According to Day One, I’m on a 1,462 day journaling streak.

The last week of the year is one of my favorites. I always get a renewed sense of energy as the opportunity and hope of a new year arrives on the horizon. I spent the past week enjoying the joy of Christmas and wrapping up some long overdue projects.

By every measure, 2019 was a success. I am a completely different man that I was on January 1, 2019 and I’m better for it. I wrote a full post over on Catholic Husband reviewing my year.

Among the many changes that I made was going all-in on my personal blog as the home to my digital identity. I quit Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram in 2018, but it was this year that I really focused on building out my website. I went through a few iterations of design, settling on today’s format. I experimented with CSS, tinkered with typography, and balanced splashes of orange and white space.

More important than the design is how I’ve come to use my blog. It’s a collection of my daily thoughts and interactions. There are podcasts, pictures, article links with comments, and random updates. For those that follow along, especially my family, it’s the best way to know what I’m thinking about and doing. This blog is a reflection of the happenings in my mind.

As it turns out, my blog has also become the platform on which I host my art, namely, my daily haiku. A simple three verse poem each day, highlighting my day. Going daily since August 20, 2018, it’s now a collection of 500 poems about my life.

The decade now comes to a close. It was one full of life, change, joy and sorrow. I’m ready for the next one, and I’m ready to document it all, right here.

On the ramp at Cape May Airport, December 23, 2009.

Lots of end of year administrative tasks to get done today. Plus, getting ready for a YNAB Fresh Start tomorrow!

Dawn breaks at the end of the decade.

Bad experience with Shutterfly this year. Might be my last.

2 out of 3 of my children’s favorite attractions are closed on Mondays. That makes for an excellent cleaning day. 🧽

Just received my final Amazon order. 📦

I’m using the Focus planner in GoodNotes.

I didn’t think I’d enjoy it as much as I am. The coolest feature is the ability to print out completed worksheets with my handwriting on it!

Sunday morning, rain is falling. ⛈

Small-Town America Fights for Its Life - Washington Examiner

More couples meet because of Emerald Isle, and more people get married because of St. Patrick’s. Raising children still isn’t the economic boon it was for the farmers of 60 years ago, but it’s less daunting when you’ve got the parish to help you meet other parents and raise your children in the faith. Also, the faith can help you see children as more than mouths to feed or hands to help, but also as souls to glorify God. (emphasis added)

Timothy Carney really articulates the Catholic vision of the family.

I told Alison that dinner would be at 6:30pm. It’s coming out of the oven at 6:27pm.

Nailed it.

A Unicorn Lost in the Valley, Evernote Blows Up the ‘Fail Fast’ Gospel - The New York Times

Evernote has a different, more mature goal. It expects to reach positive cash flow this year, with annual revenue of nearly $100 million.

I’m glad to see this story. I was really spooked in September with the “death spiral” headlines. All of my files are in Evernote… I’d be sunk without it.

Cooking my favorite meat pie while the kids pick up their toys and Olafur Arnalds plays on the HomePod.

I love this week between Christmas and New Years. So much productive energy to check long overdue projects off my list.

I enjoy a nice scented candle.

Incredible album, all these years later.

Pre-tied bow ties are so weak.

Banks Own Thousands of Railcars but Don’t Know What to Do With Them - WSJ

nearly 400,000 railcars are in storage

Whoa.

I found some presents this morning that Santa forgot to put under the tree. He must’ve been up very late this year.

Excellent present!

I think Apple should get with Goldman Sachs and issue a physical debit card tied to Apple Cash. It’d be nice for them to go head-to-head with the other fintechs doing the same.

I’m still delighting in the new glyphs in iOS 13.

Miss Congeniality 🍿

Christmas was born, your kingdom come, glory to God with us! Angels adore, bow down before, glory to God!

Born on that Day by Matt Maher

Are we sure that DHL isn’t secretly run by the French? Or perhaps the Italians?

The economics of eating at home are absolutely crazy.

Watching a squirrel meticulously bury a nut in my backyard is satisfying. 🐿

10 years ago today. It was cold, but beautiful to see all of that snow-covered landscape from the air.

I’m considering removing my feed from the social side of Micro.blog. If you want to keep following along, including my daily haiku(!), my RSS feed link features prominently on my site.

O Come, o come, Emmanuel!

‘Amazon’s Choice’ Isn’t the Endorsement It Appears - WSJ

The Journal identified dozens of products that fail to meet safety standards, banned items, and listings falsely claiming official safety certification.

Hard to say who’s had more scandals this year: Amazon or Facebook.

Pilots, Not the Plane, Keep the Boeing MAX Grounded - WSJ

Afoot in global regulatory circles already was a tendency, now accelerated, to reduce expectations about what pilots must know and do from memory.

Bingo.

Looks like Apple Maps made their deadline.

Just realized I can right click on a blog in MarsEdit and grab the URL. What a great feature!

At the North Pole.

🎞

All aboard The Polar Express!

The Polar Express pulling into the station.

🎞

Watching the birds struggle to find lift on a cold winter day reminds me of the joy of soaring.

The best thing I can do when I have a migraine: eat a good meal.

The thing I least want to do when I have a migraine: prepare a good meal.

So much cardboard! 📦

I don’t mean to brag, but I have a ticket on the Polar Express tomorrow evening. I’m traveling to the North Pole and expect to see Santa there. 🎅

Trump Administration Weighs Plans to Reduce Student Debt - WSJ

White House and Education Department advisers think a program to cancel a large portion of student debt would be unfair to taxpayers

Ya think? Also, why has no one proposed ending this debt trap program?

I mailed a package USPS today for $29. The shipping included $50 in insurance. I told the postal clerk if they lost the package, I’d double my money!

I’m constantly reminded of the importance of knowing the specifics of my insurance benefits.

The doctor’s office can help, but it’s not their responsibility. Mistakes are made all of the time and I’ve saved thousands in out-of-pocket expenses catching those errors.

Apple, Amazon, Google, and Zigbee Alliance to Develop Open Standard for Smart Home Devices - MacRumors

For consumers, this should ultimately lead to more smart home accessories that support multiple platforms like HomeKit and Alexa

This is a great idea for 2014!

I updated my page of Haiku to make navigation a bit easier.

As of today, I’ve written 485 poems summarizing each day since August 20, 2018.

I love how long-term habits come together to form a beautiful body of work.

Apple’s Steve Jobs Takes Gamble on New iPad - WSJ

For Mr. Jobs, it is an attempt to convince consumers they need yet another gadget—one between their mobile phones and laptop computers.

I read this on my iPad. Thanks, Steve!

Secretive Surveillance Court Rebukes FBI Over Handling of Surveillance of Trump Aide - WSJ

The court ordered the government to explain to the court by early next year what steps it was taking to prevent such lapses in the future.

Embarrassing, but democracy is working!

I have a full list of my daily haiku going back to August 2018. I currently have them sorted by month. I’m wondering if it’s time to take another look at organizing all of that poetry.

A few more changes KonMari-ing my dresser, and this is the final result: my base layer drawer. This picture is so satisfying.

Congress just authorized the creation of the US Space Force in the 2020 NDAA.

All of this was done without articulating why this massive new expenditure is necessary or entertaining any substantive public debate.

Was there even discussion about a better name?

Looks like this morning’s blog post about why I’m quitting Amazon came out just a little bit too early. Another damaging investigation into Amazon’s business: You Might Be Buying Trash on Amazon—Literally - WSJ.

I wonder if Apple is going to reach their 12/31 deadline to roll out Apple Maps to all of the United States.

On November 10, 1999, I placed my first order on Amazon.com. I had a copy of From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler shipped to my house overseas for some pleasure reading. In the past twenty years, Amazon.com has grown from an online bookseller into the World’s Grand Bazaar. On December 31st, I’m ending our two decade relationship.

