August 24, 2018

The Joy of Public Transit

First of all, I should clarify that the title of this post is not meant to be sarcastic. I really do enjoy public transit. It has been over 17 years since I needed to commute to work by automobile. In fact, I haven’t driven to work once during that time. My daily commute consists of about two miles of walking plus a 45 minute train ride one way. I consider myself to be very lucky to have the choice not to drive. Read more

May 30, 2017

How to Win Friends and Influence People (In a Nutshell)

I recently finished the famous book How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. It was first published in 1937 and continues to be a best seller today. The following is a cheat sheet which summarizes the points Carnegie makes in the book. PART ONE: Fundamental Techniques of Handling People Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain. Give honest and sincere appreciation. Arouse in the other person an eager want. Read more

May 3, 2017

Workplace Trends: What's In and What's Out

“To every thing there is a season” begins Ecclesiastes 3, and if the phrase’s writer were alive today, he might have had the modern workplace in mind (not really but it makes a good intro). On April 21, I celebrated my 40th birthday, and I’ve been reflecting on the fads and trends I’ve seen during my career. What were they? Why did they become popular? Why did they fade away? And, ultimately, what took their place? Read more

February 10, 2017

A Normal Everyday Sociopath

During the run-up to the 2016 election, one word was often used to describe Donald Trump: sociopath. Just Google donald trump sociopath, and you’ll find the results full of articles asking if he really is a sociopath. His former ghostwriter Tony Schwartz thinks so. Amid all the sociopath talk, I realized I didn’t know what the word meant. To me it just described a horrible person. I decided to fix that and read up on sociopathy and its close cousin psychopathy. Read more

September 9, 2016

Forget 100% - A Realistic Guide to Physical Fitness

Two years ago in July I made a decision that changed my life. After a ten year hiatus, I decided to start working out again. I was in good shape in my twenties, but I was never able to carry out an exercise routine for more than a few months. I would be enthusiastic about it at first and then burn out. Eventually I stopped working out altogether. When I hit my late thirties, I was heavier than I wanted to be and felt sluggish most days. Read more

April 1, 2014

Microsoft to Integrate Git into Windows

It seems like every day I read about a new use for Git outside of source control. It’s used by artists and authors to track changes to their work. It’s used by researchers to branch experiments. Well, today I came across the latest and most surprising Git integration. Just out of Redmond, Microsoft has announced that Git will be integrated into the next version of Windows via extensions to NTFS and the Windows kernel. Read more

© Joe Buschmann 2020