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Not for “tl;dr” simpletons. This website rewards time and thought. Suckers seeking instant oversimplifications, scarcely skimming the surface, should retreat back to the rest of the Internet.
No “artificial intelligence” hallucinations here — everything is by and for real humans.
Email: normsperling@gmail.com
Postal: 2625 Alcatraz Avenue #235, Berkeley, California 94705 USA.
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Today’s Advice
Suggestions by Norm Sperling
These are probably good for many people (often you) much of the time (maybe today). Do what’s right for you when the time is right. They are adapted from a great many sources.
December 22, 2024: People show the strongest dislike over the least expense when confronting parking meters.
December 21, 2024: Recombine facets of your traditions into your modern world.
December 20, 2024: Sprinkles make a lot of people happy. If that’s you, use them a lot.
December 19, 2024: Eating something messy? Catch drippings on a carefully-placed tortilla, and eat them.
December 18, 2024: Your body and your surroundings keep changing. Even if you didn’t used to have to, how should you care for yourself now?
December 17, 2024: Even if you plan everything meticulously, “plan” to divert to something impromptu when the situation springs up.
December 16, 2024: Keep good friends just to be friends. They may turn out to be useful, too, but that’s a bonus.
December 15, 2024: For a change of pace, read a short story. There’s lots at the library and more online.
December 14, 2024: Make people really happy by returning what you borrowed.
December 13, 2024: A drug that placates the mind may not be best for the body. Ask your doctor how to really help your situation.
December 12, 2024: What’s your favorite food that you don’t know how to cook? Cookbooks and videos tell how. Study up … stock up … eat up!
December 11, 2024: Tired of your old clothes? Wear them in new combinations.
December 10, 2024: Be nicer to folks than they may strictly deserve.
December 9, 2024: Bed partners can use separate blankets and sheets, opening in the center.
December 8, 2024: How different a place can you get to in 30 minutes?
December 7, 2024: The bright spot near the Moon tonight and tomorrow is the planet Saturn. These are the 2 most striking objects through portable telescopes. Notice how much smaller Saturn looks than the Moon. Telescopes show its rings tilted nearly edge-on.
December 6, 2024: Dent a daunting job: Work on it till a 15-minute timer rings. If you’re good to go with your momentum, keep working till you finish a full segment. Then reward yourself with a snack.
December 5, 2024: Everything is good for something, but some are so little or so rarely useful that they are not worth keeping.
December 4, 2024: Organizations with good-will and good management usually work well. Strive for both, and treasure them.
December 3, 2024: Which new comedians do your friends like? Join them for a performance.
December 2, 2024: Can you improve something around your desk in 15 minutes? Make it so.
December 1, 2024: Are you watching shows that don’t entertain or improve you? You have better ways to spend your time.
November 30, 2024: Substituting a different kind of cheese can turn a tired dish into a new favorite.
November 29, 2024: Days before and after “Big Events” can be at least as important. Make the best of every single day.
November 28, 2024: Spark other people to talk about themselves and their interests. Listen.
November 27, 2024: While food is cooking, but you’re between things to do, wash pans and dishes so they don’t pile up dauntingly.
November 26, 2024: Just for variety, take a different route than usual.
November 25, 2024: Life is vastly too complex for any person to make the optimum decision every time. Even you. Forgive yourself.
November 24, 2024: Persistence enables talent, genius, and education to actually achieve things.
November 23, 2024: Ask your doctor what dangers lurk, and how to elude them.
November 22, 2024: See how high you can go, but settle where you feel best.
November 21, 2024: Conventions bring together lots of fellow enthusiasts, and some Big Names in the field, most of whom turn out to be nice folks.
November 20, 2024: Most big things start small. Enhance the small things you want to grow.
November 19, 2024: What candy did you like best as a kid? Get some, close your eyes, and dream back to a good time.
November 18, 2024: However grand your goals, keep your steps toward them achievably small.
November 17, 2024: The brightest point of light near the Moon tonight is giant Jupiter. Earth weighs 81 times as much as the Moon. Jupiter weighs 318 times as much as Earth.
November 16, 2024: What’s the oldest historical site you’ve seen? Do you want to visit places that are even older?
November 15, 2024: If you did your best, and tried for a long time, but it didn’t work? Pivot to another direction and move on.
November 14, 2024: Keep small disputes small, and settle them quickly.
November 13, 2024: Physical imperfections don’t keep you from being a wonderful person.
November 12, 2024: This column distills the best advice I’ve found over decades. But many problems are too complex, so settle for doing the best you can.
November 11, 2024: Find a classic-car exhibit. Remember when you first saw some of those models? Remember your first ride in one?
November 10, 2024: If you’re immune to heart attack, slipping-and-falling, hernia, frostbite, and back spasms, shovel all the snow you want.
November 9, 2024: When someone offers effective wisdom, take notice and thank them.
November 8, 2024: Meet like-minded people at hobby clubs. Each club has its own personality so sample several within reach to find the best “fit”.
November 7, 2024: You cannot improve the past, but there is still opportunity to improve the future.
November 6, 2024: This, too, shall pass.
November 5, 2024: Vote!
November 4, 2024: Which issues are likely to still be issues in 6 days? 6 months? 6 years? 60 years?
November 3, 2024: Are there bottlenecks in your supply chains? How can you widen, or buffer, or evade them?
November 2, 2024: For every big lottery winner, there are millions upon millions of losers like me. Lottery odds are awful.
November 1, 2024: After you finish this item, go do something else worth doing.
