He threw the ball as high as he could.
I threw the ball as I high as I could.
Taking turns until mommy called us in.
䷙䷍
the headboard of a young bull
great good fortune
GRIZZLY PEAR
He threw the ball as high as he could.
I threw the ball as I high as I could.
Taking turns until mommy called us in.
䷙䷍
the headboard of a young bull
great good fortune
Last year, my friend recommended the book when it was still available online.
It was engrossing and depressing.
Dalio uses monetary policy to diagnose what ails our country — decay and dissention within, decadence and coasting upon the gains of the past.
It’s good to be a citizen of the empire, but the throne is never comfortable. It doesn’t help that China is rising as our internal polarization threatens to tear us apart.
I’m not an economist nor a historian, so it’s hard to judge these claims. There are plenty of counternarratives predicting an impending Chinese economic collapse with demographic decline.
Either way, Ray Dalio spins a plausible narrative, but he doesn’t help with the hard part. What should an individual do in this market? After reading the book, I looked him up on youtube. All he says is that beating the market is really hard. It all leaves you in a swamp of doom, without much hope.
If he’s right, then we’re due for another round of painful renewal. The best scenario is to restart the cycle, and wish for the best for our kids.
The other scenario? Get ready to hit the road again.
䷒䷵
After my investing kick over the past few months, I’ve soured on Dalio. His predictions might be right or wrong, but it would only be coincidental to his analysis, which is thinner than it appears.
Ultimately he’s a salesman for his business. Doom and gloom will always sell.
I don’t regret skimming the book, but I can’t recommend it.
I was clashing with a difficult personality on a project, especially after they misrepresented what we had requested in earlier meetings.
So I called someone who is great at dealing with difficult parties – subcontractors.
My friend gave a few great tips.
Prepare ahead of each meeting. Force the other party to prepare clear agendas and use them to plan ahead. Try to avoid being blindsided. Be ready to present a trail of actual facts.
A difficult individual often starts on the offensive and relies upon momentum to quell dissention. If things are moving fast, interrupt them. Better to be impolite early than to lose your temper later.
And finally, remember this great experience when the stakes are low. Best to develop these skills before jumping into big projects with high stakes.
It’s not easy dealing with difficult personalities. Hopefully I avoided becoming one on this project!
~
This short film is great. And that’s before I found out that Ian Hubert created this contemplative cyberpunk world all by himself.
Often, under the influence of wine, Liu Ling would behave in a completely free and unrestrained manner, sometimes even stripping off his clothes and sitting stark naked in the middle of his room. Once, when others saw him in this state and chided him for it, Ling famously retorted, “Heaven and Earth are my pillars and roof, my house and its rooms are my trousers and jacket. Pray, what are you gentlemen doing in my trousers?”
From John Minford’s commentary on “8. Water” of the Tao Te Ching.
~
~
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Justus Pang, RA
Mowing the lawn
A dark green oval
Bisected by an orange cord.
䷟䷯
no game in the field
They made another boat.
A little larger.
A lot more orderly.
“All passengers must wear socks! Captain’s orders!” she said.
䷓䷾
contemplation of my life
decides the choice
between advance and retreat
A green bedsheet, a grey rug, and a pink yoga mat on the floor.
A dining table; two chairs.
An easel.
A pink towel. A green towel. A white baby blanket.
A youtube video of a thunderstorm.
Two flashlights.
A ship on the high seas.
䷇䷬
on the earth is water
the image of holding together
As an audiobook, this was an hour-long collection of silly kid’s songs.
My ears perked up during the credits. Tony Trischka was the banjo player.
He’s a legend, even at the time of recording. He wrote the three finger bluegrass instructional book that came with my banjo from the 5th String in Berkeley.
Wild how one can be among the best in the world, but still end up working in an oddball children’s CD.
I also wonder what it was like for the Jack Prelutsky. Must be intimidating to be recording on a kazoo with that kind of firepower backing you up.
䷘
No complaints. The girl had fun, and I guffawed a few times. I’d listen to it again, though not by myself.
The boy got his second shot.
After dinner, he said he was tired.
But didn’t fall asleep.
At his usual bedtime, we tried an old method.
推车
I pushed him around in an office chair.
Big lazy loops in the kitchen and dining room.
That didn’t work either.
䷚䷂
it furthers one to cross the great water
My wife played Mastermind.
The boy gave the correct clues to guess his code.
At his age, my daughter and I spent hours crafting Candyland variants.
Tomorrow he’ll be her age.
What shall we play?
䷧䷮
if there is no longer anything where one has to go
return brings good fortune
We’re watching Stephen Malinowski’s “Music Animations” on Youtube over dinner.
It’s great for seeing the structure of fugues.
But he ranges far beyond the baroque, and our dinner concerts have exposed us to a wider range of classical music.
Last night, the boy joyfully marched around to Sousa.
She’s repeatedly enjoyed the dissonance of Bartok’s From the Diary of a Fly.
And of course I’d be remiss if I did not mention the Goldberg Variations.
Malinowski’s website includes pages listing some initial recommendations, a list of youtube highlights, and how-to, all worth a visit.
䷾䷚
I was first introduced to his work at an Edward Tufte seminar while still in college. Soon after, I bought one of Malinowski’s early DVD’s. Even though it’s now all available for free, I’m happy to have supported his work before he became cool.
His patient labor over the decades (he barely monetizes his videos!) is a tantalizing sample of the optimistic internet we all expected in the 90’s.
Maybe the rest of us will get there someday.