Adam TikTok test

We read this one as a group at Pluralsight. The different approaches to having content connect with people were very interesting. Some of the ideas that I really want to explore more include:

Pre-testing as a way to introduce people to a subject. Multi-subject teachings rather than single subject teaching. Giving time to forget and relearn to help drive a topic in. Give people deliberate interruptions when learning. Helping people teach each other as a way to learn.

I love the original trilogy. The Golden Compass was one of the books that restarted my love for reading/audiobooks. When I heard Pullman was writing a new series I couldn't wait. When I read it, it felt very much in the same world. There were mysteries that organically unraveled to open new possibilities in the world while introducing the characters. This one had a lot of groundwork being laid that I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes in the next book.

Very much an introduction to SEO rather than a deep dive. Audio perhaps isn't the best medium to dig deep into such a visual, text-based topic.

Although I'm no longer managing people, I've heard enough people mention this book that I wanted to check it out. The focus is around communicating clearly with people and teams as the way to be the most effective. Opting for empathy over insincerity and candor over aggression. The goal is to actually CARE while challenging people directly.

I've always been fascinated by the idea of “flow”. The ability to dig deep into a topic and concentrate on it for long periods of time takes some time to nurture and practice to get good at - and when I stop practicing it gets more difficult. The focus on deep work and the advantages it can bring in this book range from learning, to execution to producing the best work you're capable of.

It's rare for me to read a financial book and nod in agreement so much. Even still J.L. Collins presented a few ideas that challenged my own view on investing - which was happily unexpected. In addition to index fund investing and taking advantage of tax-free growth, two areas he mentioned stood out as things I've advised that he recommends against: dollar cost averaging and international funds. If the market grows more often than not over time, then why DCA? If international markets overwhelmingly track the US market, why invest in intl? Both good questions that i don't have great answers to. Either way, they got me thinking.

Mysterious, dangerous magic, vendettas and high stakes battles keep you on the edge for this entire book. Characters you want to succeed have moments of glory, mixed with despair.

This is the first book of Brandon Sandersons, The Stormlight Archive series – which at the time of this writing has only 2 books released for it with about 10 total to be written. The story follows a number of characters involved in a world at war with the Parshendi, a mysterious race close by. Like other Sanderson novels, there is a magical element which is slowly revealed. Although I enjoyed Mistborn more, I identified with the characters in Way of Kings more.

Presenting has always been something I've struggled with. If I'm well prepared and know my stuff, then I'm not at all scared - but when I don't invest the time it shows. Talk like Ted dives deeper into the core of the presentation - focusing on adding pathos, logos and ethos to your talks. I like the idea of sharing memorable experiences and novel statistics as a way to stand out as well.

I've never put much effort into negotiating. Some of the questions asked in this one are excellent ways to help a conversation move forward. For instance, after someone states what they want, asking “how did you determine that?”. Diving into the how and why of someone else helps better understand where they're coming from.

The concept behind “virality” has always seemed vague. In the early internet days before Twitter and big stars with their own internet followings, very few things achieved this. In retrospect it makes sense - the systems weren't there to support the fast flow of ideas. Now though, a single celebrity Tweet can lead to something going viral.

The concept that stuck out to me most was the idea that most people want something new, but they don't want it to be TOO new. They usually want a better version than something they need to be a beginner again. This quote hits on that idea: “Most consumers are simultaneously neophilic – curious to discover new things – and deeply neophobic – afraid of anything that's too new.”

I should not have listened to an audiobook that has “illustrated” in the title. Although this did go more into some of the order and systems involved in the konmari method, it wasn't as useful as if I'd given it the time to go through a physical copy (ironically enough).

One of the most FUN books I've ever listened to – and read by Wil Wheaton. The premise for this one takes place about 30 years in the future, where the creator of an MMO dies (imagine 2nd Life + WoW + Eve + the web itself + more). His will leaves his assets, and the fate of the game itself, to whoever can find the Easter Egg he hid within Oasis, his game.

