Matt’s Mix Tape, Vol. 161

Training the Write of Passage cast, Dynamic Island, crazy wallpaper

Sep 17, 2022

Hi, I’m Matt Tillotson, and this is Matt’s Mix Tape. My life is a new mix these days. And so is this newsletter.

Lots of balls in the air at Write of Passage.

As we move toward our Cohort 9 launch on October 5, we’re training 14 Mentors and 11 Editors. Next week we’ll train five Ambassadors who will host welcome calls for new students, check in with them during the course, and coach those struggling to publish.

Write of Passage is becoming a large production. Helping prepare the cast is invigorating and occasionally exhausting all at once.

I’m also reviewing scholorship applications, including those for a generous new fellowship program from O’Shaughnessy Ventures:

Jim OShaughnessy @jposhaughnessy

Searching for something else and found this. If anything, the power of writing and sharing your ideas with the world is even more important now. O'Shaughnessy Ventures LLC is underwriting 10 scholarships at @david_perell "Write of Passage"--you should apply.

David Perell @david_perell

I spoke with Jim O'Shaughnessy (@jposhaughnessy) about his book, What Works on Wall Street. "You really need to let the world see your thoughts... 'What Works on Wall Street' basically made my career." Jaw-dropping story. A testament to the power of writing publicly. https://t.co/bnxf9yGwYh

Some of the applications are incredible. There are some insanely talented writers out there who only need a system, consistency, and time to succeed. Can’t wait to work with some of them in October.

Matt Tillotson @matttillotson

@jposhaughnessy @david_perell Your generosity has sparked creative initiative for many talented writers. I’ve reviewed some remarkable applications this week. Thank you for working with us—it’s going to have a big impact on people’s lives and on the Internet itself.

Now, back to juggling.

No, Dynamic Island is not a new dating reality show

I’m a man of few extravagances. Sam’s Club Red Blend wine. Bacon cheeseburgers off the grill. A gas-sipping Mazda 3 is my chariot of choice.

But … I do upgrade my iPhone every year. Squirrel away a little cash, trade in last year’s model, and it’s not a terribly expensive endeavor.

(Note: Normal people should not do this.)

The cool feature for the new iPhone 14 Pro models is called the “Dynamic Island.” Nate Kadlac explains:

The old notch cutout you see on most recent iPhones and laptops serves as a way to maximize screen real estate while keeping the device as compact as possible.
It brings the sensors, cameras, and microphones down into the display to take up less room. But until now, it was a cutout that pushed things around beside it, like an annoying person on the middle seat of an airplane taking up both armrests.
But now with a new notch name, Dynamic Island starts to blend hardware and software in new ways we haven’t seen before.
The Dynamic Island now is a universal-level beacon for notifications, a visual feedback loop for FaceID, a snapshot into your turn-by-turn navigation, syncing AirPods, answering calls, and playing music.

Apple took something many viewed as a flaw—sensor cutouts at the top of the screen—and turned it into a flagship feature.

Reason enough to upgrade your iPhone? Absolutely not. Will I do it anyway? Yep.

This week’s photo

In Austin, Texas, I stayed at an older motel that has been refurbished with unique flourish. The decor at the Aiden by Best Western was as anti-business hotel as possible. I mean, check out the wallpaper.

Thank you for reading!

And hello to 49 (woah!) new subscribers this week.

Whatever you’re working on or working through: keep showing up.

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