arcticorangutan
Arctic Orang-Utan

https://medium.com/@soirbleu

Life, Movement and Money through a mindful and conscious lens.
Bitcoin and ⚡️ node runner

Public Key

npub1lem4kp0fmrqada46zdns53w42pxj79xlgwq4m3fyy0j09mrza6hqh3y3sy

NIP-57 Address

yellowoctopus4@primal.net

Profile Code

nprofile1qqs0ua6mqh5a3swk76apxec2gh24qnf0zn058q2ac5jz8e8ja33watskpkja9

Author Public Key

npub1lem4kp0fmrqada46zdns53w42pxj79xlgwq4m3fyy0j09mrza6hqh3y3sy

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Last Notes

2024-11-12 09:01:44

I’m becoming more unbearable by the minute

2024-10-31 08:59:33

Happy Bitcoin Whitepaper Day!

2024-10-29 20:24:32

Isolating subtle movements
If you’ve been reading Soir Bleu for a while, you’ll know that I’m an avid freediver. While depth is only one way of measuring success in this sport (and a dangerous metric to become obsessed with), it certainly is a good proxy to gauge the quality of the diver’s technique. Without a solid technique, increased depths will remain elusive.
Recently my depths have plateaued. While unfortunately timed colds and sub-optimal conditions played a role, the key issue has been my equalization technique, which has been, up to this point, mainly intuitive and hardly a result of deliberate practice.
And as I enter a deliberate practice of my Frenzel equalization (with odd devices like this), a whole universe of subtle movements is being revealed to me, that had heretofore been wholly unconscious.
As I learn to isolate subtle movements of jaw, diaphragm, tongue, soft palate and abdominals. and become aware of them, I am confident that my technique and results will improve.
But more importantly, becoming more conscious of these parts of my anatomy, is translating into other areas of my life. It turns out that all these body parts perform essential aspects of our physiology and when used inefficiently can cause real issues in the long run.
In other words, technique typically translates into greater excellence in one domain of life, but in many cases it unveils whole new areas of improvement in others.
https://m.primal.net/LmOY.png
Georges Seurat’s “Le Chahut” (1889/90)

2024-10-15 20:33:37

At this point, we're just waiting to see which short sellers make it out in time...

2024-10-14 17:18:16

Conspiracy corner
We often realize how important our health is only once we get sick.
It is probably the most important thing we can care about. And yet most of us do not realize that we we tend to do things every day that deteriorate our health and that we are immersed in a system that actively promotes this.
Don’t take it from me, take it from these Stanford educated siblings (https://open.spotify.com/episode/14XV2p3zAYVWPt7F2hpP9Z?si=330e6a658f6d4835) who were both deeply ingrained in our healthcare system - one as a doctor, the other as an employee at Pfizer - and who just could not stand it anymore.
If you do not understand how serious the allegations are that these two make against the food and healthcare system and how deep the implications are for us and our children, I do not think there is a way to make it more clear for you.
If your knee jerk reaction is to cry “conspiracy theory”, it is because you, too are captured by the system.
Here are a few things the companies and the scientists and bureaucrats they pay, do not want you to know or express:
- Being healthy is actually pretty simple and it is not something that can be easily monetized: it consists of good, unprocessed food, sleep, exercise and relationships.
- All leading causes of death (heart disease, cancer, diabetes and Alzheimers) in our population are metabolic diseases, triggered by dysfunctional mitochondria.
- Viruses hardly ever kill a metabolically healthy person - almost all Covid casualties could have been prevented if we were a metabolically healthy population.
- Pharmaceuticals are often necessary to resolve an acute medical problem or condition like an infection (antibiotics). But they are almost never a silver bullet for chronic disease - in these situations they usually mask or relocate the problem without addressing its root cause (SSRIs, statins, now Ozempic). If a doctor is telling you otherwise, they are a drug dealer, not a serious doctor.
- Vaccines are actually problematic and like anything else you inject into your body, should be treated with care: There are no studies proving that the combination of the many vaccines we expose our children to at a vulnerable age, do not cause serious long term issues - the rates of autism, asthma, allergies and other chronic diseases have skyrocketed since the broad prescription of vaccines. And vaccines are likely to play a role.
- Most of the “science” proving that a given pharmaceutical is safe, is funded by Big Pharma. And Big Pharma is paying billions of dollars every year to settle lawsuits over pharmaceuticals that proved to not be safe after all.
- Doctors are often very well intended but they are not perfect. And they often swim in a sea of bad incentives: “Every patient who is going to enter this ward, is going to get a surgery, whether they need it or not”. If all you have is a hammer you are going to see nails everywhere.
If you listen to your intuition on a lot of the above, you’ll know that this is true.
Let me be very clear what I am not saying: I am not saying that there is a lifestyle that is going to guarantee us infinite health. I am also not saying that there is not the odd person that is just unlucky with respect to the genetic lottery. I am also not saying that pharmaceuticals can never help.
I am saying: If you are responsible for your own health or especially for that of your children you owe it to yourself and them to hold your healthcare providers to a very high standard. And you should question everything they say.

