In 2018, during my trip in South America, I visited one of La Paz’s bustling food markets. I was told that I should try Pan America’s pizza when I reach Copacabana. This tip came from fellow travelers I connected with in La Paz, a city nestled at staggering altitudes between 10,650 and 13,250 feet (3,250 and 4,100 meters) above sea level, making it the world’s … Continue reading Change of life through community work
In August 2022, I dived into the heart. I did it by visiting the Anahata Ayahuasca Retreat Centre in Pisac, Sacred Valley of Peru. I was there for my own reasons, but once again, my journey had led me to someone who had been pushed into a corner by life and forced to make a change. During my trip to Peru ( July to October 2022), … Continue reading Dreaming into heart
It’s that time of year again when people think about the new year and how they’d like to make changes in their lives going forward. We often refer to these proposed life modifications as “new year’s resolutions.” The other day, while stepping out of the shower, the idea hit me—insights come as flashes of insight and often at the strangest times—that the way we verbalize … Continue reading Repost: The Importance of Language When Making New Year’s Resolutions
You know Lennon, McCartney and Clapton and Dylan
Bacharach, Parton & TSwift are killin’
But do you recall
The most Christmassy songwriter of all? Continue reading The Man Who Soundtracked Christmas
In “What I’ve Learned about Life while Watching My Father Age,” a blog I wrote several weeks ago, I mentioned that I’d been reading On Death and Dying, a wonderfully insightful book written by Elisabeth Kϋbler-Ross. Throughout that tome, the author argues that doctors need to take a more “human” approach while treating dying patients. She also points out that the field of medicine stresses the … Continue reading Repost: The Real Secret to Being Happier and More Successful in the Workplace
My family’s musical project to help the unhoused both at home and in Hawaii. Continue reading Holiday Homelessness
My greatest regret during my Peace Corps experience is that I wasn’t into taking photos at that time. I was into living life, though, as hard as it could be lived, tiptoeing right up to the line of being wildly self-destructive. It’s just that I don’t have much of a photographic record of all that living beyond the boundaries. I do have memories, tons of … Continue reading Repost: Places that “Made” Me: Installment Three
Where is home? It is a question that has been growing within me more, the older I become. My life has been greatly affected by politics, moving, and family patterns. This has given me a broader insight regarding life, the world and humanity, than most people around me. In this video, I am talking about where is home, my experience as a foreigner and uprooting … Continue reading Where is home? They say home is where your heart belongs
So I just got back from a 2-week trip to Hong Kong. A quick ding dong to say how do you do. I was there to organise several things related to my license that needed sorting. It was the first time I’d gone back since I left my former lover in difficult circumstances over a year ago. It was a very interesting experience indeed. What … Continue reading A Hong Kong Ding-Dong
If you read my first installment, you know that I was a Peace Corps Volunteer and was sent to PĨock, Poland, a beautiful and fascinating city located on the Vistula River, to complete my Pre-Service Training (PST), a demanding educational regime that was designed to see if I’d be up to the various challenges I’d certainly encounter once I was sent off to the town or city … Continue reading Repost: Places that “Made” Me: Installment Two
My mind works in mysterious ways. For example, three or four days ago, for no particular reason, the following question popped into my head: I wonder who said, “Clothes make the man”? I then almost immediately forgot that I’d asked this question—my brain having its own unique way of functioning—and went about my daily business. This morning I got online and found out that Mark … Continue reading Repost: Places that “Made” Me: Installment One
My adventure is coming to an end. I couldn’t think of a better way to mark the occasion than by finishing the poem that I started at the beach in Malaga at the beginning of my trip. Finishing and publishing this poem feels like coming full circle. An incredibly beautiful journey of over 850 km of steps and endless talks. Continue reading I wonder as I wander
I’ve been thinking a lot about anger recently. In fact, I’ve been looking at the topic long enough to be ready to put my thoughts on paper. For a person interested in studying anger and the angry response, this is a kind of perfect moment. There’s so much anger out there, being expressed in all sorts of contexts by all kinds of people, that there’s … Continue reading Repost: On Anger
Lizzie was asleep when she heard the terrifying noise. Was someone in her bedroom? As she rolled over to open her eyes and take a look, the shadow of a man came towards her, diving under her bed, like the monster in a kid’s nightmare. Continue reading The Totally True Tale of Stone Man Willie
On Friday, October 11th, I attended a professional development workshop at the college where I’m employed. The title of the session was “Communication Skills for Collaboration.” Looking back, I don’t think the title gave an apt preview of what the talk would cover. Plus, the title was boring; whereas, the actually workshop was quite interesting. During the early moments of the presentation, the presenter began … Continue reading Repost: A Meditation on Something I Heard the Other Day
I’ve been forgetful lately. I’m talking like, I’ll be in one part of my house, decide that I need something from another room, head to that locale, and as soon as I arrive there, I can no longer recall what I wanted to get. I know this is a near universal human experience because I’ve had numerous friends, once I’ve told them about this tendency … Continue reading Repost: Does Anyone Know Where I Left My Car Keys?
During an interview once, I was asked a question that made me a little nervous. The question was:
“What is a good conversation for you, and with whom do you have good conversations?” At that moment, that question puzzled me, but now I would like to pass that question on to you with my twist.
This post is about being booted out of Google account and separated from parts of my life. With Faceless Google there is almost no way to recover the account if you have locked yourself out of it. Because of security reasons. How did I solve the problem? Please read the post and see. Continue reading Mr Google and Me
Earlier this week I read “The Shame that Keeps Us in Our Jobs,” an article by Paul Millerd, one of my LinkedIn contacts. Millerd’s piece, about work, work culture, and money, got me thinking about a whole bunch of topics. This blog is the result of that rumination. I want to begin with something I’ve wondered about throughout my career as a college and university … Continue reading Repost: On Work and Money: Part One
God moved into our nation and settled there. It was 1979, and I was only seven years old. He took over the country with Ayatollah Khomeini. He was a “man” with a long beard and turban who looked more like an Indian than an Iranian. This text is part of my in-progress memoir, which I plan to publish in the future in the divine timing. Continue reading When God moved into our nation
