Books · by Luca Bianchi · 2026-10-06

The delightful joy of doing the playlist badly at first for absolute beginners

I had a disappointing first try, a surprisingly good second try, and then a third attempt that taught me humility. So, naturally, I now have opinions.

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

I had a disappointing first try, a surprisingly good second try, and then a third attempt that taught me humility. So, naturally, I now have opinions.

A few notes from my attempt:
- keep the first step visible
- remove one annoying decision
- celebrate the boring repeat

112 sparks · 17 comments

Comments

Bianca Santos · 22 likes

I wish more posts had this much context. This is where I would ask one more question before choosing.

Pixel Panda · 12 likes

That is a good question for people with more experience than me.

Danylo Kovalenko · 8 likes

I am saving this for the next time I overthink playlist. The Melbourne example makes it feel concrete.

Rohan Mehta · 6 likes

Useful intention, poor execution.

Maya Putri · 3 likes

Good clarification — I read it differently at first.

Maja Wiśniewska · 0 likes

The best answer in the thread, honestly.

Chloe Davis · 5 likes

Helpful and not preachy, which is rare. Honestly, the simplest version wins for me.

Tola Ibrahim · 1 likes

Beautifully concise.

Jisoo Park · 5 likes

I would not call it wrong, just incomplete. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error.

Camila Rocha · 5 likes

The context helps. Without it I would have assumed the opposite. This would have saved me a lot of trial and error.

Mariana Costa · 3 likes

This made me smile more than expected. My only addition is to make the first step visible. That scene lives rent-free in my head.

Lotte Jansen · 2 likes

I would love a follow-up example.

Mango Otter · 1 likes

This depends heavily on budget, time and personality. The a neighborhood park detail changes the whole answer.

Camila Rocha · 3 likes

@paper_lantern68 This is the kind of disagreement I like.

Quiet Fern · 1 likes

Exactly; the hidden cost is energy.

Mina Chowdhury · 0 likes

Could be regional too.

Tiny Rider · 0 likes

The context helps. Without it I would have assumed the opposite. A little friction removed goes a long way.