Author: Nate Shivar
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5 Types of Birds at the Birdfeeder
I’ve had a birdfeeder (I bought this one) for 5 years now. I’ve now seen the same patterns and species…
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5 Ways To Run Your Dishwasher Better
As a homeowner, I’m slowly understanding just how frustrating the entire consumer appliance space is. The technology of cleaning stuff…
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How To Fix a Leaking Drain Hose on an LG WM3570HWA Washing Machine
I woke up on a recent morning to find water running on the floor from my LG Washing Machine. Here’s…
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5 Notes on Visiting Magnolia Springs State Park
Magnolia Springs State Park is a very underrated Georgia State Park in Millen, GA. It’s built around, well, an actual…
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3 Reasons Why Picnics Are Underrated
At every park around the country, there are thousands of picnic tables going unused and I have no idea why.
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The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin is a fascinating book by someone who has not only had a very creative…
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5 Notes on Visiting Don Carter State Park
Don Carter State Park is a relatively new State Park along the north side of Lake Lanier near Gainesville, Georgia….
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Exploring Southern Appalachian Forests: An Ecological Guide to 30 Great Hikes by Stephanie Jeffries
Exploring Southern Appalachian Forests: An Ecological Guide to 30 Great Hikes by Stephanie Jeffries is a book that is both…
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Morgan Housel on Billionaires, Money, Kids & What Money to Give To them
I was listening to a podcast episode with Morgan Housel, who has managed to write two of the best personal…
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Dogwood Blooming
My favorite part of Spring in Georgia.
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Elon Musk’s The Algorithm
There is a lot of digital ink spilled by Elon Musk. I’m less interested in him as a person than…
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3 Reasons Why Public Pools Are Underrated
Public pools have a bad reputation in many circles in the US, at least. I don’t know why. They are…
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Drifting Into Darien by Janisse Ray
Drifting Into Darien by Janisse Ray is a memoir that chronicles Janisse Ray’s 10-day journey down the Altamaha River, one…
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Bunker Hill
While visiting Boston, I got to walk up to Bunker Hill (i.e., the one battle that every American kid learns…
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Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Atlanta United is one of the best sports experiences that I’ve ever been to. Fun team, great stadium, amazing atmosphere.
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Forest on the Chattooga River
On the bank of the Chattooga River in the Ellicott Rock Wilderness, Georgia.
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Flying Over The Netherlands
I love how symmetrical The Netherlands are. They have truly put every inch of space to use.
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3 Reasons Why Community Recreation Centers Are Underrated
Community rec centers are often overlooked – they get drowned out when their own (admittedly) poor hours & communication go…
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10 Initial Notes On Using Mastodon
In December 2023, I signed up for Mastodon. It had been a full year since the crazy, impulse Twitter migration….
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Functional Truck
An actually functional truck, as seen in the neighborhood. For context, Americans are buying ridiculously massive trucks that don’t even…
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Rise of Dopamine Culture
Rise of Dopamine Culture was one of the better blog posts I’ve read this month. I’m sure it’s a bit…
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3 Reasons Why Wildlife Refuges Are Underrated
Wildlife Refuges are not built for people…but we absolutely benefit.
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10 Notes on Visiting General Coffee State Park
General Coffee State Park is a Georgia State Park near Douglas, Georgia in the far south of the state. It…
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Forest Service Staffing
I do a lot of hiking, backpacking, and recreation in Georgia’s Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. It’s beautiful and amazing. But it’s…
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Atlanta BeltLine’s Southside section Is Under Construction
The Atlanta BeltLine’s Southside section is under full-on construction! It is crazy to see how many utilities beyond just a…
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10 Notes on Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry
While visiting Chicago, we got to visit the Museum of Science and Industry on the Southside. And on our first…
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Solo Stove Lite Review After 10+ Years of Use
10 years ago, I bought a Solo Stove Lite for my backpacking kit. I’m glad I have it. It was…
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Crooked River State Park
Crooked River State Park is an absolute hidden gem in the Georgia State Park system. Though it is small, I…
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Visiting Skidaway Island State Park
While staying at Fort McAllister State Park, we got to take a day trip to Skidaway Island State Park. Here…
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3 Reasons Why Podcasts Are Underrated
Podcasts are trendy but they are still underrated in so many ways.
