{"version":"https://jsonfeed.org/version/1","title":"Newsletter | letter.kau.sh on Kaushik Gopal's Website","description":"Recent content in Newsletter | letter.kau.sh on Kaushik Gopal's Website","home_page_url":"https://kau.sh/","page_count":3,"feed_url":"https://kau.sh/letter/feed.json","author":{"name":"Kaushik Gopal","url":"/about","avatar":"https://kau.sh/images/kg.jpeg"},"items":[{"title":"letter.kau.sh – 2024 Mar","date_published":"2024-03-01T00:00:00-08:00","id":"letter/2024-03-01/index.md","url":"https://kau.sh/letter/3/","summary":"Letter 3","content_html":"\u003cfigure \u003e\n\n    \n        \n            \u003cimg src=\"/images/content/newsletter-banner.webp\"\n                \n                \n                    alt=\"banner for letter.kau.sh\"\n                \n                \n                \n                loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n            /\u003e\n\n            \n\n    \n    \n\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the third installment of my \u003ca href=\"/letter/\"\u003enewsletter\u003c/a\u003e. Your support as always means everything to me.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet\u0026rsquo;s dive in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"what-im-watching-listening-reading\"\u003e\n  What I\u0026rsquo;m watching, listening, reading\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#what-im-watching-listening-reading\" aria-label=\"Link to What I’m watching, listening, reading\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"video-you\"\u003e\n  [video] \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxURe-EUmAs\"\u003eYou\u0026rsquo;re Not Forgetful: My System for Memorizing Everything\u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#video-you\" aria-label=\"Link to [video] You\"\u003e###\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost people think they have a terrible memory. I know I did. This video by a YouTuber doctor challenged me to rethink that. I haven\u0026rsquo;t noticed a change in my memory\u0026rsquo;s capacity, but I\u0026rsquo;ve learned \u003cem\u003ehow\u003c/em\u003e to remember more.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"video-apple-tv-masters-of-the-air\"\u003e\n  [video] \u003ca href=\"https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/46518-masters-of-the-air\"\u003eApple TV+ Masters of the Air\u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#video-apple-tv-masters-of-the-air\" aria-label=\"Link to [video] Apple TV\u0026#43; Masters of the Air\"\u003e###\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExceptionally shot. Solid \u003ca href=\"https://kau.sh/blog/movie-rating-system#3-like\"\u003e3.5 rating\u003c/a\u003e and worth the watch. Apple TV+ has been killing it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"music-video-sample-breakdown-daft-punk---discovery\"\u003e\n  [music video] \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AqHSvR9bqs\"\u003eSample Breakdown: Daft Punk - Discovery\u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#music-video-sample-breakdown-daft-punk---discovery\" aria-label=\"Link to [music video] Sample Breakdown: Daft Punk - Discovery\"\u003e###\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSampling is the art of reusing a portion of a sound recording in another recording. It\u0026rsquo;s had a complicated history, especially with music licensing concerns and whatnot. Young Guru (Jay-Z\u0026rsquo;s tour D.J) has a good \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnIPWgzXvyA\"\u003evideo\u003c/a\u003e explaining this.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut to fully appreciate sampling as an art, it\u0026rsquo;s not enough to hear the music; you have to visually \u0026ldquo;see\u0026rdquo; it. See watch Daft Punk \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AqHSvR9bqs\"\u003edo their magic\u003c/a\u003e now.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"audio-book-leadership-strategy-and-tactics\"\u003e\n  [audio book] \u003ca href=\"https://a.co/d/8kkgYyK\"\u003eLeadership Strategy and Tactics\u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#audio-book-leadership-strategy-and-tactics\" aria-label=\"Link to [audio book] Leadership Strategy and Tactics\"\u003e###\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI\u0026rsquo;ve been looking for good reads on leadership and this book by an ex-Navy seal came recommended. I have qualms with the narrator\u0026rsquo;s voice but I must say this was a good book with apt analogies.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"tips\"\u003e\n  Tips\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#tips\" aria-label=\"Link to Tips\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"-apple-music\"\u003e\n  🚫 Apple Music\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#-apple-music\" aria-label=\"Link to 🚫 Apple Music\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI use bluetooth headphones with my Mac and it drives me 🦇 💩 🍌 😡 every time I hit the play/pause button and see this window:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure \u003e\n\n    \n        \n            \u003cimg src=\"apple-music.webp\"\n                \n                \n                    alt=\"Apple Music Start Window\"\n                \n                \n                \n                loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n            /\u003e\n\n            \n\n    \n    \n\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI don\u0026rsquo;t use Apple Music. I don\u0026rsquo;t want it to open every time. I\u0026rsquo;d love to disable it. Heck, I\u0026rsquo;d love to uninstall it altogether. Sadly, Apple doesn\u0026rsquo;t allow you to do this. No worries, \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/tombonez/noTunes\"\u003enoTunes\u003c/a\u003e has got your back:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"highlight\"\u003e\u003cpre tabindex=\"0\" style=\"color:#f8f8f2;background-color:#272822;-moz-tab-size:4;-o-tab-size:4;tab-size:4;-webkit-text-size-adjust:none;\"\u003e\u003ccode class=\"language-sh\" data-lang=\"sh\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"display:flex;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003ebrew install --cask notunes\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/code\u003e\u003c/pre\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eA minor yet significant annoyance, zapped away.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"new-font---commitmono\"\u003e\n  New font - CommitMono\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#new-font---commitmono\" aria-label=\"Link to New font - CommitMono\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders of my blog know I\u0026rsquo;m obsessed with monospaced \u003ca href=\"/tags/font/\"\u003efonts\u003c/a\u003e. For my daily programming, I used a custom version of \u003ca href=\"/blog/freeze-alt-char-open-type-font/\"\u003eIBM Plex Mono\u003c/a\u003e and now more often \u003ca href=\"https://developer.apple.com/fonts/\"\u003eSan Francisco Mono\u003c/a\u003e \u003csup id=\"fnref:1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\"\u003e1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e. I\u0026rsquo;m weary of using SF Mono though because of \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/supercomputra/SF-Mono-Font/issues/3#issuecomment-529811872\"\u003eApple\u0026rsquo;s restrictive licensing\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eImagine my happiness finding a new worthy contender - \u003ca href=\"https://commitmono.com/\"\u003eCommitMono\u003c/a\u003e. I admire the Danish creator\u0026rsquo;s philosophy around it:\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\n  \u003cblockquote\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eThere are better ways to design than putting a big effort into making something look special. Special is generally less useful than normal, and less rewarding in the long term. Special things demand attention for the wrong reasons, interrupting potentially good atmosphere with their awkward presence.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e— Jasper Morrison, Super Normal Manifesto\u003c/p\u003e\n\n  \u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere\u0026rsquo;s an option to customize it and you bet I did…\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure \u003e\n\n    \n        \n            \u003cimg src=\"commit-mono-customization.webp\"\n                \n                \n                    alt=\"Customizations for CommitMono\"\n                \n                \n                \n                loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n            /\u003e\n\n            \n\n    \n    \n\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI do wish there was an alternative version of \u0026ldquo;r\u0026rdquo; with the extender at the baseline. That would make it 🧑‍🍳 💋.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"signing-off\"\u003e\n  Signing off\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#signing-off\" aria-label=\"Link to Signing off\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis was a tough month. A few of my colleagues and friends who I deeply admire were let go. Turbulent times in tech :/.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThank you once again for your support and readership. Your \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003efeedback\u003c/a\u003e is always welcome.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUntil the next one.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\"\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"fn:1\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ewhich comes baked in with the Mac\u0026#160;\u003ca href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\"\u003e\u0026#x21a9;\u0026#xfe0e;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"},{"title":"letter.kau.sh – 2024 Feb","date_published":"2024-02-01T12:00:00-08:00","id":"letter/2024-02-01/index.md","url":"https://kau.sh/letter/2/","summary":"My second letter.","content_html":"\u003cfigure \u003e\n\n    \n        \n            \u003cimg src=\"/images/content/newsletter-banner.webp\"\n                \n                \n                    alt=\"banner for letter.kau.sh\"\n                \n                \n                \n                loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n            /\u003e\n\n            \n\n    \n    \n\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the second installment of my \u003ca href=\"/letter/\"\u003enewsletter\u003c/a\u003e. Your support means the world to me.