2024-10-13 10:30:21

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wow… what the fuck?

2024-10-11 20:04:27

Doing from being
Most of us are deeply attached to doing. From a young age, that is what our culture teaches us.
When I was 23 I took a detour into being. I had a feeling there was more to life than just running from one empty achievement to another.
When all you know is doing, learning to be brings you a little bit closer to the truth.
However, when you then become too enamored with being, it can lead you down a route of nihilism and reckless self-sufficiency.
So what I am learning next is to do from being. And I know that is where it all comes together.
https://m.primal.net/LSoh.png
Kanō Tsunenobu’s “Tiger Emerging from Bamboo” (1704-1713)

2024-10-08 22:16:00

100% agree. The Tao Te Ching is a magical text
#note1fdm…n36j

2024-10-08 22:15:00

Conceptual fight or flight
Picture two chess players, each contemplating their next move. While sitting completely still. And yet their heart rate, in a high stakes moment, can easily clock in at 160-170 bpm. If you’ve played chess, you’ve experienced this.
But you need not be a chess player to be familiar with an elevated heart rate while physically still.
We are the only species that is capable of taking concepts, mere ideas, so seriously that they trigger a physiological fight or flight response. For better or for worse.
And we are not born this way. It is worth contemplating how we go from a bundle of potentiality to an organism so deeply immersed in concept.
When we do, we realize that we can let go of concepts where they no longer serve us.
https://m.primal.net/LPIi.png
Ted Thai’s “Garry Kasparov” (1997-2002)

2024-10-02 21:17:26

Parental renunciation of sanctimony
When we become parents, and we take the job somewhat seriously, we have to renounce most of our remaining tendencies towards sanctimony.
What I mean by this is that our children don’t seem to care much about what we say. They care about what we do. And it is what we do, that they eventually emulate.
This should be a concern to most parents whose actions are not yet up to par, i.e. all of us.
As an example my wife and I are realizing that the only way to have a chance at defeating the impending invasion of the smartphone into our daughter’s life, is to be the kind of people who don’t fill the unforgiving minute with mindless entertainment.
Could there be a more beautiful invitation to finally change?
https://m.primal.net/LJAZ.png
Michelangelo’s “Doni Tondo (Doni Madonna)” (1507)

2024-09-26 10:58:41

man, watching the shorts be squeezed above 65k will be glorious

2024-09-23 09:31:13

This was going to be a post about Bob Dylan, but as the author of this humble publication I reserve the right to completely change my mind:
It is now a post about the greatest gift a serious dedication to meditation can give us: A profound sense that we will be fine, even if things don’t work out as we envision them, even if shit hits the proverbial fan.
This gift, of course, is founded on the recognition that who we think we are - an ego center with a bunch of problems - is not actually us.
Who we really are, our true nature, is sheltered from the storm the ego is engulfed by.
Have a great start to your week.
https://m.primal.net/KzAU.png
Edmund Blair Leighton ”In Time of Peril” (1897)

2024-09-08 20:56:00

Zero Tolerance
Our most important resource is arguably our attention. And other people, but especially corporations are increasingly and violently encroaching on it. We ought to have zero tolerance in the face of this entitlement.
Politeness is not the appropriate attitude towards someone who thinks they are entitled to sell you a product just because they have your number or email address or because you physically cross their path in the street.
If you want to defend your attention, you’ll have to be prepared to be unpleasantly clear about it. And to learn to block out the manifold, more sub-conscious bids for it from impudent advertisers.
https://m.primal.net/Kjzy.png
Richard Prince’s “Untitled (cowboy)” (1989)

2024-09-05 23:10:25

History coming to life
Today I enjoyed a very private tour (no one else showed up) through the Met’s American Art exhibit, which, like most of the museum, is a true marvel.
Growing up I enjoyed reading about history, but somehow it was always a very rational pursuit. In short, I mostly took what I read as a story or an interesting fact. I found it difficult to identify viscerally with the events, to truly put myself in the shoes of the people that experienced them.
Today I’m reminded that history, at its best, makes past events come to life: Descriptions of the life of dutch settlers sharing the island of Manhattan with only 500 other pioneers from a multitude of nationalities and backgrounds, Washington’s men crossing the Delaware during a freezing cold Christmas eve, the extravagance of the Vanderbilt’s gilded age.
How can one not be in awe of the fortitude, the creativity and resourcefulness, the insanity and obsession of those that came before us?
https://m.primal.net/KgBz.png
Emmanuel Leutze’s “Washington Crossing the Delaware” (1851)