October 31, 2024: If you can fix a problem for pocket change, do it.
October 30, 2024: People spend enormous energy bemoaning their victimhood. Almost all of us have been unjustly victimized somehow. Focus your complaint into a brief personal ceremony. Then create the present and future with no new victims.
October 29, 2024: What people say, however sincerely, is not always right. Think it through for yourself, or verify with an authority.
October 28, 2024: Do a favor you don’t have to do. That will improve your world, sooner or later.
October 27, 2024: Dogs and cats seem tame, but they can bite and scratch and infect you. Stay alert.
October 26, 2024: Don’t be so hard on yourself. If others aren’t complaining, merely note what to do better next time.
October 25, 2024: Personal projects are great. Vetos: your doctor; your budget; you lose interest.
October 24, 2024: If making favorite foods is simple but I don’t know how, I watch several how-to videos, and experiment.
October 23, 2024: For a change of pace, read something different than usual.
October 22, 2024: Children may repeat anything they hear to anyone.
October 21, 2024: It was easy to say what to do. Now, the hard part: do it.
October 20, 2024: My bright yellow hat attracts compliments. Yours would too.
October 19, 2024: Reserve some alone-time to sing as loud as you please.
October 18, 2024: Store bed-sheets in their matching pillow cases.
October 17, 2024: Life can pivot on a dime. Refresh your reserves of people, things, and money.
October 16, 2024: Want a new friend? Can you listen a lot to someone who is friendless?
October 15, 2024: Certain old customs are better as honored heritage than as current practice.
October 14, 2024: What do you miss when away from family members? Arrange to get plenty when together.
October 13, 2024: Don’t “fake it till you make it.” Find videos that show how to do things good and proper.
October 12, 2024: Hug somebody who will appreciate it. I appreciate it.
October 11, 2024: What do you expect to give you the most pressure today? Plan a way to decrease it, or cope with it.
October 10, 2024: Do other drivers honk at you? You’re doing things they don’t expect. Reduce your surprising driving, or risk getting crunched.
October 9, 2024: Overdoing TV makes couch potatoes. After your favorite program, get up and use your muscles and joints.
October 8, 2024: Garlic added late in cooking tastes strong; longer cooking lightens it.
October 7, 2024: Visit someone you haven’t seen for way too long.
October 6, 2024: Keep up with the Joneses only if you have the same issues. Instead, be yourself, enhanced.
October 5, 2024: The very bright point of light near the Moon tonight is the planet Venus. Venus is always cloudy, the Moon never is.
October 4, 2024: To your “Do” list, add napping.
October 3, 2024: Praise every improvement by somebody else, even if slight. To earn more praise, they’ll try to improve more.
October 2, 2024: Cut-up cheese rinds enrich soups.
October 1, 2024: In the shower, make sure your bathmat or shower-slippers have great traction. Slipping is so easy, and recuperation hurts so much and takes so long.
September 30, 2024: If your family won’t provide the support, love, care, and concern you need, find your own supporters who will. It’s worth a major effort.
September 29, 2024: Drowsy driving? Pull over at the very first opportunity and catch a nap. If you try to tough it out, you’re more likely to wake up in a hospital. Or not wake up.
September 28, 2024: Easy style trend: Liberate yourself from irons. Let clothes wrinkles show texture and character, like mine do. Save time and energy. Wearing wrinkles, before slower people catch on, shows coolth.
September 27, 2024: If fruit and veggies are too expensive, visit farmers’ markets just before closing, when some offer clearance prices. Use them fast, and preserve the rest against spoilage.
September 26, 2024: Can you improve something around your yard in 15 minutes? Make it so.
September 25, 2024: In chatting with children, ask about their hobbies and favorite school stuff.
September 24, 2024: You can’t avoid change, so position yourself to benefit from it.
September 23, 2024: In bargaining, leave enough for the other side to be content.
September 22, 2024: This page is now 1 year old! Learn the experiences and wisdom of those who have done what you aspire to.
September 21, 2024: Travel as much as family and career allow.
September 20, 2024: Coverups don’t last, and eat away at their perpetrators. Don’t be part of one.
September 19, 2024: The time you save by skipping safety will cost too much.
September 18, 2024: Restrict your gambling to an occasional, low-budget recreation. Otherwise it can ruin all you hold dear.
September 17, 2024: Try to refresh a lapsed friendship. Tell them you miss them. Outgrow a rift with a greeting, an apology, burying a grudge.
September 16, 2024: The bright point of light near the Moon tonight and tomorrow is the planet Saturn, which is about 3500 times farther than the Moon.
September 15, 2024: In a few undistracted minutes, identify what good things are missing from your life. How can you add some?
September 14, 2024: For the chore you avoid the most: can you make it manageable by subdividing? selecting an aspect you like? recruiting someone who will smooth your way through it?
September 13, 2024: From the other person’s point of view, how would things look?
September 12, 2024: When cooking, add a little seasoning, then taste-test each time. You can’t subtract if you add too much.
September 11, 2024: If you can think of contrary examples to a claim, it is not true.
September 10, 2024: Biking? Wear a helmet like I do. Don’t think twice about whether to. If you crash and crunch your head, you may no longer be able to think twice.
September 9, 2024: In an antique store, imagine how different life was when they had to use that stuff instead of today’s marvels. If the old way was better, buy the item and use it.
September 8, 2024: The people you compare yourself to also compare themselves. Just do things the best you can under the circumstances.
