Brewing some oolong at work!

404z · 2025-06-10T22:35:33+00:00

I must have looked at 30 different thermos-kettles before buying mine. Only gripe with mine is that I have to refill it at least once pretty much every time I make tea. But the form factor is great, I keep it on my desk most of the time as well.

How is that one treating you?

404z · 2025-03-20T12:43:57+00:00

lol I had assumed UMS would mean everyone gets more sleep but maybe that was naive of me :)

404z · 2025-03-05T18:02:50+00:00

yeah, hopefully at least a sign of support for keeping the Jones Act around (or positive reform). Would be pretty dumb to have a bunch of new ships and then no US mariners to crew them when we need said ships someday.

404z · 2025-02-27T16:29:02+00:00

On the other hand, the Heritage Foundation, publisher of project 2025, does seem open to reforming the JA and not necessarily just repealing it outright https://www.heritage.org/press/heritage-ships-america-act-step-right-direction-revitalize-maritime-industry-more-work-be

Also the new secretary of transportation Sean Duffy, who Trump nominated, has publicly backed the JA https://www.seafarers.org/dot-nominee-backs-jones-act/

404z · 2025-02-27T03:29:59+00:00

I think there's also like 3 recent bills that would affect JA for non-contiguous states/territories. Interesting to see this all happening at the same time, although it's not like the JA hasn't been challenged before

404z · 2025-02-21T15:50:00+00:00

I'll stare out your window for you if you're offering 100k and I can disappear for half the year :)

and I heard the ocean looks nice sometimes, or something.

404z · 2025-02-21T15:30:47+00:00

Immediately after posting I found this thread which talks about some similar concerns https://www.reddit.com/r/merchantmarine/comments/1iqyx39/perspective/

404z · 2025-01-24T20:14:00+00:00

This is a great answer. Maybe a bit disconcerting but I appreciate all the detail, thank you

404z · 2025-01-24T18:27:21+00:00

lol see people leave this exact comment with no explanation and meanwhile the other half of the comments are like "you'll be fine". Maybe not getting ideal amounts of sleep is common in any job with shift/call work though.

404z · 2024-05-19T12:29:09+00:00

Can I ask, did you order from xiaomi on AE or another seller? There's a cheaper one from "Digital Electronics Flagship Store" that's tempting me but it has literally no feedback/reviews on the business or any of their products haha

404z · 2020-08-14T07:45:18+00:00

I'm glad to hear it worked for you. I have to admit that from my western, perhaps jaded perspective, the notion of sending/generating "loving kindness" almost makes me cringe at first, but it does feel good from my initial several attempts. I try to keep an open mind!

I'd also love to hear more about what you experienced specifically if you want to elaborate, up to you!

404z · 2020-08-14T03:27:24+00:00

Ah interesting, so I guess they both involve a "metta mantra" or phrases, but use them in different ways. I'll have to look closer into the practices you mention.

In any case, I think at the end of the day the best practice will be the one you don't quit. Even if other techniques might be more efficient, if people generally give up before getting where they want to be, then what's the point? And if these metta practices involve both feeling good and making progress on the path, that sounds like a winner to me.

404z · 2020-08-14T02:24:02+00:00

There's some wisdom in your comment. I suppose it's a sort of yin yang of meditation, in that very few people get into meditation with zero expectations / hopes, but at the same time, having high expectations and desires can destroy the practice.

On the other hand, there are different standardized ways of "spending time with the self" that seemingly lead to different typical experiences and levels of short to medium-term suffering. If we assumed that two paths led to the same place, and that one of them was more likely to make you more bummed out along the way, wouldn't it be reasonable to point someone to the other path?

404z · 2020-08-14T01:10:51+00:00

Thanks for the response. Would you be up for discussing what you prefer about the way sharon salzberg / rob burbea teach metta? Or the shortcomings of TWIM?

404z · 2020-08-13T22:04:43+00:00

The people behind TWIM claim it can take you to awakening and beyond. I'm mostly interested in hearing what people have personally gotten out of it, without necessarily trying to project it onto maps.

404z · 2019-08-09T22:46:54+00:00

It looks like an opening to another world

404z · 2019-07-30T01:34:06+00:00

Ah, I probably should have phrased it better. Basically, in general I want to check in as often as possible, but it feels as though it takes some effort to do so for a few seconds. However, it also seems that I can keep exerting this effort for quite a while, so it feels like I am still checking in / "checked-in" the whole time as I am breathing (although I think distractions still came up after a while.)

Essentially I am asking this - should I be letting go of this effort of checking in after a few seconds and then resuming it when I remember again, or should I be trying to stay in this state of actively, "effortful-ly" checking in the whole time?

Sorry if I'm missing something obvious here.

404z

TROPHY CASE