Latest in Random Musings
Walnuts for Focus? I Went Looking
Can a handful of walnuts help you focus or improve your memory? Hmm. I wonder if this is true.
Ghost Bikes
I walked past them for years, back when I lived in DC — those all-white bicycles chained to signposts and light poles around the city, sometimes with flowers or a photo tucked into the spokes. · 3 min read
Is This Finally the End of Changing Our Clocks?
I hope they finally end this. I hate changing clocks twice a year — it should be a thing of the past. What do you think? · 1 min read
Sgt. Thayer Would Not Approve
Replying to It's Independence Day, Not 'the Fourth of July' I read an article about a former Army ROTC cadet whose sergeant used to quiz the squad on American history. · 1 min read
Yes, This
Jim Nielsen's post about blogging landed right after I wrote about dickovers, and it's basically why I bothered writing that post at all. · 1 min read
Koi in Graffiti
They are so cool. Love these koi in Graffiti Alley. · 1 min read
No One's In The Front Seat Anymore
Twenty years ago I watched The Fifth Element, and there's a taxi scene I never forgot. · 2 min read
Maybe It's Just Me, But Blogging Shouldn't Have This
John Gruber over at Daring Fireball recently gave a name to something we've all been quietly furious about for years: the dickover. · 4 min read
Happy 20th Birthday, Blu-ray: Wait, It's Still a Thing?
Photo by Dadi Prayoga on Unsplash I'm way behind on email. Thousands of them. I just skim until something catches my eye — and most of it doesn't. · 2 min read
Indeed, it is true. The Boston Consulting Group Isn’t Wrong john. philpin.
Duck AI Fell for a Fake News Story
There is a website called WKNA 49 that looks exactly like a local West Virginia TV news station. It has a weather ticker, a logo, a newsroom email, even a corrections policy. · 2 min read
Happy Palindrome Day! 6-26-26
Today's Date 6-26-26 Palindrome Day ← same both ways → Read it backward. Same thing. I find this unreasonably satisfying. · 2 min read
Well, It's Official — Apple Prices Are Going Up
It’s kind of a bummer that price increases are coming for everything — desktops, laptops, tablets, phones. No one is getting out of this one. · 1 min read
The Android Feature That Leaves "Close All Tabs" Guides in the Dust
There are guides out there covering how to close all your tabs at once — like this one. Solid tips, all of them. · 2 min read
Espresso Without the Heat
I make a latte every single day. It's become a whole ritual — pull the shot, pour it over ice and almond milk, done. I even get my beans shipped monthly from Atlas Coffee Club. · 2 min read
Hamilton Saw This Coming
Hamilton clearly predicted Donald Trump in a 1792 letter to George Washington: “When a man unprincipled in private life, desperate in his fortune, bold in his temper, possessed of considerable talents … despotic in his ordinary demeanour — known to have scoffed in private at the principles of liberty — when such a man is seen to mount the hobby horse of popularity — to join in the cry of danger to liberty — to take every opportunity of embarrassing the General Government [and] bringing it under suspicion — to flatter and fall in with all the nonsense of the zealots of the day — it may justly be suspected that his object is to throw things into confusion that he may ‘ride the storm and direct the whirlwind.’ · 1 min read
One King, One Table, Five Centuries
I used to be pretty good at pool. Through my 30s, I’d hit the bars around Dupont Circle with friends and we’d spend hours at the table just playing for fun. I loved it. · 3 min read
American Sign Language (ASL) is beautiful, and I have been watching this video over and over again; it features the song “Love Is an Open Door” from Frozen.
I would love to see a creaseless display on a foldable phone in the US. I know rumors say the Oppo Find N7 may have it. Keep reading
As expected, WWDC focused heavily on AI, with no major iOS or iPadOS features beyond performance tuning. Keep reading
It’s incredible how far we can go to observe what they look like. The universe offers so much to explore. Additionally, it’s hard to believe we’re the only ones out there. Keep reading
Yikes! Keep reading
Great, but how can it compete w/ Chrome? Chrome can do w/ setting and extensions. Keep reading
I hope this isn’t true—it would be an eyesore! I believe it shouldn’t be on the White House lawn, but perhaps somewhere like the Mall. What is he thinking?! Keep reading
Posted a titled blog post to Bluesky via Micro. blog’s Standard. site integration — looks sharp! Keep reading
Learning to Say No (Mostly)
I love trying out new gadgets when they drop, but they tend to have a short shelf life — ending up tucked away somewhere, forgotten. Same goes for apps and websites. · 3 min read
It’s embarrassing that the US hasn’t kept pace with the shift to electric vehicles, which are the future and should be affordable. Keep reading
TIL that DC is an acronym for “Detective Comics.” Now, the times I don’t need to say DC Comics because it’s already implied in DC, right? But why do we still say DC Comics? Keep reading
Love this! Keep reading
I love this creativity how is is painted on the wall. Maybe I could do something like that in my tiny house. Hmm. Keep reading
If I am travelling again, I would love to see this place. It is so cool. Keep reading
Love those windows!!! Keep reading
Neat!!! Keep reading
Love this photo! Love Pink Panther!!! Keep reading
I wanna visit there one day! It looks like a cool place! Keep reading
Another one! Keep reading
I miss that place. I used to go there when I live in DC. It is beautiful. Keep reading
It is amazing how they do it. Keep reading
This is equal parts bizarre and horrifying. Centuries-old whaler remains thawing out of Arctic permafrost and sliding downhill. Keep reading
The water is so clear you can see straight through the ice. Absolutely stunning — and absolutely terrifying. One crack away from disaster. Keep reading
It’s hard to believe we’ve only cataloged around 15% of animal species — so much of life on Earth is still out there, undescribed and unseen. Keep reading
If you want to learn American Sign Language (ASL), learn basics like ABCs and signs. Enjoy and happy learning.