September 7, 2024: What’s the next skill you should learn on your computer? Watch some “how-to” videos online.
September 6, 2024: Are you fluent in another language? Translate en.Wikipedia.org articles into your other language’s Wikipedia.
September 5, 2024: Facing an uninspiring meal? Try a condiment you’ve never had with that. If it works, experiment to find the best proportion.
September 4, 2024: Nobody likes commuting. Can you make the trip shorter, easier, cheaper, or more interesting?
September 3, 2024: Others may have goods you want … offset by problems you don’t want.
September 2, 2024: Different people learn best in different ways. When teaching, mix several methods.
September 1, 2024: Pick up trash and stow it properly to improve an area. Do it to please yourself, but hope neighbors catch on.
August 31, 2024: Many diseases infect by touch. Avoid skin contact to avoid those illnesses.
August 30, 2024: If something you’re doing is a dud, cut your lost effort and time and money. Bail out as gracefully as you can.
August 29, 2024: Neglecting nature’s relentless and overwhelming power sets you up for big problems. Prepare to handle situations.
August 28, 2024: Noise-cancelling headphones really work. When would going noise-free improve your life?
August 27, 2024: Growing old is a privilege I wear proudly: less-fortunate people didn’t get so far.
August 26, 2024: Reach out to someone who is lonely, and listen to them. Does that lead to going somewhere? Doing something?
August 25, 2024: Circumstances might squelch opportunities later, so pick something you’ve put off, and do it. I just visited a certain museum for the first time in over 30 years, and discovered that it is now 5 times bigger, full of great stuff.
August 24, 2024: If a company doesn’t want to deal with you (like on infinite hold), seek a better rival.
August 23, 2024: Reserve some alone-time to watch just what you feel like.
August 22, 2024: If you don’t fit in where you are, go where you do fit the way you want to. Treasure that feeling! Seek it more often.
August 21, 2024: If you don’t take diligent care of your teeth and gums, they can rot and hurt like mine.
August 20, 2024: Comedies usually lift your mood more than romances do. Ask around for recommendations, enjoy the shows, then chat about them.
August 19, 2024: Something’s value is not its market price but its service and convenience to you. If you can fix a problem for pocket change, do it.
August 18, 2024: I just received over $100, retrieving a long-forgotten deposit pointed out by missingmoney.com . The process was a bit tedious and slow but it’s great to have that money back. How much isn’t in your wallet?
August 17, 2024: Give children lots of experience in settings they’ll have to navigate as adults. Point that out, and suggest how to think about them.
August 16, 2024: Has it been too long since you had mac & cheese? It was when I wrote this, so I enjoyed some right away. You can too.
August 15, 2024: The short cut is to read all the instructions. Sorry, I know they’re dull and you’re impatient, but that’s still the short cut. Munch a treat while studying them.
August 14, 2024: Covid is infecting us again — “very high” over much of the US. To avoid catching or spreading the virus, wear a mask indoors, resume the other hygiene protections, and get information from medical professionals instead of virus-spreading loudmouths.
August 13, 2024: The bright reddish star near the Moon tonight and tomorrow is Antares, 600 light-years out there. The meteors are from the Perseid shower.
August 12, 2024: What nice thing can you do without anybody else being involved?
August 11, 2024: Beware of talking-points that are 80% familiar and believable: That’s a propaganda ploy to sneak in 20% that’s wrong, wrong-headed, and wrong-hearted, to lure suckers to benefit their sponsor.
August 10, 2024: Ride a train to somewhere you’ve never been. View out the other side on the way back.
August 9, 2024: Children need love and attention more than they need things.
August 8, 2024: It’s time to take a guided nature walk. The naturalist will tell about the trees and birds. The others who come might be interesting too.
August 7, 2024: Whenever you’re ready to take a college course, or a degree program, some colleges will admit you.
August 6, 2024: Spend time with someone who is nice to be with.
August 5, 2024: Prepare to cope with disasters.
August 4, 2024: Meetings after meals are usually agreeable.
August 3, 2024: Listen again to comedians you used to like. You still do.
August 2, 2024: What can’t you get any more? Search online for alternate sources, or sources of alternates.
August 1, 2024: Enrich your life with something nice from your heritage.
July 31, 2024: Praising good behavior encourages more.
July 30, 2024: What you don’t know can cost you. What is the biggest mystery to you that others understand? Ask a librarian or professor.
July 29, 2024: Could showmanship impress people about your points?
July 28, 2024: Read the nutrition panels on food packages. Over many days, seek healthy proportions of nutrients.
July 27, 2024: Volunteer where someone interesting might be.
July 26, 2024: Which parking spaces will stay shady as long as you need? Tree shadows pivot on the tree trunks. As the Sun arcs south and west, shadows arc north and east.
July 25, 2024: What’s at the back of your refrigerator shelves? On the bottom? Use what’s still safe, discard what isn’t.
July 24, 2024: One way to find a really good person who is likely to be available and appreciative, is to look in lower-status groups.
July 23, 2024: Never waste time getting even. Don’t detour your path for people who aren’t even right. Forget those baddies. Face forward.
July 22, 2024: The anti-“ultraprocessing” fad is fashionable but way overblown: shallow statistics, unsupportable ultra-sweeping condemnations, ignoring vast benefits. A few morsels may grow into respectable advice; dump the rest.
July 21, 2024: Diversify your hopes, so success at any one of them will please you.
July 20, 2024: If someone makes you happy, make sure you tell them they do.
July 19, 2024: Any dish you wash, while something else is cooking, doesn’t pile up.
