W11: The Spotlight Effect and 2 Feet of Blower Pow

The Spotlight Effect is the phenomenon in which I tend to believe I am being noticed more than I really am. Being that I am constantly in the center of my own world, an accurate evaluation of how much I am noticed by others is uncommon. The reason for the spotlight effect is my innate tendency to forget that although I am the center of my own world, I am not the center of everyone else's. This tendency is especially prominent when I do something atypical - like post videos of playing guitar and singing, contributing to a group discussion (even on Zoom! 😭), or writing on this blog.

Struggling with anxiousness about all this for the past several weeks, I have pushed on with my posts and contributions.  The aftermath fed me some realizations I figure I should share.  My posts got 2 views and people nodded their heads is agreement when I spoke up.  It was all normal to everyone or the didn't care at all! 😂   The thump thump heartbeat in my chest abates.  Confidence grows as you continue to prod the barriers of the comfort zone.

So here's a peak of what I've been working on this week...

Music

If you haven't seen it yet, I covered Cat Stevens' "Wild World."  Check it out!  My guitar teacher is helping me improve song dynamics such that the performance is actually a performance, and not just chords with some words on top of it.  It's also a lot of fun to throw some riffs into the piece when it's a solo performance.  It really adds an extra element of interest, though it does up the difficulty.  I spent a few hours trying to nail this one.

Adventure

On top of that I've been spending some time up in Tahoe as we got a blower 2 feet in last week, weatherman be damned.  Here's a 2 minute video of my brother and I hiking up Sunrise Bowl and getting a couple fresh turns laid down in the morning hours.

Coding

Lastly, I'm working on a productivity app called The Productivity Tree which uses the Pomodoro Timer technique to manage your focus.  It's pretty much my attempt to close a popular Pomodoro app called Forest and is a great way to blend a bit of coding chops with art.  If you aren't familiar, the app allows the user to set a timer for designated focus.  If the user manages to remain focused for the duration of the timer, the app awards him/her with a piece of fuit to add to The Productivity Tree.  The goal is to accumulate lots of fruit so the your Productivity Tree is bountiful and filled iwth color.

I'm hoping to release MVP (Minimum Viable Product) next week so be on the lookout.  After that I will start working on adding more features including push notifications, in-app pruchases, and authentication between different devices so you can carry your stats independent of platform.  I included two screenshots of the app below.

Do you think someone will pay $0.99 to grow an eggplant 🍆 on their productivity tree?

Movie Recommendation

I Care A Lot.  Netflix.  It's an exciting thriller about a A shady legal guardian who lands in hot water when she tries to con a woman who has ties to a powerful gangster.  Trippy and suspenseful.

Thank for reading!  Please share with your friends if you found it useful or interesting.

🍻 Keegan