Useful stuff

sus

Well-known member
Assume that semantic confusions, ambiguities, people meaning different things by the same word, etc are way more widespread than are noticed—that the differences/gulfs which are revealed are just a tiny tip of the iceberg of misrecognition and misapprehension
 

sus

Well-known member
Don't be a literalist

People are trying to get things done with language

If the sunscreen tube says "wait 15 minutes after applying" that's because they know 90% of people given that instruction will only wait 10 minutes. You probably only need to wait 10 minutes

A lot of public advisories and language is aimed at lowest common denominator of human intelligence and reason. A lot of the language is constructed to avoid lawsuits. Don't take warnings and advisories literally, take them as efforts at changing behavior of the lowest members of society. If you're reading this, you're probably above average conscientious/intelligent/risk-averse and you don't need to worry about these advisories so much
 

sus

Well-known member
Get your hands on real maple syrup, freshly tapped, if possible

It's a completely different beast from the stuff in the jar
 

sus

Well-known member
Do a lot more experimentation with your cooking. Develop a gut instinct. Don't get trapped by recipes. Play fast and loose and learn how parts firt together. Throw random shit in and see what happens.
 

sus

Well-known member
You can make out-of-this-world pestos with arugula, spinach, kale, and even carrots as the main plant base. Always add cream: you can use yogurt, Greek yogurt, butter and milk, anything remotely creamy will do
 

sus

Well-known member
If you don't have ginormous carry-on luggage that requires tons of overhead space, don't wait in line for 15 minutes and slowly shuffle-board with your group. Just hang out in the terminal, enjoying yourself, and when everyone else has boarded, flit on through without a wait
 

sus

Well-known member
Keep channels of communication open with important people in your life

It doesn't have to be important stuff it can be lil trivial things, but that keeps the pipes open, so there isn't a buncha inertia to be surmounted when something important does in fact need communicating
 

sus

Well-known member
Don't ever start writing with a blank page

If you're staring at a blank page wondering what to write you've already failed, long before sitting down

If you jot down thoughts and reactions to stuff your'e reading, if you're keeping notes and daydreaming, then you'll come into writing sessions feeling full and bursting with thoughts, your biggest problem how to structure and sequence them
 

sus

Well-known member
Just write the damn first draft first

It doesn't have to be pretty, don't do line edits and futz with words

You can write inline notes to yourself like [FILL IN LATER] or [LOOK UP PROPER NAME] and then handle them in your editing pass

The art of the first draft is all about establishing a flow state with minimal friction and zero multi-tasking or distractions, just getting the rough sense pouring out of you. Once you've gotten the rough sense of things down, then futzing becomes very easy

Also editing (the watcher at the gates of the mind, the censor, the curator) is a totally different part of your brain/way of thinking than writing (generating, creative, unbridled and unrestrained) so alternating between them every sentence is BAD and inefficient
 

sus

Well-known member
Take off your shoes and walk barefoot through grass

If you live in the US, camp anywhere you want on BLM land for free rather than dealing with booking camping reservations months in advance, competing with other tourists for spots

You can sleep/park overnight in Walmart parking lots if you need to, no rules/laws against it
 

sus

Well-known member
Unless you do serious weightlifting, you need way way less protein than you think you need; don't fall for the 70-90g a day propaganda

30-40g a day is just fine/great in fact—anything more is just getting converted to calories unless you're seriously building muscle

You can get 30-40g a day just from eating bread and pasta, eating green vegetables, some cheese etc
 

sus

Well-known member
Spend real time figuring out what you actually want/desire

Most people keep this confused and blurry with what other people want/desire (in general & from them)

This leads to people sorta muddling through life half-following their desires half-not, and ending up generally unhappy and dissatisfied as a result
 

sus

Well-known member
Don't feel obligated to feel books

Many books follow the pareto principle 80/20 rule: you can get 80% of the value for 20% of the work, with diminishing returns as you continue

Many books just aren't worth finishing
 

sus

Well-known member
Also the Pareto principle & 80/20 heuristic dominates everything around us: half-ass a lot of things, and then whole-ass a few things you care a lot about and want to be excellent at

(the Pareto principle also explains why "everything in moderation, including this mantra" is a solid strategy)
 

sus

Well-known member
Don't underestimate context; everything that's meaningful, effective, successful, bad or good, is this way because of the context it sits within

Lift and port things out of their contexts and these properties can evaporate overnight
 

sus

Well-known member
Sturgeon's law rules everything around us: 98% of every genre and medium and discipline and field is mediocre or crap. Most visual art is crap. Most sci-fi pulp is crap. Most autofiction is crap. But the other 2% is incredible. Be an omnivore and track down the 2% of everything, rather than holding prejudice.
 
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