I mentioned Apple’s obviating a beloved early Mac app when they introduced Sherlock on Mac OS X. It was such a phenomenon that the word “Sherlock” became a euphemism for any time Apple did this. The app, Watson, was published by the excellent Karelia software. At the time, Mac OS X was new and lacked many of the built-in solutions users needed. And to some degree, the web was still new, and Watson integrated web-based information into an app on your Mac.

Watson offered a feature set that existed in no other place on the Mac. And Watson was better than Sherlock… until it stopped working. Users vary in their willingness to purchase software, and in the case of good-enough free tools bundled with their device, probably will accept the reduced feature set.

This still happens, too. Apple likely tried to do the same thing with Masimo’s pulse-reading tech, a feature I am able to enjoy on my current Apple Watch, but which would disappear were I to upgrade my watch for some time until there’s an agreement between the two companies:

Masimo claims Apple held meetings with them about potentially incorporating Masimo’s pulse-reading technology onto iPhones. When the discussions broke down, Apple hired two executives away from Masimo and introduced a service that Masimo claims illegally duplicated its technology. Apple denies this.

I imagine the makers of password manager apps experienced a similar shiver when Apple announced their password app (although as Bradley Chambers points out, AgileBits is moving in a direction that Apple likely won’t follow).

MindNode: Of all the note-taking and writing tools I’ve tried over the years, the one that has never really stuck for me is the mind map genre. I have a license for Mind Node from a while back and I opened it up and, once again, started thinking about how I might be able to use it for brainstorming or planning. Mind maps are a much more spatial version of note taking or outlining, although what’s interesting especially about MindNode is its outline view… it lays bare to you that, for however spatial they might seem, your mind maps definitely can be expressed in outline form. In any event, I was able to sign up for a generous free six-month trial period of MindNode Plus, which is replacing the standalone license.
Mr. Bar-B-Q Natural Lump Charcoal: I used this most recently to sear off some sous vide pork tenderloin I made. It does the job. It’s no Royal Oak, though.
Powderpuff football: Aaron was a cheerleader for his class (seniors) at Friday’s Powerderpuff game. Rhonda and I went and got to see some of the game and of course the big half-time show. One of Aaron’s friends is into choreography and dance, and he directed their production. It was a lot of fun and laughs, but a couple of things hit me. First, what a fun celebration in an otherwise serious endeavor. How much do we neglect when we fail to celebrate within our professional domains? There’s a lot you can write about Powderpuff: a beacon of flexibility in a society with rigid notions of masculinity… or maybe an event that, however playfully, reinforces the same norms? But I wasn’t there to overthink it. Got some great pics too.

James Hoffman’s exhaustive take on the moka pot method reveals that Aeropress filters are compatible:

I tried it this morning, and I was impressed. I also farted with my process a bit, following his suggestion. Tomorrow: take two.

Here’s this week’s list of things to check out:

1. Fantastical’s Proposals Feature: I’ve been a Fantastical Pro subscriber since probably 2017. Before that, I used the paid version, in the days before everything was an annual subscription. But Fantastical is worth it to me. Most recently, I started using the Proposal feature to suggest meeting times to people. It’s a nice virtual secretary feature and hasn’t been confusing for anyone who received a proposal from me.
2. Bialetti Moka Pot: I mentioned that it might be a spoiler for this week’s Serial Sunday, and that’s how it’s going. But it’s been great; I set up the Bialetti after dinner and turn on the range to five while I tool about in the kitchen. It’s coffee and watermelon or a banana before I row, and this past week saw my morning Aeropress replaced by this storied method.
3. Bellview Winery’s Demeter: I tried a sample of this wine a week or two ago at Bellview and really liked it. This Saturday I did not forget to pack the growler; we got our usual bottle of rosé and I filled the growler with the Demeter. It’s got a great dryness and acidity that I enjoy in place of the rosé. They describe it as “light dry white blend of Viognier and Gruner Veltliner with notes of peach and pear.“ Bad news was: no brie.

I don’t generally find desktop widgets on the Mac desktop to be useful; the desktop for me is a small collection of things I’m working on or about to file. But I did cobble these quick and easy Shortcuts, put them in a collection in the Shortcuts app, and display them on my Mac’s desktop for quick access.

One cool Shortcuts feature I never knew about is that they show up (and run) in both Spotlight and Launchbar. So you can really keep your fingers on the keyboard and get to what you need in OmniFocus, no matter what app you’re working in.

