• Midstream Musings – we scale ourselves and return Sisyphus …
- Magic can be a wonderful thing. In stories. Such as those set in the fictional country called Wonderland. In the 2013-2014 ABC TV series Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, there were three rules of magic [1]. You cannot: But, of course, for fabulists and despots, rules get in the […]
- At my health club, regular face-to-face chats are vital to my cognitive and emotional health. There are benefits beyond the weight training & aerobics. A space for multi-generational exchanges. Including among and with Gen Zers. While a small sample, I’ve been both inspired by Gen Z and concerned. Inspired because […]
- When the “river” is so polluted that it catches on fire, it’s time for your personal EPA (Estimation of Probable Accuracy) filter to kick in. Practice, practice, practice. • WSJ > “Your Key Survival Skill for 2026: Critical Ignoring” by Christopher Mims (1-2-2026) – In an age of endless low-quality […]
- I read a lot about the effects of chronic, daily hours-long engagement with social media. Endless smartphone scrolling. The go-to thing when there’s any idle time. I see such behavior play out in the gym at my health club as well. I also support Fair Play, a nonprofit advocating awareness […]
- Epigraph “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” – United States Declaration of Independence Thomas Jefferson replaced the word “property” with “pursuit […]
- Regarding mattering, yes, there's a book for that – new in 2026. • LA Times > "10 page-turners for a new year" by Bethanne Patrick, freelance critic and author of the memoir "Life B." (1-1-2026) Mattering – The Secret to a Life of Deep Meaning and Purpose By Jennifer Breheny […]
- Screen-time … a complicated reality. Is it like, "Screens, you're hooked on them, but you can't hack it without them?" The fault may not be in our wishes, but in wishing on the wrong stars: Setting our sights – wishing – on tech delights, so much nearer than stellar lights […]
- In the context of seeking success & happiness, here's another perspective on friction, as an inevitable aspect of life. In this case, a perfectionist mindset vs. "getting real" about: * Flaws – you're continually "bugged" because not everything (or every experience) is perfectly to your liking or expectation. * Shelf […]
- The pursuit of happiness [two p's in that word, eh] … the pursuit of property … and the intersection of those aspirations. Dissonant dreams. An expectation that "each generation does better than the one before." The feeling of ownership. Equity. Good credit scores. Yet, the dilemma of affordable housing. It's […]
- Living in the uneasy place, an uncomfortable space [1] – the challenge of relying on reasoned choice rather than impulsive alignment or disengagement. This year's news cycles reminded me to beware of the illusion of majority consensus. That the loud (extreme) voice of a small minority (for example, on social […]