Rhoneisms

Rethinking famous college admissions | Seth’s Blog Is it better to believe that you got into a famous college because of a mysterious, perhaps human, definitely flawed, and easily gamed system, or would we prefer a different sort of black box, one that puts data to work in a coordinated and prioritized way? A proposal worth consideration. Not sure I agree with all of it but, having just been in the process, I know some changes are certainly needed.

Prioritise by pay-off | Hunter Gatherer 21C As Merlin Mann once said, “Priorities are like arms; if you think you have more than a couple, you’re either lying or crazy.”

Bethany writes thank you notes to Beatrix’s teachers at the end of each year. Here’s part of one of the replies she received… Beatrix also gave me a gift. She told me a lot about her love and care of houseplants. One day, my husband sent me a plant arrangement as a gift, and I was watering it. Beatrix showed me how she puts water right where the plant grows. I remember that every time I water my houseplants: make sure the water goes to the source. I’m sure there’s a metaphor in there. Make sure…

Live your lesson.

It’s officially pool party time when I crack open the first of these…

Unpaid labor | Seth’s Blog The simple test: when you do it more, do things get better? This is a simple test for almost everything, not just social media.

Old tools are the best tools…

The old protect the young, then the young protect the old. This is the way. — The Mandalorian and Grogu

Memorial Day Cabin Weekend You might remember that Patrick’s words for 2026 were “Adjust and Adapt” and mine is “Resilience.” So here was a great chance to put this into practice. Sometimes, your cabin plans are not what your cabin has planned.

Before the show…

A Productive Conversation | Making Space for Grace (PM Talks S3E5) Patrick Rhone is back, and so is PM Talks — the monthly series where Patrick and I take our time with one idea and actually see where it goes. This is Season 3, Episode 5, and Patrick has just returned from a trip to Greece with his family — a trip built around anniversary celebrations, Mamma Mia filming locations, and the kind of serendipitous moments that only happen when you’re open enough to notice them. Always a good time.

A subject that my mind has been unreasonably fascinated (dare I say fixated) on recently is this; no one really knows why we yawn. There are theories, of course — from one’s blood containing increased amounts of carbon dioxide in need of release to a body’s way of controlling brain temperature. Especially elusive is why it seems to be contagious. There are many theories but no definitive answer. Something as common and basic as yawning is a mystery and I love this. I love such known unknowns.…

How to Spend Money So It Actually Makes You Happier – YouTube This video by Daniel Pink is interesting and useful. Everything within backed by scientific research. My own personal experience, where applied, backs it up. Worth the time to watch. Things that make you go, “Hmmm…”

Geography is four-dimensional | Derek Sivers When someone speaks of a place, you have to ask, “When?” Geography is four-dimensional. You can’t know a place – only a place as it was at a time. Where is bound to when. Interesting insight. Derek nails it (yet again).

An interesting idea; start your work surface with nothing: The next time you begin your workday, try this: clear your work surface completely. Close all browser tabs. Create a fresh page in your notebook. Open only the one file you need.

This is a series of my own personal ideas on leaders and the art of leadership. I’ve been compiling this over the last few weeks and will likely add to it as more thoughts arise (similar to my notes on mentors so feel free to bookmark and revisit every now and then to see if I’ve added to it. Leaders are fixers. They are the one’s who see a problem and decide to fix it. Especially the problems everyone else seems to ignore. While everyone else steps over a piece of gum on the sidewalk, the…

What are you doing to be a good netizen?

Beatrix’s final Spring Show performance at Circus Juventas today. My wife posted a collection of photos of her spring performances through the years (since age 2!). Today, I won’t be rigging. Bethany and I will be in the audience — the proudest parents in the room.

My wife wishes a happy Commitment Day to all who are celebrating (or already have).

We do have the power to come to together to build what we think is missing in our world. Rebecca Toh on the power in building a small, volunteer run, library.

Mike Carson bought Friendster for $30KM – Boing Boing Carson’s pitch is a social network that doesn’t work without face-to-face contact. To add someone as a friend on the new Friendster iOS app, the two of you have to physically tap your phones together. A truly social network. Fascinating. May have to give it a spin (and find a friend who wants to as well).

Part of my Circus Rigging duties include “spotting”, which in many cases means simply making sure that if a performer does fall, they do so safely and land on a mat. Here I am spotting Beatrix on Static Trapeze last night.

We decorated the car for Beatrix on her last day of classes today.

No reason… (sob)

At my daughter Beatrix’s school, an old money private college prep school, it has become a tradition to hang up college rejection letters in the Senior Commons. Personal details blacked out. Mostly, just the recipients name since these are generally form letters. A whole wall of “We regret to inform you…” and “We had an large number of qualified applicants like yourself but…” All of the Ivy League schools are represented (Yale, Harvard, etc.). Of course, many of the top State Schools are too…

The glass is already broken. The same is true of us all.

Community Letter from Tim – Apple This is not goodbye. But at this moment of transition, I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you. Not on behalf of the company, this time, though there is a wellspring of gratitude for you that overflows inside our walls. But simply on behalf of me. Tim. A person who grew up in a rural place in a different time and, for these magical moments, got to be the CEO of the greatest company in the world. Big news at Apple.

Mac Power Users #845: Intentional Technology with Patrick Rhone – Relay Patrick Rhone returns. The gang discusses Apple Silicon rewriting the Mac upgrade cycle, the Apple Refurb Store, and minimalist phones. It was an honor to be on with my old friend David Sparks and new friend Stephen Robles. It’s been a while since I’ve talked tech on a podcast and I hope it came out OK.

A little surreal to remember that this was almost two years ago. The first of our official tour of colleges. Now, we are making preparations for her to attend in the fall. Life is strange.