John Scalzi, responding to people enraged about his lowest difficulty setting post (well worth a read, by the way):
10) I am never going to buy anything you write ever again.
I don’t care.
The only way to deal with people who don’t like what you make (or disagree with you and so don’t like what you make).
57 days after my last donation, I’m giving blood at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania’s donation center for the second time.[1] It’s kinda scary, and I’m a big wuss about needles, but someone needs it more than I do. In fact, I know a couple of those someone’s personally, and I can’t imagine not stepping up.
That said, blood donation isn’t easy, and not everyone can do it. Some people travel to places that disqualify them, and others have medical reasons. And some people are just scared (which makes it harder to donate). That’s okay. I’d be the pot calling the kettle black if I said it wasn’t.
If you can donate, and it doesn’t squick you out too much, please consider finding a hospital, blood bank, or Red Cross drive near you that can use your help. A half hour of your time can make a life-saving difference to someone in need.
[1] Disclosure: I am employed by the University of Pennsylvania, but donate independently and receive no incentives for getting other people to donate. I did get a cool t-shirt the first time, though!
Edit: Apparently Tumblr isn’t allowing the apostrophe in this post’s title. Sorry, fellow nerds!
Dave Caolo of 52 Tiger directed his readers to a post by Ben Brooks decrying the gamification of iOS apps. In short, Brooks says, “I hate it, and I think it’s bullshit”.
Fair enough, weighs in Curious Rat. “Good for him, but it works for others and that’s okay”.
I’m with Curious Rat on this one. For one thing, Clear does it well, and the themes tickle my fancy. For another, it’s just not worth getting upset over. I rarely find myself ranting about an iOS app, because it’s just not worth my time. For the same reason, I just can’t bring myself to care about yet another SEO’d, link-baiting site posting claim chowder about Apple.
This whole thing (which isn’t really a thing, not yet) reminds me of Patrick Rhone and some wisdom that’s been passed around so often I don’t remember who said it first: Saying no is saying yes to other things. In this case, I’d rather invest myself in building connections, reading a good book, or trying a new recipe.
This is my public declaration of what matters to me. If it doesn’t align with your preferences, that’s all right by me. Just be clear with yourself and spend your time creating value for yourself.
From David Sparks and Katie Floyd of the Mac Power Users:
And some other places around the web:
Seth Godin, on one of the steps to making money on the Internet, via his blog:
Connect the disconnected.
This is the highest purpose of technology.
Alfred is my app launcher/script launcher/hotkey/system tool Swiss army knife of choice. The Powerpack is well worth the price of admission, and the 1.2 update brings closer integration with other Mac apps. Most exciting are the 1Password 1Click bookmarks. If I type 1p and then the login I’m looking for, it will open the site and log me in (if your vault is unlocked). Just one more reason to use Alfred. [1]
When a customer calls for information or pricing about your product, don’t work your way up the chain.
Instead of trying to make a contact with the department head, make time for the person on the phone.
Instead of spending time trying to get someone to recommend a product before they’ve tried it, ask how you can make it easier for them to evaluate your offering, and spend your resources there.
Nope, but I bet that headline caught your eye. If you started frothing at the mouth, you’re one of two kinds of people: people who agree with sensationalist headlines about Apple and people who don’t. It’s really that simple.
If you’re a writer, please never sincerely write a headline like this one about any product (including Apple). If you’re a reader, please skip over this kind of headline. In fact, I’m kind of hoping you skipped this one. Don’t give any fuel to bad journalism. We all deserve better.
Joking aside, this is a great short post from Shawn Blanc. He’s absolutely right: “The way iOS handles screenshots is pathetic.”
While not strictly minimalist music, I still enjoy the minimal qualities of this composition. Exactly what I’m looking for in office music.
