Issue #202 | Subscribe

I recently learned of protected dark sky places around the world, and I was fascinated by them.

According to the DarkSky website, there are approximately 276 spots across 22 countries that are protected from light pollution, making them ideal for stargazing.

I've been intrigued by space and the night sky since a young age, but I rarely have had the chance to see a clear, starry night due to the blinding haze of light pollution wherever I've lived.

In 2021, I was fortunate to catch a faint glimpse of the Milky Way from a secluded beach in Goa. I couldn't believe my eyes and had pulled out the Sky Guide app to verify whether it was actually the Milky Way galaxy and not a hallucination.

If you share the same love for stargazing or the cosmos, the DarkSky website has a list of protected places that you can use to find a spot nearest to you.

Happy stargazing. 🔭

In one of the last newsletter issues, I had mentioned I was working on a new project.

It's an iOS app — my first one after making apps on Android and the Web for nearly 10 years — and it's almost ready to share.

I'm working with the App Store team to sort out a few compliance issues, and I'll hopefully be able to announce it in the next newsletter issue. 🤞

Now, let's move on to the rest of this newsletter issue:

Your Next Read

Thriving

The Comfort Crisis

We've accustomed ourselves to too many comforts in life. Sometimes, leaving our comfort zones and plunging into the unknown can be a refreshing and rejuvenating experience.

Apps & Services

Roam FM

Listen to global radio stations

This app is fantastic when you want a detour from your usual playlist. You can randomly tune to a radio station from somewhere around the world right on your Mac. I’m listening to Station X from Australia as I’m writing this column. Available on macOS and is free for basic use.
Leafovers

Leave sticky notes on websites

This browser extension lets you add floating sticky notes on any web page, which could be helpful if you’re researching a topic and want to remember something about a page or remind yourself of a task on Amazon, like “order book” when you return to it. Available on Google Chrome for free.
Tock

A minimal timer app for macOS

I’ve been using Gestimer for a while to set timers on my Mac, but this one looks quite nice as well. It’s simple. Click on the app icon in the menu bar, type a time like “2 min” or “9:30a”, and Tock will set a countdown timer. Available on macOS for free.

Handy Shortcut

Fn

←

Navigate to the first cell of the current row in Google Sheets.

Interesting Reads

Maybe the Default Settings Are Too High

6 min read

I agree with David on this one. In our constant quest to rush everything in hand, we often miss the 3D aspects of an activity. We should tune our default behaviours to a pace that serves us well, not to mirror someone else's pace.
My Analogue Month

13 min read

An analogue lifestyle is slowly making a comeback, and I love reading real experiments in this area. And Emma’s day-wise recollection of her month of analogue tech was a treat to read. By the way, have you gone analogue in any area?
How to Build a Life That Can’t Trap You

7 min read

Many of us usually stop at the first or second level of thinking before making important decisions. But the third level is where long-term clarity emerges, making for well-thought-out decisions.
What Leonardo’s Obsession With Water Teaches Us About Longevity

5 min read

Although the connection felt a bit forced, the lessons in this article are intriguing and helpful. Change is inevitable, and we need to keep adapting to stay relevant. Worth a read.

Watch Next

I’ve been seeing many posts about the feeling of falling behind, and coincidentally (or maybe not), this fantastic short movie dropped into my feed. Worth watching.

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