“What do you desire?” asks the great philosopher, Alan Watts. “What would you like to do if money were no object? How would you really enjoy spending your life?” We hear these words, and we recoil slightly. We’re immediately suspicious. It’s rare in our lives to encounter someone audacious enough to prompt us to consider a [...]
Timothy Leary was an extraordinary man. An American psychologist and writer, Dr. Leary was an iconic figure during the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 70s. While some folks dismiss Leary as a fanatic due to his well-documented usage of and advocacy for psychedelic drugs, I think doing so is entirely foolish. Take a closer [...]
We want everyone to like us, but we shouldn’t. As social creatures, we are concerned, often to a fault, with whether or not we are enjoyed, appreciated, and respected by those around us. We pander to the whims of others, hoping to please everyone (or at least find few enemies). We try to behave affably, [...]
Studying abroad was the greatest experience of my life. Last summer, I hopped on a plane and flew to Europe, where I lived with a host family for a month and studied at the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Toledo, Spain. I was nervous about leaving my beloved American comfort zone, but I was also [...]
I broke my neck in a skiing accident last week, and it was both an awful and profound experience. I was in beautiful Crested Butte, CO, spending a few days on the slopes, coasting about without a care in the world. It was delightful while it lasted. Unbeknownst to me, a near-death experience was waiting [...]
I can hardly believe I’m doing this. Again. It’s mid-December, and I’m standing in swimming trunks on a boat ramp situated along the snowy shore of Lake Superior. Near-30°F water stabs at my feet, punishing them, numbing them. I’ve never taken a dip in such threatening water before. It’s like knives. I’m not sure I can do [...]