2024-09-04 15:57:41

Running nostr from 30,000 ft - the new (couple of) mile high club

2024-09-03 18:55:58

The Woke Mind Virus - Part 2
In Part 1 I argued that while the social justice movement has an at least partially sound origin, its opponents are correct in characterizing it as a problem, or even a mind virus.
Here I want to suggest that this virus will not be stopped by trying to argue against it or by demonizing those who spread it. Viruses only become a problem when they encounter a weak host and bad ideas only spread when they fall on fertile ground.
Most radical movements in history have spread not for a lack of resistance but because they found support in a very frustrated population.
This movement is no different. Many people are deeply frustrated with their overall situation and a flawed social justice movement is one of their outlets. And an increasing number of people is encountering circumstances in their daily life that are not just frustrating but traumatizing, adding fuel to the fire.
This, the wounds and the trauma is what needs to be addressed. Not by giving in to every irrational and counterproductive demand. Not by arguing. But by proactively working on a new system that can hold and heal.
https://m.primal.net/Kcfg.png
Edward Hicks' "Peaceable Kingdom" (1832)

2024-09-02 20:41:07

The woke mind virus
This is not a post about how wrong the social justice movement is about everything.
Unlike Jordan Peterson I think that postmodernism has merit. He who studies existence through contemplation must recognize that reality is in fact much more fluid than our culture would have us believe, that absolute truths and duality are difficult to come by and that the solid self does not hold up to scrutiny.
And yet, those who have succumbed to the woke mind virus have thrown the baby of meaning out with the bath water of meta-narratives. Meaning can co-exist alongside ambiguity just like content can exist alongside emptiness.
In order to exist in the world we need to engage with it as a solid self. And we need to agree to certain landscapes of meaning. Now, clinging to that solid self and being overly committed to one particular landscape is the source of many an ailment of our culture, but denying the existence of any such structure is just as harmful.
Once again, we need to dance on the slackline of paradox in order to “make sense” of it.
https://m.primal.net/KbDd.png
William Frederick Yeames’s “And When Did You Last See Your Father?” (1878)

2024-09-02 09:36:54

How is anyone proactively choosing Microsoft 365 over Google Workspace?

2024-09-01 19:57:20

Life is not a dress rehearsal
Even if you’re not into motorcycles the film TT - Closer to the Edge ought to be on your watchlist.
It follows what must be one of the most dangerous races in the world, the Isle of Man’s Tourist Trophy.
The TT is not dangerous in the way other motorsport events are dangerous - it is critically and imminently lethally dangerous - since its launch in 1907 there have been 156 fatalities (6 of them in 2022 alone).
If you’re interested in how the existence of such a race can possibly be ethical, I’ll direct you to a read that goes into this difficult question much better than I could.
The reason I wanted to write about the TT race is due to a scene from the movie in which yet another casualty is reported and some of the spectators are interviewed about it. In one notable interview, a spectator addresses the question about whether this race should continue to exist with the answer:
“Life is not a dress rehearsal.”
Even for those of us who are not racing motorcycles, it is important to remember, from time to time, that we are going to die one day. And that this, right here, is it. This is opening night.
Have a great Monday!
https://m.primal.net/KZOD.png
Jean-Michel Basquiat’s "Riding With Death" (1988)

2024-08-30 18:34:55

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Primal

2024-08-30 18:01:22

Festina lente
Wisdom often consists of holding two opposing notions simultaneously. One example is the Latin proverb Festina lente - Make haste, slowly.
During my stay at the Japanese Zen monastery Antaiji I was able to experience the idea of festina lente first hand. Everything here had a place and time. And there were clear instructions for almost every task around the premises.
This made it easy to perform tasks or move between them swiftly but it also created an optimal and distraction-free environment to complete them mindfully.
The result was people who worked hastily, yet intentionally. Who rushed and who yet were mindful.
The result was flow, flow even during mundane tasks.
https://m.primal.net/KVfZ.png
M.C. Escher’s “Waterfall” (1961)

2024-08-29 12:18:01

All we need to regulate AI is to put it on a Bitcoin standard
@note1kmgsfpu97qgu8rag6sgv0rlta3q5xak9x9ku9zcsnf2c7qljwqas2fthqx

2024-08-29 09:58:34

Say hi to my Dad, @npub1cxd…xamn, surely the first chess Grandmaster on nostr!? Hit him up for conversations about chess, riding a motorcycle through Italy/the Alps and tobacco. 😉
#introductions #chess

2024-08-29 08:30:25

Honestly, this is valid feedback. Doesn't take away from the movement, but there need to be solutions to some of this.
https://m.primal.net/KTLE.png

2024-08-29 08:17:49

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Yes, Alby is a good and safe way of doing it! But curious if others have other ideas!

