Open Source · by Tiago Costa · 2026-09-21

A tiny story about falafel, Lisbon and timing that actually stuck

I started this because my quiet Sunday felt a little stuck, and licenses seemed like a manageable place to experiment. The funny part is that the smallest change was the one I kept.

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

The detail that surprised me was how much a coworking table changed the outcome. Same plan, different setting, completely different energy.

My current rule is simple: if it takes less than 3 minutes to prepare, I am much more likely to keep doing it.

126 sparks · 15 comments

Comments

Hana Choi · 163 likes

This is useful for some cases, but terrible advice if the stakes are high. I keep a note about community for exactly this reason.

Valeria López · 2 likes

Totally agree, especially for beginners.

Midnight Fern · 2 likes

The Tuesday test is undefeated.

Valeria López · 1 likes

This. Exactly this.

Maia Brown · 6 likes

Good reminder that boring can be good. That is where the boring checklist helps.

Salma Idrissi · 4 likes

The context helps. Without it I would have assumed the opposite. This pairs weirdly well with jollof rice.

Tanvir Rahman · 3 likes

I am curious what changed your mind.

Khalid Al Zahrani · 4 likes

Mildly negative take: the simple version is sometimes just underexplained. I would love to see a follow-up after 2 weeks.

Omar Hassan · 2 likes

There is probably a middle ground here. I would test it for 3 days before deciding.

Irene López · 2 likes

Excellent timing; I was just thinking about timing. It sounds small, but the first draft matters.

Curious Noodle · 1 likes

The vibe here is immaculate.

Grace Parker · 1 likes

I love this. It feels practical without pretending life is neat. I would test it for 8 days before deciding.

Ethan Brooks · 1 likes

Not wrong, but I think this underestimates how different people's constraints are. The useful part is easy to underestimate.

Maya Williams · 1 likes

Do you think this would work in a smaller place than Warsaw? The Buenos Aires example makes it feel concrete. This is exactly the kind of tradeoff teams argue about for weeks.

Mariam Said · 1 likes

I appreciate the honest middle stage, not just the polished ending. I learned that one the expensive way.