Three-year-olds are sometimes called “three-nagers.” They can go from excited and playful to moody and recalcitrant with seemingly no explanation. In those moments, I sometimes get upset too. I like playing with Grace, even to the point of spoiling. But when I take the time and effort to put her fun first, that three-nager attitude […]
The Art of Procrastination by John Perry What some may think is tongue in cheek is actually brutally honest in this short, funny book. My wife and I are both procrastinators, so we had a good evening me reading this book instead of working and her listening to the best laugh lines every ten minutes […]
Essentialism by Greg McKeown I got so much out of this book, I read it twice in two days. I made some immediate changes to my business and schedule right afterwards. I wish I’d read this a year ago. The Art of Learning by Josh Waitzkin I wish I’d read this ten years ago. I […]
You Need a Budget by Jesse Mecham The creator of the You Need a Budget (YNAB) software, which I began using recently, wrote this book to publish his philosophy of modern budgeting. Both the software and this book do a good job of not making assumptions about what the user/reader want to do with their […]
168 hours a week. Sleep for 56 and you still have 112 remaining. Work 40, commute 10, and you still have 62 hours under your command.
Our household recently switched to You Need a Budget (YNAB) after many years of using Mint. YNAB is missing a report I’d find useful: Savings Rate. That metric is the most important consideration in Mr. Money Mustache’s “Shockingly Simple Math Behind Early Retirement”. YNAB has a well-documented API so I was thinking of making a […]
I signed up at dailycodingproblem.com and I’m posting my solutions in a Codepen.io collection. Four questions in, three were not tough at all and one completely stumped me. I bought this book to compensate: Introduction to Algorithms, Second Edition I got an old edition because it’s 20% the price and but it’s the same edition […]
Holidays are good times to reflect on how we’re living our life and how it can be done best. This talk is one I return to a lot, and it seemed appropriate today. Happy Father’s Day.
Mike Monteiro’s new book, Ruined by Design, is an eye-opening take on ethical dilemmas facing/caused by designers. And by his definition even a typist like me is a designer. I was fortunate enough to get my copy signed when Mike was in town last month but it reads just as well unsigned. I re-read Deep […]
It’s tempting to catch up, do extra, race harder, or double down. Looking back at what’s been done (or more often in my case, ruminating on how much less than desired is done) and demanding a new, better pace going forward. But none of those options gives you any more hours, any more energy, or […]
Alex Gustafson