Should vlogs come back?: newsletter week of 11/3 (Patreon)

Last week, I asked what Patreon exclusive content I should make for y'all (thank you to everyone who replied and please keep 'em coming!). And while I could have predicted the behind-the-scenes, camera/lighting setup content requests, I was completely shocked when some folks asked for the return of the vlogs.

When I first launched my YouTube channel while still working for The Verge, I was told that I couldn't compete with the company—AKA no tech content. So, I decided to vlog about my life instead of making tech reviews.

I can barely watch some of these vlogs now 😅. I had no idea what I was doing! I was so not confident in the edit! And I'll forever see that in the results. But! I am proud of them because I tried, and I made my attempts public for the world to see.

Ultimately, though, what killed the vlog wasn't my lack of confidence, it was that I didn't love bringing a camera into the more private, less techy side of my life. I remember, while filming this vlog, I was at a picnic with many close friends, and I felt so strange about recording them all. "Should I announce that I'm a vlogger now?", "Who here would want to be in this and who wouldn't?" were thoughts I was having the whole damn time. It really took me out of the moment, so I stopped.

Hearing that some of you actually liked that content, though?! That totally warmed my heart. And your recommendation made me think that, in moderation, it might be fun to bring back elements from those videos. So thank you to the OG buds who remembered those, who WATCHED those <3. You've inspired me to rethink, rework that form of content. More on that soon!

📖 What I read:

How To Document Life With Kids & Staying Presentspeaking of vlogging... I have been a huge fan of Reggie for years, and he offers such great advice in this piece.

Just the Right Tone: REI Archive Color Brings the Past into the PresentA behind-the-scenes look at how REI designers pick color pallets. I would never have thought they were matching tents and backpacks to jackets, but of course!

Meta is earning a fortune on a deluge of fraudulent ads, documents showIn case you needed any more reason not to trust Meta. "Profit over people" must be their mission statement.

📺 What I watched:

Photos from a very specific part of an infamous NYC bike lane.This tiny gap for bikes is where you exit the Williamsburg Bridge, from Brooklyn, and enter the belly of the beast that is Manhattan's Lower East Side. A great, albeit tight, spot.

BTS of the practical effects used to create the new AppleTV branding"Built from real glass and captured entirely in camera, the new identity explores reflection, color, and light to express the cinematic spirit at the heart of Apple TV."

How I Journal as a Designer, in JapanThe graphics in this video are unreal and oh-so-original. Makes me want to learn After Effects (just kidding, I'm never gonna learn that).

Van life tech tour: how I work from anywhereWe love seeing people take tech outside! 👏

Entering Taliban Controlled Afghanistan in 2025I am a huge fan of Mike. He seems like the nicest, most adventurous, yet real dude.

🎶 What I listened to:

I had the pleasure of seeing SG Gooman live a few weeks ago. If you get the chance, GO. She is so talented and so damn funny. And since then, I have been locked into that sort of singer-songwriter folk.

A few of my favorites from her are Teeth Marks, Heart Swell, and Planting by the Signs.

But tuning into SG has got me jamming to Cat Clyde's "Mama Said," Gregory Alan Isakov's "Big Black Car," and, of course, some Adrianne Lenker.

Alright, folks! I hope you're staring down the barrel of a great weekend.As always, I appreciate the hell outta ya <3-Becca