世界充满大事，但是那些小事也很重要。这不是个很好的翻译，但是我喜欢这样简单的翻译。这个标题其实来自 Ugmonk，是 Jeff Sheldon 的一个独立的设计品牌。我从 Offscreen Magazine 得知 Ugmonk。Offscreen Magazine 是一本独立杂志，他的出版人 是 Kai Brach。Kai 是一个网站设计师，而那本杂志充满了网站/设计圈的访谈和一些有趣的短文，很有趣。我有空再写文章介绍。Kai 在两个月前发起了一个 OFFSCREEN MAG + MOUNTAINS BUNDLE 的活动，$32 可以买一本 Offscreen mag 和一件 Ugmonk 的 Mountains T-shirt。Kai 在 他自己的博文 里面介绍了他与 Ugmonk 相识的过程。一开始 Kai 只是被网站和里面商品的设计吸引，但是读了 Ugmonk 的故事以后他发现原来这也是一个人全包（One man show）的品牌。这让 Kai 产生了很大的兴趣，并且定了一件 Mountains T-Shirt，他收到后很喜欢。

我看到 Kai 发布的 bundle 以后很喜欢，而且由于我贪图小便宜，所以就买下了（其实我已经有那一期的 Offscreen，但是多买一本可以送朋友嘛）。收到后我觉得那件 T-Shirt 做工挺一般，那个设计也非常简单。但是穿在身上感觉很好，这种简单设计给我一种平静的舒适感。后来我看到 Jeff Sheldon 的文章才知道他的图案是印在 American Apparel 的 T-shirt 上，这个牌子的衣服是美国制造的，号称剪裁合身材料舒适。Jeff 认为用 AA 的衣物保证了本国制造的优越感，并且 AA 的商品质量控制让他不用担心自己的产品在质量上出现问题（因为小品牌的出货量小，自己控制产业链质量不容易控制）。我觉得他这个思路很好，这样他就可以专心与品牌和设计了。做一个独立品牌是很难的，他把收入的一部分投入慈善，这对品牌价值提升很有好处。

上面介绍了 Ugmonk 和 Offscreen，他们吸引了我的眼球，让我消费了他们的产品。而且我在持续消费他们的产品。原因就是标题所说 “It’s the little things”，这件 T-Shirt 我今天正好穿在身上。这些个人品牌在细节上非常卓越，没有扭捏的粉饰。从你听说这个品牌，到被吸引转化为消费，这个过程非常流畅。相比之下，T-mobile 这样的笨蛋品牌，一味追求低价，但是在消费者转化的过程中确忍受着巨差的用户体验，这个以后再聊。注意细节，耐心的琢磨这些小事，品牌就会很有味道。

Ugmonk by Jeff Sheldon from Ugmonk on Vimeo.

所以，记得，那些小事很重要。

本文所以链接都不是 affiliate 链接，也就是说我不会收取任何经济好处

在北京的时候，我非常喜欢我和朋友们在组织的 OpenParty。那是一个 Unconference，起先的一年我记得每次活动都要准备很久，现场的环节也都是严格按照我们计划好的方式和时间进行。但是随着时间的流转，我和朋友们开始变的不那么守规矩。每次进行一些大概的计划，到了现场就跟着感觉走了。

OpenParty 的规模大概是 50 – 100 人，属于小型活动。但是如果拿来和我们日常生活中的朋友聚会比起来，它已经是很大的活动了。

来到美国以后，我就没有组织过 Unconference 了。有个在国内参加过 OpenParty 的美国同事问过我为啥在这里我不来住址一下，我只是敷衍的说这里好的活动太多了，而且我语言不够自如。其实那是借口。在国内组织一个十人规模的饭局是很容易的，但是在美国这并不怎么容易。在美国是人规模的聚餐不容易订到长桌，所以一般我们会选择在公园烧烤。但是烧烤有个缺点，就是有人烧烤、有人聊天、有人玩。但是对比更小规模的聚会，这样的烧烤 Party 缺少深入的聊天。还有，烧烤聚会不会带来内心的平静，不适合于每个周末。

