Dec 02, 2025

Email 1 Summary:

– Topic: Handling difficult coworkers and workplace challenges.

– Key points: Advice on managing a colleague who is disrespectful and passive-aggressive, suggestions such as communicating impacts in writing, informal conversations, involving HR, or leaving the team. The difficult coworker’s behavior may stem from being overlooked for leadership, creating a “status injury”.

– Tools & apps featured: Twake Drive (open-source file sharing), Lunch Flow (transaction syncing), Corcava (CRM/project management), Antinote (Mac scratchpad), Raycast (Mac/Windows app launcher), Shutter Declutter (iOS photo cleanup).

– Articles highlighted: Why top firms fire good workers (a sign of a functioning revolving door culture), project management insights from Anthropic, effects of smartphones on mindfulness, interactive tax automation with Avalara AvaTax, math behind workplace focus, interview comparisons at big tech companies, and ideas for meaningful self-payment.

– Call to action: Readers are invited to suggest productivity tools or articles for future issues.

Email 2 Summary:

– Topic: Preserving authentic internet content and exploring the indieweb.

– Key points: Criticism of AI-generated, SEO-driven corporate content dominating search engines, while authentic personal blogs and projects (the indieweb) get buried. Major search engines and AI tools tend to bypass real sites in favor of summaries and ads. Alternative search engines focusing on the indieweb help surface genuine human writing and creativity, preserving the internet’s original spirit.

– Updates: Capacities (AI provider integrations and Kindle highlight import), Flyleaf 2.5 (widgets and improved article downloading).

– Insights: AI tools may misdirect design efforts; blogging fosters genuine friendships; need for designers to build broader relationships; importance of balancing abstraction and reality in creative work.

– Promotional content: Meco app for distraction-free newsletter reading, affiliate links for creative apps and tools, sponsorship opportunities.

– News & quick bits: Several tech, AI, policy, and climate technology headlines.

– Invitation: Readers encouraged to support by sharing, subscribing, or buying the author a coffee.

Stay Well!