Notes for July 25, 2026

Reading Practices, Habits, and Phones

Reading is a skill. Or maybe a set of sub-skills really. But like most skills, the more you do it the better you get at it. So it makes sense that if you don’t read much long-form writing you may struggle at first. A lot of people say they can’t concentrate. They say they are too busy. They’d like to read but there are obstacles like these. Well, the only way to solve that problem is to start small and read.

I'm one of those people. I read blogs and articles all day long, but I really need to pick up a fucking book every once in a while. And I really have no excuse; my girlfriend has already turned half our house into a library since we moved in a few years ago, and she got me a Kindle for Christmas last year but it mostly just sits in my work bag.

I do complain that "I never have the time" but then I'll sit around playing Nintendo games and getting stoned until 2am. I think my biggest thing is that I feel like I always have to read non-fiction. Stuff about psychology, sales, biographies...

Thinking about this reminds me of another post, from Joan Westenberg:

Look at the big picture of human progress. The most revolutionary ideas, the ones that have truly changed the course of history, often started as “fiction.” Science fiction has predicted and inspired countless technological advancements. Philosophical thought experiments have shaped ethical frameworks. Even religious parables, regardless of your beliefs, have profoundly influenced human behavior and our social order.

via Joan Westenberg - Why we need fiction

She writes about how your neural circuits light up as if you're actually experiencing what you're reading; how fiction teaches you things you'll remember because it's as if you're living the story. And even in non-fiction books, most of the real knowledge lies in metaphors and other little stories that make it make more sense.

I need to read more fiction.

A few links from today 🔗

'We're at a Crazy Moment in History': Midjourney Buys Astrology App Co-Star

The bullshit generator of AI paired with the bullshit generator of an astrology app truly feels like a match made in the heavens.

You can't leave politics out of anything

There’s no such thing as leaving politics out of anything. Because existence is political.

Michael Stipe Previews Solo Album with New Song “Hum Desiderata”

You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars...

Annnd that's all I've got for now. I woke up at 5:40am for a meeting that could've been an email, so I'm definitely not firing on all cylinders today. I'm ready to get home and rot on the couch until I fall asleep with my contacts in 😪