Talenti Deep Dive
Author: Annemarie Conte at Site: Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World
Humane Performance Lab • The Firehose • Atom
Doing good work without grinding yourself down.
Latest posts
A Whole Lot of Fun
I was born in California and grew up in Seattle in the early 80s. The Seattle Seahawks became the team to beat, and we finally had a playoff run. Then we moved to Minneapolis, and in 1987 I watched Kirby Puckett and the Twins win the World Series. I still have my Homer Hanky…
Field Notes: August 10, 2026 at 4:51 PM
My doctor told me to drink 100 ounces of water a day. Is he going to write me a note that lets me leave meetings every 20 minutes?
Field Notes: August 7, 2026 at 12:39 PM
Got the day off. Time for Spider-Man on the biggest screen I could find.
Peak Fast Food Joint Design
Author: Amanda Mactas at Site: Delish
Field Notes: August 3, 2026 at 12:09 PM
Grocery delivery hasn’t arrived, so a food and coffee run HAD to be done. Not a bad place, the cappuccino is nice. Better than the K-Cups the Airbnb had available. I’m a sucker for a breakfast-all-day spot.
Field Notes: August 2, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Small town fried food shack on the lake. Redneck okie style. Does it get any better? 🤣
Field Notes: August 2, 2026 at 4:45 PM
Now playing: Introducing: Bone Valley from Bone Valley.
Field Notes: July 31, 2026 at 8:00 PM
Here to see Held and Underoath. Gritty venue for the bands. A perfect fit.
Field Notes: July 31, 2026 at 6:29 PM
In Dallas, I ate at Mi Cocina weekly through college. That they have one in Tulsa is a miracle. In town for a concert, and this is always the pregame spot.
Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
⭐⭐⭐ We get a little fallout from Mysterio’s lie, the return of popular bad guys, and some Three Amigos (The Three Stooges?) fun. I don’t have a better idea, but messing up the multiverse because you and your pals didn’t get into MIT is a bit of a head-scratcher. Still a…
Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
⭐⭐⭐ The next movie in the plan to get ready for Doomsday. I’m a fan of the John Hughes ’80s high school vibe, The Breakfast Club meets European Vacation. People take this movie too seriously. I enjoyed the levity in the first half and the shift into high gear in the second.
The Cone of Shame
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
⭐⭐⭐⭐ The rewatch towards Doomsday continues! There's a lot to like about Endgame. Among the modern serious Marvel movies, this is pretty high on the list, a list that exists separately from the silly Marvel films. I'm a sucker for those.
Dungeon Crawler Carl’s Introduction to the Masses
Author: Brianna Zigler at Site: EW.com
Yellow Door - Red Brick
Casio Ring Watch
Site: CASIO Official Website
Howtown is Video Gold
Author: Neel Dhanesha at Site: Nieman Lab
Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
⭐⭐⭐ My daughter is amped up for Avengers: Doomsday. While my wife and I saw Infinity War in theaters, my daughter was too young to enjoy a two-and-a-half-hour flick. In fact, we paused the movie at 56:22 for an ice cream break, and she said, "Holy crap, Dad, we still have a…
When a Bug Became a Bug
Site: National Museum of American History
We Grabbed the Wrong Tool Off the Shelf
I was brand new to the job, sitting in a room full of leaders I was still getting to know. I wanted to make a good impression. So when a decision came up that I had opinions about, I almost spoke up, but I choked it down and smiled because I didn't want to be the new guy who…
The Dink (2026)
⭐⭐⭐ The current meta in streaming seems to be quirky sports movies with lovable losers as the lead. Well, guess what, this fits in flawlessly.
The Hawk (2026)
⭐⭐ The Hawk on Netflix ain't great, but it filled the evenings with family just fine. You have a washed-up golfer attempting to return to glory, a son following in his father's footsteps, a caddy with a messed-up family, and enough silly family drama to keep the show moving…
You Are Expected to Be Clean
Author: Virginia Glaze at Site: IGN
Field Notes: July 23, 2026 at 8:55 PM
“Community Through Beer” is their slogan. While I didn't partake, I did enjoy a meal with a huge gathering of my closest friends. For me, it was community through nachos.
The Commanders and Oreo Cookies - A Match Made in Heaven
Author: John Keim at Site: ESPN.com
Field Notes: July 23, 2026 at 9:48 AM
Meeting up with a friend over a cup of coffee. This is one of the first third-wave shops in the metro. Still good after all these years, even after an ownership change.
