A Decision Tool
I’ve had many conversations about AI lately and noticing how many people in my orbit are going to chatbots for advice. And what I’m hearing is, “I got great advice!” I believe this and [...]
Happiness is Hard
I’m back from my August idyll. I read 19 books, went to Lummi, Orcas, Lopez, and Vancouver Islands, purged a bunch of things from my house, swam as much as [...]
A Recipe for Civic Engagement
I’ve perpetually suffered under the idea that I’m not doing enough to make the world a better place. Whether or not this is true, it’s caused me a lot of [...]
Legacy is Overrated
I’m inspired by Bill Gates’ announcement that his foundation will shut its doors in 20 years. He says, “There are too many urgent problems to solve for me to hold [...]
The Peace of Wild Things
If you read these newsletters or are around me for more than a few hours, you’re bound to hear me talk about taking silent retreats. Getting away to hear the [...]
No Grand Gestures
I’m going to be a real scrooge here for a minute and say that I dislike many videos, memes, and social media stories that highlight grand gestures. Heroic, expensive, time-intensive [...]
Surviving and Staying Warm
Happy Advent, friends! In the Christian liturgy, Advent is the season leading up to Christmas Day. It’s a season of preparation and waiting. Advent is from the Latin “to come.” [...]
Bad Luck. Good Luck. Who Knows?
I heard Susan Piver talk recently about the “three poisons” in Buddhist teaching—what we reach for when things fall apart. One of them is “aggression.” This doesn’t mean resisting things [...]
Being With It
I’m writing less than 24 hours after the election was called. If I didn’t owe my wonderful assistant Robin this newsletter by tonight, I’d be tempted to hide out. I [...]
Making Room for Grief this Election Season
It’s a big week for all of us. I haven’t used this platform to talk about the election, but it’s too much on my mind this week to pretend I’m [...]