Meditation instructors often talk about thoughts arising and passing away in consciousness, as if they just come out of nowhere and go to nowhere. I’ve found otherwise. No part of your mind is superfluous. The human brain uses up too much energy for evolution to allow unnecessary parts to persist. Each part does something that helped your ancestors survive and pass their genes on to you. For example, some part[…] Keep reading →

I was picking up litter with a friend and colleague, describing why I do it, even though most people say it’s pointless. Why wouldn’t I clean any space I live in? Anyway, when the phrase in the subject came out: “I’d rather see it so I can act than act like I don’t see it.“ we both identified it as catchy and worth writing about. I don’t like sweeping problems[…] Keep reading →

I prefer writing my own posts, but some material is so valuable but not what the internet will spread enough, and I post them. The material in question is a series called Not Just Bikes, by a guy born in Canada who moved to Holland, preferred how the Dutch designed their cities, and makes videos describing what they do that works. I love the videos. I probably refer more people[…] Keep reading →

I’ll start with a liberal inconsistency relevant to sustainability, not that they monopolize them or are the most egregious, but I have to start somewhere. Mention anything related to my environmental footprint or personal action to many liberals and I’d better prepare for them to lecture me on how BP publicized the concept to deflect blame from them to individuals, or some similar reason why their or my actions don’t[…] Keep reading →

Life poses two questions people have probably asked for thousands of years that I’ve seen zero progress in answering from any source: Why does reality exist? What is consciousness? Or, alternatively, why is there a sense of “me” or “I” that seems to exist outside reality? Regarding the first question, I can’t imagine any way of finding an answer using the tools within reality. It’s weird to ask or even[…] Keep reading →

I feel a euphoria when eating fresh fruits and vegetables, in particular my famous no-packaging vegan stews. It’s subtle enough to miss if I’m talking to someone or listening to a podcast, but wonderful. I’d pick it over the high from things refined from plants like coca, poppy, etc since I can do it every day my whole life with no unwanted side effects. It gives me plenty of wanted[…] Keep reading →

Maybe you’re one of the over four million people who have seen Buzzfeed’s video illustrating how society affects us by having people step forward or backward based on their experience: I don’t know what credence anyone gives the questionnaire, but I copied it from the YouTube page and answered it. Some answers I wasn’t sure about, but tried to answer as honestly as I could. My Rating If I calculate[…] Keep reading →