4 bits turns 25
Looking back at 4 of my favorite issues
👋 Hi friends, it's Hesam with issue #25 of 4 bits. 4 bits is a biweekly newsletter where I share thoughts and musings on how to build memorable experiences.
A quick update:
📖 I've been reading High Bias, a book that follows the history of cassette tapes. Yes, cassette tapes. Cassette tapes were more than just a means of music storage — they ignited a revolution.
▶️ With cassette tapes, the record companies or the radio were no longer in charge. You could record, copy, and listen to audio anywhere. You could make mixtapes and compilations of your favorite beats. You could record your own music or sneakily record a live performance of your favorite artist.
🎧 And with the Walkman, released shortly after the cassette tape, you could take your music library with you on the go. When you pressed play, you could instantly drown out the noise around you.
🔊 I'm still making my way through the book but I've found the deep dive into cassettes and their impact on society to be fascinating. I'm also intrigued that someone is willing to obsess over cassette tapes enough to write an entire book. And that I'm crazy enough to keep reading.
4 bits turns 25
When I turned 25, I refused to believe I turned 25.
So I called my birthday celebrations the 21+4 party.
I even registered a domain name, twentyoneplusfour.com, where I hosted photos from the 4 (I’m all about consistency) gatherings over the birthday weekend.
Thanks to the Wayback Machine, a screen capture of twentyoneplusfour.com is available years later:
In the spirit of celebrating this newsletter turning 21+4, I’m sharing 4 of my favorite issues from the last 13 months since this 4 bits journey started.
I liked this issue because it was an opportunity to explain why I was still clutching onto a ten year old mini mini screwdriver. I was surprised to see in the comments that I wasn’t the only one.
I’d recommend reading Build by Tony Fadell if you’re curious about how you can uncover unexpected opportunities to delight people. Sometimes, delight can come through something as small and simple as a screwdriver.
Probably the most effortless issue to write because it poured out from many hours of spin rides in a dark room surrounded by strangers.
This issue also highlighted how the people that facilitate or run an experience matter. To this day, I think about how exceptional Pinij’s classes were and how no one else could compare.
The most popular issue of 4 bits so far - even the co-founder of Zoku commented on the post - that shares my stay at Zoku while in Amsterdam. What I appreciated about the experience was the clever way that Zoku designs their spaces and the chance to learn about Fika, a way to build community among people staying at Zoku.
I’ll be going back to Zoku this summer.
What I liked most about this issue was sharing the mixtape bot, which guides you through a series of questions about music to create a mixtape collection for you.
Mixtapes are a representation of what matters to you, a snapshot of your music interests, and something you can share with others. When I was in high school and college, I made hundreds of “mixtape” CDs for friends, sharing what I thought was the latest and greatest and mapping a listening arc from start to finish.
Part of my fascination with mixtapes might also explain why I’m reading an entire book on cassette tapes.
There were other 4 bits issues that I could have easily included in the top 4. It was hard to choose. If you’re curious, you can dig into the 4 bits issue archive.
Happy 21+4, 4 bits! Here’s to many more.
Happy 21+4 and to many more. Is 32+8 a thing??