The best and worst of a year
One of those "end of the year" lists
Everyone is sharing their lists: favorite things, holiday gift guides, and predictions for next year.
I’m a podcast junkie, and the podcast from The Verge asked employees to come up with lists of their favorite stories of the year, favorite tech gadgets of the year, and favorite non-tech things of the year.
I shared my version of this list in my newsletter and wanted to expand on it here. In addition to my favorites, I’ve also added some of my least favorite things of the year and my favorite things I wrote this year.
Enjoy.
1) Favorite stories of the year:
Did one guy just stop a huge cyberattack? This story is fascinating. A Microsoft employee noticed a tiny anomaly that led him down a rabbit hole that ended with discovering a huge security vulnerability in the technology that runs most of the internet.
Martha Stewart gives Netflix's 'Martha' a scalding review. I watched the Netflix documentary 'Martha' and found it fascinating. Martha Stewart's response was equally fascinating, especially since the documentary was largely based on interviews with Stewart herself.
Gisèle Pelicot. The trial of Pelicot’s rapists concluded yesterday. What happened to her is horrifying, but Pelicot gave up her right to anonymity and demanded that the evidence be heard in open court. She stood for other victims whose stories aren’t told, saying, “I want you to know that we share the same fight.”
2) Favorite tech gadgets of the year:
Dictation apps. I have fully embraced voice dictation this year. I've long used voice commands with my Alexa devices, but now I have expanded into all types of dictation tools. I dictate everything from fleeting thoughts to full-blown blog posts. I couldn't pick a single app, so you can read more about how I use dictation here.
Desk accessories: I've added a few tech-adjacent accessories to my desk, including an arm stand for my microphone, an arm to hold my cell phone (to record videos), and an arm for my webcam. These arms make it easy for me to move my tech out of my way as needed.
Apple CarPlay. A few weeks ago, I traded in my well-loved minivan for a new SUV. As a result, I've entered the world of Apple CarPlay. I previously used an Echo Auto from Amazon to control *some* things using Alexa voice commands, but the CarPlay is so much better.
3) Favorite non-tech things of the year:
Ugmonk's analog productivity system. Much as I love apps and tools, I also keep track of a few things using pen and paper. These products from Ugmonk are beautiful and practical. I’ve been using them daily for months.
My standing desk: I put this laptop stand on top of an existing standing desk and put a walking pad underneath. I can now walk while working on my laptop or listening to a podcast. (Check out a pic of my setup here.)
Wicked. The movie. I loved it; it was perfect, no notes. I'm a huge musical theater geek and have seen the Broadway production of Wicked twice. Planning to see the movie again before it leaves the big screen.
4) Least favorite things of the year:
The U.S. election. On The Bulwark podcast, Jon Lovett said, “The worst people are winning, and the best people are uncertain and scared and angry.” That sums up how I feel. Some of my worst fears are already being realized, with a lawsuit filed against a newspaper for a poll it printed, and the threat of a criminal investigation against a member of Congress. Both have the chilling impact of “silencing enemies.”
The huge increase of AI crap on the internet. Truly, it’s exhausting. People leave AI-generated comments on my LinkedIn posts (I swiftly block them). I get AI-generated pitches in my inbox. I think AI has its use cases, but “generating more garbage” isn’t one of them.
More return-to-office mandates. Dell and Amazon were two of the big ones this year, though Amazon apparently doesn’t have enough space for everyone it ordered back into the office (which I find hilarious).
5) Favorite things I wrote this year:
AI tools for solopreneurs (that are actually useful). Plus, I created a detailed guide of AI tools. There are some very cool tools out there.
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