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π The $10 Billion AI Startup That Thinks It Is an Energy Company
byThis week, Kraken announced that it was partnering with National Grid in New York and Massachusetts to act as the AI customer service and billing platform for 6 million U.S. customers.
Beyond excited that we're expanding into the US with National Grid!- Tagged with
- climate change
- energy
- kraken
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The Week #255
by- π² I rode my Brompton into work twice last week and it was great. Having my bag on my bike let me carry things I wouldn't otherwise (my lock, extra shirt) and made the commute much more comfortable. Cycling there had me feeling more focused and on the way back I was able to turn off work-mode. I still need to get the timing of my fold and bag/de-bag and unfold to be a bit quicker, but I 'know I'll get there with a bit more practice.
Going by bike has also enabled me to get coffees at places I wouldn't usually visit / be anywhere near, which is an added bonus.Cafe Latte at Verve in Roppongi - π My running has been limited to about once a week as of late. But I think cycling to and from the office is maintaining my cardio, especially the the big hills in Tokyo on the way in, and in Yokohama on the way home. This week's run, thanks to those hills, was easier (and faster) than it had been the past few weeks. Gives me hope I can find a balance between running, cycling, and lifting which doesn't cause me stress trying to do all the physical things.
- ποΈ It's been about 5 years(!) since I first watched Long Way Up. Last week (or the week before last) the newest edition of the duo's motorcycle adventures Long Way Home (youtube) started on AppleTV+ and it's great.
- π² I rode my Brompton into work twice last week and it was great. Having my bag on my bike let me carry things I wouldn't otherwise (my lock, extra shirt) and made the commute much more comfortable. Cycling there had me feeling more focused and on the way back I was able to turn off work-mode. I still need to get the timing of my fold and bag/de-bag and unfold to be a bit quicker, but I 'know I'll get there with a bit more practice.
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byMorning Run
Humid summer has arrived. Forgot me watch, felt naked without it. Orbital on the buds.5.0km
31.3min
23.2m climbed
avg bpm
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Checkin to γ€γ³γζη Sathi
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Checkin to Verve Coffee Roasters
by in Tokyo, Tokyo, JapanPit stop with my #brompton on the way to work. -
The Week #254
by- π· This week had Mother's Day. This was the first time I was able to get Leo into it a bit and we went out on a secret mission to the local Ito Yokado to get a card, chocolates, and a sweet Magewappa Bento Box (traditional wood bento). When we got some, Leo could not wait so he wrote his message and gave it to Yumi a day early. I facetimed with my mom for the fist time in far too long as well. A successful day celebrating all the moms in our lives.
- π² I rode my bike to the office for the first time in a long time. Rather than getting on/off the train at Shinbashi, I rode from one station further back on the Tokaido line, Shinagawa. The extra ride time was great. This convinced me it was finally time to retire my regular backpack of 12 - 13 years and got a messenger bag that I can attach to the front of my Brompton. This will make it so my bike is doing the carrying of things and my back won't end up as sweaty. I took it forΒ a spin over the weekend and it's everything I thought it would be. I look forward to commuting to the office again this week.
- π₯ I watched this excellent chat with Jony Ive. It reminded me how much I like thinking about not just the implementation details of software, but design and UX as well. There were some very interesting practices he and the design team at Apple used to build empathy between the team: someone on the team would be responsible for making breakfast for the entire team on Fridays and every so often they all go work and design at someone's house. I don't think I'll try these with my team (we're spread across the globe), but it's an interesting thought experiment nonetheless.
- π I finished In The Weeds: Around the WorldΒ and Behind the Scenes with Anthony Bourdain. If you're a fan of Bourdain and his shows, I recommend it. You get a real sense for just how difficult that show was to make and that it still turned into such good work is a testament to the entire team. Needing another non-business book to read, I started on Things Become Other Things by Craig Mod. I enjoy his newsletters and blog posts and this book does not disappoint.
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byMorning Run
Underworld makes some fine beats to run to.4.5km
30.1min
23.2m climbed
161.3avg bpm
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The Week #253
by- π It's golden week and I've enjoyed a 4-day holiday. The weather has been 75% great. 3 sunny days around 25c and 1 rainy day. Luckily the last day was the rainy day, so it creates an opportunity to rest by forcing you to stay in.
- π We broke out the barbecue and invited the whole family over for lunch. We grilled all the colors of bell peppers, chorizo, chicken, shrimp,Β yaki-niku beef, and some ahijo. It was a lot of fun, though the heat and lack of shade exhausted me by the end of it.
- π² I went Tokyo Pottering. This post has a lot of photos and reminds me of my blog 20 years ago when I was a student, especially as all photos were taken with my Canon Powershot. Navigating around with my cellphone worked great, though it chews through battery.
