This week I have learned:
- I’m finding NotebookLM increasingly useful as a tool for rapid research. With a colleague on Thursday we were able to create a new card deck from source material in minutes which gave us enough of a prototype to start testing the idea within an hour.
This is where these tools have benefit. - Conversely, for many years I’ve been of the view that Bring your own Device wasn’t what people wanted, but Bring your own Software was. This is where the dilemmas lie for technology organisations. A business in which there is no shadow IT is a business that is devoid of curiosity, but the risks at scale of people working outside of mandated systems feel like they are growing exponentially.
- There again, heard a lovely quote from a former client today about how worrying about making mistakes through experimenting with doing things differently is daft if you are already making mistakes with how you work today.
- Every so often things pop up on the Internet that make me remember how it used to be so much more fun – a hello from someone who has been watching what I’ve been doing for many years (in a non-creepy way), and photos of bridges are two such examples this week.
- It’s probably going to be easier if I just filter out much of the news.
- We visited King Henry’s Mound to look through the telescope at night and spy on St Paul’s. Sometimes you need to have tourists visiting to do fun stuff.
- This article from last year has stuck with me. If I find myself reaching for my phone, I now try to ask myself “Am I doing this for a purpose, or am I doing this because I am bored?”
If it’s the latter I try to reach for a book or go for a stroll or something else instead. - Wordle counts as a valid reason. They never disappoint.
The week in media:
Watched:
It’s a time of extreme dystopia. So I’ve been re-watching episodes of Black Mirror, but trying to only do the happy ones. San Junipero and Hang the DJ are uplifting love stories and prove that Charlie Brooker is actually a big old softie.
Listened:
I’ve got a bit obsessed about Douglas Adams again. I never realised that there was a radio adaptation of the Dirk Gently novel, so I’m listening to that on Spotfiy.
Next week:
Closing down the new contract.
The week in photos:
mmitII 