March 2024
Hey all,
A very warm welcome to all the new readers! I'm happy you're here, and I'm looking forward to going on this journey with you.
For all of my regular readers who have no idea what I'm talking about: a short backstory. I had a brief period, back in 2014(!) where I was creating videos and uploading them to YouTube. It was time consuming and I made almost no money, but it was a lot of fun and super rewarding.
For the past several years, I've been feeling the itch to start creating videos again. But haven't really had the energy to jump back into it in the hours outside my full-time job.
But now, I'm taking a short break before finding my next full-time role. I'm doing some part-time work for the FinOps Foundation, working on a FinOps Book, and (you guessed it) making YouTube videos.
In general, I'm just feeling like there's now "so much room for activities!"
Now, if only COBRA didn't cost so damn much...
-Dann
🃏 Play your cards right
Every once in a while, a new video game comes along that tickles the exact right part of my brain. Judging by the amount of time I've already poured into this game, Balatro is that perfect match for me.
For those of you with a video game background, Balatro is a roguelike deckbuilder that's basically a mix between Binding of Isaac (my favorite video game of all time) and Texas Holdem poker. Each game lasts between 20 - 40 minutes, and features randomly generated rounds with stacking bonuses. Which means by the end of a game, if you've played your cards right, you're earning tens of thousands of points per hand (or more!) and absolutely dominating each challenge.
What makes it all the more impressive, Balatro was created by a solo lone developer. In the same way that ConcernedApe created the smash hit Stardew Vally all by himself, LocalThunk is the single mind behind Balatro.
It's not just me that's obsessed with this new game—Balatro has sold 250,000 copies in its first three days.
It's currently available on PC and console, but I can't wait for it to come to iOS so I can play it on my iPad.
📺 House of cringe
Nathan Fielder perfected the art of cringe, launching an entirely new genre of entertainment that's nearly identical to horror, but instead of fear you just feel wildly uncomfortable. It really started catching on in Nathan For You, and it was mastered in The Curse.
But before there was Fielder, there was a young trailblazing YouTuber named Dax Flame. If you were old enough to be online back then, you may remember him. He went viral back in 2007 mostly for two videos: a vlog expressing excitement over dressing like Superman for school, and a followup vlog the next day, absolutely crushed by humiliation.
I mention Dax Flame because he's still making content, and it's some of my favorite ever. If you remember him fondly (or even have no recollection of him), I'll help you catch up: three years ago, iDubbbz (as part of his redemption tour), filmed an hour-long documentary on Dax Flame that brought the OG YouTuber back into the spotlight.
Since then, Dax had a decent presence on both YouTube and TikTok. On YouTube, he also hosts a show called The Hot Seat with Dax Flame, but I truly think his short form content is the best. Whether he’s finding humor in the little things, giving away money to his fans, or promising never to talk about Project X again, it’s all pure gold.
He has such a pure heart. I wish him all the success in the world.
📸 Mimic night and day
If I could give you one tip for taking better photos or videos on your mobile phone, it would be wipe the lens before you shoot. Boom, your videos will instantly look 5x - 10x better.
Curious how to take your iPhone video shoots even further? This 18-minute video Why "Shot On iPhone" Commercials Look So Good! can help get you moving in the right direction. It features Claudio Miranda (cinematographer of Life of Pi and Top Gun: Maverick) and is somehow better than any of those Masterclasses I've taken.
In a blog post I published this month (and subsequent video version, which went a little viral) I made the claim that "mimicry is a shortcut to success." This type of video is exactly what I mean.
I don't need to be able to shoot cinematic iPhone videos like Claudio Miranda. But I can pick and choose his mobile filmmaking methods in order to gain the benefit of his years of training and experience without putting in that work myself.
For me, that means always wiping the lens (as I mentioned before), making sure my scene is well lit, and maintaining rule-of-thirds framing. And if I really want cinematic-looking video, switching to Blackmagic instead of the default Camera app.
Gotta love shortcuts to success.
📈 Those sweet sweet gains
Recent data is pointing to the US currently being in a productivity boom (though it'll be years before we can truly confirm). The last productivity boom was thirty years ago, in the mid-90's, and largely attributed to the widespread adoption of computers.
The data shows that it's not working from home or improved digital communication that's behind it (although those things certainly make us feel more productive) but perhaps unsurprisingly, it's most likely AI (NYT gift article):
While many economists said it was probably too early to see the benefits of A.I. showing through in full force, some proponents think it could prove transformative by automating mental tasks including proposal writing and emails.
These are all theories—as I said, it'll be years before the data is conclusive. But this 100% feels right to me. I think these sweet, sweet productivity gains are going to be AI's biggest impact on this era (and I'm hoping human extinction isn't AI's next big impact...)
On a related note: you know the Boomer stereotype about being bad with computers and unable to figure out new technology? I think Artificial Intelligence is going to be the equivalent for Millennials and Gen Z. Meaning, when we're older, those of us who can't seem to figure out AI are going to be like today's boomers who struggle with technology. My friendly advice is to start figuring out where AI fits into your life now, if you're not already on that journey.
✋ Reach out and touch AI
Throughout an average work day, I'm typically starting between five to ten AI queries. And that's not me asking it to output copy or full drafts, it's instead become the place where I go to think. I love throwing half-formed ideas at it and seeing what it volleys back. It's the perfect tool for honing in on an answer (any answer).
I paid for one month of ChatGPT Plus when it first launched, but $20/mo was way too rich for my blood. Especially when my same level of usage over API would cost mere dollars over the same time period. This lead me to hunt for an AI front end that would allow me to enter my API key so that I'm only charged for usage.
The tool I found is the unsung hero of my AI stack. Probably one of my most-used applications, which has somehow never gotten a mention in my newsletter. That changes today.
TypingMind doesn't just support ChatGPT either—you can enter your Anthropic or Google Gemini (if you have access) API keys and access any model you want from the same interface. I can switch to a Vision model and upload an image, or enable the web search plugin for live internet results or the Dalle Plugin to ask it to draw me something.
TypingMind is so good that I'm just sort of satisfied with how AI fits into my life. I feel no need to try every new product or tool that catches today's buzz.
It also has the best pricing strategy: a one-time fee. I feel like that's a model that's quickly going extinct, so I like to support products like that while I still can.
End note
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I'll be sending out these emails once per month, and I'm happy you're along for the ride. I'm trying to make it one of the best things that arrives in your inbox each month, so thoughts and feedback are always appreciated. You can just reply to this email.
Also, if you find anything interesting, send it my way.
Thanks for reading. Until next time,
Dann
The Dann Chronicles: March ☘️