2024-08-29 07:55:08

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Two non custodial wallets that integrate with #nostr are: Alby, Phoenix

2024-08-28 17:58:43

Some of my relays are stale. Is there a list of relays you all recommend adding?

2024-08-28 14:08:20

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@npub12ak…6fdh
Markets are complicated but they're not that complicated. In the end it's supply and demand. And we know that a very large amount of #Bitcoin has recently been absorbed by ETFs.
Yes, there has been a lot of extraordinary selling on the supply side (including the German police, FTX, Mt. Gox etc.) but this has been the case every cycle.
I think that until all major custodians' holdings Bitcoin are audited, we as Bitcoiners should assume that another FTX (or even larger) is hiding in plain sight, thereby suppressing the price.

2024-08-28 13:56:28

Can someone explain what I'm missing? If I'm right then I think that this ought to be a key area of focus for @npub15dq…lm5m @npub1sg6…f63m and other influential bitcoiners. We need proper audits of all #bitcoin on exchanges!
#note10ln…cs33

2024-08-28 10:01:30

The only plausible way for so much incremental demand for #Bitcoin to not result in higher prices, is for a significant part of the supply to not be actual Bitcoin.
This is a real problem.

2024-08-28 09:56:52

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"growth through self-inquiry". Love that!

2024-08-28 09:53:30

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Welcome Ben!

2024-08-27 19:30:52

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What’s NIP42?

2024-08-27 17:42:45

Time starts now
After my ode to Steve McQueen and Paul Newman a couple of days ago I am now rewatching some of their movies starting with Bullitt.
One of the best scenes in the movie occurs when Jacqueline Bisset’s character asks Frank Bullitt “What will happen to us in time?” and he just responds “Time starts now”.
It’s all happening now. The past and future are an illusion. Worrying is pointless. And don’t you forget it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=aKg20DXBr-Qc8lmo&t=161&v=cWiljyh4NR4&feature=youtu.be

2024-08-26 19:23:50

Force of nature
This is my first but will not be the last post dedicated to Steve McQueen and Paul Newman.
You don’t find actors like these anymore today. They were carved out of a different wood.
Having watched The Hustler, Cool Hand Luke, Cincinnati Kid and many of their other films countless times, I can say that no actors have inspired me in the way that these two have.
They were a force of nature. They created characters, believably, that did not take no for an answer, that were stubborn and fearless. Characters who were flawed but who, in their flawedness, were full of integrity and strength.
Oh how refreshing to be in the presence, albeit through a silver screen, of someone who takes no prisoners, who is unyielding and who does not compromise just to please.
https://m.primal.net/KOQZ.png
Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke (1967)

2024-08-24 04:59:16

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@npub1a2c…w83a There is a retreat with Loch in Costa Rica in March of next year that I attended this year and highly recommend if you want to jump in at the deep end

2024-08-24 04:57:23

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Agree. Curious who this friend is?

2024-08-23 21:27:00

I’m so bored by conversations about regulating Artificial Intelligence

2024-08-23 16:35:09

Must read: https://www.palladiummag.com/2022/01/06/quit-your-job/

2024-08-23 16:34:35

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- Zazen for simplicity and subtlety
- Dzogchen for quick insight (the greatest living teacher in the US has to be Loch Kelly)
- Cheng Hsin for purpose beyond awakening

2024-08-23 16:31:23

Just unstaked my last ETH. Takes 13 days... what a joke

2024-08-22 15:24:53

No big deal
We make a big deal out of many things. Every once in a while it’s good to remind oneself not to make too big a deal out of whatever it is we’re currently making a big deal of.
We do not have to hold everything so tightly, we can loosen our grip just a little bit. And suddenly there is a feeling of greater spaciousness, greater possibility.
https://m.primal.net/KIFI.png
Georgia O’Keeffe’s “Sky Above Clouds IV” (1965)

2024-08-22 09:44:46

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followed

2024-08-21 18:42:29

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Completely agree. I want to raise philosopher kings and queens - children who understand that money can require hustle, but that at its best it is a by-product of being deeply dedicated to what you love doing.