最近的半年，其实有很多更小型的聚会。有的时候就是一两家人在一起，自己做一些饭，聊聊天。这种规模的聚会可以分享你所喜欢的东西，深度的讨论从人为什么要活着一直到哪里买东西便宜这样的话题。并且由于规模小，可以自己动手做一些菜，或者买一些自己喜欢吃的喝的互相分享。分享与聆听都是我们 Enjoy 的。

其实这种感觉和这本杂志有重要的关系，Kinfolk 这是一本围绕这美食和生活的杂志，没有广告，会有一些访谈，私人菜谱和美丽的图。它有一本菜谱，叫做 THE KINFOLK TABLE: RECIPES FOR SMALL GATHERINGS。我这篇文章的灵感和名字就来自这里。就像负片的摄影一样，一些胶片和他们的冲洗方法会赋予照片特殊的质感。因为那些色调和抽象的取景会联系到你对相机和照相的人的感觉，这种人为的联系给简单的主题赋予丰富的感觉。比如一个细节，在森林里聚会的时候，带上一瓶红/白的葡萄酒，请不要偷懒带塑料杯子。带上一对玻璃杯，可以是最简单的那种，就会极大的提升品味儿的质感。

记得个把月前，和 Lordhong 与他的夫人 Lily 相约带孩子去森林野餐。这是一个标准的小型聚会。我们带上了一些鸡肉沙拉，酒杯，Trader joe 买的德国产 Riesling （$4.99 每瓶），一些 Farmers Market 买的新鲜水果。开车走 CA 84 好公路去 San Mateo Memorial Park 聚会。CA 84 是一条非常崎岖的山路，很不好开。快要到那里的时候得知 Lordhong 的孩子们都晕车了，很不舒服。但是当我们到达公园的时候，空气清新，阳光被密密的树林遮住。孩子们在一起蹦蹦跳跳的玩耍，很快晕车的事情大家就忘记了。我们在公园里面散了步，然后就找了树下的木桌子坐下野餐。

Lordhong 的夫人 Lily 的厨艺非常好，她带了一些自己烤的小羊排，还有鱼糕。我们在桌子上铺好桌布，一起分享美食和美酒。孩子们更喜欢吃那些新鲜的水果，还有果汁。这次我们带的食物其实并不多，但是在落满松枝的木桌上吃饭感觉非常愉快。

我们聊天的内容我已经记不清了。但是在高高的红木下品尝自己亲手制作的食物，配上有趣的白葡萄酒和啤酒是很有意思的。这样的小型聚会就像那些用心的胶片摄影一样，留下的是精致的质感。这样的聚会一点不会累，留下的是满心的平静和满足。

很少写博客，找借口没有意思。但是，心里还是有一些想法时不时想要记录下来的。最近几个喜欢的博主都在挑战一个月内每天发布一条博文，我觉得这样玩不错。

今天再说说选择牛奶。我记得我写过 Wondermilk （万得秒）牛奶的博文，但是刚才搜索了一下我其实没有写过。所以我应该说今天说说牛奶的选择。

很喜欢的 Podcast ATP 里面有两个风格不同的 Geek。 Marco Arment 非常主观。虽然他也引经据典， 但是他完全不介意主观偏见。而 John Siracusa 则是个非常客观的 Geek，论证事情经常事无巨细。我这里沿用 Marco 的风格来主观的描述牛奶的选择。

我之所以很挑剔牛奶是因为我对咖啡 Geek 式的偏爱（我比较接近 Marco Arment 描述的那种咖啡狂热，但是我和他对咖啡做法持不同观点），我希望我可以同时具有品咖啡和烹煮咖啡的能力。这是一种手艺崇拜。做个比喻，我比较像摄影爱好者圈的器材派。所以我对咖啡豆子，烹调工具和手段，杯具，牛奶这些“器材”都很重视。从此大家也就知道我的水平了，属于玩票的水平，相当的业余（自谦）。

