TheListServe Blog

On August 7th I’m heading out to Cimarron, New Mexico. It will be my third time backpacking at the Philmont Scout Reservation. I was 15 the first time I went and 26 this time around. After this trek I will have hiked around 200 miles during my time there. Having grown up in New York, spending a few weeks in the mountains of New Mexico opened my eyes. First of all, I had no idea that scrawny 15 year old me could carry all of that gear over 60+ miles. The trip also gave me my first 'raw' view of nature; from mountains in the sunrise to a deer that had been mauled by a mountain lion. The first night sky I saw revealed a blanket of stars that are hidden in New York City. Finally comprehending the sheer vastness of it humbled me. Unfortunately a few months later I received the news that my neighbor, a fire-fighter, had perished on September 11th. I was devastated for quite some time after that. While it has never been easy to deal with, it certainly shaped who I am today. I feel li...

We’re taught to fear “the stranger”, but most sexual assaults are done by someone the victim knows. Most children will be assaulted by a relative or family friend, most women by an acquaintance. Teach your children to know a dangerous situation, rather than relying on “stranger danger”. Women should know that they are not necessarily safe when they are with people they know. Conversely, enjoy the company of people around you. Do not approach everyone like they are a potential scam artist/thief/rapist/liar. Life is too short to view everyone as a suspect. If someone has a weapon and says “Come with me or I’ll hurt you”, DO NOT GO! Where you are is much safer than whatever abandoned place you are about to be brought to, that’s why they want you to leave it. Throw a loud fit and run towards people as if your life depended on it (it might). Even if you are injured, you are in a populated place and will receive medical attention. Many people have been murdered and/or sexually assaulted by...

Ten years ago, I ate 3.5 grams of psilocybe cubensis mushrooms for a simple, silly reason: I wanted to see things move. I have always been a textual person, a writer, and I wanted to unlock my visual imagination. What I experienced that sweet December night profoundly transformed the way I move through reality and engage with my fellow human beings. The visuals had very little to do with it. While other elements of my late teenage life had edged open a door from the lonely, angry place I often found myself, it was that first dose of psilocybin that helped me step through. It is entirely possible that I would have eventually arrived at this place of joy and compassion without psychedelics, but the point is moot. They have been powerful allies along the path. I harbor no illusion that psychedelics are a good idea for everyone. For many people, they may in fact be a very bad idea. They certainly won’t save the world. But they do have the capacity, when used safely and responsibly in an ...

Here's a true story : I was born in 1969, in 1977 2000ad - a British boys comic began. Not expected to last the year, the publishers using the hatch/match/despatch model (HATCH: create a new comic title and an excited audience looking for issue #1. MATCH: Merge a successful title with a less successful title, joining the audience together - usually heralded with the phrase "EXCITING NEWS CHUMS!" and, finally, DESPATCH: Shut down publication of the lesser title, saving money) Issue 2 of 2000AD featured the introduction of the character "Judge Dredd". Designed as an anti hero, Dredd, unintionally, turned out to have a vast appeal to the kids who read it. I was one of them. When I was 14 years old I loved comics and computers but, comics were derided and computers looked like it could lead to a day job (in fact, I started working in computers at 14). In 2000, when I turned 30 and 2000AD, unbelievably still in print, was finally catching up with itself, having ...

A few days ago, there was a little snafu where my subject line was attached to another e-mail. So here's the real In the Defense of Cheese. When I was younger, there would be times that my mother's “intensity” would drive me to leave my home for a few days, just to get away from her. Every time that I left home like this, I would always do something different. One time I took a bus tour across the state, and another I merely spent the week at a friend's house. In one particular instance, I packed up my scouting gear and took off into the wilds of the Appalachians. After about 2 days of hiking, I came across a cabin in the woods. I had enough food packed and I really didn't mind sleeping in a tent, so when I knocked upon the door, it was curiosity that drove me. An elderly hermit named Mary Ykatherine then came to the door (it's a silent “Y” apparently). She treated me to what I thought was borscht, but what was apparently 85% peyote. I closed my eyes for a second a...