July 18, 2024: In a hurry to cook? Slice thick solids thinly, letting heat penetrate faster.
July 17, 2024: Put together some all-by-yourself time, to do your own thing, uninterrupted.
July 16, 2024: When the right thing to do is to say “no”, say “no”. Nicely.
July 15, 2024: To improve a room, rearrange lighting for where you use it, tilted away from screens and eyes.
July 14, 2024: Talk about your problems with someone you respect.
July 13, 2024: The bright bluish point of light near the Moon tonight and tomorrow is the star Spica. For much of North America, the Moon covers Spica up. See https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/catch-an-exciting-spica-occultation-on-july-13th/ . At the speed of light, rays reach us from the Moon in 1 1/4 seconds; from Spica, in 250 years.
July 12, 2024: Compliment someone for being good.
July 11, 2024: A little alcohol can be a social lubricant. More is NOT better.
July 10, 2024: Join people who share your enthusiasms.
July 9, 2024: Find out as much as you can about what you fear most. The better you know the realities, the better you can cope, and sometimes it’s not that bad.
July 8, 2024: Use time caught in traffic to breathe deep and think deep.
July 7, 2024: Mowing a lawn? Leave a patch (or 3) for wildflowers to grow and attract butterflies and bees.
July 6, 2024: Hire people who really know how to do the work you need done. Then let them.
July 5, 2024: For a friend who’s going through a rough time, take them out to a restaurant, and listen to them carefully.
July 4, 2024: In a car or airplane? Believe in your seatbelt and wear it. Mine worked, so I have lived to remind you of this.
July 3, 2024: Get enough sleep. You’ll feel better and work better.
July 2, 2024: If people you want to meet aren’t where you go, try places that are more likely.
July 1, 2024: For a mood lift, get some laughs, some exercise, and some tender loving care.
June 30, 2024: Late in life — often too late — I have learned that sometimes I should shut up.
June 29, 2024: How can you make your personal brand worth more?
June 28, 2024: The satirical snark “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” is HORRIBLE advice! Injury weakens you, wastes recovery time and money, and only teaches what you could already figure out.
June 27, 2024: You’ve planned, you’ve striven, you’ve gotten important parts of what you want. Glow at your achievement, grin contentedly: these make good times.
June 26, 2024: Take the money and time you’re tempted to gamble with, and invest them in a worthwhile project instead. You’re much more likely to be a winner.
June 25, 2024: For a change of pace, look at art by artists you haven’t seen much. There’s lots online and more at the library, and entire galleries.
June 24, 2024: Reality is what actually happens, instead of what gossips claim.
June 23, 2024: News neglects how daily events fit into trends over years … decades … centuries. Deeply-expert sources explain long-term trends.
June 22, 2024: Take a friendly attitude and an open mind to an event in your hobby … or sport … or religion.
June 21, 2024: An important goal is worth striving — even stumbling — toward.
June 20, 2024: Music featuring accordions can re-spark good moods.
June 19, 2024: When something smells fishy, keep alert and be sharply skeptical.
June 18, 2024: Stow — don’t discard — boys’ sports cards and comics. Many men yearn for theirs decades later. Memorabilia shops can only restore a few.
June 17, 2024: While you’re making excuses, you’re not making progress. Focus forward.
June 16, 2024: Deep in your closet and drawers, clothes you like dare you to recombine them and strut out.
June 15, 2024: Expect to put in more time and effort than you ought to have to, because the world isn’t perfect.
June 14, 2024: Don’t screw anybody. They’ll resent it for a long time.
June 13, 2024: What food makes you feel great afterward? Eat more of that.
June 12, 2024: Routines have their uses but they aren’t iron-clad law. When circumstances push you to deviate, you can.
June 11, 2024: Problems rarely have a single answer. They may have many, or none.
June 10, 2024: Rescue dull grey or beige with something colorful and detailed, a little off-center toward a corner.
June 9, 2024: When time and weather allow, go out for a pleasant bike jaunt.
June 8, 2024: The cooler you dress, the less you have to pay for cooling.
June 7, 2024: Places beyond your routine offer change-of-pace day-trip opportunities. Bring a friend to share the experience.
June 6, 2024: Users often prefer climbing ramps rather than stairs, as shown by well-worn footpaths. Make it easy for them.
June 5, 2024: Photograph every angle of every room you live in, every year. These can show if something was already broken before you moved in, or verify insurance claims after disaster. Notice the many little changes in your life each year.
June 4, 2024: Hype a grilled cheese sandwich with some bacon, or soft blue cheese, or fruit, or relish, or avocado.
June 3, 2024: Stay friendly with old pals even when they’re in hard times. Friends are worth it, and they’ll value you all the more.
June 2, 2024: Knees penalize you for “unnecessary roughness” by hobbling your old age.
June 1, 2024: When someone asks about unpleasant things, you don’t have to answer.
May 31, 2024: Doomscrolling wastes your time. Better: scan previous days’ advice here for a really good tip to fit this day.
May 30, 2024: Appreciate how well you’re doing compared to most humans.
May 29, 2024: Neckties are false badges of status. If you don’t have to wear one, why bother?
May 28, 2024: Does your insurance cover the right things in the right ways?
May 27, 2024: What can you change to make life more fulfilling?
May 26, 2024: Coffee that you make yourself costs importantly less than in shops, and you can specialize it quite exactly.
May 25, 2024: Read drug labels and inserts carefully to get the right treatments.
