Heart(härt) of Darkness(ˈdärknis)

By Joseph(-səf,ˈjōzəf) Conrad(e)

I

The Nellie, a cruising(kro͞oz) yawl(yôl), swung to her anchor(ˈaNGkər) without a flutter(ˈflətər) of the sails(sāl), and was at rest(rest). The flood had made, the wind was nearly(ˈni(ə)rlē) calm(kä(l)m), and being bound down the river, the only thing for it was to come to and wait for the turn(tərn) of the tide(tīd).

The sea-reach of the Thames(temz) stretched before us like the beginning of an interminable(inˈtərmənəbəl) waterway. In the offing the sea and the sky were welded(weld) together without a joint(joint), and in the luminous(ˈlo͞omənəs) space the tanned(tan) sails of the barges(bärj) drifting(drift) up with the tide(tīd) seemed to stand still in red clusters(ˈkləstər) of canvas(ˈkanvəs) sharply(SHärp) peaked, with gleams(glēm) of varnished(ˈvärniSH) sprits(sprit). A haze(hāz) rested on the low shores(SHôr) that ran out to sea in vanishing(ˈvaniSH) flatness. The air was dark above Gravesend(ā), and farther back still seemed condensed(kənˈdenst) into a mournful(ˈmôrnfəl) gloom(glo͞om), brooding(ˈbro͞odiNG) motionless(ˈmōSHənlis) over the biggest, and the greatest, town on earth.

The Director of Companies was our captain(ˈkaptən) and our host(hōst). We four affectionately(əˈfekʃənətli) watched his back as he stood in the bows(bou,bō) looking to seaward(ˈsēwərd). On the whole river there was nothing that looked half so nautical(ˈnôtikəl). He resembled(riˈzembəl) a pilot(ˈpīlət), which to a seaman is trustworthiness personified(pərˈsänəˌfī). It was difficult to realize(ˈrē(ə)ˌlīz) his work was not out there in the luminous(ˈlo͞omənəs) estuary(ˈesCHo͞oˌerē), but behind him, within the brooding(ˈbro͞odiNG) gloom(glo͞om).

…
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/219/219-h/219-h.htm

The Kitchen(ˈkiCHən) Network(ˈnetˌwərk)

America’s(əˈmerikə) underground Chinese restaurant(ˈrest(ə)rənt,ˈrestəˌränt,ˈresˌtränt) workers.

By Lauren Hilgers

In a strip(strip) mall(môl) on a rural(ˈro͝orəl) stretch(streCH) of Maryland’s(ˈmerələnd) Indian(ˈindēən) Head Highway, a gaudy(ˈgôdē) red façade(fəˈsäd) shaped like a pagoda(pəˈgōdə) distinguishes(disˈtiNGgwiSH) a Chinese restaurant from a line of bland storefronts(ˈstôrˌfrənt): a nail(nāl) salon(saˈlôN,səˈlän), a liquor(ˈlikər) store, and a laundromat(e). On a mild(mīld) Friday(-dē,ˈfrīdā) morning this July(jo͝oˈlī), two customers walked into the dimly(dim) lit(lit) dining(dīn) room. It was half an hour before the lunch(lənCH) service began, and, aside from a few fish swimming listlessly(ˈlis(t)lis) in a tank(taNGk), the room was deserted(dəˈzərtid).

In the back, steam(stēm) was just starting to rise(rīz) from pots(pät) of soup(so͞op); two cooks were chopping(CHäp) ginger(ˈjinjər) at a frenzied(ˈfrenzēd) pace. Most of the lunch crowd(kroud) comes in for the buffet(bəˈfā,ˈbəfit), and it was nowhere near ready. “Customers are here already!” the restaurant’s owner, a wiry(ˈwī(ə)rē) Chinese(-ˈnēs,CHīˈnēz) man in his fifties(ˈfiftē), barked. He dropped a heavy(ˈhevē) container onto the metal(ˈmetl) counter with a crash(kraSH). “How can you possibly(ˈpäsəblē) be moving this slowly?”

