Reading

Public Phone

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As opposed to griping about people on their phones, it may be best to make use of my own iPhone and discover some of those benefits. Some use cases that works for me:

Blog and write with the phone

I use iA Writer on all my devices to write these articles, then press send. From there it is automagically published to my websites.

Process Images

Reviewing my images on Apple devices with Apple Photos is so pleasurable that it reminds me of the analog photo contact sheets. For quick edits of images taken from the phone, to again, publishing them to my website(s.)

Voice Dictation

Forget Siri. I’ll occasionally use this tool for quick Notes or in the Reminders app. Bonus usage in iA Writer too. Writing and blogging by voice is almost 90% accurate so I need to talk slower and enunciate.

Successful test

Reading

Apple Books or Libby

Reading digital books with these apps is a joy. What better way to spend your time when you are waiting in line in public?

Little Free Library

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When placing my geocache earlier today, I noticed that the hide spot, a Little Free Library stand was neglected. I checked the registration on their website and noticed it was no longer active. An FLF representative returned my email inquiry indicating that it was likely abandoned since nothing was registered on their charter list.

Part two of my inquiry , was to ask for permission to become a steward of the FLF stand and they were agreeable. I am currently waiting for a reply to my FLF request to be placed back on the map and when approved, I will become it’s new librarian. I’ll then stock the library with some donated books and make a few purchases at a local used book store. Stay tuned!

The Infinite Web

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From the short story of Jorge Luis Borges’ “Book of Sand,” there is an ancient book with no beginning and has no end. The narrator discovers this simple-looking book contains endless volumes of information that was good and evil.

“I realized that the book was monstrous. It was cold consolation to think that I, who looked upon it with my ten flesh-and-bone fingers, was no less monstrous than the book. I felt it was a nightmare thing, an obscene thing, and that it defiled and corrupted reality. I considered fire, but I feared that the burning of an infinite book might be similarly infinite, and suffocate the planet in smoke.”

He quickly deposits the terrifying, infinite book to the National Library and vows never to go to a library or bookstore again.

It’s strange to me to think that we open our very own Books of Sand every day without thinking of the consequences. The sheer infinite volume of the WWW is too difficult to imagine. It is our nightmare and distorts our reality. Like all tools, it can be used for good, but we humans do a frightening job of perverting even the best intentions.

Personal Publishing Principles

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When’s the last time you went to an actual website to read a real article written by a human, without being slapped in the face by pop-ups, cookie warnings, ads, and lead-generating magnets? It’s past time to get back to the basics of the WWW. So, here are a few thoughts on how and why this website and extensions of itself exist. First off- This is a one man publishing house. So no one else to blame but me.

My Personal Site

Can be the best place to build relationships and network.

This is where I can offer my thoughts products and services best.

When someone does a web search of me, I’d rather project intentional information that I am responsible for and not some random post on social media to be taken out of context.

This is the best spot to test all my ideas/projects/products that I come up with. Not all will work, but those that do not will see a proof of concept.

This is my place where I can express myself (see below for my blog principles.) The newsletters, micro posts, blog articles, e-zines, presets and more are offshoots.

My Personal Blog

This is my personal site. There are many like it, but this one is mine. The content and style are uniquely my own in its content and style. All articles are not to be reflective of anyone else but myself.

The most successful websites reach out and share with others. Online friendships and networking opportunities have come from twenty plus years of writing.

There is no competition.

Thinking out loud in public builds trust and shows progress towards a successful idea.

Long and short form writing on a personal website gives you an honest glance inside a writer’s brain.

Building relationships means you share stories. Stories solidify relationships.

This website has oscillated between a personal journal, to honest product reviews and networking with others. There is no intent to show that I am an authority to speak on anything, or I know more than you. I am too humble for that.

This website will always be anti-advertising, anti-algorithms and anti-tracking.

This website and its maintenance help my brain.

Perfection, consistency, and expectations die here.

Failure and success will both be public here. New things are tried, most fail, but an effort to be anti-boring is strong.

