Category: Personal

  • Why are all the artists men, daddy? (Happy International womens day 2022)

    “Why are all the artists and composers men, daddy?” “Can I really ask for a starting salary that high?” “Would a man take credit for this work?” Women are wonderful and powerful – first as humans they deserve respect, equality and inclusion. And they do NOT yet get it. It is up to us, all…

  • Ukraine fights for us all

    It feels very strange to be observing the war that Russia has imposed on Ukraine by its invasion. I am very sorry for the people in Ukraine and I wish them great luck, strength, courage, and success in defending their homes and their people. I don’t have anything earth shattering or new to add to…

  • My memories of Jesse Smock

    Today I will attend the live stream of a funeral for a friend of mine. Jesse and I met first in elementary school. For half a semester we both went to Crestview elementary school in the 5th grade. We met again at baseline middle school in 7th grade. He walked up to me at the…

  • On the other hand… I’m grateful.

    I am grateful to have been born, to have become a Marine, to have become a veteran and to have met the fine people in those endeavors that I have. My service in the Marine Corps seems inevitable in retrospect. It is consistent with and core to who I am. I have a lot to…

  • Oh, Happy (X) Day

    Oh, Happy (X) Day

    My birthday is rapidly approaching, so is the Marine Corps birthday and veteran’s day. This used to be kind of fun. Now it feels very depressing. “Happy birthday! Happy veteran’s day! Happy Marine Corps birthday! Thank you for your service!” When I observe most people saying this I feel they do so from a self-serving…

  • We will never arrive

    Arrival bias is a powerful thing. It’s that thing in your mind telling you “I just need to get one more thing done. THEN everything will be good. I just need to buy one more object, then life will feel better. I just need to accomplish one more task. I just need to catch up…

  • As Afghans suffer

    I tweeted this, this morning.  Now I have some time, the baby is in bed, my wife and daughter are watching olympic gymnastics and I’ve hidden myself in the office to write some.  From reports I see linked to from twitter things in Afghanistan have gone from bad to worse. Much worse. It appears a…

  • Happy Birthdays

    We recently had a couple of birthdays to celebrate. My oldest daughter just marked another year. Our nation progressed to its 245th. To celebrate these we went to the beach for a whole week. My father, stepmother and sister flew in from Colorado. Our girls got to see them for the first time since the…

  • Its gonna be a great day

    Ive been reading (not yet done!) and practicing the “Maui Habit” from BJ Fogg’s awesome book “Tiny Habits.” It’s Tiny. Every day when you put your feet down on the ground you say “It’s gonna be a Great Day.” I’ve been enjoying it, its given a positive start to every day. I add to it…

  • Hey there, Billionaire!

    Hey there, Billionaire!

    You are a Billionaire. No really, it’s true! (I think.) You probably have at least a Billion seconds left to live on this earth. Most people with a Billion dollars aren’t so lucky. I can’t recall if it was Peter Diamandis or Naval Ravikant or someone else I heard this idea from first, but I…