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI\u0026rsquo;ve been told the key to building an audience is consistency. I\u0026rsquo;m committing to this idea by releasing my letter on the first day of each month. This way, you\u0026rsquo;ll always know when to look out for a new letter.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet\u0026rsquo;s dive in.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"what-im-watching-listening-reading\"\u003e\n  What I\u0026rsquo;m watching, listening, reading\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#what-im-watching-listening-reading\" aria-label=\"Link to What I’m watching, listening, reading\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e[podcast] \u003ca href=\"https://pod.link/1710609544\"\u003eWhat Now?\u003c/a\u003e – Trevor Noah\u0026rsquo;s standup is good but he\u0026rsquo;s an even better interview host. His \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/MJ9F9ZuQIzE\"\u003e\u0026ldquo;Between the Scenes\u0026rdquo;\u003c/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLhJCerHFAw\"\u003esegments\u003c/a\u003e are some of my favorite. His new podcast is really good so far.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e[tv] \u003ca href=\"https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/95480-slow-horses\"\u003eSlow Horses\u003c/a\u003e – Just finished Season 1 and I\u0026rsquo;m giddy that there are two additional seasons waiting for me. The best feeling.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e[tv] \u003ca href=\"https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/225180-blue-eye-samurai?language=en-US\"\u003eBlue Eye Samurai\u003c/a\u003e – I\u0026rsquo;ve swooned about this show before but I\u0026rsquo;ll promote it again any chance I get. It\u0026rsquo;s the best thing I watched in 2023.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e[video] \u003ca href=\"https://youtu.be/1mY5FNRh0h4\"\u003eWhere are U Now | Diary of a Song\u003c/a\u003e – Yes, it\u0026rsquo;s the one you\u0026rsquo;re thinking of, and yes it\u0026rsquo;s Beiber, but this video is specifically around how Diplo \u0026amp; Skrillex collaborated to \u003cem\u003emake\u003c/em\u003e the song. I\u0026rsquo;ve got a bunch of these to share, so stay tuned.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"tech-tips\"\u003e\n  Tech Tips\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#tech-tips\" aria-label=\"Link to Tech Tips\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"making-use-of-the-tmp-directory\"\u003e\n  Making use of the \u003ccode\u003e/tmp\u003c/code\u003e directory\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#making-use-of-the-tmp-directory\" aria-label=\"Link to Making use of the /tmp directory\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cfigure \u003e\n\n    \u003cdiv align=\"center\"\u003e\n        \n            \u003cimg src=\"linux-file-system.webp\"\n                \n                \n                    alt=\"cheatsheet for linux file system\"\n                \n                \n                height=\"650\"\n                loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n            /\u003e\n\n            \n            \u003cfigcaption\u003e\n                \n\n                \n                        \n\n                        \n                            \n                            \n                            \u003ca class=\"center\" href=\"https://twitter.com/alexxubyte/status/1753457840541634626\"\u003e\n                            \n                        \n\n                                Courtesy: Alex Xu via Twitter\n\n                            \u003c/a\u003e\n                \n\n            \u003c/figcaption\u003e\n            \n\n    \u003c/div\u003e\n    \n\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAre you aware that Unix-based systems, like macOS, offer a \u0026ldquo;hidden\u0026rdquo; \u003ccode\u003e/tmp\u003c/code\u003e directory that clears out every time you reboot?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI set it as my default download location for files that are momentarily needed like downloads, screenshots, or installation packages. There\u0026rsquo;s no need for a manual cleanup of these files as your next reboot will just wipe them clean.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCaveat: since this directory is \u003cem\u003eworld-writable\u003c/em\u003e, other user profiles on your device can access these files.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"hiding-your-macos-dock\"\u003e\n  Hiding your macOS dock\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#hiding-your-macos-dock\" aria-label=\"Link to Hiding your macOS dock\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Dock is one of those macOS features that I never use and strangely, it can\u0026rsquo;t be disabled. Nicholas shared a \u003ca href=\"https://www.threads.net/@jitkoff/post/C2DII-sJXCR/\"\u003eworkaround\u003c/a\u003e that effectively hides it:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"highlight\"\u003e\u003cpre tabindex=\"0\" style=\"color:#f8f8f2;background-color:#272822;-moz-tab-size:4;-o-tab-size:4;tab-size:4;-webkit-text-size-adjust:none;\"\u003e\u003ccode class=\"language-sh\" data-lang=\"sh\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"display:flex;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003edefaults write com.apple.dock autohide-delay -int \u003cspan style=\"color:#ae81ff\"\u003e60\u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan style=\"color:#f92672\"\u003e\u0026amp;\u0026amp;\u003c/span\u003e killall Dock\n\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/code\u003e\u003c/pre\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt\u0026rsquo;s been working like a charm.