sustainable systems & storytelling
“Man is condemned to be free; because once thrown into the world, he is responsible for everything he does. It is up to you to give [life] a meaning.” --Jean-Paul Sartre What if we could wrestle down life’s big questions using the scientific method? What if we could systematically improve human thoughts, actions, and environments... Continue Reading →
Happy Thursday! Has your day been as bizarre as mine? Here's just a snippet of the last six hours: I woke up to an anaphylactic reaction. I'm not sure what the trigger was. I guess I'm allergic to myself? Also, I realized that the gross feeling I have experienced with almost every meal throughout my... Continue Reading →
Throughout my 32 years of life, I've always been kind of weird. For the last six years, I've navigated up and down the illness spectrum--sometimes bedridden and sometimes passably semi-functional. Recently, new clues are making sense of the mess and I am way more excited than I should be about my likely genetic fuckery. Apoptosis... Continue Reading →
Every month, I report the progress of my yearly goals in order to monitor progress (or the lack thereof) and hold myself accountable. April came and went in a flash, didn't it? If I didn't take notes throughout the month, I wouldn't be able to tell you what transpired. Whew! With four months down, here... Continue Reading →
Hello, friend! How are you? How has you week been? Work has been extremely busy, as my department head moved on to a new opportunity. On top of that, I've had a flare up of various allergy and autoimmune symptoms and haven't felt great. However, I had the opportunity to visit my now-vaccinated grandparents for... Continue Reading →
Hello my friend! How are you? How has you week been? On Wednesday, my aunt went to the emergency room after a seemingly minor tumble. Within twelve hours, she was in the intensive care unit with a diagnosis of Stage 4 brain cancer. Less than two weeks ago, on Easter, she seemed as healthy and... Continue Reading →
It's 2059, And The Rich Kids are Still Winning, a short story in which award-winning science fiction author Ted Chiang introduces us to the Gene Equity Project, a program that provides genetic enhancement of intelligence for people of color. Despite an IQ around 130, low-income recipients of the cognitive-enhancement protocol fared no better than their... Continue Reading →
Hello dear friend! How are you? How has you week been? My partner's ten-year-old nephew got banned from PlayStation for "erotic or pornographic images," but he claims he just wrote penis a lot... I don't buy it and am dying of curiosity. I've been experience anaphylaxis all week, though I can't pinpoint the cause. My... Continue Reading →
Well, a few months ago, I received notice that my local library was opening back up and would be offering curbside pickup. Score! I began excitedly placing requests in the online system, none of which were ever fulfilled. I finally tapped into the old folks' skill of picking up the damn phone. Despite a full... Continue Reading →
I recently read a few lines on creativity that really struck a chord with me. I believe in a creative metabolism working in a way where I have ingestion periods. Then, I have gestation periods. Then, I have output periods. I feel like these three things are really, really important, and they work hand-in-hand, but... Continue Reading →
For the last several years, I have been experiencing a strange and frequent hiccup-like sensation, wherein I involuntarily gasp and release a loud, squeaky squawk. Imagine the sounds of a hiccup reversed and them amplified. It sounds absolutely ridiculous. It's nearly impossible to convince those around me that I'm not faking the most embarrassing sound... Continue Reading →
Hi everyone! Thank you so much for your participation in my recent poll. You've stirred my creative juices and given me some good ideas to run with. You are the best, and I appreciate you being here. So, without further ado, here are the top choices that YOU asked for, along with my thoughts on... Continue Reading →
Hello friend! How are you? How has you week been? I re-potted my houseplants and that's really about it, if I'm being honest. Phoenix is dipping into too hot to leave the house temperatures and, once more, I can't stop daydreaming about leaving this hellscape. 2020 was the hottest summer, with a record high number... Continue Reading →
Every month, I report the progress of my yearly goals in order to monitor progress (or the lack thereof) and hold myself accountable. March came and went in a flash, didn't it? If I didn't take notes throughout the month, I wouldn't be able to tell you what transpired. Whew! With three months down, here... Continue Reading →
So often I see bloggers advise new writers to choose a niche topic and stick with it. It's really great advice, and it's really not for everyone. When I first set up this blog, I spent far too long deliberating a name that best encapsulates all of my interests and possible detours. I didn't want... Continue Reading →
Earlier this week, I met with my financial advisor to file my taxes for 2020. As is the case every year, he looked over my numbers and stated, "You're well on your way to early retirement!" It sure doesn't feel that way. On track by changing metrics I currently have around 2.5x my annual income... Continue Reading →
