Wiser Web Wednesday – a semi-regular link to posts of interest from around the web, by those far wiser than myself:

 

Jim Seven
A considerable number of posts have popped up in my social media feeds highlighting one of the section headings from this report on a survey of commercial and home user espresso by James Hoffmann:

The Ristretto is Dead

Perhaps more telling though is another one:

A Death of Diversity

I dutifully responded to the survey from the home user perspective, subsequently learning from the results I am perhaps either part of a shift towards best practice or simply following a convenient majority rule:

I don’t believe we all have the same tastes, same ideals, and same goals for our espresso. I don’t believe, even for a second, all consumers want the same thing.

I guess I can at least take heart in the fact that when brewing at home, generally the only “consumer” is myself:
The State of Espresso in 2015

Perfect Daily Grind
I wholeheartedly agree:

…what’s not to like about fika?

A short history of coffee, snacks, and conspiracies in Sweden:
Fika: The Social Ritual of Coffee

Macdrifter
If you scan a lot, a little, or somewhere in between – Scanbot (iOS or Android) is definitely worth a look, and has been one of my most used apps for about a year now. Version 4 brings a workflows feature, allowing a single tap for customisable common actions, or selection of upload destinations from an ever-increasing number of on-line storage services. Extremely handy indeed.

A nice round-up of a fantastic app:
Scanbot 4 With Workflows

Productivityist

You can’t multitask. If you tell yourself you can, you are lying to yourself.

It’s amazing we still need reminding of the productivity drop off with multitasking. I guess it’s because there are so many who still grandstand about how good they are at it.

Focus. One of my favourite words that:
Essentialism: Focus on Less Tasks to Get More Work Done

The Pen Addict
Many have felt it, and those who haven’t — well unfortunately there’s still time. The trials and tribulations of growing a pen collection — and no doubt not confined to pens alone. Susan has taken a hit or two, for the collective pen buying team, and we would all do well to learn from her experiences:
Buyer’s Remorse, Impulse Buys, and Shady Sellers: The Vagaries of Buying Fountain Pens Online

Brett Terpstra
There is every likelihood this site might never have hit its stride without Markdown, and although my use does not really stretch towards the edges of its capabilities nor compatibilities, it nevertheless remains very much of interest to me. It is, after all, how every post is written, and I use it every day.

Given the choices in cloud syncing text editors these days, Markdown formatted text is the perfect marriage of readability, portability and future proofing. Some level of consistency in its application will go along way towards a life of writing pleasure:

This post isn’t about proposing any standard or new flavors, it’s just about common sense guidelines that allow you to work with any processor.

Use whatever Markdown flavor you like (or need), just keep these notes in mind to save yourself some pain. Now go write.

Who better to provide their two cents on the subject than Brett Terpstra:
Write better Markdown

Pens! Paper! Pencils!
Yes, a TWSBI Eco review also graced these links last week, however these WWW posts are as much my stream of consciousness as links I’d like to share with you, and I am indeed interested in reading opinions on the Eco from those I trust.

The question of durability can of course not be answered in these early reviews, but at this price point, by the time it is, you could have already had your money’s worth:
TWSBI Eco Fountain Pen Review

The Well-Appointed Desk
Though hopeless at it, sketchnoting has always fascinated me. Well Peter, I guess that is why workshops exist – funny that. Ana sums up the idea nicely:

The idea behind sketchnoting is that simple drawings, bold lettering, icons and symbols can help improve your note-taking and thereby improve your understanding and memory retention from a lecture, class, presentation or meeting.

And of course also sums up the workshop nicely:
Recap: Sketchnotes Workshop with Mike Rohde

Three Staples
Jinnie earning the full three out of three staples (again) for another fantastic post.

Item Numbers. This is some next-level Field Notes nerdery you’re about to witness. All in good fun, of course.

Field Notes. Nerdery. Fun.

Jinnie, you had me at “FN-##”:
Field Notes: Item Numbers

Sprudge
Even if you consider a post title with the words ”weird, delicious uncle” a little weird in itself, the content here certainly isn’t. Hailing from Finca Inmaculada in the municipality of Cali, Colombia, is the Eugenioides species of coffee.

Flavours? Well… various tasters from around the world have come up with:

…genmaicha tea, purple yam ice cream, rose milk, brown butter, marshmallow, jabuticaba, Sugar Smacks cereal, lychee, popcorn, basil, sweet tea, jackfruit, cream, and raisin bran.

Also with about half the caffeine content of the average Arabica bean, it is apparently very hard to grow, and quite low in yield. In praise of diversity — oh… and weirdness:
Meet The Species Eugenioides, Coffee’s Weird Delicious Uncle

Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine
Researchers report on some very encouraging insights from working with small farm owners and their workers, not the least of which:

…simply the act of delivering these kits and having discussions with farmers at origin about their needs and desires yielded critical intelligence about how best to assist in production and processing in other ways going forward

Encouraging stuff:
Sustainable Harvest Presents Initial Findings of Fermentation Research Project at Origin

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