Over the past twelve months, The Wall Street Journal has released the results of multiple investigations into Amazon, revealing an increasingly dark profile of the company. Amazon is both a retailer and a technology platform. They sell products directly to consumers and they connect buyers and third-party sellers. While you may “buy” something on Amazon, you may not be “buying” from Amazon. In fact, over half of the items on Amazon aren’t sold by Amazon at all, but by third-party sellers. The investigations show the implicit risks of buying from these third-party sellers.

• How Scammers in China Manipulate Amazon (Dec. 17, 2018)
• Is It Really Five Stars? How to Spot Fake Amazon Reviews (Dec. 20, 2018)
• Don’t Just ‘Buy Now’! When Shopping on Amazon, You Need to Pay Attention (Mar. 26, 2019)
• Amazon Has Ceded Control of Its Site. The Result: Thousands of Banned, Unsafe or Mislabeled Products (Aug. 23, 2019)
• Amazon Sells Clothes From Factories Other Retailers Blacklist (Oct. 23, 2019)
• How Amazon Dodges Responsibility for Unsafe Products: The Case of the Hoverboard (Dec. 5, 2019)
• You Might Be Buying Trash on Amazon—Literally (Dec. 17, 2019

The collective weight of evidence has led me to conclude that Amazon is not a place where I feel comfortable, confident, or safe, shopping. I’ll use a patchwork of local and national retailers to get the things that I need. I’ll miss the ubiquity of Amazon and the convenience of single sourcing. The risk, however, is too great.

It’s now clear that the convenience of Amazon comes at a very high cost.

US Justice Department to review Google’s deal for Fitbit, sources say

have urged antitrust enforcers to block the deal on the grounds that it will give Google even more data about American consumers

Weak argument. People know this and still use Google services.

Amazon Blocks Sellers From Using FedEx Ground for Prime Shipments - WSJ

sellers now account for more than half of the merchandise sold on Amazon’s website, including many items listed as eligible for Prime

Amazon’s dirty secret.

A consolidated laundry/cleaning day once a week is clearly the best way to go. 🧺

It’s Not You. Clothing Sizes Are Broken. - WSJ

There are no standard clothing sizes

This needs to be a 2020 plank. Standard Sizing for All!

Hoping to get our Christmas card photo back today so I can get those ordered.

I love that Christmas is a season, not just a day. Too much joy to be stuffed into only 24 hours.

🎄

I shall respect Rex

I shall never misuse Rex Kwon Do

I shall be a champion of freedom and justice

Rex Kwon Do Honor Code

Napoleon Dynamite 🍿

I bought a shirt at my favorite coffee shop while visiting Cape May. They stored the shirts on open shelves right behind the coffee machines. Even after bringing it home and washing it, the shirt is still infused with the smell of coffee. Delightful!

When I take a hard look at my list in Things, only about 5% of my tasks really need to be done today.

I’ve started deferring the 95% over a longer period of time. They need to get done, but not all of them right now.

This strategy leaves more time for rest and play.

My 2019 Year in Books from Goodreads. Another great one!

A little treat for the family when they climb out of their warm beds on a cold December morning.

Study Finds Correlation Between Judging Parents With Misbehaving Kids And Never Having Been A Parent - The Babylon Bee

The groundbreaking research also showed that the vast majority of careful plans and strategies people have for raising their future children are immediately thrown out the window as soon as they actually have children.

Surprise blueberry muffins come out of oven. 6 year old suddenly appears in the dark,

“Daddy, what’s that smell?”

Moved my Hofler&Co. cloud typography link from the footer to head.html and now the fonts render on initial page load.

I feel like I should’ve figured that out sooner.

Micro.blog is brilliant in the way that it scales.

Looking for a simple, fast way to get your thoughts onto your blog? 👍🏻

Want to dive in deep and customize the look and feel of your site? 👍🏻

Need a sandbox to play? 👍🏻

Remarkable progress in just two short years.

Top Lawmakers Say Bipartisan Spending Deal Reached - WSJ

There’s a meeting of the minds

Spoiler alert: everyone joined hands and decided to spend truckloads of money! 💸

I updated my footer with the new Font Awesome Micro.blog icon. Will be rolling out updates to all of my sites in the coming weeks.

In 2019, I finally achieved many goals that I had worked on for years.

I guess that means I’ll need to spend serious time planning my brand new 2020 goals.

All of those Target moms with their one kid in the cart are so cute.

They can’t hang with me and my crew.

Wahoo! Micro.blog is now a part of Font Awesome 5!

The die is cast.

Vatican Uses Donations for the Poor to Plug Its Budget Deficit - WSJ

Only 10% of donations to the Peter’s Pence collection go directly to charitable works

Guys, get it together!

I’m really tempted by Shawn Blanc/The Sweet Setup’s 2020 iPad planner.

It looks like using my Apple Pencil/iPad Pro would be awesome. My track record with planners, however, says I should pass.

Aviation geeks like to use the abbreviation IFE for “in-flight entertainment.” Pilots know that IFE always means “In-Flight Emergency.”

Great memories of the excitement of my solo cross-country IFE. America has a fantastic procedure for helping pilots in distress.

Wise Man Who Brought Myrrh Thought They All Agreed On A Spending Limit - The Babylon Bee

That’s why I distinctly remember us setting a denari limit on the gifts. What happened

Wife Delivers ‘State Of The Household’ Address As Soon As Husband Gets Home Each Day - The Babylon Bee

Andrea has a lifetime term in the position and has very high approval ratings in the polls when polling data excludes little Bobby, 3, when he is sitting in timeout

I think the greatest life skill that a parent can teach their child is the ability to work/play independently.

Finished folding my dresser clothes KonMari style. Where has this method been all of my life?

I just priced three items between Target and Walmart, and Target was cheaper each time. Impressive.

Special thanks to all of the delivery workers with FedEx, UPS, and the United States Postal Service who are out there making it happen!

Myanmar Leader’s Genocide Defense at U.N. Court Rallies Supporters at Home - WSJ

Ms. Suu Kyi’s office has accused the large numbers of international groups and journalists that have been gathering evidence of bias.

Maybe the Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded posthumously.

China Says Students at Xinjiang Detention Centers Have All ‘Graduated’ - WSJ

drawing broad skepticism from human-rights activists

Congratulations to the Class of 2019! Go out there and don’t make trouble for your benevolent governerment!

My thoughts are turning towards my New Year goals/lifestyle adjustments.

Swiss Fiber TV Service ‘Salt’ Launches Alternative Apple TV 4K Remote Control for Frustrated Customers - MacRumors

I don’t mind the Apple remote, but yeah, this one looks much better.

So much to get done today. I’m going to see if the kids will be my helpers again. There’s a cash reward involved, so I feel good about my chances. 💵

The new version of Clear to do is getting long in the tooth.

I replaced a dead light switch in my dining room. After getting the switch out, I noticed that the electrician ran a ground line to the box, but no one ever grounded the switch. Wow.

Nice paint job, bro.

House Passes Bill To Limit Robocalls - The Onion American Voices

Just make it punishable by death. How hard is that?

Agreed.

I’m not a guy who likes chapstick, but Burt’s Bees Vanilla Bean is on point.

Trump Administration Weighs Putting Amazon Foreign Sites on ‘Notorious Markets’ List - WSJ

The Notorious Markets list names and shames companies and countries that allegedly don’t take steps to stop counterfeiters.

Amazon is getting absolutely hammered this year.

Google Management Shuffle Points to Retreat From Alphabet Experiment - WSJ

I will continue to be very focused on Google and the deep work we’re doing to push the boundaries of computing and build a more helpful Google for everyone

Please don’t.

Anker makes a great product.

