Leah Culver's Blog

Running a heart around San Francisco

Happy Valentine's Day!

Super cute, right? It's not a totally original idea (here's a bike route one) but it was really fun to make.

I've been running a lot lately and using the Nike+ Running iPhone app to track and map my runs. I've also been posting some of my longer or more interesting runs on Path.

Here's how I planned the route - It was really easy to sketch out the map. I just took a screenshot of downtown San Francisco in Google maps and drew right on top of the image using Acorn. Then I used Runningmap.com to plot out the exact streets and check on the elevation (I wanted to avoid all those SF hills!). Finally, I added some labels in Skitch and printed it out for the run.

Note that I didn't run this exact route... I missed a turn and made a few minor adjustments in the middle of my run. :P

After I finished the run this morning, I posted it to Path, Twitter, and Facebook.

Here's my Runningmap.com route if you'd like to try to run it yourself! 

Snapchat and simple sharing

I have a confession. I really like Snapchat.

To write it off as just a sexting app is to underestimate the power of its simplicity. I've been sending snaps to friends for a couple weeks and there's something very liberating about taking a quick photo. It can be a crappy photo. It can be silly. I don't need to spend 15 minutes setting up the perfect shot or scrolling though filter options.

Snapchat is just a simple way to communicate with someone else. On the communication spectrum from lightest (texting?) to heaviest (email?) it's probably even lighter than texting. Crazy.

I love that there's no comments. As far as I can tell, the only way to reply is to send another snapchat. I usually just post whatever I happen to be doing at the moment. It's like Twitter without having to bother to actually write anything. Here's me! Eating a sandwich!

Maybe Snapchat is just a fad. However, I think it's indicative of people's desire to share and communicate as quickly and easily as possible. It's definitely worth noting.

P.S. Right now I'm also really into what I call "passive sharing" - not taking much action at all to share what you're currently doing. I think Apple's Find Friends app is the perfect example. I'm also totally fascinated with the Path's Nike+ integration. Posting that I'm out for a run is super easy and when one of my friends "likes" that I'm running I hear cheering in my headphones. It's such a simple interaction with a huge emotional impact.

The Pastry Box Project – Sunday, 3 February 2013

Originally published on The Pastry Box Project.

I don’t believe in talent. I believe that passion combined with hard work produces results. But how does one find what they’re passionate about?

Some people are lucky to find what they love to do when they’re young. I tried all kinds of activities when I was a teenager. I took piano lessons. I learned to sew and knit. I played soccer, softball, lacrosse, and ran track. I studied French and wrote short stories. However, none of these felt like my true passion.

I went to college to study design. I had always loved making things and I was excited to find the medium I would like best. Painting? Pottery? Photography?

I would have never guessed programming.

I took my first Computer Science class my freshman year. It quickly became my favorite class and I spent many hours building a game for my final project. I was hooked.

I’ve been writing code for eleven years now and I’ve probably long passed the 10,000 hours for mastery according to Malcolm Gladwell. By all accounts I’m a good programmer now.

Yet today I woke up early to work on a juicy programming problem. I still get excited to make things with code. I’ve found what I love to do.

I hope you don’t buy into the idea that people are naturally good at something or are born talented. Instead, I hope you will find what you love to do. I hope you find your passion.