Living to work or working to live

I was in the aisle and met an old friend. “We’re trying to just work to live, not live to work,” she said. It’s a nice sentiment. But behind those words were years of strain, debt, and unemployment. You can’t fix that overnight. When a lack of money negatively affects health, family, and time, more income will undoubtedly improve your quality of life. It is a luxury to be able to choose your work. It is a luxury to be able to work, even. Many in the world are unable – mentally, physically, or economically. We should be careful to not waste our chance to work.

Energy, nonsense & gullibility

A few years ago, I worked with a client who was all about energy.

He had an obsession about something he called “peak state” which involved eating massive amounts of fruit in the morning (he did this instead of caffeine because fruit sugars were supposed to stimulate the brain), pushups, a thumping EDM playlist, and chugging massive amounts of water.

kosmopolitês

Diogenes, the famous Greek philosopher, was once asked where he was from. He replied “I am a citizen of the world”. The Greek word for this is kosmopolitês. Later on, the Stoic crowd further developed Diogenes’ thought into an entire framework called cosmopolitanism. Essentially, the circle model of identity puts yourself in the middle of expanding concentric circles of importance: immediate family, extended family, friends, neighbors, humanity. This was underscored by an emphasis of the importance of a shared affinity for humanity. I like cosmopolitanism. It seems like a healthy way to view the world. Hierocles outlined how humans can extend their oikeiôsis towards other human beings in widening circles, such as our ethnos and eventually the entire human race. The… 

Waterbirth

If you’re like me, sometimes you wonder about people.

Everybody does. Sometimes it’s buried deep within, but nary a soul on the planet hasn’t looked at someone and wondered what on earth?

Stranded In India

I flew into New Delhi early one morning and it was the first and only place I’ve ever been where I was unsure if the sun had risen or not. I stood looking at the client in a mixture of fear, loathing, and utter disbelief. It was a crucial point in my professional life: after around a year of starting my own company, I’d landed my first international gig, and it was going horribly. I was finding out a lot about naivete, humanity, planning, schedules, clients, and the benefits of growing a backbone. Upon landing in New Delhi, the client found out her credit cards weren’t working. So, since I wanted to be able to sleep & eat, I offered to… 

Blood Meridian

The kid spat into the fire and bent to his work.I aint heard no voice, he said.When it stops, said Tobin, you’ll know you’ve heard it all your life.  – Blood Meridian, Cormac McCarthy