As a college student/intern/tutor/babysitter/freelance writer figuring out what I want to do with my life, I wouldn't be where I am now without the help of some amazing people who helped me early on in my career. They could have easily ignored me and dismissed me as a "little kid," but instead, they took me under their wing and gave me work experience, guidance, and time that I will always value. Thank you to the editor of the Town Journal in Ridgewood, NJ. At 14, I sent you my book report on the Odyssey as well as suggested that I become the paper's next book reviewer. You didn't laugh, but invited me into your office for a meeting, where you offered me the position. I was elated. You worked with me through awful draft after awful draft peppered with nonsensical words from the thesaurus because I thought they sounded fancy (and New York Times-esque). You sent me long e-mails full of suggestions about how to improve my writing, and I took each one to heart....

Hi everyone! First I would like to say that English is not my native language, so forgive my possible (and probable) mistakes! This letter below I wrote when I was 16 years-old and was going through a difficult phase of my life, and I thought that leaving this world was the only option. I have never showed this letter to anyone, and it was the first thing that came up in my mind when I was invited to write here. Fortunately, I don’t feel like this anymore and I now I want to live my life and work it out no matter how difficult it gets. There’s always a way out! : ) Please, stop worrying about whose fault was it. It’s nobody’s fault but mine. I did it by my own free will, because I couldn’t live with myself anymore. I couldn’t stand the futility of people and their superficial relationships, and above all, I couldn’t stand and comprehend my inexplicable desire to be like them. Some say that suicides are the bravest cowards that ever existed. I disagree. If I’ve had a little bit of...

In an age where we are constantly connected to everyone and everything, there's never been a bigger divide in social interactions, I feel that people are losing the ability to communicate properly. However, being a part of Listserve has reminded me that we can truly make a connection and communicate without the need to meet. Receiving these emails over the past months/weeks has inspired me to take risks, reevaluate my life and make it a life that I want to live not only that but I've had to chance to gain insight into some incredible and passionate people in this world. So thank you all for being you, never stop! Anonymous South of England, UK

I like to ask people what the last thing that really made them laugh was. I think you know a lot about someone when you know what they find the funniest. When you make somebody laugh a lot, you have complete control over them. It's an interesting power trip to know that you've reduced somebody to a blubbering mess. So tell me, when was the last time you really, really laughed? Mine was when this happened: Last year our cat Piffon died. He was a big part of the family, although it was a love/hate relationship - he had the most annoying meow you could imagine, a whiny guttural sound, like a scarred infant crying for help or something. And he was a total coward too, not one of those cool cats you hear about who kill mice. Once we actually saw him getting chased by a bird. Anyway, he was getting very old so my mum and sister took him to the vet, who explained that he had lived a long life and it was best for him to be put down. My family, despite their sadness, agreed that it was ...

I find I have a few things I often admonish people about, and I’ve picked one to share with you all. First, a little about myself: I am an American guy in my lower twenties. I live in the center of the state of Pennsylvania, and, on the weekends, run a small take-out BBQ. This particular job involves lots of prep work and any needed welding and fabrication to keep things in good shape. Now, as stated before, my intention is to lecture the world about something. This isn’t something terribly life changing, but if you eat meat, you should know this. Use a meat thermometer! People regularly ask me questions about cooking, and when they do I usually ask them a few questions myself. One thing I find is that most people rely on some primal instinct to determine whether their meal is ready. The usual outcome is that otherwise delicious cuts of meat get overdone. There is an easier way. For about $10 you can have a tool that will tell you exactly when your food is done, every time. No more rel...

