Speaking Into the Air by John Durham Peters. I’ve got a friend here in Tulsa who’s a professor of media theory at TU. His dad, John Durham Peters, is also a professor of media theory and teaches at Yale. Really nice guy, and he’s written one of the most interesting books I’ve read this year. Speaking Into the Air is an exploration of the history of the idea of communication. Peters tackles everything from angelic whispers to talking to the dead to help us figure out what we mean when we talk about “communication.” One of the arguments that he makes that I’ve been chewing on a lot is that our obsession with back-and-forth Socratic dialogue overlooks the power and beauty of non-reciprocal communication that you see in Jesus’ parables. Another interesting idea: 19th century spiritualism was made possible by the invention of the telegraph. It’s an erudite journey through philosophy, theology, pop culture, and technology that’ll make you rethink how we connect. Not your average academic fare, but a thought-provoking ride for the intellectually curious. I’ll be chewing on this book for a while.
Drippco Hot Chocolate. If you’re not a coffee drinker, but are looking for a morning caffeine option that’s not a standard energy drink, check out Drippco. It’s a hot chocolate designed to provide smooth energy and focus without the jitters, thanks to a blend of caffeine, electrolytes, and l-theanine. I’ve been enjoying it every morning for the past few months. Despite being sugar-free and only 15 calories, Drippco is surprisingly tasty. Very chocolatey.
Testosterone Clinics Sell Virility. Some Men End Up With Infertility. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is booming, with clinics popping up in strip malls in America offering T as a cure-all for everything from fatigue to low libido. Once reserved for medical conditions that cause low testosterone, TRT is now sought by men as young as their 30s — even if they don’t have a clinical need for it. While some users report increased energy and muscle mass, the treatment comes with risks rarely mentioned in the ads. Side effects can include mood swings and long-term health concerns — including infertility. I’m not against TRT, but I do think a lot of men are too cavalier about its use. Hormones are powerful stuff. They affect everything from liver health to your emotions. Tread carefully!
Macro counting A.I. hack. I track macros using MyFitnessPal, which helped me lose 30 pounds and now aids in the slow bulk I’m in the process of. Tracking macros is easy for most meals, but homecooked dinners are tricky. There’s no pre-populated option for homemade chicken and rice casserole or spaghetti and meatballs. For years, I’ve just been guessing. Recently, I’ve started using ChatGPT to estimate macros for these meals. I snap a pic of Kate’s recipe, and ChatGPT analyzes the measurements for the ingredients and spits out an estimate of the macro counts for each serving. I then add these numbers to my MyFitnessPal library. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than my guesses. Since we rotate through our family’s favorite meals, I’ve built up a personal library of homecooked dishes with more accurate macro counts.
Quote of the Week
Habit writes itself on the face, and the body is an automatic recording machine. To have a beautiful old age, you must live a beautiful youth, for we ourselves are posterity, and every man is his own ancestor.
—Elbert Hubbard
