Ways of Looking #15 (November '25)
In this issue: solving problems, visualizing fields, making safe toys, and being wary of Trying.
Welcome to Ways of Looking. Roughly every month, I send my friends links and summaries for anything I’ve written recently, plus a few things I’m enjoying.
Check out my more regular writing and reply to this email anytime. Thanks for reading.
What I wrote last month
I was all over the map writing-wise last month…
Your problems are your fault in two different ways — a way of looking at the world that allows you to choose which problems you have (including the maybe-radical proposal that Real Problems don’t exist in the absolute).
Visualizing electromagnetic fields from sparse measurements — using geostatistical techniques to make pretty visualizations of electromagnetic fields for Lightwork assessment reports.
Consciousness as a field theory — is consciousness a physical field that can interact with matter? How might ideas of universal consciousness fit into such a theory?
Lessons learned making safe wooden kids toys — the guide to woods and finishes I wish existed three weeks ago when I started making some toys.
Beware of Trying — the next piece in the Useful Ways of Looking series, on how identifying with “Trying to achieve something” can be counterproductive.
I beat Google to making AI suggestions in Docs — a new interface0 feature that I can’t believe Google / Gemini doesn’t yet have…
Tinkering Club: call for applications — if you’re working on a project, you should join a Tinkering Club!
AI Captain’s Log — usual updates on my usage of AI, including thoughts on “fingertip feel.”
What I’m enjoying
Book: Systemantics by John Gall. A very readable — and humorous — “bible” of systems theory. It’s far less textbook-ish than most systems theory books, but I’d argue has much higher density of insights. If you’re curious about why “Systems in general work poorly or not at all,” or “The System itself does not do what it says it is doing,” (two of Gall’s axioms) then you should pick this up.
Product: LocalSend.org. For moving files like Airdrop, but between any devices at all. Particularly useful when using a shared device (like a library or workspace computer) that you aren’t logged into any accounts on. It Just Works. And is free!
Articles: four for you this month…
Theravada reinvents meditation by David Chapman. How old is the way people practice Vipassana meditation today, really? The answer might surprise you. (This essay is part of an online book about Vajrayana Buddism — many of the chapters are great).
How to sequence your DNA for <$2k by Max Langenkamp. Two things I love and wish we could see more of: 1) citizen science and 2) people writing up failed experiments, not just successful ones.
levered beta is all you need by Ethan Ding. An interesting take on which strategies are being used effectively by AI startups, and why they’re different than what came before.
The ear does not do a Fourier transform by Galen. Cool breakdown of some intuition around how the ear “hears” sounds.
About me: I’m a multi-time founder (Eco, Lightwork Home Health, CoinList, Sidewire). I’m currently spending time on: Eco, Lightwork, building interface0, investing at Amity, supporting FreeWorld, hacking on a few other products, and advising great companies and founders.
Thanks for reading. I’ll see you next time.
— Andy