Background I used to wonder what my friend Benny Lewis was doing. He has a website and social media accounts, but neither gave an overview of what he’s doing now. Then I realized some people might wonder the same about me. So in 2015, I made a /now page on my website, saying what I’d tell a friend I hadn’t seen in a year. It has a nice...

I’ve asked my favorite musicians if, when they’re done writing a new song, they feel it’s the best song ever. All of them said yes. I’ve asked my favorite authors if, when they’re done writing a new book, they feel it was the best book ever. All of them said no. I don’t know why the two groups are so different. Do you? (Please post your...

I just got the call from the super-connected Alex Steininger that our mutual friend Ben Kihnel died in his sleep. He was only 48. Ben was employee #2 of CD Baby. (#1 was the great John Steup.) John hired Ben the day we moved the company to Portland, Oregon. I don’t even know how we met Ben. Then all of the early employees at CD Baby were Ben’s...

In Harry Potter, there’s a magic mirror that reflects the viewer’s desire. What Harry sees in that mirror is very different than what Dumbledore or Ron sees, because their desires are all different. Imagine if there was something similar that shows you what you most need to believe right now. It shows proof to support whatever perspective would...

Your personal AI knows you inside-out. It’s local-hosted and securely encrypted on your phone, so you’re safe to tell it your secrets. You let it see all your texts, emails, journals, photos and videos — past and present. It asks your thoughts each day, and you tell it what’s on your mind. You enjoy how its questions make you reflect. Your...

Since I mentioned that I learned JavaScript, people have asked me how and what I recommend. So here’s my experience and best advice for 2024. Learn plain JavaScript First, it’s important to learn plain JavaScript. Don’t depend on a library of shortcuts. JavaScript will be around for many years, while libraries and frameworks come and go...