Category: A Matter of Time
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How many steps ahead?
Thinking one step ahead is generally a good idea. When you anticipate what will happen, you can prepare a response. Most people will not think a step ahead, so you’re in a good position by doing this simple planning. Two steps ahead can be helpful as well, if you want to get ahead of the…
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When a detour is the best route
You are on a road trip. The fastest path to your destination has no fuel stations, and your car is running low. An alternate path has several fuel stations, and it requires a detour—taking you an extra hour or two. Which path will you take? Sometimes, it’s most useful to go directly towards your goal.…
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Perpetual beginner
This month, Grant Snider is writing one Haiku and making a drawing with it every day. He posts them at his website. At his Substack, he dives into the creative process, and shares the stories behind the scenes. “Maybe when it comes to art, I’m not a master. I’m a perpetual beginner,” he writes. This…
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More ways to write every day
Some more openings (as in chess) for how I write every day: 1. When I find an interesting idea, I write it down in a sentence or two. Usually this takes place in the Notes app on my phone. If I’m near my laptop, I’ll write it in Airtable. This is the most reliable opening…
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A birthday is a reminder
My wife and I adopted our cat three years ago. She was very vocal and energetic. She loved jumping around. She ate a lot of food. Her relative youthfulness made it very easy to forget her age. She recently turned 14, the cat equivalent to a 72-year-old person. She sleeps a little more now, jumps…
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Philip Glass’s composing practice
Philip Glass’s memoir, Words Without Music, has been very energizing to read. One of the more interesting passages describes how he developed more rigorous work habits to accommodate his learning at Juilliard. In order to better focus on composing music, Philip set a goal to sit at a piano at home for three hours. He…
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Meditations, with art
When you spend time with a piece of art, you’ll feel much calmer after. This is a great way to practice meditating. The National Gallery posts meditations with art. These videos are brief, usually no more than five minutes. The New York Times also posts 10 minute challenges with art, once a month. You can…