Russell Nagami's Blog

I’ve been reading the above book on mnemonics recently and one of the cooler tricks I learned is how to remember numbers.  The system has been around for a long time and you can read more about it for free at this link.

The system is simple.  Convert each number into a phonetic sound.  Add in vowels/unused sounds to make words.  Remember those words, potentially using another mnemonic device such as “linking.”  Done.

The phonetic to number guide is below, along with simple ways to remember each.

1 – t or d, a typewritten “t” or “d” has just 1 downstroke
2 – n, a typewritten “n” has 2 downstrokes
3 – m, a typewritten “m” has 3 downstrokes
4 – r, the number 4 ends in the letter “r”
5 – l, hold out your left hand palm-outward and thumb out at a 90 degree angle – the five fingers form an “L” shape
6 – j or sh or ch or soft g, a “J” looks like a backward 6
7 – k or hard c or hard g, a “K”  can be made from two back-to-back 7’s
8 – f or v, a lower-case, written f  looks like an 8
9 – p or b, looks like a backward “p” or an upside-down “b”
0 – z or soft c (buzzing), the word “zero” begins with the letter “z”

It’s almost the 35th anniversary of Star Wars: A New Hope, so let’s do the date that the first Star Wars movie was released: May 25th, 1977, or 5251977.  The sounds we get are L, N, L, T/D, P/B, K, K.  I turned it into: Lan lit up kick.  I’m sure there’s better words, but I’m new, cut me some slack!

I will no longer forget my friend’s gatecode: share fun.  6582!

I’ve had my original Droid from Verizon for 2 years 9 months, well over the two year contract.  It works PERFECTLY!  I use no screen protector and no case.  I can’t tell you how to not break your phone, but there is only one tip you need to keep your phone running like a champ:  when your battery starts dying too fast or acting erratically, go on Ebay and buy a new battery (probably for under 15$).  I’ve attached a photo below, you can see it’s a little dinged up around the edges, but other than that, it’s tip top.  Every month I don’t upgrade it I’m saving on the cost of a new phone.  Also, on April 22nd  they will be charging an upgrade fee, even for free phones.

On a separate note, I plan to get a “dumb phone” in the future, so I don’t have to pay 40$ for unlimited data that I never use.

I read this recently and it makes total sense so I decided to share it:

When dealing with large purchases, don’t think about the cost.  Instead think about what you are giving up by spending that money.

It’s one thing to say, well this car is $40,000, it’s another to think I could fly to Germany and take a month off work while immersing myself in another language/culture and still come out ahead not buying the car.  If you follow happiness research, you’ll know that paying for experiences is much more rewarding than paying for Stuff.  No one cares about your Xbox.  The time you met that famous rock star is much more compelling.

Germany, here I come!

Or how about this: that car means I have to work an extra year (assuming you make around 70k, which is more than most Americans for sure), and that means if I get a new car every 5 years, If i’m 30 and I want to retire at 65, instead I will have to retire at 72.