the worst thing that happens is you get wet and you’ll be dry sometime later. ...

July 31, 2023 · 1 min · 162 words · Mark Richard

Barbie, The Movie

I went with a large group to the Alamo Drafthouse in San Francisco to see a pre-release screening of Barbie. It was an official event complete with props and an opening presenter who shared their adoration for the famous doll. There was a palpable buzz among the groups of people dressed up, an excitement that was joyful with no undertone of negative tension that goes along with, say, a screening of a new Star Wars movie.1 At the end of the movie, I was excited to see it again with Erin. ...

July 24, 2023 · 3 min · 614 words · Mark Richard

Going Back to iA Writer

I’ve finally decided to go back to using iA Writer on my iPad. This has several knock-on effects, with the most notable being that my drafts will all be synced via iCloud. I say “drafts” because my plan is still to use Dropbox as long-term storage. I now have a monthly reminder to copy completed blog posts over to the proper spot in Dropbox1 and will only use iCloud for in-progress work. ...

July 17, 2023 · 1 min · 139 words · Mark Richard

Starting on Guitar Maintenance

An uncle on my dad’s side has been a guitarist on the side for years. We don’t talk about it too often, but now that he’s getting older and preferring instruments with better ergonomics, he offered me a Stratocaster that he really enjoyed but wasn’t playing anymore. I happily took him up on the offer. It plays beautifully, with a well-maintained neck that feels comfortable and fast. However, some of the metal hardware has begun rusting.1 My plan is to use this as a first step in understanding how to maintain my guitars. Until now, I’ve changed the strings and left further setup to professionals. They do an exceptional job, but you pay for it. Considering this guitar was free, it seems appropriate to determine what I can learn to do for free. ...

July 10, 2023 · 2 min · 315 words · Mark Richard

Ten Minute Bible Hour Podcast

I’ve listened to Matt Whitman’s Ten Minute Bible Hour Podcast since it began in October 2019. The premise of the show is straightforward: Discuss the Bible every weekday for about 10 minutes. However, this show is rather special in its approach and is worth your time to check out. ...

July 3, 2023 · 3 min · 548 words · Mark Richard

Five Years of Comical Start

Last week I released Episode 257 of Comical Start, Pockets of Conversation. Its publish date is just a few days after the 5th year anniversary of our first episode, Multiverse. Grant was unable to record with me, so here is a lightly-edited transcript1 of the 25 minute monologue that I did off the dome. ...

June 26, 2023 · 18 min · 3785 words · Mark Richard

You Should Try iA Presenter

iA Writer has previously been established as my writing app of choice. There is something about both the visual design and snappy interface the team at iA created that is just right for me. When I learned they were making a presentation editor the same week I needed to create some slides, I had to give it a try. ...

June 19, 2023 · 4 min · 794 words · Mark Richard

Apple Vision Pro First Thoughts

I’ve had a strong interest in consumer technology for years at this point, though it mostly falls into a category of entertainment via YouTube videos and podcasts. I’m not critic, and tend not to spend much time writing about the latest and greatest in the spaces I follow. But Apple’s new Vision Pro headset is difficult to ignore. ...

June 12, 2023 · 3 min · 602 words · Mark Richard