You are what you know. A contemporary view of intelligence finds that it is the sum of two factors: G(f) is fluid intelligence- the size of your working memory, how ‘fast you think’ etc. G(c) is concrete intelligence- a measure of how much factual information you have acquired. Learning more information then is the key to greater intelligence. Hart and Risley (1995) found that children in non-working households heard, on average, 616 words per hour, while children from professional families heard 2153. By the age of three this totaled a difference of 30 million words. Less well off children are exposed to fewer concepts- and develop less concrete intelligence. Research into memory and cognitive neuroscience has soundly shown that the learning of new material is much more efficient if you already know a body of linked material. Eric Hanushek’s work suggests that a good teacher can get 1.5 years of learning growth in one year, a bad teacher 0.5. The consequences of a bad teacher f...

Tim Ferriss (of 4 Hour Work Week fame) is turning 35. His birthday wish is to raise $50,000 from the followers of his blog to help fund aspiring teachers. If we are able to raise $50,000, he will match that with another $50,000 donation! As of this writing, we have raised $27,181. To raise the money, he is using a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit called Vittana. Donations to Vittana students are 100% tax deductible. To donate: 1) Google “Vittana” and click on the first link 2) Choose “Lending Teams” at the top 3) Scroll down and choose “35th Birthday Challenge for Tim Ferriss!” 4) Choose “Join Team” in the right column 5) Connect with Facebook 5) Find a student, and donate! I highly encourage you to consider making a difference in someone else’s life today! Thanks for your time, Andrew Martin Stanford, CA

It is a happy coincidence that I got the invite to write something to you all in my favorite week of the year. It is the week prior to a festival I help organize: FarmFest. Let me tell you why I love this festival so much. I grew up on a dairy farm in Friesland, the Netherlands. Throughout our upbringing, my twin brother and I spent a lot of time together - building tree houses, doing chores on the farm, playing games. Both my brother and I went to study: he moved to Utrecht, while I moved to Amsterdam. I am currently finishing my Masters, and he decided move back after his BSc. He's going to continue the farm when my parents quit. Most friendships from back home have watered down through time. I only see my twin brother when I go back to visit the farm, and many other friends I only see on special occasions. Fortunately, there is something that brings a group of us together every year: FarmFest. 10 years ago a couple of friends and I decided to celebrate our birthdays together....

Hi Listservians! This is a shorter version of something I wrote in April, which can be found if you search the title. The Loneliness of Extraversion On a recent Sunday morning, I slept until my eyes were ready to open, rearranged my apartment, ate cake for breakfast, and read online news in total silence. I did two loads of dishes, returned library books, and watched bike polo in the park. I then found my favourite tree and sat under it to think about how amazing the previous few weeks had been. I hadn’t had a day without social interaction in more than two weeks, but Sunday, when I finally had some time to myself, I found that I would keep looking at my phone and try to decide whether to text or call or email or chat or bbm or ‘like’ activity or comment or message people. Amidst the solitude I had been seeking I still sought out the technological company of my peers. Sharing these experiences with people is what fuels my life, but the problem with being an extrovert, and a busy, w...

I know it's a very hot summer in places right now but these muffins are completely worth it. (Sorry for mixing unit types here, but these are from my notes and what I know works for me) 375g AP flour 265g Brown sugar (I prefer dark) 2.5tsp Baking powder (from a can opened <6mo ago) 0.5tsp Baking soda 0.25tsp cinnamon (ground fresh ceylon) 0.25tsp nutmeg (ground fresh) 0.25tsp salt 1.0 egg 1.25cup buttermilk 0.5cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 2.0tsp vanilla extract 1.0cup raspberries 1.0cup rhubarb, choppped Preheat oven to 400F Topping: 0.5cup chopped pecans 0.33cup brown sugar, packed 0.25tsp cinnamon 1.0Tbsp cold butter Combine ingredients in food processor, pulse until they resemble coarse crumbs Muffins Whisk together flour, baking {powder,soda}, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt In a separate bowl combine sugar, buttermilk, butter, egg, and vanilla Combine the two mixtures, mixing until roughly combined Add in fruit, stir three times to distribute ...

