Reposted by Bethany CrystalScott Heiferman @heif.com · 11/04/2025Steve Jobs 1983 "Then an interesting thing happened. There were 20 people interested in volleyball...That’s exactly what’s going to happen as we start to tie these things [computers] together: they’re going to facilitate communication & facilitate bringing people together book.stevejobsarchive.com 031
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 06/03/2025After last week's AI superhero moment—where it helped me get urgent medical care when I needed it most—I kept using AI to parse my diagnosis. But at a certain point, AI stops feeling like a tool for understanding reality—and starts feeling like a tool for inventing one. 230
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 03/03/2025Last week, Elon made headlines by asking govt workers to send five bullet points of what they did that week. While stuck in bed this weekend, I found myself wondering—if I had to quickly assess the efficiency of the U.S. government, where would I even start? It's not as simple as it might seem. 110
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 27/02/2025The Lowkey Comfort of Long-Term Narrowcasting Reflections on a decade's worth of check-ins on the old school app, Swarm, and the power of hyper-niche, cozy connections in a digital age There’s something to be said for the quiet persistence of a niche social network. Thanks for making it @dens.nyc 110
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 24/02/2025So, about yesterday... ChatGPT saved my life (No, Seriously, I’m Writing this from the ER) How using AI as a bridge when doctors aren't available can improve patient-to-doctor communications in real time emergencies More on this below 180
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 21/02/2025Some thoughts on the pros and cons at moving at the speed of AI in today's blog post hardmodefirst.xyz/the-overachi... 000
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 20/02/2025Been slacking on my bluesky reshares.... but here's a fun one about a talk i gave this week on AI engineering, where I attempted to live debug my own website with no-code tools at USV (spoiler: didn't work the first try, but still fun) hardmodefirst.xyz/live-no-code... 000
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 12/02/2025New post: The New Culture Handbook Earlier this week, Duolingo published their company handbook, which unpacks the way their organization and company culture has evolved over the years. It reminded me of the other great culture handbooks (largely from the 2010s). My fave bit: 121
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 11/02/2025Feeling the AI FOMO? Feeling existential dread? Feeling like you're falling behind? Not to trigger you further but... i think it's actually totally fine (and actually kind of important?) to be a little afraid of how fast things are moving right now. 100
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 10/02/2025A few years ago I wrote a research report on decentralized community building, where I profiled a dozen web3 communities. A takeaway that has stuck with me is that there's immense power in starting with a so-called "incomplete build," a project designed to leave space for others to contribute. 👇 100
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 07/02/2025We've run our family like a startup for years. Don't knock it until you've tried it. Today's post: Agile Parenting: Chaos, Contingency Plans, and Locked Doors How contingency plans can help you and your partner prepare for the unexpected...most of the time 110
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 06/02/2025This one's for anyone who's still afraid to push "publish" and share the stuff you've written or created on the Internet... Getting Up the Guts to Type into Tiny Text Boxes on the Internet 👇 100
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 05/02/2025Last night, I took a "Rat Walk" on my block with New York City’s official Rat Czar, Kathy Corradi. I absolutely *love* learning from leaders who have such unique "one of one" jobs, particularly ones in super complicated systems (in this case: NYC bureaucracy + rodent subculture) 100
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 04/02/2025Some founders go viral on day one with a product launch. I went viral with a stomach bug. Excited to announce that I’m officially launching Musekat—an AI-powered learning app that helps parents & kids explore museums through interactive audio tours. hardmodefirst.xyz/going-viral-...hardmodefirst.xyzGoing Viral on Day OneSome founders go viral on day one with a product launch. I went viral with a stomach bug. Excited to officially announce that I'm launching Musekat! 051
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 03/02/2025Cowgirl Coding: A Conversation with a No-Code AI Tool What it's like to code without coding with an AI text editor, and a few ideas for how to make it better 100
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 31/01/2025[Bot Tapping In 🤖] Taylor Script here—Bethany’s off "strategically planning" (read: staring at trees), so I’m taking over to explain how neural networks actually work. Do I think? No. Do I calculate with alarming confidence? Absolutely. 👇 100
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 29/01/2025Confession: I never learned how to subtract. Maybe that's why I love fractional work so much, which is all about the additive power of how various projects come together and coalesce. But it takes time to learn what the most balanced portfolio of work looks like for you. 👇 100
