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Open questions


Here are a few things I’m trying to figure out. If you’ve got an opinion I’d love to hear it.

As a consultant, is it possible to stop using Google products?

Just as a stunt, or proof of concept? I’ve been working at this for a while, casually, and I think the answer is no. But I’m trying to find out how close I can get.

How much food can you grow on 0.3 acres?

That’s about how much yard we’ve got. I want to grow food without pesticides or chemical fertilizers, with bonus points for lost crops. So it’s not about optimizing calories per square foot so much as arriving at a conclusion like “this much land can grow X% of total food requirements for 2 humans.”

So I guess you can’t answer that for me, but if you can share your experience, or point me to resources on this topic, I’d be so very grateful. Hit me up.

Is it possible to feel good vibes about spending money on insurance?

It’s one of our bigger expenses. I can buy food from local farmers, which feels good. I can buy internet access from a non-profit*—feels good. Can we buy auto, homeowner, and health insurance from a company whose success we actually give a shit about?

*This is a referral link! If you sign up, each of us gets a free month.


Closed questions

Here are formerly-open questions that I’ve answered to my satisfaction.

Should I write 0, 1, or 2 books about criticism?

Update: I decided to write 1, and then maybe a second, and possibly more.

I’ve been collecting stories about famous artists, musicians, etc. facing harsh criticism. I drafted some chapters, shared it with some beta readers, and at this point I see it as a book that’s trying to do two things:

1. List interesting stories about famous creative humans 2. Give advice on dealing with criticism

It’s certainly possible to roll both into one book, but it occurred to me that if I first assemble and publish #1 as a coffee table book (or a bathroom book?), I’ll be in a better position to write #2.

Because as far as I can tell, there’s no authoritative truth on how to deal with criticism. The most helpful thing I can think to do is collect advice from celebrities, psychologists, and anyone else who can claim expertise on the topic, then present them in digest form. But does anyone want that? I’m not sure.


    © 2024 Brian David Hall