Michael Smith Jr.

July 19, 2021

Day 438 :: Supporting physical shops

It is H2 of 2021 and seems like this COVID thing isn't going away anytime soon. Now that things are back open, apart from same household in-person Singapore restaurant dining, I am trying to do my part in buying from a shop. The online guys don't need my help. Usually I go online, do some research and then try to go in and look, check ...
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July 7, 2021

Day 437 :: Vaccine Politics

Asia is on the edge of starting, albeit very slowly, to open up. I still suspect most of us can't easily go anywhere this year - maybe December is possible. For me and my family, it is tough to imagine going anywhere if we have lengthy quarantine on either or both sides. I can handle a few days here and there but even a week on either ...
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July 7, 2021

Day 436 :: Climate Salad

https://www.climatesalad.com Known Mick for years and love this new site of his. He recently spoke at an internal AWS event and I like one of quotes: That we have been charging our impact to the earth on a credit card and the bill is starting to come due. Too true, and scary. The worst may be yet to come. I keep trying to make micro-im...
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July 6, 2021

Day 435 :: School is back!

I do love my kids but work from home is tough when everyone is at home. So as of today - school is back. I mean they actually leave the pad and go to school. It's amazing! I am trying to gain a more positive outlook for the rest of the year and next year. For me that means keeping schools open, gyms open, restaurants open, some days ba...
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July 4, 2021

Day 434 :: I love this list

Been so busy getting back on the work train that I did not write anything Weeks back I was reading this list: https://kk.org/thetechnium/99-additional-bits-of-unsolicited-advice/ It’s so good. Not sure I would pick any favourites since the joy is in reading the thinking about each and every one of them. Try it. Happy Sunday!
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June 27, 2021

Day 433 :: I am back

During holiday I would use my iPad to reply to important messages and slacks. I did not engage, read docs and dig in since i can't connect to most work things on my iPad outside of email, slack and some docs. Some folks would see me working and then tell me to get off but the plan was a light triage since I did not send a holiday messa...
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June 25, 2021

Day 432 :: Holidays go way too fast!

It is Day 5 already. Been offline so much I did not write anything either. It's always funny to me that one can be so busy without work. If I didn't need an income - I think I could stay pretty busy without work but I also like making money. I am sure the dream state is not needing an income but working to make money doing what you wan...
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June 22, 2021

Day 431 :: Longish Nap

Nice gym session (2nd one) and a coffee in an actual cafe. That was surprisingly super awesome. iPad, coffee, headphones on and sitting in a cafe is a real treat when you have not been able to for some time. Then a meeting with an agent from https://propseller.com/. The housing market is nuts everywhere but Singapore is kind of dauntin...
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June 21, 2021

Day 430 :: Gym

That's the update really. Breakfast places had lines - nice to see. Some friends sent photos of themselves have a coffee out. Awesome. They gym was amazing. Now the goal is try not to work and enjoy the freedom. Looking forward to a movie - in the theatre. CYA
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June 20, 2021

Day 429 :: effortless

Spent some time in the sauna today and finished off - effortless by Greg McKeown. Quick read. Enjoyed it. Learned a few things. It's all in the vein of work smarter, not harder. Some of it common sense, some of it a reminder to myself to get better at this, and yet other pieces had some good frameworks to ponder. I need to improve at h...
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June 19, 2021

Day 428 :: Monday

I am taking a holiday this coming week. I waited, waited and waited to the last week of the month hoping that Singapore would open, could take my kids around town and detach from the keyboard. Months ago, I was hoping for a "real" holiday in June but that ain't happening. Monday we will hit a restaurant, testing the 5 person family rul...
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June 14, 2021

Day 427 :: Anticipation

Week 1 of going back to moving around as a family again. Next week is more exciting as restaurants and gyms will be open. I'm dying for the gym. With everything and everyone being at home - the whole "gym" at home thing doesn't work for me. Normally go on long walks or runs to break it up. I just need to get out! Next week will take ti...
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June 8, 2021

Day 426 :: Walking

I really like walking. I could run but it's not the same. I see people on bikes and it's cool but there is too much going on with the bike - like other bikes, traffic and watching out to not hit anyone. Walking is cool for a few reasons: • I can walk and listen to books and podcasts • I can walk and be on conference calls - yes, I do t...
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June 7, 2021

Da 425 :: Mesh

Happened across this the other day :: https://slate.com/technology/2021/06/amazon-sidewalk-mesh-network-experiment-privacy.html I have no Amazon agenda with this even though it comes from Amazon. Some form of mesh networking is coming since wireless is easier for solving connectivity issues than laying more cable. I don't know how best...
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June 5, 2021

Day 424 :: Companies are not democracies...

