Stuff #122 - The Sun is God

Hey from Dublin,

Welcome (back) to Stuff, it's great to have you here.  I hope this edition finds you safe and well.

After a heavy week, I've had a weekend of self-care.   Quality time, good food, live music, a gallery and some exciting planning.  I recommend a weekend like this to blow away a tough spell.

If you're enjoying Stuff, I'd ♥️ if you would hit 'forward' and share this with a friend, if not hit 'reply' and tell me how I can make Stuff better for you.  

As always - thanks for being here - it's great to have you join me each week! If you received this from an amazing friend, get your own copy here.

1. Monday Motivation:  Let this week be the one where you improve how you ASK questions.  Years ago, I went on a precision questioning course, which has been a powerful tool on my journey.  You can learn how to ask good questions, here are ten practical ways to build your precision questioning skills.
2. Your new superpower:  Do you want to grab coffee?  It seems like such an innocent ask, and often it is. However, as you try and maximise your focus time, it's time to develop a strategy for saying no to coffee.
3. Essential Reading:  Social networks become shittier over time, so it makes sense for you to take more care of your Social Network experiences.   I've improved my feeds by muting, blocking and training the algorithm to help me engage with people that I learn from.
4. Self-care: Are you sitting down?  Maybe it's time to take a short walk.  Or possibly even stand-up for a while.  It seems that some people think that sitting down is the new smoking.
5. TWIL:  Dogs can smell when you are stressed.  
6. A five-minute fix:  Some very quick exercises that can improve your core muscles, in the time it takes to make a hot drink.
7. History, but funner:   Chronophoto is an intriguing game where you are asked to 'date' a photo.  My high score is 3389.
8. Painting with tinted steam:   I went to a gallery yesterday, if you're in Dublin then I recommend the Turner Exhibition - The Sun is God. If you're NOT in Dublin (which I know is most of you), why not visit The Rijksmuseum to learn about Vermeer with the lovely Stephen Fry.  If you like your art a little more 'street', then here's 100 Banksy paintings.
9. A man with three legs:    The world is a wonderful place.  Visit somewhere wonderful now on the Wonders of Street View.  Press 'random' for more like Tripod Man.
10. Finally:  Be a UFO, abduct humans.

Precision Questioning Skills

Precision questioning is an essential skill for your toolkit, effective in personal relationships, work, and problem-solving. Asking effective questions helps gather information, understand perspectives, and build rapport with others. Here are ten tips to help you build and improve your precision…

Stuff that MattR'sMatt Rutherford

🎧 This week I have discovered Early James, an American singer songwriter signed to the Easy Eye label.   His late 2022 album is called 'Strange Time to be Alive' and is absolutely terrific.

Inspired by early country and blues, the album is a great collection of easy-going bluesy country.  I started by listening to 'Real Low Down Lonesome' with Sierra Ferrell - but the whole album is recommended.