San Francisco’s Civil(ˈsivəl) War(wôr)

YIMBYs! Socialists(ˈsōSHəˌlist)! The only thing the Bay(bā) Area’s(ˈe(ə)rēə) tenant(ˈtenənt) activists hate(hāt) more than high rent is each other.

By Henry(ˈhenrē) Grabar

Local politics(ˈpäləˌtiks) is always, in one way or another, about housing. In San Francisco, a deep blue city whose fault lines long ago ceased(sēs) to resemble(riˈzembəl) America’s, that politics is a vitriolic(ˌvitrēˈälik) civic(ˈsivik) scrimmage(ˈskrimij), where people who agree about almost every national(ˈnaSHənəl) issue(ˈiSHo͞o) make sworn(swôrn) enemies(ˈenəmē) over zoning(zōn), demolition(ˌdeməˈliSHən), and development. It’s like a circular(ˈsərkyələr) firing squad(skwäd) at a co-op meeting.

On June 1, members of a group that advocates(ˈadvəkeɪt) for housing growth(grōTH) to lower(ˈlou(ə)r,ˈlōər) rents called San Francisco YIMBY (for “Yes, In My Back Yard”) helped organize a panel(ˈpanl) in downtown San Francisco: “The Political Dynamics(dīˈnamiks) of Housing.” Over food and drink, a group of local experts(ˈekˌspərt) and activists tried to talk through why, despite(diˈspīt) widespread(ˈwīdˈspred) local consensus(kənˈsensəs) that something must change, San Francisco continues to be the country’s most expensive city for renting an apartment.

The day before the event, the San Francisco chapter(ˈCHaptər) of the Democratic(ˌdeməˈkratik) Socialists of America—an organization founded in 1982 whose membership more than tripled(ˈtripəl), in the 12 months ending in March 2017, to 19,000 dues-paying(d(y)o͞o) members—included(inˈklo͞odid) a note in their regular(ˈreg(ə)lər,ˈregyələr) membership letter(ˈletər). “The SF YIMBY Party is a pro-development, pro-gentrification, pro-landlord(ˈlan(d)ˌlôrd) organization,” it read. “DSA SF is seeking folks to come up with materials(məˈti(ə)rēəl) and a plan for challenging(ˈCHalənj) this narrative(ˈnarətiv) and the disinformation they will undoubtedly(ˌənˈdoutidlē) be spreading regarding housing at this meeting.”

That call, and an ensuing(enˈso͞o) shouting match at the panel, was the most overt(ōˈvərt,ˈōvərt) skirmish(ˈskərmiSH) in a feud(fyo͞od) between the DSA and the YIMBYs, two groups that have more in common than you might expect. Each has harnessed the political energy(ˈenərjē) of young people in West Coast cities. Each considers entrenched(enˈtrenCHt) wealthy(ˈwelTHē) homeowners an enemy. They have a good number of members in common. And the goal, of course, is the same: more affordable(əˈfôrdəbəl) housing.

Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?

More comfortable online than out partying, post-Millennials(miˈlenēəl) are safer, physically(ˈfizikəl), than adolescents(ˌadlˈesənt) have ever been. But they’re on the brink(briNGk) of a mental-health(ˈmentl) crisis(ˈkrīsis).

By Jean M. Twenge

One day last summer, around noon, I called Athena(əˈTHēnə), a 13-year-old who lives(liv) in Houston, Texas(ˈteksəs). She answered her phone—she’s had an iPhone since she was 11—sounding as if she’d just woken up. We chatted about her favorite(ˈfāv(ə)rət) songs and TV shows, and I asked her what she likes to do with her friends. “We go to the mall,” she said. “Do your parents drop you off?,” I asked, recalling my own middle-school days, in the 1980s, when I’d enjoy a few parent-free(ˈpar-,ˈpe(ə)rənt) hours shopping with my friends. “No—I go with my family,” she replied(riˈplī). “We’ll go with my mom and brothers and walk a little behind them. I just have to tell my mom where we’re going. I have to check in every hour or every 30 minutes.”