The senior(ˈsēnyər) cook, a lanky(ˈlaNGkē) twenty-nine-year-old who goes by Rain(rān), had been working in Maryland for almost two months. He stood silently(ˈsīlənt) frying(frī) noodles in a wok(wäk), his loose(lo͞os) bangs(baNG) tucked(tək) into a trucker(ˈtrəkər) hat with the band name Linkin Park written across the brow(brou). “You’re too slow!” the boss yelled(yel) at the other cook, who had arrived only a few days earlier. Rain stayed focussed on the buffet dishes. He was weighing(wā) the possibility of getting a cigarette(ˈsigəˌret,ˌsigəˈret) break(brāk) soon. There was no sense(sens) in getting into trouble defending(diˈfend) a co-worker he hardly knew.

Rain was born in a village(ˈvilij) in rural China(ˈCHīnə). He had left his family, walked through a desert(diˈzərt,dəˈzərt,ˈdezərt), and gone tens of thousands of dollars into debt(det) to reach the United States. From Manhattan(manˈhatn,mən-), he had taken a late-night Chinatown bus, which stopped at freeway off-ramps(ramp) to discharge other restaurant workers, whose bosses picked them up and took them to strip malls along Interstate(ˈintərˌstāt) 95. He was in his fourth year of restaurant work and felt a growing pride(prīd) in his fried(frīd) noodles and sautéed(sôˈtā,sō-) shrimp(SHrimp).

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/10/13/cookas-tale

How to Network With Busy(ˈbizē) People, Part 11

By Steve Pavlina

Don’t apologize(əˈpäləˌjīz) for reaching out.

Never begin your first contact with an apology(əˈpäləjē).

Every week people send me emails that begin with phrases(frāz) like, “Sorry to bother(ˈbäT͟Hər) you, but…” What does this tell me about the other person’s expectations(ˌekspekˈtāSHən) for connecting with me? It tells me they expect(ikˈspekt) to bother me. Who am I to argue(ˈärgyo͞o) with them? Delete… next.

If you hint(hint) that you’re about to irritate(ˈiriˌtāt) or annoy(əˈnoi) someone, they’ll assume(əˈso͞om) you’re right. Why should they do otherwise?

You might think that you’re just being polite(pəˈlīt) and respectful(riˈspektfəl). Are you really? Or would it be more accurate(ˈakyərit) to say that deep down, you don’t feel equal(ˈēkwəl) to the person you’re contacting?

If you have to apologize for bothering someone, maybe you shouldn’t be contacting them at all… at least not until you do a bit more work on your self-esteem(iˈstēm).

“Excuse me…” is another weak opener(ˈōp(ə)nər). Why do you need to be excused? Are you doing something wrong?

If you’re going to approach(əˈprōCH) a busy person, do so as an equal. Don’t act like an equal. Know you’re equal.

It doesn’t matter which person on this planet(ˈplanit) you wish to connect with – We’re all equal. We’re all part of the same whole. Why should you feel intimidated(inˈtimiˌdāt) to meet another piece(pēs) of humanity((h)yo͞oˈmanitē)?

Don’t put busy people or celebrities(səˈlebrətē) on a pedestal(ˈpedəstl). They may have a lot of accomplishments(əˈkämpliSHmənt) under their belt(belt). They may be famous. So what? They’re still human just like everyone else. Don’t mistake the public image for the real person underneath(ˌəndərˈnēTH).

Be secure(siˈkyo͝or) in who you are. Know that whenever you reach out to connect with someone, you’re offering something of value. The value is who you are. If you don’t think you’re worth knowing, you need to spend more time getting in touch with your own value. Of course you’re worth knowing.

