writing
Writing like an LLM
'Maybe I should write more like an LLM,' I said, contrarily.
Writing like an LLM
This is mirrored from its primary home on lawn.dawnfire.casa, in this case because the site is down for maintenance, in theory because I'd like to have an off-server backup of my blog. --- ---
Poems
Introducing my big blue suitcase
Five years ago when I moved across the country, I stuffed all of my zines into this big suitcase and there they have lived ever since. It’s powder blue, with a disgusting soiled fabric lined interior, except on the bottom where I once hot glued a bunch of electronics- back when I used it to house an instrument I built to make noise. I got it from the Salvation Army in Hadley MA. Since moving to LA the suitcase lived mostly in my van, and then when my van died it lived in the warehouse at the lab...
Where The Lede Gets Buried
At Tedium, we sometimes bury the lede intentionally, and it may seem strange, but sometimes it works.
Gatekept
Thoughts on a bruise to the ol’ ego that hurt a little more than I thought it would. But hey, it gives me a chance to talk about gatekeeping.
Writearound
How I gradually fell out of love with the idea of using a code editor for all of my writing—in part because of a subtle MacOS feature that Linux doesn’t have.
A Note On Note Apps
You shouldn’t rely on a SaaS-based note-taking application, in my view, and if you buy something, buy it outright. Here’s why.
Mile-High Productivity
Making room for in-flight productivity has long been a source of both consternation and electronic interference. But for some reason, it persists.
One Song, Many Writers
How modern songwriting evolved into a game of aggressive credit—even for the people who didn’t technically do the composing.
A Blank’s Blank
What does it mean to be an actor’s actor? Or a writer’s writer? Or … well, you get the idea. Let’s try to make sense of a phrase that shapes how we think about success.
Longform Brevity
Alt-form storytelling, a key magazine-and-newspaper design trend, hasn’t truly flourished on the modern internet. Axios could go way further than it does.
❝The Quote Issue❞
“We use a lot of quotes at Tedium, but we’ve never done an issue of Tedium ABOUT quotations,” Ernie said when writing this piece. “Let’s fix that.”
Yikes! You Call That a Pencil?
How a pencil made out of compressed particle boards became a schoolyard fad—and what that pencil line has to do with olestra.
Tedious Failures, Revisited
A little advice on how to become a successful writer, as explained via lessons on becoming a failed comedy songwriter.
How I Research Stuff
If you’re a longtime reader of Tedium, you might wonder how I manage to uncover so many strange stories. Well, let me tell you. Hopefully it’s inspiring.
The Things That Go Bump On The Web
Explaining the power of collaborative fiction on the web—particularly the extremely compelling work of the SCP Foundation.
The World Of Whiteboards
The whiteboard, despite being designed specifically for schools at first, became a huge hit with the business world before schools really embraced it.
So Much Stuff Out There
It’s been a while since we’ve done a grab bag, so let’s grab that bag and see what’s inside.
Newsletter, Untethered
There’s no real reason you have to use a platform like Substack to send email. If you want to get into making a newsletter of your own, understand your options.
Sorkin, Strunk, and White
Pondering one of the the defining screenwriters of the 21st century through the prism of an iconic style guide. Sorry, my Prada’s at the cleaners.
The Tough Climb
Being creative is easier than ever, yet some are motivated to go down the more complicated road to reach creative nirvana. Why is that?
Text By Procedure
A short history of procedurally generated text, which both humans and computers have had a hand in making throughout history.
Write Everything Down
What makes someone obsessively journal every moment of their life? In some cases, it might actually be hypergraphia, a condition tied to a neurological trait.
Blogging Bandwagon Jumpers
Are you starting a blog in 2019? Here's a list of some sites that I know are getting off the ground this year. Have one of your own? Let us know.
Leavin’ The Light On
The strange, fascinating career of Tom Bodett, who parlayed NPR radio essays into the longest-running spokesperson gig around. Not that it’s all he does.
Growing in the open
A reflection on the recurring cycle of starting to write online, feeling anxious about past content, and tearing it all down. Recognizing these decisions as fear-driven, and committing to sharing and growing in the open despite imperfection.