Fernando Gros
@fernandogros.com
Writer
Granta Memoir Workshop alumni
Shortlisted for The Deep Creek Residency Fellowship
Lived in 🇨🇱🇦🇺🇬🇧🇮🇳🇭🇰🇸🇬🇯🇵
Worked in academia and music
TCK
https://fernandogros.com/blog/
Made in Chile, grown in Australia, polished in Japan
Granta Memoir Workshop alumni
Shortlisted for The Deep Creek Residency Fellowship
Lived in 🇨🇱🇦🇺🇬🇧🇮🇳🇭🇰🇸🇬🇯🇵
Worked in academia and music
TCK
https://fernandogros.com/blog/
Made in Chile, grown in Australia, polished in Japan
Pinned
Fernando Gros
@fernandogros.com
· Oct 19
If you're new to Bluesky here's a few things to check out
1. Content moderation is customisable. Choose show/warn/hide for everything from sexual content to engagement farming.
2. Custom feeds. Want a feed that's only about science, fountain pens, UK politics? Subscribe to as many as you want.
1. Content moderation is customisable. Choose show/warn/hide for everything from sexual content to engagement farming.
2. Custom feeds. Want a feed that's only about science, fountain pens, UK politics? Subscribe to as many as you want.
Time to mute Thanksgiving
November 26, 2025 at 2:41 AM
Time to mute Thanksgiving
Tech boosters always respond to criticism by saying some folks said the internet would never take off, ecommerce would fail, and social media would fizzle.
Sure.
But what about all the criticisms and negative predictions early indications of harm that turned out to be true?
Sure.
But what about all the criticisms and negative predictions early indications of harm that turned out to be true?
November 26, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Tech boosters always respond to criticism by saying some folks said the internet would never take off, ecommerce would fail, and social media would fizzle.
Sure.
But what about all the criticisms and negative predictions early indications of harm that turned out to be true?
Sure.
But what about all the criticisms and negative predictions early indications of harm that turned out to be true?
Today's Japanese Lesson was fun. My recent week and a half in Japan didn't do anything to improve reading or comprehension. But it did kick my pronunciation back into shape.
November 24, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Today's Japanese Lesson was fun. My recent week and a half in Japan didn't do anything to improve reading or comprehension. But it did kick my pronunciation back into shape.
I won't have seen enough films this year to have an opinion on the best films.
But I will have opinions about albums and books and maybe even TV shows.
But I will have opinions about albums and books and maybe even TV shows.
November 22, 2025 at 11:58 PM
I won't have seen enough films this year to have an opinion on the best films.
But I will have opinions about albums and books and maybe even TV shows.
But I will have opinions about albums and books and maybe even TV shows.
The shoehorn in this men’s wear store is carved from solid bone.
November 21, 2025 at 8:18 AM
The shoehorn in this men’s wear store is carved from solid bone.
Apparently facial recognition tech is going to be used to predict people's career success. Or something.
Whenever we see claims like this it's worth remembering facial expressions as predictors of human traits are a deeply researched topic. Studies with big claims always turn out to be problematic.
Whenever we see claims like this it's worth remembering facial expressions as predictors of human traits are a deeply researched topic. Studies with big claims always turn out to be problematic.
November 20, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Apparently facial recognition tech is going to be used to predict people's career success. Or something.
Whenever we see claims like this it's worth remembering facial expressions as predictors of human traits are a deeply researched topic. Studies with big claims always turn out to be problematic.
Whenever we see claims like this it's worth remembering facial expressions as predictors of human traits are a deeply researched topic. Studies with big claims always turn out to be problematic.
Me: I'd like to find people in my city who are into art, literature, and music.
Bluesky: Now you can find people from your contacts list by typing in their phone number.
Bluesky: Now you can find people from your contacts list by typing in their phone number.
November 19, 2025 at 11:05 AM
Me: I'd like to find people in my city who are into art, literature, and music.
Bluesky: Now you can find people from your contacts list by typing in their phone number.
Bluesky: Now you can find people from your contacts list by typing in their phone number.