Once a Tool of the Elite, Metal Credit Cards Now Turn Up Everywhere - WSJ

It really did make me feel important instantly.

…

Corey Beverly of Greensboro, N.C., polishes his Apple card every six weeks

Okay, now we’ve really lost it.

Document signing in Apple Preview is the best.

I really should’ve started taking Flonase a few days before mulching leaves.

I’m really enjoying my new iPhone wallpaper.

Experience the power of a bookbook™ - YouTube

The best!

Who Does What at Home? Try Using Business Titles to Divide Chores - WSJ

David Gartner, San Francisco I’m chief creative officer, and my wife, Liore, is chief operations officer. We’re both co-CEO and director of growth.

Or just, you know, work together and get it done.

Bombshell Testimony Reveals Some People Do Not Like President Trump - The Babylon Bee

they all confirmed the startling revelation: some of the country does not care much for Trump and wants him to be impeached

My father-in-law is coming for a visit and my kids are really excited. So excited, in fact, that they kept asking for jobs to help me get the house ready. Very nice!

How hard would it be for iOS to display potential new wallpapers with your current app layout on top of it? Showing you the preview, with no apps, is great for the lock screen, not so great for the home screen.

The best way to wipe a child’s nose is to sneak up behind them like a ninja.

I got my class ring resized. Feels great to have clothes (and rings!) that fit.

I love using my Feedbin newsletter email address to get free resources from blogs. Great way to get the bonus and then burn when the content doesn’t pan out.

Hospital Groups Sue to Block Price-Transparency Rule - WSJ

Administration officials have said they are on solid legal ground and that the rule will drive down prices by making consumers wiser shoppers.

Certainly for self-pay, maybe not such a slam dunk for commercially insured.

I recognize only one of the Apps of the Year. How much things have changed.

Got everything put away from the trip, but still really behind on digital tasks.

Errands and restocking the house on the docket this morning.

A nice memory from Cape May.

Ordering shoes online is the worst.

Unpacking after a trip is almost as overwhelming as packing.

Some people get excited for Christmas music. I get excited for Christmas dishes. 🎄

I took two weeks off of my strict diet and food logging over my vacation. I gained 1.8lbs, well within my normal fluctuation. I feel really great about my progress this year!

Is this trip over yet?

‘Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Cast Members Clock Into Amazon Warehouse For Mandatory Black Friday Overtime Shift

John Krasinski had been written up for failing to scan 300 warehouse items per hour, causing Amazon to fire him from his starring role in Jack Ryan.

Drivers of the American Northeast: learn some manners.

Atlantic dawn.

Another stunning sunset.

Beach & Brew.

Humble Service: Leading Your Family as a Stay-at-Home Dad is now available.

Afternoon at the beach.

Out for a walk in town.

Black Friday on the App Store used to be insane. Those were the days.

Bloomberg No News - WSJ

per a memo Sunday from John Micklethwait, Bloomberg’s editor in chief. “We will write about virtually all aspects of this presidential contest,” he said, adding that a Bloomberg reporter has already been assigned to Mr. Bloomberg’s campaign. But “we will continue our tradition of not investigating Mike (and his family and foundation) and we will extend the same policy to his rivals in the Democratic primaries.

Wow.

I enjoy walking the sleepy streets of beach towns.

Dreamsicle sunset.

The day is nearly done.

Big day tomorrow. A few last tasks to check off my list.

Y’all got any peacock food?

Pope Offers Nuclear-Power Caution After Meeting With Victims of 2011 Japan Disaster - WSJ

Never has humanity had such power over itself, yet nothing ensures that it will be used wisely, particularly when we consider how it is currently being used

By the Numbers

0%: the amount of influence that Twitter, Facebook, and their advertisers have on me.

0%: the odds of foreign governments influencing me via social media.

No accounts, no problems!

How a Facebook Employee Helped Trump Win—But Switched Sides for 2020 - WSJ

Mr. Barnes said he remains supportive of Facebook’s mission but is uneasy about the company’s influence on political discourse.

TL;DR: The platform is a weapon pointed at you. Delete your account.

Beach town sunset.

I’m glad that I discovered the SSL issues on my book’s website two days before launch. Now I have time to fix them!

Amazon is ticking me off.

Made it to the sea.

I love when clouds do this.

Nice day.

I made it through 15 minutes of the first episode of The Morning Show. Apple TV+, like News+ and Arcade, are just not for me.

I’m glad that Congress passed a bill in support of Hong Kong today. The international community really needs to step up to the plate and back the pro-democracy movement. 🇭🇰

The NASA computer from today’s podcast.

I’ve just learned about the existence of the organization National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance.

I can’t get apps from the Mac App Store to update on macOS Catalina. The download circle shows up, and hangs at 0% progress.

Former U.K. Consulate Employee Says Chinese Secret Police Tortured Him - WSJ

He was told to say “master” any time he wanted to speak and was slapped in the face if he forgot, he said.

The real China. How many people are daily subjected to arbitrary detention & torture?

How does iExit not have a CarPlay app?!

What’s the best way to post to @Blot on iOS/iPadOS?

Now that Castro will sync podcasts to my Apple Watch, I’m ready to get a cellular model.

The Chick-fil-a Foundation announced a change in giving strategy for next year, which has sparked considerable discussion around the beloved restaurant.

According to their Form 990, the CFA Foundation gave about $15.7M in gifts in 2018. That total is separate from any local giving that CFA Operators (owners of stores) did in their local communities, a requirement for all Operators. The Foundation announced that their 2020 giving will be focused on education, homelessness, and hunger. Not coincidently, those three focus areas align with the community-driven involvement that CFA Operators have been contributing to for years.

A few thoughts about this giving strategy.

• CFA gave $15.7M to charity last year, how much did you give? CFA is a generous company: with their employees and with their communities. Maybe we should just be glad that they give at all. They’re a company with a compassionate heart that sees a moral imperative to share their profits to improve the lives of others.

• It’s none of your business. People are very concerned about what other people do with their money. Chick-fil-a did the work, it’s their money. If they want to give it away, why would we stand in the way?

• Increasing impact. Political giving is a gamble: it either gets you the results you want or it’s 100% wasted. I don’t see this new giving strategy as CFA turning its back on previous gifts, but rather a strategy to guarantee an impact. Dollars that go to programs that strengthen education, get people into permanent housing, or reducing food insecurity has an immediate, personal, and human impact. Every one of those dollars will yield the desired results.

Chick-fil-a makes delicious food that people wait for in drive-thru lines that wrap the building at all hours of the day. In the final analysis, I don’t think they particularly care what people think about their giving strategy. I’m glad that corporations, of all sizes, are so eager to make a positive impact in the lives of their customers and the communities which they serve.

Hundreds of Protesters Released From Besieged Hong Kong University: ‘I Feel Lucky to Get Out’ - WSJ

“If we don’t do anything the world will forget us.”

We must confront brutal regimes wherever they are. When citizens are brave enough to face them down, we must help.

🇭🇰

Jesus Never Said ANYTHING About Felony Home Invasion - The Babylon Bee

These words imply that, if anything, Jesus was in favor of felony home invasion.

Moon shot.

Fonts are fun.

Nurse at my appointment, like she’s doing me a favor:

“I’m going to see if I can get the doctor to see you a little bit faster.”

Me in my mind:

My appointment was supposed to start 32 minutes ago.

Now that I’ve standardized footers across my websites, I’m turning my attention to my web fonts.

I’d appreciate any feedback you might have on my demo site.

Once I’m happy with the fonts there, I’ll roll them out everywhere.

More EU Nations Seek to Expand Aviation Taxes - AirlineGeeks.com

the European Commission specifically refers to passengers as “polluters” implying that this tax is mainly to be a punitive measure

Disgusting.

