We have too much physical stuff, too much emotional stuff, too much junk to eat, not enough exercise or sleep or meaningful connections with people. Because— Society values and promotes being busy being stressed being underslept fast food large portions cheap everything convenient (to accommodate busy) sitting reactive medicine over preventative pills over natural social … Read more
I taught a hip hop class second semester last year. Damien was one of the kids in it. He was a neat kid. At the end of the year, 6th grade promoted, and he moved on to junior high. Except he only went to two days (and that’s only because my district started already). As … Read more
In a waiting room the other day, I read a short article about Michael Jackson. Its bottom line was: stop listening to his music, so revenue will stop flowing into his estate. My thoughts around all of this are not linear. Hang on. I guess the first question to answer is: are the two things … Read more
It’s been in the high 90s in the evenings just around sundown, which is lovely weather for a run. (This is what they’re talking about when they say “it’s a dry heat.” This is much more pleasant than the day we were in New York when it was 20 degrees cooler but muggy.) So I’ve … Read more
A quote from Seth Godin via his podcast Akimbo. It stands on its own. (This quote is actually from the Q&A at the end of the linked episode. Emphases are his.) Where it’s starting to get tricky, in the last hundred years, is that the scientific method, the engineers’ approach to the world, the thought … Read more
The post that is going around (again) about cancer patients having only one wish—to kick cancer’s butt—is short-sighted and shows a lack of understanding of what cancer patients go through. Of course cancer patients want to beat cancer and go on to live a healthy life. (There are people with cancer who refuse treatment and … Read more
The short version: my goal is to help people be educated so they can make decisions in an informed way. I am not trying to scare people or to be a downer, though I acknowledge that these days, most of the news is bad news. The fact is that in a capitalistic society, the main … Read more
June 15, 2000 Dear 35-year-old Heat, I’ve finally admitted to myself something that I’ve been denying or avoiding for a long time: I’m fat, and I’m rapidly getting fatter. I’m 70 pounds heavier than I was when I graduated high school just 7 years ago. I could blame it on genetics, Heat. Mom is fat. … Read more
…know the quirks of the area. I will never forget the diatribe of a woman I worked with years ago. We were in a training (no idea what the training was actually for) and we were debating pros and cons of putting in a light rail system in Phoenix. Her argument was that they should … Read more
Every winter, there are countless holiday food drives. I’ve donated to some of them. I suspect many of you have as well. But now is actually the time of year when they need more. Why? School is out. (Or it’s getting close.) Many impoverished kids get two of their daily meals at school. Others get … Read more