Language-learning anecdotes
Some anecdotes from my various experiences learning languages, including Urdu, Polish, Latin, and American Sign Language.
It started with an idea.
An idea to make April Fools a day that's more than just a worldwide cringefest. An idea that quickly attracted sympathizers. We got started with a small group of people in 2022, but in the following years, anyone can participate!
The idea is pretty simple: on April Fools' Day (also known as “April 1st”), a participant produces genuine content that's very different from their normal produced content. It could be a different format, a different topic, a different style, anything. The constraints are:
For example, some might normally post complex software engineering content to their blog. But this April Fools' Day, they are publishing an essay on microscopy, how they got into it, and what it means to them, complete with a gallery of their favorite microscopy photos.
Or, if someone typically writes text, they could make a video instead. Or show off their hobby (like juggling, or cooking, or creative writing, …)
Anything that makes the creator proud, but would be totally unexpected to their audience.
We figure that this is a great way to be excited about a much broader range of things, things you normally don't get a chance to, and it'll be surprising and enriching for readers (or watchers, or listeners). The spirit of April Fools' Day without any of the cringe.
Want to contribute? See the FAQ below for instructions.
Some anecdotes from my various experiences learning languages, including Urdu, Polish, Latin, and American Sign Language.
A playlist for the times to come
A video about the most important kitchen tool for hot pot and more
On impact and building self-reliance with computers.
Interpreting the work of my favourite fashion designer in five looks
A summary of how I brew coffee at home
A reflection on how I came to buy a pair of Superstars every year for the last 20 years.
Embrace whimsy in your everyday.
Miyazaki, Shinkai, and pushing through dreams to reality
Building your own cryptographic protocols, and why you probably shouldn't.
The best videogames to try if you haven't played games before.
Using data to answer the ultimate gamer question - why am I so bad?
How I use Anki in an unconventional way to generate ideas and learn more intensely
I'm asking you to make more words. New words. Strange words. Specific words.
Read about some questionable financial decisions I’ve made recently.
How to minimise time-to-sandwich in the kitchen
A beginner-friendly introduction to an advanced topic in theoretical computer science.
Advice and suggestions for running an occasional, low-committment TTRPG game night.
The book cover promises 'statistics from more than 12,000 software projects.' A friend remarked that they couldn't imagine anything less useful than that. Were they right? I dug in.
How I repaired a washing machine that it turned out it was not broken. (Italian 🇮🇹)
At some point I wondered what the actual yearly interest of my portfolio is? Let’s figure it out.
How reliably does chatgpt generate correct answers?
A letter to and about the things that made me what I am.
The strangest hardware problem I've ever had to debug.
How to avoid wasting time telling singers where to start
Some quick and easy recipes that my family like eating
Is 'Daniel' the oldest name still popular today?
About one and a half years ago, we moved to a place with a decently-sized garden. Initially confused about whether to do anything with it, let alone what to do with it, I somehow ended up slowly becoming a gardener. Despite my total and utter cluelessness, now we have raised beds.
I love books, games and movies. So I thought why not show off some of my favorites?
Decaf has a bad reputation. How did it get this reputation, and should it still?
I skateboard, so that automatically makes me cool, right? Right??
I've collected Minecraft screenshots for 5 years and it's time they did something other than sit on my hard drive
I've been curious about hydroponic gardening for a long time, and over the winter I managed to raise my first successful crop of lettuce!
This March we witnessed history of sumo. What Takerufuji did what seemed impossible.
When life puts you in a specific groove, it is hard to get to another groove.
Things I've tried with my three-year-old that worked.
The history and design of the ultimate ice cream machine
The saga of Nat, the non-binary ninja
Some notes on learning to crochet tiny cacti.
Personal headcannon of the origin and discovery of Spice in Dune
Three vignettes on finding and hiring great people by playing Moneyball
Have you ever seen those lists of weird things you can buy online? It’s always just novelties and gag gifts. I’m much more interested in the weird things with a legitimate use case
Cutting corners to make quick single-portion Hainanese chicken rice
The communal activity of making friendship bracelets, revisited in my thirties
Why did you call yourself spigo900, of all things?
Media gives you listicles. Like a disease
How fast to sing sixteenth century church music
I will give you tips to eat while running, and also talk about different marathon foods I have tried, and what I like or dislike about them
Seeing the world through a new (40x) lens
Cocktails as craftsmanship, and an ode to the variety of ingredients and techniques that can turn any flavor into a beverage
Most tests are tests of speed, not tests of knowledge. Improve your speed to improve your results!
What science, art, and humor have to say about what error is and how it should make you feel
A translation of the first five poems of the Midaregami, a historic (and extremely good) compilation of poetry. Three of them have never been seen in English before!
Would you like to learn a skill that will make your life objectively worse? Great! Here's how to read ROT13
How to use social graphs to price different types of freelance services
All my hottest takes on hot (and cold) coffee
Add yours? Read on.