I threw this up on Metafilter too, but why not here?
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I threw this up on Metafilter too, but why not here? Lazyweb, a question:
On a whim, I've added zipper pulls to a bunch of my clothes and coats. It's such a small, inexpensive thing but it's an improvement I notice dozens of times a day, especially wearing winter gloves.
So I'm thinking about aggregating marginal gains now, and wondering what other options like this I have. What is the _smallest_ thing - in terms of size, cost, effort, whatever - that has made your life better in some way?
@mhoye I put a tiny little click-coupler on both of my thin liner gloves, eliminating the annoyance that would crop up every few weeks of discovering I'd grabbed only one of the two gloves on my way out of the house.
edit: oo, and a shoehorn long enough to use while standing up straight. The length makes using it easier after having put on two layers of outerwear, plus gloves.
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I threw this up on Metafilter too, but why not here? Lazyweb, a question:
On a whim, I've added zipper pulls to a bunch of my clothes and coats. It's such a small, inexpensive thing but it's an improvement I notice dozens of times a day, especially wearing winter gloves.
So I'm thinking about aggregating marginal gains now, and wondering what other options like this I have. What is the _smallest_ thing - in terms of size, cost, effort, whatever - that has made your life better in some way?
@mhoye replaced all the buttons on my nice thrifted coat with decorative metal ones ✨
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@mhoye I hung a 3-by-30 inch strip of fabric over the row of holes in my office window blind to keep the sun from shining in my eyes for three minutes every morning
There are a lot of things I'm prouder of, and a lot of things that improved my life more than this or that are more interesting, but you asked for the simplest, cheapest one, and this is it.
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@mhoye It took me embarrassingly long to realize that a stopwatch lap timer is much better than a human attention span at predicting the next smoke alarm low-battery chirp, even if the inter-chirp timing is a little irregular.
(My other opinions: this task is much easier with more technology—stepstool, chunky over-ear headphones, and bisect search for the location. Oh, and don't buy Kidde. Kidde sucks because it's screamier and more prone to false alarms.)
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multiple sets of measuring spoons / measuring cups so that you (almost) always have one the size you need
a back scratcher
a bottle brush to clean the inside of jars and bottles instead of faffing around trying to squeeze your hand in
a good garden knife
a cheap LED flashlight for your grab bag of tools
a seam ripper
plunger caps for bottles of vinegar and olive oil to slow/control the pouring speed
@mhoye @gvwilson (for the cheap LED flashlight, consider an Emisar D2 single-channel with an Eneloop or IKEA LADDA AA cell in it: it's a right angle flashlight with a magnet in the tailcap which makes it very convenient to point at work in a dark, tight space. https://mastodon.social/@gnomon/115761837676418073 / https://mastodon.social/@gnomon/115827794883007741 )
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I threw this up on Metafilter too, but why not here? Lazyweb, a question:
On a whim, I've added zipper pulls to a bunch of my clothes and coats. It's such a small, inexpensive thing but it's an improvement I notice dozens of times a day, especially wearing winter gloves.
So I'm thinking about aggregating marginal gains now, and wondering what other options like this I have. What is the _smallest_ thing - in terms of size, cost, effort, whatever - that has made your life better in some way?
@mhoye When I started using the elastic loops on my big gloves - wintertime life got easier. I can just drop the gloves 🤪 any time I want more dexterity, without worrying about remembering where I put it down.
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@mhoye When I started using the elastic loops on my big gloves - wintertime life got easier. I can just drop the gloves 🤪 any time I want more dexterity, without worrying about remembering where I put it down.
@mhoye Now that I'm thinking about it, maybe I can add elastic wrist loops and strings to my nice gloves too
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@mhoye Heated mirror in the bathroom, no more wiping while shaving.
I take stain removing wipes (Shout brand) when travelling, as inevitably I spill something on my trousers/jumper.
Proraso gel stops bleeding within seconds, ideal if you cut your face when shaving.
@drmikepj an Alum block or styptic pencil works wonders. I shave with a double edge safety razor and just run an alum block over my whole face after shaving. It reduces razor burn too.
