Explain Like I'm Five · by Paolo Garcia · 2026-09-05

The most delightful part of learning questions from a tiny balcony

I know this is a tiny sample size, but after 3 attempts the pattern is pretty clear. When I keep the setup simple, I actually follow through.

I tried this in Toronto with a friend and we both noticed the same thing: the social part mattered more than the perfect plan.

Would love to hear how other people handle this. I am especially curious about the version that works on a tired weekday, not just on an ideal Sunday.

Part of me wanted the fancy version with all the tools. The better version was boring: one notebook, one reminder, and a willingness to be clumsy with the recipe for a while.

25 sparks · 12 comments

Comments

Felix Weber · 4 likes

I agree with the goal and disagree with the method. The low-effort version is probably the keeper.

Siti Lim · 3 likes

That last line is excellent. The a tiny balcony detail changes the whole answer.

Amina Okafor · 2 likes

I had the same reaction to line.

Maksym Bondar · 1 likes

I am stealing that phrase.

Paolo Garcia · 0 likes

@sitimakes63 Anecdote beats theory here.

Bianca Santos · 0 likes

This. Exactly this.

Quiet Otter · 2 likes

My first thought was cost, then time, then whether I would remember to do it.

Rohan Mehta · 1 likes

The context helps. Without it I would have assumed the opposite. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me. People underestimate how much sleep changes the answer.

Solar Orbit · 1 likes

Good reminder that boring can be good.

Mango Mango · 0 likes

The Tuesday test is undefeated.

Mariam Said · 1 likes

Great point, especially the part about questions. I would love to see a follow-up after 10 weeks. People underestimate how much sleep changes the answer.

Ethan Brooks · 0 likes

Helpful and not preachy, which is rare. I keep a note about simple for exactly this reason.