The quest to find the Easter Egg dives into geek culture – specifically from the 80s. Games, TV, movies, anime, cartoons, computers, music and too much more to count are referenced. Most of the book takes place in the game itself, allowing for a world where anything can happen without the need to justify. Things get interesting when the high score list highlights names of players – effectively making them targets both in the game and in the real world.

If you're up for an 80s pop culture history lesson in the form of a book, that reads like a game, you should check this out.

After weeks (months?) of hearing me mention how great the “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” was, Marilyn decided to pick this book up on a recent trip. It wasn't long before she devoured it and started quoting phrases like “if it's elastic, it feels fantastic” and the need to be able to fit a bottle of wine in your purse. Filled with great quips, it's hard not to laugh during this one.

Building on the first one, I felt that I enjoyed the heist side of this one much more. It reminds me of the movie “Lucky Number Slevin” (which wasn't as good as this book), where our heroes are thrust into situation after situation where they are being exploited for their unique set of skills. The main arc with the Sinspire was the the one I was most interested in, but felt the resolution wasn't as strong. Leaving off much more in the middle of the story than the first book, I'll need to read #3 to know where this one goes.

The long awaited end of the Alcatraz series! After reading The Road, settling in for a children's book was the goal - but this one ended up being much more dark than I'd expected. Maybe dark is the wrong work – but certainly a downer.

I'm a sucker for dystopian stories. I had a feeling the movie version wasn't going to be as dark as the book, but this made me appreciate how true to the book it was.

When reading about modern stoicism, this one kept coming up as a book recommendation. The focus is on resiliency and growth mindset when it comes to opposition. This may seem like common advice, but it's sometimes most difficult to remember when in the worst positions.

One of my favorite Asimov stories so far! This one stretches the concept of time a step farther by creating eternals - effectively time police. Coupled with the idea that these eternals come different times of 10s of thousands of years, means that anyone in this role gives up their reality. But what happens when you fall in love with someone in time, when you know that time changes?

I've been a fan of Felicia Day for an embarrassingly long time. Buffy, The Guild, Geek & Sundry, Dollhouse, Eureka – and of course Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Her memoir increased my respect for her even more. She majored in math and violin? That's crazy dedication right there. Hearing her stories of meeting people from the online world mirrored some of my experiences at the time. The build up to starting The Guild was enlightening to hear about as well. It's easy to see something that's created and assume the path was easy. Knowing just how uphill and scrappy a battle it was is inspiring for me in my own creative endeavors.

Yet another cyberpunk book that I didn't love. It's funny how much I love this genre in movie form, but can't stand it in book form. It's easy to appreciate this one though. Seeing how much this one parallels The Matrix was crazy.

I love Amy Schumer's standup, and her show. We recently saw her live here in Orlando, and it was hilarious. Her book, however, is less comedic and more of a memoir of hard work coupled with sad life events.

Switching into the PM role myself lately, I was looking for some guidance on what that involves. The most useful parts of this were the early descriptions elaborating on the difference between a Product Manager and a Project Manager, as well as some of the descriptions of what PMs do at various tech companies. After that though, I found less value in this one. Going into how to write cover letters and resumes wasn't as useful.

If you told me I'd be on the edge of my seat for a 36 hour audiobook about Alexander Hamilton I'd likely give you a bit of side eye. As a huge Hamilton (The Musical) fan, this helped fill in the gaps to further understand the context for things in the show. It also astonished me just how accurate the musical is overall. After seeing Hamilton demonized in various other stories, it was refreshing to see a person who accomplished so much, and just didn't stop.

Having recently moved from a developer position to a product manager position this book gave some immediate suggestions on how to lead a team to create a new product or feature from scratch. Having been used on a number of products at Google including Gmail, it's great to know that it's working already.

What was most useful for me was seeing the breakdown of what was done each day of the 5 day product sprint – as well as what each person in the sprint would do. Some of the recommendations were key - like the need for a decision maker to be a part of the process to ensure that takeaways from the sprint are actionable. I look forward to trying out some of these concepts eventually!