Direct eye contact is the critical missing ingredient on zoom. It’s hard to achieve because each person is looking at the other person’s face and not at their camera off the screen. Years ago I built a contraption that suspends a small webcam in the middle of my monitor so I am looking at the camera as I look at the face. It gave me great eye-contact but was bulky and blocked parts of my screen. I have since replaced it with Center Cam ($120), which is an itty-bitty camera mounted on a very slender adjustable gooseneck that suspends in the center of my screen. It is tiny enough that I don’t even notice it, and it gives a clear, high-res image of me looking directly at you. It would be great if everyone else had one of these so your eyes would look directly at me. — KK

Here’s a list of the top 50 Substack newsletters with the most number of subscribers. I am not subscribed to any of these, but I did check out all their archives and the only one I was interested in was Organizational Psychologist Adam Grant’s newsletter Granted. Most of the newsletters I noticed were political. This list made me realize that the number of subscribers does not at all reflect a newsletter’s usefulness or personal value. Here’s a list of my top 5 favorite newsletters on Substack right now:

• Rob Brezsny's Astrology Newsletter — I’ve been reading his horoscopes since I was a teenager. He’s a spiritual outlaw and a poet and his newsletters are not just horoscopes — they’re always inspirational and artful and joy-filled.

• Rusty’s Electric Dreams — described as, “one of the most inspiring, weird and off-kilter collections of curated kitschy ephemera for the big-brained” and as “the New Yorker for the weirdos.”

• Burning Shore — Author Erik Davis’ newsletter exploring the “cultures of consciousness.” He describes his work as dancing around “the intersection of alternative religion, media, the popular imagination, and the cultural history of California.”

• deepculture — a weekly digest of 10 interesting things every Tuesday. (Sometimes I discover Recomendos here!)

• The Most Creative — This newsletter is about balancing and prioritizing the creative life. Elliott Fienberg’s musings are insightful and encouraging and a beacon of light in my inbox.

Our sister newsletter, Nomadico (free), delivers four tips weekly to folks who work while they travel or travel while they work. Nomadico is written by Tim Leffel, who runs the Cheapest Destination Blog, and is author of the constantly updated book, The World’s Cheapest Destinations, now in its fifth edition. The premise behind the blog and book is that you can travel at a higher level, or for twice as long, or for half the price by heading to cheaper destinations. Because of complex factors including monetary exchange rates, these cheaper destinations can often offer extremely high quality experiences, so they are a real bargain. Tim keeps up with the latest news, addresses lingering concerns, and knows the latest bargain places. — KK

One of my favorite novels is The Treasure of the Sierra Madre by B. Traven, written in 1927. Recently, I read his 1926 novel, The Death Ship, and found it equally captivating and impressive. The plot revolves around a young American merchant sailor who, while on leave in Antwerp, misses his ship and subsequently struggles to survive. The novel’s theme reminds me of Orwell's Down and Out in Paris and London, because both explore survival in destitution, balancing of humor and harrowing intensity. (Very little is known about B. Traven, who was so publicity shy that he makes Thomas Pynchon seem like Jacqueline Susann.) — MF

Eye Candy is a really cool visual library of camerawork tricks. When you click on a technique a collage of examples pop up. It’s stunning and a source of inspiration, even if you’re not a filmmaker and just an art appreciator like me. — CD

I used to blame my measurement errors on the difficult-to-read graduations on tape measures. However, now that I have this Quickread tape measure, I can no longer use that excuse. The graduations are printed in both fractions and decimal equivalents. Also, the markings are oriented vertically rather than horizontally, making them easier to read. — MF

My secret to journaling every day is using custom notebooks. I previously recommended Papier as a source for beautifully designed journals that you could customize with a title and name, but I've now moved on to Denik.com for full customization. I uploaded a design I created using Midjourney and Canva and received my notebook within 10 days after ordering. Here's what my diary looks like.— CD 

If you're pulled over by the police and they ask to search your car, remember these key words: "Officer, you do not have permission to search my car." This is a crucial piece of advice offered by criminal defense lawyer Kirk Piccione. In his instructional video, he guides viewers through potential responses should the officer respond with, "OK, then we'll have to wait for a drug dog to sniff the outside of your car." Once more, your best response is, "Officer, you do not have permission to search my car." Beyond this, Piccione advises calmly and periodically asking if you're free to go. This underscores that you're not voluntarily remaining on the scene and that you're being unreasonably detained by the officer, which can help you in court. — MF