U.S. Struggles to Crack Down on Chinese Efforts to Recruit Scientists - WSJ

While association with a (Chinese) Talent Program is not illegal, it can create incentives to steal, violate export controls, or (at a minimum) conflicts of interest

Agreed.

It’s interesting to see all of the backlash to the current smoking public health emergency. I’m not sure what’s upsetting folks. My read: people are getting seriously hurt, the medical community isn’t sure why, so let’s pump the brakes.

What’s the rule on hot fixes in production? Oh, right, never try it on your secondary computer when you have to leave for an appointment in less than 30 minutes.

I managed to completely wreck a site and then fix it just in time.

After over two years of no analytics on my websites, I’ve decided to go with Fathom. I like that they respect user privacy and I’m confident that the code is light enough to not cause performance issues. As an added bonus, by using Fathom, I’m not feeding the Google machine.

Walmart Grocery is starting to make me take most of my stuff back to the store when there’s an issue. The whole point of pickup/delivery is for me to not have to go into the store. The process is a thorn in my side.

Taking a look at web fonts again. Nice to see that Hoefler & Co. have made some value-added changes to their service since I last used it.

My early morning walks are always tested by the heat of summer and the cold of winter. I think that winter presents a bigger challenge to me because I have to get out of the comfort of my warm bed. Either temperature extreme can be difficult to deal with, especially when I think of the pleasantness of a spring or fall walk.

I’ve been out of my walking habit for the past month or so, mostly deterred by the recent Arctic Blast. The thing is, even though I’m cold for the first 10 minutes or so, the body heat that exercising generates leaves me mostly comfortable for the other 50 minutes that I’m on the road. So it’s uncomfortable at the very start, and then its totally manageable.

I have a huge backlog of podcasts that I want to listen to, a queue that grows by the day. This evening, after getting the kids in bed, I suited up and went out into the cold. As predicted, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

Hopefully that’s motivation enough for me to get out of bed tomorrow morning, and the next, and the next.

I used to be a double Windsor man, but have apparently transitioned to a single. It must have something to do with the width of my ties. 👔

Browns Star Myles Garrett Attacks Steelers Quarterback With Helmet - WSJ

“I made a mistake,” Garrett said after the game. “I lost my cool, I regret it.”

Quite the mistake, ripping a man’s helmet off and bludgeoning him with it.

Lawmakers Ask Watchdog to Probe Case of FBI Source Found Dead Overseas - WSJ

“We continue to have serious questions about Billy’s disappearance and death,” Ms. Stabenow said.

Great development. The FBI clearly needs help.

U.S. Presses South Korea to Pay More for Military Alliance - WSJ

North Korea said… Washington “had better behave itself”

I’m with the DPRK on this one.

Elizabeth Warren’s Tax Plan Would Bring Rates Over 100% for Some - WSJ

investors would also pay a deferral charge to compensate for the financial benefit of not having to pay tax over the entire holding period.

The real beneficiaries? Tax attorneys and professionals.

Accepting Amazon returns in store is a brilliant business move by Kohl’s. Their CEO, on a recent earnings call, reported that in-store traffic and sales are on the rise as a result.

I made my first in-store return yesterday, and I hated every minute of it.

At my local Kohl’s store, the Customer Service desk/Amazon Returns area is in the very back corner of the store. That means that I have to walk a considerable distance with the goods to be returned and my three kids.

I have to pause to apologize to my six year old son. All this time, I thought that his messy room served no purpose other than to be a minefield of clothes and toys for me to avoid. Little did I realize he’s just actively preparing for a career as a merchandiser at Kohl’s. There was stuff everywhere: in the aisles, between the aisles, everywhere, everywhere, everywhere. Not only does it look bad, it must be bordering on a fire hazard.

Meanwhile, back at the returns desk, they scanned and packed my returns while I stood there, then gave me an in-store coupon and a credit card pitch. While I waited, my kids were taunted with plenty of toys on displays all over the returns area.

I know the game. They got me in store, I made a return, and they want me to spend those return dollars with them. I refuse to reward them.

How I miss my ten step walk from the curb to the desk at the UPS Store, a quick scan on my box, and I’m on my way. No garbage in my way, no sales pitch, certainly not a credit card pitch.

My experience leaves me bitter at both Amazon and Kohl’s. Perhaps not such a brilliant business move after all.

Whistleblower Alerts Adam And Eve That God Withholding Knowledge Of Good And Evil From Them - The Babylon Bee

Critics claim the whistleblower has an ulterior motive in reporting this possibly faulty information since he was reportedly thrown out of heaven after an unsuccessful deep state coup attempt.

Few smells in the kitchen are as good as butter and onions sautéing. 🧄🧈

I guess the team at Logi reads my blog. Getting HomeKit Secure Video enabled now.

Google Analytics Alternative - Fathom Analytics

Giving you access to this service means that they (Google) have access to your visitors’ browsing data.

It’s funny to think about, but website owners who use Google Analytics are actually part of the problem.

The Banality of Impeachment - WSJ

they are turning impeachment into a routine political weapon, and future Presidents of both parties will regret it.

I already regret it.

Chick-Fil-A Employee Throws Down Staff Which Turns Into Snake Eating Popeyes’ False Serpents - The Babylon Bee

“Well at least I’m open on Sundays,” said the dejected Popeyes employee, gathering his trick-staffs from the ground. Reciprocating with a smug, “So is Hell,” Chick-fil-A’s prophet retrieved his rod, changed it into a microphone, and dropped it.

The 1905 Collection at Jos. A. Bank is excellent.

My barber spent more time talking to me about my weight loss at my haircut than my doctor did at my physical.

Amazon returns at Kohl’s makes me mad at Amazon AND Kohl’s.

My son’s pumpkin had an Easter egg on the back this year: an angry robot that he designed.

Wipr FAQ

Recent versions of Safari have Intelligent Tracking Prevention, which is a cool but relatively conservative way to limit tracking. Wipr is ruthless.

This dev knows how to FAQ.

Next in Google’s Quest for Consumer Dominance—Banking - WSJ

The company will have to convince a public that is increasingly wary of how tech companies are using personal data that it can be trusted with people’s finances.

Spoiler alert: they can’t.

The Ordinary People Who Brought Down the Berlin Wall - WSJ

He gathered his men and said, in effect, that either they were going to start shooting or they were going to open up. In a moment that changed history, Jäger decided to open up

Biggest U.S. Milk Company Dean Foods Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy - WSJ

consumers’ decadeslong move away from traditional cow’s milk, as beverage sales shift toward bottled water, fruit juices and milk alternatives made from soy and oats.

Not me!

It’s the middle of November and I’m still waiting on HomeKit Secure Video and HomeKit routers.

Bug in Facebook App Accesses the Camera in the Background - MacRumors

Facebook vice president of integrity Guy Rosen this morning said that it “sounds like a bug” and that Facebook is looking into it, but Facebook has not officially commented on the issue.

Bug or feature?

It took FedEx SmartPost six days to move a package 200 miles. It passed within five miles of my house on its first night in transit.

What a joke.

I spent quite a bit of time on my retreat this weekend thinking about the best way to use my devices. I’m currently going through and reorganizing my iPhone and iPad.

I can’t stand lazy journalism, especially when it fails to provide consumers even the least bit of context. As a pilot, I notice this laziness frequently in aviation reporting.

CBS News ran a segment about “dozens” of 737NGs being pulled from service “worldwide” due to cracks in their pickle forks. This critical component was designed to never need to be replaced, so these cracks are of concern.

Later in the segment, the banner said that “up to 50” 737NGs were pulled from service. CBSN cited Southwest Airlines and Qantas as each pulling three airplanes from service. They failed to mention that the SWA fleet is over 800 and Qantas operates 71 737NGs.

It takes almost a full a minute into the two-minute segment before the reporter briefly notes that there are over 6,800 737NGs in service worldwide.

