01SEP2024

Happy Sunday everyone! Some rainy days this week combined with a new air-conditioning unit, and suddenly I'm feeling like Autumn might actually be around the corner. I'm amplifying the cozy vibes by spinning up a new game of Stardew Valley on the Nintendo Switch, reading some outstanding indie hacker Sci-Fi and spooky comics, listening to Jónsi's gorgeous new ambient album, and churning out Halloween-friendly 3D Prints. What are you doing to summon the Fall vibes? I’d love to hear!

On to the good stuff:

• 👩‍🚀 Supercluster's Astronaut Database - I stumbled across this slick database by Supercluster that catalogs every astronaut ever, detailing their time in space, spacewalks, and more. It includes not just humans, but also dogs, monkeys, and even larvae(!) astronauts, along with their mission details. Super fun tool!
• 🌱 Plant Hygrometer* - You could make a horror movie for plants based on how many we've lured into our home and slowly murdered by over or under watering them. This admittedly low-tech Hygrometer solution has been a game-changer for us. Simply poke this little guy into the soil, and it instantly tells you the moisture level down by the roots. When used with an app like Planta, it becomes much easier to keep our little green friends alive. *Amazon Affiliate link
• 📁 Goodlinks - I'm something of a digital hoarder. I encounter way more articles, videos, and links than I can ever absorb. Do I use these as opportunities to practice mindfully letting go? Absolutely-freaking-not. I stuff every one into a database on the OFF CHANCE that 8 months from now, I'm stuck in a waiting room and finally ready to read the hot gossip from the February 2024 Apple Shareholders meeting (or whatever). I've cycled through Pinboard, Pocket, Instapaper, Readwise, Anybox, Plinky, and many others. Right now, I'm using Goodlinks, and it's very good. Simple, delightful iOS and Mac app versions, great share sheet extensions, and a nice reader view, with a one-time purchase make this a winner for my preferred way to stash digital ephemera this week.
• 🎥 NEW Every Frame a Painting - Tony Zhou and Taylor Ramos' celebrated video essays on cinematography and filmmaking have been on pause for 8 years. After an interminable wait, they've just released their latest on the Sustained Two Shot. If you like movies at all, you'll love their videos, and this new one, coming in at just under 6 minutes, is no exception. Check it out! (For other great episodes, see "Steven Spielberg - The Oner" and "Edgar Wright - The Art of Visual Comedy.")
• 💡 Neewer Tube Light* - Probably a niche recommendation, but I grabbed one of these little battery-powered tube lights to help round out my video conferencing lighting, which was starting to look a little "witness protection"-y. Tube lights are great because they don't take up much space, cast big soft light, and are versatile. This model kicks out a lot of light, is magnetic for quick mounting on many surfaces, and has built-in multicolor lighting effects controllable via the light itself or your smartphone. I’m using it in conjunction with my Elgato Keylight, and suddenly feel like a high tech streamer when I dial into my work calls. *Amazon Affiliate link

That's it for this week, be well everyone!

P.S. Get any good ideas from this issue? I'd be honored if you'd forward this to a friend, or suggest they sign up over here. Thank you! 🙏