2025-12-28 18:00:24
I, too, now have a Substack newsletter where I post a short essay once a week. It’s my “works in progress” on technology, culture, travel, art, and even spiritual stuff. Some of my essays are brand new, and some are older pieces cross-posted from my Technium blog. Instead of having to visit the blog, I send it to you in an email (that is Substack). My pieces are low-stakes, cold takes – I am not in a hurry. I aim to pay attention to long-term trends. Comments are active and I try to respond to sincere comments. Sign up at KK on Substack. It’s free (although I have some paid subscribers, thank you!). — KK
My wife replaced her PopSocket phone grip to the new Snap Grip 5 ($40). It’s just 3mm thick, with a profile that prevents it snagging on pockets like bulkier grips. It has a powerful magnet that snaps to MagSafe phones. You can use it as a one or two-finger grip, flip it into a sturdy kickstand, or stick your phone to any metal surface (fridge, gym equipment, car door). Works with iPhones and includes an adapter for Android phones. — MF
My mother is a seeker, so I grew up baptized multiple times and in and out of various churches. As an adult, I’ve had to rebuild my relationship with both spirituality and community, and I tend to assume every organized group with a shared mission is a cult until proven otherwise. That’s why I really appreciate this carefully constructed “Is It a Cult?” tool by ClearerThinking. The assessment looks at things like unusualness, conformity, isolation, control of information, ethics, and sacrifice, reflecting the nuanced criteria behind their Cult Assessment tool. ClearerThinking’s programs and assessments are grounded in empirical data and are balanced in perspective, and this particular questionnaire understands that being a cult is not binary—it’s a set of traits, each of which lies on a continuum. — CD
I was skeptical about air fryers until I tried the Ninja Crispi. It comes with three glass containers so you can see your food cooking, and they’re non-toxic (no Teflon coatings). I’ve made sweet potatoes that came out caramelized on the outside and soft inside. It’s perfect for crisping frozen samosas and pupusas in minutes. My mother baked a whole chicken in it beautifully. The containers go from freezer to cooking to table to dishwasher. — MF
This piece argues that most nine-to-five workers underuse their after-work hours because we stay in our “inner CEO” identity, which hijacks free time with urgency traps like emails, Slack pings, and low-value work that keeps laptops open all night. The advice is to acknowledge and give time to our other inner characters—like the Lover, Artist, Friend, and Athlete—and create a simple cast schedule for weeknights. For example, on Mondays the Athlete moves your body, on Tuesday the Friend schedules a conversation or hangout, and so on. The real key is honoring the end-of-work transition with a shutdown ritual: create a two-do list for the next day, close unnecessary tabs, say out loud “Workday closed, artist open,” and then do something sensory (shower, stretch, short walk, or after-work-only music) to let the next character take the spotlight. — CD
My favorite advice guru is Dan Pink. He is very wise, but also very concise. He can convey a book’s worth of advice in a few minutes – and his advice is good and practical. He is a master of dispensing his wisdom in very short videos. His latest class is a 4-minute lesson on How to Fix Your Attention Span. Might as well stay for his other lessons as well. — KK
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Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Please consider supporting our work with a paid option, now at the low price of $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others.
Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper, and Book Freak.