我记得我和一些 OpenParty 的朋友分享过牛奶选择的知识。现在常见的是超高温消毒牛奶和巴氏消毒牛奶。前者保存时间长，据称只杀死了细菌和酶，不影响牛奶的营养成分。而后者因为是低温消毒，只杀死了细菌，所以保存时间短。我优先选择巴氏杀毒的牛奶，因为口味好，体现本地自豪感（因为巴氏奶不适合长途配送）。

上面那段好短，没有讲清楚为什么。但是这是我的意图，因为这种借口不同意见者都可以找来一大堆支持自己的论点，我找他们有啥意思呢？微信上还有人传喝牛奶致癌这些事情，你说我能反对的了么？我比较朴素的相信科学世界观，而且相信不确定性，所以我也不太在乎谁的理论更站得住脚这个问题。我现在更相信我的舌头和嘴，因为经过相对长期的啤酒品评的训练，我对自己品味道还是有一些自信心的。

那么我现在如何选择牛奶呢？目前我最喜欢的牛奶排名如下（美国湾区）：

• Saint Benoit Organic Jersey whole milk
• Strauss Organic Whole Milk Creamtop
• Clover Organic Whole Milk
• Clover Whole Milk (non-Organic)
• WholeFoods 365 everyday value whole milk
• Lucerne whole milk

我不太喜欢的品牌是 Berkeley Farm 还有 Horizon，最后是 Trader Joe 的牛奶。Berkeley Farm 的牛奶带一股青草和酸的味道，而且非常稀，我受不了。Horizon 的牛奶带有很浓的香料味道（所以其实很好喝，但那不是奶的本味），而且他家是超高温消毒牛奶。但是我女儿很喜欢喝 Horizon 的调味牛奶，这也是我很讨厌它的原因之一（凡是特意迎合儿童的调味食品我都不喜欢，而且 Horizon 的儿童牛奶太甜了，非常邪恶）。而 Trader Joe 的牛奶喝起来和 Berkeley Farm 有点像。其实还有个 Costco 的 Kirkland 有机牛奶，那味道就好像有烧焦的东西放到了牛奶里一样，我的朋友没有一个喜欢的。我觉得我是个 Hater，用这么多篇幅描述我不喜欢的牛奶。

回到正题，为啥我会那样排名那些牛奶呢？我的基本思路是我很喜欢奶油味道重的牛奶，因为那是儿时玻璃瓶牛奶带的那种味道。其实这并非很自然的味道，可是我也没有喝过刚挤出来的牛奶。我不喜欢脱脂牛奶，所以可能就跳到喜欢加奶油的牛奶了。Creamtop 就是包装的时候上面附上一层奶油，这可以帮助牛奶保存相对长一点的时间（巴氏消毒以后低温保存也就是两周）。所以排名靠前的两个都属于 Creamtop。再有就是玻璃瓶优于屋型包装，屋型包装优于塑料包装。

其实上面说的这些还是扯淡，我之所以发现最上面三中牛奶是因为我发现 Blue Bottle 选择了这三种牛奶。Ferry Building 那家蓝瓶子一般选择 Clover 的有机牛奶。而 5th and Mission 那家很 fancy 的蓝瓶子 则选择了 Saint Benoit 和 Strauss 的牛奶。尤其是新奥尔良冰咖啡配 Saint Benoit 的牛奶那味道简直是完美了。