If you want to be worthy(ˈwərT͟Hē) of a busy person’s time and attention(əˈtenCHən), then know that you deserve(diˈzərv) it.

https://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2009/08/how-to-network-with-busy-people-part-11/

Land’s(länd,länt) End: THE WORDS WE WORK BY

We believe value(ˈvalyo͞o) comes down to more than the price(prīs) on a tag(tag):

In 1984, our founder Gary(ˈgarē,ˈge(ə)rē) Comer(ˈkəmər) wrote an article for the summer catalog(-ˌäg,ˈkatlˌôg). He called it “The Principles(ˈprinsəpəl) of Doing Business.” Those ideals(īˈdē(ə)l) still guide(gīd) our business practices(ˈpraktəs) today:

1. We believe that serving our customer serves all of us. Everyone here understands that concept(ˈkänˌsept). Our customer(ˈkəstəmər) care specialists(ˈspeSHəlist) are trained to know our products, and to be friendly and helpful. They are empowered(imˈpou(-ə)r) to take all the time necessary(ˈnesəˌserē) to take care of our customers.

2. Real value is a cornerstone of our brand(brand). We price(prīs) products fairly(ˈfe(ə)rlē) and honestly(ˈänistlē). We operate(ˈäpəˌrāt) efficiently(əˈfiSHənt), and build relationships with manufacturers(ˌmanyəˈfakCHərər) who have proven(pro͞ov) they are skilled, cost conscious(ˈkänCHəs), efficient and socially(ˈsōSHəl) responsible(riˈspänsəbəl).

3. We are passionate(ˈpaSHənit) about quality(ˈkwälətē). We do everything we can to make our products(ˈprädəkt) better. We continually(kənˈtinyo͞oəlē) improve fabrics(ˈfabrik) and construction(kənˈstrəkSHən) details(diˈtāl,ˈdētāl), and never reduce the quality of a product to make it cheaper(CHēp).

4. We are a community dedicated(ˈdediˌkātid) to creating new ways of connecting. We consider customers and employees(imˈploi-ē,ˌimploiˈē) our heartland and seek to engage(inˈgāj) them in an ongoing conversation(ˌkänvərˈsāSHən) that encourages(-ˈkə-rij,inˈkərij) feedback(ˈfēdˌbak). That’s why when you call, click or visit Lands’ End, it’s a little like coming home.

5. We operate with integrity(inˈtegritē) from the inside out, so employees and partners can be crystal(ˈkristl) clear about our philosophy(fəˈläsəfē) of doing business, goals for the future(ˈfyo͞oCHər) and expectations(ˌekspekˈtāSHən) for success. Everyone here is accountable(əˈkountəbəl) for his or her decisions(diˈsiZHən) under this guiding principle. The result? An engaged workforce that delivers(diˈlivər) added value to the customer (and the bottom line).

6. We accept any return for any reason, at any time. Our products are guaranteed(ˌgarənˈtē). No fine print. No arguments. We mean exactly(igˈzak(t)lē) what we say: Guaranteed. Period(ˈpi(ə)rēəd).

https://www.landsend.com/aboutus/values/

A New Phone Comes Out. Yours Slows Down. A Conspiracy(kənˈspirəsē)? No.

By Brian X. Chen

It happens every year: Apple releases(riˈlēs) new iPhones, and then hordes(hôrd) of people groan(grōn) about their older iPhones slowing to a crawl(krôl).

Just look at the recent data. Between September and early November — when Apple made the iPhone 8 available, followed by the iPhone X — Google searches for the keywords “iPhone slow” jumped about 50 percent(pərˈsent).

The phenomenon(-nən,fəˈnäməˌnän) of perceived(pərˈsēv) slowdowns is so widespread(ˈwīdˈspred) that many believe tech(tek) companies intentionally(inˈtenCHənlē) cripple(ˈkripəl) smartphones and computers to ensure that people buy new ones every few years. Conspiracy theorists(ˈTHi(ə)r-,ˈTHēərist) call it planned obsolescence(ˌäbsəˈlesəns).

That’s a myth(miTH). While slowdowns happen, they take place(plās) for a far less nefarious(niˈfe(ə)rēəs) reason. That reason is a software upgrade.

“There’s no incentive(inˈsentiv) for operating system companies to create planned obsolescence,” said Greg Raiz, a former program manager(ˈmanijər) for Microsoft who worked on Windows XP. “It’s software, and software has various degrees of production bugs and unintended(ˌəninˈtendid) things that happen.”