Those mall trips(trip) are infrequent—about(inˈfrēkwənt) once a month. More often, Athena and her friends spend time together on their phones, unchaperoned(ˌənˈSHapəˌrōnd). Unlike the teens of my generation, who might have spent an evening tying up the family(ˈfam(ə)lē) landline(ˈlan(d)ˌlīn) with gossip(ˈgäsəp), they talk on Snapchat(snap), the smartphone app that allows users to send pictures(ˈpikCHər) and videos that quickly disappear. They make sure to keep up their Snapstreaks(strēk), which show how many days in a row they have Snapchatted with each other. Sometimes they save screenshots of particularly ridiculous(riˈdikyələs) pictures of friends. “It’s good blackmail,” Athena said. (Because she’s a minor(ˈmīnər), I’m not using her real name.) She told me she’d spent most of the summer hanging(ˈhaNGiNG) out alone in her room with her phone. That’s just the way her generation is, she said. “We didn’t have a choice to know any life without iPads or iPhones. I think we like our phones more than we like actual people.”

I’ve been researching generational differences for 25 years, starting when I was a 22-year-old doctoral(ˈdäktərəl) student in psychology(sīˈkäləjē). Typically(ˈtipikəl), the characteristics(ˌkariktəˈristik) that come to define(diˈfīn) a generation appear gradually(ˈgrajo͞oəlē), and along a continuum(kənˈtinyo͞oəm). Beliefs and behaviors(biˈhāvyər) that were already rising(ˈrīziNG) simply(ˈsimplē) continue to do so. Millennials, for instance, are a highly individualistic(ˌindivijo͞oəˈlistik) generation, but individualism(ˌindəˈvijo͞oəˌlizəm) had been increasing since the Baby Boomers(ˈbo͞omər) turned on, tuned in, and dropped out. I had grown accustomed(əˈkəstəmd) to line graphs(graf) of trends that looked like modest(ˈmädəst) hills(hil) and valleys(ˈvalē). Then I began studying Athena’s generation.

How to Help(help) Negative(ˈnegətiv) People

By Steve Pavlina

Many people have asked me how they can help someone who’s stuck in negative(ˈnegətiv) thinking or depression(diˈpreSHən). Here are some tips(tip) on how to do that.

No matter what happens, stay positive(ˈpäztiv,ˈpäzətiv).

I once visited the house of an old acquaintance(əˈkwāntns), and as soon(so͞on) as I saw him, I felt a wave(wāv) of darkness pouring(pôr) over me. I regretted(riˈgret) stopping by almost immediately(iˈmēdē-itlē). No matter how many times I changed the subject, he proceeded(prō-,prəˈsēd) to spin(spin) every topic of discussion into an excuse to complain(kəmˈplān) about what he disliked about his life, other people, and the world at large. After 30 minutes I couldn’t take it anymore and had to leave(lēv). This man was a major(ˈmājər) energy(ˈenərjē) vampire(ˈvamˌpī(ə)r), trying to get me to agree with all his imaginary(iˈmajəˌnerē) woes(wō) in order to validate(ˈvaləˌdāt) his victimhood(ˈviktəm). His dissatisfaction(disˌsatisˈfakSHən) was palpable(ˈpalpəbəl) as I refused to join him in his self-made prison(ˈprizən), which only made him want to try harder. But he was getting out of life exactly(igˈzak(t)lē) what he intended. He was a victim because he thought himself a victim.

One of the most important considerations when helping someone in a negative state is that you must avoid falling into negativity yourself. Negative people are energy vampires(ˈvamˌpī(ə)r). They have an almost endless(ˈen(d)ləs) capacity(kəˈpasitē) to dwell(dwel) on what they don’t want, whining(ī) and complaining about their lives while denying(diˈnī) responsibility(riˌspänsəˈbilətē) for their results. Their fear blocks the natural(ˈnaCHərəl) flow of energy from within(wiT͟Hˈin,wiˈTH-), so they must get it from other people instead(inˈsted). After spending(spend) a few hours with them, you’ll usually feel drained(drān), tired, worried, or stressed(stres). Positive people, on the other hand, have overcome their fears to such a degree that their energy flows outward. Consequently, they give energy instead of taking it. After spending time with very positive people, you’ll tend to feel energized, uplifted, and inspired. Most people are somewhere in the middle though, so the energy exchange tends to be close to neutral(ˈn(y)o͞otrəl).

It makes no difference what particular circumstances(-stəns,ˈsərkəmˌstans) negative people blame(blām) for their negative outlook. Ultimately(ˈəltəmitlē) it’s still a choice rooted in free will. No matter how unconscious(ˌənˈkänSHəs) the person was when making the decision to sink into negativity, in this moment that person still has the power to choose(CHo͞oz) otherwise. So if you decide to help such a person, your primary(ˈprīm(ə)rē,ˈprīˌmerē) role is to help guide(gīd) him to make a more conscious choice(CHois), one that will likely be much more empowering(emˈpou(-ə)r).

