Stuff #130 - Jurassic Park, but with a cat!

Hey from Dublin,

Welcome to a new week, I hope this edition of Stuff finds you safe and well.   A big thanks and welcome if you signed up this week, I appreciate you coming along on our joint journey of curiosity.

Also, thanks for all the love on the new Stuff Mixtape which I published last week, it has been one of the most eclectic so far and I'm happy that there was something for everyone in there.  Click the link if you missed this beaut!

Thanks for being here, see you next Monday...

1. Monday Motivation:   Let this week be the one that you overpower your fear of failure.   The inimitable Seth Godin sums up the advice well - endless free bowling.  I've put together nine practical tools that will help you move past your fear, and become more successful.
2. Your new superpower:   Use the rule of three to help express your thoughts so that EVERYONE will understand you.  
3. Essential Reading:  Embrace your procrastination.  The excellent Nesslabs explains why we wait, and what the emotions behind delaying are.  I covered techniques for overcoming procrastination back in Stuff #87.
4. Take care: How do you know when it's time to end your working day? Defining when you've done 'enough' can be a challenge, here are some signs to look for if you think you are working too much.
5. TWIL:   Listening to birdsong can reduce anxiety.   Thankfully, there is a website that you can just click and relax to.  This site will help you mix birdsong, with other environmental sounds to make the perfect background sound.
6. Because you love a list: Ten ways to feel happier - according to science.  #2 is really important, did you get enough last night?
7. Enhance your toolkit:  This set of amazing browser-based tools are worth bookmarking, as is this site FULL of calculators that you'll find useful.  Finally, convert anything to anything using this site.
8. AI-ght:  Depth is an AI powered journal tool.  Tell the site what you are feeling, and AI will generate a journal prompt for you.  You could even start the journal challenge after trying this.    The clever people at b3ta have written an AI powered bot that generates jokes based on what it thinks humans will find funny.  (Comedian jobs are currently safe).   Bonus Stuff - when will AI take your job?
9. Jurassic Park, but with a cat:  That's it, thats the item.  It's more scary than Pee-wee Park.
10. Finally:  Whichipedia.  In which you have to determine which Wikipedia article referenced is the longest.  Super simple, mere MINUTES of entertainment.

My favourite band of all-time have released their latest album - Memento Mori by Depeche Mode was written before the loss of band member Andy Fletcher, but somehow the songs appear to have been written knowing about that seismic event.

For me, this is comfortably the best DM album since Ultra in 1997, the songs are packed with metaphor, and a much simpler electronic driven soundscape than recent albums, taking the group back to the sound that I enjoy.

Highly recommended listen.

Nine Ways to Conquer Your Fear of Failure: Practical Tips and Tools to Embrace Success

A fear of failure can be a block to achieving success, or making progress. Here I discuss some ways to address this very real emotion.

Stuff that MattR'sMatt Rutherford