- βοΈ In my efforts to live a less distracted life I've been thinking about the role of watches and phones in my life.Β
On one hand, I find my Apple Watch very useful. I like tracking my movement and sleep with it. It's also very useful for when I ride trains and because I wear it on my right wrist (left handed ππ»), going through the train gates requires zero cross reaching or digging for a passes. With the battery on its last legs, upgrading to a cellular version is tempting because then I could leave my phone at home.
On the other hand, putting my classic G-Shock back in service to tell me the time sounds great. But am I going to become a double-watch wearer? That feels awkward. But also using a physical card for transport (no battery to run out) and phone in your pocket/bag feels consistent with my trying to use my actual camera for photos again. No conclusion on this one, except I think I may try double watches for a period. - π₯ This film by Beau Miles, A moment 29 years ago changed everything, has me thinking about my own life, forks in the road to get where I am today, and community.
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Tokyo Pottering
byBrompton recently opened an official shop around Harajuku. While daily life doesn't allow for much time to potter, occasionally there's a gap. The Brompton is the perfect bicycle for pottering: it folds, it fits on trains and under tables, and it has gears.
Today I set off on the Shonan-Shinjuku line intending to cycle around Shibuya/Harajuku to visit the Brompton shop and Blue Lug. Cycling from Shibuya is far too close β may as well walk. So I started stepping backwards along the stops... Ebisu?...maybe... Oosaki?...hmm...Nishi-ooi?
Then it hit me. I haven't been to Nishi-ooi since I was an exchange student and we set out (pre smartphone with gps in your pocket) on a walk one night...got lost...and ended up at Nishi-ooi. Perfect, I'll ride from Nishi-ooi to...Shibuya? Nah, since I'm in the neighborhood I'll ride to my old station and see what's changed in the last 17 - 18 years(!).
And so, rather than pottering to some bike shops, I potter around memory lane and it was fantastic.Setting off in Nishi-ooi
The ride was smooth. It was entirely on the streets, but all of the streets were 30kph roads with at least some paint to indicate where cyclists should ride. The paint doesn't protect you, but it at least tells drivers to expect and be prepared for bicycles.
Along the way I rode through a nice park with a nice jungle gym and a place to splash around in the water. And also a nearly 100 year old steam locomotive?!Another poor photograph of my bike
Riding up to Ontakesan my nose told me what I had hoped β Yanaka coffee was still there and still roasting beans. I used to always get my coffee from them when I was a student, not realizing how fortunate I was to have such great coffee so easily accessible.
Parked in front of Yanaka coffee
Ontakesan still has a thriving Shotengai (shopping street) filled with local businesses and I missed that. It felt so alive β people visiting a local market, getting coffee beans, or Japanese style sweets.400g of Ontakesan blend
I can order Yanaka coffee online (and I sometimes do), but for love of nostalgia and for supporting the local shopping street I had to buy some beans. I picked up the Ontakesan blend, 200g whole bean for me, and 200g ground for my in-laws.
There were a few changes in the neighborhood. The McDonalds had become a Saint Marc cafe (chocolate croissants and coffee), an upgrade. Italian Tomato is now a KFC. The little cake shop had turned into a hair salon, most likely because the owner retired. And the little Italian place was nowhere to be found.Ikegami line
While the station hasn't changed, still fits a 3-car train, the wrap on the trains has. I'm half-certain Baskin Robbins is now sponsoring the Ikegami line.
The Leo Palace the school had rented out and treated as dorms was still there. Unfortunately my old local Natural Lawson's had been downgraded to a regular Lawson's. I couldn't help but imagine what life would be like living in this neighborhood again. In a neighborhood with a thriving shopping street instead of a 4-lane road where a shopping street once stood. Perhaps rose-tinted glasses, but also simpler times.
After getting my coffee I decided to continue on towards Sangen-jaya, to meet up with my wife. This part of the ride removed some of the rose tint from my glasses. Not because of dangerous or unfun riding, but because it started to get a bit warmer out and there was a distinct lack of shade trees had me imagining this ride in 2 months time.
I say this, but also I did manage to stumble upon a small local park which has a fountain to refill my water bottle and a clean-enough restroom. I probably shouldn't be, but I can't help but be amazed by mundane things here in Japan like community access to free clean water and toilets. ItΒ should be normal, humans looking after humans, but it isn't.Parking in Sancha
Sancha seems to be a fantastic neighborhood that embodies all of the great qualities of Tokyo. Compact, lots of small and local businesses, so much going on in every direction. I had just enough time for a cup of coffee at Obscura (co-worker recommended (π) before I had to call time.
Pottering around Tokyo reminded me how cool Japan is. This year I'm going to try to take advantage of all of the gaps in my schedule to go and potter about on my Brompton, in search of great coffee and mundane joys. -
Checkin to Yanaka Coffee (γγͺγηη²εΊ)
by in Tokyo, Tokyo, JapanVisiting my old stomping grounds
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