Recomendo

Spark/King of Random/Bullet Journaling

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Recomendo: issue no. 26

Following:
I’m a big fan of YouTube tutorials by folks who make things. One of the best YouTube channels for cool and unusual doable (by average person) projects is Grant Thompson’s King of Random. He has a well-deserved following of 7.5 million subscribers. His detailed instructions are impeccably researched, his build details clever yet totally reliable, and his project designs extremely fun and even “dangerous” in a good way. His videos are blueprints for projects but also teach me how to do my own. — KK

Travel:
My first choice for getting money when traveling overseas is to use a credit card with no foreign exchange transaction fees. Credit cards give me the best exchange rates, and it reduces how much cash I carry. (If a card is not accepted, my second choice is local cash issued from an ATM, using a debit card without transaction costs. I don’t bother with Travelers Checks; they are unusable these days. And traditional money exchanges have unfavorable rates.) For a credit card without foreign transaction fees, I use a Chase Sapphire Reserve which has lots of other perks, but a high annual fee. Another good option is the Capital One Venture for $60 per year, but less perks. For the current lowdown on the best travel cards and their perks see ThePointsGuy, a free blog full of travel advice. — KK

Email App:
For many years I’ve used Gmail’s web interface. I’ve tried lots of standalone apps, but they always fell short and I’d return to Gmail. Then I tried Spark (Mac OS X and iOS) and I’m hooked. It’s smart, snappy, and has lightning fast search. I have not used Gmail since installing Spark. — MF

Readable:
Here’s a funny anecdote from Isaac Asimov’s autobiography, It’s Been a Good Life. — MF

Enjoyment:
This feels like the golden age of movie theaters. I find myself making more movie dates at either dine-in theaters, like the Alamo Drafthouse or at ones with luxury loungers. Buying tickets in advance for reserved seating makes it really convenient. — CD

Productivity:
A while back I reverted to using an analog to-do list because it forces me to be accountable when I have to carry over my tasks to the next day. Then, this YouTube video on How to Bullet Journal entered my life and took my notebook skills to the next level. — CD

 

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-- Kevin Kelly, Mark Frauenfelder, Claudia Dawson 01/22/17

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