We’re well into October but I’m in shorts and it’s pretty much summer outside (during the day at least). I did manage to wear a flannel shirt Friday, though. I’ll be grilling ribeyes shortly; they’re in the sous vide tank right now.

Not Your Desk

I see your desk: bespoke. the ultra-clean, organized set up. The RGB lights tastefully illuminating the cubbies. The small plastic potted plant with manicured pebbles. It makes a nice insta post for sure.

I don’t want your desk. I want my desk. My desk has a bunch of shit strewn atop it. I clean it up from time to time but I don’t obsess over it.

What’s this USB cable for? I don’t know. Do I need these headphones out all the time? Probably not. but they don’t get in anyone’s way. Black peripheral, white USB cable? Um, yeah. It’s what I had when the thunderbolt dock was delivered.

Unused laptop in a stand, not even charged? It is, in fact, pretty much unused. But hey! I know where to find it if I need it. I could put the sunglasses away in the drawer, but they’re right there, conveniently reminding me to wear them.

And that USB-powered tire pump? Why have that on your desk? Because I can charge it up using an mis-color-matched USB cord, that’s why. It’s not like I have a garage.

Your desk? Looks great. But I still like mine.

Touch: the AppleScript

I have a thousand reasons why I like to drop a test file into a location. Unix is a beautiful construction, where there’s a solitary app for most things. macOS does the same thing, it follows the same path, and the best macOS apps the Mac assed Mac apps all shine when developed in this way.

Sometimes I just want create a text file. Touch is a handy Unix app that I often turn to in such circumstances.

But let’s be honest: I’m not hanging out in Terminal all day. Or ever, really. Are there people out there who are? Seriously? If you say so.

Years ago I wrote a simple AppleScript to create a markdown file for me. It’s easy to fire it off with Launchbar, too. I gussied it up a bit using Copilot yesterday.

try     
    tell application "Finder" to set currentFolder to (folder of the front window as alias) 
    on error    
        set currentFolder to path to desktop folder as alias 
end 
try  
    set baseName to "new" set extension to ".md" 
    set counter to 0 set fileExists to true  repeat while fileExists    
    if counter is 0 then        
        set fileName to baseName & extension    
        else        
        set fileName to baseName & " " & counter & extension  
    end if  
    set currentFile to POSIX path of currentFolder & fileName   
    set fileExists to (do shell script "test -e " & quoted form of currentFile & "; echo $?") is "0"  
    set counter to counter + 1 end repeat  
    do shell script "touch " & quoted form of currentFile  
tell application "Finder"     
    select file fileName of folder currentFolder 
end tell

Logitech MX Master 4

Have you met a keyboard person? They will drop 200 bucks on a keyboard sight unseen if the kickstarter description hits all the right notes. How do I know? I’ve been one. We have rights.

The MX Master is something of a legend in the peripheral world. It merits its own reviews, and iterations are hotly anticipated It’s a big, heavy mouse that appeals to the same types of users. I’m one of them.

The MX Master 4 has more software affordances than ever before. It’s got more thunk and chunk than the 3S that preceded it. It is absolutely worth a spin if you enjoy using a Mac with a mouse, especially with a desktop Mac or a laptop in clamshell mode. And for me, that’s the best way to use a Mac.

The newest physical feature of the MX 4 is the Sense Panel with haptic feedback. From MacWorld’s review:

But, of course, it’s the haptic feedback features that are the star of the show, and the thumb rest now has a haptic ‘Sense Panel’ that sits right under the tip of your thumb. This is a button that you can program to perform a variety of functions, but it also provides tactile haptic feedback in the form of a brief ‘click’ sensation – similar to the haptic feedback on Apple’s Magic Trackpad – in response to a variety of actions or commands.

The update to the LogiOptions software includes their take on a radial launcher:

For home users or ordinary office workers, the Logi Options+ app provides another new feature, called the Action Ring, which is activated by pressing the Sense Panel button. The Actions Ring appears on screen when you press the Sense Panel, and displays a circular menu with additional commands that you can select. By default, the Action Ring displays a set of standard commands, such as launching the Notes app on a Mac or instantly locking your Mac.

LogTech is trying to Sherlock Pieomter.

Brown Loafers

They are almost always the best choice.

The Blog of Random on the split-brain experiment:

The split-brain experiments show the incredible ability of the human mind to adapt in any situation that it is placed in. They also show that all of those quizzes about being “left-brained” or “right-brained” due to being more “artsy” or “sciency” are completely false. In reality, both hemispheres are equally important to function as a normal human being, and tests have shown that both hemispheres are used equally in most situations, whether you’re painting or solving a math problem.

Sam Harris, in Waking Up:

What is most startling about the split-brain phenomenon is that we have every reason to believe that the isolated right hemisphere is independently conscious.

It is amazing to consider the outsize impact our left hemisphere has on our conscious perception relative to its importance. We live with a silent self that knows quite a lot about its chattier half–and that interest seems exclusive.