Says what? A lab grown leather bag for $600,000 and claimed it is from T-Rex leather but actually from chicken. Will it fool people thinking it is T-Rex leather?!?! Keep reading
Amazing. This piece is a digital artwork by Yehan Wang titled “Wired Metropolis.” Keep reading
Haiti declared independence in 1804 — the first nation founded by people who freed themselves from slavery. The world’s response was not celebration. Keep reading
Being stranded on a ship in the ocean like that, with all the uncertainty about what is happening, is frightening. I would be scared, too. Keep reading
“For too long, multilateral climate forums have felt like rooms where everyone speaks, but no one understands. Santa Marta broke that pattern. It spoke the language of hope.” Keep reading
An 8-year-old on vacation spotted a hooked Kemp’s ridley sea turtle — the world’s most endangered — off a North Carolina pier and called for help. That call saved it. Keep reading
Good morning! Just wanted to say hi! By the way, I really love this movie, Hopper. Keep reading
I am in awe as I watch this massive wave crash onto the land, and then a rainbow appears. It is simply beautiful to see.
TIL about that word: Ghorbat. Keep reading
The Planet Is Still Worth Showing Up For
There's a patch of wild grass behind my tiny house I've never mowed. Something always shows up there — a beetle, a moth, a spider doing its thing. · 5 min read
The city secured $3.15M federal funding for its first All-Abilities Playground at Onion Creek Metro Park, creating an inclusive space for children of all abilities to play together. Keep reading
Though I still have an iPhone 12 Pro Max and use it occasionally, I mainly rely on my Android phone daily. Keep reading
I saw The Devil Wears Prada years ago, but with a sequel on the way, I was curious if it’s based on a true story. Keep reading
For fun, I check my horoscope once in a while… I am a Virgo. Keep reading
All I can say is that this bird is stunningly beautiful.
TIL the 1831 London Bridge was moved to Arizona! Built to replace the crumbling medieval bridge, it eventually started sinking itself and was sold in 1968. Keep reading
I am in awe that people still race Penny Farthings. Every year—including this past February 2026. On purpose. Keep reading
I was using my iPhone 12 Max and found copying and pasting difficult when I needed to use three or more items. Keep reading
It’s disgusting that Trump is showing kids that video of himself after getting shot at a rally during the election season at Easter. What kind of man does that?
Ever wonder why every hotel drawer has a Bible? It started in 1899 when two traveling salesmen shared a room and realized weary travelers needed comfort. Keep reading
Muse • Somerset, UK If I ever have a spacious home, this is the vibe I’m going for. A copper tub and wood-burning stove are pure magic! Keep reading
Word of the Day: Heteroflexible
Word of the Day Heteroflexible /ˌhet-er-oh-flek-suh-buhl/ • adjective, sometimes noun 01. · 1 min read
It is heartbreaking to see this happening. A 12-year-old should be hiding safely, not guarding a military checkpoint. Keep reading
Studying for my driver’s permit. Hoping to take the test next week. I haven’t driven a car in 30 years. Keep reading
Tomorrow is April 1. March was a blink. Where did it go? Keep reading
Photo: KL Murphy for NPR There are only 51 Rice’s whales left on Earth. They live exclusively in the Gulf of Mexico — that’s their whole world. Keep reading
Credit: Lucas Gouveia/How-To Geek Most streaming services default captions to the smallest size, don’t carry across devices, finding where to adjust them varies. Keep reading
“Three central components of subjective well-being were considered: life satisfaction, positive emotional states, and negative emotional states.” - Dr. Keep reading
Still rocking my 2017 Pixelbook, minimal lag. The 16GB model was the right call. This article nails it, sticking with Chromebooks over the MacBook Neo makes sense. Keep reading
A leaked LEGO set of Gaudí’s Sagrada Família could dethrone every set before it. Keep reading
New research finds the U. S. has caused roughly $10 trillion in global climate damage through its emissions since 1990 — more than any other country. Keep reading
Those sliding doors are everything. I’d love something like that in my own place — maybe it’s finally time to replace that old door I’ve been holding onto. Future project?
