Travis Northcutt

I've started making wood sculpture recently, and I really, really like it. This is my first piece. I have many, many more to come, I think. My head is swimming with ideas and shapes.

Feels like it's extremely common to encounter something like A: "I want xyz" B: "Ok, but reality prevents that because abc" A: "But I want xyz" I wonder what the most effective ways to engage with someone in this mode are, and how to guide them out of it

is post-vacation emotional hangover a thing? Just kinda feeling detached and confused, not energized or anything

Ok, second time in two days I've shared with folks, so probably need to broadcast more broadly: If you are using Cursor's Composer feature, switch to "agent" mode. It's a straight-up upgrade over "normal", better in every way. Click "agent" and the prompt will change to "Ask agent to do anything"

@kaidav.is hey am I remembering right that you have some piece you often link to for explaining the concept of expected value?

What would it mean to mark time not by seconds and minutes and hours but by books read, glances shared, fits of laughter, tears shed?

what is an AI agent? Spent some time this morning thinking about "agents": what are they? how do they work? are they the silver bullet for all problems in software? I dive really deep on this one: no framework, just JSON to understand how agents work. johncodes.com/archive/2025...

Reminder that some people want everything to be part of the "culture war", but you don't have to participate. That path is toxic to everyone who walks it. You can opt out.

@simonwillison.net Hey Simon, just wanted to say how much I appreciate your commentary, notes, etc. on LLMs and related tools. I feel like you've developed as a very trustable voice in that space, and your signal to noise ratio stays very very high, which is so nice. Thanks for what you do!

@visakanv.com writing some stuff and I wanted this in my notebook This is very dear to me. Thank you for sending it into the world. Also LOL at the monsters

Made some more!

This is a great thread with some excellent picks

I know all about the AI dev tool landscape. I use Cursor every day. But what about design? What AI design tools out there can level me up? Is there a Cursor equivalent for design?

I'm always amazed at what functionality is built into Chrome's DevTools. I really need to just watch a video or do a course on it already. Does anyone have one in particular they know of and like already?

I made some Christmas ornaments for family this year. Soldered brass.

Merry Christmas Eve

Long exposure pictures with the iPhone are pretty good

I made challah bread. It turned out pretty good I think!

@johnrudolphdrexler.com @wking.dev This thread probably has some stuff of interest to y'all news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4244... This especially John: boardgamelab.app probably you're already familiar with this stuff, but in case not!

If you were just now thinking "man, I wish I could listen to Travis and @gen.co talk about indoor air quality for an hour and seventeen minutes", then boy howdy do I have good news! share.transistor.fm/s/c2f1ca5e

babe wake up, new Ciechanowski post just dropped (for anyone who isn't familiar, Bartosz Ciechanowski puts together *INCREDIBLE* articles that are well worth your time)

Make more of what you want to see in the world Which inspires others who want the same to make more of it 🔁

It’s gross and weirds me out to see people celebrating murder. I think doing so is bad and leads to bad things.

I'm away from home for a few days and drinking coffee out of a regular mug instead of an insulated one with a lid. It goes cold so fast! How do people live like this???

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@joe.codes happy birthday Joe! I think you’re a cool dude and you make the world a better, more fun, and more interesting place. Glad you’re you.

co-sign Also in a lot of cases, stopping to think “I wonder why the system is this way?” And then actually exploring to find out why, or at least try to imagine why it could be that way. Sometimes Chesterton’s fence has a good reason for being there

IMO this is a very powerful framing "And now I mostly focus on what my past me needed to hear, to find others like me on this path" I suspect it works regardless of what path you're on!

This is a really great article from @simonwillison.net on why "just store UTC" isn't always the right choice: simonwillison.net/2024/Nov/27/... He very clearly lays out examples of how that can break down. Time is hard!

oh hey i wrote something for the first time in years: punchlinecopy.com/gift-guide-f...

Anybody interested in reading Democracy in America together? Online, 6 monthly sessions. FREE! Sign up below: forms.gle/coHnpkV9kuzp...

Important distinction: taking things sincerely as opposed to seriously. You can be sincere, while not being serious. Allow yourself to be silly/playful/joking!

TIL: Sometimes you have to run e.g. `export TERM=xterm` when you ssh into a server to get backspace (and other keys?) to work properly. You can add this to your ssh config for that server and never think about it again. Little TIL writeup: travisnorthcutt.com/til/ssh-term...

Any other Florence fans around? 👀

Pleasant, unexpected interactions with strangers continue to be one of my life’s greatest joys

Mine rotates but here’s the one it was on when I saw this