Brand, thing, behavior, method, advice, mantra, etc.
I swear by Blackwing pencils.
Also, the ‘two minute rule’, which has really improved my life: “if it takes two minutes or less to do, just do it now; if it takes longer, schedule it.” I’ve got untreated attention issues and it’s very easy for me to notice something needing done, and overlook or procrastinate it because it seems inconvenient in the moment. Having a totally painless rule that forces me to acknowledge that thing I should pick up, that trash bag I should change, etc, or, to at least put on my calendar anything I mustn’t forget in the long run has been great for me.
uBlock Origin forever and always. I’ve recently reinstalled Windows within the last 30 days and thus have a fresh installation of my browser and uBlock Origin – I have already blocked 609,521 ads, wild.
https://ublockorigin.com/ (Platform links at the bottom)
Zebra F-301 Pink Barrel / Black Ink 0.7mm
I had been using the regular F-301 pen since my early twenties. A year ago, I found a seller on Amazon that was selling the pink barrel / black ink F-301’s for what works out to be $2.10 a piece. My pens tend to go missing from time to time at work, so I bought a bunch.
Worth it.
“You are under no obligation to be the same person you were 5 minutes ago” - Alan Watts
This one is a bit hard-won for me. You see I used to be an asshole. It was my brand. I thought “it’s just in my nature”.
Fortunately, I was also a student of religion (mostly because I was a militant atheist. Know your enemy and all that). Studying Buddhism, I began to observe the nature of self. I found enough distance from it to see its transient nature.
I realized being an asshole was a choice and I could just as easily choose otherwise. Soon I began to discover this was true of most character traits.
I’m not saying you don’t have consistent patterns of behavior. I’ll hopefully always be curious and analytical. But for the most part, the way you conduct yourself and where you focus your attention is a choice.
So, if you’re not happy with who you are maybe don’t be so attached to the idea of 'who you are". And if that seems hard, observe what you pay your attention to and try to find the distance between observation and behavior. In that gap lies the choice you make, consciously or not, to be “you”.
If you wouldn’t take advice from someone, then don’t accept their criticism.
I too like fancy pencils. Mitsubishi’s range are my faves.
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Fountain pens, good inks, and good paper.
The cost difference is so small, and the output is significantly better than anything I’ve ever written with a ballpoint.
Not to mention the enjoyment around the rituals and processes that go with.
It’s also better for your hands if you do a lot of writing! You’re not constantly applying pressure like you are with a ballpoint so your hands don’t get as tired
I see your blackwings and I raise you my mechanical contestant - the uniball kuru toga. The rotating lead gimmick actually works pretty well and the elite has just such a nice weight to it because the barrel is this nice knurled metal thing (I think the advance upgrade is also metal, but I don’t have that one to compare)
Speaking of uniball, while I’m normally a fountain pen adherent, my go to non-fountain pen is the uniball eye. Such a surprisingly nice pen for the price, and while it’s not exactly the same, because it’s a liquid ink roller ball it’s still much nicer to write with because you don’t have to apply pressure to make it write.
Random list but I am told I am a unpaid ambassador for:
- Vitamix
- Zero inbox for work
- Stoic mindfulness / negative visualizations / Momento Mori
- Birkenstocks , even if they went a bit downhill
- Star Trek
- Chimes peanut butter ginger candy
- Tea…in general
- Merino wool socks
- Lemmy
Don’t skimp on anything that separates you from the ground: shoes, tires, mattress, etc. Your body will thank you later
Try leave everyone and everything better than you find it.
Respect is given
Disrespect is earned
Learn to be curious. Don’t know that word, define it. Never heard of that person. Wikipedia. Ever wonder how a combustion engine works. Look it up. I grew up when I had to write things down and go the library. We live in an age of wonder with unlimited knowledge at your fingertips. There is no excuse for ignorance today. You’re just being indolent. Learn to be curious 🧐
Also. Admit when you are wrong and apologize.
Sugar alternatives like allulose and monkfruit have been making my life so much better recently. A little more pricey than sugar, but so much better for you and allows me to keep enjoying a sweet cup of tea in the morning without any of the downsides
Why are there so many writing utensil suggestions in this thread? I haven’t written anything down physically in years, I don’t even know why you’d need a pencil or paper anymore.
Musicians need pencils and erasers to work with sheet music. The music itself is printed, but you still need to write down fingering, dynamics markings, tempo markings, highlight ideas/themes/passages, etc…
because I can write something down, right now, without trying to boot up a device, find an app, open a word processor, or anything.
and it stays, exactly as is. interuptions dont risk losing it. power outages wont make it disappear. dead batteries wont render it inaccessable. Software update wont render it corrupt.
Three is a certain quality to writing things down. It is a nice break from screens, makes you contemplate and elaborate on your thoughts. It works that way for me.
Also, writing things down physically has become almost painful for me. I do have atrocious handwriting, which probably contributes to this feeling.
Have you tried fountain pens?
I try to avoid purchases of tools to accommodate activities that I don’t do
Yeah, that’s fair. I suggest them only because they’re a bit easier on the hands