即使你的味觉不那么灵敏，尝一下我上面列的那三个最靠前的牛奶你基本上也可以尝出巨大的区别。Clover 的有机牛奶我个人觉得和万得秒 Wonder Milk 的牛奶味道很相似，那基本上是我对好牛奶划的线。这些好牛奶基本上都是没有使用人工荷尔蒙，Organic。Creamtop 的两款没有经过匀化（所以你会看到油花和沉淀，而且颜色会发黄），Clover 的则经过了匀化。他们都是巴氏消毒的牛奶，两款使用玻璃瓶（还要退瓶，挺麻烦）一款使用利乐包装。三款都是本地农场生产的。都被比较挑剔的咖啡师傅认可。在湾区这里，靠谱的咖啡店基本上都是用 Clover，但不都用 Organic 的。我觉得这写元素暗示了一些好牛奶需要具有的品质，希望它能帮助你找到适合你和你家庭的牛奶。

Hi Luke, I think that’s about 1 or 2 months after I heard your latest news. Hope you are all well in heaven! I’m sure your family miss you most, and I am just a very normal firends in your life; but I think I also miss you.

I wrote letters to you in dream, in my day dreams and when I’m drunk. I don’t know why? Maybe it’s because I used to admire you. Acctually I admire so much people, but I never let them now. I feel shy to let someone know that I’m a fan boy, say Steve Jobs. You are not as great as Steve Jobs I think, but you are great! I feel that my poor English expression limited my ability to express my feeling, but that’s what I’m trying to improve for very long time after I work with some people you know in ThoughtWorks, that’s a part of golden time in my life. OK, let me pour my feelings out now.

Back to 2007, I joined a team in ThoughtWorks studio. The guy who recruit me is Jez Humble and Hukai, you know those 2 funny guys, they are great. I was suppose to work in Cruise Control team, which was called Cruise team and later Go team. But the first job I did in TW is acctually in Mingle team, because both teams belong to Studio. I remember David Rice or Jen Marley introduce you to me. They said that you are great UX guy, and you can draw wireframe but also write html and css. That’s what I’m looking for when I join that company, being a cross-function specialist in team. And when I first talk with you I learn that there is a thing called wire-frame, which is a series of sketch shows the interation of UI. That’s great for a super junior developer, that’s the first time I learn that there is tool stimulate conmmunicate before something is deliveried. And with your wire-frame, I feel it’s quite confident to deliver a piece of UI without bother too much for a PS guy. But that’s not what blows my mind, when I see you doing a presentation in sprint planning, I was shocked. That’s the first time I see how a people showing off something before it’s implemented, that’s what we call lean nowdays. You play the magic which make us feels like watching a movie, imagine a hi-fi world with some black and white lines. OK, I shouldn’t make those moments magical, they acctually like old people told their life story, it’s quite plain and peaceful when it’s happending. I remember Jen told me that your time is precious, because you also have other things to do. You are a busy man.

It’s not far until I get a chance to see you face to face. That’s a away day of ThoughtWorks. It happens in Great Wall of China. I remember that you looks doesn’t match my imagination (I doesn’t see you picture before I see you). You are small, and soft. I remember you wear a red bennie, which is pretty special. I think I got lots of chance talking with you that day, because we talks a lot over skype. Beijing is my home town, so I want to share my knownledge of Beijing to you. And I think you like talking with me, which made me feel exciting. I remember that you mentioned that you like photography, and you did take lots of pictures on that day. My English is not very fluent at that age, and I think that’s not a barrier between us.

After we come back from Away day, you continued working for some days in Beijing office. I remember you shared that you must install a Parallel VM which running Windows, so that you can use a Powerpoint to draw wire frame. That’s the first time I feel respect about Microsoft, because you describe why Powerpoint is better to do wire-frame, and the Ribbon UI in Office 2007 is a big improvement in the industry. You show me how to do wire frame in powerpoint, and how utilize C&P which brings smooth experience for end user.

I didn’t see you after about half year after that. Then you come back to Beijing and did a cross team building. I remember Chris Stevenson also joined ThoughtWorks Studio, my impression for him is a purple monster (because he describe himeself like that after he got allergies). I rember that we have good time in Karaoke. I ordered “Can you feel the love tonight” to whole team, and you and Chris grabed Mic before me. But I got mic from you (thank you, you saw that I want to borrow your mic), so I can sing that song. Seems that’s the only English song I can sing in Karaoke, LOL. I remember you played tambourine instead, and you play very well; and you wore a red bennie with you. You did Jamming dance that day, that’s a suprise, you were fancy guy.

