be frugal and content

7 minute read

new room

I've moved into a room, min 4 month stay time. It's a big room, west facing, private balcony. €425 a month, with expenses being another probably €25 on top. It's a "coliving" set up, so there's 10 rooms in the apartment. A shared kitchen, 4 bathrooms. One room has it's own bathroom, so it's 4 bathrooms between 9 rooms. The kitchen is not very organised, but I've seen worse. I might do a little clean, I might not. There's no detergent or tea towel, it's not clear if that's always like that or just for now. A sign in the kitchen say's everyone buys 1 detergent and 1 rubbish bag a month, and that should be enough. I agree, but I've lived in shared housing my whole life, and it truly is like herding cats. I want coliving to be good, I don't know how? Anyway, it pays to wait a little. It's easy to think I know the problems and solutions on sight, the classic new guy vision.

Even if the kitchen were horrible (it wasn't), my room is still fantastic. I'm really happy with it.

nova roupa da cama

I went looking for sheets yesterday, but I've got a mild cold and didn't eat much. I got a lot of decision paralysis and started to stress myself out. I bought a chocolate bar and left the shopping centre, planning to head to IKEA to see if things were cheaper. I waited a while for the bus and ate the chocolate. My head cleared a little, and the bus didn't show. I went back and bought some towels, pillows, pillow cases and a bottom sheet. Flip flopped a little on the pillows, but ultimately decided it was worth it. 2 pillows is luxurious, and lets me prop up in bed to watch movies on my laptop. The clarity was in not trying to buy everything; Duvet, topsheet, duvet cover. More stuff is more stuff, and I have a sleeping bag that works fine. I will get some kind of blanket, in time, but I don't want to rush it and buy crap. I want something that is either re-sellable, or a great gift. I also thought it doesn't have to be a "classic duvet". Why not a top sheet and a knitted blanket? I walked into the shop chained to some assumptions about what a bed needs, without thinking about what I need, what I have, and what purpose each thing serves.

caffeine withdrawal

I also realise now I didn't have a coffee, and was almost definitely dealing with caffeine withdrawal. When I got home I found the bottom sheet I bought was 10cm too short; I assumed the "casal" sizing was always 140 - 160, but sometimes it is actually only 140. €12 down the drain! I'm lucky it wasn't more, I'm lucky I held off.

The temptation to buy things, to accumulate, is so strong.

routine slipping, tending towards anxiety

I hadn't written in my notebook (or here) for a week, anxiety and disorganisation were seeping in. Having the privacy of a room, and a nice little desk to write at, could be a game changer? The brief routine I formed while at the hostel was really good, and fun. I enjoyed the library, I enjoyed walking around the neighbourhood. I had structure to hang my thoughts on. I got things done! I realised how little I know about how to study.

study tools

I realised how little I know about how to study. Like, how to know something well. Most of what I know is tacit knowledge

Tacit knowledge or implicit knowledge is knowledge that is difficult to extract or articulate—as opposed to conceptualized, formalized, codified, or explicit knowledge—and is therefore more difficult to convey to others through verbalization or writing.

I think this is what I wanted to address by getting better at writing (not sure if I am getting better at writing, but I am at least doing more of it). I've read thoughts on "writing as thinking", that it's a tool for developing and clarifying ideas. I feel frustrated at the depth of my enjoyment of things like art and poetry, and the shallowness of the words I use to try to share that enjoyment. Language does have limits as to what it can express - but I'm far off from those limits yet.

I found some good advice on how to study from this guy on reddit, with step-by-step actions. It included things like dealing with distraction, how to take notes in a lecture, and how to get started. I'm saving the text to my local folders for reference, this is the one that dealt with how to actually study something. I find it easy to read things, but a lot of the information doesn't stick. The read > make mind map > read again > expand mindmap > then create notes process is good, and easy enough to pick up and start to understand what parts are working and what parts aren't. I haven't done the memorization part yet, I don't have a printer. Will try with my e-reader?

I'm trying to cover some grammar basics that I never properly went over, things like prepositions, and certain tenses I never clarified. Yesterday I learnt (for the nth time) the "present perfect tense", except in portuguese it's "Pretérito perfeito composto do indicativo" and used slightly differently. It refers to something that happened regularly in the past, and continues happening now or up until now.

continues happening now

I've been eating well. I was recommended a place to go for a francesinha and it did not dissapoint. Very well made, good quality ingredients, hot. Good sauce.

I had a nice simple "menu" style meal in the sun on monday. "Menu" usually refers to a main that comes with soup, bread, and a drink. I had a chicken schnitzel, accompanied by rice, simple salad, and hot chips. It is hard to find something here that isn't accompanied by chips.

I'm really impressed by the kebabs here. They're really diffent to the ones in Aus. Served in a flat bun instead of a wrap, and the garlic sauce is creamy and sweet, not tangy. The one I had recently was served with a side of said sauce and also a nice budget periperi sauce. I forgot that periperi is a portuguese thing!

I made a nice carrot and potato soup the other day. Plenty of chicken stock and cream was included, and it was delicious.

what else

The techniques for study made me wonder if I could find something similar for cleaning and tidying. It doesn't come naturally to me, and I feel a bit lost for things like: which drawer is best for what in my set of drawers? What goes in the wardrobe? What goes in the side table? I know I can learn by use, but sure someone more organised than me has done some writing? I'll do some research and find out.

I've made a start towards a workspace like my old notion "sillage" space.

The main window is the workspace, in this shot it's got neovim open as I write this entry. The top right uses viu to display one of my favourite paintings and the bottom right uses less to display a poem by Alejandra Pizarnick.

Cold In Hand Blues by Alejandra Pizarnik

1. and what are you going to say
2. I'm going to say only something
3. and what are you going to do?
4. I'm going to hide myself in language
5. and why?
6. I am afraid

The bottom right also has on-top my pomodoro timer app - Pompom. I'm thinking about writing a cli version, then I can include it in a small panel.

Sun / Wei Chi

I consulted the i-ching earlier, here's the reading

cast: ䷨

changing lines 1 and 4

41 - Forty-one Sun / Decrease

The stoic Mountain drains its excess waters to the Lake below: The Superior Person curbs his anger and sheds his desires.

To be frugal and content is to possess immeasurable wealth within. Nothing of value could be refused such a person. Make a portion of each meal a share of your offering.

transformed: ䷿

64 - Sixty-Four Wei Chi / The End In Sight

Fire ascends above the Water: The Superior Person examines the nature of things and keeps each in its proper place.

Too anxious the young fox gets his tail wet, just as he completes his crossing. To attain success, be like the man and not like the fox.

listening to

NTS has a great show called "The Early Bird Show".

• The Early Bird Show w/ Jack Rollo

questions

• What's the plan for workouts?
• Where was I before the disorientation?