May 24, 2024: An easy way to exercise is to park 3 blocks farther away. And walk a roundabout route.
May 23, 2024: Time is even more valuable than money, and everybody gets the same amount each day. Spend yours well.
May 22, 2024: No matter how clearly you explained things, check to make sure they’re developing as you want.
May 21, 2024: Figure out how to reduce one annoyance you presently put up with.
May 20, 2024: What anti-intellectuals don’t know will hurt them, and you, and all of us. If one might be receptive, clue them in.
May 19, 2024: Read a different website today, just for the variety.
May 18, 2024: Would life be nicer without push notifications? If so, block them.
May 17, 2024: Visit somewhat-interesting places close by. Then ones farther away. Some are surprisingly gratifying.
May 16, 2024: Unless there are passers-by, night lighting does not provide security.
May 15, 2024: Everybody is good at something and not so good at something else.
May 14, 2024: Set aside some time to be with friends.
May 13, 2024: Public affairs deal deeply with technicalities: chemicals, quantities, future usefulness, biology, and much more. Pick public officials who understand what they need to.
May 12, 2024: Visit a gallery you’ve never been to. Chat with people there.
May 11, 2024: If you avoid heavy drinking, you’ll age slower.
May 10, 2024: Consider your upbringing not as a cage but as a launching pad.
May 9, 2024: Adapt to changing times. Again. And again …
May 8, 2024: Browse through your community college’s list of courses.
May 7, 2024: Do the best you can under your circumstances, and sleep with a clear conscience.
May 6, 2024: Seek deep and important ideas. They aren’t in headlines and soundbites. They aren’t in media addressed to the masses. Try real books your librarian recommends.
May 5, 2024: When you have good news, spread it around.
May 4, 2024: Road-Tripping? Sperling’s Road-Trip Rule: Check into the first motel after the third yawn.
May 3, 2024: Hang out with admirable people who have purposes and goals.
May 2, 2024: Overweight and underweight both endanger your health. Change your exercise and eating to nudge closer to your recommended weight.
May 1, 2024: When pondering whether to get involved in something, consider also how hard it will be to get out of it.
April 30, 2024: Whoever thinks gambling is not permitted in many states never ran a business.
April 29, 2024: Try something you’ve mused about but never actually done.
April 28, 2024: Instructions are no fun to read, but they do keep you from a lot of mistakes.
April 27, 2024: Perfection is not a good goal, because you can never achieve it. Moving toward it is realistic.
April 26, 2024: The best things in life aren’t “things”. They’re people and experiences.
April 25, 2024: To become particularly welcome, pay bills before they’re due.
April 24, 2024: On stairs? Hang on to the handrail to prevent a nasty fall.
April 23, 2024: Movies have to be turbulent and dramatic. Real life gets to lavish time on being kind, gentle, and happy, which many people prefer.
April 22, 2024: Cling to hobbies you enjoy.
April 21, 2024: Go to your Library and check out some lies.
April 20, 2024: Being sociable is essential, but it doesn’t have to happen in expensive places.
April 19, 2024: It’s easy to ignore what your body tells you, but don’t.
April 18, 2024: It’s time — again — to say “I love you” to everyone you love.
April 17, 2024: Hidden cynics, fast-buck slickers, and would-be conquerors always seek suckers.
April 16, 2024: Take the time to do it right.
April 15, 2024: Use some public services that your taxes pay for.
April 14, 2024: If you’re even a little lonely, go to events and gatherings where you can meet someone interesting.
April 13, 2024: As with most of reality including some of your attitudes, this page’s advice is OFF the “political spectrum”. We’re above and in front of it.
April 12, 2024: Royals distract public attention from important and deeper matters.
April 11, 2024: Between long vacations, enjoy some short excursions.
April 10, 2024: Try something new. Some may be duds, but many will make you feel better.
April 9, 2024: Thin black borders make color areas stand out, as in stained glass and comics.
April 8, 2024: Follow safety rules to track today’s solar eclipse.
April 7, 2024: Cleverness can often outdo strength.
April 6, 2024: Nature is a lot stronger than people.
April 5, 2024: Raise children to be high-functioning adults. Some of what you teach them will rub off on yourself.
April 4, 2024: Do a little something nice for each neighbor.
April 3, 2024: Save on exercise gyms by doing your own lifting and climbing at home and work.
April 2, 2024: Sample a different food than the same old stuff. The variety will taste good and may supply nutrients you don’t usually get.
April 1, 2024: Brace yourself for projects to take longer and cost more than expected.
March 31, 2024: Imagine it’s 5 years from now. What would you most like yourself to have done in that 5 years? Start doing that.
March 30, 2024: Your social media haven’t done the best for you. Fine-tune how you use them.
March 29, 2024: Spend more time with the right people.
March 28, 2024: Heating food to 165 F at the center isn’t just for flavor, it’s to kill bacteria before they kill you. Thinner foods heat faster.
March 27, 2024: Very curious about something? Can you audit a college course about it?
March 26, 2024: For situations out of your control, worry is wasted. Plan how to adapt.
March 25, 2024: On a bothersome matter, it may not be too late to change course. If you think you should, do so soon; it will be harder later.
March 24, 2024: Whatever your restrictions, your thoughts are free. Enjoy them, but keep them as private as circumstances require.
March 23, 2024: Retaliate for an insult with silence and a smirk. They’ll worry about your intentions, and you don’t have to do anything.
March 22, 2024: Make appointments for overdue medical checkups.
