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Snafu: authentic influence in a chaotic world

The Best of My Self-Experiments

Published about 2 hours ago • 2 min read

Welcome to Snafu, a newsletter about authentic influence in a chaotic world.

Over three years of writing Snafu, I’ve documented a lot of self-experiments. Last November, I gathered the best of those pieces into This Might Work: A Collection of How-Tos.

If you're enjoying Snafu, it would mean the world to me if you would share it!

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The Best of My Self-Experiments

One of my favorite courses in college was a course on self-experiments with behaviorist Allen Neuringer. I realized in that class that I had been running self-experiments on myself for as long as I could remember, a pattern which has only intensified in the decades since.

Last November, I published This Might Work: A Collection of How-Tos, a compilation of essays that showcases the best of my self-experiments.

Today, instead of a stand-alone article, I wanted to share the book. You can download it here or buy a physical copy on Amazon.

(And if you have read it, it would mean the world to me if you leave a review!)

3 Things I’ve Loved This Week

Quote I’m Considering

“Advertising is the price you pay for having an unremarkable product or service.” - Jeff Bezos

I'm not sure I agree, but it is certainly an idea worth considering.

Latest Obsession

Selling Stuff on Facebook Marketplace

My new obsession is selling things on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace. I've had a long list of stuff that I've always intended to sell, like Zander Media equipment, furniture, and some kitchen appliances.

Some of my most recent sales include an in-ground palm tree that was in our front yard and an oversized 34-inch teleprompter that I've carried around for years.

The big unlock has been an LLM instance trained on advertising copy, which suggests titles, descriptions, and a list price.

Home Tool I'm Loving

​Greenworks 2700 PSI (2.3 GPM Max) Brushless Electric Pressure Washer​

As the previous bulletpoint suggests, I'm deep down the home improvement rabbit hole. One of my current projects is power washing our driveway and backyard.

I did a lot of research and settled on this Greenworks Brushless Electric Pressure Washer. (Purchased used, of course, on Marketplace.) As an unexpected bonus, it is also great for washing my car!

Want more?

​Attend Responsive Conference​

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Responsive Conference brings together executives, operators, and people leaders to ask a simple question: how do we build organizations where humans can do their best work?

Join us September 23–24, 2026 at the Oakland Museum of California for two days around the future of work.

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​Hire Zander Media​

Every company has a story. Most struggle to tell it clearly. Zander Media is the strategy-first production company that closes that gap.

If your story deserves to be heard, let's make sure it is.

​www.zandermedia.com​

​

Until next week,
Robin

This newsletter is copyrighted by Responsive LLC. Commissions may be earned from the links above.

2560 Ninth Street Suite 205, Berkeley, CA 94710
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Snafu: authentic influence in a chaotic world

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