2024-08-21 18:41:26

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Thank you. Weirdly enough I hadn’t heard of Cryptoeconomics but will read it

2024-08-21 18:31:27

Unconventional wisdom
'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. ' - Albert Einstein, maybe
Over the last couple of years I have had the very visceral realization that in order to change how I act in the world, I have to change who I am.
This may sound obvious. But at least to me it wasn’t. I was certain that I could just will myself to act differently in a given situation. Most people seem to be victim to this same insanity.
It does not work. In most situations we do not rise to our hopes and aspirational ideas, we fall to the level of who we are at our core.
And we can change. We can become a person that reacts differently to a certain stimulus. This is just not conventional wisdom.
https://m.primal.net/KGuZ.png

2024-08-21 09:22:35

Haven’t been as active here but always a delight to be back and read through the posts.

2024-08-16 17:00:21

The “mind over matter” fallacy
“Mind over matter” is a motivational platitude that does well for those who like to brute-force their way to success.
However, powering through life without an organic motivation that is holistically aligned with our being usually does not work in the long run.
In fact, mind is, everywhere and always, a phenomenon of matter and vice versa. They can not be disentangled.
So when people say “mind over matter”, they usually just mean “I’m overthinking this”.
https://m.primal.net/KBea.png
James (Künstler) Gleeson’s ““We inhabit the corrosive littoral of habit” (1940)

2024-08-16 16:55:30

2024-08-11 21:37:12

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say more

2024-08-11 12:41:44

Is there a better place to spread the gospel about Bitcoin than Japan 🇯🇵? Can some Japanese' nostriches chime in?

2024-08-10 20:16:12

Missing the forest for the trees
“Missing the forest for the trees” is a pervasive problem in our culture. With real consequences.
There is a reason for this. In brief, it’s a result of the objectification of our world: “I, the subject, am here. Objects are out there”. This false perspective leads to an unintegrated view of the world in which we struggle to see how everything is interrelated. Unless you’re moving in the quasi-perfect confines of experimental physics, simple cause and effect is actually pretty hard to come by.
The consequences of such an existence befall us every day. They include but are not limited to: electing politicians with no character and integrity, being dependent on dating apps to meet people, relying on drugs for our health, going to university primarily for the degree and electing a career path just for the money.
All of these are examples where we chose a simple, usually lazy solution at the cost of our long term physical, mental and societal wellbeing.
If we’re to overcome this, we need to zoom out, behold the whole forest and integrate.
https://m.primal.net/JvJa.png
Barend Cornelis Koekkoek’s “Forest Scene” (1848)

2024-08-06 17:22:01

Extending time
Our culture is obsessed with prolonging our time on this planet - with very mediocre results if judged by the stagnating or even declining life expectancy in the West.
One simple and underrated way to actually extend our time of being alive is to pay attention. Pay attention to each passing moment. Pay attention to each little distinction in our experience. Pay attention to the field of awake awareness.
Of course paying attention is not something we just decide to do because someone on the internet tells us to. Like everything else it requires dedication, practice and the creation of the right circumstances.

2024-07-26 22:53:58

If you’re still buying cheap sats and those sats are not in self custody, there’s a chance those are not sats at all.

2024-07-25 21:11:52

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Great Terrence McKenna quote. Great post. Thank you!

2024-07-25 12:37:49

What account is providing the best stream of events from Nashville? #bitcoin

2024-07-08 22:42:18

Joining clubs that don’t want me as a member
“I Don’t Want to Belong to Any Club That Will Accept Me as a Member.”
Groucho Marx’ famous quote rings both funny and true. Most people would like to be accepted to only clubs that are more prestigious and higher status than themselves.
However, I’m personally finding this quote accurate and insightful from a slightly different angle: I am seeking out experiences, clubs and products that are not actively looking for members… not because they are secretive but because they are relentlessly focused on quality rather than marketing.
Let me give you an example. When I lived in San Francisco, I would frequently play Tennis on the Dolores Park courts on weekends. Often after our match, my Tennis partner and I would relax in the park for a little bit. On one particular day, we saw a group of people practicing acrobatics on the grass, one of whom stood out with some incredible manoeuvres. We walked up to them and found out that he was teaching the rest of the group in a discipline he referred to as movement practice.
What was remarkable to me about the encounter was that my friend and I clearly showed interest in joining his class but rather than being keen on getting us onboarded, he was barely forthcoming with any additional information. He clearly was not interested in selling his product and neither was the very basic and bland website he had set up. Instead he was clearly focused on his craft first and foremost.
And yet he clearly had an avid following. This combination was what convinced me to try out his class and it ended up being one of the most enriching experiences of my time in San Francisco.
Over and over in my life, I have found these rare clubs and products, the ones that don’t advertise but just focus on quality, among the most worthwhile. And so I will keep pursuing clubs that don’t want me as a member.

2024-07-03 16:43:15

What's the contrarian belief you're most confident about?
Besides the ones that are pretty obvious in this community?