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I threw this up on Metafilter too, but why not here? Lazyweb, a question:
On a whim, I've added zipper pulls to a bunch of my clothes and coats. It's such a small, inexpensive thing but it's an improvement I notice dozens of times a day, especially wearing winter gloves.
So I'm thinking about aggregating marginal gains now, and wondering what other options like this I have. What is the _smallest_ thing - in terms of size, cost, effort, whatever - that has made your life better in some way?
@mhoye
Replace gel handsoap dispensers with foaming dispensers. Then refill them with 4 parts water and 1 part castile soap. -
I threw this up on Metafilter too, but why not here? Lazyweb, a question:
On a whim, I've added zipper pulls to a bunch of my clothes and coats. It's such a small, inexpensive thing but it's an improvement I notice dozens of times a day, especially wearing winter gloves.
So I'm thinking about aggregating marginal gains now, and wondering what other options like this I have. What is the _smallest_ thing - in terms of size, cost, effort, whatever - that has made your life better in some way?
@mhoye 1) a pill bottle cap that counts how long since it was last opened. Cheap (got mine as $12 for a pack of 3, I'm sure there are better/worse deals out there).
No longer do I struggle to remember if my memory of taking meds was today or yesterday, I just check.
2) Building the habit of setting alarms rather than trying to remember appts/dates. Turns out I was spending a lot of effort on trying to remember (and to remember to remember, etc) and any mistake was a self-guilt trip.
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I threw this up on Metafilter too, but why not here? Lazyweb, a question:
On a whim, I've added zipper pulls to a bunch of my clothes and coats. It's such a small, inexpensive thing but it's an improvement I notice dozens of times a day, especially wearing winter gloves.
So I'm thinking about aggregating marginal gains now, and wondering what other options like this I have. What is the _smallest_ thing - in terms of size, cost, effort, whatever - that has made your life better in some way?
a bidet
a bidet
a bidet
a bidet
a bidet -
@mhoye eating some food with a spoon, an I'm not talking about soups, but more like stews and small pasta. If it's already bite sized, spoon.
@mhoye I could go as far as eating sushi with a spoon. Sue me :-P
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@mhoye I replaced a split-ring keyring with a cable keyring. It is much easier to add and remove keys, and the non-rigid nature makes it more comfortable in a pocket.
@edebill @mhoye
I got one of those: https://troika.de/en/products/patent-kyr60-mc
Got one bunch for work, one bunch for home, one for my mother's. I take the work key bunch off when the weekend starts, so I don't have to lug it around when it's not needed -
Simple syrup.
The base for coffee syrups and many other flavoured things. It is a 1:1 mix of sugar and water, brought to a boil and simmered for 5-10 minutes to sterilize, store in a glass storage container [with pouring spout].
Use to sweeten beverages (coffee/tea/cocoa/tart fruit juices/etc.) Stirring optional, no undissolved sugar. Drizzle over oatmeal, sweeten plain yogurt.
Easily flavoured - e.g. add vanilla to cooled syrup, or some cinnamon sticks while boiling it.
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Get many, many boxes of tissues and then any time you find yourself getting up to find a tissue, leave a box there for next time.
Leave a full (6-roll) pack of toilet paper in the bathroom and replenish when it gets to 2 or less.
Maintain a pool of good rechargeable batteries, a charger, 'charged' and 'empty' bins, and put them in a high-traffic area so that you'll notice when the charger is done and put in the next batch.
@suetanvil @mhoye Extending the "many rolls of toilet paper", I counter my procrastination + easily distractedness by buying most products in sets of 2+ (vitamins, shampoo, deodorant, foods, etc). Switching to the backup starts the clock early enough that I will ACTUALLY buy replacements just before the second runs out. Easier than me noticing/remembering "when I'm low"
More storage space, but also more peace of mind and fewer frustrated moments, ultimately the same(ish) price.
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@mhoye Keeping a sharpie and a roll of painter’s tape in the kitchen. Label anything that goes in the freezer (optionally put weights and dates where sensical) or in the fridge after repackaging
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I threw this up on Metafilter too, but why not here? Lazyweb, a question:
On a whim, I've added zipper pulls to a bunch of my clothes and coats. It's such a small, inexpensive thing but it's an improvement I notice dozens of times a day, especially wearing winter gloves.
