Matt Ballantine
@ballantine70.bsky.social
Sociologist. Musician. Technologist. Dad.
Current side project: randomthebook.com
Current side project: randomthebook.com
Pinned
Matt Ballantine
@ballantine70.bsky.social
· Dec 22
Random
Giving this as a gift?When you pre-order, you can download a printable gift certificate to give to friends or family for Christmas. Or at random. Download the gift certificate here. Note that orders w...
securityblendbooks.com
Pre-orders for Random the Book are now open: securityblendbooks.com/products/ran...
February 12, 2026 at 1:22 PM
Welcome to the 766th edition of my #weeknotes:
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/02/06/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/02/06/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Weeknote 766: establishing
This week I have learned: sometimes consulting feels a bit like being part of a David Attenborough production, watching things in their natural habitats. I’m increasingly of the view that tal…
mmitii.mattballantine.com
February 6, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Welcome to the 766th edition of my #weeknotes:
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/02/06/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/02/06/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
A busy week. Here are the #weeknotes:
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/30/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/30/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Weeknote 765: directions
This week I have learned: Getting people together to think and talk is of such value. I’m increasingly using audio recording and NotebookLM to analyse after the fact. It means everyone can fo…
mmitii.mattballantine.com
January 30, 2026 at 10:20 PM
A busy week. Here are the #weeknotes:
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/30/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/30/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Seeing all this stuff about polygamous working crack downs in the public sector and can't help thinking "how many jobs does Farage have?"
www.theguardian.com/money/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/money/2026/j...
Polygamous working: why are people secretly doing two or three full-time jobs at once?
Holding multiple jobs without your employer’s knowledge has boomed in the age of hybrid working. Is it a canny response to job insecurity – or a fast track to getting fired?
www.theguardian.com
January 26, 2026 at 7:13 PM
Seeing all this stuff about polygamous working crack downs in the public sector and can't help thinking "how many jobs does Farage have?"
www.theguardian.com/money/2026/j...
www.theguardian.com/money/2026/j...
Another Friday set of #weeknotes reflections: mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/23/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Weeknote 764: Apophenia
This week I have learned: a series of events happening in quick succession can often become a pattern in our minds, even when they are merely a random coincidence. The Availability Heuristic can th…
mmitii.mattballantine.com
January 23, 2026 at 1:09 PM
Another Friday set of #weeknotes reflections: mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/23/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Just imagine having a family that dislikes you so much that they'd allow you to have your mental decline happen in the full glare of the world's media. Tragic.
January 20, 2026 at 7:55 AM
Just imagine having a family that dislikes you so much that they'd allow you to have your mental decline happen in the full glare of the world's media. Tragic.
It's Friday, and so time for this week's #Weeknotes. This week containing Art, LLM coding and fluff.
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/16/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/16/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Weeknote 763: Hugh!
This week I have learned: how to start building back ends as well as front ends. My LLM coding until now has focused on building simple (in structure) HTML apps. This week, I made my first foray in…
mmitii.mattballantine.com
January 16, 2026 at 3:34 PM
It's Friday, and so time for this week's #Weeknotes. This week containing Art, LLM coding and fluff.
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/16/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/16/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Saw this and thought "wow, an estate agents inspired by jazz legends".
Turns out it's just the founders' names.
Turns out it's just the founders' names.
January 16, 2026 at 9:05 AM
Saw this and thought "wow, an estate agents inspired by jazz legends".
Turns out it's just the founders' names.
Turns out it's just the founders' names.
Here's a fucking idiot.
January 9, 2026 at 10:15 PM
Here's a fucking idiot.
Back into the swing of it - here are the first #weeknotes of 2026...
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/09/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/09/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Weeknote 762: 2026
This week I have learned: how fusing metaphors can lead to fascinating outcomes (blog on this here). how being away from work for a while can give the brain space to make those sorts of connections…
mmitii.mattballantine.com
January 9, 2026 at 3:55 PM
Back into the swing of it - here are the first #weeknotes of 2026...
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/09/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2026/01/09/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
January 8, 2026 at 9:52 AM
3 Es is an accurate summary of half of my A-level results.
I have a general rule that any presentation based on words starting with the same letter is bollocks.
I once asked a famous CEO who gave a presentation on the "10 Cs of business" what the chances were of the ten most important things all starting with a C. He wasn't pleased.