I might argue, too, that our left hemisphere is responsible for a considerable amount–if not most–of our suffering.

Aaron will alight for Rutgers in the next 15-30 minutes. We really enjoyed having him home, and celebrated with just the three of us (Joe is working) at Sweet Amalia. It’s a wonderful spot for any occasion, I have to say, although the anxiety of rolling up to the joint in anticipation of the shoobie attendance is nerve-wracking to say the least.

We got a couple orders of their fries (frites perhaps), a dozen Sweet Amalia oysters, the steamed clams, and the scallops (which come with corn, sausage, grilled romaine, potatoes, and some other goodies). Rhonda and I sipped some Adella from Bellview, too. It was hot in the midday sun for sure, but a transformative dining experience, as always.

I took these pics with the TT Artisans 18mm f/6.3 lens, this time on the E-M10 Mark IV.

I took a half day Friday and rolled up to New Brunswick in Aaron’s Mini to pick him up for a weekend visit. He brought two friends back with him who live locally. We hit the Double Eagle for wings last night and had a fine time. He and I also grabbed hot pot again at the same place we went to when we visited last spring. It was once again excellent and I was both stuffed and over-salted by the meal. We both remarked we’d go back again when we stopped to refuel the squad at a Wawa in Vincentown on the way home.

Mudhen Wildwood Haze

The aforementioned Double Eagle has Mudhen’s Wildwood Haze on tap, and I tried it Friday when the four of us went out. I’m really loving the NEIPA style wherever I try it.

Cleanshot X

I take a lot of screenshots. I used them for this site, of course, but I send images throughout the day via email and Messages. The built-in feature in macOS generally works fine for me, and I’ve never had much to complain about the feature, especially considering the options it’s gained over the years, including screen recording and other options.

I grabbbed Cleanshot X when it was part of a software bundle deal a while back, and it’s definitely a worthy utility if you take a lot of screenshots. I love how the thumbnail of the image remains pinned to the corner of the screen until you do something with it or dismiss it, and the fact that you can hop right into your screen grab and edit it using Cleanshot instead of switching to another application. This even works for screen recordings.

You can do other cool stuff with screenshots, including hiding the documents on your Mac’s desktop when you take a screenshot.

Bic Gelocity Gel Pens

I always shop for pens whenever we end up at our local Dollar Tree. They often have Sarasa pens for a buck apiece, and once I got this Bic Gelocity, which I love for its smooth writing, giant barrel, and curvy appointments.

Home (Reprise)

As a psychologist, I’ve always been interested in our individual internal experiences. I wrote back in August, while we were on vacation, that I imagined both the hesitation and excitement of living in the space between graduating high school and moving away to college must be a dense space. I should know–I lived it, too.

But we’re all different, and can only know each other’s thoughts and feelings through the imperfect media of language and supposition. I wondered, too, about how Aaron might feel on his first visit home, after some time away: how it might feel familiar and comfortable, but also how this first momentous step towards independence colors the shelter and safety of home. It’s been great having Aaron home this weekend, and Rhonda and I are both looking forward to the upcoming parents weekend for a two-night visit.

LDStephens:

I didn’t do any of this to prove something to anyone but myself. I just wanted to see if I could. Looking back, it wasn’t about patches, jerseys, or times. It was about showing up. Riding through pain. Managing the mental battles after mile 150 or mile 100 when you’re climbing into thin air. And finishing, even when everything in you says to quit.

It’s not about the bike.

Cycling – Three Doubles and a Summit

Rhonda and I nipped out for some shellfish and fries to celebrate her birthday last night. It was a chance to eat some of Sweet Amalia’s amazing namesake oysters and fries. We got some steamed clams too, which replaced on our table (but not in our hearts) their excellent mussels.

Just before sunset is a great time to sit outside and swallow some shellfish. The hard afternoon sun gives way to soft, golden light. It’s hard to kiss another weekend goodbye, but this made it–ahem–sweet indeed.

There was a cool Ford Fiesta ST in the parking lot, too. I sent a picture to Aaron and my dad, both car nuts.

After upgrading my micro 4/3 camera to the E-M10 Mark IV, I kept thinking that it would be fun to get a tiny lens for my EPL-5, which I bought back in like 2013. In comparison to the E-M10, it’s a tiny camera, and has always been easy to pack for taking pictures. Unlike cell phones, cameras have a long shelf life, and there’s a thriving market for used cameras due to their usability well after newer models have replaced venerable models. Despite having a newer camera, I can still find a useful life for older kit.

Poking around on B&H led me to find this super-cheap lens. I’ve usually browsed fast prime lenses, but farting around with my iPhone 16 Pro’s Camera Control button, and taking a lot of heavily bokeh’d pictures, I realized the sweet spot is probably in the 2+ aperture range. I asked Copilot about a few lenses that I was ogling, wondering which would be a stark departure from my Panasonic f/1.7 prime.