I'm fascinated by optical illusions and how they challenge my perceptions. I'm currently working my way through this collection of 151 Visual Phenomena & Optical Illusions with explanations on how they work. My mind always feels bendy and agile after just a few minutes spent on the website. — CD

My wife purchased this battery-powered hair detangling brush when our kids were young, and she, along with my daughters, continue to use it whenever their hair becomes knotted. Instead of traditional bristles, this brush features paddles that rotate back and forth, effortlessly gliding through knots and mats in the hair. It's like magic! —MF

A good example of how technology and innovation can transform even something as elemental as surfing, check out this documentary series on HBO Max called 100 Foot Wave. It’s about the zigzagging insane quest to surf a 100-foot wave. Because there is no professional surfing without professional photography to record it, this 12-part series documenting all 30 years of the quest is incredibly complete and cinematic. Big wave surfers are unique human beings. — KK

When you hear some music you want to identify, instead of opening an app on your phone, just ask Siri. Shazam, the premier music-identifying app is built right into Siri now, and it will identify the song and save the reference. “Siri, what’s this song?” — KK

This article is a compilation of advice found in hundreds of self-help bestsellers and boiled to 11 simple rules, which are: 1. Take one small step. 2. Change your mental maps. 3. Struggle is good. Scary is good. 4. Instant judgment is bad. 5. Remember the end of your life. 6. Be playful. 7. Be useful to others. 8. Perfectionism = procrastination. 9. Sleep, exercise, eat, chill out. Repeat. 10. Write it all down. 11. You can't get it all from reading. — Which is just a reminder that everyone needs someone to call them out on their B.S. like a therapist, an accountability buddy or a best friend. — CD

I love walking labyrinths for meditation. I considered buying a portable labyrinth mat but I can’t justify the $600+ price tag. For now, I’m happy with these Finger Labyrinth Travel Cards as a mindfulness “on-the-go” tool. I set an intention to leave my “worry” in the middle, and trace the maze-like path toward the center and back out again. It’s very relaxing. — CD

I ordered this honeycomb packing paper to wrap fragile dishware. When the roll arrived in the mail I was disappointed. It looks like regular kraft paper. But then I read the instructions. When you pull the paper, the cut pattern unfolds and turns it into 3D packing material. Here’s a video that shows how it works. It’s a lot cheaper than plastic bubble wrap and fun to use!  — MF

For an outstanding example of what generative AI artists can do, check out Joann’s brilliant instagram series on the Inflatable Wonders of the World. Click through all 10. — KK

Infinite Mac is a website that takes you on a nostalgic journey through Macintosh software from the years 1984 to 2000. The entire Macintosh experience runs seamlessly in your browser. One gem I stumbled upon was a version of Tetris from 1989. The simplicity of the 1-bit illustrations captured the essence of that era, reminding me of the joy I experienced playing games on those early computers. — MF

This issue of David Friedman’s newsletter has five tips for reducing junk mail. They include a service that will opt you out of junk mail ($4 for 10 years), stopping pre-approved credit offers, and opting out of coupon mailers. I have followed all the suggestions mentioned in this newsletter." — MF

A really cool and clean way to hang pictures, mirrors, hooks, frames, devices, almost anything, onto a wall without damaging the wall (no holes, or torn paint) is with 3M Command Hanging Strips. It’s hard to explain how they work, but I’ve been using them for a decade and they really do work miraculously. The strips will adhere securely to the wall forever (even with weight), but when it comes time to move or remove them, they instantly let go with zero wall damage. They come in all sizes for different weights you are hanging. Super ideal for renters. — KK

It seems impossible to keep up with all the new AI tools being released and even directories for AI websites available seem to pop up daily. This list of the most visited AI sites is based on monthly traffic and it’s a good way to discover and deem what is most useful. I’m still using Perplexity.ai on a daily basis to answer all my questions, Otter.ai to transcribe my audio notes, and Midjourney.com to create my daily dream imagery. — CD