And after that I think I didn’t see you for another long time, I heard that you are starting a new business in Manchester. Then you become the head of Manchester businees in UK, that’s a big deal, I felt prod of you. Because I thought a UX pelple was also good at business is a miracle.

But I got another chance to see you in Beijing office. You were really busy at that trip. But you spent some time with me for Mingle project. I remember that we draw some wire frame together. That’s awesome! It’s like working with your star as a fan boy. I remember that I asked you how you make the looks and feel good in hi-fi design. You show me that you have a folder in desktop which includes lots of screen shots of different products and web-sites. You said those things inspire you when you want to create a hi-fi design. So you should find some feelings from heuristic brain storm, then you should find those elements in your design collection. Then you will find the graphic elements and colors for your new design. You mapped abstraction into details, so you have a practical plan to implement those designs. OK, that’s a big deal to me. I degist this for long time, and I think I do learn something from that.

After that, I didn’t see you face to face again. As far as I remember.

But skype and facebook notify me of your birthday. Year after year, I don’t remmber how much years is that. I thought I’m too normal a person in your life, you will forget me after some time. Because you are head of UK business then, and I already left TW. But you did remmber me, and say thank you for each greating. I remember that you poke me for my birthday too. That’s a weak relation, as a good friend looking each other across river. I enjoy that I know a good person like you. I saw you post lots of things about charity, like breast cancer run and some other thigns. And I saw you get merried and have babies. That’s great, I did that too. I feel that I know this is a serious life change, you were taking more and more responsibility.

In this year, I clearly remember that you joined a event “Live below the line“. I remember you have a tight budget to eat, and we can donate money for poor people who really live below the line. I feel proud of you. That’s a good sign when a adult play great social responsibility, some of my friends I respect also share this character. I do want to donate money at that time, but it’s a shame that I was busy working on something and I didn’t donate money. I will say that’s a lesson, I start donating money to charity a lot afterwards (In wholefoods, for children’s cancer, for lots of campaign in restaunrant and super market, and other place where I see someone need help). I feel much better then! Thank you for moved me.

But the next news I heard is absolutely sad!

When is that? I think I was 1 month or 2 months ago. I was super busy at that time. But I accidentally see Badri post something on Facebook, it says “Good bye Luke”. I think that’s not you, because you are health and at prime of your time. I see Badri’s word, it’s beautiful, I feel he is very sad. A friend of him passed away. I’m afraid, but I firmly believe that’s not you. But I leave a message said “Hope it’s not the Luke I know!”. And then I send some messages to other friend in TW circle to make sure it’s not you.

But next day, when I woke up. I sit on tolilet, I checked message. I saw Jiajun left a message, “No that’s the Luke we know, I’m afraid”, then she share a link from ThoughtWorks UK. I felt that my head is exploding. That’s super sad! I was under pressure on that days, but that message just make more even more sad. I know if TW post something that’s true.

I contacted Badri, I want to learn why you passed away, and what I can do for your family. I should say thank you to Badri, he said “Hugs!”, he said “We don’t know what we can do now. But please don’t write message on Luke’s facebook page. But you can let his family know that you feel sad about his passing away. And please don’t do anything before his family say they need help.” OK, I’m sadden in that mood for a while. I just feel it’s not fair.

And then 2 weeks later. I google your nane, I found that I even can’t type your name without google. I feel really sorry. I think no one should forget his/her friends’s name. That’s a shame. A man live in the world, and friends will always remember him/her. But I remember it now: Luke Berrett.

I didn’t leave any message on facebook which mentions you, or event not on twitter. I want to set a timeout for my memories, so that means it’s deepen in my mind. That someone cares about you even after you passed away. I know you family will miss you most, but we as normal friends in you life we also miss you.

