A call to focus

Years prior to the pandemic, I had noticed a trend that was slowly but clearly getting worse, and it has ramped up even harder through these Covid years: People appearing to answer questions, but not addressing the main points. I’ve asked around and know I’m not the only one experiencing it. People in different positions, … Read more

Tech hates me

Rather than coming up with another catchy title, I figure I’ll just reuse this one as needed. Lord knows I’ve got plenty to write about to keep the title alive and kicking indefinitely. The latest: I’ve recently written about some problems with my Pixel 5, but more issues have come up since then. As a … Read more

The hunt for improved note-taking

As a writer, I procrastinate. I mean… I procrastinate on a lot of stuff in my life, but that definitely includes delaying settling down to finally write. Which is of course counterproductive and illogical, given I genuinely enjoy writing. But I guess there’s something hardwired in. Behold the writer in his native environment. With time … Read more

New tech still needs old fashioned communication skills

Hearing my eleven-year-old on a phone call is equal parts cringe-worthy and hilarious. You’ll note I said “call”. Not a Zoom or FaceTime or text thread, but an old-school phone call, where you dial up someone’s number and only talk to them. Kids–strike that, anyone under 25–ask your parents about what “phone calls” are. It … Read more

Tech hates me, redux

I’ve written in the past about how I love technology but the feeling isn’t mutual. Update: Nothing has changed beyond it potentially getting worse. I’m continuing to experience more dislike for my new phone (with what’s allegedly the most advanced Android OS available but which is bizarrely glitchy and rough and unintuitive compared to previous … Read more

Finally kicking Spotify to the curb

I’ve been mulling over what to do for a (more) ethical music streaming service for a while, largely writing about it here after already noodling on it for some time. Sadly, that shot didn’t work out too well. This week Spotify was cast into poor light yet again when podcast powerhouse Joe Rogan, who is … Read more

The new phone I went with was…

… a Pixel 5. Not the current flagship Google Android unit, but one generation removed from it. Here’s how the decision happened, in brief:– It was an unlocked unit sold at a steep open box discount (everything included but unused; it literally hadn’t even had the cables or anything else unwrapped) on eBay for $500 … Read more

#tidalfail

A few months ago I posted about giving the Tidal music streaming service another shot. Well… I did, and I’m disappointed to say that it didn’t make the cut. Here’s the thing: If it was just subtle differences, maybe just little things I didn’t like as much as Spotify’s user interface, I still would’ve stuck … Read more