Category Archives: Habits

First plogging and barefoot run of 2026

on April 11, 2026 in Doof, Habits

Longtime readers know I switched from running to plogging, which led to a bunch of media doing stories on me. I can’t help sharing the stories. The earliest I found was 2018: Then no posts on plogging for almost five years. I didn’t run for a while because somewhere around there I tore the meniscus in my left knee and the insurance company made me do a year of physical[…] Keep reading →

How I watch videos I find online: not online

on April 7, 2026 in Audio, Habits, Tips

The other day I happened to watch a video on YouTube not in my usual way and saw an ad there in the video for the first time in five years or so. The surprise prompted me to write how I watch videos I find online, as well as listen to podcasts. I almost never watch videos I find online online. I download them using a browser plugin. I used[…] Keep reading →

What’s with toothpaste globs in sinks and pointless hot water use?

on April 3, 2026 in Habits, HandsOnPracticalExperience, Nonjudgment, PollutionAndDepletion

Living in New York City means eventually many people will pass through my neighborhood so I host people for visits in my home a fair amount. Though I spend most of my time here and visitors average maybe a few hours a week, I think they cause more pollution and depletion in my apartment than I do. One big reason is that they use hot water for everything and heating[…] Keep reading →

Rediscovering “The bigger your achievement, the more it’s a beginning” through Turkish Get-Ups

on April 2, 2026 in Awareness, Fitness, Habits, SIDCHAs

Almost a decade ago I wrote a post The bigger your achievement, the more it’s a beginning. The effect applies all over in life, but my usual way of describing it is with marathons. Today, I’m posting about completing Turkish Get-Ups, but I’ll give context with marathons. Context with marathons Before you finish a marathon, it seems like a superhuman feat, even knowing that millions of people have run them.[…] Keep reading →

Unnecessary words that distract and detract

on March 13, 2026 in Habits

Maybe it’s just me, but some extraneous words and phrases bother me like fingernails on chalkboards. I can’t think of all of them now, but I wanted to start since if I wait until I think of them all, I might never start. I’ll add more as they come to me. “Go ahead and…”: These words add no value. I think the person using them thinks they make them sound[…] Keep reading →

Started a new razor today, my first in almost a year

on March 12, 2026 in Habits, HandsOnPracticalExperience

Regular readers know I pick up litter daily. I’ve gotten good at noticing things that people have left on the ground that aren’t litter. I don’t remember exactly when, but probably about two years ago, I saw a box just sitting on the sidewalk. It seemed connected to nothing and when I picked it up and looked around, nobody claimed it. Things like this box sitting there happen all the[…] Keep reading →

Why consistency? Self-awareness and integrity

on March 7, 2026 in Awareness, Fitness, Freedom, Habits, SIDCHAs

I write about sidchas and standard procedures a fair amount. I don’t remember how often I clarify the main reasons for doing them. You might think the point of fitness-related ones to be fitness. I’m proud of fitness results, but they’re more a side effect. One of the big benefits is mental freedom. I think many people consider diet and exercise sources of stress, never knowing if they’re doing enough[…] Keep reading →

“All it is is pain”: Skier Jessie Diggins on discovering her potential

on March 4, 2026 in Awareness, Fitness, Habits, SIDCHAs

I don’t pretend to be operating at the level of a top Olympic athlete in one of the most grueling sports (though my resting heart rate of 38 bpm probably indicates something) but the words of Jessie Diggins quoted below have resonated with me. Who is she? According to Wikipedia: She is the most accomplished cross-country skier from the United States in the sport’s history having won three World Cup[…] Keep reading →

Podcasts and blogs I follow

on February 26, 2026 in Audio, Habits, Podcast

I’ve written lately about podcasts I follow. It seems like I should share what I follow. I may be biased, but I recommend mine most: This Sustainable Life: Podcasts and blogs I subscribe to: This Sustainable Life: Solve for Nature, by Eugene Bible: Eugene contacted me about my podcast and work. We got to know each other. He started a sibling podcast to mine, practicing the Spodek Method with his[…] Keep reading →

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