Hello folks!

Given that we haven’t had a Free Talk Friday thread in the last time, I now take it upon myself to post our Off-topic thread for the weekend. I always enjoyed reading these threads so I don’t want this tradition to die.

Here you can post:

  • what’s currently happening in your life
  • what you’re currently reading, watching or listening to (book, movie and music recommendations)
  • Any cool projects you’re working on atm
  • Jokes, Memes and other funny stuff not fitting elsewhere.

So, I hope everyone has fun over here. Stay safe, stay healthy! ✌🏻

  • DaveWave94OP
    2·
    6 months ago

    Thanks for the recommendation, getting back into meditation is definitely on my agenda for 2024 and finding books without esoteric BS is hard 👍🏻

    • PorkButtsNTaters666
      3·
      6 months ago

      You might want to consider the following no BS meditation books:

      • The Mind Illuminated (for a rather hardcore howto on concentration, with 10 progressive levels)
      • The Path to Nibbana (for Metta Meditation - potentially something you should do at some stage anyway, but this book might benefit from concentration techniques shown in TMI)
      • Seeing That Frees (for later; this is not really a beginner’s guide to meditation, but it’s worth reading anyway)
      • HomeAwayFromHone
        4·
        5 months ago

        I’m unsurprised to see an overlap between meditation and straight razor appreciation. After all, using, honing and stropping my straights are some of my favourite meditations though I still try to keep a more formal practice.

        • PorkButtsNTaters666
          4·
          5 months ago

          I agree that at some level, the overlap between meditation and straight razor shaving is unsurprising – now that I do it. They combine self-care and skill, and require some dedication to get it – initially, both can seem totally pointless.

          But had you asked me 10 years ago before I started doing either, I would have guessed that the overlap between these two activities is essentially 0 (and this may very well be the case; for all I know, there are 3 of us - with @gcgallant@gcgallant@sub.wetshaving.social).

          Let me just take a break from our habitual absence of politics here, but I would have guessed that meditators would rather come from the Guardian-reading, tofu-eating wokerati crowd, whereas I would have located straight razor shavers among the gun-toting and pick-up driving bunch (preconceptions, I know, but still…).

          Then, there’s the fact that buddhism forbids its adherents from using not only intoxicating drinks, but also from perfumes, which is one of the great things about wetshaving. I have noticed myself that even small amounts of alcohol degrade the ability to meditate quite considerably, but I have never really tried meditating with and without wearing perfume. Also, mindfulness is rather a side-effect in straight razor shaving than an end in itself.

          So, on a more profound level, I do find it a bit surprising. Maybe it’s just the latest hipster thing…

          • gcgallant
            1·
            5 months ago

            I do find it a bit surprising.

            I’ve had conversations with other long-time meditators. It seems that for most of us the practice influences some other activities.

            I would have guessed that meditators would rather come from the Guardian-reading, tofu-eating wokerati crowd

            As a member of the boomer crowd [though: not orange, no corset, no diapers, no shoe lifts], I’d get a huge kick out of being identified as member of the tofu-eating wokerati :)

        • gcgallant
          3·
          5 months ago

          though I still try to keep a more formal practice.

          As do I. I’ve been meditating a long time (over 30 years) and have tried several approaches to the practice. I continue to revert to the simplest form, being mindful of breath, but I can use that practice to be mindful of the moment (being “present” in current vernacular) and this can easily be applied to a variety of activities. Freehand sharpening (including razor honing), and straight razor shaving, are among those for me.