The Writing
Articles
Looking at the world as it actually is. Asking questions worth asking.
AllAdventureAI InnovationAI IntegrationAI LiteracyBig TechBusinessColumnCreativeCultureHigh ImpactLife LessonsLLMMake It NewMetaNetworkingNonprofitOutdoorsPersonal GrowthPhilosophySocial MediaStoicismTechnology
October 7, 2026|Newsletter Archive
The Heart of the Slop
by Brian Garland
Slop. It's a word you hear all over the place today, especially in conjunction with AI, but what is "slop" precisely?
TechnologyLLMCultureColumnAI Literacy
Read →September 28, 2026|Newsletter Archive
Ready Player Zuck
by Brian Garland
Meta's new VR glasses want to be the next smartphone. A look at who's really trying to get between you and everyone you know — and why this time there's no canary in the coal mine.
MetaTechnologySocial MediaBig TechCultureColumn
Read →September 21, 2026|Newsletter Archive
Difficult Things, On Purpose
by Brian Garland
Climbing a volcano and building real relationships have more in common than you'd think — neither rewards the shortcut.
Personal GrowthBusinessOutdoorsColumnNetworking
Read →September 21, 2026|Essay
Chasing Happiness, and Cultivating Peace in Life
by Brian Garland
Life is complicated. The grass is always greener most everywhere you have the option to look. That's not really very fair. It's also an illusion.
Life LessonsPhilosophyStoicism
Read →May 26, 2026|Case Study
An AI App That Became a Litmus Test
What the data revealed about AI hiring
I built an AI resume analyzer in six days. Four months later it was telling me more about how companies hire than about whether I was qualified.
AI InnovationAI IntegrationMake It New
Read →May 8, 2026|Case Study
Hepatitis C PSA with Willie Nelson
Memory science applied to video production
Three facts. Thirty seconds. And each one landed through a completely different mechanism.
NonprofitHigh ImpactCreative
Read →May 3, 2026|Essay
Life Lessons from the Summit of Mt Rainier
by Brian Garland
When I was seventeen I had the privilege to not only attempt, but actually summit Mount Rainier, the fifth highest peak in the contiguous U.S.
Life LessonsAdventureOutdoors
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