.0076% of Boeing 737NGs in service were found to have cracked pickle forks as of the publication of the piece.

CBSN’s sensationalism is a disservice to us all.

How to Have a Recovery Day With the Apple Watch – Shawn Blanc

Play, Mind & Body, Flexibility, Climbing, Indoor Cycle, Core Training, and Strength Training

Wow! I need to investigate these “other” workouts.

Indoor climate control is a wonderful thing.

Google’s Secret ‘Project Nightingale’ Gathers Personal Health Data on Millions of Americans - WSJ

Neither patients nor doctors have been notified. At least 150 Google employees already have access to much of the data on tens of millions of patients

I can’t believe this news.

It’s troubling that many merchants and employers no longer follow the Federal Government in closing on Veterans Day. It’s true that many Americans fail to observe the day in any meaningful way, but the significance of the memorial cannot be understated.

Our global community has suffered through two World Wars in the past century. While our approach to those wars may be academic, war is anything but. The gruesome nature of the fighting, particularly the First World War, whose ending we commemorate today, exacts a huge toll on all involved.

Today, I pause to remember the countless men and women who gave of themselves for the cause of freedom. Everything that I have today, the peace and security that my family enjoys, is thanks to their selfless sacrifice.

Apple Arcade is not for me.

This past weekend, I went on a retreat at a local retreat center. It was my first private retreat in twelve years.

I left all of my devices at home. I didn’t read a book, I just existed. I dove into my thoughts, walked the retreat center’s grounds, and relaxed. It was a deeply peaceful experience.

Taking time away from commitments, responsibilities, and even communication was cathartic. I can’t wait to make my next one.

By almost every measure, this has been a fantastic year for me and my family. It seems that so many of my multi-year goals/projects all came to completion this year. It’s a new feeling to me, but one that’s deeply satisfying.

• I hit my weight goal (Eight years of work)
• My dad got his dream job! (Six years of work)
• Alison and I paid off nine of her student loans (Five years of work)
• I read 38 books (Ten months of work)
• I finished writing my third book (Six months of work)

The successes of this year feel every bit as good as I hoped that they would. Even better, I know that my improved physical, mental, and financial health will pay dividends into 2020 and beyond.

It’s been eight years since I made my last silent retreat. At a retreat house on the banks of the Potomac River, I took a few days to do nothing but focus on myself. Last Christas, Alison gave me the gift of a private retreat, which I’ll be making this weekend.

46 hours of a clear schedule and no responsibilities. I’m leaving behind my phone, watch, iPad, and computer. I’m particularly excited about this fact. I can’t wait to experience the clarity of mind that this lack of technology will bring, and I plan to make its effects lasting.

I’m going to take this time to focus on my interior life. See you on Sunday evening.

YouTube video title by Business Insider: Why Coca-Cola Invented Fanta in Nazi Germany.

Desperate.

Blackouts, Fires, High Gas Prices: Who Wants to Live in California Today? - WSJ

Long known as the home of easy living, with its beaches and year-round sunshine, California is increasingly seen as a perilous and unlivable place where the government and corporate institutions can’t reliably offer basic services.

Parents: If you’re in need of a digital thermometer that actually works and is consistent, I can vouch for this one. I don’t understand why it’s so hard to make a thermometer, but apparently it is. I’m glad my wife found it.

HVAC installers will be here to put in a new furnace. They were supposed to be doing an installation on new construction today, but rescheduled since we have no heat and cold weather in the forecast. I really appreciate when companies are run by humans.

I need to get groceries tomorrow, but HVAC installers will be here early putting in a new furnace.

This is the kind of situation that grocery delivery was made for!

Store intentionally puts light-up toys and candy by the cash register, only for the manager to complain that kids don’t move out of his way because they’re too distracted to hear him.

That’s on you, bro.

I love that I can go out and run errands while everyone is at work and school. No one likes traffic, and the fact that I can be out and about when traffic volume is light is wonderful. I move quickly and efficiently.

Yesterday, I had to go across town on one of the busier streets at 3pm. Schools were letting out and people were busy finishing up their day. Along the way, there was a traffic accident near a very congested intersection, blocking 2 of the 3 lanes.

Drivers were getting aggressive, and frustrated, as the bottleneck formed. With those three lanes merged into one, more than a few cars displayed a sense of entitlement as we all endured this traffic jam.

While I was sitting there, windows down on a gorgeous fall day, I considered the aggressive and confrontational nature of our driving. We see other cars as obstacles in our way, slowing us down, or otherwise frustrating our plans. We speed up and race people whom we’ll never meet, just to prove a point in our own minds. We cut others off, ignore the rules of the road, and are otherwise awful to one another.

What if instead of seeing the other cars as obstacles to be overcome, I saw them as the people driving them?

UPS delivered the final paperback proof of Humble Service this afternoon.

Everything looks great! The cover design is the trickiest element, but it came out as I planned.

I’m so happy with the way that this idea progressed into its final, beautiful form.

I’ve been having issues with iCloud Drive for the past day or so. It’s great when it works, and annoying when it doesn’t!

I don’t think that Starbucks coffee is all that unique. When consumed without sweetener, it’s a bit generic and has little personality. I think that explains all of the flavor options.

I went in today for my annual wellness physical. I don’t think it’s common for men of my age to participate in routine healthcare, but the visit is included in my health insurance plan. I have nothing to lose.

Since I go in every year about this time, I was very excited I secretly hoped my physician would notice my significant weight loss and praise my good work. I didn’t do it for him, but it would’ve been nice to receive some affirmation. I imagine it’d be like going to the dentist for a cleaning and triumphantly announcing that I had been flossing.

He didn’t mention it.

The nurse got an alert in the electronic medical record when she entered my weight. I saw the huge pop-up window, noting that my weight had plummeted 21%, asking to verify that the weight was correct. Oh boy was it!

I guess my only consolation is the spark of joy I get every time I see myself in the mirror. It’s a little reminder of the gift that I gave to myself by focusing on improving my physical health.

Why did they make Snoopy in Space into 12 small episodes? Each episode is only eight minutes long. Frustrating!

Now that I’m done with my book, I can move on to some other projects. I started with my site footers and now I’m going to loop back and make some improvements to a client’s site.

‘The Onion’ Announces New Nationwide Literacy Program Encouraging Kids To Read ‘The Onion’ For An Hour A Day

just one hour a day of reading The Onion is directly correlated with higher lifetime earnings, admission in Ivy League colleges, higher testosterone levels

Visa Introduces New Preloaded Debt Card - The Onion

The debt card offers something for all our customers, whether it’s young people who haven’t had a chance to go into the red yet, or families who could use a little help toward losing their home.

4 Times Mark Cuban Begrudgingly Offered A Contestant A Deal On ‘Shark Tank’ Because The Contestant’s Sob Story Was About The Time He Hit Them With His Car

I’ve been feeling really awful since Mark Cuban drove his car into me while I was walking into the studio this morning.

Medicare-For-All Worries Seniors Who Want To Keep Medicare’s Quality And Efficiency All To Themselves - The Babylon Bee

With Medicare, I get high-quality, cost-efficient, problem-free healthcare whenever I want, with no restrictions or rationing at all.

iCloud/Apple is so bad at contact photos. I spend so much time aligning and arranging the photos, only for iCloud to screw it all up.

Daughter just crashed with a fever at 102. Poor little girl. Kids are so cute when they’re sick.

I bought a FontAwesome 5 license during their Kickstarter back in 2017. I finally got to use that license on my footer project yesterday. I love these icons.

FontAwesome marked the Micro.blog icon as “in progress” four days ago. Perfect timing. 👍🏻

What a crazy morning. I feel really behind/overwhelmed. Busy afternoon, too!

