Ah, Apple, always stirring up the ooh shiny desires. Here’s a quick take on the new iPad (and Pencil!) announcement today, and thoughts on juggling the different form factors of modern computing machines. Read the whole post.
Why can't cookbooks get all the things right? I just borrowed a bunch from the library, all focused on meal planning. One has good looking plans and cooking strategies, but no shopping lists. Another has nicely paired recipes, but they're not indexed (and no TOC, either!) C'mon people, this just isn't difficult.
Around the beginning of the year, I realized that every morning, the first image I had of myself was me dressed in a ratty old t-shirt. It just didn't seem like a good way to start the day, so I bought some proper pajamas. Nothing fancy, just a nightdress and a couple "camp style" pajama sets from Lands End. But I tell you what: it has made a huge difference! When I see myself in the morning now, I see someone who takes a bit of care about how she looks - and that seems to give me a better outlook on lots of things throughout the day.
The mister has put on the Eras tour movie as music to work by today. I'm sitting in the next room, out of his line of sight, but in the reflection of the glass of pictures on the wall, I can see him dancing - but I don't think he knows I can see him. It's very sweet, tbh, and I just love him so much.
Oooh, oooh, since all the cools kids are doing it, I will give you a list of all my default apps. And maybe some other stuff too - like opinions on the length of podcasts, music discovery, and where voice memos go to die. Read the whole post.
A spoiler-free review of John Scalzi’s Starter Villain and Wil Wheaton’s audiobook reading thereof, complete with side commentary on listening to writing. Read the whole post.
In which Laura muses on how seeing the world differently is going after a week with new contact lenses, and the unusally profound results of the change. Read the whole post.
When I was small, I liked to make my Halloween costumes. Then there was a stretch of years I made them for the boys. And since then, pretty much nothing. To my mind, it's a kid's holiday. Why should adults tread all over it? Anyway, Happy Halloween, no matter how old you are.
Getting our picnic ready for tonight - Wynton Marsalis "All Rise" at the Hollywood Bowl. Last concert of the season - really looking forward to it.
ARGH. Just realized that Clickup's timeline view, which I have been enjoying so much, was in a kind of "trial" state and isn't available at the $5/mo level. Have to spend $12/mo. I don't know if I'm angrier at Clickup for leading me on or myself for not noticing it.
I'm into the discovering-the-quirks phase of starting to use ClickUp, but I haven't run into any dealbreakers yet, which is heartening. And I'm still really liking being able to view my projects as timelines and boards as well as plain old lists. So far so good, ClickUp!
last minute change of plans: seats for George Benson
I've used Todoist for forever, but it's just not working for me any more - I can't visualise the big picture with just lists. So I've spent the last week looking through project management apps, which are all team-focused these days, of course, which is frustrating for a solo act like myself. Trello is, uh, beastly, and to get the functionality I want, is more expensive than I want. I gave Hive a thorough test run this week, as it looked quite promising, but quickly discovered structures/procedures there that just won't work for me. So this week, I'm giving ClickUp a try. Fingers crossed.
Ugh ugh ugh. I dearly, dearly wish that the Kindergarten Aesthetic (bright primary colors, softened corners) would just go out of fashion already. I am not a child, I do not need visual stimulation like I did when I was 18 months old. (Sitrep: looking for a task management app)
working at the club this morning - by the pool - swoosh swoosh swoosh splash, swoosh swoosh swoosh splash - the soundscape here is so pleasingly rhythmic and natural - the sounds of humans, but not the sounds of voices
YAY YAY YAY! There is now an official plugin/integration between Readwise and Raindrop. Which means it pulls into Obsidian automatically, too! WOOT! readwise.io/changelog...
one of those “why you move to Southern California” nights
Hollywood Bowl picnic
Busy busy busy on picnic-making for our outing this evening. Rachmaninoff will be accompanied by empanadas, mini bacon cheeseballs, melon, homemade cheesecake and peppermint patties. And wine, of course. Plenty of wine.
Bella Luna's day today, full of dreams and plans. Still kind of glowing from the Scheherazade performance out in the open air last week, under the fullness of her light. It was magical.
Eating a peach and reciting poetry in my head.
To his credit, though, it does smell damn good.
There are plumbers in the apartment. They are talking to my husband, who is cooking in the kitchen (lamb tagine) and asking him if he's a chef. It's all a tad surreal, given that he cooks maybe twice a month.
Ugh. Have that awful kind of cold (no, not that one) where you're not sick enough to just sleep all day, but you're too sick to actually do anything. Miserable.
Just saw three riot police transport vehicles go by - fully loaded. Guess the ladies down at City Hall are getting rowdy. Either that, or LAPD wants more overtime.
how do i, I mean, how is this, I can't even
you children, you scions, this is your world - sieze it, grasp it, what are you going to do with it?!
I just hooked up Obsidian and Readwise, and I have to say, this feels like a game-changer. I haven't yet used Readwise with podcasts, only books, but to be able to have all of my little clippings and highlights in one spot seems super good. Was pleased with the amount of customization possible in the import. (Link to Readwise, will get you an extra month free: readwise.io/i/laura14...)
Pandemic Pentimenti: So strange to walk through the city and see all the fading marks on sidewalks and entryways, each dutifully 6 feet away from the next, reminding us of where we were not so very long ago.
Opening the second bottle of wine, wondering "how is it that I am not French?"
[husband editing in the loft, which means listening to the same 2 second clip of audio over and over and over and over and over. and over. and. over.]
I'll just go up to the roof to work, where it's quiet. [pool party with approximately 5,261 toddlers in attendance]
I'll just go down to the lounge, there's never anyone there, it'll be quiet. [some guy watching a penguin movie at volume level 756, laughing out loud]
Going to stab someone. Soon.
Very soon.
Been trying to bang out a brief essay for a gallery application, and have been making zero headway for days. Finally found the path this afternoon - required ditching the first paragraph and then everything else just flowed. Ahhhhhhhh.
This is your captain.
We are about to attempt a crash landing.
Please extinguish all cigarettes.
Place your tray tables in their upright, locked position.