This post is part of an ongoing challenge to go through James Clear's list of Core Values and take a week to reflect on each one. Challenge is, perhaps unsurprisingly, high up on the list of Core Values for me. I try to tackle hard things in my life, e.g. getting a Ph.D., but I …
How to Play Tennis If You’re Down Big
For most of high school, my main sport was tennis. I had played since I was a kid, and I was decently good, though not enough to be a top-tier singles player on the varsity team. Outside of the top three, the rest of us played doubles. I remember one particular game, where my partner …
Core Values Redux: Boldness
This post is part of an ongoing challenge to go through James Clear's list of Core Values and take a week to reflect on each one. To me, Boldness integrates a few different qualities: Motivation, Risk Tolerance, and Ambition. Those who embrace Boldness are those who are willing to take big risks to achieve big …
Book Review – 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson
Jordan Peterson is a Canadian clinical psychologist who began writing this book by answering questions on the forum Quora. Eventually, he got a book deal and pared down his answers into a list of twelve rules. The book has since gone on to sell millions of copies and has been translated into dozens of languages. …
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Core Values Redux: Beauty
This post is part of an ongoing challenge to go through James Clear's list of Core Values and take a week to reflect on each one. This is hard one for me. I feel like as I get older, I become increasingly hyper-rational and Vulcan, and I have a harder time seeing something and just …
My experience jumping off a 600ft tall bridge in a banana suit
While I wouldn't consider myself a traditional risk-taker or adrenaline-junkie, I have engaged in several adventures in the past that would bring goosebumps to many. In 2012, as part of a team of six, I drove an auto rickshaw 1500 miles (2400km) down the west coast of India. For those who haven't been, driving in …
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Core Values Redux: Balance
This post is part of an ongoing challenge to go through James Clear's list of Core Values and take a week to reflect on each one. Balance is a Core Value of which I could probably use more in my life. One of the first things that comes to mind is Koyaanisqatsi, the Hopi term …
How to Solve the New York Times Crossword Puzzle ✏️
Crossword puzzles, like Jeopardy! or pub trivia, are a quintessentially knowledge-nerdy fascination. They combine both high-brow and low-brow knowledge, ranging in diverse fields from sports, music, and movies to ancient history and books of the Bible. Throw in tricky clues laced with puns and an interlacing grid where one answer can unlock a whole section …
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Core Values Redux: Autonomy
This post is part of an ongoing challenge to go through James Clear's list of Core Values and take a week to reflect on each one. The first thing that comes to mind when I think about Autonomy is the ability to do what you want, when you want. That it is freedom from bosses …
Book Review – Siddhartha
Over the last decade or so, I've come across Siddhartha on many people's lists of favorite books. Despite its short length, it sat unread on my shelf for many years. I even carried it around in my bag for a while, but never seemed to be in the right place to pick it up. Last …
Chortles and Harrumphs 