- Iām a fan of Apple, its history, and its products.
- I think I have some general aptitude for programming languages. Iāve dabbled in HTML and CSS (admittedly, very different languages) and didnāt run away screaming.
- There are still many good opportunities for people with programming skills, even, I hope, for someone of my age.
-
Heck, weāre all lucky that we live in a world where Google, Stack Overflow, and the rest of the entire freaking internet is available to so many people. ↩︎
-
Except for perhaps Incendies. Not because it wasnāt a good filmāit was one of the most powerful films Iāve ever seenābut because the twist was so heart-wrenching that I donāt think I want to put myself through it again. ↩︎
-
But hey, at least it was in 4K? ↩︎
-
Which comes in handy when the film Iām watching is as long as Dune was. ↩︎
- I had to watch one of the worst films ever made for More Movies Please!
- I woke up at 5:00 in the morning to preorder my new silver iPhone 13 Pro Max. I did it last year, but hey, it only happens once a year. Success!
- I started enjoying smoothies again as part of my effort to finally lose weight and feel healthier.
Every time I think I can remove Things from my daily life, Reminders is there to, ahem, remind me that itās still clunky and lacking in comparison.
A tired refrain: maybe next time itās updated Iāll be able to stick with it.
Iām so glad that California finally opened up COVID boosters to everyone. I was able to get a Moderna booster yesterday and Iām feeling great about doing it.
Unfortunately, itās feeling like Iāll be hit hard by this one. I expect that Iāll be spending today in bed.
Iāve battled with perfectionist tendencies my whole life. It didnāt start becoming an issue until I was in film school. Staying up until 3:00 in the morning to get a film I was working on to look and feel just right led to some unhealthy sleep habits. Luckily, I was in my 20s and could bounce back from those poor decisions with ease.
An additional benefit: not considering how I was treating myself back then has made me much more aware of how Iām treating myself now. Mistakes are the best teachers!
Learning is a bumpy road. Youāre going to hit some potholes, take some turns going way too fast, possibly screw up your alignment for a while. Thereās no quick and easy path toward improvement.
In my case, just because Iāve learned more about my destructive habits doesnāt mean that Iām always going to be successful at avoiding them. Itās always all too easy to fall off the wagon and get mired in the muck of past mistakes. I know that I can be a perfectionist, but simply knowing that doesnāt mean Iāll forever be able to avoid it.
A few weeks ago, I took a hard look at myself and wondered what purpose I had. What was I doing with my life, or what did I want to do with it? I wasnāt able to come up with any compelling answer to any question I asked, which felt like a bucket of cold water dumped over my head. At my relatively youngābut still not all that youngāage, not being able to come up with those answers felt unacceptable to me. I took some time to ask myself what Iām interested in and what I think I could be good at doing.
My idea was to learn how to program; specifically, Iām currently teaching myself Swift, Appleās new-ish programming language for their devices. I think I had some good reasons for committing myself to this endeavor:
Iāve found some compelling online courses and am starting to collect whatever helpful books I can get my hands on. Iām lucky that there are countless resources for this language, and programming concepts in general.1
But like anything worth doing, learning Swift hasnāt been easy. Itās been challenging from the get-go. For someone who struggles with perfectionism, being unable to quickly grasp what Iām learning or running into roadblocks with my code can feel disheartening. In fact, itās what has kept me from pursuing this knowledge and career path until now. Hitting a wall doesnāt feel fun, especially if you also make the mistake of comparing yourself to other people who appear to be pole vaulting over those formidable walls. Thatās just a recipe for disaster.
Thereās a vast amount of stuff for me to learn. Indeed, from what Iāve heard, there will never be an end to my education. Technology moves, well, swiftly, and new concepts are created every day. Programming will be a forever challenge.
Having that awareness doesnāt always help avoid hits to my confidence when I have a tough day learning these new things. Perfectionism is not a rational feeling. For instance, I started learning Swift a couple of weeks ago. Of course Iām going to find all of this new information tough to understand, coalesce in my mind, and implement. Rough days are bound to happen. Struggling with everything that a for loop or a func can do is not a sign of me failing. It just means that the subject matter is difficult and complex.
However, Iāve been told that those frustrations are part of the process. Programming is not an easy or totally carefree gig for anybody. If I wanted to do something that wasnāt challenging, then I sure as heck picked the wrong profession. Convincing myself otherwise is a good way to wind up back in a life lacking in purpose.
Instead, tough days are good opportunities to practice patience and stick-to-itiveness. Fighting against perfectionism is going to be as difficult as learning how to program, but both are worth doing. Itās a day-by-day process, and Iām looking forward to learning and improving tomorrow.
Given the amount of airplane noise Iām constantly hearing over my house these days, Iām beginning to wonder if some bored millionaire recently moved into my small-ish city and is making the local airport their personal playground.
Iāve always enjoyed the data I get from using the Sleep Cycle app, but the alarm has failed on me too many times (including this morning).
I love sleeping in as much as anybody, but not when itās an accident caused by something I rely on.
Does being excited to take my fancy new supplements mean that Iām finally an adult?
Denis Villeneuveās Dune was about as grand and moving a film as Iāve come to expect from him. In a little over a decade, heās become one of the most interesting directors working today. His films are sticking around for the long haul, and I frequently rewatch many of them.1
This is a film that should be seen in theaters. It deserves as big a screen as one can find. I bet an IMAX showing would be a uniquely moving experience. Heck, given how impressive the sound was, I wouldnāt be surprised if it actually shook some people right out of their seats. You should see it. Itās impressive, to say the least.
