Updated my iPad to the new beta. I guess I’m in the minority, but the new windowing system feels distracting and fiddly. I have a Mac for that.
The beauty of iPad, to me, has always been simplicity and focus. Split screen just worked for that. Hope they restore it as an option.
Finished reading: The Sirens' Call by Chris Hayes 📚
I expected another book on our modern struggles with attention… and it was. But, there is more emphasis on the overall cultural impact, rather than just our individual challenges. Glad I read this one.
Finished (Re-)reading: Essentialism by Greg McKeown 📚
I wanted to revisit this in the midst of current life transitions. The book didn’t hold up for me and I skimmed a lot this time around, but the overall concept is still very helpful.
I posted a new video: How to grow in wisdom
This serves as a bit of an intro to something new that I’m piloting, called Wisdom Sessions
Finished reading: Build the Life You Want by Arthur C. Brooks 📚
A good book, but seems to share a lot of overlap with Brooks' last book, From Strength to Strength. The latter is one of my recent favorites, and still the one I’ll be recommending in conversations that turn to books.
My favorite Val Kilmer movie was The Saint. I recall really liking the soundtrack.
And perhaps Elisabeth Shue.
Finished reading: Storyworthy by Matthew Dicks 📚
This was a fun book, with a several practical takeaways… even if I never intend to enter a story telling competition.
I prefer the organization of and toolset of apps like GoodNotes, but the handwriting correction in Apple Notes is just too useful to use anything else for handwritten notes.
I made a new video: Manage stress through these five simple practices
This continues to be a fun outlet for me… and hopeful that it can be helpful for others.
Just used almost an entire bag of soil to fill holes in my backyard. The offender that dug the holes is watching me like I’m building a canine Disney park.
Finished reading: The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate by Peter Wohlleben 📚
Include this in my growing category of “A book I wish I read in print to retain more of it, but glad to have listened to the audiobook because I wouldn’t have taken the time to read it in print.”
My primary work is as a freelance WordPress developer. The current, uh, economic uncertainties here in the US have led to a few canceled or delayed projects.
So, I have some near-term availability if anyone needs some WordPress expertise. Here’s my website to learn more: byjohnchandler.com
Gently squeezing the non-stem end to start peeling a banana remains the most useful thing I’ve learned from the internet.
Finished reading: Revenge of the Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell 📚
I listened to the audiobook – it’s not often I would say this, but I’m glad I chose the audiobook over reading it. It’s produced like a longform podcast – almost makes me wonder if he had the audiobook in mind first.
I posted a new video this week: The most important lesson I’ve learned from 20 years of journaling
Sitting in a room alone talking to a camera is new for me, but enjoying the process enough that the awkwardness of that is quickly going away.
Regardless of your interest level in watching that big sporting event on Sunday, you should at least be making plans to have all the proper ingredients for chili.
I made another video: Three simple values to shape your life in 2025
Based on the title, you might infer that I hoped to post this a few weeks ago. You might be right. But I think there’s still helpful stuff in here, if I may say so myself.
That thing where you let an old unused domain expire, forgetting that you had used it for linking to the audio files server for your retired podcast.