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Tinylytics for Micro.blog v3.1.0
I’m excited to share I’ve released a new version of my Tinylytics for Micro.blog plugin, bringing it to version 3.1.0. You should see an update in your site’s plugins section soon if not already. This release adds features to link back to your public stats page on Tinylytics if you have it enabled, and show a webring avatar on the footer embed code if you so choose. I’ve also created a dedicated page that explains the plugin’s options, how to use it, as well as providing some examples for styling the footer embed to get you going for your own site. -
My App Defaults
I wasn’t going to do a post like this… But what the heck, all the popular kids are doing it this week, so why shouldn’t I, right? I’m not really much of a defaults guy. I’ve always preferred to support indie developers, so will usually go that route if their app is as good or better than the Apple default. Mail Client: Apple Mail Mail Server: iCloud Mail with custom email domains Notes: iA Writer To-Do: Things Photo Shooting: Apple Camera Photo Management: Apple Photos Photo Editing: Pixelmator Pro Calendar: Fantastical Cloud File Storage: iCloud RSS: NetNewsWire (with iCloud sync) Contacts: Apple Contacts Browser: Safari (Chrome & Firefox for dev work) Chat: Apple Messages (Teams & Slack at work 🤮) Bookmarks: Things and/or Micro. -
The Beatles Song That Really Isn't a Beatles Song
There’s a lot of hubbub in the news and online about the “new Beatles song” that dropped yesterday. As a life-long semi-pro musician, this headline hits a sour note with me. Hah! See what I did there? Anyway, my thoughts… This song was one of many demos Lennon did after the band broke up. This is key. While we don’t know for sure, it’s unlikely he said to himself “This would be a great Beatles song. -
Switching Back to Mastodon
I knew it wasn’t going to last when I aliased my Mastodon username to my Micro.blog ActivityPub username a few days ago. Here are the top reasons why I decided to switch back… I find it easier to follow conversations in a dedicated Mastodon app on both desktop and mobile. Mona is my favorite. There will be times when I have something to say, but may not want to post it to Micro. -
Tinylytics for Micro.blog 3.0 Released
It took a minute to wrap up, but I’m happy to announce that my Tinylytics for Micro.blog plugin has been updated to version 3.0, adding a bunch of new options to bring it to parity with Tinylytics.app features @vincent has released over the last couple of months. Notable enhancements made: The ability to show the country flags of your Micro.blog visitors in either a footer embed or shortcode on a page. -
Tinylytics for Micro.blog v2.1 Released
Hot on the heels of uptime monitoring on Tinylytics, I’m stoked to share that my Tinylytics for Micro.blog plug-in has been released as a 2.1 version to take advantage of it. This release adds the following: The ability to use a Hugo shortcode to add a Page View Counter in a post without changing any site template files. This will display the actual views of a single post, rather than overall hits -- which can still be shown as a footer embed. -
Tinylytics for Micro.blog 2.0 Release
I’m happy to share that my Tinylytics for Micro.blog plug-in has been released as a 2.0 version. This release adds the following: A complete refactor/rewrite of the tracking code for better performance. The ability to use Hugo shortcodes to add Kudos and Hit Counter in a post without changing any site template files. The ability to add a Hit Counter embed in the global custom footer of your Micro.blog site without changing any site template files. -
Tinylytics for Micro.blog Updated to 1.0.6
Fresh on the heels of new Tinylytics.app updates, my Tinylytics for Micro.blog plug-in has been updated to take advantage of the new Kudos feature introduced in the latest release. If you look at your installed site plug-ins, you should see an update available as 1.0.6. This release adds a checkbox to show Kudos along with the ability to set a custom label. See the project README on Github for more information. -
New Plugin: Tinylytics for Micro.blog
I published my very first Micro.blog plugin today: Tinylytics for Micro.blog. You can find it in the Micro.blog plugin directory. If you’re using Vincent Ritter’s awesome web analytics platform Tinylytics, this plugin is for you. Rather than copying and pasting a line of Javascript, you simply enter your unique site id which can be copied from your site page once the plugin is installed. There’s an option to toggle the “Display Hits” option too. -
Debunking the Myth of "Better Means Different"
Change is inevitable in today’s world as technology advances, industries evolve, and societies progress. The idea of “better means different” has gained popularity, suggesting that to improve, one must embrace change and pursue new and unconventional approaches. While this idea may seem appealing, it is important to critically analyze both the pros and cons of this notion to better understand its implications. The Pros of "Better Means Different" Innovation and Progress: Embracing change and seeking different approaches can lead to innovation and progress. -
Living the Simple Life: Chill, Declutter, and Embrace the Beauty of Simplicity
Are you feeling overwhelmed by life? Do you find yourself juggling multiple tasks, drowning in notifications, and feeling like there’s never enough time in a day? If so, you’re not alone. In today’s fast-paced world, simplicity has become a luxury that many of us crave. The good news is that living a more simple life is totally achievable, and it can bring you a sense of peace, contentment, and fulfillment. -
Personal Blogging vs. Social Media: Why Blogging is Making a Comeback
The world of social media transformed the way we interact and share content online. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter gave us quick and easy ways to share our thoughts, images, and videos with the world. But what about personal blogging? Is there still a place for it in today’s digital age? Personal blogging first became popular in the early 2000s, with platforms like Blogger, LiveJournal, and WordPress. These platforms gave people a space to express themselves, share their stories, and connect with like-minded individuals. -
A Better AppleScript Password Generator
As I continue to explore ChatGPT’s AppleScript code generation capabilities, I fed it a password generation script I came up with years ago and asked it to make it better. The results were impressive. My original script didn’t have error-checking or user bailout points. ChatGPT was smart enough to add them for me, along with some other smart “decisions” when it came to copying out the generated password. I did have to make a few edits for correctness. -
Minimalism vs. Essentialism: Understanding the Difference and How It Impacts Your Life
In today’s fast-paced and consumer-driven world, many people are seeking ways to simplify their lives and focus on what truly matters. Two popular concepts that often come up in these discussions are minimalism and essentialism. While they may seem similar on the surface, they are distinct ideologies with different approaches to living intentionally. In this blog post, we will delve into the differences between minimalism and essentialism and explore how each of them can impact your life in unique ways. -
Living with Meniere's Disease: My Personal Journey
This post is written based on my own struggles as someone diagnosed with Meniere’s Disease. It took years to get a proper diagnosis because the condition is so rare. What is Meniere's Disease? As someone who has been living with Meniere’s Disease for more than a decade, I know firsthand the challenges and impact it can have on daily life. Meniere’s Disease is a chronic vestibular disorder that affects the inner ear, leading to episodes of vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear. -
A Better AppleScript to Compress Files or Folders
A while ago, I created an AppleScript that allows you to compress files and folders by simply dropping them onto the applet. One of the readers left a comment asking for a way to achieve the following tasks: Select a folder from Finder. Store the folder name as "x". Compress all files and sub-folders within the folder "x", including their paths. Rename the resulting zip file as "x.zip". Delete all the files that were used to create the zip file. -
Conquering Commitment Chaos: Saying No, Setting Priorities, and Taking Charge of Your Life!