To Kill a Mockingbird(ˈmäkiNGˌbərd)

By Harper(härpər) Lee

When he was nearly(ˈni(ə)rlē) thirteen, my brother(ˈbrəT͟Hər) Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow(ˈelˌbō). When it healed(hēl), and Jem’s fears(fi(ə)r) of never being able to play football were assuaged(əˈswāj), he was seldom(ˈseldəm) self-conscious(ˈkänCHəs) about his injury(ˈinjərē). His left arm was somewhat shorter than his right; when he stood or walked, the back of his hand was at right angles(ˈaNGgəl) to his body(ˈbädē), his thumb(THəm) parallel(-ləl,ˈparəˌlel) to his thigh(THī). He couldn’t have cared less, so long as he could pass(pas) and punt(pənt).

When enough(iˈnəf) years had gone by to enable(enˈābəl) us to look back on them(T͟Hem,T͟Həm), we sometimes discussed(disˈkəs) the events(iˈvent) leading to his accident(ˈaksidənt). I maintain(mānˈtān) that the Ewells started it all, but Jem, who was four years my senior(ˈsēnyər), said it started long before that. He said it began the summer Dill came to us, when Dill first gave us the idea(īˈdēə) of making Boo Radley come out.

I said if he wanted to take a broad(brôd) view(vyo͞o) of the thing, it really(ˈrē(ə)lē) began with Andrew Jackson(ˈjaksən). If General Jackson hadn’t run the Creeks(krēk) up the creek, Simon Finch would never have paddled(ˈpadl) up the Alabama(ˌaləˈbamə), and where would we be if he hadn’t? We were far too old to settle(ˈsetl) an argument with a fist-fight, so we consulted(kənˈsəlt) Atticus. Our father said we were both right.

Being Southerners(ˈsəT͟Hərnər), it was a source of shame(SHām) to some members of the family(ˈfam(ə)lē) that we had no recorded ancestors(ˈanˌsestər) on either side of the Battle(ˈbatl) of Hastings(ˈhāstiNGz). All we had was Simon Finch, a fur-trapping(fər trap) apothecary(əˈpäTHiˌkerē) from Cornwall(-wəl,ˈkôrnˌwôl) whose piety(ˈpī-itē) was exceeded(ikˈsēd) only by his stinginess(ˈstɪndʒɪnəs). In England, Simon was irritated(ˈiriˌtātid) by the persecution(ˌpərsəˈkyo͞oSHən) of those who called themselves Methodists(ˈmeTHədəst) at the hands of their more liberal(ˈlib(ə)rəl) brethren(ˈbreT͟H(ə)rin), and as Simon called himself a Methodist, he worked his way across the Atlantic(at-,ətˈlantik) to Philadelphia(ˌfiləˈdelfēə), thence(T͟Hens) to Jamaica(jəˈmākə), thence to Mobile(mōˈbēl,ˈmōˌbēl), and up the Saint(sānt) Stephens. Mindful(ˈmīndfəl) of John Wesley’s strictures(ˈstrikCHər) on the use of many words in buying and selling, Simon made a pile(pīl) practicing medicine(ˈmedisən), but in this pursuit(pərˈso͞ot) he was unhappy lest(lest) he be tempted into doing what he knew was not for the glory(ˈglôrē) of God, as the putting on of gold(gōld) and costly(ˈkôstlē) apparel(əˈparəl). So Simon, having forgotten his teacher’s dictum(ˈdiktəm) on the possession(pəˈzeSHən) of human chattels(ˈCHatl), bought three slaves(slāv) and with their aid(ād) established(iˈstabliSHt) a homestead(ˈhōmˌsted) on the banks of the Alabama(ˌaləˈbamə) River some forty miles(mīl) above Saint Stephens. He returned to Saint Stephens only once, to find a wife, and with her established a line that ran high to daughters. Simon lived to an impressive(imˈpresiv) age and died rich.