Wrote this yesterday :: https://world.hey.com/smitty/day-423-we-are-not-a-family-55838a11 Then read this on DF today :: https://daringfireball.net/linked/2021/06/04/apple-remote-work “Given that these letters keepleaking to Zoe Schiffer at The Verge, I can’t help but think that the problem for Apple is that they’ve grown so large that ...
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June 4, 2021

Day 423 :: We are not a family

This is old but I think it is interesting. https://fintecology.com/2021/05/11/shopify-ceo-email-to-managers-we-are-not-a-family/ This is a common thread in the Netflix material/books and to be honest how Amazon looks at employee management/performance. Helped me a lot when I think of low performers and the cost to the "team". “I can’t ...
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June 1, 2021

Day 422 :: Google vs Amazon

This is an interesting read :: https://www.inc.com/justin-bariso/life-at-google-vs-life-at-amazon-from-hiring-to-firing-and-everything-in-between.html For obvious reasons, I won't be doing a deep dive but just calling out some points that resonate with me. This I think is spot on: “"If I were to be hiring, I'd follow Amazon's method an...
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May 31, 2021

Day 420 :: Singapore Update

Watch the video first :: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lb30d9s2gc4 Lots to like about the address from the PM. Many questions answered. Feels like this current lockdown will end June 13 - unless the cases go way up. Vaccines are coming and seems most will have first jab by August - lots of the 12-18 will get it in June. This is great...
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May 29, 2021

Day 420 :: Where do I go from here?

COVID-19 is wrecking with my plans. I used to have it all sorted out about where I was going to live, buy a pad and eventually retire. Now I am not so sure and truth be told - even planning my plan is on pause since I really don’t know how things will turn out. Where will be the safe place to live and send your kids to school? Will tha...
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May 28, 2021

Day 419 :: All stick no carrot

Humans don't last long without hope. Right now I think a lot of the ASEAN countries are losing hope. Singapore is in the same boat for me. No real light around the corner to be happy about. Why can't the government project some hope and give us a carrot or two? Examples: Israel eased some of its COVID-19 protocols on Sunday, according ...
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May 26, 2021

Day 418 :: COVID-19

I guess the USA is starting to feel like they have this licked :: https://donaldgmcneiljr1954.medium.com/the-end-is-near-no-seriously-142683fb085e I hope it is true and I assume it is due to the percentage of vaccinated people but one wonders if with the sudden opening up of everything + the variants if even the USA could reverse cours...
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May 24, 2021

Day 417 :: Quick Hits

The pocket computer on my table-top standing desk that is always connected to the internet has really warped everyone's idea of progress. Add in the constant barrage of social media and we are all being trained that everything is instant. BTW - I only have twitter on my phone. I don't install it anywhere else. If I want to look at it o...
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May 24, 2021

Day 416

FYI - I exported my Substack emails and imported them here. It is opt-in so it would ask you if you wanted to join. No hard feelings if you don't. The number in this post title may not make sense to all of you but I wrote about it here: https://world.hey.com/smitty/365-days-bc26c09e I keep a daily log at work on an internal wiki which ...
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May 10, 2021

Half-Year Marker

It's May. Soon June. That means it is almost halfway into 2021. I have mornings where I wake up and forget for a moment the situation. I try to avoid morning news and tend to listen to some of my fav podcasts that are not "news" related. Truth be told - listen to anything now and something will be said about COVID even if it is not new...
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May 2, 2021

EGIQ

I continually try to hone or refine the way I think about work. I seconded this whole learn or earn thread: https://world.hey.com/smitty/learn-or-earn-04c5fd4e But I think it needs more explanation. For sure one could simply think of a two dimensions where you are learning something or you earn well or you combine them. Not sure it is ...
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April 23, 2021

Discord

Was surprised but not shocked to see Discord shun the MSFT deal. I wonder if it is just the case that the public markets are so hot right now that Discord sees going public as a better outcome even though the MSFT offer was quite generous. Also selling, no matter what the construct, means you lose control at some point. Also notice thi...
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April 22, 2021

Note taking (digital brain)

Since using a computer, I have always valued using them for writing and note-taking. Somewhere along the way I got hooked on Evernote, like everyone else, and my whole life was in it. Then at some point the product went south and I bailed - like everyone else. Not sure I have actually replaced it yet. I use Apple Notes on my phone for ...
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April 13, 2021

Staying out of it - learning to let go!

Another good one from Jason - https://world.hey.com/jason/staying-out-of-it-c6624e2d “I'd much rather see most things take care of themselves. Or have people settle their own balances, rather than me having to deposit my own two cents. This means getting used to being OK with decisions I wouldn't have made. Or designs I wouldn't have d...
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April 6, 2021

First jab!

Feeling pretty thankful to be in a country where I have already received my first dose! Was like an assembly line, show ID, answer some questions, site in a line, move to getting labeled, move to nurse, jab, wait for 30 mins and then get the card for the next visit. Free too. It does make me feel better about things. Gives me hope for ...
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April 2, 2021

Learn or Earn

Probably one of the best ways to describe what a job is about: https://twitter.com/garrytan/status/1377661970178973696?s=20 Learn or earn. I can easily look back over my career and various jobs to see at times I was consciously having to choose one or the other. Miraculously, there would be a few gigs where I got both. This is always m...
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