jer979Purpose Struggle
Yesterday, I decided that my blogging career should come to an end. I was doing myself a disservice. I told myself that the goal of the posts was to dig deeper, peel back the layers, get down to the core. But by publishing online (or on-chain as the case may be), I was subconsciously writing for others, even if I told myself that I didn't care if others read. So, in an effort to be more authentic, I figured I'd stop publishing and start doing a private journal. Within 2 hours of that decision...
jer979Value. Happiness.
I feel happy. It's fun, it's light, like a feather floating at the beginning of Forrest Gump. But, like the feather, it's not grounded. It can flitter and float away. Value is also ephemeral. We know it when we see it. We feel it, somewhere deep inside. Something connects to us, saying "yes, this is worth it." The "it" that it's worth is energy. Energy in the form of time, attention, money. The things of which our possession is limited. There's a reason why all the great traditions point to "...
jer979Coffee with AI
Every day for the past month, I’ve had a coffee date with AI. I literally sit down, with a cup of coffee, with an appointment on my calendar that says “coffee with AI”. During that time, AI (I’ve used ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and Venice) and I literally have a chat, the way I would with a friend. It’s not “write this letter for me” or “do this or that.” No, it’s a chance for us to have a conversation about whatever topic I want. Many days, recently, at least, it’s been about quant...
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www.twitter.com/jer979
jer979Purpose Struggle
Yesterday, I decided that my blogging career should come to an end. I was doing myself a disservice. I told myself that the goal of the posts was to dig deeper, peel back the layers, get down to the core. But by publishing online (or on-chain as the case may be), I was subconsciously writing for others, even if I told myself that I didn't care if others read. So, in an effort to be more authentic, I figured I'd stop publishing and start doing a private journal. Within 2 hours of that decision...
jer979Value. Happiness.
I feel happy. It's fun, it's light, like a feather floating at the beginning of Forrest Gump. But, like the feather, it's not grounded. It can flitter and float away. Value is also ephemeral. We know it when we see it. We feel it, somewhere deep inside. Something connects to us, saying "yes, this is worth it." The "it" that it's worth is energy. Energy in the form of time, attention, money. The things of which our possession is limited. There's a reason why all the great traditions point to "...
jer979Coffee with AI
Every day for the past month, I’ve had a coffee date with AI. I literally sit down, with a cup of coffee, with an appointment on my calendar that says “coffee with AI”. During that time, AI (I’ve used ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, and Venice) and I literally have a chat, the way I would with a friend. It’s not “write this letter for me” or “do this or that.” No, it’s a chance for us to have a conversation about whatever topic I want. Many days, recently, at least, it’s been about quant...
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jer979Brooms and Breath
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jer979Brooms and Breath
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There’s a Zen saying that says something like:
Before enlightenment, chop wood, sweep the floor.
After enlightenment, chop wood, sweep the floor.
The moment when you realize that the supposedly mundane affords an opportunity for transformation, for reflection, for appreciation, for holiness…that’s the moment to take a deep, deep breath.
To feel the expansion of the lungs in all directions. To feel the relaxation of the shoulders. To feel the rise and fall of the chest.
Then, to resume the task at hand.
I’m no expert at *satori-*enlightenment-and I am certainly not “enlightened” (though I’m a wanna-be), but I wonder if that Zen saying is potentially a reminder that the moment of transformation isn’t a “Big Bang,” rather hundreds, thousands, and millions of little, iterative mini-bangs that, cumulatively lead you down an entirely path.
“The tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout; the tower of nine storeys rose from a small heap of earth; the journey of a thousand li commenced with a single step.”
-Lao Tzu
One step at a time. One rock at a time. One block at a time. One breath at a time.
There’s a Zen saying that says something like:
Before enlightenment, chop wood, sweep the floor.
After enlightenment, chop wood, sweep the floor.
The moment when you realize that the supposedly mundane affords an opportunity for transformation, for reflection, for appreciation, for holiness…that’s the moment to take a deep, deep breath.
To feel the expansion of the lungs in all directions. To feel the relaxation of the shoulders. To feel the rise and fall of the chest.
Then, to resume the task at hand.
I’m no expert at *satori-*enlightenment-and I am certainly not “enlightened” (though I’m a wanna-be), but I wonder if that Zen saying is potentially a reminder that the moment of transformation isn’t a “Big Bang,” rather hundreds, thousands, and millions of little, iterative mini-bangs that, cumulatively lead you down an entirely path.
“The tree which fills the arms grew from the tiniest sprout; the tower of nine storeys rose from a small heap of earth; the journey of a thousand li commenced with a single step.”
-Lao Tzu
One step at a time. One rock at a time. One block at a time. One breath at a time.
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