2025-12-21 18:01:45
Soulmates is a one-season sci-fi show on Netflix that imagines a near future where individuals can take a DNA test that guarantees a match with their one true soulmate. Each episode is a stand-alone and follows different people who have taken the test and are now living with the consequences. Marriages are tested, cults are formed, and love becomes something you can measure, monetize, and manipulate. One of the series creators and writers is Brett Goldstein, who is best known for Ted Lasso. It’s very Black-Mirror-esque and thought-provoking, and I’m bummed that it was never renewed. — CD
I don’t read much science fiction, so when I do I am picky. An author I find reliably good is Ted Chiang, who writes mostly short stories, including the one that was the basis for the movie Arrival. I really like his anthology of nine stories, Exhalation. I would classify his genre as well-crafted, somewhat literary, hard (plausible) science fiction, with inventive, deep and original stories. I am a fan in large part because most of his stories are uplifting rather than the usual dystopian. — KK
My cousin invited me over for breakfast recently. He pulled a Mueller vegetable chopper from a cabinet — a clear plastic box with a grid of sharp blades on top. He placed half an onion on the grid and pressed down with the attached lever. It chopped the onion into perfect tiny squares. He repeated with a bell pepper, making short work of it. Cleanup is easy; just rinse and let dry. I ordered one for myself and learned it handles potatoes just as easily. — MF
I subscribe to 40 different YouTubers who make stuff in their workshops. I watch them for how-to tips, to learn shop techniques, and for inspiration for possible projects. If I rank them by how much I’ve learned from them, in my top five are three non-Americans (an Australian and two Canadians) who are life-long makers, who are great explainers, and who are also experimentalists in how and what they build. Pask Makes continually learns and explores new skills, John Heisz is a born innovator with tools and master technician, and Matthias Wandel, makes his own shop tools from plywood. They are fantastic teachers, never boring. — KK
This “Both can be true” chart highlights that emotional intelligence means holding dualities, or two seemingly opposite truths, at the same time. For example, you can feel angry and still choose to respond calmly, or care deeply about someone and still set boundaries to protect your energy around them. I personally relate to the one about knowing and naming my feelings, but still being caught off guard by them. I used to feel shame around that, but now I find it curious and funny—an opportunity to laugh at myself instead. — CD
I don’t remember where I first encountered this, but it works surprisingly well: after each round, switch to the option neither player used. If your rock loses to their paper, throw scissors next. If your scissors beat their paper, throw a rock next. I've been testing it against my friends and winning more than chance would predict. The World Rock Paper Scissors Association has more sophisticated strategies. — MF
Factory farming impacts animals, human health, and the environment. I’m pleased to welcome FarmKind as this week’s sponsor — check out their work reforming the industry and improving animal welfare through smart donations. — MF
Most problems feel impossible to solve. This one isn’t. By supporting effective charities, you can save 25 animals from cruelty with just $13 and help reform the entire industry. Donate before the end of the year, and we’ll add 50% to your gift — making a real difference has never been easier.
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Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Please consider supporting our work with a paid option, now at the low price of $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others.
Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper, and Book Freak.
2025-12-14 18:02:06
Every December, writer Tom Whitwell publishes an eclectic list of 52 surprising things Whitwell learned over the year. It’s one of my favorite year-end reads. A few samples:
Marchetti’s Constant is the idea that throughout human history, from cave dwellers to ancient Greeks to 21st century Londoners, people tend to commute for about an hour a day — 30 minutes out, 30 minutes home. So faster travel leads to longer distances, not less time. [Cesare Marchetti, plus a 2025 update]
The Casio F91W — the ubiquitous digital watch, worn by Osama Bin Laden, costing just £12 — has been faked for years, and the fakes are getting better and better. [Andy C]
Childhood peanut allergies are falling dramatically, perhaps because advice to avoid peanuts was reversed. [Simar Bajaj]
Browse his previous lists here. — MF
I believe every American should be required to watch Ken Burn’s Civil War series to understand their country today. Ken Burns has done it again with his new series on The American Revolution. Six episodes, 12 hours. LIke his other series, it unsettles the story-book history we have in our heads, and celebrates the complexity of the actual ideas, events, and complicated characters at the time. — KK
“The existential balm of seeing yourself as a verb, not a noun” is a perspective‑shifting essay that explores a gentler way to hold the fear of death by reframing the self not as something fixed, but as a natural unfolding process. The author suggests reframing personhood as a shifting weave of body, breath, memory, mood, and perceptions, always in motion and in relationship with the world. The idea is to loosen perfectionistic pressure around having to be a fixed, definitive “someone,” and instead approach death as a quieting down of processes rather than the annihilation of a solid self. — CD
I’ve stayed in Airbnbs in many different countries, and have learned one universal truth: the kitchen knives are invariably dull. As a service to myself and future guests, I’ve started bringing a small knife sharpener with me when I travel. The Smith’s 2-Step Knife Sharpener is inexpensive, small, and lightweight, so I don’t mind packing it. It takes less than a minute to restore the edge on a blade. — MF
Freak Pages is a directory for the weirdest Wikipedia entries, community‑curated to help you discover strange topics you’ve probably never heard of. Lots of rabbit holes to dive into. — CD
Here are some quotes I gathered recently:
It takes a lot of work to make something simple. — Steve Wozniak
One of the most realistic parts of Lord of the Rings is that almost no one wanted to get involved, until it was very nearly too late. — Ricki Tarr
Everyone searches for opportunities while running from problems, missing that they’re the same thing. Problems aren’t obstacles to opportunity, they ARE the opportunity. — Shane Parrish
Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion. — W. Edwards Deming
When people ask me if I went to film school I tell them “No I went to films.” — Quentin Tarantino
Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy. — Jeff Bezos
The three lenses of opportunity cost: (1) Compared with what? (2) And then what? (3) At the expense of what? — Shane Parish
You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from. — Cormac McCarthy
Everyone driving slower than you is an idiot, and everyone driving faster than you is a maniac! — George Carlin
I find witty quotes sharpen my thinking and help me pay attention. — KK
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Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Please consider supporting our work with a paid option, now at the low price of $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others.
Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper, and Book Freak.
2025-12-07 18:01:25
MyTaxReceipt shows you a breakdown of how your U.S. federal taxes get spent — enter your Zip code and the amount you paid in Federal taxes (or you can use the default average for your Zip code). It generates a receipt-style summary showing what portion goes to defense, healthcare, interest on debt, and dozens of other categories. It’s eye-opening to see actual dollar amounts. The site also lets you message Congress about your spending priorities with one click. — MF
You can add a US passport as your digital ID to your wallet app on an iPhone running iOS 26.1 or later. You still need to carry your passport overseas, but you can pull out this ID for TSA clearance at 250 airports in the U.S., including SFO, LAX, JFK and LGA. To do this go to your wallet, hit the + in the upper right, then choose “Driver’s License and ID Cards,” then “Digital ID.” You’ll be prompted to hold your phone’s camera over the photo page of your passport and then you need to touch your phone to the chip embedded in the back of the passport. Then you’ll be asked to take a selfie and do some prescribed head movements to verify you are real. Finally, your application will await verification. Once verified (mine took only a few minutes) your passport ID will appear in your wallet. — KK
Two tabs worth opening up in full screen are TIME’s Top 100 Photos of 2025 and BBC Science Focus’s 31 jaw-dropping space photos. The first depicts the past year’s major cultural moments — like political conflicts and climate disasters — and everyday life on a human scale, and the second is a gallery of cosmic wonders, catapulting you out to a higher perspective. Both snapshots of existence feel equally important to witness. — CD
I am not a Korean drama aficionado, but my wife is a big fan, and she has persuaded me to watch some of the better ones. When folks who have never seen a K-drama ask where to start, I suggest they watch any of the following three series. All three are exactly the same story: They are all rom-coms set in a modern workplace, with protagonists using multiple crossed identities, love straddling class lines between boss and employee, and convoluted plots that tie everyone together into one story. (There are no coincidences in this world.) In order of ease of access: 1) Business Proposal, 2) Start-Up, 3) Would You Marry Me? — KK
If you want a quick way to see all your receipts in Gmail, I recently noticed that in my personal account a “Purchases” label category was automatically created and added to my sidebar. Unfortunately, this feature is not available in my Google Workspace account. I use both personal and work emails for shopping, so to mimic that view I type “category:purchases” into the search box to display messages that include receipts, purchase confirmations, invoices, and statements. This is especially helpful during the holiday season. — CD
I recently spent time with friends who mounted a 36-inch by 200-foot kraft paper roll with a steel dispenser and cutter at the end of their work table. It’s surprisingly useful. Pull out a few feet for messy art projects, cover a table for a party, or tear off sheets for gift wrapping. The cutter gives clean tears across the full width. — MF
Going vegan isn’t the best way to help farmed animals
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Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Please consider supporting our work with a paid option, now at the low price of $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others.
Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper, and Book Freak.
2025-11-30 18:01:18
Inexpensive laser engraving can produce personalized rolling pins which make great gifts. A pattern is etched into the wood so that it stamps the pattern on the dough before baking. Today on Etsy, you can get many folk patterns etched into rolling pins. Several years ago we got our daughter a rolling pin personalized with her name: it says “Homemade by Kaileen”. The roller is made in Poland and the crafts family is still going on Etsy. — KK
Here’s a free gift to give yourself and your friends: a library card. Beyond books, it can give you free access to museums, zoos, gardens, events, streaming services, and more. This guide provides a state-by-state breakdown of what your library card gets you — from free NYC Culture Pass access to the Met and MoMA to vehicle passes for state parks to performing arts tickets. — MF
Rubber stamps are fun for kids and adults. We make thank-you cards, holiday notes, border art, and mail art with small rubber stamps and colored ink pads. My favorite set of stamps is Stamp Bugs ($26), part of a series which includes Stamp Garden and Jingle Stamps. There are 25 wooden backed stamps holding parts of an insect like legs or antenna or wings, which you combine in infinite ways to make bugs, creatures, robots, or anything at all. The other sets give you additional parts and options, and any of them are perfect gifts. (The sets come without ink pads.) — KK
I bought this National Geographic Platinum Series Ultra Quiet Rock Polisher Kit as a gift for my husband last Christmas, but it ended up becoming a gift to myself. Over the past year, I took up rock hounding, and this kit included everything I needed to start my new hobby of rock tumbling. It’s one of the more affordable and genuinely “quiet” tumblers available for beginners. We keep it in the laundry room, and it’s quieter than our washer and dryer—which is ideal, since getting through a load of rocks requires the machine to run for a month straight. — CD
The Scrubba Wash Bag is a 5.3-ounce hand-powered washing machine. Add water, soap, and a few items of clothing to the waterproof bag, seal it, and start rubbing. Rubber nodules inside the bag gently scrub the clothes. It folds to pocket size. Not as thorough as an actual washing machine, but better than hand-washing in a hotel sink. — MF
For a thoughtful self-care gift, I recommend the FOREO LUNA 4 go Face Cleansing Brush & Firming Massager. I use mine daily. Its one-minute cleanse deeply exfoliates and softens my skin, and the gentle vibrations help me relax and feel refreshed, especially in the mornings. It’s smaller than the palm of my hand, and one charge lasts up to 300 uses—so it travels everywhere with me. Right now, it’s on sale on Amazon. — CD
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Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Please consider supporting our work with a paid option, now at the low price of $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others.
Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper, and Book Freak.
2025-11-23 18:00:33
Our subscriber base has grown so much since we first started nine years ago, that most of you have missed all our earliest recommendations. The best of these are still valid and useful, so we’re trying out something new — Retro Recomendo. Once every 6 weeks, we’ll send out a throwback issue of evergreen recommendations focused on one theme from the past 9 years.
A cool way to make an unusual gift is to render a portrait in Lego. I used a kit from BrickMe that turned a photo of my wife into 5,625 pixels, and then they supplied me with Lego tiles in 50 different colors. Using the map they also supply, I “painted” the image by applying the tiles in the manner of paint-by-numbers. I glued the final assembly onto plywood to hang in my studio. The procedure is well-designed, fun, with plenty of extra tiles. Mine was the small size at 24 x 24 inches (57 x 57 cm) for $126; they can go much bigger. (This Thanksgiving week they offer 20% off.) — KK
Did you ever make a linoleum wood-block print in school? I did, and cutting linoleum was a pain. It took a lot of energy and effort to even make a small design. Recently I returned to making woodcut prints and hand-carved stamps because I discovered the secret: instead of cutting either wood or linoleum, I carve on a sheet of firm rubber, which cuts like butter. Speedball, the legendary company making carving tools, produces their own Speedy-Carve Blocks which have the consistency of a pencil eraser. Many other generic manufacturers in China offer these soft carving sheets, too. Now, making a block print is quick and enjoyable. — KK
I use these Blessing Cards as a tool for setting positive intentions for the day. The deck contains 210 two-inch cards, each featuring a unique word that serves as a catalyst to guide or bring meaning to your day. Some recent draws include: Yielding, Synchronicity, Excellence, Delight, Creativity, Openness, Unknown, and Trust. I prefer to draw two cards at a time, which adds an extra layer of meaning. These cards have only benefited my life, inspiring gratitude, courage, closeness, and helping to free me from rigid thinking. — CD
My friend gifted me this infinity travel pillow, and while I haven’t traveled with it yet, I use it daily. It’s super snuggly and soft, and no matter how I wrap it around myself, I feel supported and comfy. In bed, when I hug it and tangle my arms into it, I drift off to sleep faster. It’s definitely worthy of being called an emotional support pillow. — CD
After one too many purses sliding off restaurant chairs onto grimy floors or taking up table space, my wife started carrying this clever folding hook in her purse. It magnetically collapses to the size of a silver dollar but unfolds to securely hang bags from any table edge. — MF
I was glad I kept this super-lightweight A.Brolly Tube umbrella in my backpack while I was in rainy New York last week. It was so light (3 ounces) and small (8-inches unopened) that I forgot about having it until I needed it. It uses carbon fiber instead of steel for the ribs. — MF
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Recomendo is an authentic, hand-crafted, human-written weekly newsletter that is free, but not cheap. Consider supporting our work with a paid option, now at the low price of $45 per year. Paid subs enable us to keep making it free for others. Recomendo is published by Cool Tools Lab, a small company of three people. We also run the Cool Tools website, a YouTube channel and podcast, and other newsletters, including Gar’s Tips & Tools, Nomadico, What’s in my NOW?, Tools for Possibilities, Books That Belong On Paper and Book Freak.