Category: Essays and Musings

  • π—˜π˜ƒπ—²π—Ώπ˜†π˜π—΅π—Άπ—»π—΄ π—Άπ˜€ π—°π—Όπ—½π˜† π—»π—Όπ˜„

    π—˜π˜ƒπ—²π—Ώπ˜†π˜π—΅π—Άπ—»π—΄ π—Άπ˜€ π—°π—Όπ—½π˜† π—»π—Όπ˜„

    Our writing has suffered from SEO and social media algorithms, and AI text mimics the truncated machine-facing prose that we have been trained to write.

  • Condensed Sunlight

    Condensed Sunlight

    We are condensed sunlight, breathing condensed sunlight, basking in (not condensed) sunlight, forged in cosmic fire, conversing with stars.

  • On Meaningful Work

    On Meaningful Work

    Why do I always follow up my plans for doing my writing with, “once I get my house in order?” A perusal of productivity books by men and women gives me some insight.

  • I Would Still Plant a Tree

    I Would Still Plant a Tree

    We can imagine the future, but we can’t predict it. Planting a tree is a gesture of hope that leaves something better in our wake.

  • Perspective Vortex

    Perspective Vortex

    “They” would miss me, in some sense, but they wouldn’t know it. The work that I haven’t done, the book that is sketched out on the wall of my office kitchen, the workshops I’ve only half written, or that I have written but not taught, or finished but not promoted… they are unfinished business that…

  • At the End of the Retreat

    Once more, with feeling. And metaphor. And Dharma. “And what is it that you do, exactly?” Once more, the long-winded explanation of the intersection of technology, education, and culture that I find at the end of a twisty path. Once more the small (mildly apologetic) justifications for how/why I know the things I “know” (insofar…

  • On Genius, Enlightenment and The Voices

    There is a Buddhist fable about a traveller who arrives at an enlightened sage. “Please, master,” he says. “Please. I want to know how to become enlightened.” “Are you sure?” asks the sage. “Oh, yes. Absolutely.” “Are you willing to go through whatever it takes?” “Anything. I’ll do anything.” The sage looked him in the…

  • After Loch Ness

    I read a short story this week about an utterly conventional and dull fellow who found himself hiking in the “wilds of Scotland” (his complaint, having been forced to go for a walk by his new wife while on their winter honeymoon). At the end of the story, while watching the sun set, they see…

  • Thinking about Thinking

    You might not be surprised to hear that I’m big on metacognition. It’s one of my things. It might actually be my thing. I have struggled with this, because in the academic world I was brought up in, one does not become an expert in process, one becomes an expert in object. The topics in…

  • Trust30 – Your Personal Message

    What is burning deep inside of you? If you could spread your personal message RIGHT NOW to 1 million people, what would you say? Stop. Take a deep breath. Listen deep inside. All this frantic rushing about isn’t getting you anywhere. You don’t have to be “important” to matter. You have a story to tell.…

  • Greenwashing of the Week

    I am hereby bestowing my illustrious “Greenwashing” award, which will be noted by at least 50 people, to the company Future Shop, for their not-quite-stated Earth Day flyer. It is hard for me to write this, because they have pulled off the most creative and effective form of greenwashing, namely, making a significant financial contribution…

  • Not Really Breastfeeding

    To the author who (while telling a story, in her own post) followed up: “How long did you breastfeed?” with the additional question: “No, how long did you exclusively breastfeed?” *** I’m trying to say this in the kindest way possible, because I think we both want the same thing, which is for people to…