Here’s what happens: When tech giants(ˈjīənt) like Apple, Microsoft and Google introduce new hardware, they often release upgrades for their operating systems. For example, a few days before the iPhone 8 shipped in September, Apple released iOS 11 as a free software update for iPhones, including the four-year-old iPhone 5S.

The technical(ˈteknikəl) process of upgrading from an old operating system to a new one — migrating(ˈmīˌgrāt) your files, apps and settings along the way — is extremely(ikˈstrēmlē) complicated(ˈkämpləˌkātid). So when you install(inˈstôl) a brand-new operating system on an older device(diˈvīs), problems may occur(əˈkər) that make everything from opening the camera(ˈkam(ə)rə) to browsing(brouz) the web feel sluggish(ˈsləgiSH).

…
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/15/technology/personaltech/new-iphones-slow-tech-myth.html

How to Meditate(ˈmedəˌtāt): Mindfulness(ˈmīndfəlnəs)

By David Gelles

There are lots of different types of meditation. Most religions(riˈlijən) have(hav) contemplative(kənˈtemplətiv) traditions(trəˈdiSHən), and there are plenty(ˈplentē) of secular(ˈsekyələr) ways to meditate, too. But in recent years, mindfulness meditation has become increasingly(iNG-,inˈkrēsiNGlē) popular.

Basic(ˈbāsik) mindfulness meditation is the practice(ˈpraktəs) of paying(pā) attention to the present(priˈzent,ˈprezənt) moment with an accepting, nonjudgmental(ˌnänjəjˈmentl) disposition(ˌdispəˈziSHən). The goal isn’t to stop thinking, or to empty the mind. Rather, the point is to pay close(klōs,klōz) attention to your physical(ˈfizikəl) sensations(senˈsāSHən), thoughts and emotions(iˈmōSHən) in order to see them more clearly, without making so many assumptions(əˈsəm(p)SHən), or making up stories.

It’s a deceptively(diˈseptivlē) simple exercise(ˈeksərˌsīz) — just be right here, right now, without daydreaming(drēm). But with practice it can yield(yēld) profound(prō-,prəˈfound) results, giving us greater control(kənˈtrōl) of our actions, and making room for more kindness and equanimity(ˌekwə-,ˌēkwəˈnimitē), even in difficult situations. With time, mindfulness meditation can even help(help) us better understand what causes(kôz) us stress(stres), and what we can do to relieve(riˈlēv) it.

Though mindfulness meditation was inspired(inˈspīrd) by Buddhist practices, today it is available(əˈvāləbəl) as a wholly(ˈhōl(l)ē
) secular practice that emphasizes(ˈemfəˌsīz) stress reduction(riˈdəkSHən), the cultivation(ˌkəltəˈvāSHən) of focus and the development of tranquility(ˌtraNGˈkwilitē).

https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/how-to-meditate

If it’s not a hit, switch

By Derek Sivers

For the first time in my life, I had made something that people really wanted.

Before that, I had spent twelve(twelv) years trying to promote(prəˈmōt) my various(ˈve(ə)rēəs) projects. Trying every marketing approach(əˈprōCH). Networking, pitching(piCH), pushing. It always felt like an uphill battle(ˈbatl), trying to open locked or slamming(slam) doors. I made progress, but only with massive(ˈmasiv) effort(ˈefərt).

But now… Wow! It was like I had written a hit song. A songwriter can write a hundred songs; then suddenly one of them really resonates(ˈreznˌāt) with people and becomes a hit. Who knows why? It’s not that it’s necessarily(ˌnesəˈse(ə)rəlē) better. But through(THro͞o) some random(ˈrandəm) circumstance(-stəns,ˈsərkəmˌstans) or magic(ˈmajik) combination(ˌkämbəˈnāSHən) of ingredients(iNG-,inˈgrēdēənt), people love it.

Once you’ve got a hit, suddenly all the locked doors open wide(wīd). People love the hit so much that it seems to promote itself. Instead(inˈsted) of trying to create demand(diˈmand), you’re managing(ˈmanijiNG) the huge((h)yo͞oj) demand.

