June 2005

Snow Crash (Bantam Spectra Book) by Neal Stephenson (kottke.org) – Kottke is on to the same idea I’ve had recently: “Is fiction better at presenting ideas in a non-theatening manner than non-fiction?” I’d add that it’s more compelling as well…

Crazy eBay mom – I need to look at this at least once a week to convince me to throw stuff away.

Celsius1414: Zen Pockets – “1. What tools do I truly need to carry with me everywhere, every day? 2. What other tools do I really need to do my work today? Carry no more, and carry no less.”

Turn On, Tune In, Veg Out – New York Times – Neal Stepheson thinks techies in the U.S. are the “Jedi” of our era; doomed to extinction because we have lost touch with those doing the real work – “The tedious particulars of keeping ourselves alive, comfortable and free are being taken offline to countries…more

The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race – Jared Diamond says it was agriculture, which made the rich possible and enslaved the poor

Design Observer: writings about design & culture: The Obvious, Shunned by So Many, Is Successfully Avoided Once Again – “Pullman stared at the mess for a moment, and then his face brightened. “Hey,” he said, as if a great idea was just occuring to him. “Why avoid the obvious?” He then took away everything but…more

David Foster Wallace at Kenyon’s Commencement – “The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad petty, unsexy ways every day.”

David Foster Wallace at Kenyon’s Commencement – “There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.”

David Foster Wallace at Kenyon’s Commencement – “If you’re automatically sure that you know what reality is, and you are operating on your default setting, then you, like me, probably won’t consider possibilities that aren’t annoying and miserable. But if you really learn how to pay attention, then you will know there are other options….more

Tumbleweed Tiny House Company | Houses – these are awesome; strange that a big guy like me would want a little house, but maybe that’s why…i have enough big things already…