2024-07-03 11:54:37

Proof of run! Back under 5 min/km
https://m.primal.net/JGhG.jpg

2024-07-02 13:58:54

The lost art of pandiculation:
If it is meant to be sustainable, physical movement and exercise ought to be intuitive.
The average training consists to a great extent of “mind over matter. This only gets us so far as it usually results in build-up of muscular tension, poor posture and eventual breakdown.
What does intuitive movement mean? I would define it as movement that 1) is associated with a corresponding feeling sensation and not performed unconsciously and 2) expresses an intentionality of our being.
There are many approaches and modalities to re-embrace more intuitive movement including for example the Feldenkrais method, Qi Gong and Tai Chi or movement practice.
One simple and underrated way to regain a more intuitive physicality is pandiculation. Pandiculation is simply the process of stretching and yawning after waking up. It’s a lost art. And it is critical for sending biofeedback to our nervous system, thereby recalibrating the level of muscular contraction and avoiding build up of tension.
If you want to try it, don’t start by taking a “mind over matter” approach of checking pandiculation of your to-do list. Instead, just take the time in the morning for a few minutes to feel into what your body actually needs and what movements feel natural. Instead of creating another habit, try getting out of your own way for a moment.
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Wassily Kandinsky’s “Composition VII” (1913)

2024-07-01 22:08:21

Wimbledon — order & passion
Today marks the beginning of Wimbledon. It has to be, without a doubt, the greatest sport event to attend in the world. The football World Cup, the Olympics and even other Tennis Grand Slams simply pale in comparison to the level of satisfaction and excitement experienced by visitors of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
Why is this? To credit it merely to the lush grass of SW19, the Strawberries and Cream or the Royal Box would be missing the point.
The best way to summarize the magic of Wimbledon is order & passion.
Wimbledon is perfectly ordered. Its order of play and patent-worthy system for queueing are among the most British documents you’ll ever read. The flawless choreography of the ball boys and girls, the pin-drop silence as players are preparing to serve, the white ballet on the court as a rally is underway — these all contribute to coherence and harmony.
Unlike many other great traditions, however, Wimbledon is not ossified and rigid. Its order is not procured at the cost of passion and enthusiasm. It serves them.
There is a learning for all of us here. When we organize our days and hone our habits, it is ok to want order. But it should never be an end of its own. Instead it should serve the purpose of creating space for and revealing our passion.
https://m.primal.net/JEwT.png
George Bellows’ “Tennis at Newport” (1919)

2024-06-30 08:15:20

Does having a “stealth” startup mean that you have no idea what you’re doing? If yes, then I think I may have some use for this term in the near future

2024-06-25 16:29:01

It's good to be back on #nostr after a little leave of absence!

2024-06-25 16:28:21

My favourite quote of the day comes from my seat neighbor at a Maryleborne Café this afternoon:
“The only thing that graduating from Central Saint Martins [a prestigious London arts and design school] has given me is ADHD”
This is an equally funny and insightful statement. Too often do we treat mental disorders as something intrinsic, rather than something inflicted on us by our circumstance.
It’s an important distinction. If ADHD is something intrinsic, then we need to treat the symptoms. And we do. For many children and from a young age. With amphetamines.
If instead we recognize it for what it is: a condition delivered to us by a very unnatural environment, then we create a possibility and a responsibility: A possibility to actually address the root causes of ADHD and many other conditions instead of creating more problems by drugging our children. And a responsibility for all of us to change the environment we live, study and work in.
https://m.primal.net/Ixfy.png
Marc Chagall’s “I and the Village” (1911)

2024-05-30 17:16:24

Technique is everything:
This may not be news to most but when it comes to exercise, technique is everything.
I used to not pay too much attention to this. My approach was to perform an exercise by meeting its general criteria and increasing the number of repetitions over time.
Squat? Lower my upper body while keeping my heels on the floor, done.
Downward facing dog? Hands on the floor, feet on the floor, lift the hips and try to approach the floor with the heels, done.
Rowing? Just pull the oar towards you and push it away by using both legs and arms, done.
Over time I realized there is much more to every exercise I’m engaging in. In fact there is a whole internal landscape to be explored. Small feelings and sensations that deserve attention and that can make all the difference when it comes to performing an exercise efficiently and safely.
An exercise not done with the correct technique is an exercise not worth doing. In fact, it may be counterproductive in the long run as bad habits eventually accumulate and cause injuries.
https://m.primal.net/IStK.png
Helmut Newton’s “Lisa Taylor and Jerry Hall” (1975)

2024-05-15 22:42:29

I’m genuinely trying to comprehend what will happen when Bitcoin breaks convincingly above 100k now that everyone has access to it.
I just can’t see it go to 200k or 300k slowly.
It just seems like everyone will suddenly get it…
So the path from 100k Bitcoin, to complete demonetization of all other assets seems like it may just be instantaneous.
But then the current powers can’t let that happen. So I think they will have to act very forcefully in the near future.

