The y argument tells pacman to update the package list. This is so your computer is downloading the new packages instead of old ones from last time you updated it. The second y tells it to delete the old package list and download it from scratch. This is useful if pacman isn't working correctly. Maybe the files got corrupted. But it wastes more resources for the repo so it is not recommended as a default.
That's how I pack for trips. My wife thinks lists are the way to go. I keep telling her if she just waits until the last minute I'll do it all myself in record time. Probably get everything, too.
That's why I started drinking out of the biggest cups I can. One time I was sick or something, and I just kept two big-ass cups of water so I didn't have to get up as much.
I spent my teenage years watching beheading videos on LiveLeak, and other early (earlier) Internet horrors. I think about elan.school a lot. This has stuck with me way more than I thought anything could.
I'm a FOSS and Linux nerd, and even I think Mastodon has a problem. Something has to change if Mastodon wants to compete. It just feels so lifeless compared to Bluesky.
Maybe spaz.