I love to budget, or at least I love managing my budget. For years, before YNAB, I’d budget by using accounts. I had many accounts spread across several banks. It was a lot to manage, but it kept everything very clear to me.

With YNAB, I keep everything in a single checking account. Instead of using accounts to manage my budget, I let YNAB do the heavy lifting. I pay attention to category balances instead of account balances.

It was difficult to wrap my mind around this new way of doing things. Once I did, it made my life so much easier.

I am the king of my footer.

Dealing with 3rd Party sellers in the Amazon Marketplace is just the worst.

Incredible news coming from the Pacific Coast. The massive, extended rolling blackouts, wildfires, over a decade to fix utility infrastructure, yikes! It’s hard to believe that a single utility company bears so much responsibility for these woes.

The Editorial Board of The Wall Street Journal, in an unsigned editorial entitled Fires and Blackouts Made in Sacramento, offers this perspective:

The state Public Utilities Commission is in charge of enforcing state safety laws and regulations, which can carry penalties of up to $50,000 per violation per day. Yet PG&E received no safety fines related to its power-grid management over the last several years. The commission has instead focused on enforcing the Legislature’s climate mandates.

The article goes on to highlight the capital investments PG&E has made in order to meet its obligations under California green-energy legislation. In effect, the Editorial Board argues that capital that should’ve been directed to tree-trimming and upgrading infrastructure instead went to these unfunded mandates.

I’m not sure how well this argument holds up, but it certainly offers an interesting perspective. PG&E had a set amount of capital to spend, and management clearly made the wrong choice. The consequences are inconceivable in America today.

Photos in iOS13 is great. I love how it surfaces old memories, like the time I took Alison flying in a glider.

Middle daughter woke up sick. There goes today’s schedule!

I write about this kind of thing extensively in Humble Service.

This picture of newly-built 737 MAX aircraft on the ramp by Lindsey Wasson for Reuters is really cool. I love seeing all of the liveries together. It’s also cool to see the old and new United liveries next to each other.

AirPrint is one of the best utilities ever.

Eight years of tracking, over just like that.

Roger Stone Trial Likely to Be a Spectacle - WSJ

Contacted for comment, Bruce Rogow, Mr. Stone’s attorney, said: “I enjoy reading the WSJ and will look forward to your article. It will be an interesting trial.”

A much better reply than, “No comment.” Well done!

Cool clouds as we ran errands this afternoon.

Just witnessed OfficeMax charge a really old man to scan and email two sheets of paper. No class!

Book interiors of Humble Service have been delivered to Apple and Amazon. I ordered one more paperback proof to verify layout with the final page count.

Digital versions will release at midnight on November 26th. I expect the paperback edition to be available in the afternoon.

I love when Apple breaks their own software with OS releases and then doesn’t fix it.

iTunes Producer 3.1.1 doesn’t work in Catalina. I installed it on my MacBook Air running Mojave and got a certificate expired warning.

Classic!

We bought a new set of flatware in late August. We really like the set, especially the weight and the design.

Frustratingly, rust spots have started to develop on the handles of the knives. The flatware is made of the same material, with the same finish, but the spots only appear on the knives and only on the handles.

I contacted the manufacturer, Oneida, to find out about their warranty process. The rep informed me that rust is not covered under their warranty.

It’s always shocking to me when companies don’t stand behind their own products, especially an established company like Oneida.

Just complied the files of the First Edition of Humble Service.

Six months of work, five rounds of edits, and 40,000 words.

What an incredible feeling.

Can’t wait to release this book on November 26th with my family at our annual Thanksgiving vacation.

🎉

Fitbit will give you all of your data in CSV format, but only in 31-day increments.

What a bunch of tools.

It’s been nearly nine years since that cold, winter morning when I stepped on the scale and saw a number that scared me. I was six months out of college, living on my own, and in the worst physical condition of my life. That weigh-in set me on a journey. Today, all these months, meals, and workouts later, I’m 25% lighter, having also cut my body fat by 13 percentage points.

Honestly, I didn’t think it was possible. I set my weight goal in the upper limits of what the World Health Organization & CDC call “healthy.” I’ve done plenty of research and reading along the way, and I know that weight goals are normally subjective. Every body is different, and every body has a natural set-point, the point at which it’ll stubbornly resist further reduction in weight.

During this time, I’ve become an avid walker. It’s an exercise routine that’s a bit odd for men of my age, but it’s my preferred method of exercise. It’s great for managing my migraines, and gives me a little bit of quiet time to enjoy my podcasts in the morning.

The biggest breakthrough was not in my exercise regime, but in my diet. I had a pretty typical American diet up through the end of 2018. It was in December of that year that I really started looking for a diet to fully implement in my life. I wanted something that would give me a clear plan for what to eat. Alison and I settled on the Keto diet.

We were on keto for eight of the last ten months, only recently transitioning to a low carb high fat diet (LCHF). The key difference between the diets is basically 50 net carbs per day on LCHF instead of the keto 20 net carbs. As it turns out, many of the foods that I really love are LCHF.

The clear source of my weight problem was my high carb/sugar diet. I now average 6 grams of sugar per day and have no cravings. (6 grams is about a 1.25 teaspoons per day!) All of the sweets and treats that I used to eat no longer appeal to me. There are more than a few LCHF-friendly treats that hit the spot. I can manage to eat 1/4 cup (about a small single scoop) of Halo Top ice cream and be satisfied. I’ve even experienced the wonderful taste of coffee, who’s natural flavors I used to drown out in an ocean of cream and sugar.

The factor that made the biggest impact is that I adopted this diet not as a weight loss gimmick, or a short term fix. This diet gives me a clear plan with parameters in which I should operate.

I’m now entering dangerous territory. I’ve spent eight years in a period of weight loss; I now need to learn what it means to maintain my weight. I plan on continuing the positive daily habits that contributed to this success. I’m going to continue a food diary, daily weigh-ins, and morning walks. Over time, as I stay within the +/- 5 lbs. weight limit that I set for myself, I may pare back on the daily weigh-ins and the food diary.

I feel fantastic, for many reasons. I took my kids to swimming lessons last week and for the first time that I can remember, I took off my shirt before getting into the pool and did not feel self-conscious for a moment. That’s a tangible result from hard work and discipline.

The greatest source of joy that this change has brought is how I smile when I see myself in the mirror. The person that I see is the young, healthy, vibrant man that I used to see in my mind’s eye. Only now, there’s no distortion; it’s truly me.

Mixing cream is delightful to watch. ☕️

🎞

I have a two week vacation coming up at the end of the month. Once I finish up Humble Service and get it uploaded this weekend, I might take a break and start my Apple Arcade trial. 🕹

Alternate heating source.

Just a bit further now.

For three books, I’ve been doing my editing all wrong. Now I know for #4!

Recipe Behind Coca-Cola’s Milk Success: Less Sugar, More Protein - WSJ

While regular milk has 8 grams of protein and 12 grams of sugar per 8-ounce serving, ultrafiltered Fairlife and Organic Valley Ultra each have 13 grams of protein and 6 grams of sugar.

Fairlife rocks.

I went into BestBuy to get new AirPods. They rang me up at full price, so I had to price match them with… BestBuy.com.

They don’t have the same prices in-store and online.

Unreal.

Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party Fires Election Warning at Boris Johnson - WSJ

described British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s divorce deal with the European Union as a “sellout”

I don’t know about UK politics, but this makes Farage look like he’s secretly trying to prevent Brexit.

After rumors swirled last week, Google announced today that it will be acquiring Fitbit in the coming months.

My relationship with Fitbit goes back to January 2011, when I purchased my first tracker. The company had a compelling offer to consumers over the next few years. Decent products, built-in weekly step competitions with friends, and trackers to fit your preference. I personally always used the waistband clip-on models. I also loved the sleep tracking and silent alarm features.