My Personal Newsletter

The free newsletter is an extension of my personal website. It promises to be easily digestible, free-spirited, informal and informational.

An attempt at consistency will be made because people enjoy their routines. I’m leaning towards Sunday morning deliveries, just like the newspapers of old. Remember those?

Obscure links to points of interest, fun, hand drawn or photos shared with interesting illustrations.

The newsletter makes $0 and is not intended to spam for any amount of money. All products I share are free to use and retain a Creative Commons license ©© with attribution.

The newsletter’s intent is to share, build relationships, network, share, etc. There are no pay walls. This is to gather an audience only.

It’s a private email list. No information will be shared. Ever.

I write for only two people: you and me.

I curate information that is of interest to me. Not only that, but I share, and sometimes people enjoy them.

Media Log

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“There is now a little question that how one uses one’s attention, moment to moment, largely determines what kind of person one becomes. Our minds, our lives are largely shaped by how we use them.”

Sam Harris

In other words, we are what we consume. I want to create a monthly1 maybe? log of my media consumption that tracks my passivity, and cultivates my creativity. Example: If I go further, I could map how reading a book sparks a desire to see a show based on it for a broader perspective. A podcast could point me towards a book I otherwise would have passed up.

I’ll attempt to track the shows and movies I stream (no cable service for me!), books I’ve read, podcasts/music I’ve listened to and the rare YT video I watch. Don’t judge me. I’ve been in bed for almost three weeks nursing an ankle issue(!) I may even expand this log to web links I’ve enjoyed and favorited for future use 2eventually. To kick off, I’ll just log what I can remember from April and May of this year.

Viewed

  • Suspicion- Apple TV
  • The Machine That Kills Mean People- HBO
  • Severance- Apple TV
  • Outer Ridge- Amazon
  • Devs- Hulu
  • Tehran- Apple TV
  • Frasier- Hulu
  • Star Trek: Strange New Worlds- Paramount
  • Star Trek: Picard season 2- Paramount
  • Star Trek: Discovery- Paramount
  • Star Trek: Generations- Paramount
  • Reservoir Dogs- HBO
  • The Book of Boba Fett- Disney
  • The King’s Man- HBO
  • The Batman- 1/2 in theater, 100% on HBO
Strange New Worlds

Read

  • Ghost Fleet
  • You Are An Artist
  • The Nowhere Man
  • Orphan X
  • Reliquary
  • Kaiju Preservation Society
  • The Return
Jurassic Park but bigger critters

Listened

  • Not Lost
  • iPhoneography Podcast
  • Dialogues
  • Focused
  • Mac Power Users
  • Music- I borrowed a lot of compact discs from the library to transfer music to my iPod. Remember those?
CDs and LPs

A Few Thoughts On…

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  1. Creativity and imagination needs to be constantly fed.
  2. Reading is an anytime, anywhere pastime
  3. Slow down.
  4. Excuses delay the inevitable.
  5. Make time for good conversation.
  6. Apply what you know.
  7. Chase the knowledge.
  8. Organize your desk.
  9. Make yourself so good that they don’t want to let you go.
  10. You are only as good to them as your last quarter.
  11. Do or don’t.
  12. Try.
  13. Your best effort wants to come out. Give it a go.
  14. Essentialism > minimalism
  15. Personal development > formal education.
  16. Learning > formal education
  17. Moderation in all things (sugar, salt, social media, alcohol, spending)
  18. Let the tools do their job. Your brain can take care of the rest.
  19. Pen to paper > fingers to keyboard.
  20. What is your origin story? Document your progress.
  21. Change is good.
  22. Willingness to change is even better.
  23. Laughing is a habit-forming drug.
  24. No one told you because they didn’t know either.
  25. Asking is free.
  26. Doing > over-analyzing how to do it.
  27. Your thoughts are clouded and stuck in high fructose corn syrup.
  28. Youth is a feeling, not an age.
  29. Call your loved ones.
  30. Forgive yourself.
  31. Forgive them.
  32. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness > whatever else you are doing instead.