March 21, 2024: “Fly-over” places offer many experiences and sights. Only an ignorant snob would ignore them.
March 20, 2024: Never send a message written in fury … except to the wastebasket.
March 19, 2024: You can help your looks a little. You can help your quality a lot.
March 18, 2024: Try a different restaurant.
March 17, 2024: Wear something reminiscent of your heritage. Prepare to tell a little about it.
March 16, 2024: Sharing decision-making helps others “buy in” to a decision.
March 15, 2024: If you haven’t heard from significant people for too long, re-establish communications even if it’s their turn.
March 14, 2024: Paparazzi ruin lives, so don’t patronize them.
March 13, 2024: Have a friendly chat with a neighbor.
March 12, 2024: Enjoy a favorite food you haven’t had for a while, like from another season’s holidays.
March 11, 2024: News should note newsmakers’ behavior compared to their religions’ teachings.
March 10, 2024: When in doubt, get better information.
March 9, 2024: When you appreciate people, tell them so.
March 8, 2024: You can scan a field of knowledge using its textbook. The latest edition made the previous edition really cheap.
March 7, 2024: Businesses don’t have to grow. If they’re successful at a certain size, they can probably keep adapting to changes around that size.
March 6, 2024: Imagine campaign signs for your favorite fiction characters.
March 5, 2024: Sometimes the tasks to tackle are not the most important but the most nagging.
March 4, 2024: What should you build with snow?
March 3, 2024: In a parking lot, a place with nobody nearby means easy-in, easy-out.
March 2, 2024: Treasure the pleasure of your hobbies. Keep the money aspects far in the background.
March 1, 2024: Eat one more helping of veggies than usual to replace something fattening.
February 29, 2024: Until health claims are scientifically verified, remain skeptical and don’t risk your own health on them.
February 28, 2024: The “political spectrum” doesn’t describe real people. Mix in faith, profession, heritage, hobbies, fandoms, and much more: attitudes are vast and interwoven, NOT a narrow spectrum.
February 27, 2024: Respect the expertise of masters who can make their tools sing and dance.
February 26, 2024: What future year do you have an important personal money-goal for? On your credit and debit cards, put un-missable stickers with that date.
February 25, 2024: The higher you climb, the more you are exposed. Protect yourself judiciously.
February 24, 2024: While making a sandwich, substitute something a bit different for one component.
February 23, 2024: The only way to keep a secret is to tell no one.
February 22, 2024: Communication is rarely perfect. Don't be afraid to ask people to clarify what they mean.
February 21, 2024: Some disagreements arise when both sides are wrong.
February 20, 2024: Notice the detailed brickwork on buildings from the 1800s and early 1900s.
February 19, 2024: Read something a lot longer than this suggestion.
February 18, 2024: Hope, plan, anticipate ... but don’t count on anything that isn’t in hand.
February 17, 2024: Enjoy some hot soup.
February 16, 2024: Music featuring bells can re-spark good moods.
February 15, 2024: When weather allows, go outside and exercise your muscles and joints.
February 14, 2024: When temptation would ruin reality, enjoy it as a private fantasy.
February 13, 2024: Do something to ease tomorrow’s tasks.
February 12, 2024: For yourself and those who follow, stand up against shoddy goods and services.
February 11, 2024: Plan your time to serve your several needs, including recreation.
February 10, 2024: Should you develop your own side gig? The Web and the library point out what to consider.
February 9, 2024: Find out new ways that people use computers in your hobby.
February 8, 2024: Develop a “Plan B” in case something goes wrong with “Plan A”. For important projects, craft a “Plan C” too.
February 7, 2024: In products you need to last, quality counts more than style.
February 6, 2024: What no one doubts, no one verifies. If it’s important, test it before you trust it.
February 5, 2024: Reexamine entrenched routines to make beneficial changes.
February 4, 2024: Set a goal to go in a good direction, rather than to reach a specific point.
February 3, 2024: When you’re feeling healthy, enjoy it! And do something to keep healthy.
February 2, 2024: If you talk more than those around you, talk less.
February 1, 2024: When others make a mistake, be patient while they learn that, then privately enjoy being right.
January 31, 2024: Following the instructions IS the shortcut.
January 30, 2024: People can “re-invent” themselves, though it takes a huge effort.
January 29, 2024: When you see someone who deserves a compliment: compliment them.
January 28, 2024: Problems postponed with alcohol come back. Bigger.
January 27, 2024: An advisor can be sincere, yet mistaken.
January 26, 2024: Spend some time with a friend you haven’t seen lately.
January 25, 2024: You can’t keep things from going wrong, but you CAN keep fix-up tools handy.
January 24, 2024: Before you react, find out the whole story.
January 23, 2024: To increase something’s value, take it from where it has less value to where it has more value.
January 22, 2024: Explore the back of the closet for things you’d like to use again.
January 21, 2024: Position yourself to benefit from change, because change always happens.
January 20, 2024: Store medicines with the name facing outward. You need to get the right med every time, even when groggy and distracted.
January 19, 2024: Beyond a comfortable amount, having more just makes more bother.
January 18, 2024: Does nature already solve a problem you confront? Find out how.
January 17, 2024: What do you want to be like a year from now? Take a step in that direction.
January 16, 2024: Most disagreements arise when both sides are right. Sometimes adjusting timing satisfies people.
January 15, 2024: People react to expectations. If they know you expect junk, they will give it. If they know you expect excellence, they will give it.
January 14, 2024: Especially if you did not enjoy your own childhood, enjoy your children’s.