If I were short, I wouldn’t mind a Hobbit-style house, but at 6'0", I’m more like Gandalf. I’d spend most of my time tilting my head just to navigate the place. Keep reading
I’m enjoying my Iced Mocha latte with Almond milk—it’s so delicious! But I might be due for a new espresso machine. I’ve had this one for about 5 years now. Keep reading
I just had sausage gravy and biscuits for breakfast, but it wasn’t homemade like my family used to make on Sundays when I was growing up. Keep reading
“Once men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them." Keep reading
Paris spent a decade ripping out car lanes and replacing them with 550km of bike paths, pedestrian squares, and actual trees — one of the most ambitious urban transformations on the planet. Keep reading
Wait—The U.S. and Iran Were Once Allies?
My blog doesn’t usually wander into geopolitics, but a couple of emails about the U. S. · 1 min read
The fun has begun…opening to the first bag right now.
A Detour Through Butcher Hollow
Yesterday started with a routine trip to Paintsville, KY, for an eye doctor appointment. · 3 min read
It’s incredibly heartbreaking to see this today. Keep reading
I recently set up my MacBook Air. I had forgotten how lightweight it is—it feels fantastic. Keep reading
Can’t wait for my 15" MacBook Air, expected by 5 pm. Rural delivery means it might slip to tomorrow, but I’m hopeful. Keep reading
I wish they’d create a phone like the Nothing Fold concept. It’s wide and tall when closed, opening into a mini-tablet—the ideal hybrid. Keep reading
Okay, this one is a little alarming. Keep reading
So apparently Americans just “discovered” lüften, — the German practice of airing out your home — and gave it the very dignified name of “house burping.” Keep reading
Someone walked into a South Carolina library and filmed the empty YA shelves. Said they hadn’t realized how bad it had gotten. Honestly? Keep reading
Okay, Mars just got more interesting. A new study flipped the script — ancient Mars wasn’t a frozen wasteland. Keep reading
Have you heard of dark showering? Showering with the lights dimmed or off before bed. TikTok is obsessed, and the science is actually interesting. Keep reading
An artist spent 3 years building a 3-foot haunted dollhouse set in 20th-century Mississippi. Rancid fridge, pet carcasses, crime scenes with her actual blood. Keep reading
Robotic technology is coming, whether we want it or not. Keep reading
Winter-bound? There are kits: Crochet, macrame, & decorating beautiful cakes. I always want to learn those new things. Keep reading
This Pittsburgh contractor built her house with a 6,000-pound copper spiral slide — a safety exit — and an 800-pound glass floor craned through the window. Keep reading
Starlink is up last night! Promised 400 Mbps, delivering 361. Cable always promised 500, gave me 250-350. Keep reading
AI tools are everywhere now - every app racing to add generative features. But there’s a backlash brewing: AI fatigue. Keep reading
Saw Mummy films & enjoyed all of them. Brendan and Rachel are coming back for another Mummy movie! May 2028. Keep reading
I love Spiderman! There is another Spiderman coming! Nicolas Cage is playing Spider-Man Noir in a new series dropping May 27th on Prime Video, and it looks incredible. Keep reading
Before Dracula, there was Carmilla—literature’s first major vampire, and she was a lesbian. Keep reading
I came across this fascinating study abt how the Chincha Kingdom in Peru fertilized their way to success w/ seabird poop! Keep reading
Here’s something wild: an old Texas coal mine is now a garden feeding 3,000 people a year. Keep reading
Just read this fascinating study where older adults (65+) did brain training for 10 weeks and reversed about a decade of brain aging. Keep reading
This year: more bloom than doom. Bloomscrolling means intentionally curating uplifting content instead of doomscrolling. Keep reading
Today I learned pine cones are little weather predictors! Fascinating, isn’t it? Keep reading
Photo: Technogeek75 via Instagram Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate.” Keep reading
5 yrs ago during COVID, my glasses broke & I cldn’t make an eye appt. Started using reader. My eyes have worsened, bumping up the diopter over time. Keep reading
Tech gadgets are my kryptonite—saying no is NOT my superpower. 🤷♂️ Are you taking the no-spend challenge? I’ll try my best, but zero guarantees here. Keep reading
Phubbing: The Word I Learned Just in Time for Valentine's Day
Just learned a new word tonight: phubbing. · 1 min read
I’ve loved Winnie the Pooh since I was a baby. My Pooh doll was such a comfort to me and I still have it. Just heard Lego is making a Pooh set and I’m thrilled! Keep reading
This doodle art is amazing … I wish I could learn how to do that. For sure, it will take a lot of practice. Check it out!
French Toast Isn't French (And Other Things I Learned Last Week)
You know how some people collect stamps or vintage records? I collect random things. · 6 min read
The hardest part is letting go of what used to work." - Apolo Ohno, Hard Pivot: Embrace Change. Find Purpose. Keep reading
Found a good article that really resonated with me. Forget grand New Year’s resolutions—meaning comes from small, consistent actions. Keep reading
24 monks walked 2,300 miles, 180 day, from Texas to DC for peace—dressed in saffron robes & often barefoot, they crossed ice & snow. Keep reading
Drew Barrymore and I are the same age! She turns 51 on Feb 22; me in August. I always thought she was older. Keep reading