Started reading: Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer 📚

Finished reading: Apple in China by Patrick McGee 📚

This book makes Apple’s acquiescence to Donald Trump’s authoritarianism make even more sense. It’s not their first game. They know the playbook well.

It’s an enlightening tomb. A little dry, but the second half really picks up. 👍

Watched: Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery 🍿

Poster and review of “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.” The poster features a group of people standing around a grave, with a church in the background. The text reads: “2025, Rian Johnson. Fun, engaging movie, if not as spectacular as the first two Knives Out films. Didn’t feel like we got to know each character as much as we should have. But the reveal, as always, was glorious. Would watch again!” Rater with one thumb up.

Watched: The Alpinist 🍿

I watch this documentary multiple times a year, and it’s still one of my all-time favorite films. 👍👍

Chouinard’s Gully. Crystal Ice Tower. Roaring Brook Falls. Great day to climb ice with @mikehazard__!

A person in a red jacket ascends a snowy mountain slope using ice tools. Surrounding are snow-covered trees and a misty valley backdrop with a frozen lake. A climber ascends a steep icy slope using ropes surrounded by snow-covered rocks and trees under a snowfall. A person ascends a snowy slope, using climbing gear and a rope, surrounded by snow-laden trees in a forested area. Climber ascends a vertical ice face in a wintry forest using crampons and a climbing rope, surrounded by bare trees and an overcast sky. A partially chewed tree trunk stands surrounded by snow while partially fallen. The tree is in a snowy forest. Climber ascends an icy cliff using a bright green rope surrounded by snow-covered rocks and sparse trees under a cloudy sky. Climber ascends an icy rock formation using ice axes surrounded by snow and icicles on a steep winter slope with trees visible above.

Fun day down in the canyon getting on a couple classic single pitch ice routes with @mudrat_mackenzie! Lions and Hot Shot were both awesome. Thick enough to not bottom out any screws. 👌

A person climbs a steep icy cliff using climbing gear surrounded by snow-covered rocks and trees under a cloudy sky. A climber ascends a steep, icy waterfall using ice axes and crampons, surrounded by snow-dusted rocks and trees. A safety rope is attached above. A climber ascends a snow-covered rocky ice wall using ropes amidst a winter landscape with trees at the top of the cliff. A climber ascends a frozen waterfall using ice climbing gear surrounded by snow-covered rocks in a mountainous environment.

Weather turned out to be perfect for @adkclimb.club! A nice, temperate evening after all the frigid days we’ve had (and will have again tomorrow!). Fun times working the steep routes at Pitchoff Quarry with friends!

A climber ascends an ice-covered wall using ice picks at night illuminated by headlamp light. Text Day 6 appears in the upper left corner against a dark sky. A person in a blue jacket stands holding a rope, surrounded by snow and ice, near a rocky cliff at night. A yellow backpack rests nearby on the snow-covered ground. A person climbs a towering ice wall using equipment in a snowy, dark environment with sparse, leafless branches visible above.

Nick Heer: ‘Fault and Responsibility’

While I am excited for the potential of a change in direction, I do not think this singlehandedly validates the perception of declining competence in Apple’s software design. It was [Alan] Dye’s responsibility, to be sure, but it was not necessarily his fault. I do not mean that as an excuse, though I wish I did. The taste of those in charge undoubtably shapes what is produced across the company. And, despite a tumultuous week at the top of Apple’s org chart, many of those people remain in charge.

I so appreciate Heer’s signature measured and clear thinking.

A new, classic @atpfm@mastodon.social moment is born! “How DARE you!?” 🤣 🎙️

Louie Mantia blogged about Alan Dye leaving Apple, pointing out a change in Apple’s design direction that happened without my conscious noticing:

Not to put too fine a point on it, but they started making products that appealed to themselves. Because since Steve Jobs died, Apple, its executives, and its corporate employees got significantly wealthier. It wasn’t just Jony who took an interest in luxury. The whole company did. Anyone with even a little bit of power in the company started to dress more expensively. They all look like they could walk right out of a fashion advertisement.

🆕📝 I’m not a ring guy, but…

Pebble's Index 01 looks pretty cool.

Making the most of these awesome early winter days! Starting with a 5-mile ascent up the Whiteface Memorial Highway and then cruising back down before jetting off to the North Face of Pitchoff to climb ice till dark! Thanks to today’s adventure buddies for making it great!

Fun in the… snow! ❄️ Thanks to @bbrianandersonn for joining me on this scouting mission. Base could use some more work (lots of rocks under there!) but the snow is powdery and DEEP up top! Gonna be a great winter for backcountry skiing in the ADK! ⛷️

A person with ski poles skis through a snowy forest trail surrounded by snow-laden trees in a tranquil winter setting. A person wearing sunglasses and a cap smiles while holding a ski pole, surrounded by snow-covered trees, suggesting a winter hiking or skiing adventure in a forest setting. A person wearing yellow pants carries skis while walking through a snow-covered forest path surrounded by tall trees with snow-laden branches. A tall metal watchtower stands amid a snowy forest, featuring multiple staircases leading to a cabin at the top under an overcast sky. A person wearing an orange and brown winter jacket with a hood and mirrored sunglasses gives a thumbs-up gesture in a snow-covered wooden structure high above a snowy landscape.

Remember that Rewind app that recorded everything on your Mac screen? Or their Pendant that recorded your physical day-to-day? If you’re a user, I hope you really trust their privacy policy because they’ve just been bought by Meta. If you don’t, now’s your chance to export and delete your data.

