lee.ourand.me

• We rewatched Season 1 of Severance in preparation of binging Season 2. I’d forgotten a bunch over that 3 year span.
• Finished reading Shop Class as Soulcraft. It started out promising, and a lot of the talk about physical work being more satisfying than “thought work” resonated with me. Crawford’s description of office politics and white collar office work processes and bureaucracy was as hilarious as it was apt. But the book just went on way too long, and he gave himself a bit too much rope to hang himself with, really devolving into that gross grey tribe politics. Lots of misogyny, “both sides bad”, and self-indulgent rationalizations for why his life choices were good, actually. If you’re going to read it, just do yourself a favor, and drop it at the halfway point.
• I’ve been spending far too much time emailing some cog-in-the-machine of Virginia’s property tax department, trying to understand how they’re valuing my car $5,000 more than what I paid for it. They claim to use J.D. Power estimates, and I’ve shown the J.D. Power estimate for the car is almost exactly what I paid for the car. Still they insist, without evidence, it’s actually worth $5,000 more. The fight will go on, but I suspect I will somehow lose. This is double annoying because in Virginia, you’re also taxed extra for having a fuel-efficient or EV vehicle. You try to do the right thing, and…
• Played a bunch more pickleball this week. Tried out the courts at Forest Hill park, which are a heck of a lot closer, but also significatly more crowded (and maybe less friendly?).
• I walk by this park all the time, but somehow had missed the gigantic Michael Jordan portrait on the basketball court until this week. Check out this bad-boy from space
• Went to Stone Brewing for a little afternoon warm day boozin’. They have a PB&J Berliner Weisse that tastes like you’re drinking a PB&J. It’s as weird as it sounds, and ‘round about delicious as it is weird. Will get again.
• The U.S. MotoGP race is next week (in Austin), so folks will start tricklin’ into the states over the next couple days. Wonder if they’ll even hold a U.S. race next year, given the risky travel it now requires.

Stupidity is a more dangerous enemy of the good than malice. One may protest against evil; it can be exposed and, if need be, prevented by use of force. Evil always carries within itself the germ of its own subversion in that it leaves behind in human beings at least a sense of unease. Against stupidity we are defenseless. Neither protests nor the use of force accomplish anything here; reasons fall on deaf ears; facts that contradict one’s prejudgment simply need not be believed — in such moments the stupid person even becomes critical — and when facts are irrefutable they are just pushed aside as inconsequential, as incidental. In all this the stupid person, in contrast to the malicious one, is utterly self-satisfied and, being easily irritated, becomes dangerous by going on the attack. For that reason, greater caution is called for than with a malicious one. Never again will we try to persuade the stupid person with reasons, for it is senseless and dangerous.

Felt germane to some current events. And also some other current events.

• Finished reading The Courage To Be Disliked per a Justin Searls recommendation. It’s a very odd format, where the whole book is basically the dialogue between a student and a adlerian philosopher. This was my first exposure to Adler. Much of it feels dismissive of people’s problems—unempathetic, maybe?! But it’s an interesting angle, nonetheless. It caused me to do a little reflection on my own thought-patterns. Too early to tell if any lasting good will come from it.
• Once again obliterated my feet attempting to not get killed—and failing–in pickleball. I’ve acquired new shoes, so hopefully we can put this painful saga behind us.
• Made a new bud at the pickle ball courts. He’s from China originally, so I utilized a few of my recently learned Chinese words to tell him: 我會説中文一點點 (“I can speak a little Chinese!”). He (very generously) said I pronounced it perfectly. I left the Chinese speaking there, so as to not embarrass myself any further.
• Neat week for the stock market, eh? It looks like I’ve pretty much nailed the worst possible timing for quitting work. This retirement thing may be rather short lived.
• Hosted a little pizza party for Pi Day. Cooked up 6 pizzas on the Ooni. Used my 50/50 bread flour/00 flour @ 70% hydration recipe, and it came out just perfectly. Won’t change a thing next time.
• Celebrated St. Patrick—famed pincher and drinker of green beer—at Jess’s. He cooked up a meddley of Irish-themed fare, plus a couple Irish Coffees (or, as they call them in Ireland: coffees).
• MotoGP round 2 is in the books. Another Marquez brothers demolition job. I know it’s probably going to get old quick if it’s anything like many of Marc’s pre-2020 seasons. But for now, I’m happily cheering it on.

The Americans who voted for this will continue to be astounded by any suggestion that these actions are—in any way—cruel or bear any resemblance to any historically bad actors.

• Marc Marquez is undisputedly back! Unfortunately, that probably means a boring 2025 MotoGP season awaits us. But what an incredible comeback story this could be.
• Foolishly played a couple hours of Pickle Ball on Thursday in my old beat up Vans Authentic shoes, resulting in some gnarly foot blisters. Oops. Lesson learned there! Proper footwear: important.
• While we’re on the topic of pickle ball, I acquired my very own set of pickle ball racquets paddles. Sad to report, I still absolutely suck. But I did win two games (of probably 30) this week. So you could say things are improving.
• National Pancake Day: the second round.
• Some days, it feels like learning Mandarin to a useful degree is just unrealistic. Other days, it really feels like things are clicking. Yesterday—after finally understanding how to use 了—felt like the latter. 真在我學中文很好.
• Remade the same eggplant dish I made a couple weeks back, but cut out all the funny business: no pre-salting, no deep frying. About a bajillion times easier, and it came out every bit as good.
• Migrated our onion sets out to the raised bed garden. Fingers cross’t for no more frost. 🤞

• Feels like approximately the 3rd most cliché activity to pick up, but I started playing pickleball this week. Out of the roughly 72 games I’ve played, I’ve won one (playing doubles where I may or may not have been carried). Fun little goofy game, though. I’m enjoyin’ it.
• In our last installment, I incorrectly stated the date of National Pancake Day. It’s actually this Tuesday. Oops!
• This week I learned the Chinese word for “movie” is 電影(diànyǐng), which literally means “electric shadow”. I don’t know about you, but I think that is one badass way to describe a movie.
• I put my long-neglected bicycle to use this week, and went on a nice (slow) ride up to Bryan Park and around the Bellevue neighborhood.
• I have no idea what I’ve done wrong, but the huge majority of my plant babies are struuuuuuuuggling. I think only maybe like 5% of them are going to make it. Arugula: rough. Jalapenos: rough. Tomatoes: rough. Bell peppers… lookin’ good!
• First MotoGP race of the season! Haven’t seen the race as of writing this, but thus far, Marquez looks like he’s back to his old completely-destroy-everyone-else ways. Usually I’m an underdog fan, but after all the shit this dude’s been through the past 6 years, I couldn’t be happier to see him back to his winning ways.
• Trying to avoid too much political commentary here, but I can’t believe how embarrassed I feel after seeing how those clowns spoke to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Slava Ukraini 🇺🇦

Merlin Mann has a way with words. He somehow makes this piece of advice I’ve heard a thousand times actually feel compelling. Challenge accepted, Merlin.