In our busy lives, it’s easy to let things pile up and overcommit ourselves, all under the guise of importance. We may find ourselves saying yes to tasks or commitments that we should have said no to, driven by our ego or fear of disappointing others. But it’s crucial to recognize when we’re stretching ourselves too thin and take steps to lighten the load. Here are some strategies to help you learn to say no and guard your relationships and health. -
iPhone Minimal Dockless Wallpaper for iOS
As someone who ascribes to a minimalist mindset and hates superfluous design, it’s always bugged me that Apple feels iOS needs a dock outline for icons at the bottom of the home screen. With the four icons I choose to keep on my home screen, I find it visually distracting to have an outline around them. So, I decided to make a minimal iPhone and iPad wallpaper that will cancel out the dock when using iOS dark mode, which is my preferred mode. -
It's Your First Dreamforce. What Should You Expect?
Exciting! It’s your very first Dreamforce! You’re eagerly anticipating being part of the magic. I bet you’ve already checked out other blogs to prepare for this moment. Well, here are some recommendations from me to make your Dreamforce experience even more memorable. Comfortable Shoes Make sure to wear shoes that your feet are already used to and comfortable in. Don’t buy new shoes to wear for the first time at Dreamforce. -
The Ant Mound
One of my earliest childhood memories still haunts me to this day. I was just a three-and-a-half-year-old boy living with my mother, stepfather, and newborn sister in an old house in the middle of the desert in Lancaster, California. My mother was preoccupied with taking care of my baby sister, so I was often left to my own devices. One day, I stumbled upon an ant mound in the open area behind our house. -
Memorable Cigarettes
Almost fifty years have passed, and I can still vividly recall the first time I lit a cigarette. I was just a seven-year-old boy, living on a farm in rural Colorado with my mother, step-father (if you could call him that), and half-sister. There were no kids my age nearby to play with, so I often found myself engaging in activities that little boys should not be doing. I had stolen a pack of my mother’s Kool Menthol 100s and a pack of matches, and I thought I could smoke just like the adults in my life. -
Start Somewhere
Do you ever find yourself using up every excuse in the book to avoid doing something you’ve been putting off? I know I do. I’ve been running this blog for nearly 14 years, yet I only have 11 posts to show for it. That’s less than one post per year, and the newest one is over a year old. I used to write more frequently, but like many artists, I ended up trashing most of my work because I felt like it wasn’t good enough. -
Dealing with Digital Distractions: How I Regained Control of My Life
In today’s fast-paced world, distractions abound, and most of them come from our electronic devices. It’s disheartening to see people with their faces buried in their phones, seemingly disconnected from the world around them. Personally, I reached a breaking point with digital distractions and decided to take action. Here’s what I did to regain control of my life. I Started by Removing Useless Apps from My Phone At one point, I had more than four screens of apps on my iPhone, and I know many people who have even more. -
Unlocking the Power of Saying No: How It Can Transform Your Life
Saying no can be hard, but it’s a powerful tool that can bring positive change in our lives. It’s not about weakness; it’s about strength, prioritization, and self-care. When we have the courage to say no, we stop spreading ourselves too thin and make more time for what truly matters. Here are some key areas where saying no can have a profound impact: Saying No to Overcommitment: It's easy to say yes to every new project or opportunity that comes our way, but it can lead to burnout and neglect of our personal priorities. -
Rediscovering Wonder: Breaking Free from the Cycle of Empty Pursuits
Life is cyclical, and we often find ourselves chasin new things only to lose interest in them. We’ve become addicted to instant gratification and caught up in the pursuit of material possessions, but what if we intentionally slowed down and rediscovered the wonder of the world around us? As children, we played and marveled at the world with curiosity. We listened to our inner voices without distractions. But as adults, we get caught up in the busyness of life, chasing after dreams and possessions, constantly connected to our smart devices.
I'm Jim Mitchell. I wrangle nerds, herd cats, and sometimes write code. Apple fanboy. Sarcastic as heck, but mostly harmless. Prolific abuser of ellipses…