Another lap around the sun. It doesn’t get any easier. But the path is a little clearer.
November 18, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Another lap around the sun. It doesn’t get any easier. But the path is a little clearer.
A "review" poppped up on Instagram where a dude was saying Frankenstien looked terrible and that it's apparently an example of everything that's wrong with movies today. Also, he watched it on a notebook computer.
I saw Frankenstein in the cinema and it looked wonderful.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I saw Frankenstein in the cinema and it looked wonderful.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
November 17, 2025 at 3:48 AM
A "review" poppped up on Instagram where a dude was saying Frankenstien looked terrible and that it's apparently an example of everything that's wrong with movies today. Also, he watched it on a notebook computer.
I saw Frankenstein in the cinema and it looked wonderful.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I saw Frankenstein in the cinema and it looked wonderful.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The Text With Jesus chatbot has In-App Purchases. Our age really is beyond satire.
November 16, 2025 at 11:48 PM
The Text With Jesus chatbot has In-App Purchases. Our age really is beyond satire.
“…a space for fierce disagreement”
???
If I were to list the top 100 things I want from social media “a space for fierce disagreement” wouldn’t be one of them.
???
If I were to list the top 100 things I want from social media “a space for fierce disagreement” wouldn’t be one of them.
November 15, 2025 at 4:52 AM
“…a space for fierce disagreement”
???
If I were to list the top 100 things I want from social media “a space for fierce disagreement” wouldn’t be one of them.
???
If I were to list the top 100 things I want from social media “a space for fierce disagreement” wouldn’t be one of them.
Twitter is obviously terrible now.
But Twitter still has this and Bluesky never will.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
But Twitter still has this and Bluesky never will.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
November 14, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Twitter is obviously terrible now.
But Twitter still has this and Bluesky never will.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
But Twitter still has this and Bluesky never will.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Universirty students read at 300-350 words per minute. Average reading speeds for adults are a little slower, towards 250 wpm. But speaking is much slower. Public speaking is around 100-120 wpm.
It's worth doing the math for that if you rely on podcasts as a way to be informed.
It's worth doing the math for that if you rely on podcasts as a way to be informed.
November 14, 2025 at 1:09 AM
Universirty students read at 300-350 words per minute. Average reading speeds for adults are a little slower, towards 250 wpm. But speaking is much slower. Public speaking is around 100-120 wpm.
It's worth doing the math for that if you rely on podcasts as a way to be informed.
It's worth doing the math for that if you rely on podcasts as a way to be informed.
How do we feel about printable as a noun? As in "I sent you an A4 printable."
November 13, 2025 at 8:33 AM
How do we feel about printable as a noun? As in "I sent you an A4 printable."
Was denied access to my designated level of airport lounge on Monday. Second time that’s happened. Fourth time I was humiliated by staff. All at the same lounge in the same airport. The staff were very polite.
The most racist people I've encountered, the ones who's racism actually hurt people by limiting their opportunities, denying them jobs, withholding support and funding, and generally undermining them socially, were always terribly polite and civil. Butter wouldn't melt in their mouths.
November 13, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Was denied access to my designated level of airport lounge on Monday. Second time that’s happened. Fourth time I was humiliated by staff. All at the same lounge in the same airport. The staff were very polite.
Current hotel is cheaper per night, but has notepads, a shoehorn, and an ice machine on my floor. Life is clearly improving.
There should be a limit for how much a hotel can charge for a room that doesn’t include notepads and a shoehorn.
November 12, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Current hotel is cheaper per night, but has notepads, a shoehorn, and an ice machine on my floor. Life is clearly improving.
I love being back in Tokyo. Even if it’s only fir a few precious days.
November 11, 2025 at 10:37 AM
I love being back in Tokyo. Even if it’s only fir a few precious days.
There should be a limit for how much a hotel can charge for a room that doesn’t include notepads and a shoehorn.
November 10, 2025 at 10:50 AM
There should be a limit for how much a hotel can charge for a room that doesn’t include notepads and a shoehorn.
A few weeks ago I wrote my goodbye to podcasts. I wasn't successful. But I kept the door open to trying again for a long time.
