Category: Longform
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📚 Slow Productivity
Read: Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
Recommended
I appreciate that he looked for a positive and hopeful framing, rather than an anti-.
As the 4th Cal Newport book I’ve finished (and 5th I’ve started), it’s largely what I’d expect. That said, there are useful notes and references therein (captured below).
In knowledge work, and particularly software development, many of the recommended approaches are already encoded (in different terminology) in various agile methodologies.
Newport acknowledges how the techniques and strategies will not apply outside certain narrow situations, but hopes to spark a “revolution”.
See also:
- Digital Minimalism
- Productivity As an Incomplete Measure (this is addressed further in this book)
- Deep Work
- The Time Block Planner
My Reading Highlights and Notes
📚 Supercommunicators
Read: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg
Recommended, with a caveat:
It’s not exactly what the title implies it will be, nor is it the same book at the end as it is at the start. In fact, the supposed mission of the book is truly only covered in an almost-footnote in the afterword (my final highlight captured at the bottom of this post). Nevertheless, it was full of useful information presented in useful ways.
My Reading Highlights and Notes
Furnace Fest 2024 End of an Era - Sunday #FF24
This was it, the final day of the event. The final show of…ever?
- Incendiary - solid, though a little simple and went too hard into southern rock for my taste. Liked that the singer was positive and cool about helping each other out in the pit.
- The Showdown - the singer did the thing where they were very demanding (almost upset?) about what the crowd does. I really dislike this from bands. If you feel like you have to be really pushy with your fans to get more energetic (or whatever) maybe the problem is your music or performance, not them. Do better.
- Eighteen Visions - not really my thing, but a good show.
- Boys Night Out - ok. Said this was their first show in 15 years, and singer had good stage chatter. Unfortunately, they cut into Extol’s time.
- Extol feat. Bruce Fitzhugh - once-in-a-lifetime thing. Bruce talked about how both bands (Extol and Living Sacrifice) had influenced each other. David Husvik (drums) talked about their 98 release of Burial and Cornerstone festival. Mentioned many of those bands were playing tonight (Norma Jean, Blindside, Underoath). This might be a little anachronistic, as even though that was the right era, I’m not sure all of them played that year (and Norma Jean was still Luti-Kriss). Ole Børud’s American English accent is probably better than mine, and I’m native. Bruce had to use notes, but can you blame him? He just subbed in to sing and did a great job with it, all things considered. (more, more, more)
- Norma Jean - they still got it! Josh Scogin joined for the last song and the place erupted. I’ll add links to my other posts about this.
- Blindside - did a great job for not being a “tour band”
- Underoath - great show, mostly tracks from 20th anniversary, but played a few others at the end. Spencer “leaked” that another album is ready and coming out soon. (more)
For later:
I’ll post show recording links here as I run across them. Feel free to send them my way.
Disembodied Driving
Disclaimers: I admit I don’t have the right words for this. Probably Matthew B. Crawford does. This is not supposed to be a “get off my lawn” post, but more about the nature of things.
I drove a rental vehicle last night.
It was an alienating experience.
The wheel turned at the slightest touch.
There were multiple lit screens and multiple audible alerts, constantly asking for attention. Following distance update. Lane update. Turn update. Engine update. The volume and timing of beeps was like being in a hospital emergency area. The screen reflections on other windows made it look like something was on the periphery, as well.
Alerts were also opinionated in unnecessary ways that don’t always hold true. Turning on a turn signal to signal intent resulted in hyper-flashing if somebody was in the lane. Crossing the center line on a what-could-otherwise-be-a-fun-and-efficient-curve-of-the-road when nobody is around resulted in warnings.
My overall sense of the drive was that I was missing the actual signals of driving because the design favored secondary signals over the more-direct ones. I can’t see how this doesn’t add to the problem of distracted driving instead of ameliorating it.
Granted, we usually keep our cars 10+ years, but it was shocking to me how poorly these systems are designed for actual humans. The only good thing I could say is some of the buttons were still at least tactile instead of touch screens.
Are most new cars like this?
Furnace Fest 2024 End of an Era - Saturday #FF24
Shorter day for me, because I was dealing with a lot of stuff and there was only one “must see” band for me.
Some of these notes are…not positive. But I’m writing them for my memory and not trying to yuck anyone’s yum.
