Of all of the digital hacks I’ve learned over the years, one of the most transformative has been to “turn to-do list items into calendar appointments.” I was told that “if you don’t have a specific time at which you are going to take care of a task, the likelihood that it will get done drops.” So, I do this…relentlessly. Even for minor tasks, like “call the health insurance company.” Is there a point below which I don’t? Of course, but anything that is 10-15 mins or more, I turn into an appoi...

Of all of the digital hacks I’ve learned over the years, one of the most transformative has been to “turn to-do list items into calendar appointments.” I was told that “if you don’t have a specific time at which you are going to take care of a task, the likelihood that it will get done drops.” So, I do this…relentlessly. Even for minor tasks, like “call the health insurance company.” Is there a point below which I don’t? Of course, but anything that is 10-15 mins or more, I turn into an appoi...

My first boss said to me, “never believe your own BS,” so I share the following with a bit of trepidation for fear of violating that principle. As I stare out into the horizon, I try to pick up on which waves of emerging technology will amass significant size so as to dramatically impact the way we live our lives. Crypto is making landfall. BTC at 100k is your evidence of that. AI is as well. ChatGPT’s emergence is evidence of that. These things take time to fully cover the geography, but the...

My first boss said to me, “never believe your own BS,” so I share the following with a bit of trepidation for fear of violating that principle. As I stare out into the horizon, I try to pick up on which waves of emerging technology will amass significant size so as to dramatically impact the way we live our lives. Crypto is making landfall. BTC at 100k is your evidence of that. AI is as well. ChatGPT’s emergence is evidence of that. These things take time to fully cover the geography, but the...

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...

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...

“Free Palestine” is a political opioid that leadership in the Arab/Muslim world foists upon its people. In a classic “hey, look over there,” move, it’s savvier to get people fixated on the enemy of the “the other” than have them ask the hard questions about the core problems of their own society. Rife with corruption, lacking many basic human rights and freedoms, suffering from a lack of meaningful innovation, and full of people who want to emigrate to Western countries, it’s smarter to dish ...

“Free Palestine” is a political opioid that leadership in the Arab/Muslim world foists upon its people. In a classic “hey, look over there,” move, it’s savvier to get people fixated on the enemy of the “the other” than have them ask the hard questions about the core problems of their own society. Rife with corruption, lacking many basic human rights and freedoms, suffering from a lack of meaningful innovation, and full of people who want to emigrate to Western countries, it’s smarter to dish ...

Science is a process for discovering answers to problems. Technology is the process for applying those answers in practical ways. History helps us understand how previous generations have responded when new technologies change our lives. Religion (should) help us maintain equanimity in the face of it all.

Science is a process for discovering answers to problems. Technology is the process for applying those answers in practical ways. History helps us understand how previous generations have responded when new technologies change our lives. Religion (should) help us maintain equanimity in the face of it all.

We think about our “perspective” on things. But how often do we think about our “perspectives” on things? If we want, we have the opportunity-and it takes work and some discomfort-to develop new lenses and thus new perspectives. Learning a new language to a conversational level is a tried and true method. Exploring a new technology deeply. Living in another country. It becomes more difficult as we get older, but, with AI, it actually is becoming easier than ever. Mental strength and agility, ...

We think about our “perspective” on things. But how often do we think about our “perspectives” on things? If we want, we have the opportunity-and it takes work and some discomfort-to develop new lenses and thus new perspectives. Learning a new language to a conversational level is a tried and true method. Exploring a new technology deeply. Living in another country. It becomes more difficult as we get older, but, with AI, it actually is becoming easier than ever. Mental strength and agility, ...

You’re also sadder there. Richer there. Poorer there. More successful there. Less successful there. But “there” isn’t the future. And it’s not the past. It’s another present, one co-existing with you now in some other alternative universe. The opportunity is to connect with that alternative present, the one with which are you entangled. Take comfort in knowing that there’s another version of you, right now, that is doing just fine. And be grateful, because there’s another version of you where...

You’re also sadder there. Richer there. Poorer there. More successful there. Less successful there. But “there” isn’t the future. And it’s not the past. It’s another present, one co-existing with you now in some other alternative universe. The opportunity is to connect with that alternative present, the one with which are you entangled. Take comfort in knowing that there’s another version of you, right now, that is doing just fine. And be grateful, because there’s another version of you where...