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"from-my-blog\"\u003e\n  From my blog\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#from-my-blog\" aria-label=\"Link to From my blog\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"get-to-inbox-0-with-gmail\"\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"/blog/inbox-0-gmail/\"\u003eGet to Inbox 0 with Gmail\u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#get-to-inbox-0-with-gmail\" aria-label=\"Link to Get to Inbox 0 with Gmail\"\u003e###\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI wrote this post excited to share my tips on taming an email inbox. I shared it with the author of the plugin mentioned. He was kind and gracious but told me that my post was vapid (without using those words). He\u0026rsquo;s right. I rushed that post in an excitement to get it out. I oversold with that title.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is why I love the internet and am willing to \u003ca href=\"/blog/learning-and-looking-foolish/\"\u003elook foolish\u003c/a\u003e. It means I\u0026rsquo;m learning. I\u0026rsquo;ve since been thinking about re-editing that post. The title should have just been - how \u003cem\u003eI\u003c/em\u003e use Gmail.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3 id=\"replace-git-number-with-git-aliases\"\u003e\n  \u003ca href=\"/blog/git-alias/\"\u003eReplace git-number with git aliases\u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#replace-git-number-with-git-aliases\" aria-label=\"Link to Replace git-number with git aliases\"\u003e###\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI wanted to go on more about my \u003ca href=\"/blog/simplify\"\u003esimplify\u003c/a\u003e series and how pumped I am about a queue of posts I have in mind for this topic. But reason and restraint found me and I figured folks will find their way to it, in time.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut if you\u0026rsquo;re curious… dear newsletter reader (❤️) the ones I\u0026rsquo;m thinking of: \u0026ldquo;How I Obsidian\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;iTerm → Terminal \u0026amp; sane dotfiles\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;Fish → Zsh\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;VSCode + NeoVim → Jetbrains\u0026rdquo;, \u0026ldquo;KeyboardMaestro + Alfred + Pastebot + WorldClock widget + … → Raycast\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf there\u0026rsquo;s one that you\u0026rsquo;re eager to read, \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003elet me know\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"musings\"\u003e\n  Musings\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#musings\" aria-label=\"Link to Musings\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"programming-for-good\"\u003e\n  Programming for good\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#programming-for-good\" aria-label=\"Link to Programming for good\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs a programmer, I\u0026rsquo;m always looking for opportunities to apply my skills to benefit society and perform my civic duty. The opportunities are there…\u003c/p\u003e\n\n\n\n\n\n  \u003cblockquote\u003e\n    \u003cp\u003eThe San Francisco subway system still runs on \u003ca href=\"https://sfstandard.com/transportation/sfs-market-street-subway-runs-on-reagan-era-floppy-disks/\"\u003e5 1/4-inch floppies\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\n  \u003c/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBy way of \u003ca href=\"https://kottke.org/23/12/52-interesting-things-i-learned-2023\"\u003eJason Kotke\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSF has the best software engineers in the world and they\u0026rsquo;re riding the very Munis that run on 5¼ floppies, all around San Francisco. Yet, there isn\u0026rsquo;t an obvious way to volunteer time to help improve these systems. 💡\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"free-stuff-getting-better-over-time\"\u003e\n  Free stuff getting better over time\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#free-stuff-getting-better-over-time\" aria-label=\"Link to Free stuff getting better over time\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re reading this letter on a browser, you\u0026rsquo;ll notice I\u0026rsquo;ve spruced the website up a lot. I\u0026rsquo;m going to write more about the numerous subtle features a casual reader might miss.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBut every time I start to work on it, there\u0026rsquo;s this guilt of sinking time into \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/kaushikgopal/henry-hugo\"\u003ethe effort\u003c/a\u003e. But I\u0026rsquo;m writing this to remind future me: it\u0026rsquo;s ok. Working on \u003ca href=\"/henry\"\u003eHenry\u003c/a\u003e is meditative for me - low stakes programming that makes atleast one person happy (me).