The Art of the Comment
The other day I landed on a blog post and as I scrolled down to add a comment, I saw that there were already 41 comments. That set me back on my heels. What else could I possibly add to the conversation? Funny how a number can spark self-doubt. It’s like joining a big group of people at a party that have already been talking … Continue reading The Art of the Comment
The unbearable lightness of life
The beauty that goes hand in hand with drama. It lurks around every corner of life, in unforeseen events, political upheavals, and human encounters. Continue reading The unbearable lightness of life
Understanding the multi-faceted nature of Identity
Our identity is fundamental to who we are, but have you ever stopped to think about the range of factors that shape who we are. Come and explore that with me now. Continue reading Understanding the multi-faceted nature of Identity
Reinventing Yourself Could Be a Good Idea. Find It Out How by Following These 6 Steps
Have you ever wanted to reinvent your life? Have you tried several times but failed? Reinventing yourself professionally or personally can be a challenge but also a great adventure. Follow these 6 steps to succeed. First step: find or wake up one of your passions. Concluding one phase and starting another one is not easy. Reinventing yourself requires more commitment than a simple change. Consequences may … Continue reading Reinventing Yourself Could Be a Good Idea. Find It Out How by Following These 6 Steps
Repost: What Vladimir Putin’s War Has Taught Me
Before I get into the body of this piece, I’d like to say that the conflict in Ukraine is especially interesting and tragic because I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Poland during the mid-nineties, not long after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Berlin Wall. I was sent to Rzeczpospolita Polska—I still remember quite a lot of Polish—to … Continue reading Repost: What Vladimir Putin’s War Has Taught Me
Bye Bye Bison: A Hateful Story
The only reason I stopped at that particular gas station was because they had a giant, brightly painted wooden sculpture of a squirrel (or maybe it was a groundhog) all dressed up in backpacking gear, out front. You could see it from the highway. My usual instinct when I need gas is to keep driving and fill up later, playing chicken with an empty gas tank. Continue reading Bye Bye Bison: A Hateful Story
Fun Facts and a Dystopian Fiction
The other day my wife and I took our kids to Gardens by the Bay – one of the major tourist attractions here in Singapore. If you’ve not heard of it, it’s a stunning nature park spanning 100 acres. It sits adjacent to the famous Marina Bay Sands hotel. Inside the gardens are two massive temperature-controlled dome-shaped glass conservatories. One is known as the cloud … Continue reading Fun Facts and a Dystopian Fiction
Philosophy as an Art of Living
I often like to use the word ‘philosophy’ in a somewhat unusual way. What I mean is philosophy understood as a craft, skill, or art of living. This is, actually, how philosophy was originally understood and practiced, in the ancient Greek and Roman periods of what we now call Western philosophy. That understanding, and even that practice, has never completely gone away. It has, however, … Continue reading Philosophy as an Art of Living
Four ways we may stumble in attempting to live Stoically
Have you encountered these difficulties in attempting to live Stoically? (Living philosophically?) After a conversation I had, some time ago, about living as a Stoic philosopher, I found myself wondering what pitfalls and stumbling blocks a person is likely to encounter when they try seriously to integrate Stoic teachings and practice into their life. Four things came to mind almost at once. I’m going to … Continue reading Four ways we may stumble in attempting to live Stoically
When i say the word love what do people think of
What is love? What do people think of when they hear the word love? And how do they express love? Continue reading When i say the word love what do people think of
If You Can’t Go Away On Vacation This Summer Try These 10 Ideas
Summer is here and vacation time is approaching. While it is obvious that going away is very important for physical and mental health, it is not so obvious that everyone can leave and some of us will have to spend their vacation at home. But a rest period is also useful without being able to travel. When we work, we wait for the weekend impatiently, … Continue reading If You Can’t Go Away On Vacation This Summer Try These 10 Ideas
Understanding the impact of loyalty
Employers expect us to be loyal, but its not always possible for the loyalty to be returned. how might this imbalance impact the employment relationship? Continue reading Understanding the impact of loyalty
No Effort, No Problem?
Well, here we go again. I’m about to advocate not doing work. It seems I do this fairly often. But it’s not that I’m lazy or against giving an effort, it’s just that sometimes the best effort involves making no effort. In other words- breaks are good and we should take them without beating ourselves up over it. For example, I’ve been on vacation all … Continue reading No Effort, No Problem?
The Surprising Benefits of Depression
No one talks about the benefits of depression, do they? No one talks about how depression might happen for a good reason. Most people assume it’s nothing but a bad thing. A product of low courage. A cancer of the mind. And perhaps it is? When you examine depression on paper, it’s difficult to argue otherwise. I mean, I hardly need to outline the costs … Continue reading The Surprising Benefits of Depression
Building a Platform
I was talking with author Lois Roelofs about her newly released book, Marv Taking Charge, and she made the comment that she started blogging back in the day because she was told she needed a platform. As an aside, she said, “Whatever a platform is.” Right – whatever a platform is. Presumably, some sort of online presence so that we can meet and share what … Continue reading Building a Platform
The art of knowing oneself
Knowing oneself is, to me, the key to the path of spirituality or on the ladder of awareness. Continue reading The art of knowing oneself
How and Why Yoga Helps You Maintain Body and Mind Balance
On June 21, the International Yoga Day was celebrated. Over the last few years, this very old practice has become the subject of scientific studies. Positive effects on the brain such as anti-stress and antidepressant effects have begun to be measured. Millions of people practice yoga regularly and research began thanks to its spectacular spread. Postures (asanas) are increasingly known among different people and age groups. … Continue reading How and Why Yoga Helps You Maintain Body and Mind Balance
A Sad Day, a Happy Day
Exactly one week ago, on Saturday morning, my wife and I got into the backseat of my father and stepmother’s car, in Georgetown, Texas, pulled out of their garage, and headed eastward, to make the hour-long trip to the small town of Rockdale, Texas, population 5,323. Our goal was to attend a memorial service to commemorate the life of my uncle, a man I’d always … Continue reading A Sad Day, a Happy Day
Stray Kitten Karma- A True Story
Son of a bitch… Are you kidding me? Again?!”
I stared down at the scruffed-up little kitten who had just crawled out from under my backyard brush. Continue reading Stray Kitten Karma- A True Story
The Cat Conundrum
I had a friend who claimed she was clairvoyant. Let’s just say for the sake of this post that she was, because I’m on my way to making a point and you don’t have to have an ability to see the future to know that. And I’d say from my experience that my friend had a gift of extraordinary perception. She saw things differently than … Continue reading The Cat Conundrum