When I google your news I learn that you was killed in traffic accident. But even more sad is that the accident is not very clear. They wanted witeness and the news. But you passed away, as a adult I know find the killer is not the most important thing. We should let you rest in peace. I feel shame that the god (sorry, but acctually I don’t have religion) chose a wrong one. But I know the human world is not fair, everyone has equal chance to be in heaven. The people who have beloved family should not have that earlier, because more living things suffer from that. But, but that’s the inifite possibility. I don’t trust logic, I just appreciate. I appreciate for friendship, for love, for every goodwill. I don’t want to say too much, becaus that’s out of my control.

I just keep living my life. But I occationally thing about you, especially I feel sad or under heavy pressure. I hope there’s karma, good people live good life. It’s just a silly hope. I know it’s not fair to you. I’m really sorry. But I do miss you as a normal friend. I have so many normal friends in my life, and I have close friends, I miss all of you. I’m just a simple emotional animal as most of human.

I was sick for a month. I have some illution that I’m dying. But I’m not, I have family, I need to live forever. Then I was very busy trasfer knownledge to my previous colleagues, since I’m moving to a new job. And then I joined a team, exciting, also was super busy. Then my wife sick, I was under pressure. I need to take care of my daughter, I worried about my wife, I won’t want to let my new teammates down. That’s not easy. But it gave me months of time to do reflection. It’s fortunate that I sill have a strong feeling that I should write those words down for you, for your family, for myself. I don’t want to express my sadness. That’s not how human live. We look up, we remember, we try hard to change the world!

So, luke, my friend, hope you have good day in heaven. Hope you family see you in their sweet dreams! Hope you blessed us, home you lessed eveyone live on the planet. But, Good bye luke! See you in heaven.

Your normal friend, Tin

Here is a picture of you, that’s the only 1 I can find (maybe more, but I’m poor on managing picture files).

I wrote a recommendation for my previous coworker Stan on Linkedin, but another coworker said it’s not proper and too funny for this serious site. So I guess I should rewrite it, but I will leave it here 😀

To be honest, Stan makes me cry, I can’t catch up with him. But it’s a honor to work with his brilliant mind. He is kind, he didn’t call us dummy. He has great abstraction ability, which IMHO is the most precious skill a software craftsman should have. He has good sense on new technology, and he build his own sharp toolsets and leverage other folks in his team. One thing I think he may improve is, he doesn’t drink beer with us, so he will always be sober when we are drunk.

这是在知乎的一个回复。

在啤酒爱好者普遍认可的Ratebeer的综合排名里面，目前第一的是Westvleteren 12。它代表了Trappist修道院啤酒的最高水准，它的风格叫做Abt/Quadrupel，常见的Trappist风格是Blone/Brown (Dubble)/Trippel，Quadrupel应该翻译做四料啤酒吧，是超越Trippel的有更加丰富的酚和酯的极品啤酒。Trappist 目前比利时有6家，是Chimay、Rochefort、Achel、Westvleteren、Orval、Westmalle，还有一家在荷兰叫Koningshoeven。不过Trappist并非都是口味丰富的，比如Chimay、Achel、Westmalle都相对温和。Quadrupel则是味道层次最丰富，味道强烈的极品，据我所知只有Rochefort 10和Westvletern 12属于Trappist授权修道院生产的Quadrupel。修士在为上帝服务至于投入了毕生精力不断的优化提升啤酒酿造艺术，才有了这样的极品，所以……我就不多说了。

但是很不幸的是Westvleteren 12很难买到。能买到的Quadrupel是Rochefort 10，目前它也是我的最爱。这里和 @大Joy 不谋而合。

美国的同事比较一致的认为Russian River Pliny the elder是最好的美国啤酒，这个也供参考。因为北京是绝对买不到的。

但是我同意口味不应该排名，所以……我应该闭嘴。

我在slideshare分享过一个比利时啤酒的slides，里面有很多不准确的信息，不过还是可以参考。