I once asked a famous CEO who gave a presentation on the "10 Cs of business" what the chances were of the ten most important things all starting with a C. He wasn't pleased.
At political cabinet today, Morgan McSweeney gave a presentation on “three Es” on how the government can connect with voters - emotion, empathy and evidence.
Am told he said the government currently has a “deficit in emotion”
Am told he said the government currently has a “deficit in emotion”
January 6, 2026 at 4:52 PM
3 Es is an accurate summary of half of my A-level results.
Reposted by Matt Ballantine
I have a general rule that any presentation based on words starting with the same letter is bollocks.
I once asked a famous CEO who gave a presentation on the "10 Cs of business" what the chances were of the ten most important things all starting with a C. He wasn't pleased.
I once asked a famous CEO who gave a presentation on the "10 Cs of business" what the chances were of the ten most important things all starting with a C. He wasn't pleased.
At political cabinet today, Morgan McSweeney gave a presentation on “three Es” on how the government can connect with voters - emotion, empathy and evidence.
Am told he said the government currently has a “deficit in emotion”
Am told he said the government currently has a “deficit in emotion”
January 6, 2026 at 3:21 PM
I have a general rule that any presentation based on words starting with the same letter is bollocks.
I once asked a famous CEO who gave a presentation on the "10 Cs of business" what the chances were of the ten most important things all starting with a C. He wasn't pleased.
I once asked a famous CEO who gave a presentation on the "10 Cs of business" what the chances were of the ten most important things all starting with a C. He wasn't pleased.
Just about to watch the last episode of Stranger Things.
But hey, that's enough about US Foreign Policy...
But hey, that's enough about US Foreign Policy...
January 3, 2026 at 7:52 PM
Just about to watch the last episode of Stranger Things.
But hey, that's enough about US Foreign Policy...
But hey, that's enough about US Foreign Policy...
I thought the Orange One wasn't in favour of illegal immigration?
January 3, 2026 at 1:01 PM
I thought the Orange One wasn't in favour of illegal immigration?
The US is terrifying.
Trump + Vance are running a US government with an overtly ethnonationalist narrative and agenda, both at home and abroad
January 1, 2026 at 12:02 PM
The US is terrifying.
Pre-orders for Random the Book are now open: securityblendbooks.com/products/ran...
Random
Giving this as a gift?When you pre-order, you can download a printable gift certificate to give to friends or family for Christmas. Or at random. Download the gift certificate here. Note that orders w...
securityblendbooks.com
December 22, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Pre-orders for Random the Book are now open: securityblendbooks.com/products/ran...
Random the Book pre-sales go live tomorrow morning...
December 21, 2025 at 8:03 PM
Random the Book pre-sales go live tomorrow morning...
Penultimate #weeknotes of the year...
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2025/12/19/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2025/12/19/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Weeknote 761: Last full week
This week I have learned: that I’m getting very tired of year “wraps” that are just spurting out random data analysis. Spotify thought I was 73. LinkedIn proved how dull the place…
mmitii.mattballantine.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Penultimate #weeknotes of the year...
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2025/12/19/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2025/12/19/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Some #weeknotes at the end of a very sociable week...
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2025/12/12/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2025/12/12/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Weeknote 760: Socialised
This week I have learned: It’s so nice to catch up with people. I’ve had half a dozen events this week, catching up with friends, colleagues and some of those folk who are both. I’…
mmitii.mattballantine.com
December 12, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Some #weeknotes at the end of a very sociable week...
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2025/12/12/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
mmitii.mattballantine.com/2025/12/12/w...
@weeknotes-bot.bsky.social
Another window opens on Random the Advent Calendar experiments.randomthebook.com/adventcalend...
Today's window is number 2, and it comes with a free snowflake simulator!
Today's window is number 2, and it comes with a free snowflake simulator!
December 7, 2025 at 8:15 AM
Another window opens on Random the Advent Calendar experiments.randomthebook.com/adventcalend...
Today's window is number 2, and it comes with a free snowflake simulator!
Today's window is number 2, and it comes with a free snowflake simulator!
Here's a thing that @sonofsuntzu.bsky.social and I made.
Pre-orders open soon.
More details at randomthebook.com
Pre-orders open soon.
More details at randomthebook.com
December 6, 2025 at 5:47 PM
Here's a thing that @sonofsuntzu.bsky.social and I made.
Pre-orders open soon.
More details at randomthebook.com
Pre-orders open soon.
More details at randomthebook.com