January 13, 2024: Rearrange how you use social media to reduce wasting time and to optimize benefits.
January 12, 2024: Try alternate routes once in a while. They’ll give you a change of scenery, and one might sometimes be a better way.
January 11, 2024: It will feel better to get a disagreeable task done than to put it off again and still have to do it.
January 10, 2024: Donate what you can when you can. When it’s your turn to need, some will remember.
January 9, 2024: People who don’t have to earn a living still need tasks worth accomplishing.
January 8, 2024: Nature is a lot stronger than anything humans can do, so stay mindful of it.
January 7, 2024: Making the effort to be on time shows respect for everyone involved.
January 6, 2024: Details are worth bothering with. Ones you ignore can come back to haunt you.
January 5, 2024: Events that coincide attract more attention than those that don’t. But most are unrelated, only a few are cause-and-effect.
January 4, 2024: High-quality night-lighting need not be bright; pointed downward, and spread evenly, it will show all you want.
January 3, 2024: If a disagreement has grown worse or longer than it’s worth, take the initiative to reestablish friendlier relations.
January 2, 2024: Who in your family might need a passport? Do they all have them? Have any expired? It’s easier and cheaper if you apply now, rather than to wait till it’s almost too late.
January 1, 2024: If you’re not in the right place, doing the right thing, scout your target and plot your transition.
December 31, 2023: Knowledge is the possession you are most certain to keep. Learn what you need to know.
December 30, 2023: Those health warnings on tobacco and alcohol are really true. Friends and relatives wish you’d stop, but if you won’t, at least minimize.
December 29, 2023: If you haven’t heard from an important project lately, get a progress report.
December 28, 2023: Pay club dues right away. Club officers are usually volunteers who don’t need hassle.
December 27, 2023: Fit in time for your favorite hobby.
December 26, 2023: Running out of storage space? Can you stuff things in empty volume above other stuff? Below stuff? Gaps between stuff? Stuff small stuff inside big stuff?
December 25, 2023: The best theater seat is next to someone you like.
December 24, 2023: It is normal for people to not look perfect. And what “looks perfect” flits with fashions. Just be a good version of yourself.
December 23, 2023: Keep short-term practical work-arounds short-term. If continued, in the long-run they may not be such a good idea.
December 22, 2023: Keep your goals in mind, even when handling little matters.
December 21, 2023: Tree shadows pivot on the tree trunks. As the Sun arcs west, shadows arc east. If you drive in northern Earth, what parking spaces will stay sunny as long as you need? If you drive in southern Earth, what parking spaces will stay shady as long as you need?
December 20, 2023: Use foresight now, and you’ll need fewer excuses later.
December 19, 2023: Make sure you spell people’s names right. Many get very sensitive about that. When in doubt, ask.
December 18, 2023: Ease common colds with plenty of sleep, fluids, and humidity.
December 17, 2023: People like to be listened to. How are your ears? Your patience?
December 16, 2023: Follow prescription directions precisely. The timing and dose are just what the doctor ordered. Less or more aren’t right.
December 15, 2023: What makes you angry? Can you make that rarer and smaller?
December 14, 2023: Eat one more piece of fruit than usual today.
December 13, 2023: You form a first impression with almost no input. Revise it when you know better.
December 12, 2023: If you don’t know an answer, say so. You’ll gain respect for believability and candor.
December 11, 2023: A dab of relish sparks up many meals.
December 10, 2023: Suggest that children collect their too-small clothes, and help them donate them to a charity.
December 9, 2023: Be kinder in ordinary situations than the minimum necessary.
December 8, 2023: Snack on something filling just before shopping.
December 7, 2023: You can enter or resume college at any age, not only when graduating high school.
December 6, 2023: Scammers seek suckers who skip reading the fine print and analyzing the numbers. They can fool you and take your money. Or, you can fool them and blow the whistle.
December 5, 2023: Nobody has enough time to follow all the wisdom they hear, including here.
December 4, 2023: Everyone has good luck and bad luck. Position yourself to take best advantage of the first, and best withstand the second.
December 3, 2023: Do something charitable quietly, not to earn praise.
December 2, 2023: People are mellower after a meal.
December 1, 2023: Good ideas can come from many people, even those you don’t like.
November 30, 2023: Hearing “you’ve got nothing” is good news from your doctor, bad news from your banker.
November 29, 2023: Some opportunities come as complete surprises. The more your affairs are already in order, the better and faster you can take advantage of them.
November 28, 2023: Making a mistake shows you’re human. Correcting it before it’s too late shows you’re smart and mean well.
November 27, 2023: Listen to someone else’s opinions and, if they’re worth it, ponder them long.
November 26, 2023: Weight-loss programs that work in the long run aren’t advertised as “fast” and “easy”.
November 25, 2023: Relaxing, calm, quiet, peaceful periods can reduce pain and tension.
November 24, 2023: Improve the gifts you give by adding extra thought, not extra money.
November 23, 2023: Ask elders about olden times.
November 22, 2023: When somebody says something offensive, first figure out what they really intend.
November 21, 2023: Keep your body running by at least keeping it walking. Reasonable exercise helps health.
November 20, 2023: If you have time before reaching a decision, use it for getting information and pondering. Then decide and act.
November 19, 2023: Children turn cooperative when brought shopping and told “buy what you’ll eat, eat what you buy.”
November 18, 2023: Gossips spread news whether you like it or not. Tell them your good news. Some of my good news is that I post this advice. Some of yours is that you read it.
