The Red Mist of Nostalgia

This is a recount of a dream I once had. — I stood rooted to the cold concrete, entranced by what I saw. Before me were glowing red mists, swirling in a curious fashion. It gained momentum and slowly manifested into people I knew. At this point more than twenty of them faced me. Though, they still had the reddish quality of the mist, each were frozen into the mannerisms they were well-known for. He had his trademark smirk, she had her cheeky grin; another had his hand on his nose, as if he had been rubbing it previously; yet another had her left eyebrow raised in exasperation. I gazed on, appreciating the quirks of my friends. I thought about how they left a huge impact, even though some didn’t talk much to me. This is the funny quality of youth. Drama...

Have You Seen Something But Failed to Notice It

There are moments in life, I’m sure, when you get too encumbered by thoughts. As a result, you do not live in the present moment; to see but not notice; to hear but not listen. Remember the last time you looked at a book, but none of the words made way into your brain? Just this evening I was dining in at Botak Jone’s. I was served my meal, and the waiter clearly asked for $14. I rummaged through my wallet and then handed him two $10 and two $2 notes ($24). About to dig into the food, he politely told me that I had given him ten dollars over. What the heck? I heard him say $14 for sure. But somewhere along the way, it seemed correct to overpay. I will no doubt be more alert in the future, but it seems that I’m blur by habit. When out with...

Benjamin Franklin Tells You To Change Your Habits

Everyone knows who Benjamin Franklin is. Better known as an inventor who flew a kite during a terrible storm, he was also one of the founding fathers of the United States. However, my focus is neither his scientific nor patriotic contributions. Quite the contrary and seemingly insignificant, it is his “life-list” that is of interest. When he was twenty, Benjamin Franklin developed a plan. He wanted to attain moral perfection and therefore wanted to cultivate 13 different virtues. Each week he focused on working at one virtue. At the end of the 13 weeks devoted to the 13 virtues, he’d repeated the cycle. Hence, moving closer and closer to his goal of moral perfection. If you’re trying to change or inculcate new habits. Here’s what...