Published in ILLUMINATION·5 days agoMember-onlyThe Specificity of Self-ConfidenceThe Myth of Carry Over — I was once in the public speaking club Toastmasters. As a recovering stutterer, I suffered mortal terror at the prospect of mundane communications like asking a girl for a date never mind speaking before a group. Pushing myself to perform speeches in the friendliness of the club setting helped me…Psychology4 min readPsychology4 min read
Published in The Riff·Mar 23Member-onlyHow the Music World Silenced a Songwriting ColossusFor symbolizing a fading trend — Showbiz impresario Robert Stigwood came from humble roots in rural Australia. He made his way to London, where he would manage the Beatles under Brian Epstein. With Epstein’s untimely death at age thirty-two, he suddenly went from music industry insider to unemployed. His Beatles experience sharpened his instincts and established…Music5 min readMusic5 min read
Published in ILLUMINATION·Mar 16Member-onlyThe Cult Of Self-ImprovementA perfect segue to manipulation and worse — It was the luck of serendipitous timing that I had the good fortune to read Emmanuel A. Anderson’s excellent and incisive article on the downside of self development when I did. “What Happens When Self-Improvement Becomes Toxic (And How to Fix It)” tackles self-improvement from an unorthodox angle. Emmanuel fearlessly…Personal Development5 min readPersonal Development5 min read
Published in Writers’ Blokke·Mar 9Member-onlyDoes Medium content empower AI based writing programs?My reads now come from AI enabled writers — As we navigate the early days of Artificial Intelligence in writing tools, I find myself with questions. Our beloved platform has initiated a policy of requiring disclosure for use of AI in posts. I think this is laudable and an essential requirement for maintaining the integrity of Medium. I am…Writing3 min readWriting3 min read
Published in Mind Talk·Mar 6Member-onlyReflecting on EscapeAs a lifelong theme — North America is nothing if not a culture of aspiration. The status quo has always been something to be moved along from, if not outright abhorred. As I sit through another Canadian winter, thoughts turn to migration to somewhere warm. As a retiree, there are very sound reasons of health…Life4 min readLife4 min read
Published in Dialogue & Discourse·Feb 27Member-onlyNo One Complains About the Welfare State AnymoreRevisiting a well worn political trope — Engaged citizens don’t have to go far to find expressions of concern over the divisive tone of western political and cultural debate today. Many publicly express fears of civil war in the US and rancorous culture war elsewhere. During the last US election, high profile citizens threatened expatriation, if the…Society4 min readSociety4 min read
Published in Books Are Our Superpower·Feb 20Member-onlyHow A Literary Masterpiece Haunts My WritingMy courage to create hangs in the balance — I greatly enjoyed Amy Sterling Casil’s recent article on meeting author John Fowles. Fowles is also a literary hero of mine. Specifically, The French Lieutenant’s Woman and The Magus are my favorite novels of his. Both were made into films. …Books4 min readBooks4 min read
Published in Rock n’ Heavy·Feb 20Member-onlySongs I’d Like To Hear Axl Rose SingOn a lighter note — I have written a similar article about Keith Richards. Lately, I’ve been fixated on hearing vocalists perform other artists’ material. It’s my belief that every singer secretly aspires to and eventually becomes a lounge lizard. In an era where artists are selling off their catalogs to hedge funds, versatility is…Music5 min readMusic5 min read
Published in The Haven·Feb 18Member-onlyStop Being the Family Trash CompactorIf you want to lose weight — They say a man’s life goes through three stages: · He believes in Santa Claus · He doesn’t believe in Santa Claus · He is Santa Claus Personally, I find this list incomplete as it misses our inevitable drift into mental slippage. My contribution is “Who’s Santa Claus?” With that…Humor3 min readHumor3 min read
Published in Fanfare·Feb 14Member-onlyWhy I Cancelled my Sirius XM subscriptionI have my reasons — A trial Sirius XM subscription was included when I bought my last vehicle. I had heard a lot about Howard Stern from my brother, a big fan. On one of our sports road trips, we listened to him in the car. I found his humor edgy, daring and fun. …Culture4 min readCulture4 min read