This is a story about music. It is also a call to arms for anyone interested in recording. Forward it to anyone it might help. A lot is said about DIY music, and plenty more about mainstream artists. But this is a story about the rung beneath all that; a rarely mentioned rite of passage for anyone who has performed a note of music in their life. When I was 12, a youth club opened by our school. It had a music room where a member of staff showed me how to play a simple drum beat. I didn't 'get' music as a kid, but then they started playing along with the baseline to 'Smoke on the Water'. Something clicked. It was a huge rush, and I feel it again as I write this. A decade later I was taking a degree in music production. My classmates wanted to be songwriters or DJs, but my love for bands like At the Drive-In and Fugazi led me to a certain music culture based in Washington DC through the 1980s. There is plenty of literature describing DC's punk heritage (everyo...

When I ask questions, I am genuinely curious to hear the answers. How are you today? Don’t say fine. Tell me what you were anticipating to be stressful at work today, or what you are looking forward to doing this evening. My favourite question to ask is “What are you passionate about?” It stumps people most of the time. This upsets me because I don’t like to see a disconnect between someone and what makes them the most happy and curious in life. Your passions should always be within arm’s reach. Once I get the ball rolling and someone begins opening up to me, I like to think that I’ve lightened their mood and distracted them from whatever negative thoughts were tossing in their heads. Maybe when they’re done speaking to me, they continue the conversation within themselves. Perhaps they had lost touch with what they are passionate about and I helped rekindle their fire. I initially wanted to write about what was a long distance relationship between my boyfriend and I, but is now local....

Happiness is to achieve your dreams and enjoy the road. These words are dedicated to a dream that begun 7 years ago, during my first days in university. There, one day, Maria and I decided to embark in the adventure of crossing the United States through Route 66. Route 66 is the mother road of America, it is the road of hopes that crosses 8 States from Chicago to Los Angeles, Route 66 is a magical experience that lives and will live forever, in the heart of those who once lived the adventure. It was almost a year ago, after graduation, when the dream became true. María and I set forth to on the trip that changed our lives. Every single mile from Chicago to Los Angeles was magical. The adventure lasted 35 unforgettable days and it was during that time that we realized we lost part of our hearts there. The dream is still alive inside us, and that’s why we are so sure that Destiny has kept a place for us on Route 66. Times may change, but Route 66 is alive and kicking like never before...

When I was young I was angry. So much seemed to be wrong in so many parts of the world - I didn't know what to do, I just knew I wanted to do *something*. Yet changing the system seemed impossible for millions to bring about, never mind one angry teenager. 5 years ago, a small thought changed my life. I realised 'the system' - with its business, jobs and money - is not the problem. It's just a tool. Most use that tool to prosper regardless of their impact on others - but you don't have to. I started a business that finds ways to use the web - something I knew a lot about - to improve lives. We make a profit so we can pay fair wages, and reinvest what’s left into doing more good. This is a “social enterprise” - it puts people, not profit, first. I think the world would be better if every business were replaced with one. I'm not noble or brave enough to give everything I have to charity - or to fly to a more needy country to lend a hand. But every day I d...

I'm a professor at MIT; I study how people share information online and am optimistic about better communication helping to create a better world. But paradoxically, as ever more novel communication technologies are emerging, there are serious breakdowns in meaningful communication. The United States shows an ever-widening schism between political left and right who refuse to even talk to each other, let alone compromise in tackling national challenges. Blogs are hyper-partisan, speaking only to the true believers and reinforcing their preconceptions. Social network tools like Twitter and Facebook are great for chatting with friends about inconsequentialities, but actually decrease our tendency to pay attention *outside* our social circle. When is the last time you used social media to change the mind of someone who disagreed with you about something that actually mattered? I signed up for The Listserve to help me think about tools that could enhance communication among stra...

