Happy birthday! Lurker from Obsidian days, love the deeper dives, whys, and systems behind note-taking, research, and taking action, rather than just tool reviews you so often see out there.
I honestly don't think I could enjoy writing as much if I was just writing about how I write. Productivity articles from people who are productively helping people be productive gets a little recursive, even if I do worry they most readers only tolerate my weird niche interests since the Obsidian stuff is exponentially more possible. But I can't get good at taking and organizing notes if I'm not doing stuff with the notes!
Happy early birthday! Hope you have a good time in Salt Lake City.
Did you know that during WW2, the Japanese distilled Pine needles into fuel as part of rationing?
I read something that the Germans realized they were losing the war when their scouts noticed that Americans left their vehicles idling when not in use.
I wonder if you could write an article dealing with rationing different approaches, and how societies reacted to it.
I did not know that! I will have to look into it, rationing across cultures definitely sounds like the sort of thing that is up my alley and a good candidate for an article!
I will check these out, thank you! I've historically avoided biographies but lately I've been really enjoying them. Carter Beats the Devil looks delightful.
oh I’m so delighted to hear that you’re enjoying Readwise and the daily quote review! The new Themed Reviews are awesome — one of mine actually inspired the post I did about character & crisis.
One of the things the themed reviews have done for me, and that I didn't expect, is to uncover highlights I saved years ago that no longer resonate with me. I'm trying to let go of things I no longer need in general, and these have given me the permission to discard highlights that no longer serve a useful purpose for me.
I know I am intrinsically a digital hoarder, and discarding these highlights is both very hard and surprisingly freeing.
For distributed consciousness, I think Vernor Vinge’s Tines from “A Fire Upon the Deep” might interest you. Not sure if it fits your other requirements though.
I also hope you post something about the fiction recommendations you get, because I would love to find exactly the same thing you're looking for.
I finally read the two books in Becky Chambers's Monk and Robot series recently ("A Psalm for the Wild-Built" and "A Prayer for the Crown-Shy") and loved them. I loved their gentleness and general positive outlook on their world and their future. I have the first book in her Wayfarers series next in my queue after I finish the seventh book of Christopher Ruocchio's Sun Eater series (which definitely does NOT fit into the gentle and positive mold, but is still compelling to me after following it for years).
I liked Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (or whatever it’s actually called) but I bounced off Becky Chamber’s sequel for reasons I no longer recall — maybe it was about different characters and I didn’t really care about them? But I didn’t realize she had other books, so I’ll check these out, thank you!
I sure do have a lot of friend birthdays scheduled in December! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I will certainly check out the distributed cognition description, and I will re-read your notetaking article. THANK YOU FOR A GREAT YEAR OF SUBSTACKS!\
Hah, same honestly. My mother in law, husband, four good friends, and a friend's wife all have birthdays within a week of mine.... and that's just off the top of my head!
Happy Birthday.
I'm another who has been following your work since your Obsidian days.
Hope you have a wonderful day 🥰
Happy birthday! Lurker from Obsidian days, love the deeper dives, whys, and systems behind note-taking, research, and taking action, rather than just tool reviews you so often see out there.
I honestly don't think I could enjoy writing as much if I was just writing about how I write. Productivity articles from people who are productively helping people be productive gets a little recursive, even if I do worry they most readers only tolerate my weird niche interests since the Obsidian stuff is exponentially more possible. But I can't get good at taking and organizing notes if I'm not doing stuff with the notes!
Happy birthday!!!
I've been following your work since Obsidian launched.
I'm always inspired by it.
Many happy returns!!!
Happy early birthday! Hope you have a good time in Salt Lake City.
Did you know that during WW2, the Japanese distilled Pine needles into fuel as part of rationing?
I read something that the Germans realized they were losing the war when their scouts noticed that Americans left their vehicles idling when not in use.
I wonder if you could write an article dealing with rationing different approaches, and how societies reacted to it.
I did not know that! I will have to look into it, rationing across cultures definitely sounds like the sort of thing that is up my alley and a good candidate for an article!
I am not sure I have anything directly hitting your gentle request, but here are some things that have served a similar purpose for me:
- Carter Beats the Devil by David Glen Gold (this might hit your request directly?)
- Steve Martin's autobiography Born Standing Up
- Mike Birbiglia's podcast Working it Out.
I will check these out, thank you! I've historically avoided biographies but lately I've been really enjoying them. Carter Beats the Devil looks delightful.
Happy Birthday, and a Thank You: I didn't know about Readwise until one of your recent posts and getting my daily quotes/notes makes me SO HAPPY.
oh I’m so delighted to hear that you’re enjoying Readwise and the daily quote review! The new Themed Reviews are awesome — one of mine actually inspired the post I did about character & crisis.
One of the things the themed reviews have done for me, and that I didn't expect, is to uncover highlights I saved years ago that no longer resonate with me. I'm trying to let go of things I no longer need in general, and these have given me the permission to discard highlights that no longer serve a useful purpose for me.
I know I am intrinsically a digital hoarder, and discarding these highlights is both very hard and surprisingly freeing.
Happy birthday!
For distributed consciousness, I think Vernor Vinge’s Tines from “A Fire Upon the Deep” might interest you. Not sure if it fits your other requirements though.
It sounds interesting! I definitely read other things than cozy fluff fiction, so don't worry I'll still check it out ^^
Happy birthday Elanor 🥳🎂🎉
Happy Birthday! My Obsidian set up at work is a lot better thanks to your previous blog.
Happy Birthday!
I always loved your essays. Subsribed since Obsidian and now enjoy your work besides Obsidian.
Wish you all the best!💕
Happy Birthday! I, too, am a lurker from the Obsidian days. It shows that you enjoy writing, so please continue.
Happy birthday! My TBR thanks you.
Happy birthday! I hope you have a fabulous one.
I also hope you post something about the fiction recommendations you get, because I would love to find exactly the same thing you're looking for.
I finally read the two books in Becky Chambers's Monk and Robot series recently ("A Psalm for the Wild-Built" and "A Prayer for the Crown-Shy") and loved them. I loved their gentleness and general positive outlook on their world and their future. I have the first book in her Wayfarers series next in my queue after I finish the seventh book of Christopher Ruocchio's Sun Eater series (which definitely does NOT fit into the gentle and positive mold, but is still compelling to me after following it for years).
I liked Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (or whatever it’s actually called) but I bounced off Becky Chamber’s sequel for reasons I no longer recall — maybe it was about different characters and I didn’t really care about them? But I didn’t realize she had other books, so I’ll check these out, thank you!
I sure do have a lot of friend birthdays scheduled in December! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I will certainly check out the distributed cognition description, and I will re-read your notetaking article. THANK YOU FOR A GREAT YEAR OF SUBSTACKS!\
Hah, same honestly. My mother in law, husband, four good friends, and a friend's wife all have birthdays within a week of mine.... and that's just off the top of my head!
Happy birthday!
Happy birthday... see new comments elsewhere for a reading suggestion.
Have fun out back in the boondongles...