I risk spoiling next Sunday’s Serial with this post, but I’m so jazzed about it that I couldn’t help but post. I made a cup of coffee using this moka pot and some of the beans my dad roasts, and it was exquisite.

My mistake in previous efforts was keeping the lid closed and going full whack on the range. That’s not how you do it: you brew using medium to medium-high heat (I went between a six and a seven on our electric range) and leave the top lid flipped open. You should pull it off just before the brew starts to sputter.

Below we have Toro and Chu-toro, two tuna belly cuts. Aaron and I enjoyed them immensely. And after that, we have the prime rib from our local Maplewood. Rhonda and I had nice big Martinis and I knew the only choice was a steak. I skipped the potatoes.

I tried a 30-minute beginner ride. I really liked the hardware and the software. Two yellow sliders give you constant feedback about pace and resistance. I liked it a lot.

I saw this video on YouTube last night and it was definitely a mind:blown moment. One of OmniFocus’s most powerful (pro) features are perspectives, which allow you to narrow your (ahem) focus to tasks you are able or willing to complete. I have created a dozen or so of my own perspectives in OmniFocus, including several in my attempt to organize my tasks in the Eisenhower Matrix, a “weekends” perspective, and some others to separate work from home open loops.

The idea, however, of using the Focus feature on iOS/macOS/iPadOS to accomplish a similar thing blew my mind. I immediately updated my Work and Home Focus settings on my iPhone to include the Work and Home folders exclusively when the Focus is applied, and it works just as described. I could certainly use a bit more granular there, but that may come in time. Also: that’s what perspectives are for.

This was a great opportunity for me to explore the Focus feature in the Apple Ecosystem once again. I had restricted contacts in the same Focus settings depending upon the Focus mode, but it’s cool to see how many app notifications you can turn off, app by app, with this feature.

OmniFocus 4.3 Now Available

New in iOS18 (and iPadOS and macOS) are collapsible sections in Notes. This is a nice feature to have in what has always been a bit staid in the note taking department. Notes is really great for taking handwritten notes.

I was wondering when this feature bowed, and I came across these cool guides that Apple publishes. They generally just note new features from device to device, which was helpful for my purposes, but I can see checking them out in the future, too.

Format Notes on Mac

Format Notes on iOS

I remember when TextEdit had an outlining feature.

This is what’s left of the wooden grill scraper I bought years and years ago. It was flat at the business end when I purchased it. These things came out of nowhere after some reports about the dangers of metal grill brushes. I remember telling a relative about it and he joked that instead of metal filings, you get splinters. I have never encountered anyone injured from a grill brush (and boy have I used them), but no one has gotten splinters from this tool, either. I will certainly be replacing it with another wooden one.

Here’s this week’s list of things to check out:

1. Two-finger swipe to select multiple targets in a list: I tend to use YouTube like a lot of people use TikTok; in an enforced transition zone, I will often spin up the YouTube app and scroll through their “shorts”: quick videos lasting no longer than three minutes (they used to be sixty seconds). I learned this killer tip from Marques Brownlee, where you can use two fingers in a list (the app has to support two-finger drag to select) to drag and select multiple files or entries. I’ve tried it out in OmniFocus and Files, where it works really well. It also is the gesture to select text; instead of pressing on a text entry you want to select, waiting for the cursor to select the closest word and then dragging the handle, you can enter directly into text selection mode. This does not work in Todoist or Things, for example, two places where I expected it to. I’m not shocked at all to find that OneNote doesn’t support it.

2. Mums: Nothing says fall quite like the harvest of fresh vegetables, pumpkins everywhere, and of course, mums. Rhonda always stocks up on them at a local farm and makes a pretty display on our side porch. I would live like a bachelor were it not for her touch.

3. Martha Stewart’s Pickled Cabbage recipe: Related to number two, cabbage is always available, for a cheap price, in the fall. We have a small stand down the road that employs the honor system and treats the locals in the know to dirt-cheap lettuce, cabbage, beets, peppers, sweet potatoes, and other seasonal veggies. I’ve long wanted to try quick-pickling a head of Napa cabbage. We sometimes have quick-pickled asian-style cucumbers with dinner, and I love it. I also love sauerkraut and asian pickled vegetables when they’re featured in a dish. As such, I have been pickling different cabbages, most recently (as in today) a head of regular old cabbage. I’ve tried a few recipes, but Martha’s seems to be sticking. My first batch featured way too much dried red pepper flakes, entirely an accident, but it was delicious and spicy.