Hi Friend, I’ve been thinking about the idea of the creative act and how it inspires joy in humans. I recently watched a documentary about a group of jazz musicians who were lamenting how no one is really willing to pay them what they’re worth. Club owners barely compensate these musicians, so why don’t they just take jobs digging ditches or doing something else more stable? I think the answer lies in the joy of creation. As humans, I believe when we are creating, we are being our most...
6 days ago • 3 min read
Hello Friend, If you've been listening to the Mac Power Users podcast the last few years, you've heard me slowly come around to the fact that Apple's productivity apps — Reminders, Notes, Calendar, and Freeform — are getting pretty good. But getting the most out of those apps takes some work. Most people use about 20% of what Apple's built-in productivity apps can actually do. The other 80%? It's a hidden ecosystem of integrations, automations, and workflows that Apple never advertises. I've...
20 days ago • 1 min read
The No List App Hi Friend, This week I shipped an app. It's called The No List, and while it might seem like a simple idea, I think it addresses one of the most important productivity challenges we face today. Let me back up a bit. For years, I've been interested in the idea of building my own app. Part of it was the challenge—could someone who spends their days writing about technology actually create some? Part of it was scratching a very specific itch that no existing app seemed to...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
My First Draft of this Newsleter. Hi Friends, I very much have an analog side. Sometimes I find slowing down and writing things down helps me process thoughts a little better. That doesn't mean the things I write with paper and pencil necessarily stay that way forever, but quite often, it's an excellent first draft. As an analog explorer, I've gone down the rabbit hole over the years of fancy pens, including fountain pens. But several years ago, I found an old box of pencils and decided on a...
3 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Friend, Recently, we had a family celebration. The reason is irrelevant, but the means of our celebration was our usual. We went to Disneyland. We’re fortunate to live close, and two of the four members of my immediate family work for Mickey. So, we went to “the park,” where we shared a meal at a restaurant, rode the Pirates of the Caribbean, shared a delicious cookie, and stretched our legs by walking through the park before heading home. It was delightful. While eating our meal, there...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hi [FORMATTED_FIRST_NAME GOES HERE], I tore through Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series when I was about twelve. At first, I assumed the story would follow Hari Seldon, the brilliant mathematician who kicks off the series by predicting the collapse and rebirth of galactic civilization. Twelve-year-old me loved Hari, and I couldn't wait to see his story unfold. Then the books leapt forward … by centuries. Seldon slipped from living legend to myth, from myth to footnote, and finally into...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Friend, Apple’s WWDC 2025 was, in many ways, a return to form. That was the title of this week’s Mac Power Users episode, and I stand by it. Apple delivered a compelling presentation that reminded us what Apple is best at: thoughtful design, tight integration, and bold ideas across the ecosystem. Chief among those ideas was the unveiling of a completely new user interface, “Liquid Glass.” It’s more than just eye candy. It’s a technical and aesthetic achievement that unifies the feel of...
4 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Friend, In a few days, Apple will take the stage at WWDC 2025. This year’s keynote speech feels like an inflection point for Apple. More than just announcing the new operating systems, this year Apple needs to show its ability to evolve. As we sit here, just days before, there's a growing list of uncertainties around Apple. Artificial Intelligence Questions All of Apple’s competitors are making strides with artificial intelligence: Google has jumped into artificial intelligence with both...
5 months ago • 4 min read
Hi [FORMATTED_FIRST_NAME GOES HERE], When I was a boy and first showed up for school, I was tested and found to be entirely … adequate. I wasn’t particularly sharp, but I was earnest. As such, I didn’t find myself in the “smart” classes with the “smart” kids. And yet… In those ordinary classes with the rest of the ordinary kids, I bumped into some of the most extraordinary teachers. To name just a few: Ms. Carol, Ms. Sartor, Ms. Puckett, Mr. Mercer, and Professor Peterson. Each of those...
5 months ago • 2 min read