Aggregate Your News

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One of the pillars of the internet , next to e-mail, is the personal, humble blog. You know, the social internet, not social media. Creators, writers, photographers, video hosts, and podcasters all need to put their works on a site that they own and fully control as opposed to posting on restrictive social media outlets. These personal websites will then generate what is called a feed for syndicating their works out to the internet (RSS or Really Simple Syndication).

That is step one. Step two is reminding their followers, their fans and their audience to embrace RSS aggregators, or feed readers so they can continue to enjoy the creator’s content. Sounds simple, yeah?

These RSS readers pull the website owner/creator’s latest articles into an easily readable format that the individual controls. Not some algorithms that are driven by social media control or advertising. RSS has no advertising1unless the creator mentions their sponsors, that is.. You are in charge of what you want to read, who you want to read it from and to save it later for reference- or discard. You are in charge of your intake.

A screenshot of my feeds from Reeder.

Start by adding sources you know and trust. A source is a place where information comes from. When you add sources to your feed reader, you’ll be able to monitor them all in one place. By sources, I don’t just mean news sites. Sources can include:

  • RSS feeds

    Subscribe to the RSS feed of any source or publication.

  • Magazines

    Follow everything from major industry publications to niche magazines.

  • Blogs
  • Get new posts from industry thought leaders, medium authors, or personal interest blogs.

  • News publications
    Follow major news publications or local news sources.

  • Research journals

    Keep up with the newest literature in your area of study.

  • Twitter Pull content from Twitter accounts, hashtags, Lists, and searches into your feed reader. No ads!
  • Newsletters
  • Get email newsletters delivered to your reader so you can declutter your inbox and read without distractions.
  • Reddit

    Get posts from subreddits and searches in your feeds.

  • YouTube

    Subscribe to YouTube channels or playlists and get new videos in your feeds.

  • Podcasts

    Follow podcasts and never miss out on new episodes of your favorite programs.

Which feed reader should you use?

Start simple and free- try Feedly ( no, this is not a paid endorsement) In fact, I started to use Feedly a long time ago but opted for a cleaner, more personal aggregate called Reeder and FeedBin. These are one time purchases for me. Feedly has iOS, Android and web apps so you can access your feeds. Your news, your way.

Feedly web interface

It is way past time to delete your social media accounts and rejoin the social internet, like we used to do. The World Wide Web is a much better place and it starts with all of us taking control of our websites and consuming them our way.

And of course I would appreciate being one of the first web sources you add to your new RSS feed reader. When you do, drop me an email to let me know. It is the social internet after all. If you have a website, I’d be happy to subscribe to it in my feed as well.

My web feed is simply http://chrisdenbow.com/feed

My email is hello [at] chrisdenbow.com

Reading Hacks

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I spent some time today to write a template script in Brainiac, my second brain, that will add metadata every time I want to review or take notes from a book. It’s simple but will save me a lot of time re-typing or cut/paste for every note.

I don’t know when Apple added a “Want To Read” option when looking through their book store but it is a must-have feature for me. In a physical bookstore I often take photos of the book covers as a reference for later. The problem with that is I rarely follow-up with those. Now I have a reference when I want to purchase or check to see if the library has a copy to borrow.

Lately I’ve been I’ve been reading about a page or two in bed and then quickly fall asleep.1or it keeps me awake for hours! This adds a few days to my reading habit. My goal is to read a minimum of two books a month this year, with a lot of novels stocked up waiting on me so I have a lot to look forward to and complete that goal.

Also, I need to work on updating The Library page of this website more frequently. 

April 13, 2022 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. [[Reading]] [[Blog]] [[CD.com]]

Well-Read

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“A book is a loaded gun in the house next door…Who knows who might be the target of the well-read man?” – Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

So I’ve decided to chip away at my F#$k It list by tackling the easiest ones first. Small victories and all that. I haven’t found any book clubs nearby that didn’t include Oprah-reading women’s only groups but the search continues. I grabbed three classics including Fahrenheit 451, A Brave New World by Aldous Huxley and The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway.