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In 1966, Robert Smithson created a series of works called Alogon. The second piece in the series was exhibited at the seminal exhibition of minimalist work called Primary Structures in 1966. This piece is currently in the Museum of Modern Art collection. Of the work, Oxford University Press says:

[E]ach [work is] composed of a number of step structures arranged in order of decreasing size, conveying Smithson’s belief in the illogical and absurd nature of existence. Though each of the parts is static, their dynamic arrangement introduces tension into the work as a whole.

I hadn’t seen this work until recently, but find it interesting to look at in comparison to his bigger land-art works, such as Spiral Jetty.

I recently had lunch with a dear friend whom I had not seen in a while. This friend has a job that places him in a position that is far more important to the organization than even he readily lets on. He is the linchpin for multiple large projects with dozens of internal and external stakeholders competing for his time and attention.

He picked me up and, shortly after getting in his car, his iPhone was all business – ringing, beeping, and buzzing with potential activity. He silenced it, we continued our conversation, and just a couple of minutes later, the iPhone was back to business again. At this point, he picked it up and placed it in Airplane Mode, which cuts wi-fi and 3G but leaves the phone otherwise functional. Respectfully, I did the same.

My first thought was, wow, what a show of respect for me and our time together. I was honored and humbled by this simple act that broadcasted that nothing was more important to him (and, trust me, he has other things far more important).

Secondly, it got me to thinking why he chose Airplane Mode versus turning the phone off. After a few minutes at lunch it became readily apparent. We were showing photos across the table about our recent travels and activities. We were sharing tips, ideas and links and taking notes. We were communing and catching up by using this tremendously powerful technology in ways that enriched the conversation, not distracted from it.

I think far too often we deride the use of such technology when we are having a conversation or in a meeting as a distraction. This was a reminder to me that the technology can, when used effectively, provide a enhancement to the stories we tell and allow us to capture the things that matter. It’s ability to distract is only as powerful as our ability to not let it do so.

Consider this idea the next time you have a need to turn off all external communications yet still remain in a full, upright, and locked position with the conversations you care about.

Simple Domain Name Registrar - iWantMyName [Sponsor]:

Anyone who has followed me on Twitter long enough soon learns about my not so secret addiction to buying domains. I hear an interesting word or phrase, my first impulse is always to check and see if the domain is available. I think up a possible project? I check the domain availability. So, as you can imagine, I have some strong opinions in this area (I also, likely, am in need of therapy).

First, I like the experience of looking up and buying to be a clean as possible. Second, I want to know and have access to all of the options that are available. Not just the .com, .net, and .org but also the .me, .io, .tv and all of the rest. Finally, I want the pricing to be fair.

iWantMyName fits the bill in every respect. Plain and simple domain name search with registration for 90+ international domain extensions. An iPhone app for purchasing on the go (You would be surprised how many ideas for domains I come up with over a typical lunch). Plus, they don’t try to up-sell you at every turn like some other folks (they don’t have their busty spokeswomen either).

In today’s age it ain’t a thing if it ain’t got the domain available. Make the experience of finding and buying as simple as possible. Check these guys out.

The Log: On File Browsing:

chrisbowler:

Lately though, in the spirit of Minimal Mac, I’ve taken to using Transmit for a lot of file related activities. Because it has two panes, each of which can be used for local or remote locations, it’s perfect for moving files from one folder to another. This is certainly faster than using 2 Finder windows.

And this, folks, is why Mr. Bowler is The Man. Some of us just think outside of the box. Mr. Bowler destroys it and builds a better one. Bravo, my friend, Bravo!

Tumblita - Tumblr on the iPad [Sponsor]:

I would like to take a moment to thank Tumblita for sponsoring this weeks RSS feed. If you want a good, native, Tumblr experience on your iPad, this is the app to get. View your Dashboard. Post your stuff. It’s beautiful and just plain works. Check it out today.

Seth’s Blog: The space matters:

It might be a garage or a sunlit atrium, but the place you choose to do what you do has an impact on you.

I have certainly found this to be true for me and it is something I practice often. I have found that even moving to a different spot of the same room can change my productivity and focus.

Part of it I’m sure is my brain saying “I’m moving to X to do Y”. Another is just simply a change in environment changing my mood. Regardless, I often find that if I’m feeling unfocused and non-productive, one sure fix is to relocate.

Give it a shot sometime.