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4 Things I Didn’t Know About Backyard Birds Until I Got A Feeder
Red-bellied woodpeckers are the backyard big guy. Cardinals are the consistent friends I take for granted. But Bluebirds are the…
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10 Notes On The Dalton Highway
As part of a trip to Alaska in the summer of 2022, I got to ride in a shuttle for…
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Georgia’s 12 Seasons
I’m definitely enjoying the daffodils, peach blossoms, and camellias during Fool’s Spring
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Hiking Wise Creek Trail in Oconee National Forest
I went hiking on the Wise Creek Trail in the Oconee National Forest in the spring of 2023. I started…
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10 Notes on Visiting Cleveland
On my trip to Cuyahoga National Park, I got to take a short day trip into the city of Cleveland,…
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How Do I Find New Music Now That I’m Old & Irrelevant?
One of my takeaways from Tom Vanderbilt’s You May Also Like was that for various reasons, everyone’s taste in music…
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How To Take Better Photos for Your Website (or anything Really)
Photography is like gardening. Knowing a few basic things can get you 80% of the way there…but most people who…
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3 Notes on the Chicago Japanese Gardens
For families (or anyone) visiting Chicago, the Museum of Science and Industry is far and away the biggest, best, most…
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3 Reasons Why Wandering Around Is Underrated
Spontaneity is memorable. And there’s not much spontaneity anymore. We have to engineer it. And walking around aimlessly is a…
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10 Notes on Visiting Cumberland Island National Seashore
I was able to visit one of Georgia’s best places – the Cumberland Island National Seashore. It is one of…
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5 Unexpected Things I Learned About YouTube While Running an Ad Campaign
There is a lot of information on YouTube about what it is like to be a YouTuber – the expected…
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10 Notes On Visiting Cloudland Canyon State Park
Cloudland Canyon is a Georgia State Park in the far northeast of Georgia. I’ve been able to visit several times…
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SEO in 2024
A satire of where Google is pushing website owners with their “E-EAT” guidance.
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How To Prevent Shin Splints for Regular Runners
Last year, I registered for the Atlanta Marathon. But after running 16+ miles for 3 straight weekends, I decided to…
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4 Best Ways Anyone Can Help Preserve & Protect Wilderness & Public Lands
I got to talk with the US Forest Service’s Wilderness & Trails Technician for the Conasauga District in the Chattahoochee…
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‘Enshittification’ is coming for absolutely everything
It’s rare for a single word or theory to explain what is going on, especially about something as complex as…
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Formula for Consistently Prompting ChatGPT (or Any LLM AI)
I’ve been using ChatGPT a lot in the last year. I feel like humanity was given an internal combustion engine…
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What’s Our Problem by Tim Urban
What’s Our Problem? by Tim Urban is a thought-provoking book that introduces a new framework for understanding our chaotic political…
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How To Make a Decision
I loved this Blinkist summary from How To Decide by Annie Duke.
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3 Reasons Why Commuting by Bike Is Underrated
Getting around on a bike is underrated and totally the future of smart transportation.
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How to Buy Happiness
Eric Barker is one of my absolute favorite authors. I loved reading Barking Up The Wrong Tree and Plays Well…
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Habit Change
I was reading the Blinkist summary of BJ Fogg’s book Tiny Habits. He’s the world’s expert on human behavior and…
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LLM AIs Have Turned Into a Classic Moral Panic
A “moral panic” refers to a widespread fear, often irrational, that emerges within a society over a perceived threat to…
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8+ Ways Parents Can Use ChatGPT with Their Kids
Most of the focus on ChatGPT has been how it will affect the world of work. But in the past…
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Sales Is Just Providing Options
I’ve had a lot of different jobs over the years, and it’s taken much too long to learn that sales…
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The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash
The Last Ballad by Wiley Cash is a powerful and moving novel that tells the story of Ella May Wiggins,…
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Existentialist Cafe by Sarah Bakewell
Existentialist Cafe by Sarah Bakewell is a 2016 book by Sarah Bakewell that delves into the philosophy and history of…
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The Pioneers by David McCullough
The Pioneers by David McCullough is a captivating historical account of the first voyage by New Englanders to the Northwest…
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Silent Spring Revolution by Douglas Brinkley
Silent Spring Revolution by Douglas Brinkley is a meticulously researched and deftly written chronicle of the rise of environmental activism…
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3 Reasons Why Public Art Installations Are Underrated
For a long-time, I never really understood public art or its importance. But it’s seriously underrated and we should have…