- Skycamefalling - yes. Great show and great energy.
- Misery Signals - very interesting. Huge turnout and most intense crowd and divers. Swapped singers a couple times and both of them closed out the last song. Sounds like this was their planned final show in the USA.
- Hail the Sun - I noped right out of there. Sounded like whineycore.
- Shai Hulud - instense, good energy, good show
- L.S. Dunes - Singer didn’t seem to know where the notes were and sounded like a worse Spencer Chamberlain
- Snapcase - rad show and the singer was really talking about how we’re all older now and just do what we can dancing or singing-wise. He dedicated a song to parents. :)
- No Innocent Victim - wow, they still did it. For the final song, he called folks to pile up with him for My Beliefs and there was a mound multiple-people-deep all shouting into the microphone. Epic. “I would die tonight for my beliefs!” (more)
For later:
I’ll post show recording links here as I run across them. Feel free to send them my way.
A funny thing happened on the way....
…back to my hotel form Furnace Fest day two.
I was e-biking back and was wearing my With Blood Comes Cleansing T-Shirt and a helmet. (As you do!)
A jeep pulled up beside me jam-packed with folks who were having a good time.
They were rocking out to August Burns Red’s “White Washed” and looking over at me…kinda giving me that look to see if I was one of them.
So as this part of the song hit I started shouting it out and headbanged. They shouted for joy and joined me.
Great times!
Furnace Fest 2024 End of an Era - Friday #FF24
Super quick share of my notes:
- From A Second Story Window - did not know them, worth checking out
- Bury Your Dead - same
- Dying Wish - yes, still a great show #femalefrontedmetal
- Oh, Sleeper - never had an album click for me, but the show was excellent (I usually feel the same way about Norma Jean)
- Full of Hell - wins award for most-hilarious commentary and most intense set
- Silent Planet - always a pleasure, always down for angry music about peace & justice & love (more, more, more)
- Haste the Day - not as fun without Jimmy, but still great times (more)
- The Devil Wears Prada - also more enjoyable in person than on-album, but felt like they were trying too hard
- Bane - tried it, but I think I’m not the target market (I usually like my hardcore with a little something more going on)
- August Burns Red - epic “angry music for happy people”. I got up close side stage for this and it was excellent. (more)
For later:
I’ll post show recording links here as I run across them. Feel free to send them my way.
Water, forestland easement funding open for landowners
State conservationist Damarys Mortenson announced that Indiana’s USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications to improve water quality in the Kankakee River watershed and helping landowners protect and restore forestland across southern Indiana through easement funding.
Both projects make funds available to farmers, landowners and entities seeking to protect and preserve key environmental areas that are targeted by encroachment, erosion and overall decline.
For the Kankakee Watershed program, dollars are available through the Kankakee Watershed Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP).
“This project is a great example of public, private and non-profit organizations working together to solve local problems,” Mortenson said. “The group is addressing critical water quality and quantity issues in the watershed. By targeting RCPP dollars and leveraging partner resources, we can make a greater impact on the health of waterbodies in the Kankakee watershed and downstream.”
One of the goals of the project is to address excess water by establishing wetland easements on land throughout the watershed. These will help facilitate water storage and improve water quality. NCRS pays all costs associated with recording the easement.
The funding for the southern Indiana project is through the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape RCPP. The landscape begins about 20 miles south of Indianapolis and contains Department of Defense installations and ranges, six state parks, seven state forests, nine state fish and wildlife areas, 39 state-dedicated nature preserves, one National Forest and three National Wildlife Refuges.
Under the program, forestland owners work with NCRS to place permanent easements on their property. These would ensure that the land remains protected from development and would conserve the delicate habitats and species vital to the local ecosystem.
“I cannot overemphasize the benefits of restoring, enhancing and protecting our forestland within this project area,” Mortenson said. “This project provides a much greater impact where Indiana’s significant natural resources, species habitat and military training needs intersect.”
All applications for the watershed and southern Indiana projects must have applications submitted by Oct. 4. Visit your local USDA Service Center to see if you are eligible for these opportunities. To find your local office and representative, visit farmers.gov/service-locator.
Car Free Day encourages Hoosiers to eliminate emissions Sept. 19 – Indianapolis Recorder
Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.
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