Consider this issue the bound-paper equivalent of a motivational speech – with less douchiness. Our big ‘How To’ feature is a DIY guide to doing awesome stuff in Sydney that we hope will rid you of excuses and light a fire under your arse. Do you often sit around with mates stroking your hipster scruff and talking about opening the best small bar in Sydney? Well, we’re telling you how to actually do it. Want to get that dust-gathering novel published? Just open the mag. Hope to grow a garden on your one-by-one metre inner-city balcony? Trouble getting laid? Want to do a paste-up? You get the idea – we’re here to help. And while we were in the advice-giving mood, we threw in some life-easing How Tos as well, from escaping bad dates to surviving a shark attack. Just ’cos. If you still need further inspiration, flick to Andrew P Street’s assessment of the live music scene right now. There you’ll meet musos and venue owners whose smarts and sheer will are making this one of the best times ever to be a music-lover in Sydney. Time to heed the words of a bloke about to get his contract renewed this November (fingers crossed): “Yes, we can!”