Mitch's Blog

Do you answer phone calls from unknown numbers? Also, how do you manage junk texts? Do you block or screen texts from unknown numbers?

The Apple Pencil turned the Duo into my new favorite notebook, by Allison Johnson at The Verge:

Ignore the pile of previous favorite notebooks; this is the one that’s gonna change it all for me.

I share Johnson’s ambition to become a Notebook Person, but in reality I don’t write anything by hand anymore. Julie gave me a good little notebook that I carry with me and don’t use, and I’m currently intrigued by the Fineliner handwriting app on my iPad mini.

Don’t be a meat proxy (Niklas Gruhn) — On the proper use of AI chatbots.

Here’s why you can’t shake those unhinged political texts (Lauren Feiner / The Verge) — I think of the onslaught of political campaign messages as a tiny symptom of the breakdown of our polity. Nobody likes receiving them, nobody does anything about it.

“How did the hipster burn the roof of his mouth? He ate the pizza before it was cool.” — @IHasWisdom@mastodon.social

wife: you should go move the clocks
me: no problem
[three hours later]
wife: where the fuck are all the clocks?

— @uncleduke1969.bsky.social

Mundane Halloween costumes, from Japan

“It’s a not-so-wonderful life for George Bailey when a horde of flesh-eating ghouls come to town on Christmas Eve.” I love this. “It’s a Wonderful Night of the Living Dead.” youtu.be/AGsB9eJUr…

What John Goodman Knows About Fear (The New Yorker /Michael Schulman)

Goodman “discusses Tom Cruise, the Coen brothers, and his lifelong quest to feel at ease in his own skin.”

You were a Boy Scout? Did you pick up any kind of skills?

Smoking. How to hide it. Where to bury the cigarette butt. A pretty good slew of dirty jokes. Misconceived sexual information. And basic canoeing.

Also:

I was fifty-five years old when I got sober. I was really immature, and I just sustained that immaturity. I wanted to live in “Animal House” the whole time.

I am tempted by the new iPad mini, but I cannot justify the expense after all the money we’ve dropped for vet bills recently. So it’s appropriate that the dog is named Minnie.

My employer is rolling out a new HR system and they are asking us to provide selfies for the company directory. I couldn’t find a recent selfie that I like and I did not want to spend a lot of time looking so I just used this. I am entirely satisfied.

Here’s something I saw while walking. Isn’t this a nice house?

Currently reading: The Hunter by Donald E. Westlake 📚 I love his Dortmunder light comic crime novels. I’ve heard great things about the gritty, dark Parker series. I was skeptical but so far I’m enjoying it.

Readwise is taking on Kindle and Kobo for ebook supremacy (The Verge / David Pierce) — Readwise is launching an ebook store and reader software. I’m going to give it a try. There has been no significant innovation in ebook software in 20 years.

Meet the AI Agents Trying to Be Real-Life Journalists (Wired / Kate Knibbs)

Have You Been to the Sixth-Worst McDonald’s in America? (Washingtonian / Sylvie NcNamara) “Perhaps wisely, this teenaged employee would not elaborate on what kind of tomfoolery they all get up to when they’re supposed to be pouring Dr. Peppers…. "

A new report from House Judiciary Committee Democrats contains new details about the Trump-Epstein relationship and an alleged cover-up.

Here’s something I often see when walking the dog: This cool futuristic off-the-road vehicle.