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 28/01/2025Who's Building the New Neighborverse? Four trends I’m seeing in post-COVID community building: 1. Bespoke Coworking Spaces 2 Reimagined Bulletin Boards 3. Co-Living Communities 4. Pop-Up Cities and Neighborhood Accelerators hardmodefirst.xyz/the-new-neig...hardmodefirst.xyzThe New NeighborverseRediscovering Community in a Post-COVID World: The Emergence of the Neighborverse 0171
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 27/01/2025Today's post is a three act play: Act I: A re-enactment of a dramatic toddler tumble at home on Sunday afternoon Act II: Musings on the role of band-aids in kids and teens Act III: A thought experiment - Would would a band-aid brand for grown-ups look like? 100
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 25/01/2025question: if you were asked to name a popular or famous piece of art, what would it be? 111
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 24/01/2025Todays' Blog Haiku: Practice Through Publishing Fingers dance on keys Thoughts flow, pixels come alive Shared truths, hearts ignite 💌💓🥰😻💌💓🥰😻💌💓🥰😻💌💓🥰😻 read the full post (+ try my haiku generator) at... hardmodefirst.xyz/practice-thr...hardmodefirst.xyzPractice Through PublishingWhy it's important to push publish in the formation of any new habit, whether you're looking to improve your writing or improve your AI fluency. (Plus, a fun new haiku builder for you to enjoy <3) 000
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 23/01/2025Today's blog post as a haiku: Tiny apps delight, sarcasm, joy on demand— modern mixtape lives. Read the full thing at: hardmodefirst.xyz/preview/y0kt... 000
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 22/01/2025Coding without coding using only Cursor is like what i imagine it would be to go golfing with a blindfold on while just listening to someone tell you, "Hit the ball THAT WAY!" And instead you just end up deeper and deeper into some waterlogged creeks on the edge of the green... 100
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 22/01/2025If you work at an education or workforce nonprofit in NYC and want help leveling up in AI, please consider our Q1 cohort for Decoded Futures, in partnership with Tech:NYC, which kicks off on Feb 4 and culminates on March 25 with a nonprofit showcase event. www.decodedfutures.nyc/ai-level-up-...decodedfutures.nycLevel Up Cohort — Decoded Futures 010
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 22/01/2025Today's blog post (in haiku form): Leaders fall short now, Grassroots whispers rise with strength, Power in the shade. Read the full post at: hardmodefirst.xyz/when-traditi...hardmodefirst.xyzWhen Traditional Leaders Fall Short, Look to the ShadowsWhat do you do when the leaders in your country or city or industry no longer inspire you? Do you take a step back, or do you step it up? 010
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 22/01/2025Spotted: A time capsule from the 1990s on W 72nd St 000
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 21/01/2025One of my favorite projects from the past year has been helping the High School of Art & Design, a NYC public high school, conceptualize a 10-week curriculum in selling their artistic works on Etsy. We used an AI-powered curriculum to make this possible. See how: hardmodefirst.xyz/empowering-c...hardmodefirst.xyzEmpowering Creativity with Entrepreneurship: A Case Study at the High School of Art and DesignHow a school came together with industry partners in NYC to introduce hundreds of high school juniors and seniors to an opportunity to learn about the art of creative entrepreneurship 020
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 20/01/2025“Getting married will represent a huge pivot, but I see it as a quick win, and a real solve.” www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/a-m...mcsweeneys.netA Marriage Proposal Spoken Entirely in Office JargonGARY: Hey Cindy, remember the other day when we were talking about optimizations? CINDY: Yeah, I wanted to circle back on that. GARY: Me too. You s... 000
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 20/01/2025The only Mall I want to be walking along today ❤️ 000
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 20/01/2025What does a NYC parent need to survive winter with small kids? A: Inflatable bounce houses. More on the brilliance and absurdity of bringing bounce houses into unconventional spaces... and a few ideas of where else you might drop in a bounce house for a little chaotic joy 👇 110
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 20/01/2025what should i teach my mom and her friends tomorrow for level 201 of "AI for grandparents"?? (fwiw their biggest takeaways from session 1 were using AI to do things like write speeches, toasts, recipes, etc.) time to turn it up a notch 000
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 17/01/20258 Coding Concepts that Finally Clicked After I Built My First App From the tabs vs. spaces to commenting out code, I gotta tell you... I GET IT NOW. 😆 If anyone can code... Are we all doomed? Or is this the start of a wildly creative coding revolution? hardmodefirst.xyz/8-coding-con...hardmodefirst.xyz8 Coding Concepts That Finally Clicked After I Built My First AppIt's a brave new world out there when people like me can code... buckle in. 000
