I passed through Chinatown this afternoon and passed countless produce stands selling fresh vegetables and fruit. A while ago I read in the New York Times that many stands there have a separate supply chain for their fresh produce that’s grown relatively locally independent of the supply chain for other grocery stores or farmers markets in the city. While Chinatown is full of produce stands, the rest of New York[…] Keep reading →

We’ve all seen the graphs and data of rising obesity. People get riled up about it. I have no problem with people living by their values when their choices affect only themselves. I pick up litter daily and hear from Workshop alumni and podcast guests who pledge to pick up litter. They sometimes cry when their hands-on practical experience leads them to see and consciously process what they usually look[…] Keep reading →

It’s been almost ten years since I posted Why Sriracha Hot Sauce tastes good. In it I wrote: Progress report on enjoying food over doof I don’t think I’ve tasted it in the decade since. Then in my volunteer work salvaging food that would be thrown away, I ended up with a jar to deliver. It had been opened, so I had a chance to taste it. It’s been years[…] Keep reading →

I’ve passed the milestones everyone my age has. Some I like, like developing patience and wisdom. I may not have much of them, but more than before. I felt my potential strength decrease in my thirties. In my forties I lost yet more, and found even walking counted as exercise. Also in my forties, I noticed injuries took longer to heal. Injuries that in my twenties would hurt and affect[…] Keep reading →

Living true to our deepest values is its own reward. Fewer rewards are greater, all the more so when it requires struggle. All the more so when it deepens our closest relationships. Living by the values of sustainability—community, health, reciprocity, liberty, freedom, and stewardship, for example—is challenging today. No matter what I do in trying to live more sustainably and leading systemic change toward sustainability, people say others can’t do[…] Keep reading →

Almost ten years ago in this blog I wrote about an experience of art expressing something I didn’t know could be expressed. Ingmar Bergman’s Fanny and Alexander captured an emotion I felt with my father and no one else. That emotion hit me hard. It was powerful. It influenced big decisions in my life, especially to learn and teach the social and emotional skills of leadership. I just experienced a[…] Keep reading →

Here is my twice-daily calisthenics routine at the start of 2025. For context, here is a list of all my sidchas, standard operating procedures, and preferences. I have found discipline creates freedom. This sidcha creates freedom, peace, connection, calm, and more. The calories burned and motivation required are negligible in comparison to those benefits, and are benefits themselves. I started in 2011 with ten burpees a day, then added and[…] Keep reading →

I started doing burpees on this day in 2011. I haven’t missed a day since. I’ve done them daily over 22 percent of my life. By my spreadsheet, I’ve done just over 241,000 so should reach a quarter million in 2025. The point isn’t the numbers, though, nor the fitness, though I like my pulse being nearly off the charts low for men my age. The simplest way to put[…] Keep reading →

The New York Times wrote a piece “Ozempic Could Crush the Junk Food Industry. But It Is Fighting Back” that reported people happy with results that I’ve found from living more sustainably. Except my way didn’t cost me anything, trade one dependence for another, or risk any side effects. It didn’t require willpower either. People think it did, but I think they just don’t know how to change habits without[…] Keep reading →