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Yet again I wonder how normal I am? Are others as terrified of stepping, let alone leaping outside their comfort zone as I am? Do others even have comfort zones….or is the entire world their comfort zone? Would I swap my comfort zone(s) for yours? What would I trade in order to gain access to […]

Okay, this title is rather self-explanatory. The end. No, really, so very much depends on how you look at things. Even spectacularly important big things, things that seem so obviously “good” or “bad”. Maybe a better way to say this is everything is relative, but that seems to scare or offend many people. Remember, there

I’ve stumbled upon another liberating yet terrifying realization after years of searching and reading and hiking and receiving counseling. And with nearly everything I write, this is my learned non-professional understanding, so who knows how real it really is. So there!   Self is a projection. Self is purely a mental model, a story. Self

I forgive myself for never having learned to play a musical instrument, even though I love music (and math) so much. I forgive myself for never playing baseball. I forgive myself for being too insecure to ask out (so so many) different lovely ladies in my youth. I forgive myself for simply being insecure! I

How many people would be vegetarians if it were not for bacon? The candy of the meat world is a cruel temptress! How many people would be Jewish or Muslim? Do we have to cover our heads (basically Jews and Muslims) or may we not (basically Christians). And who’s uncovered heads offends God anyway, women

It happened again. I was talking with someone I hadn’t seen in at least half a year, a neighbor of sorts. After a bit of “we’ve been doing this and that” she mentioned that her daughter had recently been hospitalized for a dangerous eating disorder. The number of pounds she had fallen to scared me.

I’m currently traveling through Spain. I am visiting many new cities as well as some that I have been to before. I have visited several other cities in other countries on other trips as well, often separated by about a quarter century between visits. I am finding again and again that my reaction to a

I cannot imagine a world without my wife nor my daughter.   I cannot imagine a world without good music. How about red and purple sunsets? Don’t forget butter on warm crunchy baguettes. Not just good music, but pounding sweaty live music. That first or even second album in a small little club. Having your

Traveling far from home with limited language skills is humbling and illuminating. One thing that it allows me to do is get clarity on what is important. I can see what others from different cultures value. I can empirically determine for myself what is important. Strange how many of the things that we regularly spend

Do not fear mistakes, there are none. I really like this thought. I think I really needed to hear it today. I know that I will need to hear it again (and again). The words are credited to Miles Davis. Who knows exactly what he said or meant; there does appear to be a bit