Rabbit Holes
Thoughts on remembering and being present, we are starting to see short films made with AI, remote AI memos with Superwhisper and Macrowhisper, practical writing tips, and making ice cream at home
Hey guys, here are some of the things from my previous week that stood out the most,
On Remembering
I try to be present and mindful, focusing on what’s right in front of me without getting sidetracked. It’s tough. I’m always working on it. But then again, I also spend a lot of time being curious about things around me, following rabbit holes, trying to come with all sorts of ideas, and even daydreaming. Related to that, I read an article this past week that I thought was pretty interesting.
Engaging in detailed scene-setting based in the past primes us to apply that same capacity for vivid scene-setting to the future—to the act of imagining a reality that doesn’t yet exist.
The article covers how imagining the future is linked to how we remember the past. The same brain parts light up for both. So, when you remember an old experience, your brain is actively building that scene. This “scene construction” prepares your brain to build new scenarios. Interestingly, I think this connects with how most creative work comes from creators who put themselves in it. What I thought was very special about seeing it this way, is that there’s a bit of a paradox. Sometimes allowing yourself to intentionally not be present can actually help you be more present. Letting your mind wander, remembering things, daydreaming, it all feeds into your ability to imagine and create. In other words, being mindful doesn’t mean staying locked in the now all the time, it might also mean giving yourself space to drift.
On Films
For a while now, the creative landscape seems very divided regarding AI developments. On one hand, many think that AI will take over creativity and artistry. I’m in the camp that isn’t really worried about that, and I’m excited about the possibilities. Even though there’s undeniably a lot of “slop,” it’s been clear to me from the start that much of this can be used in good ways.
The thing is, it’s not every day that I see artists who really get images, sound, and cinema playing around with these tools. People who knew the craft before AI came along. It could be that I’m simply not aware, but I think there haven’t been a lot of films made entirely with AI. We mostly see shorts and memes.
So it was a great surprise for me that this past week, Jia Zhangke shared this short film that he did in a few days with Seedance. I am familiar and overall love the work of this director. I was very happy to see that I still find sense voice and perspective, even through AI. I think in the end, the AI can still be used as a medium or as a tool, but the soul of the content itself can come from a deeper place.
Funny thing is that a day or two after I saw that short film, I saw this other AI short film done by the popular Dor Brothers. Both works couldn’t be further apart.
On Writing
I read this interesting thread on X. Writing is one of those things where I feel I’ve been stuck on for so long. It’s hard to see improvements, but I still continue gathering tips and practicing whenever I can. Here’s the main insights I personally gathered from this text (take them with a grain of salt):
Keep it simple.
Skip adverbs.
Use shorter words.
Say “happy” instead of “very happy.”
Use short sentences. People get information better in small, easy-to-digest pieces.
Just one thought per sentence.
Avoid jargon, fancy words, and complex sentences.
Subject before action. Think “The boy hit the ball,” not “The ball was hit by the boy.” It’s easier to understand that way.
Another good quote on writing I came across this week:
You can’t write differently, even if you want to. You just have to be able to notice when you are boring yourself. —Adam Phillips
On Ice Cream
This is a bit random, but a few weeks ago, I got a Ninja CREAMi ice cream machine for my birthday. It’s crazy that I never thought of getting one myself. You just take a can of peaches or any fruit, freeze it, and you’ve got ice cream the next day. I’ve made vanilla, strawberry, berries and banana, orange, cantaloupe, and guava. I also found out about xanthan gum, which makes the texture of everything more like regular ice cream.
I’m not that much of a kitchen guy but making ice cream at home is becoming a new hobby 😄.
On Remote AI
Last week I shared a video on how I tweaked my original AI Memos automation . It now works Superwhisper/Macrowhisper. There’s actually a lot going on there. It uses Superwhisper, Macrowhisper, Keyboard Maestro, the Shortcuts app, and Just Press Record.
I am in the middle of rewriting all of Macrowhisper’s documentation. I want to make it clearer and easier to use. If there’s anything about the apps that seems confusing to you, I’d love it if you let me know to put some extra effort in clarifying that.
On Cinema
The Day of the Beast (1995). A priest on a mission to stop the Antichrist, but getting there requires quite the journey. This film’s dark humor is a rare find these days (it’s a bit transgressive and irreverent, so clearly not for everyone). What I liked most, however, were the main characters. This improbable mix (a priest, a heavy metal fanboy, and a psychic) really shouldn’t work, yet their dynamic somehow carries the entire story and makes for an enjoyable ride. Synopsis: When a rogue priest discovers the exact date the Antichrist will be born, he enlists a Death Metal record store clerk and a cheesy TV psychic for an urban spree of gore, sacrilege and twisted humor to prevent the Apocalypse.
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989) It’s not very common that in the first few minutes, a film feels so theatrical to me. The stylization elements pulled me in right away. I loved how everything was so choreographed and intentional, but at the same time really free and different. Something special here is that as the story and theme was getting darker, I couldn’t help to notice that the whole thing was so beautiful. The juxtaposition works perfectly and it just goes on to prove that the cinema language can communicate to the senses what words cannot. Synopsis: When churlish mobster Albert Spica acquires an upscale French restaurant in London, he dines there nightly, effectively scaring off the clientele with his bad manners. His wife, Georgina, is especially disgusted by him, and soon begins an affair with regular guest Michael. Despite their best efforts to keep it secret, Spica learns about their trysts, and he plots a terrible revenge.
Universal Language (2024) Kiarostami, Kaurismaki, Roy Andersson. I’ve read about the influences, and yes, they still come through clearly. But still felt so fresh that while watching I was so immersed in the experience. I just took it in. Beautiful and strange. Not strange or unique just for the sake of it. Beneath all the surreal and absurd elements, it captures a very personal and meaningful perspective. I loved it. Synopsis: Winter. Somewhere between Tehran and Winnipeg. Negin and Nazgol find a sum of money frozen deep within the sidewalk ice and try to find a way to get it out. Massoud leads a group of befuddled tourists upon an increasingly-strange walking tour of Winnipeg historic sites. Matthew leaves his job at the Québec government and embarks upon a mysterious journey to visit his estranged mother.
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