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Things you're allowed to do (2020)

milan.cvitkovic.net

31–40 of 228 posts

Re: Things you're allowed to do (2020)

#31
post #10

I'm probably a weirdo, but the "write in books" is a massive no no for me. I can't imagine writing in a book (unless it's a total turd, but I assume we're talking about good, insightful books). I do take notes, but always on separate sheets that I keep in the book. Just no way I'll write on the book itself.

I'm on similar thinking. Then, I got the idea of sticking tiny sticky notes where I wanted to write, which solved the problem. Write your notes in the stickies, then stick them with just a teeny-tiny piece protruding. Now, you can reference the notes and pick an area you thought was interesting by sticking a note on that page.

I just took a picture highlighting how I do now. Of course, room for improvement.

https://cdn.oinam.com/img/books/books-with-sticky-notes.jpg

Re: Things you're allowed to do (2020)

#32
post #4

You’re not always allowed to hire assistance. People here on certain types of visas, especially students, may have very limited options on who can pay them to work. They usually know but might not or might not fully understand the rules.

Wouldn't that be a restriction on working as an assistant rather than hiring one?

Depends on your jurisdiction. Sometimes hiring someone without verifying their right to work is a crime. (Or without registering with the tax authorities, or social security, or ensuring they have adequate breaks, or or or... paying someone to work for you is often something that involves quite a lot of responsibility, since the law often doesn't really contemplate private individuals doing it outside of the super-rich)

Re: Things you're allowed to do (2020)

#34
post #22
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're missing out ! I started doing it when I realized that a book is nothing sacred, just thoughts the author where having. So by taking notes, it's like having a conversation with her. It has the benefit of also teaching you to be more "skeptical" of what you are reading, always a plus.

>I started doing it when I realized that a book is nothing sacred, just thoughts the author where having. the sacred part is often tied into the history of the book , the edition, the tradition, the binding options, in some instances the rarity of the documented text, whatever. I have many books that are heirloom items from generations before me, I would never write in them. They are a testament to their point in his…

I would expect written notes would make books passed down between generations more special and meaningful, not less.

Re: Things you're allowed to do (2020)

#35
post #22
post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You're missing out ! I started doing it when I realized that a book is nothing sacred, just thoughts the author where having. So by taking notes, it's like having a conversation with her. It has the benefit of also teaching you to be more "skeptical" of what you are reading, always a plus.

>I started doing it when I realized that a book is nothing sacred, just thoughts the author where having. the sacred part is often tied into the history of the book , the edition, the tradition, the binding options, in some instances the rarity of the documented text, whatever. I have many books that are heirloom items from generations before me, I would never write in them. They are a testament to their point in his…

69th edition would be sacred

Re: Things you're allowed to do (2020)

#36

Hiring a physiotherapist is one that drives me mad. I have relatives and friends in real pain and they refuse to spend the £100 to £200 for a couple of sessions of physio to fix the problem. They can all afford it but they doggedly stick to mild pain killers and “it will sort itself out” eventually it may but what a waste of energy for months and years.

Actually they are right. Physio doesn't do shit for the pain and mild pain killers plus "wait and see" is all you got for back injuries. The good part is that it does sort it out but it takes years. It's still a good idea to do some physio for learning some exercises that help on the long run. You'll have to do them yourself from time to time and they relate to exercising the muscles that sustain the spine. Don't thi…

> And if it hurts, abort, abort! You're not Arnold Schwarzenegger training, it's not supposed to hurt.

Yes. I absolutely detest people who tell me "pain is weakness leaving the body" as if I solicited their advice.

Re: Things you're allowed to do (2020)

#38
post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Author then recommends not writing on greetings cards, using a post-it instead. Curious... My own approach is to write my impressions on a slim notebook, and to keep it besides the book on the shelf.

These aren't recommendations; just things you can do. They serve as reminders for folks who may have habits which no longer serve them. The post-it greeting card and inline book notes aren't contradictory, they're just salient options to different people.

I don't even think they are contradictory.

Books aren't for gathering dust, they are for engaging with. Margin notes and underlines is part of that. It's actually pretty great, you often discover different things on rereads.

The notion that books must be kept pristine is from libraries, does not apply to private books.

Greeting cards are looked at once, then usually gathering dust somwhere, and eventually thrown out. Different wheelhouse.

Re: Things you're allowed to do (2020)

#39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When you read the word "assistance" the first idea comes up on your mind is a foreigner? It tells a lot about what's wrong with... everything.

No but TFA specifically mentioned hiring “grad students” as an example, and that could accidentally get them into hot water. I’ve worked with foreign students and they have to be reminded that they can’t Uber or DoorDash or consult or basically do anything other than explicitly permitted work-study for income while they are here.

Pretty sure you can do yard work or shovel snow for someone one time and get paid like twenty dollars in cash. As far as I know, nobody gets in trouble for that.

It only becomes a problem when the entity paying tries to enter it as an expense.

All the usual disclaimers apply. I anal. I am definitely not YOUR lawyer.

Re: Things you're allowed to do (2020)

#40
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This seems like a fairly equally mixed list of good ideas and ways to be absolutely insufferable. Maybe GPT wrote it.

The list predates the wide availability (and perhaps even existence) of a good version of GPT.

It was a vague dig at the propensity of ChatGPT, when asked to provide a list of facts, to interleave hallucinations and facts.
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