So what’s the lesson learned here?

We’ve all heard about the importance of persistence(pərˈsistəns). But I had misunderstood.

Success comes from persistently improving and inventing(inˈvent), not from persistently doing what’s not working.

We all have lots of ideas(īˈdēə), creations, and projects. When you present(priˈzent,ˈprezənt) one to the world, and it’s not a hit, don’t keep pushing it as-is. Instead, get back to improving and inventing.

Present each new idea or improvement to the world. If multiple(ˈməltəpəl) people are saying, “Wow! Yes! I need this! I’d be happy(ˈhapē) to pay you to do this!” then you should probably do it. But if the response is anything less, don’t pursue(pərˈso͞o) it.

Don’t waste(wāst) years fighting(ˈfītiNG) uphill battles against locked doors. Improve or invent until you get that huge response.

https://sivers.org/hitswitch

A Pill(pil) to Make Exercise(ˈeksərˌsīz) Obsolete(ˌäbsəˈlēt)

What if a drug(drəg) could give you all the benefits(ˈbenəfit) of a workout?

By Nicola Twilley

It was late(lāt) summer, and the gray(grā) towers of the Salk Institute(ˈinstiˌt(y)o͞ot), in San Diego(di ā go), shaded(SHād) seamlessly(ˈsēmlis) into ocean fog(fäg,fôg). The austere(ôˈsti(ə)r), marble(ˈmärbəl)-paved(pāv) central(ˈsentrəl) courtyard(ˈkôrtˌyärd) was silent(ˈsīlənt) and deserted(dəˈzərtid). The south lawn(lôn), a peaceful retreat(riˈtrēt) often used for Tai Chi and yoga(ˈyōgə) classes, was likewise(ˈlīkˌwīz) devoid(diˈvoid) of life, but through vents(vent) built into its concrete(ē) border one could detect(diˈtekt) a slight(slīt) ammoniac(ə mo ni ak) whiff((h)wif) from more than two thousand cages(kāj) of laboratory(ˈlabrəˌtôrē) rodents(ˈrōdnt) below(biˈlō). In a teak(tēk)-lined office overlooking the ocean, the biologist Ron Evans introduced(ˌintrəˈd(y)o͞os) me to two specimens(ˈspesəmən): Couch(kouCH) Potato(pəˈtātō) Mouse and Lance(lans) Armstrong Mouse.

Couch Potato Mouse had been raised(rāzd) to serve as a proxy(ˈpräksē) for the average(ˈav(ə)rij) American. Its daily(ˈdālē) exercise was limited to an occasional(əˈkāZHənl) waddle(ˈwädl) toward a bowl(bōl) brimming(brim) with pellets(ˈpelit) of laboratory standard “Western(ˈwestərn) Diet(ˈdī-it),” which consists almost entirely(enˈtīrlē) of fat(fat) and sugar(ˈSHo͝ogər) and is said to taste(tāst) like cookie dough(dō). The mouse was lethargic(ləˈTHärjik), lolling in a fresh(freSH) layer of bedding(ˈbediNG), rolls(rōl) of fat visible(ˈvizəbəl) beneath(biˈnēTH) thinning(THin), greasy(-zē,ˈgrēsē)-looking fur(fər). Lance Armstrong Mouse had been raised under exactly(igˈzak(t)lē) the same conditions, yet, despite(diˈspīt) its poor diet and lack of exercise, it was lean(lēn) and taut(tôt), its eyes and coat(kōt) shiny(ˈSHīnē) as it snuffled(ˈsnəfəl) around its cage(kāj). The secret(ˈsēkrit) to its healthy(ˈhelTHē) appearance(əˈpi(ə)rəns) and youthful energy(ˈenərjē), Evans explained(ikˈsplān), lay(lā) in a daily dose of GW501516: a drug(drəg) that confers(kənˈfər) the beneficial(ˌbenəˈfiSHəl) effects(iˈfekt) of exercise without the need to move a muscle(ˈməsəl).

