The Deleted Scenes - Storage Is Retrieval
Now that I have close to 1,000 distinct pieces of writing, just here at this newsletter, I’m running into the problem of “where did I write [some general idea]?” How do you make a body of internet-based work findable and searchable? I do have a spreadsheet where I record headlines and links. But I don’t have offline, searchable text of every piece. I’m at the point where I risk rewriting the same exact thing and thinking I’m doing it for the first time! It’s the same sort of question as how to organize your pots and pans. It reminds me of when I was a kid and I’d be told to clean my room, so I’d stuff everything into the closet. An avalanche waiting to happen as soon as you try to get or move any particular thing thrown in there. Maybe this is something I’ve read before and forgotten the source, but it makes me think of a phrase: storage is retrieval. Putting something away is no good unless you can get it back without a whole lot of concealed work waiting for you. This is something I think about with work, but also at home. It’s one of those high-level bits of wisdom (I despise the term “life hack”) that helps you design frustration out of your everyday life. Another bit of wisdom, for example, is always use the right tool for the job. It’s fascinating how much friction and frustration can come from having a work boot a half-size too small, or not wearing a hat when you think you’ll be in the garden for 10 minutes on a sunny day but it ends up being an hour. Or trying to use the pointy bottom of a broken garden solar light to dig out the dirt between patio bricks. Or not clearing the counter before starting to cook. Or leaving the dirty Pyrex in the oven and forgetting it’s in there when you crank up the broiler the next evening. (Yes, I know from experience.)... Subscribe to The Deleted Scenes to read the rest.Become a paying subscriber of The Deleted Scenes to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content. A subscription gets you:
|
Older messages
New and Old #159
Friday, April 26, 2024
Friday roundup and commentary ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Preserving Process
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Sometimes someone else says it best ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Butchered Literature
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
What Do You Think You're Looking At? #159 ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Serendipity And Proximity
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Thoughts on the psychological costs of distance ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Hit Me With Your Best (Anti-Urbanism) Shot
Monday, April 22, 2024
If we're wrong, how and why are we wrong? ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
You Might Also Like
The Chic Flat Shoe Everyone Is Wearing Right Now
Thursday, May 9, 2024
See ya later, boots.
the dissonance intensifies
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
are we in a dystopian YA novel or something? ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
The Only Two Times You Can Effectively Multitask
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Are Trump Fans Really Wearing Diapers? Multitasking decreases the quality of your output. However, if you feel you have no choice, these are the best times to try to make it work. Not displaying
Sydney Sweeney's Spicy LBD Has Massive Hip Cut-Outs
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Plus, your horoscope for Wednesday, May 8.
Are Student Protestors Graduating or Not?
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
What's new today on the Cut — covering style, self, culture, and power, plus interviews, profiles, columns, and commentary from our editors. Brand Logo WEDNESDAY, MAY 8 power Am I Graduating or Not
Is homemade seafood stock worth it?
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
This meatless burger restaurant is ready to takeover NYC
Brooke Shields Is Funny, Damn It
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Welcome to TZR's Summer Fashion Issue.
"And as we forgot the dark, we forgot even the rain"
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
May 8, 2024 asian / pacific american heritage month “My Father's Accent” by Kaveh Akbar “Even the Rain” by Agha Shahid Ali “Ode to Anger” by Marilyn Chin “Seawall soliloquy number two: she built a
WIN prizes to upgrade your backyard from the Southern Living Plant & Home Collection!
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Bless This Backyard Sweepstakes
A Long Climb
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
What Do You Think You're Looking At? #161 ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