The Magical, Beautiful Improbability We Call Life
"Alright, draw cards." It's a steamy Friday afternoon in Barranquilla, Colombia. We're playing cards by our hotel pool. The game has ended in a tie, so we decide the winners would, as the above sentence indicates, draw cards. Kyle takes the top card and Rhys, an...
35 Bits of (Unsolicited) Advice to the Aspiring Home Cook
Cooking is an art form that involves all of our senses. We touch, smell, taste, listen, and see in order to produce something that nourishes ourselves and those we love. Beyond that, cooking requires planning, patience, and money, and it often involves the critique of...
Worst of What We Experience, Best of Who We Are
A little while back, I was talking to my friend Mike. We were, as I like to call it, "putting in the work" -- meaning we were talking about deep stuff. Goals. Insecurities. Fears. Mike asked me why I thought I couldn't commit in relationships. I said it is likely...
In Nothing, Everything
In nothing, everything. I try to remind myself of this as often as I can. I do this in two ways. The first is by reminding myself I know nothing. Not technically, but relatively. I know nothing about the meaning of life or what happens when we die. I know nothing...
Learn to Surf, Learn to Live
I'm a kook. Ain't no two ways about it. A little while back, I let go of my board in the water, dipped my head under and, not realizing another wave was coming, had my board came back and hit me directly in the head: So I don't think I write what I am...
Confidence is a Currency
Can you see me? Maybe it’s easier now. Now that your job isn’t so secure and the economy isn’t doing so well and the money isn’t flowing in. That’s usually how discovery makes its entrance. It likes to follow elimination. When you watch the news, can you feel me come...
5 Ways (Not Called Volunteering) to Live Less Selfishly
I believe there is a core to every person's personality. An unchangeable part of our character that carries over through the different seasons of our lives. While we might change how we dress or talk or maybe even act, this core part of us remains the same. Part of my...
Why Not Travel?
Note: This is Part 2 of a five-part series on why high school graduates in the United States should skip college. If you aren't young and you aren't planning to go to school, that’s cool. Please read on. There is value in this piece for anyone interested in traveling....
Why Not Skip College?
This is a post for any high-school or college-aged readers who are interested in doing something other than attending college. If this is you, be sure to check out parts 2, 3, 4 and 5 to the Why Not Skip College? series. Links to the other articles can be found at the...
Why Not Apprentice?
Note: This is Part 3 of a 5-Part series on why high school graduates should skip college. The idea is to present ideas to high-school and college-aged students who may be looking for an alternative to a 4 year university. If this is not you, that’s cool. Please read...