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThere\u0026rsquo;s also something fulfilling about the idea of improving the work you give out for free, over time. How often can you say that about other free things in life? 🧘🏽\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"resolutions--goals\"\u003e\n  Resolutions \u0026amp; \u003ca href=\"/letter/1#lets-kick-this-off\"\u003eGoals\u003c/a\u003e\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#resolutions--goals\" aria-label=\"Link to Resolutions \u0026amp; Goals\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"tolerance-in-thinking-platformer-leaves-substack\"\u003e\n  [Tolerance in thinking] Platformer leaves Substack\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#tolerance-in-thinking-platformer-leaves-substack\" aria-label=\"Link to [Tolerance in thinking] Platformer leaves Substack\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCasey Newton on \u003ca href=\"https://www.platformer.news/why-platformer-is-leaving-substack/\"\u003eleaving substack\u003c/a\u003e. I thought this was a measured response and he went about it the right way. I was especially curious how he\u0026rsquo;d handle the usual questions around freedom of speech \u0026amp; tolerance in thinking. His FAQ at the end does a good job.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"self-care-back-to-weightlifting\"\u003e\n  [Self care] Back to Weightlifting\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#self-care-back-to-weightlifting\" aria-label=\"Link to [Self care] Back to Weightlifting\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy transformation from a 100kg (220 lbs) teenager to a 70kg (154 lbs) fit young adult was anything but easy. It wasn\u0026rsquo;t inspiration but severe back pain that drove me. An elderly chiropractor candidly remarked \u0026ldquo;you\u0026rsquo;re the youngest non-injured patient I\u0026rsquo;ve ever had in my career\u0026rdquo;. That scared the shit out of me cause that dude was \u003cstrong\u003eold\u003c/strong\u003e. I learnt then that the only activity I was consistent with is weightlifting (thankfully).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure \u003e\n\n    \n        \n            \u003cimg src=\"workout-x.webp\"\n                \n                \n                    alt=\"workout image poster\"\n                \n                \n                \n                loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n            /\u003e\n\n            \n\n    \n    \n\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eI\u0026rsquo;m aiming to regain my former fitness by starting simple. For now, I\u0026rsquo;m alternating between two full-body workouts that I found on this slapstick \u003ca href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9ENCvFf9yQ\u0026amp;t=445s\"\u003eYouTube\u003c/a\u003e channel.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cfigure \u003e\n\n    \n        \n            \u003cimg src=\"workout-1.webp\"\n                \n                \n                    alt=\"workout image 1\"\n                \n                \n                \n                loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n            /\u003e\n\n            \n\n    \n    \n\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cfigure \u003e\n\n    \n        \n            \u003cimg src=\"workout-2.webp\"\n                \n                \n                    alt=\"workout image 2\"\n                \n                \n                \n                loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n            /\u003e\n\n            \n\n    \n    \n\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eNext month, I\u0026rsquo;ll switch it up with a different set.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"signing-off\"\u003e\n  Signing off\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#signing-off\" aria-label=\"Link to Signing off\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThank you genuinely for subscribing or reading my letters. I\u0026rsquo;d love to always \u003ca href=\"/contact/\"\u003ehear more from you\u003c/a\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat would you like to see more or less of — tech insights, programming chatter, personal stories?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI\u0026rsquo;m finding my way. I\u0026rsquo;d appreciate all the help.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUntil the next one.\u003c/p\u003e\n"},{"title":"letter.kau.sh – 2024 Jan","date_published":"2024-01-03T10:48:58-08:00","id":"letter/2024-01-03/index.md","url":"https://kau.sh/letter/1/","summary":"I started my newsletter. A more casual format where I can jot transient thoughts and share more frequently in the process.","content_html":"\u003cfigure class=\"tac borderless\"\u003e\n\n    \n        \n            \u003cimg src=\"newsletter.webp\"\n                class=\"tac borderless\"\n                \n                    alt=\"lady holding letters\"\n                \n                width=\"400\"\n                \n                loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n            /\u003e\n\n            \n\n    \n    \n\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003ch1 id=\"welcome-to-my-newsletter\"\u003e\n  Welcome to my newsletter!\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#welcome-to-my-newsletter\" aria-label=\"Link to Welcome to my newsletter!