A few weeks ago, I decided (finally) to embrace some custom keyboard shortcuts on my Mac. I’ve tinkered a bit over that time, but I’ve landed in a place where I’m happy with the results. I’m going to detail every custom keyboard shortcut I’ve created and the apps required to make them work.

Required Apps

I use 3 apps to create my shortcuts, but no single keyboard shortcut requires more than a single one of these.

• Raycast (Free version)
• Keyboard Maestro
• Supercharge

The vast majority use only Raycast. Once you have it installed (I recommend using it instead of Spotlight), you’ll need to enable Hyper Key.

Hyper Key

Hyper Key is way to remap a single key to multiple modifier keys. In our case, we’ll remap the Caps Lock key to act like a combination of Ctrl+Option+Shift+Command (⌃⌥⇧⌘). This accomplishes 2 important things:

1. Allows you to create keyboard shortcuts that will not interfere with...
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The Return of the Apple Watch

In the last weekly roundup, I mentioned that I was considering getting an AppleWatch again, primarily for health reasons. I ended up finding a used one from a mutual friend and took the plunge. Here are some quick thoughts:

Notifications

On first setup, I turned off all notifications with the intention of turning them on individually instead of the other way around. Currently, the only notifications I receive on my watch are Messages and Health/Fitness related. Nothing else. No summaries or priorities. I’m even considering limiting Messages notifications to VIPs.

Apps

The only apps I’ve installed for it are Sleep++ and Pedometer++ (same developer). I’d used them before and had no complaints. There are a couple of existing apps that I have enabled on the watch (Todoist and Carrot). I don’t listen to podcasts or music through the watch, so there’s nothing like that.

Watch...

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Baseball

I’ve always been a big baseball fan, and fortunately I married one too. We’ve passed that love of the game on to our kids. My son had his first 2 double game in coach pitch and was ecstatic. And he’s particular about calling them real doubles or due-to-errors (which is common in coach pitch). He hit both of them right down the third base line.

Health Related

My family (not my wife or kids) has had some recent health related setbacks in the last year. To this point, everything has been beat and we’re fully expectant that the current stuff will have the same result. But all of that has made me consider going back to an AppleWatch for the health features. I haven’t pulled the trigger yet, and I may not, but the thought is in the back of my head.

Desk Setup

I’ve returned to a multi-monitor setup at...

I’m starting a weekly series where I simply discuss current projects, ideas, and whatever else randomly has my attention.

Local AI/LLM/Whisper

I’ve been toying with local AI stuff. I’m currently using MacWhisper to transcribe long videos and, using that transcription, perform certain actions:

• Cleanup grammar, spelling, filler words
• Create long summary
• Create short summary
• Create social media content
• Pull out main points
• Create a discussion guide

I’ve also been playing with Draw Things. I attempted to install Stable Diffusion directly on my Mac, but I could never get it to fully work. Using different models with Draw Things has been a fun way to experiment.

Shows and Books

My wife and I are wrapping up the Endeavour series (it’s excellent). We’re also big fans of Amazing Race and are well into the most recent season. For the next few months, Braves games are almost daily entertainment (or torture).

I’ve been reading The Saxon Chronicles (aka The Last...

There’s no shortage of Mac apps promising to change your life. Most of them don’t.

But a few have stuck with me — simple utilities that quietly improve my day without getting in the way. These aren’t big, flashy apps. They’re practical. Useful. And worth it.

1. Moom

Moom lets you move and resize windows with ease. Drag to the edges, use keyboard shortcuts, or snap windows exactly how you like. It’s fast, customizable, and one of the first things I install on any new Mac. It also solves one of my biggest annoyances: switching between a single-display setup and a multi-monitor desk. Moom remembers where you want things, so you’re not constantly rearranging windows.

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2. CleanShot X

The best screenshot and screen recording tool for Mac. Period. CleanShot X adds markup tools, scrolling capture, screen recording with webcam overlay, and a beautiful built-in cloud service if you want it....

I’ve been in the Everyday Carry (EDC) enthusiast world for a while now. It’s obviously a bit niche, but I enjoy the process of finding the perfect tool/item for a particular use case. It could be anything from the perfect pocket knife to light to pen and everything in between. Some people go all out, growing their EDC into a full always available bag of some sort. I’ve never been that type (I blame the climate where I live), but I do put stock in finding and carrying the right stuff for me.

