The System

5 months and 2 weeks into the year and I’ve just completed 16,000, written and edited, words. I’ve published 8,500 of those words as part of In Abeyance.

This could only have been possible using the show up every day and do maximum 30 minutes at a time method. My aim was to carry out at least one session every morning as a bare minimum. If there was more juice in the tank, I’d do some more. I may not have hit my mental goal but the system is clear. I’ll get there eventually, one day at a time.

One for @macgenie :)

Finally after 8 years in the Middle East, I’m finally living in a country that has Amazon Prime. Now I get to see what all the fuss is about. Prime Video is a welcome addition in the house.

Couldn’t help myself. Twitter had Ollie. We can have…wait for it Molly. @macgenie @manton

Great article about the Mac Pro by Arun. Arun’s website is one of the few that I seriously admire the look of. Love the simplicity and use of white space. He also uses Inter, which is another awesome open source typeface. We are so spoilt.

Looking to make a meaningful change to your website? Go and check out Beautiful Web Type. If I was in the market for new typefaces, I’d be checking out Vollkorn. And probably pair it with Cooper Hewitt.

Awesome work by Alpay Efe. His exceptional Bodies series really stood out for met.

If you’ve got kids, and you’re done with the Donaldson library of books, then might I suggest both Jon Klassen and Rob Biddulph. Zane has been seriously enjoying the books from both of these gents. Seriously recommend anything by them. Also while you’re at Rob’s site, he has some pretty sweet prints for sale.

I dare you to watch the second video for the Black Fly and not smile.

Happy that we’ll be hearing more from this awesome couple. Sad that it’s via Spotify…

Issue 005, of my ‘monthly’ (it’s moving to a bi-monthly schedule) newsletter In Abeyance is out. This issue considers the role of urban agriculture within the built environment.

Sneak peak from tomorrow’s issue of In Abeyance. Subscribe now over at www.stet.build/ia

I’m not going to lie, I’m a little underwhelmed by the WWDC announcements. Maybe it’s because everyone was building up the upcoming changes as earth shattering, which they’re not? I definitely wanted more wackiness from iPadOS and Project Catalyst. Maybe when I play with these updates I’ll change my mind and see the genius that a 2 hour presentation could not convey, certainly hope so.

The boys had a proper nature lesson this morning at the park. Tons of birds in the trees, a few started hovering right in front of us. Yasmine quickly realised what the reason was. A big, fat juicy worm in the grass that the birds had spotted. The boys ‘protected’ the worm, as they took a closer look of it and then moved away to let nature do her thing.

Seth Godin’s instagram is completely on point. He’s basically used instagram in two creative ways that I’ve not seen before (although I have seen the use of a single image being split across tiles before it’s not been videos).

Green Planet

Haven’t bought and read an issue of Edge in decades(?), certainly 15 years.

Like something out of Nausicaa

Atlantis

2018 National Geographic Photo Contest, wallpapers. There goes several hours of my life. Who needs a new update to operating systems from Apple when the internet gives you this?

Jamie Oliver’s empire collapses as 22 UK restaurants close. Sad news. Over the years I’ve really come to respect what Jamie has accomplished. On a personal note my family and I owe him a debt of gratitude for teaching me how to cook eggs, which we all have on weekends.

Coding your own newsletter is a total mugs game. I know since I’ve been playing it for a few months now. Total waste of time. Go to Topol and sort it out. Free for limited number of projects, reasonable pricing if you want to go pro. Totally worth the price.

While on the subject of good newsletters, James Clears latest, Martha Graham on the Hidden Danger of Comparing Yourself to Others, really hit home for me. It’s human nature to compare yourself, but ultimately you are racing one person, yourself.

Season two of Paul Jarvis’s Company of One podcast (which is a companion to his book). Man, I’ve got a ton of good books to read this summer.