I found my guru! He’s dead, but still talking! When the student is ready, the teacher appears — and for me, it’s philosopher-entertainer Alan Watts. Of course, he’s long gone in body, but vividly alive through his many recorded talks — and somehow, more relevant than ever.
In psychology, the Dark Triad refers to three less-than-admirable personality traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy. Thankfully, my personal dark triad is a bit more benign (and more alliterative): Desire, Decisions, and Doubt.
Yesterday I attended a family member’s funeral — or as it was aptly called in this case, a celebration of life. This was someone I saw regularly when our children were younger and family holidays were part of our tradition.
Lately, I’ve been getting curious about curiosity itself. First, as a way to better understand this remarkable, mysterious universe of ours — where, as Alice says, things get “curiouser and curiouser.”
I’ve been working on my website (yes, finally!) and was recently challenged to come up with phrases or metaphors that capture the experience most people are having these days — navigating what feels like a relentless state of change.
I’ve been feeling a bit vulnerable lately – identities, perspectives, habits, all seem to be in flux. Like a molting lobster, whose shell becomes too small and falls away, whose new exoskeleton is still forming.
Three years ago today, I made a quiet decision that created profound change: I stopped consuming alcohol. For years, alcohol had been part of my daily rhythm. A cocktail to “unwind,” wine to “enhance the meal.”
I admit with equal parts embarrassment and excitement that I recently learned something new—from Chatty Cathy, my AI writing partner. What started as a playful experiment has become a true creative collaboration.
This week, I found myself on the old and familiar path of avoidance. Ironically, it started while working on a talk about negativity bias—our brain’s default toward fear and protection when faced with uncertainty.
This past week, the cherry blossoms have been calling to me. Images and memories from time spent in D.C. stir up something deep—like a soft, sweet ache, delicious and almost heartbreaking at the same time.