2024-05-14 10:58:17

Coping vs. Thriving
A while ago I decided that in my life I want to thrive, not cope.
Since then I’ve been very sensitive to areas in my life where I’m coping.
I define coping as resorting to compulsory behavior in order to manage a situation. This can be at the level of an addiction but it can be as minuscule as a morning coffee. If the morning coffee is not being enjoyed but is an unconscious necessity to get out of bed, it’s coping.
In that case I ask myself the question: “What is it about the way my life is currently oriented, that I need this in order to cope?”
Sometimes a solution is easily accessible and coping can be replaced with thriving. In other cases, it requires real patience and dedication. It’s worth it.
https://m.primal.net/IGcu.png

2024-04-30 16:00:56

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Agree. I would argue Bitkey is a step in bringing decentralized tech to the mainstream.
But decentralized tech will always require the marginal user to rise to the challenge.

2024-04-29 20:12:41

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I love #nostr but I think the identity use case is overly ambitious. it's just too easy to irrevocably steal or lose a nostr nsec. As far as I understand once someone else has gained access to your nsec once, you can never recover your nostr identity for your exclusive use.

2024-04-23 17:29:14

Collective action problems:
We are social animals that rely heavily on cues from others in order to make decisions.
As a result we are at the mercy of a peculiar dilemma: collective action problems. Collective action problems are situations in which everyone would be better off acting in a certain way, but they do not due to incentives born by the collective.
Jonathan Haidt recently introduced me to this sociological concept when describing why children excessively engage in social media. Overindulgence is not in any individual child’s personal interest but because all of their peers are connected via these networks, stepping away is costly.
Collective action problems can arise in any group but logically, the less reasonable and wise the collective, the more prevalent they become.
A couple of current examples:
- Individuals sacrificing their health by overexposing themselves to stress — in order to keep up with an increasingly frantic economy.
- A shortage of skilled workers in a society that celebrates higher education as as status symbol and insurance policy.
- Increasingly indebted individuals due to societal pressure to maintain status through consumption
https://m.primal.net/HzDE.png

2024-04-22 19:39:31

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We need more non #Bitcoin, non #nostr content!

2024-04-22 09:28:04

When #Bitcoin hits 100k, the cat is out of the bag and everyone is going to “get it”.
With that we’re going to see a phase shift in which the promotion of Bitcoin is going to become secondary and the artificial suppression of the price by all kinds of actors is going to become the dominant dynamic.

2024-04-21 17:14:10

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The basic hypothesis between the sovereign individual is NOT that property rights are fundamental, it’s that incentives matter. And that these incentives are about to shift due to the rise of technology. Not sure what’s flawed about this argument.

2024-04-18 15:16:14

Pain is widely misunderstood or if it’s understood, the understanding is ignored.
Whenever my daughter gets vaccinated, the doctor wants to give her sugar water to distract her from the pain of the needle. Apparently, this is something that doctors now do.
This is based on a false understanding of pain. Pain is not something to be avoided, it’s a signal. A signal that something is wrong. By numbing or distracting from the pain, we’re desensitizing our children and habituating them to a disfunctional habit that we later try painstakingly to disengage adults from.
In fact our various recreational drugs, when used habitually all serve the purpose of numbing physical or psychological pain. And once such a habit has been built over years, it is very hard to drop.
Let me pre-empt two concerns with this view:
Chronic pain: If pain is chronic, there may be value in numbing it but this should not be done mindlessly and without first testing whether there is a way to truly address the root causes. The reason is that once you start numbing the pain, you may raise the bar for the identification and resolution of its causes.
Overwhelming pain: Of course I would not want to expose my daughter or anyone to pain that is so overwhelming that it causes trauma and further issues down the road. The definition here is subjective but I don’t think a needle sting belongs in this category.
Lastly, there is an inverse view of pain that I want to mention:
One meditation practice is to go into pain and to experience it fully instead of shunning it. This is a difficult but powerful practice because it allows us to realize that the pain is separate from its observer.
Loosening our identification with pain is the only way to live from a more powerful relationship with it and to avoid the pitfalls of destructive coping mechanisms.
https://m.primal.net/HwpU.png

2024-04-15 14:39:43

@npub10vl…sp42 ‘s newsletter is one of the best in the space
#note1wxy…26uq

2024-04-15 11:51:26

Chess and humility:
There are few games to train in humility like chess.
With most other games you can blame luck or a plethora of other external factors on your inadequacy.
With chess, there is just you and complete information. There is no component of luck and there are no unknowns. In other words, there is little room for excuses.
Blundered a piece? Clearly not your best decision. Gave up a winning position? Hubris was your downfall. Ran out of time? You'll need to speed up your decision making.
As a result, those with a fixed mindset hate chess. If you don’t truly believe you can improve, you certainly don’t want to be shown the evidence of your ignorance on a regular basis.
However, if you have a growth mindset, there is no greater teacher because there is no game that exhibits your opportunities for growth as clearly and frankly as chess.
https://m.primal.net/HvUu.png

