Practical advice for everyday life
Dear E & V, When people find out that I used to attend church regularly, or that I once wanted to join the priesthood, they have one of two reactions depending on their own beliefs and how much they know about me: they either chuckle or they ask to know more about my faith. I…
Dear E & V, I like science. Western society venerates science. Both of those sentences are loaded with meaning, and they don’t necessarily mean the same thing. Western society likes to put anything having to do with science and technology on a pedestal. We push kids into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) careers because…
Dear E & V, “F*ck You”. Those are two words you should never EVER utter to anyone. But you will. You will because that’s what happens sometimes when we’re angry. We utter words that are meant to sting others because we’re not thinking of their impact. And someone WILL say them to you. Hopefully it’s…
Dear E & V, People love simplicity. In a world driven mad by technological and social complexity, simplicity makes navigating life easy. Good and evil, us and them, men and women, me and you, Democrats and Republicans, NATO and Russia, dogs and cats, believers and heathens, good drivers and bad drivers, criminals and victims, the…
Dear E & V, Despite the title I promise you this is not some new age BS. This is about a basic fact of reality that will make your life easier if you can understand it: There is no separation between you and the outside world other than that which exists in your mind. An…
“A desk is a dangerous place from which to view the world.” —JOHN LE CARRÉ It is an unfortunate consequence of unquestioning assumptions that millions of people across the world spend their working lives in conditions that are not ideal for their health and wellbeing. While there are many forms of work that have their…
Read more Office Work Is Killing You (or at least making you kinda sick): A Manifesto
Dear E & V, #zebrasaresuffering #lionsaremurderers #boycottlions I hope for your sake and the sake of society, no one uses hashtags by the time you’re old enough to understand their use. The use of hashtags is the modern manifestation of today’s behavior-to-be-avoided-if-you-are-a-virtuous-person: virtue signalling. Virtue signalling — like its sibling wealth signaling — is a…
Dear E & V, It’s been over a month now since your Grandpa died, and a few months since I’ve last written to you. I’ve struggled to find the motivation to write these letters because I’ve been battling a sense of despair with my current career path; Grandpa’s death has motivated me to find ways…
Dear E & V, One of the most expensive purchases you’ll ever make — if you choose to do so — is your home. In our society, buying a home is a sign of adulthood. If you do it right, it can be an investment and can produce a steady stream of income. If you…
Dear E & V, At one point in my life I wanted nothing more than to study philosophy. I was about 22 which, as you’ll find out, is a ripe age for your first identity crisis. I went so far as to get a Masters degree in it with the initial thought that I would…