Very few things are “definitely” going to happen. Sure, when it comes to classical physics, “definites” are there. The ball, when released from your hand, WILL fall to the ground if you are on earth. But, while most of our lives are subject to the constraints of physics, most of our lives occur within the realm of quantum physics. That is to say, there are things that will PROBABLY happen. But just because they will probably happen, doesn’t mean that they WILL happen. Pundits like to offer de...

Very few things are “definitely” going to happen. Sure, when it comes to classical physics, “definites” are there. The ball, when released from your hand, WILL fall to the ground if you are on earth. But, while most of our lives are subject to the constraints of physics, most of our lives occur within the realm of quantum physics. That is to say, there are things that will PROBABLY happen. But just because they will probably happen, doesn’t mean that they WILL happen. Pundits like to offer de...

The signs surround all of us. We’re getting older each day. AI is coming for existing white collar jobs in a big way. Anti-Semitism is rising. Radical Islamists have a violent anti-Western philosophy. Central bank fiat currencies all trend to zero over the long-term. Yet, few choose the hard path of pre-emptive, pro-active change. It’s scary. It hurts. It’s hard. And what if you’re wrong? You might be. But recovering from that is easier than ignoring the one constant in life: change. The head...

The signs surround all of us. We’re getting older each day. AI is coming for existing white collar jobs in a big way. Anti-Semitism is rising. Radical Islamists have a violent anti-Western philosophy. Central bank fiat currencies all trend to zero over the long-term. Yet, few choose the hard path of pre-emptive, pro-active change. It’s scary. It hurts. It’s hard. And what if you’re wrong? You might be. But recovering from that is easier than ignoring the one constant in life: change. The head...

I used to have some bad addictions. Marijuana was one of the worst. It created all kinds of problems. When I finally admitted that I had an addiction, my natural response was to try and eliminate it. But, my attempt was misguided. It’s not that I didn’t succeed in removing the actual addiction (I did), it’s that I attempted to deny the fact that I have an addictive personality. What I’ve come to accept, albeit slowly, is that I have this aspect to my personality. And, instead of trying to sup...

I used to have some bad addictions. Marijuana was one of the worst. It created all kinds of problems. When I finally admitted that I had an addiction, my natural response was to try and eliminate it. But, my attempt was misguided. It’s not that I didn’t succeed in removing the actual addiction (I did), it’s that I attempted to deny the fact that I have an addictive personality. What I’ve come to accept, albeit slowly, is that I have this aspect to my personality. And, instead of trying to sup...

When you give someone a hug, most people instinctively lean to the left side, with right arm up. Someone challenged me recently to lean to the right side (thus hugging on the left side of your body) with your left arm up. The reason? The location of your heart. By leaning to the right and aligning the left side of your body with the left side of the body that you are hugging, your hearts are connected. This aligns the energies, the chakras, call it what you will, instead of putting distance b...

When you give someone a hug, most people instinctively lean to the left side, with right arm up. Someone challenged me recently to lean to the right side (thus hugging on the left side of your body) with your left arm up. The reason? The location of your heart. By leaning to the right and aligning the left side of your body with the left side of the body that you are hugging, your hearts are connected. This aligns the energies, the chakras, call it what you will, instead of putting distance b...

What’s going on in my head right now? You don’t know. Just like I have no idea what’s going on in your head. But that doesn’t stop us from coming up with narratives about what others are thinking about us, does it? Then, we spend time ruminating on the possibilities or the story. It’s a waste. Not only are they probably not thinking about us, but even if they are, who cares? “Let them” is what Mel Robbins says. Let them think it. Let them do things that don’t make sense to you. Let them make ...

What’s going on in my head right now? You don’t know. Just like I have no idea what’s going on in your head. But that doesn’t stop us from coming up with narratives about what others are thinking about us, does it? Then, we spend time ruminating on the possibilities or the story. It’s a waste. Not only are they probably not thinking about us, but even if they are, who cares? “Let them” is what Mel Robbins says. Let them think it. Let them do things that don’t make sense to you. Let them make ...