My Fitbit account has 25 friends, family members and close personal friends. Only about seven are still active. That was the thing about Fitbit. People would get one as a gift, get really into it, and then slowly fade away. The trackers were easily lost, including my father-in-law who lost one in a snow bank.

Fitbit inspired my love of walking. I’ve also used two versions of their scales, which I think are among the best digital scales out there.

Some of the blame for the company’s failure is due Fitbit’s refusal to play nicely with others. When Apple Health came out, Fitbit adamantly refused to support data logging. You could use a work-around through other apps, but it was never clean. It seemed that Fitbit’s perspective was that allowing people to share their data with Apple or other apps would somehow risk them losing customers. This data lock-in policy turned me off to Fitbit.

It’s been more than a year since I’ve worn a Fitbit regularly. I did have a Inspire for three weeks in October, but I returned it on rumors of this merger. Interestingly, I paid $98 for the Inspire + waistband clip. For an extra $100, I could’ve bought an Apple Watch Series 3.

Now that Fitbit is joining Google, it’s time for me to do what I’ve done with all of my other Google accounts: erase my data and delete my account. I’ll keep using my Fitbit scale, but it’ll be disconnected from the Internet and I’ll log my daily weigh-ins manually.

It’s a shame that technology companies are being sucked up into the Big 4, but that’s what’s going on in the market today. I hope that changes, soon.

Apple Watch Competition to Grow as Google Plans Its Own Wearables Following Fitbit Acquisition - MacRumors

Fitbit health data will not be used for Google ads

Okay, sure, I believe you.

Grilled to perfection. 🔥🥩🔥

🎞

Looking good. 🥩

Cooking up a little red wine butter for tonight’s ribeyes. 🍷🧈🥩

Boy Scouts to boost annual youth fees by more than 80% - CNBC

As of Jan. 1, the annual membership fee for 2.2 million youth members will rise from $33 to $60

RIP

Walmart Grocery Delivery is not ready for prime time.

Halloween trick-or-treating at Mommy’s office was a great success.

Still on hold. 50 minutes later, ISP is only now reporting an outage.

The ISP hold music pauses every few minutes to remind me that I’m a valued customer. After 37 minutes of holding, I’m glad to have this distinction! I’d hate to find out how long non-valued customers have to wait on hold.

When is my ISP ever NOT experiencing unusually high call volume? 25 minutes on hold and counting…

Tim Cook says AirPods Pro are complementary to AirPods, not replacements

I would guess that one, particularly in the early going, will be people that have AirPods today and want to also have a pair for the times they need noise cancellation.

It’s nice to have dreams.

Downstairs heater is broken. Got down to 65 degrees last night. 🧊

Twitter to Ban Political Ads - WSJ

Paying to increase the reach of political speech has significant ramifications that today’s democratic infrastructure may not be prepared to handle. It’s worth stepping back in order to address.

This is dumb.

Apple Watch Sleep

Watch as sleep tracker,

Have a plan, app to record.

Need to get past bulk.

I guess tonight’s the night I upgrade to Catalina.

Very close to finishing my final round of edits. Down to the wire with release four weeks away. This is my least favorite part of writing a book, but honestly, the refinements I’m making are going to add significant polish to the final product. 📖

I’m glad this Fitbit/Google rumor came up now. I got a Fitbit tracker just a few weeks ago after over a year without one, so I’m still in the return window. Since I don’t do business with Google, this rumor is enough for me to return the tracker.

Texas Luring Jobs Away From California With Promises Of Electricity - The Babylon Bee

Newsom was also dismissive of the Lone Star State’s other claims, such as affordable housing, plenty of water, cheap gas, plastic straws, and not constantly being on fire.

There are very few solid road trip planning tools out there these days. 🗺

It’s the most important meal of the day. ☕️

Music handoff to HomePod is awesome.

Google is reportedly trying to buy Fitbit - The Verge

Google and Fitbit declined to comment to Reuters on the report.

I hope this doesn’t go through.

Since finishing Cal Newport’s Digital Minimalism this summer, I’ve been thinking a lot about my digital life. So much of what I consume digitally affects my mood and wellbeing. I want to be proactive in only consuming things that improve my mood.

My morning routine very clearly sets the tone for my day. I can notice tangible differences on days when I skip my morning walk, or when I start my day looking at my phone. Now that fall is here and I’m in the new year mood, I thought it was time to take a closer look at my waking hours.

I get up early, about two hours before my kids. Over the years, I’ve spent that time in different ways. At times, I’d use it to read the newspaper cover to cover. Other times, I’d use it for work or to knock out a project. Lately, I’ve used it to walk for an hour, get ready for the day, and pray.

While walking, I listen to podcasts. I subscribe to a small range of shows, mostly news and current events. With the election season ramping up, I found myself getting worked up while walking, an activity that should be relaxing. I’d feel the anxiety that comes when I think too much about the future that I have little control over. We’re still months away from the thick of primary season and many news podcasts have been talking about the election for almost a year now. That means I can waste all sorts of time thinking about candidates who will never make it to the final heat.

I have a new program, and it gives me two hours of peace to start my day. I wake up, and I don’t look at my phone. I subscribe to podcasts that appeal to my other interests, such as personal finance and personal technology. I get back from my walk, and I still don’t look at my phone. I get ready for the day, and then spend ten minutes in my favorite meditation app, Hallow. I spend another twenty minutes in prayer.

Only then, two hours after waking up, do I open my email inbox, or my RSS reader, or even respond to messages.

Those two hours, in the quiet stillness of early morning, are mine. I relish the peace of this new routine.

Spooky. 🎃

Trump Moves Closer to Ending Another Post-Cold War Treaty - WSJ

President Trump has signed a document signaling his intent to withdraw the U.S. from the 1992 Open Skies Treaty

Very bad idea.

Islamic State Leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi Is Dead, Trump Says - WSJ

Baghdadi Killed Some of His Children in Suicide Vest Blast, Trump Says

The end of another dark chapter in human history.

Happy Sunday!

I mean, who’s going to give Kevin an award? Dunkin Donuts?

Michael Scott 🍩

Bishops Ask Pope Francis to Allow Married Priests in the Amazon - WSJ

the bishops asked the pope to establish criteria and procedures for the ordination as priests of “suitable and esteemed men of the community … having a legitimately constituted and stable family.”

Disaster.

That’s a mirror finish.

Nine hours of work and both cars are back in service. I did full exterior and interior detailing while Alison watched the kids. It was nice to be able to move fluidly from task to task. The perfect fall day to get this done and I love having a garage! 🚐

Three hours in and the van is compounded, polished, and waxed. Now to turn my attention to the interior.

Apple Pay at the gas pump is awesome. ⛽️

Closed on Sunday, You my Chick-fil-a

From Closed on Sunday by Kanye West

I’m taking the van out of service this afternoon for it’s semi-annual deep cleaning & wax. A big job that’s always satisfying when complete. 🚐

Ghost Town 🍿

Twelve years since I published the first episode of my first podcast, ChetRadio. The podcast is long over, but it started me on this digital journey all of those years ago.

Diplomat Draws ‘Direct Line’ Between Ukraine-Aid Holdup, Trump’s Push for Probes - WSJ

Except I can’t actually read what he testified. This modern trend of closed door testimony with biased political commentary is no way to run a government. Both parties are guilty of it.

Apple and I have very different ideas of what “pine green” looks like.

It’s hard for Russian trolls to deceive you when you get your news from accredited news organizations and aren’t on any social media sites.

Afternoon.

Small Island Of Uncultured Savages Rejects America’s Gracious Attempt To Introduce Them To Good Food - The Babylon Bee

Chick-fil-A aid workers said that though they were chased off, they are still praying for the conversion of the natives and say it is their pleasure to spread the gospel of normal human food to unreached peoples no matter the personal cost.