Exercise has its discomforts(disˈkəmfərt), after all: as we sat down to talk, Evans, a trim(trim) sixty-something in a striped(strīpt) polo(ˈpōlō) shirt(SHərt), removed a knee(nē) brace(brās) from a coffee table, making room for a mug(məg) of peppermint(ˈpepərˌmint) tea; he was trying to soothe(so͞oT͟H) his stomach(ˈstəmək), having picked up a bug(bəg) while hiking(hīk) in the Andes(ˈandēz). Evans began experimenting with 516, as the drug is commonly known, in 2007. He hoped that it might offer clues(klo͞o) about how the genes(jēn) that control human metabolism(məˈtabəˌlizəm) are switched on and off, a question that has occupied(ˈäkyəˌpīd) him for most of his career(kəˈri(ə)r).

…

a wonderful(ˈwəndərfəl), intense(inˈtens) drama(ˈdrämə)

the play as revelation(ˌrevəˈlāSHən)

By Henry H. Walker

when the two leads(led,lēd) took their bows(bou,bō),
I stood up to applaud(əˈplôd) them,
with tears(te(ə)r,ti(ə)r) in my eyes
and awe(ô) in my soul
at what they and their comrades(ˈkämrəd,ˈkämˌrad)
wrought(rôt) upon the stage tonight,

at the end of a long week,
with all of us within the recursive(riˈkərsiv) nightmare(ˈnītˌme(ə)r)
our current(ˈkə-rənt,ˈkərənt) politics(ˈpäləˌtiks) visit upon us,
here was a profound(prō-,prəˈfound) play pulled(po͝ol) off,
created by high schoolers
just coming full into their power,

they call up a slice of the truth of our past
we’d rather not remember,
when minds(mīnd) felt surer(SHo͝or) the smaller they got,
the more moral(ˈmär-,ˈmôrəl) when they rushed to judge(jəj),
St. Peter was counting and the Pharisees(ˈfarəsē) were in charge,
the letter of old rules trumps(trəmp) what love demands(diˈmand) of us,

one character(ˈkariktər), so lost in her own desires(dəˈzī(ə)r),
that all others became but means to an end,
an end that only serves(sərv) her,

a director who knows the stage as revelation,
revelation of thought, of feeling,
of students coming into their power,

I am pulled into the students’ world,
and I am called to appreciate(əˈprēSHēˌāt) whenever, however,
the greatness(ˈgrātnəs) of spirit(spirit) can find the way to manifest(ˈmanəˌfest),
for a time.

Why Not You?

By Steve Pavlina

Are you one of those people who notices(ˈnōtis) the problems of the world and says one of the following:

Somebody ought to do something about that.

Where are the people that are supposed to be handling this?

Surely with all the tax(taks) dollars being spent, somebody(ˈsəmˌbädē) is in charge of fixing(ˈfiksiNG) this.

Why doesn’t somebody do something about that?

Why not you?

If you feel a strong urge(ərj) to see a problem fixed, then why not act on it? Surely(ˈSHo͝orlē) your whining and complaining(kəmˈplān) isn’t helping, is it?

“It’s too big,” you say? It’s supposed to be too big. Tackling(ˈtakəl) challenges(ˈCHalənj) that are too big for you is what makes you grow(grō) as a human being. Why do you think this problem keeps coming up in your life, staring you in the face? Do you think you’re supposed to ignore(igˈnôr) it and hide from it and wait for someone else to solve it for you? If you notice it, you own it.

Tackling a problem that’s too big for you is how you live purposefully. It’s the cure(kyo͝or) for apathy(ˈapəTHē) and boredom(ˈbôrdəm). So what if you fail(fāl) now and then? Initially(iˈniSHəlē) you’re supposed to fail — a lot. That’s how you grow. But with persistence(pərˈsistəns) you will make a dent(dent). And with enough(iˈnəf) conscious(ˈkänCHəs) denters such as yourself on the job, no problem in the world is unsolvable(ˌənˈsälvəbəl).

How much longer are you going to settle(ˈsetl) for less than you’re worth? Do you really think you’re here to consume(kənˈso͞om) more and more widgets(ˈwijit)? Is that what your life is all about?

…