Opinion: Knowing the Why - One Easy Step To Understand Anything!

Hey,

Happy October!

I'm still very new to the world of clay. I've been extremely hesitant to just get my hands dirty and figure stuff out. I've always been somewhat cautious about approaching new things. I need to understand the why and how of it all. It's not enough to just copy someone else and say I Did It! This can have positive and negative effects. In this case, it created a barrier to entry. I was so focused on being the perfect clay potter that, I lost touch with my inquisitive nature. 

I love YouTube. It's becoming an ad-ridden hell hole, sure but, I've learned a lot of niche skills and discovered interesting and unique ideas that I may not have otherwise. It's like the Universal Library of information. However, one of the largest trends is the How To genre. It's filled with videos of, seemingly, professionals showing you how to do anything in 4 Easy Steps! Most of them are alright, this isn't about knocking the ones that aren't terrible. However, even amongst some of the well meaning ones, a trend has developed among the community.

With so many videos online showing how to do anything, most people have stopped asking Why? Wanting to know how something is done, simply to recreate it, is fine. It's a great starting point but, for most people, it seems like it ends there. There's not many videos of people receiving knowledge. Everybody wants to come across as the all knowing giver of knowledge but, most of the smartest people in the world are learning, rather than teaching. There's an entire culture of people obsessed with and satisfied with a result, rather than appreciative of the journey of exploration and understanding. Try this analogy.

Imagine society has broken down. You are humanity's last hope to build shelter. All we have left is this IKEA style, snap into place, home building kit. It's easy, you just put piece A into piece 1, etc. That's fine. It works but, what happens if the instructions are corrupted and some of the pieces are destroyed? You don't know which piece goes where, let alone why the foundation and supporting beams are put where they are to support the ceiling and the roof. You just knew the simplified answer was, put A into 1. With that little How To, you could do it but, if you had taken the time to understand the Why of each piece and how it was connected, you could take that knowledge and adapt it to something outside of the context of the How To Instruction Manual. 

Knowing the Why, you could find suitable materials to replace the ones you lost, apply the principles of building a sound structure, and make adjustments based on what you have at hand. A truly knowledgeable person's power comes not from being able to recall the right excerpt from the book but, in being able to recall the understanding of the concept and applying it to the current circumstance. What good is knowledge if you aren't building on to it?

I know. That analogy gets a little wonky but, I think you're smart enough to understand what I'm getting at. What good is having all of the knowledge of the universe at our fingertips if, once it becomes inaccessible, we are useless? It's great to be able to reference anything whenever we want but, we should be using that reach to expand our core systems, instead of simply relying on the cloud. From a networking perspective, access to the cloud network is fine but, just in case, let's keep a hard copy offline.

Let me try to tie it in with this. I began my clay journey with a sustainability goal in mind. I wanted a cost-effective, ecofriendly solution to my need for many small pots, used to store and transport seedlings and rooted cuttings. I knew I didn't want to use the plastic cups that were so readily available and I knew I didn't have the budget to buy the fancy Eco-Friendly Biodegradable Pots at the scale I had in mind. That's when I fell back on my fascination with ancient technology. Particularly, ancient pottery.

It seems so easy. It's literally just dirt, mixed with water, and shaped into a bowl. Now, as I ventured down the rabbit hole of information about Wild Clay, I was inspired but, also deterred from beginning. While I'm sure most of the accounts mean well, I felt this strong deterrence. There was a mental, or spiritual, blockade: You can't just go and get dirt from your yard. I agreed. It couldn't be that easy, right? There was all of this information about clay sediments, and locations, and private and public land, etc., etc. Don't get me started on the fancy modern pottery vernacular, with the cone firing ratings and what not. 

The more I learned, the further away I was taken from my goal. Listen. I get it. Some dirt is just not clay. It may not hold up well, it may not last long. Sure, there are some limitations but, why wasn't I just getting my hands in some dirt and seeing what's what? 

🪬 Handcraft by a man who's soul sees better than his eyes do at SoulSeesBest.writerjoshua.com

So, today, I decided to do some experimentation of my own. I'm not going to name any specific accounts because this isn't meant to be disruptive. If anything, despite all of this, I still learned quite a bit, and have been inspired just the same. The adbreaks are still a GIGANTIC TURN OFF but, that's another entry (I mean, I don't even like watching ads in professional television, why would I want to watch ads from someone I don't even know is going to give me the right information, yet?). The point is, I choose to understand the why and how of clay, instead of simply relying on what YouTubers say. I'm going to take what I've learned and apply it to my current circumstance, and that means some experimentation.

• Read: What Happens If I Don't Seal Air Dry Clay? - #SoulSeesBest #AgEcoResearch (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

 I have also received a lot of information about sun drying clay. You're not supposed to sun dry clay because, it is said, that it will crack and become useless. But, I want to know, how useless? I've also been looking into adobe mud brick. I am currently living in the Southwestern United States. Adobe is prevalent so, why not see if it can be a solution for me. 

