Preparing for the day by reading blog posts and catching up on YouTube videos

Combining coffee and media consumption is not just a leisurely activity; it can also be a productive one. I like to start my mornings with a delicious brew and a visit to my favorite blogs and vlogs—I jot down ideas, make mental notes, or share interesting tidbits on social media.

This morning I’m enjoying a medium roast with homemade coconut milk creamer and a pinch of nutmeg. (To make the creamer: Mix a can of unsweetened coconut milk with some maple syrup and vanilla or almond extract and store the mixture in the fridge.)

Below is the media I’m savoring with my coffee. Some of it’s related to tech comm, some isn’t.

Blog Posts

Communication Challenges Among Tech Teams

I stumbled on two completely unrelated blog posts about communication challenges faced by technical teams. Although the posts differ in their scope and target audience, they share a common goal of promoting clearer, more accessible communication. The authors explore the potential barriers created by jargon, abbreviations (and in some cases, toolchains), and discuss solutions for fostering better collaboration and more inclusive tech environments.

Recommended reading for tech writers, especially those involved in open source projects.

YouTube Channels

These days I tend to watch YouTube more than subscription services and streaming series. I always marvel at the way channel hosts can be so relaxed and “real” (for lack of a better word) in front of the camera. It’s something I strive for.

Below, I’m sharing channels that are perfect illustrations of this. They are not related to tech comm, but I still try to learn something about vlogging from each one while enjoying the content.

Hashtag ‘Living Vicariously’

I’m a HUGE narrowboat nerd. It all started during the pandemic when I stumbled on an indie narrowboat series called Travels by Narrowboat on Amazon Prime.

Since then it has been my dream to retire on a narrowboat cruising England’s inland waterways, soaking in the amazing countryside, and visiting historic villages.

While this dream may never come to pass, YouTube is the next best thing. Following are two channels I watch regularly.

1. Boat Time

Boat Time is independently produced by young couple Amy and Wes, who’ve been continuous cruisers for three years. They are compassionate, creative, adept storytellers, and their adventures are fun to watch.

I recommend following their journey from the beginning in this playlist:

 

2. Floating Our Boat

Fran and Rich have been living full time on their narrowboat and continuously cruising since 2018. Like Wes and Amy, they’re compassionate, creative people, and it’s a joy to watch their travels along with Fran’s vegetarian recipes and the couple’s latest weavings and paintings.

Following is a tour of the Laura Maisie, their cozy floating home.

 

From the ‘Unique and Funny’ Category

Uyen Ninh

I first discovered Uyen’s channel on my “recommended” list. She’s a twenty-something Vietnamese woman who documents life with her German boyfriend (now fiance). In many of her vlogs she finds humorous and interesting ways to contrast Vietnamese and German culture and posts about her world travels. Her fun and engaging channel currently has 2 million subscribers.

In this video she talks about the challenges of finding authentic Asian food in Germany and what she eats in a day, with a purposeful detour to enjoy the famous meatballs at IKEA.

 

For Weather Nerds

Last but not least, it’s been a wicked weekend for weather in the Midwest. It all started on Friday when powerful tornadoes, some estimated to be a mile wide, ripped through the Great Plains.

The pattern continued on Saturday, especially in Oklahoma. Unfortunately, yesterday’s storms didn’t really get going until after dark, which made conditions even more dangerous. One of the worst stories so far is a violent twister that leveled downtown Sulphur, OK, and as of this writing caused multiple injuries and deaths.

Ryan Hall, Y’All

Midwesterners are constantly under severe weather threats like this. So I’ve always been fascinated by intrepid storm chasers who race towards a tornado in order to study it.

This channel, hosted by Ryan Hall, documents storm outbreaks in real time. His coverage this weekend—along with his team of up-and-coming meteorologists and storm chasers—has been award-worthy.