I watched it on HBO Max on my relatively dinky 55ā television. Iāve also got a pair of HomePods I use for audio. Compared to the vast expanse of a theater screenāa canvas truly worthy of the gargantuan size of the terrifying Sandwormsāmy television was a shameful Lilliputian consolation.2 Suffice it to say, Denis isnāt going to be impressed with how I viewed his film.
Our friendship prospects are looking bleaker by the day.
Were it not for both COVID and the recent, tragic shooting at one of my preferred local theaters, I would have seen this great film the way it was meant to be seen. Iāve always treasured going to the theater. It was something special I did with my dad and Iāve also treated myself to solo trips on countless occasions. It breaks my heart that I no longer feel safe or enthusiastic about indulging in an activity that means so much to me.
I can do what Iāve always done about COVID. I could wear a mask and distance myself from other theatergoers. Iām also vaccinated, so my personal risk is fairly low, despite how many people are still not fully vaccinated.
But how does someone avoid a hateful, destructive person who is intent on murdering others who are only sitting peacefully in a theater and enjoying the entertainment they paid for? How does one prevent a seemingly random act of disgusting violence from befalling them, especially in a place where visibility and awareness are so low? How do I avoid dying in a theater if not by avoiding theaters altogether?
Those senseless murders are horrible for two reasons: lives were ended and terror was forced into our minds. I hate that I have to live with this fear now because evil, cowardly, sick people keep feeling the need to make theaters their personal hunting grounds.
I wish that I could have seen Dune the way it was meant to be seen. I would have loved those two and a half hours in one of my favorite places. Instead, I watched it at home. Itās a better theater experience only in as much as Iāve got a large, comfy couch to sit on and I can pause the film for bathroom breaks whenever I want.3 Otherwise, it hardly has the special magic of a theater.
I wish my country didnāt have an insane, crippling fetish for instruments of death. There is no need for them to be so easily accessible by the general public. I wish sick people could better receive the care they desperately need. I wish they would stop taking the lives of others.
And I want my theaters back.
UPDATE: Looks like Iāll get to watch Part Two on my television in the future, as well. Iām very glad the sequel was greenlit. It would have been such a shame if this adaptation wasnāt able to get a conclusion.
Despite having to finish the edit on a new podcast episode, today has felt like a rare Monday off.
To celebrate, Iāve gone out and gotten one of the new iPads for my mom. Iām also planning to catch up on some tv that has been waiting for me. Cheers!
This last week was full of some unusual moments for me.
This week feels like a weird success (except for that no good, terrible, awful movie)!
If I didnāt have tinnitus before my brotherās wedding, I certainly would now.
In all seriousness, Iām thrilled for him! He and his wife deserve all the best. I was very happy to share and celebrate the day with everybody. ā¤ļø
Nothing has ever made me feel more pleased with my own small wedding than witnessing the huge production that is my brotherās wedding. To each their own, but man, does that look stressful to me.
Yes, itās always a citizen of the U.S.A.ās great civic duty to appear at the local courthouse when summoned for jury service.
As I experienced earlier today, getting one of those dreaded envelopes in the mail is still a bit of a day ruiner. š©
Wife: has to spend several hours at a bridal shower.
Me: gets to spend the day at home watching season seven of Bosch.
I need to get her some cookies because I think I got the better end of the deal here.
For the second time in as many weeks, the power has gone off at home. Thankfully, itās only been happening super early in the morning.
Still, it feels like a dreadful omen for how the rest of the summer is going to be.
The displeasure associated with turning another year older continues to be worse than actually turning another year older.
Happy 35th to me! š„³
My second COVID vaccine is knocking me for a loop today. Iāve got a whole body ache going on and it is unpleasant, to say the least.
Still totally worth it, though. Screw this disease!
I received my second Pfizer vaccine earlier today, and I couldnāt be happier about it. As many people have already said, any discomfort I may feel from this shot is well worth dealing with if it means helping myself and those around me stay safe.
Itās been too long since I took the time to talk to a therapist, but I changed that this last week. Iām not sure what this path ahead of me will entail, but Iām proud of myself for taking this positive step. I want to work on doing all I can for my mental health.
Never having to use LinkedIn again is enough of a motivation to risk utter destitution and infinite job-related hopelessness for the rest of my life.
My visit to the DMV today was not the hellish experience for which the place is so well known. Instead, it was both a complete bore and a great cure for the random āshould I get a job at the DMV?ā thoughts a person might have.
The day that Iām all ready to make an appointment for my driverās license renewal at the DMV is the day that the website decides not to load? Come on, DMV. Stop living up to your terrible service stereotypes!
Well, if this doesnāt make for a phenomenal day, then I donāt know what will. I feel great about doing my part to help us all move past this terrible disease.
Iāve spent a good portion of my adult life trying to fashion a career out of something Iām extremely passionate about. Lately Iām wondering, would I be happier just doing any acceptable job and leaving my passions out of work?
Itās taken me far too long to get into it, but I think Iāve found the text editor thatāll give me everything I need: Drafts by @Agiletortoise. Itās developed into far more than just a place for quick text snippets. Iām really enjoying it.