Category: Miscellaneous

From Saturday (8/26/23) to Tuesday (9/5/23), I’ll be off grid.

That means, you won’t get daily emails from me until I get back on the grid on Wednesday (9/6/23)-ish.

Rest assured, I’ll still be writing daily—it’ll just take on a more primitive form (that’s right folks… pen and paper).

And when I get back, I’ll share what words made it to paper during what I’m expecting to be a wild, curious, mysterious, serendipitous, and nothing-short-of-inspirational week.

Don’t know what Burning Man is? I can barely explain it. But, this video does a pretty solid job.

Thank you to each of you for your ongoing support. I look forward to reconnecting when I get back. ♥

P.s. If you’re feeling generous, you can send a little love via coffee here. This trip will definitely require copious amounts of caffeine. Cheers 🙂

Today is my birthday.

And as I reflect on this last year, there are a few lessons that stand out as highlight themes:

• Slow down. Faster isn’t better. In almost every case, with everyday living as the subject, slower is better. Because slower calms our body, which calms our mind, which calms our spirit. And a calm spirit is a more present spirit. And if we’re not present for life, then what the hell is the point?

• No hesitation. Whenever I find myself on the fence about a thing I know I should do and the thing my ego wants me to do (e.g. household chores vs create AI art), I speak “No hesitation” into my mind as a mantra and react appropriately asap. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from building habits, it’s that the larger the gap is between fence-thought and response, the less likely I am to do it.

• Take more shots. This past year I created my first ever digital product (something that imposter syndrome stopped me from doing for over a decade prior); I’ve joined a handful of new classes / activities so as to meet new people and reengage in activities as a beginner (e.g. basketball, modern arnis, yoga, meditation, dance, etc); and have taken more initiative in family and friend efforts (e.g. getting a run buddy, attending every wedding/ graduation/ reunion/ birthday party/ funeral I could, and said “yes” to more invites, etc).

In summary, I’d say this past year has been about living with more courage (more shots), control (no hesitation), and presence (slowing down). Three words I’ll be carrying close with me as the adventure continues into year 34. Cheers :)

On Saturday night, I went to a poetry reading.

It was hosted at the bottom of a no longer operational grain silo whose thick concrete walls wrapped snug around a cozy group of around 50 that extended straight up to what seemed like the heavens.

There were three finished, connected wooden pallets that served as a humble raised platform where presenters could read. The lighting was dim yet sharp. Words spoken into the microphone echoed off the cylindrical walls for what felt like minutes. And there was a fog that came reaching around small backstage openings that thickened the air that hung in the balance.

…It was a remarkable way to hear carefully chosen words, thoughtfully spoken.

And as if that wasn’t already enough, one presenter in particular added to the dynamics even further. When he was called up to read; as he walked consciously down the narrow isle; as he took his place atop the pallet stage; as he placed his bag down slowly behind; as he adjusted the thin podium, positioned his life’s work, thumbed through the pages and years, found his word collections and composed himself to read…

…He never said a word.

Not one.

It was as though we—everything gracefully mixing within the walls of that silo—were a type of freshly poured concrete and he was the worker who was expertly giving us time to thicken.

Right before he took a soft breath, that is, and cut through the hardening mixture like a type of chainsaw with his pointed, perfectly paced, incoming words. Straight through our dilated pupils and leaned in ears—the soft spot to our ever hardening exteriors—and into our earth.

My friend Mike started a #15DaysofGratitude Challenge.

It’s simple. Every day for the next 15 days, post publicly something you’re grateful for.

This feels like a timely challenge for me because lately, I can feel my mind learning towards desire and away from gratitude. The discontent has been a noticeable feeling for some reason and expressing gratitude, I know, is the perfect antidote.

So, I’m in.

…I hope you’ll join, too.

Day 1: After work today, a colleague asked me what I had planned for the rest of my day. After thinking about it for a second, I realized I had nothing. And after an exhausting, nonstop, jammed schedule kind of week—saying “nothing at all” felt great.

Today, I’m grateful for the days when I get to do… nothing at all.