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Does mindfulness really inhibit implicit learning? Studying Taekwondo (I’m currently preparing for the 2nd degree black belt test), the art of kicking and punching, has taught me a lot about being human and about myself. What I’ve learned about being human makes me question much of what I learned while earning a Ph.D. in experimental … Continue reading Kicking and Punching Your Way to Mindfulness →

with the everyday antihero Sometimes, life cycles through an extended patch of darkness. Randomness and chaos lay bad thing after bad thing in a weird competition to see which can build the longest road. But when you let down your guard and walk into peril thoughtlessly, it is as if you’ve invited your inner demons to … Continue reading Smashboxing →

Or Why I Hate the “News” Media A CNN headline this morning reads: “Don’t Do It, Americans Say.” And the article link with it says: “No Strike on Syria, Most Say,” followed by a teaser: “Eight in 10 Americans think Bashar al-Assad gassed his own people, but they don’t want to do anything about it, a … Continue reading Not Left for Dead →

I’ve been thinking about Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman’s acquittal, and President Obama’s response for a few weeks. I haven’t watched the news much since the end of the trial. I tried to read the text of the President’s remarks and couldn’t get past the phrase “respectability tax.” It was jarring, like a kick to the … Continue reading Stand Your Ground Today, Pogrom Tomorrow? →

Through a glassThere are many ways to read a novel, and Atlas Shrugged is no exception. Entrepreneurs tend to read it in a particular way. But if I were to read it, I would get something different out of it, in spite of the guidance Ayn Rand gave readers about what she was up to in … Continue reading It All Depends on What You Shrug About →

In the beginning and the end, to create a career around work that you love to do takes self-development, an unrelenting positive attitude, and a lot of hard work. And that is just to set your foot on the path. Regardless of the outcome, it is the most enriching thing you will do; and the … Continue reading There Has Got to Be A Better Way →

I’ve been captivated by the television series Heroes, which ran from 2006 to 2010. My favorite line is “My name is Hiro Nakamura, and I am here to save you.” Hiro says this to a woman he eventually comes to love, but he isn’t able to save her. Nakamura, played by Masi Oka, is my … Continue reading I Wish My Name Was Hiro, and I’m Here to Save You →

Or Government Surveillance Is Just Another Distraction In The Hunger Games, Hamitch often reminds Katniss to remember who the enemy is. I study Taekwondo and end up asking myself that question a lot. So it doesn’t surprise me that when I read news stories about the NSA, government surveillance, and Edward Snowdon, I end up … Continue reading Who Is the Enemy? →