Active Recall!

Podcasts, videos, and iPad art

iPad Journal (March/April 2020)

Transcript

I just got a new iPad Pro 12.9-inch. These are some first impressions. Some thoughts on the hardware: there’s a new microphone, the same one that’s supposed to be, or similar to what’s in the MacBook Pro 16-inch. Then there is the wide-angle camera and LIDAR, and now there’s mouse support, but that’s more OS-specific.

As far as the hardware goes, I probably don’t need the latest version for the things that I do with the iPad. Speed-wise, it’s supposed to be slightly faster, but I rarely do things like video editing on it. The microphone will probably be nice to have. I have done some recording with the MacBook Pro’s microphone. If it’s as good as that, then I’ll be pretty happy with that.So that’s that for the hardware. The biggest change for me is going back to a 12.9 inch. I had previously the 11-inch.

The very first one I had was a 12.9. This was the original one. I switch every generation, so I went back to the 10.5. Then once the newer ones came out, the 2018, the big change as far as like form factor, switched to a 12.9 and again traded that with my brother back to an 11. That was earlier this year.

And now I’m back to a 12.9. I do kind of miss the size. There’s trade offs. I think that’s a separate topic, though, as far as switching sizes and figuring out what size is best. But right now in isolation, not traveling much, not taking anything out to a coffee shop or anything like that, happy to have the extra drawing space while I’m at home.

So that’s it for the hardware thoughts.

As far as changes that aren’t specific to the new models. That first one was switching to a bigger size. I do have a 16-inch MacBook pro. I just can’t imagine bringing both this iPad Pro and the MacBook Pro around. I have been thinking—now I’m getting tempted by that 13-inch MacBook Air but we’ll figure that out later.

I definitely don’t need it. I don’t need this new iPad either. It’s more about the size change. Another change is that the… this is not even with the latest OS… I think it was the previous major update where desktop web browsing was introduced. That’s been a big improvement compared to the years before that using the iPad.

Then, of course, the latest iOS update brings mouse support and pulls it out of the accessibility options. It’s been very cool so far and I’m very excited to see where things go with that. What I’ve done with those last two things combined with desktop web browsing and the mouse support… I’ve tried Figma. I tried making a template for GoodNotes with it, and it pretty much works for that.

That’s been pretty exciting to see. This kind of experience is only going to get better as both sides of that… I’m sure Figman will continue to improve that experience and also mouse support will only improve on the iPad. Then of course, any other web app is improved by this combination.

I’ve been trying to adjust where there are still some things that I’m getting used to and trying to understand as far as when I need to have accessibility options on or off. I think it also depends on how an app is put together. I noticed… in Figma. if I have accessibility options on, then it does the weird thing where if I try to move with the mouse, it tries to scroll the screen at the same time, but with it off and just using the normal mouse support, it works really great.

But then I tried it in MindNode and noticed that if I don’t have accessibility options on, then I can’t do any like panning or anything like that within MindNode. But when I turn it on… I think it is just how it’s treating the cursor. I’m guessing different apps will be updated to have full mouse support.

Or I don’t know what I’m doing is also a definite possibility.

Maybe I just am not doing it right in these different apps. But again, excited to see the mouse support.

Last section: What I’ve been using my iPad for lately.

So just continuing to draw with it. I’ve been drawing these note cards for blog posts that I write and have been writing more on that so check that out.

The other thing I’ve been using my iPad for… I’m trying recording audio in it.

What I have set up: side by side, I have Just Press Record on the right side. That’s my favorite voice recording app. I’m not using the microphone in the iPad. I have it hooked up to a Zoom H1 microphone that’s hooked up through USB.

On the left side, I just have this set of notes. Another thing that I’ve been using it for is writing.

That’s probably my favorite thing to do with the iPad, just because… Again, I’ve talked about this in other videos: just the focus that I can get with iOS is something that I don’t have with MacOS and my MacBook.

On my Mac, I always have some other window open from something I was trying to do earlier.

No matter what.

I have a shortcut that I could use to quit everything, but then what that does is it pops up all these “Save as” windows, and then I’m reminded of all my unfinished work, and all my failings from the last time that I opened up my Mac. That’s why I like my iPad: for hiding from that failure to finish things.

