During the week where I finished listening to the audio book of the Walter Isaacson biography of Elon Musk (an experience that makes you wonder how to best use your time), and listening to the kids talking about maths homework, I’m reminded of the moment that Jeff Bezos decided not to pursue theoretical physics.
Category Archives: short idea
Crossing the river
Already lost to me is the LinkedIn post that brought this to my attention, but searching for that story, I found an article that told some more of the background. https://mindmatters.ai/2024/05/a-man-a-boat-and-a-goat-and-a-chatbot/ The link between the original post and the classic non-fiction work “Gödel Escher Bach” is the icing on the cake. You’re familiar with the …
slowing
I’m currently in the middle of some annual leave, in the perhaps unwise situation of having a work meeting in the middle of my leave. It’s a familiar journey from being in the midst of work-mindset to being able to relax, but I find myself trying to score the level of relaxation that I’m achieving, …
BOOST feedback method
Just watched a video a friend posted about (among other things) how to give feedback using the BOOST method. Feedback should be Balanced, Objective, Observed, Specific and Timely. Balanced: not just an emphasis on the negative, but both negative and positive. Objective: not framed emotionally, but looking at the facts. Observed: based on something you …
Another year
I’m in the unusual situation of having some more time off at the start of the year than usual. It’s a season I’m spending investing in time with the kids, and preparing for the year. It’s my final year of study, and it’s going to be an intense one!
high school reloaded
One of the familiar science fiction (and even Harry Potter) tropes is for a scene to play out, and then the same scene plays through again from another character’s point of view. This week, it was starting high school, but this time I was the parent. What did I remember about my interactions with my …
former piano
Ex-piano A post shared by David Phillips (@cafedave) on Feb 27, 2017 at 10:07pm PST I spent years learning the piano. I can still remember my late piano teacher – a lady who devoted most of her life to teaching kids like me how to be better musicians – showing me how the sustain pedal …
Aussie Christmas
That feeling when you step outside for a last minute grocery run, and the tissue paper crowns too small for your head, slides off and lands on the back of your neck, giving the exact sensation of a hundred unseen spiders crawling at once.
Three Little Bops
Watching the video for “Istanbul (not Constantinople)” I noticed that there’s a building called the “dew drop inn” which prompted me to look for this old Warner Bros classic (in this Three Little Bops video, with live jazz accompaniment). Bad theology aside, it’s a glimpse into the past, and a way to share Warner Bros …
Side projects
I’ve had a chance to look through some of the projects I’ve been aiming to start over the last while. A video from Gary Vaynerchuck talked about the 7pm-2am window to work on other projects, starting something big. At the moment, I’m pouring that energy more into my main job: there will come a day …