I. The Question That Wouldn’t Leave Sarah was looking at her pay stub. Federal income tax: $847. State tax: $312. FICA: $443. And a new line item she didn’t remember approving—”Healthcare surcharge: $127.” She knew where the money went. She’d voted for the initiative. “Free healthcare for all working families.” Who could oppose that? But…
When you observe me, is it just my electrons you seeOr have they fallen into place through your observing graceBefore I was wave, just probability to craveEverywhere and nowhere at once, a thin spread chance Your look collapsed me into hereOr does it?Or was I always hereand your seeing only revealed it?Or is there no…
I. The Observation Maya noticed it first at the grocery store. The same cart of groceries—milk, eggs, bread, chicken, vegetables—that cost her $87 last year was now $112. Nothing fancy. No organic upgrades. Just… more expensive. She stood in the cereal aisle, staring at the price tag on Cheerios, and felt the first spark of…
I, Rainflower I am a rainflower. I do not exist until the sky weeps. The Sun never shines on me. She passes overhead, generous and warm, and the others turn their faces to drink her in—but I remain hidden, curled tight in the dark, patient. I do not rise for golden days. I do not…
The universe trends toward death. You are the spark of life. The Personal Machine You are tired. You reach for coffee to get going. You push through the afternoon slump with another stimulant, another quick fix. You borrow energy from tomorrow just to survive today. You aren’t fixing your energy; you are externalizing the cost….
How to fix the money, fix the system, and upgrade your life operating system. You aren’t lazy. You aren’t bad with money. You aren’t broken. If you feel like you are running faster and faster only to stay in the exact same place—or worse, falling behind—you are not imagining it. The exhaustion you feel is…
“Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.” — Sun Tzu Real safety isn’t about winning a fight; it’s about never being in one. The most effective framework for personal safety is the Safety Pyramid. The base is wide and covers prevention; the top is narrow and covers physical confrontation. Your goal is to live…
This Self Portrait of a Self Portrait is the first time I have seen and captured myself. I’m pleased. Gabriele Münter inspired this work with her ‘Self-Portrait in front of an Easel (Ca. 1908-09)’ and her quote, “The painting of portraits is the boldest and the most difficult, the most spiritual, the most extreme task…
SCENE ONE: THE CLOVER HIDES Showtime! The Clover crouched behind a half wall on the Upper West Side. The tin foil wizard hat on his head crinkled in the wind. It had been repelling things all morning: a tax bill, a job listing, a very interested Golden Retriever. The hat worked. The hat worked good….
*DigiWho? DigiYou* Once upon a time, I was a kid learning how to navigate the world and interact with others. One day, I heard friends talking about connecting at home through their computers. I downloaded AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), picked my first username (Slickjoebrownjr), then sent my first message. Soon, I chatted with the OG…