November 17, 2023: Beware of menus with too many adjectives.
November 16, 2023: A good price for something you don’t want is not a good price.
November 15, 2023: Learn more about nature’s workings. They’re wonderful and awesome ... and useful.
November 14, 2023: Size matters in some ways, but many matters matter more.
November 13, 2023: What “everybody knows” may not be true. If it doesn’t ring true to you, remain skeptical, and verify what you can.
November 12, 2023: The warmer you dress, the less you need to pay for heating.
November 11, 2023: Little Free Libraries offer serendipity. You can return later with your swap book.
November 10, 2023: Sample a different form or brand of a standard ingredient. Is it tastier or easier?
November 9, 2023: Rummage through the bottoms and backs of drawers. Sell or give away anything you’ll never use again.
November 8, 2023: Say what you think, but put it in a way that your listeners will best accept.
November 7, 2023: Develop a project on the side that just might make a big difference for you.
November 6, 2023: Select a worry that you can fix, and fix it.
November 5, 2023: On spread-sheet projects and goals, include a column for “Next Steps”. Those arise unexpectedly, open opportunities, and add up.
November 4, 2023: If you want to invite friends over, you don’t have to wait for a holiday.
November 3, 2023: A stroll by the water makes a good change of pace.
November 2, 2023: Getting things right is the right direction to head toward, though absolute perfection is often not worth the effort.
November 1, 2023: Wear a feather. People will smile and compliment you.
October 31, 2023: One food treat can make a whole day feel better.
October 30, 2023: Contentedness speaks more of wisdom than of wealth.
October 29, 2023: Every machine requires servicing. What do you depend on, but haven’t taken care of lately?
October 28, 2023: Friends are too precious to lose, but you can dial some up and dial some down.
October 27, 2023: When your underwear isn’t right, nothing’s right. Fix or get rid of the ones that don’t feel good.
October 26, 2023: LoveLockers: Railings and fences aren’t built to cope with so much extra weight, so that’s not where to lock your locks. Enterprisers: Offer romantic, inviting, picturesque, safe, proper, affordable venues for LoveLocking, with optional ceremony.
October 25, 2023: Update your resume; it may be handy.
October 24, 2023: Have a friendly chat with someone where you work.
October 23, 2023: Take lots of pictures. People change, memories fade, pictures rekindle good times with good people.
October 22, 2023: You were curious about something recently. Find overviews with a search-engine or encyclopedia. Dig deeper into the background, causes, effects, and surroundings in books — your Library is still there.
October 21, 2023: When you neglect safety, you risk what you have to live for, and scare people who care about you.
October 20, 2023: Some issues have more than 2 sides; some have fewer.
October 19, 2023: A good meal that’s getting dull may wake up with a different seasoning.
October 18, 2023: Revise first impressions in the light of longer experience.
October 17, 2023: Plan some time off. Start enjoying it in your imagination right now.
October 16, 2023: Minimal decoration is for people who have nothing they’re proud of, nothing they like, no mementos, and no thoughts. Live happier: show off what you like, strut what you’re proud of, keep useful stuff handy, splash happy colors and shapes all around.
October 15, 2023: Spend time with young ones. That’s worth much more than spending money on them.
October 14, 2023: Get enough sleep, even if you add up several naps. There’s nothing like it.
October 13, 2023: Open up more time by paying less attention to celebrities.
October 12, 2023: The simple pleasures of youth are still pleasures, so enjoy them.
October 11, 2023: Trapped in traffic? The world is giving you free time off. Shimmy into your seat, relax, breathe deeply, play your favorite music, and gather your thoughts.
October 10, 2023: Limit your impulse buying price: $1? The price of a cup of coffee? lunch? a shirt?
October 9, 2023: Turn a place in your home into something you especially like.
October 8, 2023: Learn to do one more computer thing today.
October 7, 2023: Set up your day to fit in some healthy chuckles.
October 6, 2023: Just because something is legal doesn’t mean it’s right.
October 5, 2023: When daunted by an enormous task: First, finish the easiest parts. Then finish the easiest remaining parts. Then the next. By then you’ve built momentum, and the remainder isn’t so enormous.
October 4, 2023: The Space Age began 66 years ago today. Use an image-search engine for “nebula” or “galaxy” or “planet”, to see what that awesome new point of view reveals where we had noticed fuzz-blotches.
October 3, 2023: Temperatures range widely at this season. Linger outside when the temperature is your favorite.
October 2, 2023: Go up a high building or mountain and enjoy the view.
October 1, 2023: First of the month! Turn the page on the picture calendar. Turn the page on the other monthly calendars. What would be good to turn the page on figuratively?
September 30, 2023: Don’t be in such a rush. Leave a little earlier, slow down, and go easier.
September 29, 2023: Listen to an old favorite piece of music.
September 28, 2023: Travel when circumstances permit. Too often, circumstances don’t permit, sometimes abruptly.
September 27, 2023: Insurance terms and prices are changing a lot. Cover the right risks for the right amount, from the right company, naming the right beneficiaries.
September 26, 2023: What are your meds doing inside you? Read the info sheets: awesome info, tho awful literature.
September 25, 2023: Select which old customs to magnify, which to honor as heritage, and which to grow out of.
September 24, 2023: Who do you like, but haven’t communicated with for too long? Send them a friendly greeting and set up a time to chat.
September 23, 2023: If you must criticize, begin and end it with praise.
September 22, 2023: Check all your tires. Do they need more air? Is the tread still safe? Fix what needs fixing.