Effortless Creativity and Digital Updates
The Value of "Effortless" Creative Projects, Black Friday Software Deals Roundup, Updates on Alfred Workflows
Hey guys, here's some of the things that stood out the most from my previous week.
On Creativity
This past week I read this interview with musician Daniel Lopatin. There was something that stood out and has been on my mind. You've probably heard creative people or artists talk about how effortless it is sometimes to get inspiration and to finish projects. We hear about masterpieces that were done in a few minutes. I think it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that if it doesn't come to you like that, maybe it's not as valuable. Then there's the whole other extreme that is all about only focusing on the process and not the results. Well, everyone has to find their own balance, but this perspective of "some projects never come together and they're still worth it" was refreshing for me tor read.
I don’t think it was effortless to construct Taj Mahal or something. I don’t think that was effortless. Some projects have that quality to them. They’re complex, or they’re mysterious, until the point is revealed, or sometimes they never come together, and all of it is worth archiving, and keeping yourself open. Keep trying to make new stuff, even if old stuff is piling up.
On Mouse Automation
In case you missed it, few days ago I shared a video showing a bit of my setup with my mouse. I cover some apps that I think are super powerful. I tried not to make this super technical, so hopefully if you are a Mac user and are just getting started with automation or workflow customization this is helpful:
On Black Friday
How did you guys do over the holiday weekend? Did you find any good deals? I purchased some updates to apps or services that I already had before. Nothing really "new" but I was very happy to take advantage of some discounts.
I upgraded to Little Snitch 6 after being very happy with v5 for a few years. For a free open source alternative you can try Lulu.
I upgraded to iStat Menus v7 after also being very satisfied with v6. For a free open source alternative you can try Stats.
I purchased two seats on discount for iMazing because there's nothing quite like it and I find it super useful.
I caught a lifetime deal for SimpleLogin, an amazing email alias service that I use daily.
This was not a digital purchase, but I also got a good discount on some of my favorite Bank Paper notebooks from The Paper Mind I use for journaling.
Any of these, with or without discount, are very good products.
On Alfred Workflows
Watch out for a couple of updates to some of my Alfred Workflows this week!
SuperWhisper: I'm improving the way to grab selected text on Safari and Arc. I was relying on the accessibility API, on these two browsers I'm now using Javascript and it's much more reliable. If you are also a bit frustrated with this on other browsers let me know and I'll check if I can improve it for you as well!
PasteFlow: I've been trying to make this paste stack work with files as well! The whole clipboard thing on Mac is super confusing, but I'm super close to make this work, at least for copying/pasting within Finder. I'm excited to share this soon. Actually, this has taken lots of my time and attention this past week. I use PasteFlow all the time, not only like a paste stack but also as a second clipboard.
On Cinema
Memoir of a Snail (2024). It's not very often that I see an animation film that feels so authentic and honest. Synopsis: In 1970s Australia, Grace's life is troubled by misfortune and loss. After their mother dies during pregnancy, she and her twin brother, Gilbert, are raised by their paraplegic-alcoholic former juggler father, Percy. Despite a life filled with love, tragedy strikes anew when Percy passes away in his sleep. The siblings are forcibly separated and thrust into separate homes.
Conclave (2024). Super strong onon acting, suspense, and mystery, with lots of not knowing and guessing. I really liked how it built tension. Synopsis: After the unexpected death of the Pope, Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with managing the covert and ancient ritual of electing a new one. Sequestered in the Vatican with the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders until the process is complete, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could lead to its downfall.
Daddio (2024). I don't know what I was expecting with this one but it definitely was different. Still, really good and made me think. I always enjoy the creative devices of those films that take place all in one place. Synopsis: A woman taking a cab ride from JFK engages in a conversation with the driver about the important relationships in their lives.
If you liked this you may also enjoy some content I have up on my YT Channel! I don’t hang around social media a lot, but when I do I’m on IG or Twitter. You can also check out some of my online classes, listen to my music, or in case you haven’t already, subscribe to my weekly newsletter. Thank you for reading!