I can write in it and that’s what I’ve done with some shortcuts that I’ve set up. I really do need to make this video about the different shortcuts I use for writing. One of them that I used—in particular for the outline for this video—is a 10 minute shortcut.

What it does is it turns on Dark Noise—highly recommend that app for white noise— then it starts a 10-minute timer, plays a song, or I think it opens a song in Spotify, but it won’t actually play it. And then I hit play, then return back and it opens up Ulysses and I can start writing there.

What I did this time is I opened up a different shortcut that gives me a quick outline as long as… It just runs me through the prompts so that it can come up with three topics and then that takes about a minute and I fill that with some sub-topics to talk about. It gives me an outline to talk through.

Then the last thing that I’ve been using it for is just browsing the internet and reading around the apartment,while I am in isolation. That’s what’s happening right now.

We did buy a treadmill. This was an emergency purchase for quarantine to keep the movement going. I do have some kettlebells that I haven’t been using as much as I want.

[There seems to be a kettlebell shortage. Just just a note. Something I noticed trying to order a new one.]

The treadmill came, have it set up, so that’s something that I’ve done with the iPad. I will put something on there to read or watch. I also have my phone.

What it doesn’t work that well for—and this has more to do with the treadmill not having a flat surface to put the iPad on—so it’s not like a working treadmill or a desk treadmill or anything like that.

I did try to use like the Apple Pencil while walking. It didn’t work that well. The angle of the treadmill wasn’t suitable.

So what I do is I’ll have the iPad and then have my phone as kind of this input device so that I can continue to write on my phone and take notes on my phone while I walk.

It’s fine.

I’ve actually done quite a bit of writing in that way. So that’s a nice setup. If you have your phone and an iPad, great combo.

I’ll stop right there. Thanks for checking this out.

Next video will be that Shortcuts video.

Shortcuts for writers or something like that.

Thanks a lot.

Workout Log (04/09/2020) — Warzone

Alright I’m writing this on my iPad Pro after searching through the apartment looking for an extra HDMI cable. One thing I like already is that I can just plug the thing in with the lid closed and everything and it doesn’t need to think and whatever else my MacBook Pro does before it starts in clamshell mode. That probably has to do with my monitor setup going through a USB-C hub and all that. Anyway. It was inspired by this Modular Computer article by Federico Viticci. 

Okay so today’s workout was the same as yesterday’s workout. Started a little late so I’m going to skip the writing practice for today. But wanted to make sure to post the workout card here. Keep the streak alive and all that.

Oh yeah I’ll add this image also just to tease a future podcast/video/post. “Tease” meaning I likely won’t ever make it so better to share this in rough form now than to never share it at all.

10 lessons from Call of Duty: Warzone

I started playing Warzone and was playing last night with Wally (co-host of the Active Recall podcast) instead of recording a new episode. But there’s a good amount of idle time during battle royal games so I thought it’d be good to ruin the fun of the game and try to make CONTENT while playing. We talked through some life lessons

Workout Log (4/8/2020) — Black belts for presenters, selling Cobra Kai at a basketball court, and mac ad slots in high school

Eventually I want these workout posts to look different from the other posts. But I can already feel the temptation to spend time creating a custom layout and all that and then end up never using it. Instead, I just made this black notecard in Figma.

In any case. Some quick notes from each of the things. One goal I’d like to aim for is to make some connection between the things that I read, watch, and listen to in the morning.

Yes, it’s going to be a stretch sometimes. Or maybe more often than not. But it’ll be practice.

In this case it’s not too much of a stretch.

I guess the theme here would be TIMING.

  • In the portion of Black Belt Presentations that I read this morning, there’s a mention of running a live event and getting experience asking for contact information. The presentation sets it up and you should ask when people are starting to relax and exhale knowing there’s no new information that they need to be paying close attention to.  But it should be before the very end because they’ll just be antsy to leave.
  • In Cobra Kai, Johnny goes to a basketball court and tells the guys there (“BROHAM!”) about the karate studio he’s running and that they should check it out. Great example of wrong place, wrong time, wrong everything to try to sell something to people. (Who likely wouldn’t be interested even if he wasn’t so bad at talking to people.)
  • In that episode of Venture Stories, Andrew Wilkinson talks about how he got started in business in high school without really thinking about it being business. He ran a successful site (MacTeens) as a teenager that eventually got big enough that he was managing other teenagers writing articles for it. He’d sell ad slots and negotiate with businesses while still in high school. But he thought of it more like he was the lead editor of a team of writers, not someone running a business.

