Scraps.

B Series - Intro

2012-01-30T00:03:00.000-05:00

Jeff recently purchased me a book from Amazon - which was written by their Pastor in New York. It's called Emotionally Healthy Spiritually. I've only begun to read it, but something is very clear (Jeff and Laura also mention this a lot) - that folks have to unpack their baggage to be emotionally healthy. And, on this quest to find equilibrium I have to do the same. And, I suppose this is

Revisiting Timshel

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-05:00

Revisiting Timshel - The echoes of Dr. MLK are reverberating in my head like crazy, right now. There were speeches on NPR, quotes abound and a mess-load of tweets to that effect (myself included). There's all the stuff about "dreams" and "injustice", but let me pass at those and defer to wiser men, but instead elaborate on a line of thinking more accessible to those in our generation. There

Remembering Nakul

2012-01-16T08:58:00.001-05:00

On days like these I think about Nakul. Although I suppose that's every day. I still don't understand the gravity of his death nor feel absolved of it. It still hurts, though I suppose we all have found some peace with it. At the same time, I'm proud because his life saved many more. And I suppose I'm lucky, even though it's perhaps the most guilt one could feel, that his death has taught me

Cross Post - Have you read too many books to believe what you're told?

2012-01-13T14:33:00.002-05:00

Argue with me about the liberal arts on the Umich Dean's Alumni Council Blog: http://lsarecentgrad.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/ive-read-too-many-books-to-believe-what-im-told/-Neil

Beast mode

2012-01-10T21:36:00.004-05:00

People say you have to compromise who you are to get what you want. I refuse to believe that.I think you can do the right thing AND get what you want AND be happy AND have deep, deep relationships AND make a difference in the world AND have fun along the way.I'm back on the warpath to prove it.Peace.How could you falter when you're the rock of GibraltarI had to get of the boat so I could walk on

Truth and Honesty

2012-01-10T07:19:00.003-05:00

I'm constantly reminded by how important honesty is - and as my neighbor Megan reminded over dinner on Sunday evening - full, complete honesty. It's the bedrock of any relationship because it's a necessary (and first condition) of truth. The truth is worth fighting for. So are relationships that are based on honesty, because they're honestly so rare. SO rare.And, it's a precious love when

On faith, quickly.

2012-01-08T22:14:00.002-05:00

I haven't been thinking about faith, and the mysteries of the universe for very long. At least in a way that's deliberate. But, there's been one thing that I've been thinking about, with regard to faith that I've learned.That it's tested. And that it's hard and painful to believe in what's true sometimes.Make that two things.

Looking to 2012

2012-01-02T21:58:00.002-05:00

As is usually the case over the winter holiday, I've spent quite a bit of time reflecting on 2011. It's going to be a really, really hard year in 2012. My habit change is simple - eliminate unnecessary cursing and the use of corporate jargon.My real resolution will be a lot more difficult, though, learning to understand and express feelings. I spend lots of time thinking, but as the

The Mission Mission

2011-12-25T01:19:00.002-05:00

It seems to me that there are a few scenarios in the organizational world with regard to management and leadership (for give me for simplifying):1. There's a dictatorial soverign keeping an organization together by hook or by crook2. There's a benevelont leader who inspiries people in the organization and provides what we call "leadership"3. An organization manages itself, so to speak, by

Why I shop online

2011-12-24T23:04:00.002-05:00

Why do people treat my parents different because they're older and speak with an accent? They get talked down to all the time, in latent ways that barely anyone hears. Growing up in Oakland County, MI you think that people are above that, but they can't help it.Even people in Detroit are more welcoming, accepting and inclusive. It's infuriating to see people I care about get treated with such

Listening to one's own heart

2011-12-24T22:47:00.002-05:00

In many circumstances, I've found listening to be more important than speaking. For many reasons - you learn more, it's tremendously respectful and generally speaking others are more important than oneself. Listening to others is a rare gift, one that I try to practice (with different levels of success) everyday.Let's put that sort of listening aside for now.There's a different kind of

Home

2011-09-25T22:49:00.002-04:00

With every day that passes, and every city I visit I only remember one place - home. Home of the past and the future. My heart aches for it more and more and more and more again. All I want to do is go there and stay there for the rest of my days.

