I don’t have a single tattoo. Not one. And I have no intention of getting one. But I follow this fantastic tattooist on Instagram because their designs are so delightful. Michele Volpi creates exquisitely detailed monochrome diagrams that are whimsical, elaborate, yet scientifically precise. My kind of thing. — KK
Ebikes are a fantastic, but still underutilized, transportation option. Ryan Johnson wrote up the best roundup of buying advice for ebikes I’ve seen for anyone in the market for an ebike — and you should be! — KK
I needed to figure out how long it would take a stamped letter to reach the other side of the country and an initial google search buried this very helpful, color-coded “delivery days” map of the US. You can filter by originating zip code or the destination, as well as class of mail. You might never need this, but in the off chance that you do it’s useful to bookmark. — CD
This little Picquic screwdriver has 7 bits stored in the handle. I use it to fix eyeglasses, open battery cases, and repair other small items around the house. — MF
This breakdown of pricing tactics is useful to check out, even if you are not a marketer. I learned that consumers respond to alliteration in prices, like “two t-shirts for $25” because it just feels right. Which I agree with! Also, be precise with large prices — like in real estate transactions — $362,978 is better than $350,000. Why? We associate precise numbers with small values. If you sign up on Nick Kolenda’s website with your email address, you’ll get access to his other psychology + marketing PDFs, like Choice Psychology, Font Psychology and Color Psychology. — CD
Despite the fact that I use Google maps almost everyday for something, I didn’t know about these 5 cool functions built into the system. I wish I had known about how to share locations earlier. The hacks are presented by Steve Dotto on Dottotech channel in this short video. — KK
This website lists the astronauts in space right now, with links to their Wikipedia entries. They’re all in the International Space Station and come from Russia, China, the United States, and the European Union. — MF
Among my circle the most recommended new baby book is The Happiest Baby on the Block which presents the 5-S sleeping framework. It outlines five suggested guidelines for getting infants to sleep well. Our daughter and all her new-parent friends have used these principles successfully. I’ve been very impressed how quickly and well our infant granddaughter sleeps. A lot of this info is online by now, but the book is easy to read and handily organized. — KK
This article in Greater Good Magazine tells you five ways to clear brain fog. Three things that can cause brain fog are isolation, stress and uncertainty. For me, walking my dog and using my rowing machine help me to clear out my head, but when that doesn’t work, self-compassion always does. — CD
This short extension cord has an AC plug on one end and four AC receptacles on the other. I like it more than a power strip because you can plug in bulky adapters without obscuring the other receptacles. — MF
One of my favorite Instagrammers worth following is Geomorphilogical Landscapes. It’s a parade of unusual, amazing, bizarre, weird, and surprising natural landscapes. Geological, biological, weather, and urban. Some scenes are beautiful but most are just astounding. I feel glad to be on the same planet. — KK
If I don’t gel my hair after washing it, it lays flat and resembles the hair style of Moe Howard or Captain Kangaroo. While I have nothing against either of these fine gentlemen, it’s not a look I’m aiming for. I discovered Got2b Ultra Glued Invincible Styling Hair Gel about 10 years ago, and it’s by far the stiffest hair gel of the many dozens of brands I’ve tried since 1979. I only need to use a drop or two and my hair defies gravity for the rest of the day. — MF
My best friend called recently to ask what it meant to dream her teeth were falling out. I told her that was the most common dream scenario across the board and then asked her more questions about her recent career change, because it was obvious she was nervous about it. Today I came across this infograph showing the most common dreams by country and realized I was partially right — the most googled dream in the world is about snakes, and the second being teeth falling out. I loved learning the other dream meanings being googled in other countries. In Bhutan, they dream of rainbows often. — CD
Sharkle is a random-content discovery tool, like StumbleUpon used to be when it was around. I don’t really have time to bounce around the internet for fun, but I like to click on the “Show Me Something Awesome” when I’m briefly bored. Today it took me through this really cool Rainbow Tunnel! — CD
A basic survival skill these days is trying to imagine the future. Individually and collectively we can get better at it. Imaginable, by Jane McGonigal, at the Institute for the Future, is the only book I know of that will teach you the proven techniques that futurists use to help them forecast the future. The aim of forecasting is not prediction but to not be surprised – to imagine it. This clear book includes all the methods I use, and more. It’s practical and competent. Do the exercises suggested and you won’t be too surprised by what happens in the future. — KK
The February 20, 2021 issue of Roger’s Bacon newsletter has an entertaining list of laws of the Internet. Many have been around for decades and are as valid as ever. Here are few:
Badger’s Law – “any website with the word ‘Truth’ in the URL has none in the posted content.”
The Wadsworth Constant – “the first 30% of any video can be skipped because it contains no worthwhile or interesting information.”
The Law of Fakery – “Anything fake which attracts enough attention will have some people vehemently proclaiming it’s real. Anything real which attracts enough attention will have some people vehemently proclaiming it’s fake. Corollary: If the creator confesses that it was fake, some people will still claim it’s real and call the confession a fake.”
— MF
On my browser I keep bookmarked the Free Stuff page on Craig’s List, set to my locale (Location > For Sale > Free). I look there first when I need something. Almost everything will pass through sooner or later — from vintage bath tubs to cardboard moving boxes to baltic plywood. Yours for the hauling. It’s best if you can give it a few weeks or more to find what you want. — KK
I completed my third escape room this week and it is now my favorite group entertainment. Better than a concert, or going bowling. You enter a series of elaborately decorated rooms that are packed with puzzles that your group needs to collectively solve before going further. Collaboration is more important than genius. I find it tons of exhilarating fun. Most rooms take an hour to an hour-and-half. EscapeRoom is a directory of 6,000 escape rooms around the world, with summaries and prices, and where to find one near you. I am biased, but Palace Games in San Francisco are rated among the top 3 best escape rooms in the world, and are worth a trek to play them. — KK
I bought a Lihit Lab pencil and pen cases a couple of years ago and my daughters, who both like to sketch, were envious. I bought them each one of their own. It neatly stores up to 14 pens and has additional mesh pockets for erasers, sharpeners, and other small items. — MF
I’m a big fan of Clearer Thinking and have recommended several of their tests and newsletter before, and Spencer Greenberg, the social scientist behind Clearer Thinking also has a weekly newsletter that I click on as soon as it hits. Each week, he sends out “One Helpful Idea” and it’s short and sweet and it makes me feel smart. This week’s helpful idea was:
Many have made the argument that trying not to think about something makes us think about it more. As proof, they say: “Try not to think about a white bear. Gotcha!” But the way to not think of a white bear is not to “not think about a white bear” — it’s to think about a red plum.
You can view all the past issues and subscribe here. — CD