This evening, volunteering, as I approached to dropped off my load of groceries, probably a few hundred dollars’ worth, a couple people asked, “Are you Josh?” I hadn’t seen them before. They asked as if someone had told them about me, that I delivered a large load of great food at certain times, which I do. So I seem to have developed a reputation for consistency in time and volume.[…] Keep reading →

For a couple years, I’ve been volunteering with a group that picks up food that stores were going to throw away and deliver it to a local community center where people, usually needy, can get it for free. The food isn’t what’s gone bad. It’s usually stuff they had to empty from shelves when a new order comes in. It’s a broken system. We’re not fixing it yet, but at[…] Keep reading →

It’s easy to track how many burpees I do as part of my twice-daily burpee-based calisthenics. I know how many I do per day and I don’t miss days, so I just update the date in my spreadsheet and it tells me. More accurately, the spreadsheet tells me a minimum since now and then I do burpees for other reasons, but I haven’t missed and, so I’ve done more than[…] Keep reading →

The cops have cleaned Washington Square Park somewhat of its heavier drug use and dealing. I’ve talked to a few of the cops and they aren’t all from the local precinct. Some came from elsewhere in the city. I talked to one from the Bronx. It sounds like word got around the city that it was worth it to act on the lawlessness, though I’ve heard there’s plenty extra lawlessness[…] Keep reading →

For the first couple days, I was still getting used to it and wondering how things would go. Later, it became a ritual, like my morning and evening calisthenics, giving structure to my life. Also, have you noticed how when movies have monks, they often show a scene of them mopping the floor, or some repetitive task that for a monk becomes mindful? Like that. Lately I’ve been thinking, “Why[…] Keep reading →

A few small ways I avoid the cell phone causing craving. One: When I’m walking and feel the urge to check something on my phone, instead of getting it out, I pick a spot ahead and tell myself I can get it out of my pocket and check it there. I usually pick a distance of a block or two, sometimes more, which means a minute or two later, sometimes[…] Keep reading →

I’m proud to have given blood Tuesday. If you haven’t listened to yesterday’s podcast episode with Sebastian Junger, listen to hear his story of receiving ten emergency transmissions leading to his giving blood regularly. Why ashamed too? Because when the nurse checked me in, filling in my address from my driver’s license, she asked if I’d changed my address. The address in the system showed my freshman year dorm address.[…] Keep reading →