Outside The Box

When Achilles was born, according to Greek mythology, it was prophesied that he would die young. To protect him from his fate, Achilles’ mother took him to the River Styx and washed him in its magical waters to make him invulnerable to all injury. She missed a spot, the very spot where she held him … More When A Life Lesson Flies In Your Face

In astronomy, the circumstellar habitable zone is the range of distances around a star where a planet, not too hot and not too cold, can have liquid water and thus potentially support life. This is also known as the “Goldilocks Zone.” Our one and irreplaceable planet sits squarely in the middle of our own Goldilocks … More Just Right

This week we’re continuing our ongoing discussion about how to remain sane in the Age of Information. It’s an evolving strategy. Things change so rapidly now that any plan can become obsolete before it has a chance to be implemented. The most successful part of the plan has been the reclamation of the time once … More

I wish I could take credit for the title, but I first heard it spoken by the actor, Bryan Cranston on the “Malcom in the Middle” series. There are some days, some weeks, when the phrase seems to capture the spirit of our age. Last week was one of those weeks. “I’ll be there by … More It’s Not A Lie If What You Said Would Be True If The Facts Were Different

A word, to the wise, is sufficient. … More Is it True? Is it Kind? Does it Improve the Silence?

To my mother, seasoning a cast iron skillet was an art. She took special care with her cast iron, and she wouldn’t let anyone else clean it. Her pans were almost as “non stick” as Teflon (and they were a lot healthier). I can almost see a few heads nodding in recognition, and if one … More Pay Attention

Ask a happy person to tell you about the place where they live and chances are you’ll hear good things about that area. The way we feel directly affects, and for some people determines, how we perceive reality. Most of us who live in our neck of the woods, even on our bad days, know … More I Knew You’d Be Surprised

The photo is of American author and political anarchist, Edward Abbey. … More Just Sayin’

By the time you read this, my friends, the warm memories of another Presidents’ Day will be receding, but today we pay homage, blissfully and reverently engaged, somewhere between celebration and commemoration. Our discussion will be brief today, for duty calls. There is a sale, multiple sales, actually, to which we must attend in order … More Presidents’ Day