Little Talk:

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How Much Dull Routine Of Existence Does A Man Require?

My current answer:

1. waking up

2. morning / afternoon session

3. afternoon / evening session

4. evening / night session

5. winding down

waking up:

1. wake up

2. tether the phone

3. go back to bed and stare out the window a bit

4. change into work or exercise clothes

morning / afternoon session:

1. 5 minute warm up

2. check e-mail

3. 5 minute meditation

4. first breakfast (with coffee)

5. reading, perhaps writing

6. second breakfast, if hungry

7. exercise

8. shower

afternoon / evening session:

1. lunch

2. browse the news (if you want)

3. work (if you want. Perhaps, even if you don't want)

4. tea

5. work (if you want) 

6. clean the inbox (if you want)

7. read the newspaper (if you want)

8. break (if you want) 

evening / night session:

1. dinner

2. short walk after dinner (or something similar)

3. 5 minute cool down

4. check e-mail

5. 5 minute meditation

6. watch tv (if you want)

7. read (if you want)

8. work (if you want)

winding down:

1. untether the phone

2. turn off the laptop

3. pace around and stretch a bit

4. fall asleep

Besides being dull, this routine is probably a bit too rigid. Life will usually get in the way, I think. But, sometimes it doesn't.

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How Much Technical Reading Does A Man Require?

My current answer:

absolute max: four chapters in a week

I have never read four chapters in a week. At least, not recently. But it's possible. I suppose.

comfortable max: two chapters in a week

I have read two chapters in a week.

comfortable default: one chapter in a week or fortnight

One chapter in a week is certainly possible. My current opinion, however, is that one chapter in a fortnight is more sustainable, and runs less risk of reading theatre, as opposed to the genuine article.

I do remember a funny incident when my younger cousin pretended to be able to read the newspaper, and improvised a comic strip in order to sustain the deception. Lies and deceit are perhaps the foundation of all good improv.

comfortable min: one chapter in a fortnight or month

absolute min: one chapter in a month or season

My idea of what "one chapter" means probably comes from The C Programming Language, by Kernighan and Ritchie. 8-ish chapters, 250-ish pages. Perhaps the right speed to work through K & R is somewhere in between two weeks and two seasons.

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How Much Diet & Exercise Does A Man Require?

My current answer:

normal diet rules:

1. three meals and two snacks

2. 20-100 minutes of exercise a day

3. two or three treats

diet diet rules:

1. 40-200 minutes of exercise a day

2. three meals and one snack, or two meals and two snacks

3. one or two treats

4. get some exercise after dinner

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How Much Web-Surfing Does A Man Require?

My current answer:

two peeks and two pokes

peek #1: morning

peek #2: morning / afternoon

poke #1: afternoon / evening

poke #2: evening / night

rules for peek #1 (I think):

1. check email and messages

2. perhaps listen to 5 or 10 minutes of an audio book

3. perhaps a quick glance at the news 

4. consider avoiding the social media, the podcasts, and the bushes

https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4519591/user-clip-america-stay-bushes

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Next post: October 29, 2023