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Historic Rural Churches of Georgia by Sonny Seals
Historic Rural Churches of Georgia by Sonny Seals is a profound exploration of Georgia’s cultural and architectural heritage through its…
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Hiking Trails of the Cohutta & Big Frog Wilderness by Tim Homan
Hiking Trails of the Cohutta & Big Frog Wilderness by Tim Homan is an engaging and informative guide that takes…
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Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Hound of the Baskervilles is a classic Sherlock Holmes novel written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1901. The…
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Growth of the Soil by Knut Hamson
Growth of the Soil is a novel by Nobel laureate Knut Hamsun, first published in Norway in 1917. The story…
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Quiet American by Graham Greene
Quiet American by Graham Greene is a thought-provoking novel set against the backdrop of 1950s Vietnam, a time of French…
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Using Army Fitness Standards As An Objective Maintenance Fitness Goal
Fitness has a goal problem. Goals are great for achievement, but are terrible for living. If I want to run…
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3 Reasons Why Public Domain Images and Artwork Are Underrated
Most public domain fanfare goes to books entering the public domain. But all copyright works enter the public domain after…
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These Gentle Hills by John Kollock
These Gentle Hills is a captivating work by John Kollock that takes readers on a picturesque journey through the North…
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Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro is a story that delves into the life of Stevens, an English butler…
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The Gulf by Jack Davis
The Gulf by Jack Davis is a comprehensive exploration of the Gulf of Mexico’s historical, cultural, and environmental significance. The…
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Why I’m Not Buying Dawn Platinum Powerwash
TL;DR There is conflicting information from Canada & the EU about the risks of the main new active ingredient in…
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The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro
The Buried Giant is a fantasy novel set in a post-Arthurian England, where a mysterious mist has caused collective amnesia…
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6 Reasons Why Atlanta’s Delta Museum of Flight Is Underrated
Atlanta, a city tons of famous attractions like Aquarium, National Civil and Human Rights Museum, College Football Hall of Fame,…
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3 Reasons Why Wikipedia Is Underrated
Everyone knows about Wikipedia. But 20 years after it started, it’s still underrated for just how big of a deal…
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The Chattahoochee River Through Georgia
The Chattahoochee River is Georgia’s River. It’s also one of the hardest working rivers in America. I’ve been able to…
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The Revenant by Michael Punke
The Revenant by Michael Punke is a thrilling tale of betrayal and revenge set against the backdrop of the nineteenth-century…
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Books Read in 2023
This year, I tried to read a bit more fiction. Here’s what I read.
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Eight Bears by Gloria Dickie
Eight Bears: Mythic Past and Imperiled Future by Gloria Dickie is a compelling exploration into the lives of the eight…
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4 Notes About Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery
Oakland Cemetery is one of Atlanta’s best places. It is owned by the City and maintained in partnership with the…
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TIL About The Chena River in Alaska
During my trip to Alaska, we spent a day in Fairbanks before heading further north. In addition to checking out…
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4 Notes on Visiting Seminole State Park
I was able to visit Seminole State Park in the very southwestern corner of Georgia. The Park was very different…
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The [Disney] Magic of The Public Domain
I love the attention that the concept of the public domain is receiving this year after the first version of…
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If You Want To Be Able To Do [X] at 80, You Need To Be Able to Do [Y] Now.
I discovered this chart from the book Outlive via Andrew Chen’s blog, where he writes that –
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4 Notes on Visiting F.D. Roosevelt State Park’s Liberty Bell Swimming Pool
I got to check out the Historic Liberty Bell Swimming Pool at F.D. Roosevelt State Park last summer. Here are…
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3 Reasons Why National Parks Are Underrated
I don’t think National Parks are underrated as a whole. In the US, they are held pretty sacred and deeply…
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6 Notes on Visiting Hofwyl Broadfield State Historic Site
On my way to see Cumberland Island National Seashore, I was able to stop off and see the Hofwyl Broadfield…
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Rome Emperors Baseball
I love the trend of unique names for Minor League Baseball teams. And I’m really loving the re-naming of the…
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Paris Built 68 New Transit Stations + 120 miles of Rail in 7 Years…for Half The Price Of American Transit
But change is coming – and on a huge scale. The venerable Paris Métro is about to get its most…
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