These days, life changes faster than people could possibly imagine. Think back to the start of 2011. between then and now, were you expecting half of what happened? A quarter? I certainly didn't. In that time, I've moved out of home, lost a loved one, decided to drop out of university, started a band, worked full time in IT Support, thrown the biggest concert of my life, moved from Australia to Edinburgh, traveled on my own for the first time, made a brand new set of friends, worked in Recruitment, and most recently, entered voluntary unemployment. I was mugged twice, robbed once, injured myself countless times, spent more money than I should have, ended more friendships than necessary, started ones I would later regret, felt the saddest I have in my life, and took the stupidest risks yet. Do I regret it? Not one jot. Would I rather have known these things would happen to me? Not if you paid me. Part of the fun of a movie is not knowing the plot beforehand, and why treat lif...

Dear The Listserve people I doubt you'll recognise my name. I'm not famous. I'll never be famous. But I have always aspired to be 'someone', a person who made some kind of small but significant contribution to 'something' . As it happened, I found such a modest niche. I'm a sociologist, working on two very specialised areas - the sociology of hevy metal and the sociology of the British Jewish community. Needless to say, there aren't many of us working in either area. I'm really just a reasonably big fish in a couple of pretty small ponds. So for the last few years I've made a joke about being such a big fish in a small pond. I've said that really I'm just like 'the best water skier in Luxembourg'. Needless to say I didn't know anything about water skiing in Luxembourg. But about a year ago I had a brianstorm: why not go and meet the best water skier in Luxembourg? Why not write a book about him/her and about...

I think people these days, for the most part, have been tricked into believing that their vote doesn’t count. But it does – your voice counts. You need to make sure that you pay attention to what affects you directly. If you don’t vote, you’re giving up your right to direct what happens to and around you. Figure out what representative (and by representative I mean anyone for whom you can vote to hold public office) best represents your views on the world, how you want the world to be, how you see the world progressing, and vote for them. It’s quite simple. Over half of the subscribers to the Listserve have elections coming up in their respective countries, but this email isn’t just for them, it’s for everyone to keep in mind. Having a voice in shaping the future of your country, however small you think it may be, is something truly revolutionary. Indeed, few times in the course of history have conglomerations of people been able to direct the fate of their nations, and as such, this ...

If every person who’s convinced that there’s a glorious and eternal afterlife would take a voluntary shortcut right now, many global problems that humanity is facing would be a lot easier to solve. Frank Mul Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Hello World, 1. If you’re unfamiliar with Neil DeGrasse Tyson, please look him up. You will learn you are not only a part of the Universe, but ARE the Universe. 2. A friend recently told me this was his favourite story. I spent my 20s working in a school for children with various special needs. Twice a year we would take some of them to an outdoor adventure centre where we would climb, tunnel, drive quad-bikes etc. It was awesome. And very dirty. Hence we would shower the kids every night. One boy I worked with, who was about 8, had various digestive medical conditions that resulted in him wearing a nappy and often suffering discomfort. At the end of one day he was in a toilet cubicle both undressing for his shower and using the facilities. Suddenly he called out to me, in a lot of distress, that his bottom was stinging (This is not the funny part!). I hurried him into the shower and rinsed him down with water relieving him of his agony. He was very thankful and continued ...

Don’t worry, this won’t be one of those love yourself emails…although you should be doing that already. I would like introduce myself as Mr. Realist. I am not particularly religious, I just believe in things I see. I believe in capitalism and have encountered enough people to see that most people act in their own self-interest. I am not a hater or a pessimist; again, I am just a realist. So how did I get this way? I am not sure. There are so many questions, yet so little time to find the answers. I don’t understand many things but I am intensely curious. Many people I come across rather know nothing and be happy rather than to know everything and be slightly bitter. It is hard for me to understand this but as always, I respect the viewpoint. Why not try to understand the world for all its intricacies? I love life. I am privileged to work and live in a very progressive environment. It is mind bending to think how far we have come as a society in such short period of time. ...