• Read: What Happens If I Sun Dry Clay Pottery? - #SoulSeesBest #AgEcoResearch (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)

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Sincerely yours,

Joshua Lucero

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Tech: I Use My Desktop Magic Mouse On My Laptop, Too

Hello again!

    I'm rather excited to write this one. First of all, forgive me if this is already common knowledge. I was a strong holdout for Android and Windows PC's before I got my first iPhone. I have only been a member of the Apple ecosystem for a few years, and the content I found, today, was posted in 2010. However, after setting up a new desk, one which allows me to share space between my iMac and MacBook Pro, I began wondering about the Magic Mouse. Particularly, could I use it on my MacBook without messing something up?

    Firstly, I didn't know how to pair the Magic Mouse to a new device. Good news if you don't either, because it will actually do it on it's own! 

    However, there was a snag in my plans. I began by searching the web to find out if this is even possible. In the Apple Discussion forum, user: alzeg posted this query: Magic mouse connect to 2 computers. "Great," I thought. If someone else has already posed this question on the official forum, there must be a reliable answer. He mentioned that he was connected to two computers but, that he has to manually pair to each device, every time.

    To my immediate dismay, though, the "Best Reply" was from user: Eric Maier who quoted "Welcome to bluetooth. The Magic Mouse is a monogamous creature, can only pair with 1 computer at a time," followed by some quip about buying more mice because they're "cute."  It was disappointing. I gave some serious thought to purchasing another one but, it was just going to sit at this desk. Then I would get them mixed up. It would be a whole fiasco!

    Then, I scrolled down to find the new "Best Reply" from user: tolkan (I voted it helpful). It states: "Sorry Eric, you're incorrect. I have my mouse paired to both my PC and my Mac. It can only connect to one machine at a time. If you want to change the computer that the mouse is connected to, you either have to shut off bluetooth on one of the computers, or shut the computer down. Afterwards, the mouse will find the other computer and connect to it."

    Sweet! This might actually work! So, I shut down my iMac desktop and waited for a second, wiggling my one and only Magic Mouse. Then, in my MacBooks Bluetooth list, there it was! It worked! I used it to move straight to the blog so I could share the good news with you all.

If this is something you interested in doing, here's a few key things to note:

• The Magic Mouse will only connect to ONE bluetooth device at a time. I haven't tested it, yet but, it's safe to assume that it will always stay paired to the latest connection by default.
• Shut Down or Turn Bluetooth Off on any device you are not using the Magic Mouse with. My mouse has been sitting next to my laptop for almost a year and I didn't even notice it on my "Available Devices" list until I shut down my iMac first.

    My iMac desktop has the old school USB ports, which makes it easier to connect my audio and MIDI devices. While it's possible to use my iMac to make music, with GarageBand, I prefer the physical touch of my electric piano, which I only have connected to my desktop. So, it's become the "music studio" computer.

My laptop travels with me everywhere, sometimes even, only to the back porch or the living room. Unless I'm at my desk, I don't really need the mouse anyway. However, for some digital projects that require a more concise cursor control, it's nice to have mouse nearby. Even just performing some organizational tasks, like sorting a large number of photos, or reading long pages of text, scrolling with the mouse is just much more enjoyable.

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Sincerely yours,

Joshua Lucero

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Informative Essay: How to Clean Your Kitchen Like a Pro

Hello all,

    The informative essay is a tool used to simply educated an audience on a subject, without providing opinion or attempting to persuade the reader. It's what you should think of when you consider a news report. Believe it or not, there was a time of truly unbiased reporting. Sure, it may exist today but, it is certainly not as common. I digress. 

    I wrote this paper a few years ago, while completing an English course. I wrote it in the form of a "How-To." Most of my young professional life, I worked in kitchens. So, I decided to approach this assignment as something of a tutorial for creating and applying a plan toward effectively cleaning a kitchen. It is based on my real world experience. Quite frankly, it is still a strategy that I use for cleaning any kitchen I find myself in. 

This is: How to Clean Your Kitchen Like a Pro

    The job of kitchen steward is often overlooked. Being a Chef, a cook, or a waiter is usually the most glamorous position in food service, but a quality cleaning staff is vital to a successful restaurant. While it does not require much technical skill, without a plan, the amount of work to be done at the end of a shift can be overwhelming. There is much to be learned about organization, preparation, cleanliness, and even the culinary arts from this position. To do it well can be valuable, fulfilling, and relaxing. 

Over the course of several years, I have learned several techniques to be as efficient as possible closing a kitchen. In this essay, I will explain the process that I continue to use at home, including the preparation, dry cleaning, and wet cleaning stages. Whether you are starting a new position in large restaurant or it is just your turn to clean up after a family gathering, this approach will ensure that you are efficient and not overwhelmed by the task. If you do it right, you might find the experience cathartic and may even learn to enjoy yourself. At the very least, having a clean kitchen is something any good cook can appreciate.

