Hi Reader, I’m heartbroken by the devastation caused by the fires here in LA. So many in our community—friends, colleagues, and fellow RadReaders—have lost their homes and everything they own. (Thankfully, we are 20 miles south and, as of this writing, unaffected.) In times like these, as a community there are so many ways to help— offering shelter, donating to rebuilding efforts, funding GoFundMes, providing essentials, volunteering, or supporting our heroic firefighters. If you’re looking to get involved or lend a hand, just reply to this email, and I’d be happy to share recommendations. *** Today, I wrote a short essay about a course I'm taking learn how create web apps using AI. I've been wanting to take the plunge for a long time, but I always got overwhelmed by the technical details of GitHub, command-line interactions and deploying to the web. Nat Eliason's course Build Your Own Apps has been a complete game changer - I truly think this course will change my career arc. Read on to see how I've been using it. (Full disclosure, I'm an affiliate but am an active participant in the course and learning community.) How I'm coding using AIHere's an embarrassing little confession. I've been using Rogaine since I was 22 years old. Well, while that is true, what I really wanted to share was that I was a Computer Science major in college. A really sh*tty one, where I racked up mostly Cs and a few Bs. I did not embrace the suck and have never coded since. But recently everywhere I looked, I saw that "everyone could become a coder with AI." Well in that case, I've got a million little app ideas and SaaS products that I'm ready to spin up. It turns out, easier said than done.
Here are this week's top reads: // oneI am rich and have no idea what to do with my life6 minutes | Vinay Hiremath“Everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer,” Jim Carrey once said. Vinay Hiremath co-founded Loom and personally took out an estimated $60-90 million. He is emphatically post-achievement AND post-financial. Yet figuring out what brings him joy, fulfillment and life satisfaction remains freakily elusive. // twoAvoiding sadness can backfire, here’s how to turn towards it12 minutes | PsycheAre you resisting sadness because you think it makes you weak? This thought-provoking piece explores how fighting our emotions creates deeper second-order effects in our wellbeing. By shifting our vantage point – from self-judgment to self-compassion – we might discover that sadness isn't a problem to solve, but a muse. // threeIt’s called a pre-mortem—and it’s the most productive thing you’ll do all year5 minutes | Wall Street JournalWhat happens when you plan your life by starting at your deathbed? Billionaire Ron Shaich writes an annual "pre-mortem" where he pictures himself as an old and fragile man. His ritual shows that deep reflection shouldn't be delayed until you're in twilight years. This Week on The Examined Life PodcastThis week's episode: What if we've been thinking about retirement planning all wrong? Below the Fold
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Hi Reader, I hope everyone's having an awesome start to the weekend. No concerts for us, but on deck we've got Four Tet, Barry Can't Swim and Rüfüs Du Sol. This tweet made me smile with pride: I'm 27 years removed from an introductory Comp Sci class but have spent 5 hours a day in 2025 learning how to use Cursor. (I even burned through $50 worth of credits!) As we saw with DeepSeek, the pace of innovation is frenetic. I'm excited to be on the bleeding edge of it all - at a young 45 years old!...
Hi Reader, Happy weekend! We just got back from the Jamie XX show at The Shrine Auditorium. Here's a video This month we also crossed a serious milestone. I've been sending this newsletter for 10 years. Many of you have been on this ride for the entire decade. And whether you're a veteran or reading this for the first time - thank you. For nostalgia's sake, I pulled out the first issue: (I always giggle at that last sentence!) To celebrate this milestone we're offering a $400 discount on our...
Hi Reader, Hope everyone’s weekend is off to a great start. In LA, the winds have subsided, and the city and its residents are grappling with the magnitude of destruction. Thank you for those who reached out about donating. (We created two guides: one for displaced individuals and the other for places to donate.) In the first story this week, you'll hear Lawrence Yeo's harrowing tale about leaving his house abruptly and living through the dark cloud of uncertainty. Enrollment is also open for...