2024-04-10 22:04:33

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Great thanks for pointing this out! didn’t even know Rick Rubin has a podcast

2024-04-10 12:43:31

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Exactly. The Cantillon effect is not based on wealth inequality, it’s based on unequal access to newly printed money

2024-04-08 09:01:25

As Bitcoin jumps above its previous all-time-high, I think we should all expect significant government intervention pretty quickly.
The signal from Bitcoin going to 100k is just too great for them to further ignore it and view it as a severe risk.

2024-04-08 07:38:37

short squeeze incoming

2024-04-03 12:24:23

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What’s been your average rate of return on that liquidity over the years?

2024-03-31 13:12:22

I’m not a Christian but appreciating the Easter posts today

2024-03-31 05:40:00

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Haven’t had the chance to open it yet. Is BitKey multisig compatible with other devices?

2024-03-26 08:57:25

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It’s called price differentiation. You don’t have to know directly how wealthy someone is, a lot of people will signal this themselves, if you offer the right product variants. e.g. Premium version that only offers marginal advantages over the Standard version.
As long as it stays at that level, it’s actually beneficial to the economy as it drives higher profitability and hence a more optimal distribution of goods and services.
It becomes a problem, of course, if the wealthy are no longer even given the option to opt for the standard product, e.g. imagine forcing the wealthy to take business class (which offers much more value than economy class but arguably not nearly as much as the relative price difference)

2024-03-21 22:39:51

Looking forward to playing around with bitkey CC @npub1sg6…f63m
https://m.primal.net/Hmyh.jpg

2024-03-21 10:38:19

People talk about the free market economy as if they are intimately familiar with it. They aren’t.
A system in which the words of one government bureaucrat are the single most important predictor of the price of assets and goods is not a free market economy.
https://m.primal.net/Hmwr.jpg

2024-03-19 19:20:53

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Yes, this could end up becoming the future risk free rate of the financial system, after subtracting cost of liquidity management

2024-03-12 18:32:17

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I’m intrigued. Say more about what a proof of work project is please :)

2024-03-08 13:24:08

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That's awesome. I was just in Nosara and asked quite a few vendors whether they accept #bitcoin. Most didn't really seem to take the question seriously.
Looks like great progress, but still more work to do.

2024-03-08 08:29:42

For my German 🇩🇪 #Bitcoin friends: ZEIT on Bitcoin Atlantis
https://www.zeit.de/2024/11/madeira-bitcoin-atlantis-kryptowaehrung-konferenz#success-registration

2023-12-08 21:48:50

Listening to Citadel Dispatch with @npub16c0…6nvr and @npub1qny…95gx on my Friday night… and playing around with @npub12vk…pugg 1.0 for iOS

2023-09-28 16:33:38

Been in the UK for the last couple of weeks. Inflation here is clearly visible but it’s supposed to be much higher than US inflation…
The perceived inflation here, even in the expensive parts of London is nothing compared to what I experienced in SF and NYC in the last few years.
US numbers are clearly skewed…

2023-08-01 14:33:11

Who are some European Bitcoiners you recommend following? My feed is still too empty during US night time, although I already have:
@npub1v5k…8rd9
@npub1der…xzpc
@npub1cmh…g9u6
@npub1w4s…prhz
@npub17fq…nr8y

2023-07-27 21:55:43

When will #nostrica 2024 take place?

2023-07-24 14:08:33

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I agree we should all be working on freedom tech.
I disagree that Elon’s goal is likely to be mass identity verification. He probably has some goal that he thinks is virtuous but the means he is choosing are harmful.
It’s an important distinction. We don’t need to misrepresent our opponents’ intentions in order to convince people to follow us. People will follow us because we speak the truth.

2023-07-20 20:03:19

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Should I ask what OF girls are…

2023-07-20 13:52:52

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Do you have a link please 🙏?

2023-07-18 21:32:39

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I find the idea of fate at least as difficult to believe as that of a multiverse.
I’m probably not up to speed on the latest in quantum theory but as far as I know you can have uncertainty even without multiverses?

2023-07-18 19:57:19

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@npub1w4s…prhz what about you?

2023-07-17 07:10:52

Dumb question from an obviously non-technical person: If China can ban certain websites through their firewall, could they technically ban any traffic that is leveraging #nostr?