How to Become a More Well-Rounded Leader

By Tony(ˈtōnē) Schwartz

For years, when I spoke with CEOs or senior(ˈsēnyər) leaders, it was because they were interested(ˈint(ə)ristid,ˈintəˌrestid) in how my consulting(kənˈsəltiNG) firm(fərm) could help their employees(emˈploi-ē,ˌemploiˈē) become more engaged(enˈgājd), or innovative(ˈinəˌvātiv), or sustainably(səˈstān) high-performing. During the past year – and especially(iˈspeSHəlē) the past six months – I’ve been hearing(ˈhi(ə)riNG) a different and much more personal initial(iˈniSHəl) question: “Can you help me better manage(ˈmanij) my own life?”

Consider the challenges(ˈCHalənj) that modern(ˈmädərn) corporate(ˈkôrp(ə)rət) leaders — and especially CEOs — now face, in addition(əˈdiSHən) to running their companies every day:

A high likelihood(ˈlīklēˌho͝od) that the company they run has a business(ˈbiznis) model(ˈmädl) that is being seriously(ˈsi(ə)rēəslē) disrupted(disˈrəpt), most often as a result of technology(tekˈnäləjē).

A far more vocal(ˈvōkəl) and influential(ˌinflo͞oˈenCHəl) group of stakeholders(ˈstākˌhōldər), including employees, customers(ˈkəstəmər), and the public(ˈpəblik) at large, all emboldened(emˈbōldən) by their access to social media and by the speed at which their opinions(əˈpinyən) can go viral(ˈvīrəl).

A highly volatile(ˈvälətl) political(pəˈlitikəl) climate(ˈklīmit) that has prompted(prämpt) fear(fi(ə)r) and uncertainty both inside and outside companies.

Ambivalence(amˈbivələns) about how to best attract(əˈtrakt), manage, and retain(riˈtān) Millennials(miˈlenēəl), who now represent the largest generation in the workforce, expect more flexibility(ˌfleksəˈbilətē) in the way they work, and prefer(priˈfər) to work for employers(emˈploi-ər) with a mission(ˈmiSHən) that goes beyond maximizing(ˈmaksəˌmīz) profit(ˈpräfit).

How can leaders balance these complex and often competing demands(diˈmand)? The core challenge for modern leaders, I believe, is to become more wholly(ˈhōl(l)ē) human – to actively develop a wider(wīd) range of capabilities(ˌkāpəˈbilitē) and to more deeply understand themselves.

…

Procrastination(prō-,prəˌkrastəˈnāSHən) is an Opportunity(ˌäpərˈt(y)o͞onitē), Not a Suckfest

By Leo Babauta

So what should we do instead(inˈsted)? Ideally(īˈdē(ə)lē):

We set a hard task before us.

We feel the difficulty(ˈdifikəltē), but see this as a signpost(sīnˌpōst) that we’re pushing into uncertain(ˌənˈsərtn) ground.

We relish(ˈreliSH) the opportunity to push into uncertain ground, and dive(dīv) in with gusto(ˈgəstō). (I love the word “gusto,” btw.(by the way.))

But that’s not where we are. We have to practice in this way:

Set a hard task, feel like procrastinating because it’s uncertain and uncomfortable(-ˈkəmftərbəl,ˌənˈkəmfərtəbəl) …

Start to procrastinate by going to something easy.

Once we’ve switched(swiCH) over and noticed that we’re procrastinating … we pause(pôz). This Pause is the key to everything.

We see this Pause as an opportunity to practice a key life skill, and we light up with joy(joi). And yes, gusto.

We practice with discomfort and uncertainty(ˌənˈsərtntē). What does it feel like? Is it horrible(ˈhär-,ˈhôrəbəl)? Can we work in the midst(midst,mitst) of it? Can we open up to the discomfort of it all, embrace(emˈbrās) the uncertainty, and see it as a beautiful(ˈbyo͞otəfəl) part of what we’re doing?

Slowly, through this practice, we can get better at not running, at staying with the discomfort, at embracing it all, at being patient and joyful in the middle of chaos(ˈkāˌäs) and the unknown.