Editing is my least favorite part of the process. I know I’ll treasure the work more if I go through this last round of refinements.

Hanging out in the pumpkin patch.

Saturday morning breakfast is a special time. 🍳🥓☕️

So many more edits to make on my new book. Way more work than I was expecting, but I need to get this right. Just over a month to release.

Florida’s Reform Momentum - WSJ Opinion

The first cohort of voucher recipients is 71% black and Hispanic, according to state data. Eighty-seven percent have household incomes at or below 185% of the poverty line

This distribution of school vouchers is interesting.

Goodnight, Sun.

Super Size Me 🍿

Another friendly robot by Benedict, along with the sun and moon. Also, those extra dots on the moon aren’t eyes, they’re craters.

Done with Benedict’s first quarter of Kindergarten. Time to fill out his report card, which seems silly to me. ✏️

Happy International Credit Union Day! 💵

Youth Suicide Rate Increased 56% in Decade, CDC Says - WSJ

Some mental-health experts suggest that social-media use among teens might be fueling the increase in mental-health conditions and leading to greater suicide risk, and some early studies have linked smartphone use to anxiety, depression and sleep deprivation among adolescents.

No doubt.

I had to send my wedding ring off to be resized. Feels weird after seven years of continuous wear.

When all three kids end up in time out at the same time, you know an afternoon nap is in order.

LeBron James Says Rosa Parks’s Bus Protest ‘Could Have Waited A Week’ - The Babylon Bee

When Rosa Parks started the bus boycott by refusing to give up her seat, I guess there were some sporting events scheduled that week in downtown Montgomery that lost a lot of revenue. It wasn’t fair to them. I can’t really blame Ms. Parks though. She was just misinformed.

Oppressed Chinese Citizens Apologize To NBA Players For Disrupting Their Difficult Week - The Babylon Bee

Oppressed Chinese citizens admitted that their constant fear of being punished by their corrupt Communist government is nothing compared with the concerns of tweeting a couple things that might get some backlash, or losing a percentage of your profits because you spoke up against totalitarianism.

I need to seriously buckle down and do the final read through of Humble Service and get it off to the printers. November 26th will be here before I know it!

Blank by Cotton Bureau is a great shirt. It’s too bad the business line didn’t work out for them.

LeBron James Spoke Carefully—Until the NBA’s Crisis in China - WSJ

said Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey was “misinformed” when he put out a since-deleted tweet in support for Hong Kong’s anti-government protesters

I don’t buy suits from a tire shop.

In all of e-commerce outside of Amazon, Jos. A. Bank stands apart in their ability to fulfill and deliver an order quickly. I’m impressed!

I don’t find Slack to be particularly intuitive.

The International 🍿

Interest Rates Are Falling—but Your Credit-Card Rate Could Be Going Up - WSJ

rates on private-label credit cards, which can be used only in certain stores, also are rising. The average APR on these cards reached 27.5%

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I love October.

I forgot how wonderful it is to climb into a super-cooled bed on an autumn evening.

Workout buddy.

The FBI Lost Our Son - WSJ

Agent Waters asked the Reillys to persuade the Journal not to print anything about the FBI.

Incredible, thorough, hard-hitting journalism. Every Agent’s name and conduct is documented. A master class in holding public institutions to account.

Gripen - Always combat ready - YouTube

I’ve always admired the way that European air forces can operate from tiny airfields, even temporary ones on roads. It’s a neat capability.

World War II Drama ‘Masters of the Air’ Will Be Apple’s First In-House Apple TV+ Series - MacRumors

The new show will follow the true story of the American bomber boys in World War II

For this, I would subscribe.

Kids playing, cold weather outside, heavy rain all morning, Olafur Arnalds playing on the HomePod, coffee and iPad at my kitchen desk. This is awesome. ☕️🍂🌧

Made it through flu shots for all three kids. The relational damage done is yet to be determined.

Nothing is more empowering for a reader than setting down a bad book, unfinished, never to return.

Dealing with Amazon is necessary in order to get my books printed and in the market. But like any social network, I have to play by their rules, even if those rules makes things much more confusing for my customers.

I reported a street light out yesterday online and got an email today saying that it was fixed. I’m impressed with the automation of that reporting system. 💡

There are very few situations as a stay-at-home dad that get me frazzled.

Taking three little kids into a public bathroom does it every time.

Apple Pulls Hong Kong Protest App From App Store Following Chinese Criticism - MacRumors

Apple approved HKmap Live last week after reviewing its decision to initially reject the app from the  App Store 

Apple’s courage is limited to headphone jack removal.

There’s an option in Safari 13 on macOS to not print headers/footers on a website. I can’t believe I never noticed that option before. Perfect!

Hello again, morning chill. 🍁

PG&E to Cut Power for Nearly 800,000 Customers Due to Wildfire Risk - WSJ

The shut-offs are set to start shortly after midnight Wednesday and could last for multiple days and cover parts of 34 of California’s 58 counties

Unreal.

Cleaning day is a busy one.

I have a hard time accepting that Purdue Pharma is solely culpable for the opioid epidemic in the same way that I’d have trouble accepting that Anheuser-Busch is solely culpable for DUI highway deaths.

Crazy year for Apple releases.

Fall may have started a few weeks ago, but it has only just arrived. 🍁

The Bourne Ultimatum 🍿

The Bourne Supremacy 🍿

I completed my 2019 Goodreads Reading Challenge with 35 books read. A full list with links to my reviews is up on my website.

I’ve read 65 books in the last 22 months, and my backlog of “to read” books on my bookshelf is almost finally empty!

Incredible Devotion: This Tibetan Monk Remembers To Do His Meditation App Almost 5 Days A Week

He recently offered a discount code he received through the app to several of the younger monks in his hermitage as part of his commitment to helping them grow in their faith

Dreamsicle sky.

I just found an Apple Music exclusive concert with Ludovico Einaudi. Video discovery in Apple Music is not easy, but I’m really looking forward to this one! 🎧

Another day, another robot. Meet Typebot. 🤖

I just blew my kids’ minds with a timber hitch knot. All these years later, I’ve still got it.

Eight and a half years since setting the goal, I’m now 12 days away from hitting my target weight.

The Bourne Identity 🍿

The Red Meat Rethink - WSJ | Opinion

Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health warned that the conclusions could “erode public trust in scientific research.”

I disagree. Our body of knowledge is always growing. Updating based on new evidence strengthens trust and credibility.

It’s import to thoroughly wash shrimp before eating.

The Chaos of Weather Forecasts - WSJ

If the weather forecast is wrong, we might be tempted to blame the meteorologists, but it could be the fault of the mathematics.

A nice primer, but I could go for a deeper dive into the subject.

The dense app grid on iPadOS is too much for me, but you can’t get Today View on the home screen without it. That doesn’t make sense to me.

Copy edits complete. Time to compile and get another proof. Just a few more things to do before I’m ready to send all of the files to the cloud.

Naps are on the agenda for the afternoon.

Is there a better team than Micro.blog & MarsEdit?

Winter will be here before we know it. ❄️

The fog descends.

My neighbors waste no time decorating for Halloween. 🎃

Slow cooker recipes are perfect for cleaning day. 🥘

Lunch time and the first load of laundry is just now coming out of the dryer. Not great. 🧺

Piling On: Lysol Is Following Microsoft’s Lead With A Series Of Ads Absolutely Dunking On MacBooks - Clickhole

One ad depicts a smiling mom wiping down a sticky counter on one side of the screen, while on the other a disheveled, unhappy-looking mother drags a MacBook across a puddle of spilled juice, smearing the juice all over the place before she dejectedly throws the MacBook down on the counter and complains that it’s a “useless piece of garbage.”