Google on Google+:

The consumer version of Google+ currently has low usage and engagement: 90 percent of Google+ user sessions are less than five seconds.

lol.

Few things are as satisfying as pressing “Publish” in RapidWeaver.

Last week we celebrated the Feast of St. Francis, and today’s First Reading brings to us the story of creation of woman and a short discourse on marriage.

We are all created in God’s image and likeness, and we are all His children. It’s easy to see God in my seven month daughter, as she smiles back at you, but how easy is it to see in your political opponent? We’re quick to judge those around us, or that senator in media reports, but how often do we pause to look for Christ in them?

First Reading: Genesis 2:18-24

Second Reading: Hebrews 2:9-11

Gospel: Mark 10:2-16

I find iOS 12’s Screen Time to be completely useless.

For a society that claims to deny the existence of a right to another person, we sure do espouse a lot of ideas that are based exclusively on that right.

Washed, waxed, and ready for winter.

In the early morning hours, I contemplate the depths of Your love.

I refuse to buy International Delight Coffee Creamer until they bring back Wayne Brady.

Went to a local brewery with Alison for date night. I had a root beer and street tacos, which were delicious.

Breakthrough: I’ve discovered how to not display dates on blog posts in RapidWeaver.

Last night, I took off my Fitbit. I’m not planning on putting it back on.

I’ve worn a Fitbit almost every day since 2011. I started with the Ultra, moved over to the One, and for a very short time, wore the Charge HR. I ended up having that nasty rash everyone was talking about.

I’ve had dozens of friends wear a Fitbit over the years, with very few sticking with it more than a year. My friends list is a ghost town of inactivity, with probably only four users active on any given week. I’m soon to join the ghosts.

I’ve struggled to understand, especially in the Apple Watch era, how Fitbit remains so arrogant. They throw their weight around pretending to be the big kid on the block, when, from my perspective, they’re a mid-size semi-niche company. They get market share, but their customers don’t stick around. The move that’s emblematic of this misplaced confidence is their adamant refusal to add support for Apple Health, as if doing so would yield market share to Apple.

Fitbit’s business plan has them moving towards all-wrist trackers with the sole exception of the cheap, and easy to lose, Zip. They discontinued my One in the last few months, including the accessories (clip, sleep band) that need replacing about every 12 to 18 months. I’ve never liked wrist trackers for step counts because they’re less accurate than a waist-worn one.

I’m ending my near decade long relationship with the company. They failed to capture my imagination or loyalty, which is shocking given how long they’ve had.

In the end, I’m no longer motivated by a step count. I’m going to stick with my Apple Watch.

Walmart is killing Amazon on pricing.

I just played around with Shortcuts, and it’s as disappointing as Workflow. This is not an OS feature that will be easily adopted by normal iPhone users because it’s so unintuitive.

I’ve written about my activities and included a photo in Day One Journal every day since January 1, 2016. Today I received my first printed version, which was entries from the first six months of 2018. I’m delighted at the product and the historical record I’ve left for myself.

I opted to go for the hardcover and color printed pages, each of which was $5 extra. For the result, the overall staying power and the beauty of my pages in full color, it was well worth the extra $10.

This is an extremely well thought-out product. Assembling, choosing the photos, and ordering was very simple. The only hard part was waiting for delivery.

This simple habit has turned into something very special for me. Not only do I get to experience these great photos from my life, but when I take the time to write seriously about my activities of the day, I can look back and remember not just what I did, but how it felt.

I’m grateful for this app and I can’t wait to order the rest of my printed journals.

Dental cleanings are usually uncomfortable. Although there was a lot of descaling to do, I really enjoyed watching my children play and read books in the mirror above the dental chair.