That reminds me of a comment I saw on a mixtape of KG in high school. (Can’t remember the exact video but something similar.) The comment was along the lines of, “Imagine finishing up AP chem and then having to guard Kevin Garnett a few hours later.”

(I don’t have a varsity basketball game to get to but I do gotta run. Catch you tomorrow!)

Workout Log (4/7/2020) — Tiny Habits and Cobra Kai

Walked 60 mins

Simple and Sinister
– 10×10 20kg two-handed swings
– 10×1 20kg get-ups

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Read: Tiny Habits (mostly, but also opened Atomic Habits and some random ebooks)
Watched: Cobra Kai (episode 2)
Listened: Didn’t listen to anything this morning

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Okay so this past weekend we played Codenames. We’re not good at it so it was ambitious to try to get 2 or 3 words to connect. Definite stretches. Which is what I’m going to do now trying to connect what I read with what I watched.

A little bit of morning writing practice…

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Cobra Kai has Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso as adults. Summary: both of them live in the past and are tied to their high school identities. Because it’s a show, the characters are going to evolve episode by episode. Not in a single moment.

What identities are YOU stuck to??? Are there any you want to change???

You don’t change it in a single moment. You might watch a Jocko motivational video, get to bed early, set the alarm on your T66801, and finally get up early for your workout. But that doesn’t make you a morning person.

Yet.

If you do it the 2nd day, 7th day, and 50th day, then you’ve changed your identity. But it’s slow and over time.

If you want to be a better writer, or anything, remember that you become the noun by doing the verb.

If you want to be a faster writer, you’ll want to practice by writing fast every day.

Having a sensei can help. Even if your sensei is a free PDF.

So download WRITE FIRST WRITE FAST NO MERCY

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(Was on wax off until tomorrow!!!)

Workout Log: 2020-04-06

Walked 30m

Simple & Sinister

  • 10×10: 20kg one-handed & two-handed swings
  • 10×1: 16kg get-ups

Read: Obviously Awesome

Watched: Laracasts Vue intro videos

Listened to: Asian Not Asian

Workout Log (4/2/2020) — The joy of movement (even when stuck indoors)

Alright so I’m going to just have a log for workouts here. The idea, hopefully, is that I’ll be able to make these visually interesting at some point. And my web development skill will progress enough that I can organize this all in a decent way, even if it mostly means hiding most of the fitness log stuff. I don’t want to split this all up into different sites and platforms, because I’ve had multiple sites before and don’t like having to decide where I’ll post something.

Here I am blogging about blogging again.

Anyway. Today’s workout:

  • Simple & Sinister (10×10 swings, 10×1 get-ups) — while watching Cobra Kai
    • 20 kg two-handed swings
    • 6 kg kettlebell for the get-ups.
  • Treadmill walking (while watching Westworld)
    • 20 mins with Nike Reacts on
    • 15 mins with Xero Prios
    • 10 mins with Nike Reacts

I’ve been trying to get 90 minutes of movement in every day during quarantine. I’ve done some very unscientific tracking but it’s pretty clear that days with workouts are better than days without.

Which reminds me of something Kelly McGonigal (author of Joy of Movement) says in her interview on The Unmistakable Creative:

”You should not expect, when your alarm goes off, to crave getting out of bed and putting on your sneakers and going for a walk. You should expect, that a couple minutes into it, you’re going to be so glad you did. And you have to learn to trust that process and be familiar with it. Even someone like me, I love movement. I’m like in love with what it’s done for me and my life. And I don’t want to do it when I wake up in the morning. That paradox is real and I don’t let that be a decider.”

I know that I’ll feel better after working out. The day will be better in almost every way. And still I need to convince myself to get started in the morning.

But I’m learning to trust the process.

Anyway, I really want to clean up my form on the swings. Going to practice some hip hinging.

I have a 28 kg kettlebell on the way so I’m going to need to practice some patience when it arrives. I’ll keep it to the kettlebell progressions (deadlift, hike, single-rep swings) for some number of workouts before using it for two-handed swings.

It’s been great having the kettlebells around during quarantine.