26 Feb 2013
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Meta
Greetings! If you are seeing this, it means that this site has successfully transitioned from http://jbdeaton.com to the domain http://OnlyAModel.com. RSS readers, I invite you to visit the actual site and have a look around. I haven’t finished all the things I want to integrate in the redesign, but I think it’s enough of a start to pull the trigger. I was going for a simple, Tufte-inspired, science journal aesthetic.
Why abandon the eponymous domain? I originally started this site to serve as an academic portfolio, but my interests have evolved over the years. There are ideas I want to write about that don’t mesh as nicely with the construct of a CV website that’s attempting to manage my portfolio as a researcher and engineer.
If you are curious about the name Only A Model, its origin shouldn’t be too hard to figure out. I think it fits my professional and personal worldview:
- My understanding of the world is, at best, an approximation to reality. So let’s keep iterating and converging toward the best approximations.
- It conveys a key message in my field of research: all scientific or numerical models have limitations. It conveys what—on some level—the blog is about.
- It’s short and memorable.
- It’s general. It doesn’t constrain me to only discussing FEA or structural modeling.
- I got tired of constantly linking to a website that starts with my name. Personally, I started feeling too egocentric about it. I don’t project that onto other eponymous bloggers—that’s just me.
- It’s a Monty Python reference. If I need to appear more professional, I can point out that it’s also a CS Lewis quote.
So here we are. I think the new construct will pave the way for more interesting and regular posting. The goal, as always, will be to document the things I’m learning as well as things I find inspiring, helpful, or useful. Same topics as before: research, engineering, writing, programming, FEA, life, etc.
Nothing should change for you. All permalinks and RSS feeds forward to the new domain, so you don’t have to change anything.
If you have any helpful feedback or suggestions, please do let me know. I hope you enjoy the changes and look forward to the next year of interaction and ideas.
12 Feb 2013
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Writing
Seth Brown over at DrBunsen.org made my morning with an interesting post about his custom designed notebooks. It’s not only that he has coupled a very high quality paper with a smart page design, he has a neat archival system in place which couples each handwritten notebook page to a corresponding text file where metadata and additional digital notes can be stored. After scanning, the archival system presents the handwritten+digital notes side by side. I doubt I will implement exactly the same system, but you have to give it to him that this is a super smart solution to a tough problem.
My current system is a lot more lo-fi than Seth’s, but I’m pretty happy with how it’s working so far. I wrote about it before, but it’s basically a Circa notebook with Behance Dot Grid paper. I use a subject divider for each current project, and at the end of the project that stack gets scanned and stored with the other project materials. I think Seth’s system could be easily extended to work with the Behance/Circa Dot Grid paper, which would partially sidestep the binding issue. This paper is very heavy and takes fountain pen ink wonderfully. I’ve been using the cheap plastic cover that came with mine, but I think I’m ready to commit and upgrade to one of the premium Levenger covers.
If you are not following Seth’s blog, I highly recommend it. He doesn’t post very frequently, but his posts are pure signal and obviously the product of a smart guy who has thought very hard about the problem he is trying to solve.
06 Feb 2013
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Writing
Matt Gemmell recently wrote a piece where he talks about the various digital and physical tools that have become a regular part of his writing workflow. One interesting tidbit: he says you need something to throw.
If you’re writing, or indeed doing anything creative at all, you’re going to need something to throw. Do everyone a favour and don’t be one of those arseholes who throws something that could actually hurt somebody, or break a decent computer (like a Mac). […] The perfect object is a beanbag.
This cracked me up because I have a similar object constantly within reach at my desk: the Waboba street ball.
It’s become an instinct of mine to reach for it when I start pushing into deep concentration.
I like the Waboba ball because it’s small, I can throw it against a nearby wall, walk around bouncing it, lean back in my desk and toss it in the air, and its shape prevents it from rolling around on my desk. Mine came in a two-pack so I have a designated inside and outside one, which would make for a great lunchtime game of catch with an officemate.
05 Feb 2013
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Learning
David Finckel—cellist of the Emerson String Quartet—has compiled a series of one hundred videos on various aspects of cello performance. I’m a violinist and, speaking for the ones I watched so far, I found them extremely helpful and fascinating.
Cello Talks – The Comprehensive List
Even for those of you who don’t play a stringed instrument, I think you’ll enjoy seeing the craftsmanship in Finckel’s approach. Also, if you are new to the Emerson String Quartet, let me suggest you begin with their recording of the complete Mendelssohn quartets.
20 Jan 2013
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Productivity
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Quotes
You know something is important when you’re willing to let someone else take the credit if that’s what it takes to get it done. (link)