Commit(kəˈmit) yourself to this practice. You’ll find it life-changing and gorgeous(ˈgôrjəs).

the four-year-old’s world

will and self

I feel for the four-year-old:
so much of his world
plays(plā) by rules(ro͞ol) he just can’t quite(kwīt) buy(bī) into,
he feels them arbitrary(ˈärbiˌtrerē), capricious(-ˈprē-,kəˈpriSHəs),
he feels duty-bound(ˈd(y)o͞otē) to resist(riˈzist) them, reject them,

the rules of physics(ˈfiziks) work for him,
for physical actions have consequences(-ˌkwens,ˈkänsikwəns) that just are:
dropped things drop,
he has to adjust(əˈjəst) his climb(klīm), his moves(mo͞ov) on a structure(ˈstrəkCHər),
guided(ˈgīdid) by an understanding
that gravity(ˈgravitē) cares(ke(ə)r) nothing for what he wants,

the rules of people seem to be fungible(ˈfənjəbəl),
open to possibility(ˌpäsəˈbilətē) of change,

the self an artist and the parents’(ˈpar-,ˈpe(ə)rənt) world a canvas(ˈkanvəs)
upon which the ego(ˈēgō) can work its will
to create whatever the self, at the moment(ˈmōmənt),
imagines(iˈmajən) to be most pleasing(ˈplēziNG),

I applaud(əˈplôd) assertion(əˈsərSHən) of self,
for we must be the self as individual(ˌindəˈvijəwəl)
before that individual can choose to follow love
into the larger, the self in connection(kəˈnekSHən),
will, in ignorance(ˈignərəns), though(T͟Hō), can be as King Canute(kəˈn(y)o͞ot)
who ordered the tide(tīd) to not come in,
and how did that come out?

the four-year-old, in contrary mode,
asserts(əˈsərt) a self-centeredness that seems to beg(beg) to be thwarted(THwôrt),
controlled and disciplined(ˈdisəplind) by a dominant(ˈdämənənt) parent,

how much harder, and better,
if the parents use all their creativity(ˌkrē-āˈtivitē), patience(ˈpāSHəns), and love,
to help guide(gīd) the self into learning what’s out there,
learning when to lose(lo͞oz) because the battle(ˈbatl) isn’t worth it,
and learning how to win when love is the referee(ˌrefəˈrē).

Meet three new people every week

By Derek Sivers

One of the best books about the music(ˈmyo͞ozik) business(ˈbiznis) was called “Making It in the New Music Business” by James(jāmz) Riordan.

He suggested(sə(g)ˈjest) that, as an aspiring(əˈspī(ə)riNG) musician(myo͞oˈziSHən) (or producer/agent/writer/etc.(et ˈsetərə,ˈsetrə)) - you make a point to meet three new people in the music industry(ˈindəstrē) every week.

Imagine that! Three new people every single week - people that could actually(ˈakCHo͞oəlē) help your career(kəˈri(ə)r)! In a year from now you’ll have relationships with over 150 new people that are potential(pəˈtenCHəl) “lottery(ˈlätərē) tickets(ˈtikit)” - and hopefully(ˈhōpfəlē) the interest(ˈint(ə)rist) is mutual(ˈmyo͞oCHo͞oəl).

The thing is, you have to develop these relationships.

Put them on your A, B, or C list. Stay(stā) in touch. Go beyond the introduction(ˌintrəˈdəkSHən), and really get to know these people, what they’re looking for in business and life, what they’re interested in, and how you can help them.

The shorter your sleep, the shorter your life: the new sleep science(ˈsīəns)

Leading(led,lēd) neuroscientist(ˌn(y)o͝orōˈsīəntist) Matthew Walker on why sleep deprivation(ˌdeprəˈvāSHən) is increasing our risk(risk) of cancer(ˈkansər), heart attack(əˈtak) and Alzheimer’s(ˈältsˌhīmərz,ˈälz-,ˈôlts-,ˈôlz-) – and what you can do about it

By Rachel Cooke

Matthew Walker has learned to dread(dred) the question “What do you do?” At parties, it signals(ˈsignəl) the end of his evening(ˈēvniNG); thereafter(T͟He(ə)rˈaftər), his new acquaintance(əˈkwāntns) will inevitably(inˈevitəblē) cling(kliNG) to him like ivy(ˈīvē). On an aeroplane, it usually means that while everyone else watches movies or reads a thriller(ˈTHrilər), he will find himself running an hours-long salon(saˈlôN,səˈlän) for the benefit of passengers(ˈpasinjər) and crew(kro͞o) alike. “I’ve begun to lie(lī),” he says. “Seriously(ˈsi(ə)rēəslē). I just tell people I’m a dolphin(ˈdälfin,ˈdôl-) trainer(ˈtrānər). It’s better for everyone.”