So I'm thinking about aggregating marginal gains now, and wondering what other options like this I have. What is the _smallest_ thing - in terms of size, cost, effort, whatever - that has made your life better in some way?
Hiding a car key on the car.
(Hidden so well that mud and possibly a little blood are involved in retrieval.)
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Cuisinart Quick Kettle QK-5C
This is a 0.5 l / 2 cup / pint electric kettle I purchased 10+ years ago. It the current production is the same, it works well and handles minor abuse.
For a single-person-sized teapot, it is fine. If my partner wakes up in time, I use the stovetop kettle and the 1.5 l teapot.
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I threw this up on Metafilter too, but why not here? Lazyweb, a question:
On a whim, I've added zipper pulls to a bunch of my clothes and coats. It's such a small, inexpensive thing but it's an improvement I notice dozens of times a day, especially wearing winter gloves.
So I'm thinking about aggregating marginal gains now, and wondering what other options like this I have. What is the _smallest_ thing - in terms of size, cost, effort, whatever - that has made your life better in some way?
@mhoye reading glasses at every place where I read
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I threw this up on Metafilter too, but why not here? Lazyweb, a question:
On a whim, I've added zipper pulls to a bunch of my clothes and coats. It's such a small, inexpensive thing but it's an improvement I notice dozens of times a day, especially wearing winter gloves.
So I'm thinking about aggregating marginal gains now, and wondering what other options like this I have. What is the _smallest_ thing - in terms of size, cost, effort, whatever - that has made your life better in some way?
Keeping a pen and small paper notepad always nearby to scribble down anything that pops to mind, so I can trust my notes and keep my mind clear.
On a more digital note, making my downloads folder self-destruct did wonders to keeping my files clean and organized:
Gli ultimi otto messaggi ricevuti dalla Federazione
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AI-generated passwords are a security risk | Malwarebytes
https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2026/02/ai-generated-passwords-are-a-security-risk
> AI-generated passwords are "highly predictable" and aren’t truly random, making them easier for cybercriminals to crack.
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@Redongreen esiste e si chiama Alleanza Verdi Sinistra
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Sanremo ha già rotto i colgioni
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Brutalismbot (@brutalismbot.com)
https://bsky.app/profile/brutalismbot.com/post/3mfajy4eatq27
> AC units [OC] r/brutalism
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@beatricejess I will never again complain about German bike paths. @cmconseils
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di Umberto Eco (Alessandria,1932 – Milano, 2016)
Pensa un fiume, denso e maestoso, che corre per miglia e miglia entro argini robusti, e tu sai dove sia il fiume, dove l’argine, dove la terra ferma. A un certo punto il fiume, per stanchezza, perché ha corso per troppo tempo e troppo spazio ... https://cctm.website/umberto-eco-italia-5/
da Il nome della rosa, Bompiani, 1980
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RP2040 Powers A MIDI-Controlled Soundboard
When you’re livestreaming, it can be tempting to fire off all kinds of wacky sound effects like you’re a morning radio DJ back in the heady days of 1995. If that’s who you want to be, you might like this soundboard project from [Biker Glen].
The build is based around an RP2040 microcontroller. It’s paired with an I2S digital-to-analog converter for sound output, which in turn feeds a small amplifier hooked up to a speaker or a line output. The RP2040 is programmed to respond to MIDI commands by playing various sounds in response, which are loaded off a microSD card. It’s able to act as a USB MIDI host, which allows it to work seamlessly with all sorts of off-the-shelf MIDI controllers like the MIDI Fighter or the Novation Launchpad.
It’s an interesting hardware solution to a problem that you could probably also solve with software on your streaming machine, especially if you’ve already got a USB MIDI controller. However, there’s something to be said for lightening the load when your streaming computer is already doing lots of hard work to truck video up to the cloud already. Files are on Github if you’re eager to replicate the build.
Soundboards are just fun, which is why we’ve featured them before. Meanwhile, if you’re whipping up your own streaming accessories at home, be sure to let us know on the tipsline!
