Micro.blog Is Interesting

I’ve been checking out Mastodon lately — decentralized social media — which led me to rediscovering a related site/platform called Micro.blog. I briefly tried it out a few years ago but didn’t need it alongside my WordPress blog (and Twitter profile). But now, things are different.

Mastodon Is Interesting

As Twitter implodes, there remains the elephant in the room: social media persists. The elephant’s cousin — Mastodon — proves it. Well, sort of. As social creatures, people are going to connect online, one way or the other. At first, I heard about various Twitter alternatives, but Mastodon seems to keep rising to the top. Though I doubt I’ll join, I’m interested in that it’s “federated,” kind of like email.

A Groundhog Tradition Again

Well it's Groundhog Day...again...and I'm enjoying my annual re-watch of one of my all-time favorite movies, Groundhog Day! In the spirit of the film and its repetition, I'm re-posting my Groundhog Day post from 2019 below. Enjoy.

Backlog Bustin To Xenoblade 3

Finally. I’ve arrived. After months of bustin’ my JRPG backlog, I now begin my first play-through of Xenoblade Chronicles 3, nominated for Game of the Year 2022. Having just finished Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition and Future Connected, I think I’m primed for an epic Xenoblade zenith.

Journaling On Day One

The best time to start journaling is a day far in the past; the second best time is today. Whether you have a paper diary or a digital journal, writing your thoughts in it regularly is vital. Over the years, I’ve used different tools to journal, tending to switch them up for various reasons. So, surprising nobody, I’ve moved from Apple Notes back to Day One.

Animal Crossing Renewed Horizons

This month, I restarted playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons — on a new island from scratch! (I’m also still enjoying Xenoblade Chronicles.) Why would I do this again, after the game’s release in 2020, having built up a previous island over hundreds of hours?

Sold iPad And Dropped AirPods

As one who is all-in with Apple, it may be surprising that I quit using a few of its gadgets. My iPad is gone. And my AirPods are now just backup. Let me explain.

Is Meta Pivoting Back To Social Media?

Recode published a piece that does not help reduce skepticism towards Meta’s ambitious AR/VR/metaverse endeavors. The year 2022 was tough on the company. Will Facebook/Meta be the next MySpace or Yahoo? Its founder and CEO is optimistic:

Return Of The Blogosphere

A new article for the new year, this one from the Verge about bringing back personal blogging. How could I NOT comment on this one!? The idea is simple: since social media has devolved in recent years, proving to be less than ideal, and since people remain social, then the collective cyber culture should once again embrace the benefits of blogging. To that, yes. A resounding one indeed.

Metaverse Spectacles Skeptical

A recent piece from Vox by Shirin Ghaffary on the challenge Meta endures as it races towards the so-called metaverse:

“Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg thinks the metaverse will be the next iteration of the internet, a technological shift akin to the mobile phone.”

2023 Foresight

With a focus on computing and gaming, here are two things to look forward to this year. One is a super computer. The other: a fantastic game…that cannot be played on that super computer but rather on the equivalent of a six year old Android tablet!