Walker is a sleep scientist. To be specific(spəˈsifik), he is the director of the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California(-nēə,ˌkaləˈfôrnyə), Berkeley(ˈbərklē), a research institute(ˈinstiˌt(y)o͞ot) whose goal – possibly(ˈpäsəblē) unachievable(ˌənəˈCHēvəbəl) – is to understand everything about sleep’s impact on us, from birth to death, in sickness(ˈsiknis) and health. No wonder, then, that people long for his counsel(ˈkounsəl). As the line between work and leisure(ˈleZHər,ˈlēZHər) grows ever more blurred(blərd), rare(re(ə)r) is the person who doesn’t worry about their sleep. But even as we contemplate(ˈkäntəmˌplāt) the shadows(ˈSHadō) beneath(biˈnēTH) our eyes, most of us don’t know the half of it – and perhaps this is the real reason he has stopped telling strangers how he makes his living(ˈliviNG). When Walker talks about sleep he can’t, in all conscience(ˈkänCHəns), limit himself to whispering(ˈ(h)wispər) comforting(ˈkəmfərtiNG) nothings about camomile(ˈkaməmʌɪl) tea and warm baths(baTH). It’s his conviction(kənˈvikSHən) that we are in the midst(midst,mitst) of a “catastrophic(ˌkatəˈsträfik) sleep-loss epidemic(ˌepiˈdemik)”, the consequences(-ˌkwens,ˈkänsikwəns) of which are far graver(ˈgrāvər) than any of us could imagine. This situation, he believes, is only likely to change if government gets involved(inˈvälvd).

500 days

Today is the 500th day of our Morning Reading Club(kləb)! As I mentioned the other day, we also recently passed 100,000 subscribers(səbˈskrībər). I wanted to take a moment to say thank you, and to share some of what I’ve learned.

So, first of all: thanks! I’m truly(ˈtro͞olē) grateful(ˈgrātfəl) for each and every(ˈevrē) reader, for each and every comment. I’m excited(ikˈsītid) to know that the material(məˈti(ə)rēəl) I share here has been helpful for you on your journey(ˈjərnē) of learning(ˈlərniNG) English.

Now, here are some things I’ve learned:

1) Persistence(pərˈsistəns) matters(ˈmatər)

I’ve never persisted(pərˈsist) in a daily(ˈdālē) habit(ˈhabit) as long as I have with the Morning Reading Club. But posting something each day has been so important in growing the community here. There have been a couple(ˈkəpəl) of events that have added a lot of new subscribers all at once (thanks, Xiaolai!), but mostly the growth has been fairly(ˈfe(ə)rlē) steady(ˈstedē), and I’m sure that is due to the daily, consistent nature(ˈnāCHər) of the posts. That said, I should do a better job of promotion!

Persistence also matters for you as well. I get feedback from readers all the time, and the ones who have truly built a habit of daily practice(ˈpraktəs) are the ones who have seen impressive(imˈpresiv) results.

2) Regularity(ˌregyəˈlaritē) matters

I’ve learned that it’s important to share at a regular time each day, otherwise it’s hard for readers to build their own practice habit. I used to get up in the morning to record, but that meant that the posts didn’t go out at a regular time. Now I usually record in advance(ədˈvans), and we set the posts to automatically post at 6:15am.

Regularity is also important for building your own practice habit. You don’t have to practice in the morning, but in general(ˈjenərəl) it’s good to have a specific(spəˈsifik) time of day when you practice. I’ve heard from readers who practice first thing in the morning, right before they go to bed, while they go to the bathroom, while they walk to work or school, while they cook, and so on, and it’s generally the readers who have chosen(ˈCHōzən) a specific time to practice who are able to build up the habit.

3) One size doesn’t fit all

I try to choose a variety(vəˈrīətē) of materials(məˈti(ə)rēəl) and levels for our daily practice materials, and I truly believe that anyone, no matter their level, can benefit(ˈbenəfit) from practicing what I share(SHe(ə)r) here. However, I’ve learned that sometimes difficulty(ˈdifikəltē) can be a barrier(ˈbarēər) that prevents(priˈvent) people from persisting with the practice, and so I think in the future(ˈfyo͞oCHər) I should provide some alternate materials for more basic(ˈbāsik) learners.

These are just a few things that I’ve learned. I’m sure that I’ll keep learning on the way, and I always appreciate(əˈprēSHēˌāt) the feedback and suggestions(sə(g)ˈjesCHən) that you give me.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Will you still be here on day 1,000?