28 Aug 2026 #mondaylinks
Hey there.
Here are 4 links I thought were worth sharing this week:
#1. What’s the real reason why most of us use AI? Because our coworkers use it (3min).
#2. Here’s a sample AGENT.md file for better code quality (6min). I still use old-style prompts, but stole a few parts of that file.
#3. RSS co-creatod was prosecuted for something Meta is doing (2min).
#4. “Diversify your income” makes sense. But what about diversifying our joy and identity? For that, try to live without what you love (3min).
And in case you missed it, here are my two rules for AI-assisted coding: don’t let AI touch it directly (2min) and use it as a copilot (2min).
(Bzzz…Radio voice) This email was brought to you by… Street-Smart Coding Manifesto. A case against syntax obsession. Because real impact comes from skills outside your IDE.
Keep coding smart.
See you next Friday,
Cesar
27 Aug 2026 #misc
To make my doomscrolling session from yesterday feel more productive:
4 random thoughts
#1. Writing an About page is the hardest part of starting a blog or newsletter.
#2. Welcoming DMs on social media feel like a preamble to sales pitches. What are you trying to sell me, dude? Let’s skip this part. Maybe because I don’t like sales calls.
#3. Keep writing because you don’t know who’s reading. Your writing will open doors you won’t even imagine.
#4. Good work alone isn’t enough. Do good work, tell people about it, and they might come.
1 proverb
Don’t brag about tomorrow, since you don’t know what the day will bring.
Proverbs 27:1 (New Living Translation)
2 random videos
#1. Why the Strait of Hormuz Explains Why You’re Still Single (23min). Geopolitics has a lot in common with dating. It reminds me to diversify joy.
#2. The Dating Advice That’s Keeping You Single (17min). Are you a romantizer, maximizer, or hesitator?
26 Aug 2026 #books
I just finished reading Gabriel García Márquez’s Love in Times of Cholera.
Here are five drops of wisdom I couldn’t help but underline (my own translations):
#1.
“Wisdom comes when it’s no longer of any use.”
I’ve often heard people say, “I wish I knew what I know now five years ago.”
#2.
“The weak would never enter the kingdom of love, it is a harsh and miserly kingdom, and women surrender only to men of brave spirit, because they inspire the security they so desperately crave in life.”
A wise friend has less stylistic version, “coward men don’t date attractive women.”
Replace the nouns appropriately.
#3.
“Say yes. Even if you’re dying of fear, even if you later regret it, because you’ll regret it all your life if you say no.”
OK, dating advice an aunt shared with her niece in the story.
“Live without regrets,” a friend told me, the other day.
#4.
“The world is divided between those who shit well and those who shit badly.”
I’ve witnessed that division.
Here are 10 habits I follow to improve my digestion.
#5.
“The problem with marriage is that it ends every night after making love, and it has to be rebuilt every morning before breakfast.”
If you’re curious, here’s my rule for reading translated books and here are my books.
25 Aug 2026 #misc
“Spending 4 hours writing a post that goes nowhere.”
That’s the opening line of a rant I found on LinkedIn yesterday.
I get it!
What spend hours on something nobody sees?
The algorithm always favors trending topics and big names.
That rant reminded me of Maria Popova’s take on content.
Don’t call it content. Don’t write just to fill a platform.
Instead, write for yourself.
Write as if you were working in your garage with the door open.
You wouldn’t expect everyone, but the right people to see your work.
If you choose a platform, think of every piece as a lottery ticket or practice session.
Not every lottery ticket is a winner.
Not every practice session is perfect.
Write as if nobody is reading.
Write because you’re born to create.
Writing helped me recover from burnout. I’ve done it every day since then. And it’s one of the 10 simple ideas that changed my life.
24 Aug 2026 #misc
To clear my mind, I wrote a 10-idea list of lessons I’ve learned in past weeks:
#1. When looking for a partner, find someone you enjoy talking to.
#2. To meet new people, show up consistently at the same places.
#3. The internet has no writing or creative rules. Do what you want.
#4. More followers, likes, and subscriptions isn’t the only goal.
#5. “For you” feeds drain your energy. Call it X, Instagram, Substack, LinkedIn…
#6. Walk to think. Walk to change your mood.
#7. Sometimes you have to pretend to be crazy, so you don’t get crazy.
#8. A good night of sleep is the best productivity hack.
#9. Before going to bed, do a brain dump to quiet the chatter.
#10. Run away from you don’t fit.
For more interesting ideas, check out _10 Surprisingly Simple Ideas That Changed My Life And Could Change Yours Too. It’s on my books page._