December Must-Haves

If you’ve been following this blog or listening to my podcast, you know that I typically post every Tuesday and Friday to the blog and then a podcast every Saturday (most of the time).

As we all head into a busy season, I’m taking a break from writing and my podcast. I’ve got a few episodes that were already scheduled that I’ll be releasing, but after those I’m pausing for the month of December to clear my head a bit.

Bonus for you is one less thing in your inbox!

However, I wanted to do one last Must-Have list to send 2016 out with a bang. Without further ado, here’s the list!

  • Terraform – Automated deployment toolkit for all things Amazon (and much much more). I got introduced to this recently and it’s some really cool stuff.
  • Code Climate – Automated code quality assessment. For the non-developer out there, this is a great tool to get a sense for how good your code is. There are, of course, ways to game the system, but it gives you a quick check as to whether you’re passing or failing. Simply hook it up to your Github instance and voila! Instant candy.
  • Breaking Bad – I’m so late to this party that it’s embarrassing, but this show is amazing. It’s all on Netflix, perfect for binge-watching during the upcoming holidays.  I will warn you that you have to power through one episode in the opening season that’s about as dark as it gets. But it’s worth it. Amazing acting and characters. Watch out for Tuco. That guy’s bad news.
  • A16Z Podcast – Andreessen Horowitz podcast. If you want to know how the best in the business think about modern and future tech, this is the place. It’s only slightly better than my other podcast, 350 Third, which I host with a good friend.
  • John Rain Series by Barry Eisler – These books are perfect for that last bit of reading before you put your head on the pillow. John Rain is an assassin living in Japan. My favorite thing about these books is the amount of detail on Japanese culture and cities. I previously had very little interest in visiting Japan, but am now really wanting to go.
  • O.J: Made in America – Easily one of the best commentaries I’ve ever watched. The series deals with race relations in America using OJ Simpson’s life as the backdrop, all the way up through modern day. It’s exquisite. Though it’s very TV-MA in places, we watched it with our kids. The mirror this holds up to our country will make you uncomfortable to say the least.
  • King’s College Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols – I dare you to find a better Christmas concert. This is the link to the YouTube channel playlist that does not include the lessons, but you can find the recordings everywhere. Pageantry, amazing singers, setting. This has it all. This is a bucket list item for me. I’ve been listening to this concert for probably 10 years or more. The carols are different each year, but Once in Royal David’s City will send chills down your spine. A very close second is the Carnegie Hall Christmas.

Merry Christmas to all, and I wish you all the best in 2017.