October 29, 2023

Hit and Miss #321: Finishing things

Another weekend of juggling too many things—one day I’ll be sensible about what I can actually accomplish in a day, a year, a life! There’s a long list from having moved, though huge thanks and kudos to the hard work T’s done to already make this place feel like home. That said, it’s my turn to do some home-y things—reflecting that, a quick round-up of observations and links from the week:

• Finished our hallway bench this week! Was fun to work with Martin on it over the last few weeks—it’ll make a great addition to the front hall. It was a quintessential woodworking project: designing it partially in advance, partially on the fly; fixing several mistakes that didn’t make sense, but needed fixing anyhow; retrofitting the structure a bit after testing it out, to strengthen a flex-y bit; practicing different techniques just for the fun of it. Thanks also to Jason for some tips on chamfering with a block plane, a fun little touch for the bench’s stretcher.
• I haven’t been able to get out as much as I’d’ve liked this fall, but am looking forward to a few more long bike rides, inspired by routes from Hans on the Bike.
• A thoughtful piece on all this waves hands at the complexity of the term AI stuff, starting with a reflection on two ways of using digital maps (like Google Maps) that was worth reading just on its own.
• Actually last weekend, but I didn’t share which books I picked up in that first Perfect Books run:
  • Deb Chachra’s How Infrastructure Works—I’ve had it on preorder since it was announced, and am thrilled it’s finally here. Deb’s newsletter and other writing have always hit a chord for me, so picking up a whole book on infrastructure was a no-brainer. Also, I really admire and appreciate that her recent book launch event included a request to mask up!
  • Nick Offerman’s Where the Deer and the Antelope Play—I’ve been on a bit of an Offerman kick this year, so I was keeping an eye out for this one to come out in paperback. His interview with Krista Tippett touches on this book a fair bit, and is an excellent introduction to his very well-rounded life and personality.
  • Tasmyn Muir’s Nona the Ninth—I read Gideon with my book club, Harrow on my own (what a mind trip), and eagerly awaited Nona’s release in paperback. It’s a wonderfully constructed world, one I’m excited to continue exploring.

All the best for the week ahead!

Lucas