I hadn't read Camus for a while. A decade now; almost two. (It somehow confuses me to be able to talk about the past in decades and not years.) I remember him well as he was the first author whose books I bought at Kinokuniya, the bookstore I always found too high-end, but that carried... Continue Reading →
Not the fastest.Not the brightest.Not the strongest.Not the biggest.Not the richest. Just more consistent than most. That was a musing from my last run as I overtook the guy who sprinted past me in the penultimate leg of my run. He stopped. I didn't. I won. (Yeah, I know he wasn't racing me. But I... Continue Reading →
I'd searched for a long time trying to figure out what I wanted but even after years never really figured it out. I have, though, found many examples of what I didn't want. Some of these things were for me closer to what I did want, some further. Mapping them all out, I'm starting to... Continue Reading →
"From Monday to Friday," I tell the wife, "I'll be doing 100 push-ups. And Tuesday, Thursday, and I think Saturday, 100 squats. Oh, and I'll be aiming to run 20km per week." She looks at me like I'm mad. "What for? What'd you pushing yourself so hard for?" "I gained three kilos since the lockdown,"... Continue Reading →
Reading When to Rob a Bank (by the authors of Freakonomics) and there was this little passage on plastic wrappers on fruit and food in general. In my mind, there was no doubt that that was a symptom of excess, and that it was undoubtedly a bad thing. But Levitt and Dubner (the authors) made... Continue Reading →
I underwent surgery a few days ago. Since then, I've been in so much pain I have second-guessed my decision almost every single damn minute. But you know what's interesting? As in the other times I undergo significant stresses, whether physiological or psychological, I've been forced to confront what's really important in my life. And... Continue Reading →
For months I wondered why the floor was always dusty every time I left the windows open, and really quickly too. Could leave the windows open, go down for a quick meal, and come back up only to have my feet return to a sandy desert. I suspected it was a combination of a couple... Continue Reading →
You only know if an outcome is good or bad when there are no more outcomes to be had. (I wrote the above in my journal after castigating myself on some foolish decisions I'd made, only to recall the beautiful story of the old man and his horse. It ain't over till the fat lady... Continue Reading →
To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch,... Continue Reading →
The following passage was taken from the book 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson, a good reminder on how long-term success may come at the cost of short-term losses, if you can call it that: You might consider judging your success across all the games you play. Imagine that you are very good... Continue Reading →
Donn, fragments 