Michael Brooks
@michael
Michael Brooks
This constant addition and subtraction of experiences can keep us mindful that we are in a continual state of fluidity. There is no set list of qualities that define who we are, so there is no reason to panic if you feel a shift occurring.
Lawrence Yeo • Death: The Roommate of Life - More To That
Here are some other techniques people use to access and maintain the zone:
- Introducing a long delay between when you do the work and when it is shown to the world. Annie Ernaux writes about this in A Simple Passion, a memoir about how she becomes obsessed in a banal way with a man who is having an affair with her—the thought that others will read
Henrik Karlsson • Notes | Substack
Repair and remain sounds simple because it is. But simple is not the same as easy. “For better, for worse,” we say, and everyone likes to stay when it’s the better.
Kurt Armstrong • Repair and Remain
Repair and remain. Work with what you’ve got. Sit still for a moment, take stock, make some changes. Big changes, if necessary.
Kurt Armstrong • Repair and Remain
The mismatch between past and present doesn’t seem trivial to me — if the “you” of today can so blithely disregard the “you” of yesterday, then it follows that the “you” I’m talking to now might very well not be the one who shows up for our date tomorrow. There’s a kind of unpredictable change that seems to lie outside of the virtues of growth and... See more
Duncan Sabien • The Levers of the Soul
This state the importance of unread books in a library. They're the reflection of the things we don't know. Just like Empty notes are better than no notes at all, it's a very socratic approach, considering his famous quote:
Knowing this, we should not expect the proportion of unread books in our library to decrease.... See more
What I know is that I know nothing
Knowing this, we should not expect the proportion of unread books in our library to decrease.... See more
Antilibrary - My second-brain
Run an article through the four-part musicality test. It’s no guarantee of clarity, but clear and intriguing writing tends to do well on all measures.
- Writing rhythm —do the sentences vary? Color code them: 1-3 words yellow, 4-8 red, 9-13 green, 13+ blue.
- Article form —does the structure vary in a subtle, pleasant way?
- Argument harmony —is it
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