If you’ve got a bag of Orville Redenbacher’s Butter microwave popcorn on hand but no microwave, there’s no need to panic. Just tear open the bag and pour the kernels into a large pot. Put over medium heat. The kernels will be in a big clump of congealed butter-like substance…break them apart with a wooden spoon as the pot heats up and the “butter” starts to melt.
When the “butter” is melted, stir the kernels around with the spoon so they don’t burn. At this point, you may want to don some protective eyewear so that when the first kernels pop, you don’t get hot butter-like liquid in your eye; I just put on my sunglasses. When the first kernels pop, cover the pot and shake it across the burner so the kernels don’t burn. Stop periodically to listen for pops and to exclaim, “I can’t believe this is actually working!” When popping stops, quickly remove from the heat, and get it out of that hot pot into a bowl. Eat. As good as microwaved.
Scott Berkun on how to learn from your mistakes. “We’re taught in school, in our families, or at work to feel guilty about failure and to do whatever we can to avoid mistakes.”
“So You Want to Write a Book?”. O’Reilly Media’s guide for new authors.
How to be more charismatic. “Don’t despair if you haven’t got these qualities because you can learn them. Professor Wiseman estimates charisma is 50% innate and 50% trained.”
How Danny Gregory makes those nifty watercolors that illustrate The Morning News. “Roz, the color theory teacher, warned against it, but I laid down a blue underpainting!”
How to use your cell phone anywhere in the world. Get a GSM phone, pay through the nose for roaming, or unlock your phone and use local pay-as-you-go SIM cards wherever you are.
How to become an early riser. “The solution was to go to bed when I’m sleepy (and only when I’m sleepy) and get up with an alarm clock at a fixed time (7 days per week).”
Some great tips on grilling. “And if you think this takes a lot of time and concentration, you’re right. There’s time enough for socializing later. Do you want to grill an excellent steak or not? Okay, then. Concentrate.”
Twelve ways to think differently. “Twelve methods that will exercise parts of your brain that rarely get it, and make you more creative and better able to understand the world.”
A guide on how to speak gangsta. “I give yous props for dat phat ride man” means “I give you thanks for the good ride my friend”. And don’t miss the step-by-step instructions for high fiving someone.
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