Excursions

I do not understand this narrative of folding phones being the smartphones of future. Why would you carry a device which is physically more prone to damage, is a lot less comfortable to hold in all dimensions — and I believe a lot less useful too, both folded and unfolded 🤔

A hot Sunday Summer afternoon is well spent with the whole family over a game of Dobble. Lots of teasing, lots of fun, lots of laughter. Don’t think there’s any better way to beat the heat.

Chris Richards, putting his perspective through, does kick a hornet’s nest. Something even I have done earlier.

I’m against podcasts. I think they’re tedious and samey and sedative, and when I’m feeling especially cranky, I consider them an enemy of music. Most podcasts are conversations for people to eavesdrop on — recorded talk that precludes real-life talk about real life with zombie talk about podcasts. Also, I like music. With all of the world’s unheard songs beckoning us with their endless mystery, why would anyone choose to waste their precious listening hours on a podcast?

Yeah, the topic is a pretty polarizing one. Most vocal voices on online forums may not agree with the Chris’s perspective. I myself believe this medium of entertainment or “infotainment” needs some control to make it useful. As I had quipped earlier.

I hate podcasts, because the medium is demanding. It demands so much time from me, demands focused attention to follow along. I wish I didn’t find them so damn useful to keep giving in to the medium’s demands.

Yes, I have put some measures to not let podcasts be the static noise in my ears all the time — voices and perspective of others on everything. But the reason for that isn’t that I do not like those voices. Or the fact that they don’t “sound good”, as Chris seems to argue.

I disagree. On the contrary, I believe they sound too good, too polished for my liking. I feel the recent interest in the medium from all the big production/media houses has brought in a lot more investment and so the production chops. The medium does not need that. I tend to stay away from all these new shows.

Anyway, for me, the reason that I put restriction on the amount of time I allow podcasts is simple.

I have lately felt hindered by the time I am listening to the same repetitive thoughts from other people on podcasts. Experts talking about, dissecting, the tech news. Or blabbering about something I would not be interested in typically.

I have realized the measure I had put in place to limit the medium has worked well for me. I listen to music more. I listen to the audiobooks more. Are they better at not “wasting” one’s time? Now that’s purely subjective.

Managed to book tickets to Endgame — boy, the craze for the movie is off the charts. In recent times, I’ve avoided the frenzied rush to the theaters. But I had to catch the end of this saga in all its glory with its most ardent fans, myself included. I join the frenzy, hence.

I am done binge-watching all the seasons of Brooklyn 99 - it was a refreshing time-out at the end of a work day. I am back sifting through the list of the shows recommended here earlier. I started Sherlock and How to get away with murder again. I may stick with later.

I read this note from Dave Winer on state of publishing on the open web. The first part reads like a fact.

It’s too hard to publish something to the open web. It has to be available as simple content. Not rendered inside a commercial template.

Sure, I agree with this. Publishing on web is a need of time, every person with some access to the internet wishes to post his thoughts and pictures online. More often in closed groups — like Whatsapp, iMessage, Messenger etc. But then also on easily accessible and free services - like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc. Highlighted aspects are important.

Technically it’s a very simple problem, actually. And the raw serving capability is dirt cheap. But it needs a corporate entity to run it.

It is those highlighted aspects that makes this a tricky problem. From the demand’s perspective, those aspects are of a lot of importance. Majority of the people are neither ready to spend their energies nor their money for the ability to post online. Open web currently fails to address both at the same time. Accessible solutions aren’t free. Free solutions aren’t accessible.

So the supply, mostly from the corporate entities, then caters to just those demands, bringing along the price for serving it.

Missed a great innings from MSD yesterday — boy, the man can do anything. He has his own style of working a game of cricket. Sure, it fails to click every now and then. But he has got a signature method for handling the pressure. Calmness personified. #IPL2019

I believe Indian selectors went with the safe options, calm heads over fireworks, while selecting the cricket World Cup squad. Most of the team picked itself - selection of the couple was going to be tricky, whichever way the decision tilted. Overall squad looks fine though.

Do people use Anti-virus software, especially on Windows? I never used one on Mac, but since moving to Windows, that is one aspect I am pretty split on. I have been primarily using Windows defender, but every one around suggests that might not be enough.

I realise I have a very different taste in music than majority of the people out there (or so I am made to believe). I enjoy none of the global trending/top songs, most of them are hip-hop/rap. I am surprised that’s the genre people groove to the most.