There’s a lot of apocalyptic chatter in the media these days, more so than usual. And you know it will only get worse as unscrupulous people seek to cash in on 2012 hysteria. This, in addition to the usual threats (anthrax, Jihadists, armies of the undead, and the ever-present menace of a robot uprising), has me somewhat worried. It’s not that I buy into the doomsday scenarios (there are plenty to choose from), but it has brought to my attention the need to be prepared when the merde hits the ventilateur. (more…)

“We all want to live. And in large part we make our logic according to what we like. But not having attained our aim and continuing to live is cowardice. This is a thin dangerous line. To die without gaining one’s aim is a dog’s death. But there is no shame in this. This is the substance of the Way of the Samurai. If by setting one’s heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were already dead, he gains freedom in the Way. His whole life will be without blame, and he will succeed in his calling. — Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Hagakure, “The Book of the Samurai” (more…)

One winter in college I was visiting Paris, sitting at the bistro near my hotel just watching people. An American couple came in and the husband, in an accent I would best describe as “Chicago detective” (the word “Paris” came out sounding like “Pears”), called the waiter and tried to get “Two diet cokes”. The waiter in classic Parisian style, pretended not to understand what the man was saying. “Can you repeat, Monsieur”, he asked in French. The husband, in classic American style, only spoke louder, adding, “I know you know what I’m talkin’ about here”. The waiter, whom I had heard speak English to some women earlier, continued to feign interest in the conversation saying, “Faites un bel effort, Monsieur.” (make a beautiful effort). (more…)

My wife and I have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of emotional support this past week from many in our online social networks. What has surprised me is the depth of response from childhood friends that I haven’t seen for 25 years, as well as from those with whom I was never particularly close. These heartfelt sympathies were as profound as those from my own family, which made me wonder how was it that such bonds have endured over time and distance? What I realized is that like everything else in the universe, once bonds are formed between things, changes in one affect changes in the other. It’s called quantum entanglement and it links us in ways that we cannot easily perceive, but has an enduring effect on all of us. (more…)

The Chinese say losing something small prevents losing something big. This has become my mantra of late. And my wife reminds me of it when I obsess about forgetting my sunglasses at the airport. She’s right; this has probably kept me from losing an eye. If it sounds superstitious, I prefer to think of it as folk wisdom. Losing something small causes us to be more mindful and appreciative of the big things we have. (more…)

After our baby’s recent Kasai procedure (liver duct bypass surgery), my wife and I are optimistic about her chances of full recovery. While we love seeing Nat as her active and cheerful self these days, we also know that there’s a strong likelihood that she will soon need a liver transplant. While most people would look upon this as a catastrophic, I feel a sense of serenity. It’s as if I waded out into a violent surf, was knocked down, tossed around pulled out into the calm beyond the breaking waves, where I can now contemplate the nature of the ocean without drowning in it. (more…)

When most of us think of success, it’s about the things we have accumulated; knowledge, money, seniority and achievements. We derive our satisfaction and happiness from these things based on how favorably they compare to cultural measures. I think about success in terms of who I am becoming, and for me to become the person I envision myself to be, ultimately, my measure of success has as much to do with achievement as it does with what I give up. Wisdom does not come from what we have gained; it comes from what we have lost. (more…)