Category Archives: Life

How will the bomb find you?

This was from my parents pastor, but I thought it was good enough to share…

In 1948, professor and author, C.S. Lewis, wrote an essay titled On Living In An Atomic Age. With the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki still ringing in the world’s ears, fear about atomic technology was rampant. Lewis’ words were a timely reminder then. In the perilous times that we are currently living through, the professor’s words are just as important.

As you read through this excerpt from his larger essay, I’ve replaced the word “atomic” with “coronavirus”, and ask yourself, how will the bomb (or the virus) find you?

*In one way we think a great deal too much of the coronavirus. ‘How are we to live in an coronavirus age?’ I am tempted to reply: ‘Why, as you would have lived in the sixteenth century when the plague visited London almost every year, or as you would have lived in a Viking age when raiders from Scandinavia might land and cut your throat at night; or indeed, as you are already living in an age of cancer, an age of syphilis, an age of paralysis, an age of air raids, an age of railway accidents, an age of motor accidents. *

*In other words, do not let us begin by exaggerating the novelty of our situation. Believe me, dear sir or madam, you and all whom you love were already sentenced to death before the coronavirus was invented… It is perfectly ridiculous to go about whimpering and drawing long faces because the scientists have added one more chance of painful and premature death to a world which already bristled with such chances and in which death itself was not a chance at all, but a certainty. *

*If we are all going to be destroyed by a virus, let that virus when it comes find us doing sensible and human things—praying, working, teaching, reading, listening to music, bathing the children, playing tennis, chatting to our friends over a pint and a game of darts—not huddled together like frightened sheep and thinking about the coronavirus. They may break our bodies (a microbe can do that) but they need not dominate our minds. *

What the coronavirus has really done is to remind us forcibly of the sort of world we are living in and which, during the prosperous period before, we were beginning to forget. And this reminder is, so far as it goes, a good thing. We have been waked from a pretty dream, and now we can begin to talk about realities.

*It is our business to live by our own law not by [fear’s]: to follow, in private or in public life, the law of love and temperance even when they seem to be suicidal, and not the law of competition and grab, even when they seem to be necessary to our own survival. For it is part of our spiritual law never to put survival first: not even the survival of our species. We must resolutely train ourselves to feel that the survival of Man on this Earth, much more of our own nation or culture or class, is not worth having unless it can be had by honorable and merciful means. *

*Nothing is more likely to destroy a species or a nation than a determination to survive at all costs. Those who care for something else more than civilization are the only people by whom civilization is at all likely to be preserved. Those who want Heaven most have served Earth best. Those who love Man less than God do most for Man. *

Let the coronavirus find you doing well,

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Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself.

Remote Work Q&A, Part 2

This part may be even better than Part 1. Love the commentary on shared calendars and documenting over meetings.

https://share.transistor.fm/s/2a0efd93Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter or feed to stay up to date!

Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself.

On Digital Minimalism and Pandemics

Read the entire post, but it boils down to…

Check one national and one local new source each morning. Then – and this is the important part – don’t check any other news for the rest of the day. Presumably, time sensitive updates that affect you directly will arrive by email, or phone, or text.

Distract yourself with value-driven action; lots of action. Serve your community, serve your kids, serve yourself (both body and mind), produce good work. Try to fit in a few moments of forced gratitude, just to keep those particular circuits active.

https://www.calnewport.com/blog/2020/03/13/on-digital-minimalism-and-pandemics/Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter or feed to stay up to date!

Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself.

Remote Work Q&A, Part 1

Great podcast on the transition to remote work from some of the guys that have been doing it for years. Strongly recommend anyone working remotely, especially managers or “leaders”, listen.

https://share.transistor.fm/s/afeec331Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter or feed to stay up to date!

Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself.

The Ultimate Guide to Remote Work | Miro

In the current remote work age there are a number of guides popping up out there with good tips/tricks. I thought this one was pretty good. Mostly management focused, but the last 3 sections are more employee focused.

https://miro.com/guides/remote-work/Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter or feed to stay up to date!

Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself.

Screens, Social Media, and Middle School Kids

Personally, I’m a huge fan of our middle school principal and his measured and thought provoking commentary on what is happening in the school. This is just a snippet from a recent newsletter, but thought it worthwhile to share:

We notice how much of the drama and struggle kids have at school is linked directly to the time and influences they are getting from social media, edgy television, and interactive gaming when those things go unmonitored. I can’t tell you how many friendship break-ups happen in 5th and 6th grade because someone insulted someone else while playing Fortnite! I can’t tell you how many issues that would have been forgotten by 4pm but have grown into anxiety because kids continue the petty conversations through their texting apps and social media late into the night. I can’t tell you how many parents seek the school to fix these things or label other people’s kids as “the problem” when the real problem is any kids having unlimited access to interactive technology when their brain is not developed enough to deal with it. This is a societal problem.

Something I can tell you, is I believe as parents we’re all trying to do our best. I can also tell you that no child is born mean. Kids just aren’t ready for all that we’ve allowed them access to, because it’s so darn intriguing (and designed to addict us all).Please remember to subscribe to the newsletter or feed to stay up to date!

Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself.

On Being Told “No”

Read this on James Clear’s blog today and it made me stop and think. It really is good advice.

When someone says no to a request, they usually mean “not right now” or “not in that way.”

Most people want to help others, but there are many priorities competing for our time.

Don’t take it personally. Ask again later. Ask differently.

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Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself.

This is Water

It depends on what you want to consider…

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Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself.

2018 Financial Freedom Lessons With Scott & Mindy

If you want to get a years worth of podcast content in 1 show, this is the one to listen to.

2018 Financial Freedom Lessons With Scott & MindyPlease remember to subscribe to the newsletter or feed to stay up to date!

Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself.

How to Retire Forever on a Fixed Chunk of Money

It’s at least worth considering.

The absolute key to success in early retirement, and indeed most areas of life, is to get the big picture approximately right and not sweat the small stuff. And design the big picture with a generous Safety Marginwhich allow lots of slop and mistakes in your original forecasts and allows you to still come out with a surplus.

How to Retire Forever on a Fixed Chunk of MoneyPlease remember to subscribe to the newsletter or feed to stay up to date!

Disclaimer: Thoughts and opinions are my own, and do not reflect the views of any employer, family member, friend, or anyone else. Some links may be affiliate links, but I don't link to anything I don't use myself.