Self-Referential

Prologue An intentionally browseable set of weeknotes from my previous week1 of work, with different subjects introduced by bold text. The subject matter might not seem appropriate because I think I’ve finally acknowledged that the dividing line between work and not-work is fairly arbitrary, and based on which account I’m using to talk to someone more than anything else. Because of the amount of business development I have to do, any traditional division like “am I being paid for this?” isn’t a useful way to define what category an activity fits in. ...

The AI Dilemma, some thoughts Because it was mentioned in a discussion group I’m on, I made time to watch “The AI Dilemma”. It can be found here on Youtube. From the YouTube description: Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin discuss how existing A.I. capabilities already pose catastrophic risks to a functional society, how A.I. companies are caught in a race to deploy as quickly as possible without adequate safety measures, and what it would mean to upgrade our institutions to a post-A.I. world. This presentation is from a private gathering in San Francisco on March 9th, 2023 with leading technologists and decision-makers with the ability to influence the future of large-language model A.I.s. This presentation was given before the launch of GPT-4. ...

Prologue This is an intentionally browseable set of weeknotes regarding things I “beheld” over the previous “week”1. I hope you find something in here that sparks your interest in a piece of media, or encourages you to avoid something when your time could be better spent elsewhere. I write weeknotes mainly to practice a style of writing that isn’t work deliverables or quick emails - but if this helps you please let me know on whatever medium I mentioned this on. ...

Recently on the Generalist World Slack channel, another member asked me advice about entering a new industry. I thought through some fairly standard “old man” advice - moving professions isn’t one of my areas of expertise, but I’ve seen enough and read enough to get an idea of what can improve your chances of success. So, with the other member’s permission, I’ve posted a modified version of my advice below, so I can cite it in future, and in case you find it useful: ...

Inspired by this toot1 from John Willshire I thought I’d also jump on this idea he references, that has its roots back in 2005. I like the questions, I think I’ve finally got back into reading so I have answers worth sharing, and also I support John’s push for people to start blogging rather than posting on more interactive platforms. The questions from the original post are: How many books do you own? What is the last book you bought? What is the last book you read? What are 5 books that mean a lot to you? My answers are below: ...

An intentionally browseable set of weeknotes for my previous “week”1. I beheld I’ve decided that “beheld” is the best word for “things I read such as a book, or watched such as a movie, but didn’t play like a game, or didn’t engage with for work”. Suggestions for better terms are expected, but I’ll probably ignore them, “beheld” feels worth writing about. Stewart Lee. I read March of the Lemmings by Stewart Lee ages ago, but only found my notes on it recently. This is definitely for you if you like Lee’s relentless demeanor, political stance, and whipsmart phrasing. I’m reminded of TV series such as Community, or Ted Lasso, when sometimes you have to hit Pause and let a phrase sink in. It could be a bit much all in one go, so a good bedtime read when you just want a fun chapter or two to put the day behind you. ...

These are the weeknotes1 on the games I’ve played purely for fun2 in the last few months. There’s very few listed below, which is very disappointing to look back on… I can’t help thinking I’ve missed a couple. But I do have a “new” Xbox360, and I’ve been tidying up some space, so maybe that will change. Board games With some more overdue tidying needed, and with a Dining Room that is essentially a wide corridor, I struggle to play board games, even solo ones, but here’s a couple I made time for: ...

My current keyboard is a Perixx PX-1200 Illuminated Gaming Keyboard but it’s wearing out, and they don’t make them any more, so I’m looking at different models. As is often the case with technology, I don’t think my requirements are that unusual, but then I start looking for something I think is common, and it doesn’t exist. So in the hope that someone who reads this ( probably because I pointed them at it ) has better knowledge than I do, I’ve listed my requirements here. ...

How can we help each other? Introduction What’s your preferred working situation - completely alone and self-driven? As half of a pair, as a leader or advisor in a group, or as a “cog” in a much larger hierarchy? For me I believe I’m much better at working in a pair, or in a small team, rather than purely on my own, be it co-writing something, or brainstorming with a customer on a project or solution. ...

Introduction This question was asked in the Generalist World Slack a little while ago: Quick Question - I often find myself feeling like I’m not doing enough. There are just SO many things I want to do that I feel like time is running out and I should get at it. I often end up in confusion, panic and anxiety. Does anyone else struggle with this? How do you calm yourself or redirect yourself to focus on ’top priorities'? ...