Field Notes: July 22, 2026 at 8:12 PM
When you have kids, and they have friends who live a town over, you have to find things to do solo in that town. So here I sit watching geese and ducks beg for bread I do not have. Pretty park, though.
Fun Web Throwback - Check-Ins
In 2007, I was invited to a party at the OKC Co-working Cooperative, which I was a part of. A fledgling company called Gowalla was there to pitch their brand new app for our iPhones. We ate good food, had some strong drinks, and downloaded the app right then and there. A few…
Field Notes: July 22, 2026 at 6:34 PM
Feel like a hero. I’m braving this giant bowl of salad for all humanity. I’ll tell you tomorrow if it’s safe to eat lettuce again.
Field Notes: July 22, 2026 at 9:07 AM
Taking a vacation day. First order of business, coffee and a pastry from my favorite shop.
Field Notes: July 21, 2026 at 7:43 PM
A podcast I'm into: The Snare.
Field Notes: July 19, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Now playing: 1 | To: America. Subject: Last Resort from Dan Taberski's Manifesto.
Gives You Wings?
Field Notes: July 19, 2026 at 4:25 PM
Why do all YouTube cooks have salt shakers that work as flashlights and pepper mills that double as black lights?
The World Santa Congress - Let’s Do Christmas All Year!
The gathering offers a chance for professional Santas — not the real one, of course! — to swap stories, compare beards, sharpen their craft and compete in lighthearted contests months before anyone checks naughty-or-nice lists for the Christmas rush. “The grandmas say: ‘Oh,…
PB&J For Everyone in Honor of Artists Death
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — More than 800 pounds of peanut butter — enough for around 15,000 sandwiches — has been spread across the floor of a museum in the Netherlands in tribute to Dutch artist Wim T. Schippers, who died last month. Schippers created the work as part of…
Field Notes: July 18, 2026 at 11:23 PM
The Netlify credit system has been KILLING my pocketbook. Hoping these little letters flying through the internet will prove that it can be done cheaper.
Field Notes: July 18, 2026 at 7:05 PM
Had my gallbladder out yesterday. Assumed the most pain would come from my stomach, incisions, and whatnot. The back and shoulder pain from the gas they put in my gut to inflate it has been unreal!
Field Notes: July 16, 2026 at 8:06 PM
Now playing: The Bluegrass Mystery from Dateline NBC.
Field Notes: July 15, 2026 at 8:27 PM
Now playing: Vengeance from Dateline NBC.
The Three Dollar Jacket
A routine treasure hunt at a Hillsboro Goodwill store in January has turned into a find of a lifetime for 19-year-old Quinn Brown. The Portland resident said he discovered a Los Angeles Lakers warm-up jacket that has since been authenticated as one worn by NBA legend Wilt…
My New /Listening Page
I’ve been working on a fun podcast player and an EPUB reader called Earshot.
Field Notes: July 14, 2026 at 7:24 AM
A podcast I'm into: Cold.
Definitely Not a Bag Full of Drugs
The Laurel County Sheriff's Office in Kentucky reports that a detective came across a bag labeled "definitely not a bag full of drugs.” I will let you guess what was inside the bag. Spoiler, drugs.
Ford Rehired the Gray Beards
I used to be a Ford guy. After two blown transmissions before 50,000 miles, a Subaru Forester called my name. It's now pushing 150,000 miles with not one issue, knock on wood.
A Religious Exemption From AI at Work
You can now get a religious exemption from using AI at work. I can’t believe I just wrote this sentence.
Amazon Sells an Instant Backyard Pool
I was reading about the efficient use of our AC units, and the algorithm must have noticed. Amazon sells a prefabricated pool. Not a kiddie pool. A real, luxurious-looking, shipping-container pool that shows up ready to drop in your yard. It looks A LOT like the pool I just…
Set Your AC to 78 in a Heat Wave?
It's July in Oklahoma, and it's dang hot. I saw on the news that it's likely hot where you are, too. "Experts" have suggested a specific number to set your thermostat to during this heatwave. And they're wrong.
Grams of Muscle
We consistently overestimate what we can accomplish in a day and underestimate what we can achieve in a year. It's the small efforts that compound daily, even though you feel nothing in the moment.