Arrows Reach was created by Jacob Penderworth on 23 June 2011 and originally named “Papermail”, a joke about bringing tactile objects into the digital space. And fitting with that theme, it was originally an Tumblr microblog about the tech industry, similar to Daring Fireball. As Jacob went from freelancing to working full time at 1Password, the blog became nomadic, reflecting his lost interest in the optimistic uses of tech. The second version of the project was to document aspects of the human condition through the lens of the remote worker’s life. Not all-day journals, but rather snippets of obscure and sometimes beautiful moments, all of which shared a common trait: human connection. A lot of it is travel-based, because Jacob had an obsession with new places.
Currently, that version is either on hold or a relic of the past. Jacob, and it seems the internet as a whole, are absorbed in pessimism about technology and our available tools for communication. So he writes about these things, in the ways he can, with lots or little research, often in the style of 19th century Russian writers, because that’s who he’s been reading.
Welcome!
About Jacob
Jacob Penderworth is an oddity who resides in Portland, Oregon. He writes docs, listens to albums, plays piano, sips peppermint, bakes chickpeas, and takes many aimless long walks.
You can find Jacob translating technical terminology at 1Password.