\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhy start a newsletter when I have a blog? I love writing and I want to write more. But I want a more casual format, where I can share without the burden of permanence or meticulousness  that a \u0026ldquo;blog post\u0026rdquo; demands.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhile I continue to use social media, like others I remain skeptical of its future as a reliable destination for this sort of writing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-to-expect\"\u003e\n  What to expect\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#what-to-expect\" aria-label=\"Link to What to expect\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThink of this truly, as letters from me to you. I intend to  share quick tips and tricks; helpful software I’ve installed and am using; hardware that I’m trying out and recommend; books, blog posts or other newsletters that I’m reading; thoughts on what’s going on in my personal life; lessons and learnings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI want to be brave with ideas and opinions that are still baking in my head… but could also turn out wrong.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"what-is-the-format\"\u003e\n  What is the format\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#what-is-the-format\" aria-label=\"Link to What is the format\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI don’t know if I want to keep these posts \u003cem\u003eshort\u003c/em\u003e but I promise to keep them as easy reads. The newsletters I love, share this quality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI\u0026rsquo;m aiming for a monthly cadence and will nest these under \u003ca href=\"/letter/\"\u003e/letter\u003c/a\u003e but it should also show up in the general feed. You’re under no obligation to read these btw if all you want are the regular posts. Since I use my own theme for this site\u003csup id=\"fnref:1\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn:1\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\"\u003e1\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e there\u0026rsquo;s ∞ flexibility. You can choose a customized feed based on your liking:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/feed.xml\"\u003e/feed.xml\u003c/a\u003e — all the stuff I write\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/blog/feed.xml\"\u003e/blog/feed.xml\u003c/a\u003e - “blog posts” only\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"/letter/feed.xml\"\u003e/letter/feed.xml\u003c/a\u003e - “newsletter” only\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSlap \u003ccode\u003e/feed.xml\u003c/code\u003e (or \u003ccode\u003e/feed.json\u003c/code\u003e) at the end of most urls here, and you\u0026rsquo;ll get a feed for that topic (e.g. my \u003ca href=\"/tags/programming/\"\u003eposts on programming\u003c/a\u003e are at \u003ca href=\"/tags/programming/feed.xml\"\u003e/tags/programming/feed.xml\u003c/a\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you\u0026rsquo;re an email gal/guy on the other hand, open this page in a browser and all the way at the bottom is a way to add your email to a list. You\u0026rsquo;ll get these letters in your inbox, as soon as I post them.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch1 id=\"lets-kick-this-off\"\u003e\n  Let\u0026rsquo;s kick this off!\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#lets-kick-this-off\" aria-label=\"Link to Let’s kick this off!\"\u003e#\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cfigure \u003e\n\n    \n        \n            \u003cimg src=\"/images/content/newsletter-banner.webp\"\n                \n                \n                    alt=\"banner for letter.kau.sh\"\n                \n                \n                \n                loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\n            /\u003e\n\n            \n\n    \n    \n\n\u003c/figure\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHappy 2024 🥳! If you haven\u0026rsquo;t noticed, I\u0026rsquo;m big on \u003ca href=\"/tags/new-year/\"\u003enew-year\u003c/a\u003e posts and resolutions. Here are my resolutions for 2024:\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"brevity-in-writing\"\u003e\n  Brevity in writing\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#brevity-in-writing\" aria-label=\"Link to Brevity in writing\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI want to get better and sharper with my writing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTwo books that are classics that I should dust off and read again: \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elements_of_Style\"\u003eElements of Style\u003c/a\u003e \u0026amp; \u003ca href=\"https://amzn.to/3ROwj4S\"\u003eOn Writing Well\u003c/a\u003e. I follow the social media account \u003ca href=\"https://www.threads.net/@techemails/post/C1k85lsPeko\"\u003etech emails\u003c/a\u003e. In addition to the 🍿 I\u0026rsquo;m impressed by the brevity with how the top executives correspond and write. No superfluous adverbs or flowery adjectives. I remember an online discussion\u003csup id=\"fnref:2\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn:2\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\"\u003e2\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e where people questioned, \u0026ldquo;Why do these leaders write like this? Feels bizarrely direct and grammatically lacking or incomplete\u0026rdquo;. An interesting response went something like this: \u0026ldquo;these people \u003cstrong\u003ecannot afford to be misunderstood\u003c/strong\u003e, so are as direct as possible. They dispense with flowery \u0026amp; verbose language, and even with grammar at times, if it gets the point across better\u0026rdquo;. Not saying I want to emulate this but I\u0026rsquo;d like to improve my own writing for clarity.