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Sunday Caffeine - First Principles, Chronos

David Sherry
2 min read

Welcome back to earth, circa 2018. April 8th, to be precise.

This community has special abilities. The thoughtful comments in response to each email, the ideas and dots being connected... our weekly hangouts.

But, I agree with this note from a subscriber, Hanna.

"Not to bash the email full of email replies, but... there are easier ways to do this on the internet...I think you've got a super great intimate community growing through your emails, and I can see it growing into something more ... "

You all are the early pioneers here, which is why I want to share updates with you as things progress. You also see things start small and then take shape.

But no there won't be aFacebook group. Or Slack. These tend to prove noisy and are housed in places with other intents/distractions. Email is still the feed that matters, and the feed that hasn't been warped by the algorithm. It's the perfect mix of serious business, meets helpful distractions. It's a delicate balance.

Don't oversubscribe yourself.

Updates to theCreative Caffeine site.

Are coming. With some additional functions, like a section for community conversations, and reference links to everything I'm consuming related to my writing. Email is the front door. This is joining me in the foyer.

So, for community discussion, I'm looking at Discourse.Believe me, I've checked out the options. Then again, I'm open to testing some new platforms here. In the future... SMS? Hell, VR when it's here:)

Like most tools, many have promise, few withstand over time.

You can update your email preferences (weekly/daily).

My schedule for writing is... most days.

Typically 3-5 times per week. If this is bothersome to you, I made it possible to receive only the single Sunday Caffeine email. Now linked in the footer. It's not what I'd recommend, but then again it's possible I have a certain bias for these matters.

The new secret, non-secret project.

The beauty of a new project is having the ability to go back entirely to "First Principles" thinking.

We've known this since Aristotle, but surprisingly few use this to their advantage. We get so stuck in our fields or echo chambers we forget to put our head above water.

First, you start with "why."

Who am I, why am I here? What's down there in the depths of what I want to see in the world?

Then you put a few quarters into the coin-operated scope to look at the landscape.

What are today's tools? What are today's truths? What are today's assumptions that may be false?

This is the only advantage which the young have in their naivety. They get to start from their field as it stands precisely in this moment, without any baggage. So they pick up the newest tool and run with them as if it's the most natural thing in the world. Meanwhile, we're left watching them speed off into the sunset as we awkwardly put our feet on the pedals.

So I've been texting friends at scatter-shot with questions like,
"Hey, who's the most forward-thinking community-builder you know?"

I've had few concise answers... David Spinx was mentioned, so I sent him about 3 rapid fire emails. I'm looking for the people who don't know they're great at what they're doing. I'm looking for the naturals.They're the ones hiding in plain sight!

Your momentum should be going from Imitations to Originals.
Don't' try and be someone you're not.

Your input, you, matter.

Have an excellent week.

xoxo David