Lately, I’ve been searching for the best wallet that aligns with my particular preferences. For years, I’ve carried the slimmest wallet I could find that wasn’t shrouded in “as seen on TV” vibes. Honestly, I have zero complaints about the construction and utility of it. It is a fantastic diseappear-in-your-front-pocket option.

However, I decided I wanted to go...

I recently asked what people are using for RSS these days on a couple different platforms. I didn’t necessarily expect a clear winner, but I was still surprised at how completely spread out the results were. I decided to tally the results and create a chart (because why not) for all to see.

Some other things people mentioned that I wasn’t completely expecting:

• A good amount of users prefer to digest RSS in a social media style stream instead of by feed
• Most people tend to be lower volume with their subscriptions
• A few only use RSS on a computer (no mobile)

Basically, there is no consensus on the best service, best app, or best method to consume RSS feeds. And honestly, that is the beauty of RSS. You can find what works for you and that’s all that is needed.

In my opinion, your longform content deserves the spotlight. Yet, in the fast-moving stream of microposts, it often gets buried, fading into the archives quicker than it should. That’s the problem Bayou Theme is designed to solve.

Bayou Theme prioritizes longform writing while keeping your microposts seamlessly integrated. Your latest longform (titled) blog posts stand out, ensuring they get the attention they deserve, while shorter updates remain accessible without dominating the experience. The result? A balanced, clean, and thoughtful approach to blogging on Micro.blog.

Bayou is available now—free to install from the Plugins section in your Micro.blog dashboard. To learn more, visit bayou.micro.blog.

I created Bayou with the same philosophy that guides all my work: simplicity, clarity, and a focus on meaningful content. If you’re looking for a Micro.blog theme that gives your longform writing the presence it deserves without losing the conversational nature of microposts, Bayou...

I decided to throw together a Kottke inspired 2024 Christmas Suggestions style of list. No real rhyme or reason, just things I love or that interest me.

I’ve categorized them based on area/location of life.

On Your Person

I’m a big EDC person and have put countless hours into research and testing of hundreds of products. If you’re an experienced EDC type, you’ll know about some classics folding knives (pocket knives) like the Sebenza (high end), Bugout (mid-range), and Cadet (budget). All are great gifts depending on budget. But that cadet is the sweet spot for gift giving.

A good pen is often overlooked and misunderstood. Don’t sleep on the Zebra F701. Or up the budget and grab a Tactile Turn Bolt Action. My personal favorite is this Spoke Design beauty.

For a wallet, the often sold out Tom Bihn Nik’s Wallet is fantastic. I’ve seen...

Originally, Tiny Theme for Micro.blog was simply a personal project for my blog. After I went live with it, I began to receive requests to make it available to others. I had no objections to people using my work in this way, so I did the necessary work to make it as useful to others as it was to me.

From day one, the response was incredibly positive. It received what I consider a high adoption rate and more and more micro.blog users installed it as their theme of choice. Support and tutorial requests started to roll in, but nothing I couldn’t handle at the time. Honestly, I enjoyed helping others accomplish their goals for their sites.

Eventually, I released another theme, Sumo, for the platform. Again, it has received positive reviews and been used by more people than I could’ve imagined. What started as a personal project morphed into an unexpected...

After a few long weeks of health-related issues (everyone is ok), unexpected changes to plans, and a variety of curveballs being thrown at us, we decided to take a few days off for a family vacation. We did it old school style…loading up the car and hitting the road.

With Atlanta, GA, as our final destination, we began the trek. On the way, our first stop was Montgomery, Alabama, where we ate more BBQ than we should’ve (especially our 5 year old). We decided to stay the night and continue the drive the next morning.

Once we made it to Atlanta, it was time for lunch. We visited the excellent Ponce City Market to kill some time, shop, and eat. I don’t think we ended up buying anything outside...

As the developer of Tiny Theme for Micro.blog, I’ve had a unique seat as the platform has grown. As Micro.blog has added features, changed, and matured, so have the many great themes available. The popularity and community acceptance of Tiny Theme has consistently overwhelmed me. It has always been a great theme for people who want high level control over the look, feel, and layout of the site. Tiny Theme will continue to be supported and actively developed. But let’s talk about something new…

Today, I’m excited to introduce a new theme called Sumo. It uses a lot of the codebase of Tiny Theme, supports many of the same features, but is significantly more opinionated than Tiny Theme.

• Documentation and Demo
• Install on Micro.blog

Opinionated?

Using Hugo and Micro.blog, you have the ability to manipulate and mold any theme into what you want. If you...