Preparation

Before doing anything, stepping back, and taking a good look around is a smart idea. Taking a minute or two to analyze the situation and form a plan will avoid any surprises, such as finding loose dishes or forgetting about the dirty pan in the oven after you have already finished. Round up anything that needs to be cleaned and make sure all the tools you will need are readily available. Ensure that the dish rack is empty, collect a few towels, check that you have cleaning products, a broom, a dustpan, and a mop. It is also a great idea to locate a stereo or some headphones. Listening to your favorite music can really motivate you and make the job fun.

Dry Clean

    The same way that a muddy floor is harder to clean than a dusty one, a kitchen mess is always easier to clean in a dry state. Make a dry pass across all surfaces to remove any crumbs. Since this plan includes cleaning the floor, you can just sweep everything right onto the floor. Ideally, you will have some help putting away any left-over food. If not, removing all the food from pots, pans and serving dishes is an important step. Scraping as much food waste into the trash as possible will ensure that your dishwater stays cleaner for longer. Once all the food waste is removed and the surfaces are clear of crumbs, sweep the floor so it is ready to be mopped. Trying to mop an un-swept floor can be extremely inefficient, so pick up anything that will go into a dustpan.

Wet Clean

Before filling the sink with dishwater, rinse the dirtiest dishes and remove any food from the sink to ensure the cleanest water possible. Nobody likes swirling their hands under the water only to be surprised by an unidentified object. For burnt, stained or otherwise difficult dishes baking soda can have softening properties when added to water. Either pre-soaking these dishes or adding a pinch of baking soda to the sink can help release stubborn areas. A splash of bleach will improve sterilization when dealing with raw meat and egg products. Starting with ceramic, glass and plastic dishes can preserve the cleanliness of the water as cookware tends be the dirtiest. Save the worst for last. 

    Provided the water is still warm and clean when the dishes are finished, soaking a wet sponge or cloth in it is great way to deep clean the counters and appliances. This is the time to put some elbow grease into the dried sauces or burnt food on the stove that did not come off in the dry clean stage. You may also use an all-purpose cleaner if the dishwater is not clean enough. Use a clean, dry cloth to finish the counters and appliances to help them dry faster. 

    At this point, you have probably dropped some water on the floor. Luckily, it has already been swept and is prepared to be mopped. When mopping the floor, it is a good idea to plan an exit strategy. You may need to leave the kitchen to empty the mop bucket. Starting in a far corner and working backwards towards the exit will keep you from stepping on your clean, wet floor. A fan can be set up to expedite the drying process. This is also an opportunity to throw out the garbage or take a break while everything dries. You earned it.

Conclusion

    Most of my working career has been in a kitchen, from fast-food establishments to fine dining. Most of what I know about cooking was learned as a dishwasher. I gained invaluable experience handling pots, pans, and knives all day. Knowing the weight of a pan full of water is not much different than if it was full of food and spending so much time with culinary professionals gave me an appreciation for the dedication that goes into creating a delicious plate. 

Assessing the situation, forming a plan, organizing the area, and using resources efficiently can take any task from intimidating to finished. Separating the process into dry and wet stages will keep you from making an even bigger mess. Removing as much food waste as possible before starting dishwater can make it last longer. Finally, establishing a mopping route that will allow you to leave the kitchen without walking on a wet floor will make sure it dries clean and prevent any slip and fall. Cleaning the kitchen may be an unpopular task, but it can still be done well and provide value to any restaurant or home kitchen.

Joshua Lucero

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This document should provide you with an example of my ability write informatively, while exemplifying my ability to organize and accomplish tasks. It may also show humility, as a proud former dishwasher, who can take responsibliity for simple tasks seriously. This piece should also show you an example of document formatting and the use of proper English principles.

To this day, I truly enjoy cleaning the kitchen. I cook at home so, it's quite necessary most of the time but, it has never been a chore to me. It was not uncommon to spend nearly 8-10 hours mindlessly scrubbing, rinsing, processing, and storing various dishware and kitchen utilities. It was the long, slow, uneventful mornings that were usually the most taxing. I still prefer to clean a large kitchen, as opposed to a single dish and cup every now and again. Look at me, I'm almost tempted to write some more about the zen-like state one could find in the kitchen. Maybe some other time.

For more what an Informative Essay is, and how to write your own, check out Purdue University's Global resource, here: https://purdueglobalwriting.center/writing-an-informative-essay/

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Sincerely yours,

Joshua Lucero

Send Me An @Email

www.writerjoshua.com

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How's your English?

If you, or someone you know, is interested in improving their English skills for school or work in a contemporary setting, I may be able to help you with grammar, punctuation, sentence structure and more. Please read "Modern American ESL Tutor For Hire" to know more.

A Pair of Fresh Eyes

Do you have an important document but, you're not sure if it's ready to submit? Is there something about formal English that you can't wrap you're head around? Do you just need another perspective before you send? I may also be available to proofread your documents, blogs, social media posts, emails, assignments, etc. Leave a comment or contact me to discuss your needs and how I can help.

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