Kitchen shears/AudioPen.ai/Movie Spoilers
Recomendo - issue #365
While Recomendo will always remain a free newsletter, your support is what enables us to produce it every week. One way you can support us is by sharing this issue with anyone you think would benefit from receiving it. Another way is by becoming a supporting subscriber. We are now offering a new lower-priced subscription of $40 per year, which you can obtain by using this link. Thank you for being a Recomendo reader!
Indestructible kitchen shears
The second most-used tool in our kitchen (after the knives) are our kitchen shears. We’ve had several lightweight kitchen scissors which we use for everything, from opening packages, to cracking nuts, to opening bottles, to cutting craft projects, to cooking chores. But over the years all of the shears cracked their plastic handles, so we replaced them with solid stainless steel kitchen shears. These are heavy duty, but not too heavy, and indestructible. We have a couple of pairs of Newness Multi-Purpose Kitchen Shears ($18), and they will last a lifetime. — KK
Convert messy thoughts into clear text
Right now my most used AI tool is AudioPen.ai, a voice note recorder that I use in my browser and phone to turn my ramblings into clear text. It’s free to use, but I pay for an Prime account ($60, annual pass) so I can upload audio files, write in my own style, and record voice notes up to 15 minutes. The most useful and surprising ways I’ve been using AudioPen is to record my dreams while I’m half awake, and to upload audio files of my therapy sessions (only my audio). AudioPen does such a great job of cleaning up my confusing, long winded introspections and summarizing the most important points. — CD
Movie endings
I often recall watching a movie but can’t remember its ending. There is a website called Movie Spoilers that allows you to search for nearly any movie, providing a concise summary of the main plot, the key characters and their roles, as well as the ending. In an attempt to stump the website's database, I searched for The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976), and to my surprise, it was there. — MF
11 popular approaches to happiness
In their most recent newsletter, Clearer Thinking put together a list of eleven of the most popular approaches to "happiness" and their techniques. The approaches are: Positive Psychology, Stoicism, Common Sense, Christianity, Insight Meditation, Traditionalism, Introspection, Self-Help Books, Hedonism, Altruism, and Community. I realized I checked off every technique under Introspection (Find a way to look at the world that resonates with you) and Common Sense (Sleep enough) and quite a few under Hedonism (Remember that you get just one life, so you might as well enjoy it). Three approaches that I made up for my own life and that keep me happy are: 1. Investigate my own intentions and make sure they are aligned with the highest good possible. 2. Take naps on the grass with my pets. 3. Find something to celebrate everyday. (Even if it’s just pouring myself a glass of champagne after the work day.) — CD
Convert movies to black and white
Many of us have a favorite movie that we keep rewatching. Next time you begin a rewatch of a favorite, watch it in black and white. This “estranges” it, making it feel like you are seeing it for the first time. This hack comes via artist Austin Kleon, who wrote a short bit on how to invoke black and white on your screen (often options in the “Accessibility” menu), and has a list of classic movies that successfully estrange in black and white such as Mad Max: Fury Road, Princess Bride, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. I recently tried this on my favorite, The Fifth Element, and it worked great. — KK
Giant upholstery patch
I had neglected my one-speed bicycle for years, resulting in a badly cracked saddle. Instead of immediately buying a replacement, I opted to give an 8-inch by 11-inch Leather Repair Patch a try since it was only four bucks. Although I suspect it isn't genuine leather, it doesn't matter much because my bike saddle isn't either. After cleaning the cracked saddle with rubbing alcohol, I removed the adhesive backing from the patch and securely applied it to the seat, neatly trimming off any excess with scissors. The outcome is significantly improved—it looks much better now. — MF
Recomendo unclassifieds are just $150. Use this link to buy an ad and reach out to over 69,000 subscribers.
UNCLASSIFIEDS
If Elon Musk and Tim Cook agreed on something, it would be this business newsletter. Founded by investment bankers, The Daily Upside is our favorite source for premium business news that’s actually worth reading. Plus, Recomendo readers can sign up completely free.
Nick’s Friends Newsletter: See my favorite home gear, tech gadgets, the best business books, investing articles, and travel tips. I love Recomendo. I write my own free monthly newsletter that CEOs, entrepreneurs, and even art curators love. Sign up or see the archives here.
Next-level skills (at your level). Brilliant breaks down cutting-edge concepts in math, data, and computer science into simple building blocks. So anyone can level up in just minutes a day. Start exploring thousands of lessons today with a 30-day free trial.
Stop putting off the creative goals that matter most to you. Join The 30 Day Creative Momentum Challenge (starts Monday, July 10th) and get more done in 30 days than you have in the past 6 months alongside creative entrepreneurs from across the world.
Do you work in a toxic workplace? Magnus Wood has written a free 30-page how-to guide for anyone who wants to transform their difficult workplace into a better place to work, starting with self-kindness. Read it for free and start today!
Unfold Yourself: an artfully designed online experience to create the conditions for letting go of your 'doing' self and connecting with your playful, whole self through improv + play. Learn more here.
Copy-and-paste this FREE template (available in Google Docs format) to hire 1 or more high quality VAs to improve your productivity at only $5 per hour. Great for sales people, managers and professionals. Spend more time doing $100/hr work.
I noticed Claudia uploads dreams and “audio files of (her) therapy sessions”. I want to sound a note of caution to everyone: All data, including personal and sensitive material, uploaded to a web service is a candidate for hacking and/or data mismanagement. I realize the attraction and convenience of services like audiopen.ai but we should be conscious of the risks associated with them.
Evidence of nasty incidents of this sort include the repeated hacking of password protection service LastPass.
Thanks for sharing audiopen.ai. I've been looking for something like this for a while. I often jot down my thoughts on the train or when walking, but that can be cumbersome to do when I've got so many things to say. I end up writing in notes and then not understanding what I've written when I look back days later!