Today is the perfect day to eat ice cream for breakfast. Gather your family for a dance party in the kitchen. Take a road trip to the mountains for a picnic. Sing your favorite song at the top of your lungs while you air guitar naked in front of the mirror. Today is someone's birthday, call them and sing Happy Birthday them. They deserve something more special then a Facebook comment. Invite your friends over for cocktails and karaoke. Build a fort with your kids in the back yard. Tell them about the moon and explore the stars. Live your life with many mistakes and no regrets. Never join the grown ups. The world will laugh at you. The trick is to laugh first and laugh the loudest. And tonight as you sit around your dining room table with your family or friends tell them you love them. Because the zombie apocalypse is coming and.... you are going to have to kill them. Mylissa Fitzsimmons Los Angeles, California

This year is the bicentenary of Edward Lear's birth. He was an author and artist, responsible for The Owl And The Pussycat and the popularisation of limericks. His nonsense inspired me to become the person that I am, so in honour of that wonderfully silly man I thought I’d inflict some homespun limericks upon you all... My uncle is blessed with a nose That’s as crimson as any a rose If you wait until night And then switch off the light You would swear, in the dark, that it glows Have you heard of the cat on the mat He was lazy and stubborn and fat When a mouse walked on by He would open one eye And say “Sir, I refuse to touch that!” Young Jim would eat nothing but eggs Which he pickled in large wooden kegs When each barrel was done He would jump in for fun And the juices stripped hairs off his legs A buddhist was studying dharma And assessing his level of karma With a shake of his head He exclaimed “When I’m dead I am sure I’ll come back as a llama” On a sunny ...

1) Travel! I've visited London, Rome, Nairobi, BVI, Bahamas, Jamaica (7x), Tahiti, Mexico, The Yucatan Peninsula, Cayman Islands, and Paris. Living like locals, making friends & pen pals. 2) Photography! I love to photograph people, architecture, plants & animals etc. so much so that I've made my passion my "business". 3) Dump Cake: You need: 1.5 sticks of melted butter, 1 can of cherry pie filling, 1 can of crushed pineapple, 1 box of white cake mix (unprepared), a handful (or 2) of brown sugar, Optional: coconut & walnuts to taste. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, open & dump can of crushed pineapple in a 9x13 inch dish. Spread evenly. Repeat with the cherry pie filling. Open box of cake mix & pour over the fruit. Pour melted butter as evenly as possible over the top of cake mix. Sprinkle a brown sugar over top and finish with coconut & walnuts to taste. Into the oven for 25-30 minutes or until top is golden & bubbly. Eat warm & with va...

Hello Everyone! Somewhere, in this crowd of 20 000 people, is someone who believes I can be an important asset to them. I am just finishing my second year as a Nanotechnology Engineering student at the University of Waterloo, and I am looking for 4-8 months of co-op work starting in September. My work experience so far includes nuclear reactor design for the GEN IV Nuclear Reactor Project, Jr Project Manager for the opening of a state of the art chemical engineering wetlab facility, and the development of a line of industrial chain lubricants for a small Ontario-based lubrication company. This chance to speak to all of you is a unique opportunity to make a direct request to 20 000. Send me an email, and lets talk about how we can help each other. I would love to know how I can help you, in any capacity. Send me an email and ask me any questions you have. I will provide as much information as I can, and hopefully this will lead to an important, mutually beneficial re...

A close friend of mine this week had a heart attack. He's 21. By a miracle, someone was close by who administered CPR, and he's undergone cold therapy, and there appears to be no neurological damage. He's awake and lucid, though he doesn't remember that we had dinner together a few days before the event. He doesn't remember what happened, he doesn't remember feeling any pain. He just wasn't, for a while. This has been an intense reminder that everything that I am and anything I care about could evaporate at any time, with no warning. Make every day the best day of your life. Jeremy Apthorp