Now this essay puts it in a sharper and more revealing focus. It's very America-centric of course. As if podcasts don't exist anywhere else. But still well worth reading.
Now this essay puts it in a sharper and more revealing focus. It's very America-centric of course. As if podcasts don't exist anywhere else. But still well worth reading.
“Podcasting during Obama had a wondrous feeling: we Americans had finally untangled the more vexatious knots of modernity by electing him and were ready to train our curious minds on the minute problems and the major shortcomings in society.”
thebaffler.com/outbursts/the-hatred-of-podcasting-belden
thebaffler.com/outbursts/the-hatred-of-podcasting-belden
The Hatred of Podcasting | Brace Belden
In 2015, if you said, “I heard it on a podcast,” you were trying to sound smart. In 2025, it’s better to lie.
thebaffler.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:35 AM
A few weeks ago I wrote my goodbye to podcasts. I wasn't successful. But I kept the door open to trying again for a long time.
Now this essay puts it in a sharper and more revealing focus. It's very America-centric of course. As if podcasts don't exist anywhere else. But still well worth reading.
Now this essay puts it in a sharper and more revealing focus. It's very America-centric of course. As if podcasts don't exist anywhere else. But still well worth reading.
At the start of the year one of my writer friends suggested putting 5 dollars in a jar for every essay rejection. I guess it encourages celebrating the act of putting your work out there. Or something. I joked it would be a good savings plan for a new guitar. Well it's November. Shopping soon...
November 8, 2025 at 12:08 AM
At the start of the year one of my writer friends suggested putting 5 dollars in a jar for every essay rejection. I guess it encourages celebrating the act of putting your work out there. Or something. I joked it would be a good savings plan for a new guitar. Well it's November. Shopping soon...
Saw a meme about Gen X dads and their young kids being obnoxious while celebrating Halloween. But I'm wonder if the dads with young kids are more likely to be Millennials these days?
November 5, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Saw a meme about Gen X dads and their young kids being obnoxious while celebrating Halloween. But I'm wonder if the dads with young kids are more likely to be Millennials these days?
The older I get the more important it is to draw timelines and interrogate memory. It's so easy get messed up about the dates and sequence of events. We can draw false conclusions. Imagine causation and blame when it isn't there. Even wholly misunderstand seasons of our life.
November 4, 2025 at 8:09 AM
The older I get the more important it is to draw timelines and interrogate memory. It's so easy get messed up about the dates and sequence of events. We can draw false conclusions. Imagine causation and blame when it isn't there. Even wholly misunderstand seasons of our life.
It's been a long time since a Mac OS has felt as frustrating and productivity destroying as Tahoe. There's added friction to in every aspect of writing in every application. Nothing that involves any kind of autocorrect or autofill seems to work. The OS just constantly gets in the way.
November 3, 2025 at 11:21 PM
It's been a long time since a Mac OS has felt as frustrating and productivity destroying as Tahoe. There's added friction to in every aspect of writing in every application. Nothing that involves any kind of autocorrect or autofill seems to work. The OS just constantly gets in the way.
I've pretty much dropped the idea of monthly as a cadence in my life. Daily always makes sense. Weekly as well. Quarterly matches the seasons and the routines of home maintenance. But monthly just feels too often for some things or not often enough for others.
November 3, 2025 at 7:23 AM
I've pretty much dropped the idea of monthly as a cadence in my life. Daily always makes sense. Weekly as well. Quarterly matches the seasons and the routines of home maintenance. But monthly just feels too often for some things or not often enough for others.
Today's Japanese lesson was OK. Still feeling exhausted and kind of emotionally numb after the Saturday event. But I managed to stay focused during the lesson. Only made a few more mistakes than normal. Remembered some kanji I had forgot to practice. Overall a fun experience.
November 3, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Today's Japanese lesson was OK. Still feeling exhausted and kind of emotionally numb after the Saturday event. But I managed to stay focused during the lesson. Only made a few more mistakes than normal. Remembered some kanji I had forgot to practice. Overall a fun experience.