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"tolerance-in-thinking\"\u003e\n  Tolerance in thinking\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#tolerance-in-thinking\" aria-label=\"Link to Tolerance in thinking\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI want to have healthy discussions with people having differing opinions.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe live in a polarized time where if someone holds a differing  ideology, everything that comes out of their mouth must be wrong or opposed. Over the 2023 Xmas holidays, I was watching \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_West_Wing\"\u003eThe West Wing\u003c/a\u003e since it\u0026rsquo;s one of those shows that\u0026rsquo;s recommended highly. It reminded me of Sorkin\u0026rsquo;s \u003ca href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Newsroom_%28American_TV_series%29\"\u003eThe Newsroom\u003c/a\u003e which came out later and is one of my favorites. I love how this idea is pushed in both shows. Why can friends not hold opposing ideologies today? How can we be more graceful in debate?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"focus-on-self-care\"\u003e\n  Focus on self care\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#focus-on-self-care\" aria-label=\"Link to Focus on self care\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI will carve out time and be conscious about my self-care practice.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI was actually inspired by one of my colleagues on this one. Self care is about making sure you\u0026rsquo;re spending time to do things that inspire and invigorate you. Self care can be fitness, it can be watching that TV show that only you seem to like in your family, it can be eating healthier, it can be taking the time to talk to a therapist or a friend more equipped to listen. What it shouldn\u0026rsquo;t be… is an after thought.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 id=\"new-ventures-in-tech\"\u003e\n  New ventures in tech\n  \u003ca class=\"heading-anchor static ml-2 inline-block whitespace-nowrap md:absolute md:right-full md:top-0 md:ml-0 md:mr-2 opacity-30 hover:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100 transition duration-200 no-underline text-ht-lighter hover:text-hc focus-visible:text-hc font-normal\" href=\"#new-ventures-in-tech\" aria-label=\"Link to New ventures in tech\"\u003e##\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI have two new ideas\u003csup id=\"fnref:3\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn:3\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\"\u003e3\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e in this space that I\u0026rsquo;d like to make a reality.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https://fragmentedpodcast.com/\"\u003eFragmented\u003c/a\u003e — the podcast I started with \u003ca href=\"https://www.donnfelker.com/\"\u003eDonn\u003c/a\u003e is on a hiatus\u003csup id=\"fnref:4\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"#fn:4\" class=\"footnote-ref\" role=\"doc-noteref\"\u003e4\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e of sorts. But I\u0026rsquo;ve been cooking something else in the background, so stay tuned. I\u0026rsquo;m not ready to share more just yet but I\u0026rsquo;ve been thinking about these for sometime now and am excited to see them materialize in 2024.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThank you genuinely for subscribing or reading my newsletter. I\u0026rsquo;d love to hear more from you too. What are your resolutions for 2024?\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"footnotes\" role=\"doc-endnotes\"\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"fn:1\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ethat I\u0026rsquo;ve \u003ca href=\"https://github.com/kaushikgopal/henry-hugo\"\u003eopen sourced\u003c/a\u003e btw\u0026#160;\u003ca href=\"#fnref:1\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\"\u003e\u0026#x21a9;\u0026#xfe0e;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"fn:2\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ecan\u0026rsquo;t to find it now.\u0026#160;\u003ca href=\"#fnref:2\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\"\u003e\u0026#x21a9;\u0026#xfe0e;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"fn:3\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003edetails to come in the future 😉\u0026#160;\u003ca href=\"#fnref:3\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\"\u003e\u0026#x21a9;\u0026#xfe0e;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"fn:4\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003emore on that soon too.\u0026#160;\u003ca href=\"#fnref:4\" class=\"footnote-backref\" role=\"doc-backlink\"\u003e\u0026#x21a9;\u0026#xfe0e;\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}]}