This lens takes up almost no extra space; it’s about the same size as a lens cap. It needs a lot of light to take good pics, and I’m finding it a challenge, in a welcome way, to capture pictures worth keeping. It’s fun to take pictures and then have to wait until I get home to see the results, contrasted with the immediate gratification of using a phone camera.

There’s something about the color on this lens that makes pictures look older. There’s a faded, tan character to them that I find pleasingly nostalgic. Some of the pics I took of Aaron’s Mini Cooper are emblematic of this:

I took some golden hour pics at a couple of our favorite local wineries and a nearby restaurant that we all love.

Coda Rosa

Rhonda and I tried a bottle of their Pinot Grigio prior to dinner at the Franklinville Inn for her birthday last night. It was an interesting spot for sure, with an engaging manager and furry friends.

Sweet Amalia

Rhonda and I celebrated her birthday at the Franklinville Inn last night, but the party continued this afternoon, with some wine and shellfish at the excellent Sweet Amalia.

Fiesta Friday at Bellview

We had a sip and some cheese Friday night in lieu of dinner proper.

Aaron’s Mini Cooper S

I snapped a few pics of Aaron’s Mini at the office. I drive it a couple of days a week while he’s at school. Hey: I gotta help out where I can.

All in all, it’s been a lot of fun to take this whacky lens with me and take some pictures.

Today is a special Sunday since it’s Rhonda’s birthday. She’s the big 5-3, which means the big 5-1 is just around the corner for yours truly. We went out to the Franklinville Inn last night for dinner, just the two of us, since Aaron’s away at school and Joe was working. Joe did try to switch hours but there were not takers. I’m writing this while draining a spritz after hitting the squat rack. I did 80 kettlebell swings too, and a 10-minute super-easy row to warm up before the weights.

Coda Rosa Winery

Rhonda and I were thinking about having a spritz before leaving for the restaurant, but I remembered that there was a winery near the Franklinville Inn, in Monroeville. Alas, the joint has closed down, but I found Coda Rosa on the map, and that was actually more on the way to the restaurant than Monroeville would have been.

One of the things I enjoy most about visiting the different wineries here in South Jersey are the small differences. All of them are situated on bucolic grounds, with long, straight rows of grapes surrounding the property. Sharrott, though, is more of a restaurant: there’s a kitchen, reservations are recommended, and there’s table service. Bellview is a more casual affair, with a staffed counter, some app-style things to eat, and a grand expanse of lush green grass adjoining the winery proper for casual seating. You can bring camping gear and set up a tent and chairs if you want. And of all the places we’ve visited, Bellview is the only place with wine on tap. Maybe it’s a holdover from my early forays into the then-nascent brewery scene, but I usually prefer something on tap to something bottled.

Coda Rosa is perhaps the simplest of the wineries we’ve visited: the winery and tasting room are housed in a small rectangular building, and there’s a small patio for seating outside. The host/manager, Tanya, is a vibrant soul. We ate grapes straight out of the vineyard (Chambourcin) and petted the two “security” dogs who traipsed about. We split a Pinot Grigio and it was excellent.

TT Artisans 18mm f/6.3 UFO Lens

After upgrading my micro 4/3 camera to the E-M10 Mark IV, I kept thinking that it would be fun to get a tiny lens for my EPL-5. It’s such a tiny little camera and would still be fun to tote along for taking pics. Unlike cell phones, cameras have a long shelf life, and there’s a thriving market for used cameras due to their usability well after newer models have replaced venerable models.

Poking around on B&H led me to find this super-cheap lens. I’ve usually browsed fast prime lenses, but farting around with my iPhone 16 Pro’s Camera Control button, and taking a lot of heavily bokeh’d pictures, I realized the sweet spot is probably in the 2+ aperture range. I asked Copilot about a few lenses that I was ogling, wondering which would be a stark departure from my Panasonic f/1.7 prime.

This lens takes up almost no extra space; it’s about the same size as a lens cap. It needs a lot of light to take good pics, and I’m finding it a challenge, in a welcome way, to capture pictures worth keeping. So it’s been fun. I’ll probably write up something more in depth with more picture samples. The spritz pic up top was taken using the UFO, as was the picture of Coda Rosa’s building and the chalk wall.

Gina Trapani ’s Note to Self

Internet celebrity Gina Trapani (who I read daily at Lifehacker back in the day) has returned to blogging on her own site.

Note to Self

Diablo III

I rarely game, and I hope I’m able to retire early enough in my life before the curtains come down so that I can while away a few hours playing some games. I purchase Warcraft 3 at an Apple Store back in 2002 on CD-ROM but have never played it through. I have installed Battle.net on my Mac many times over and have Warcraft 3, StarCraft, and Diablo III waiting for me to dive in. I finally tried Diablo III on my desktop Mac last weekend and had an absolute blast playing it. Dead-simple controls, that familiar Blizzard sheen, and good (if obviously dated) graphics all conspired to keep me thinking about playing again all week.