Lazy Sunday

I'm not reading many books. I haven't for many years. I read a lot of long-form articles. Most of the articles are about "how to do something". I have The Hacker Playbook 2 sitting here, but I haven't the motivation to read it. Being in learning mode all the time is exhausting.

I may sit in bed after breakfast on a Sunday morning and read a novel. Instead of patching my servers, following up on leads on LinkedIn, or pruning the email tree, I could pick up a sci-fi novel and lose myself in another time and place for a few hours. I haven't done that since I was single.

I read it slowly. Getting the words from just a flow of characters to images takes me a while. But once I get there, I don't want it to stop until the story ends. Stopping before the end of the story is like watching a movie over several days. That flow doesn't work for me. I like to read the same way I watch movies.

I have a lot of books on my iPad in iBooks and Kindle. I have a lot of partially read books. The issue isn't the medium.

When I was single and living alone, I would visit the local bookstore and buy one or two cyberpunk novels on Saturday morning after completing my weekend to-do list. Sunday was my reading day. After breakfast, I would lie in bed and read, and I wouldn't stop except for a quick lunch. Then, back into bed for more reading. I could easily finish two and sometimes three paperbacks.

My excuse for not reading more is that there are too many interruptions. I have a wife and kids, and lying in bed all day, focused on reading, isn't possible.

So… I stopped reading anything that takes longer than 15 minutes. How do I get back to that reading space? Is reading for no more than 15 minutes damaging my ability to focus?

After writing this, I have a solution. My wife likes to sleep in on Sunday. She usually gets up around 10:30 AM. My daughter, as well. My son tends to get up a bit earlier.

On Saturday, I will visit the local Barnes & Noble. I'll spend some time perusing the shelves. I won't set a time limit. I'll just let myself wander until I find a paperback I want to take home. Then, on Sunday morning, after I've had my breakfast, I'll climb back into bed next to my sleeping wife and just read.

Note: I wrote this in response to the February 1, 2016 writing prompt for the Written with Desk Google+ Community.

Can you tell if that Xfinity hotpsot is legit?

The The increasingly Wi-Fi-enabled ecosystem in which we operate is conducive to attackers who would set up rogue or malicious Wi-Fi hotspots in order to monitor internet communications via man-in-the-middle attacks, pilfer login credentials, infect users with malware, and perform other malicious actions. Wi-Fi-enabled ecosystem in which we operate is conducive to attackers who would set up rogue or malicious Wi-Fi hotspots in order to monitor internet communications via man-in-the-middle attacks, pilfer login credentials, infect users with malware, and perform other malicious actions.Millions of Smartphones Vulnerable to Rogue Hotspots by Default

After reading the article does it now seems prescient that I started paying $28/year for an always on VPN service from OpenDNS.  I’ve been using the service for over a year and can’t imagine going without it.

Comcast’s XFININTY Internet service is in the process of rolling out a feature called “XFINIFTY WiFi.” The service relies on the modems and routers of its users. While part of your router and modem will generate the internet for your home and your private network, another part will act as a public hotspot available to anyone with a Comcast XFINITY username and password.

I am so glad that several years ago, I bought my own cable box instead of using the “FREE” one from Comcast.  Not only did I save money — Comcast charges a $16/month rental fee — but I won’t have Xfinity users affecting my connection speed.  Xfinity is the only broadband provider in my neighborhood.

If you don’t own, you don’t control it.

Posted via Desktop Publishing Machine

Staying Creative

Voice. When I feel block beginning to set in (and you can feel it approach; it doesn’t tend to just drop down suddenly), I get up from the desk and grab a voice-recorder, then just brainstorm as I pace around. There’s something magical about just talking aloud. Pause and resume often, and you’ll find that your mind manages to fill in the gaps. Matt Gemmell

Good tips on keeping the creative juices flowing.  I’m in need of that right now in both my photography and my writing.  I’ve also noticed that I get a lot of ideas when I’m not sitting at the computer.  My most creative thought time is when I’m in the shower or driving to work.

Posted via Desktop Publishing Machine