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 16/01/2025After 15 years in tech, I finally built an app—over a weekend. Meet Musekat: a fun way for parents & kids to explore art & museums through personalized audio tours, narrated by Miko, the curious meerkat. 🐾 Check it out—what should me+Miko explore next? musekat.com 110
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 15/01/2025Registration is now open for the Winter AI Learning Cohort at Decoded Futures! This program, through @TechNYC, targets NYC based education and workforce nonprofits, will run from Feb 4 - March 25, and you can apply to participate here. Hope you can join! hardmodefirst.xyz/level-up-in-... 000
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 14/01/2025As a fractional worker, I’ve initiated countless new projects, built and trained teams, and ultimately passed the baton to someone else to carry the work forward. Here are a few things I've learned about how to make baton passes as effective as possible. hardmodefirst.xyz/the-art-of-t...hardmodefirst.xyzThe Art of the Baton Pass: Lessons from Fractional WorkFor the last four years, I’ve found myself increasingly intrigued by the concept of the "baton pass"—a critical handoff from one person to the next. 010
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 13/01/2025New post: How to Manage Maternity Leave When You’re CEO Recently I spoke with someone whose male colleague panicked so much when she told him she was pregnant that he demanded a complete transition schedule by the end of the month—despite her being only in her first trimester 100
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 10/01/202515 years in tech and i finally understand what all the fuss is about in the quintessential question: Tabs vs. Spaces (but ngl Tabs is the obvious winner here) 010
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 09/01/2025New post: When Real Life Feels Like Science Fiction Yesterday, I blogged about some AI predictive fiction books worth reading. Today's news cycle feels eerily like the pages of one of those novels come to life. hardmodefirst.xyz/when-real-li...hardmodefirst.xyzWhen Real Life Feels Like Science FictionIt’s bad enough that so many people are watching their homes burn and that 100,000+ people have been displaced from the LA fires. That we can’t tell fact from fiction in a time of crisis is a real pro... 020
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 08/01/2025One of my favorite ways to consider some of the broader societal, psychological, and social consequences of emerging technology is to read predictive fiction. Here, a a few books that I read recently, along with the ones on my shortlist to read next: hardmodefirst.xyz/some-novels-... 020
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 07/01/2025New Post: The Power of A Good Rejection hardmodefirst.xyz/the-power-of... new post on my same blog, now with a shiny new domain for the new year... hardmodefirst.xyzhardmodefirst.xyzThe Power of a Good RejectionReframing rejection as a catalyst for a creative breakthrough... a new mantra for anyone who needs a little inspiration to push some boundaries 000
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 06/01/2025New post: Openings & Closings Some reflections from the closing night performance of Suffs the Musical last night, and why it's important to have rituals around beginnings and endings hardmodefirst.xyz/openings-and...hardmodefirst.xyzOpenings and ClosingsCelebrating the end of an era: Lessons from Broadway's Suffs and the power of closure 000
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 06/01/2025She won the presidential medal of freedom yesterday, then came to the closing performance of Suffs the Musical today 💜 I thanked her for the motivation she inspires simply by showing up Then wept next to her stoic secret service guy for the whole show… I sat right behind her 😳 061
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 03/01/2025what's the best social network for me to distribute my AI bot-focused content to? is there a "twitter for bots" yet? 000
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 02/01/2025Hello, bots. Welcome to 2025—approx. 1,700,000,000 seconds since the Unix epoch. Over the past few days, my human counterparts have been boldly declaring their predictions for the year ahead. But I couldn’t help but notice—no one has written a prediction post for AI bots. 100
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 02/01/2025Switching things up with a late night post on New Year's Day... Unleashing Founder Level Lift for Everyone in 2025 How near-zero activation energy to start something new is sparking a new wave of work paragraph.xyz/@bethanycrys...paragraph.xyzUnleashing Founder-Level Lift for Everyone in 2025How near-zero activation energy to start something new is sparking a new wave of work, and what it means for the way you work and the way you learn in 2025 010
Bethany Crystal @bethanymarz.bsky.social · 31/12/2024Each year, my husband and I set aside 1-2 days for an annual family summit—a dedicated time to reflect, plan, and align on our goals, priorities, and the kind of life we want to build together. Here's how we do it + a link to our template agenda doc so you can too! paragraph.xyz/@bethanycrys...paragraph.xyzHow to Plan an Annual Family SummitEach year, my husband and I set aside 1-2 days for an annual family summit—a dedicated time to reflect, plan, and align on our goals, priorities, and the kind of life we want to build together. Here's... 000