I don’t think my mouse repellent is working… 😕

A packet of rodent repellent and some scattered granules nibbled from it are seen inside an open drawer.

Early ice season is treating us so well in the Adirondacks! Awesome couple of days swinging tools and kicking ice. Come learn to scale frozen waterfalls with us!

A climber in a red jacket ascends a snowy ice wall using ice axes, surrounded by a forest covered in snow. A climber prepares for ascent holding ropes with ice axes embedded in a frozen waterfall surrounded by snowy rocks and trees. Climber wearing a red jacket and yellow crampons ascends an icy slope using ice axes surrounded by snowy trees and secured with climbing ropes attached to ice screws. Two climbers ascend a steep icy slope using ice axes wearing thick winter gear surrounded by snow-covered trees one climber gives a thumbs-up while the other takes a selfie. Climber wearing a red jacket ascends icy wall using ice axes at night assisted by a person holding a rope in snowy terrain illuminated by headlamps. Climber ascends snowy rocky slope using ice axes and rope surrounded by snow-covered trees and boulders. A person wearing a red jacket and helmet is standing on a snowy ledge surrounded by snow-covered trees in a wintry landscape. A climber ascends a snowy, rocky slope using an ice axe surrounded by snow-covered trees and ropes, highlighting a challenging winter ascent in a mountainous environment. Person walking through snowy path carrying a backpack surrounded by snow-covered trees under an overcast sky with the sun partially visible through clouds.

Greg Morris: ‘The Weird Part Was the Platforms’

When there was one big platform, leaving meant missing out. Now there’s Mastodon, Bluesky, Threads, and whatever else springs up next week. No single space feels needed anymore. The FOMO vanished. Once that happened, having your own blog stopped looking like the odd choice.

It’s not perfect, but it’s better this way.

Apple’s latest video, ‘I’m Not Remarkable’, might be my favorite that they’ve published in quite a while. Their technology really takes on a secondary, literally assistive role, while the actual, awesome human beings take center stage. Full of life, with a great message. 👍👍

Incredible to see the first @adkclimb.club ice meetup of the season so well-attended! Folks are getting PYSCHED for ice season. A lot of new partnerships growing out of the club, which was the whole point. 😁 Thanks to all the newcomers.

Snow covers the ground with leafless trees standing in a dark forest. A bright light illuminates an ice wall in the distance creating a stark contrast against the night. People in winter gear climbing an icy wall at night with ropes in a snowy forested area. One person sits on the ground observing while others prepare to ascend. Climbers ascend an icy cliff using headlamps and gear. An orange rope trails down the frozen surface surrounded by bare trees under a dark night sky. A climber wearing a headlamp ascends a steep ice wall at night illuminated by the light. The surrounding environment is dark with trees barely visible in the background.

The stoke was high at the North Face of Pitchoff with @darnisock! Got a few laps in on Harlot before heading over to Tendonitis for the good stuff. Dialed in some multipitch skills on the way up, which made for an excellent afternoon before heading to @adkclimb.club…

A climber ascends an icy waterfall using an orange rope amidst a snowy, wooded landscape. Text reads Harlot NFOP - 12/3. A person wearing winter clothing climbs a snowy, ice-covered slope surrounded by snow-dusted trees under an overcast sky in a mountainous area. A steep, snow-covered rock face features cascading icicles in a forested area. Trees line the top. Text reads Central Pillar NFOP - 12/3. Snow-covered rocky surface stretches upward toward trees under a cloudy sky Arm & Hammer NFOP - 12/3 displayed in bold text in the lower right corner A frozen waterfall cascades down a rocky hillside dusted with snow surrounded by dense trees. Text reads Tendonitis NFOP - 12/3.

Started reading: Apple in China by Patrick McGee 📚

Finally available from my library (via Libby). Let’s see if all the positive reviews hold up. (Based on the prologue, they will.)

Finished reading: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall 📚

Holy smokes, what a book! Both the story and science were each captivating. Definitely got me fired up for running, and getting back into barefoot shoes. 👍👍

Got in a few laps at Pitchoff Right and Pitchoff Quarry this afternoon with Brian. As Ian Osteyee put it, conditions aren’t great but they are passable—and certainly passable enough for a good time! Got a Jackson and Luke sighting, styling as usual. 🤙

Looking like the season’s about to take off in earnest this week with low temps! 🌡️

Climber wearing helmet and crampons stands holding ice axe against frozen waterfall with secured rope dangling nearby surrounded by icy terrain and sparse trees. Climber ascends icy cliff using a rope surrounded by bare winter trees under a cloudy sky. A person ascends a steep icy cliff using climbing gear in a barren, snowy landscape with bare trees overhead. Rope descends steep snowy slope bordered by trees where a person in climbing gear navigates downward surrounded by winter forest and rocky terrain. Blue rope ascends a frozen waterfall while a climber scales the icy surface amid a barren winter forest silhouetted against the sky. Climber ascends large frozen waterfall covered with thick ice in a wintry forest environment surrounded by leafless trees and overcast sky.

COVID & Flu shots = acquired! 🙅‍♂️🦠

Watched: ONE SHOT with Ed Sheeran 🍿

This was so cool! Ed roams around New York City with his guitar, playing songs for unsuspecting strangers and surprise parties—all in one take. He seems so genuinely nice and grateful to play for fans. I’d love to see some behind the scenes of how this was shot. 👍👍