Social Change and its nomenclature

2011-09-03T23:42:00.003-04:00

I caught something on facebook the other day - someone being congratulatory about some friend's work which was exemplary "positive social change". Which is fine, social change is not something that's a bad thing, certainly. But this whole enterprise of "social change" has to be better. The deployment of it, probably has a lot of room for improvement, I think. In fact, peering into the

Teachings from Buddhist Monks in Thailand

2011-08-22T22:51:00.003-04:00

One of the most interesting things we did in Thailand was to attend a monk chat. During this chat we learned about what it is like to be a monk and about some of the fundamental tenants of Buddhism. That's a topic that I'll have to explore more, but one of the things I've been really riveting and reflecting on is some of the transformations I've undergone since I've graduated college - and lost

Patriots will weep

2011-07-26T22:31:00.002-04:00

As a young boy, I was filled with hope for American republican democracy. I traveled to foreign countries and saw the gentleness of our people compared with the weight of king-like corruption and the contrast between citizens who littered shamelessly and those who swept the streets their friends and family walked on. Even the air smelled different.All this was indicative, at least to my 6 year

Choices

2011-07-17T02:57:00.003-04:00

I just can't do it.Looking back at choices I've made, I go back and wonder whether I'm foolish or whether my hope and optimism in others will lead to being eaten up by the sharks in the world. There are many instances, I think, which shake out into the following decision framework:Choice 1: Hold steadfastly to principleChoice 2: Be aggressive and take what you wantAnd those are often in conflict

The evolution of human interaction

2011-07-14T23:17:00.003-04:00

Pretentious title aside, I was working on some cool brainstorming the other day. Basically, I'm on this quest to understand what it takes to form effective teams. And by that I mean real teams not collections of individuals in a group setting.So, I tried to chart out the evolution of how humans have socialized in the history of the world...in hopes that it sheds light on how we might continue

Hubris / Speedometers

2011-07-10T23:41:00.002-04:00

One of the most difficult decisions I make on a daily basis is a simple one.I'm in my car, a Red 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier (with 162k miles, no less). I'm driving...somewhere...it doesn't matter where. The weather doesn't matter, nor does the freeway I am driving on. I am not late.Do I speed? If so, do I travel 4 over? 5 over? 15 over? Does the degree of the law-breaking even matter?Now, I

First born.

2011-05-07T13:10:00.001-04:00

You will be my greatest project, Our lives' seminal work. From tears into uncertainty, continuing to apprehension and exploration. Next courage, honesty then humility until you have a project of your own. The toybox is empty. No bottles are at the ready. But a lifetime of protection, love and wonderment are already in plentiful supply. All potential energy, though. When your birthday comes,

2011-05-01T01:18:00.002-04:00

I think I'm ready to be a man, now. I don't know if others men have these coalescing moments where they realize that they have to grow up, or that they want to. I don't even know what these moments have been or what they can be.I was coming to terms with my own mortality. I was thinking about the mark that I want to leave on the world and what I want to accomplish professionally. I was

Memories

2011-04-06T01:43:00.002-04:00

The way a memory feels is miraculous. All it takes is remembering something which reminds you of what makes you whole. Family, places or experiences before...triggered by something big (like...an anniversary, or an elephant) or something small (like a smell, a letter or a song) is sufficient.It is freeing; the epitome of hope, one might say.

Struggle

2011-04-05T21:25:00.002-04:00

I spoke with a colleague today about my father - he's as tough as nails...my father that is. (Though my colleague may very well be too.Am I? But that's not the point, can I be without struggling like hell? And I don't mean with bobo problems.I wonder.

Apollo

2011-03-24T20:40:00.001-04:00

Naming our dog was a very deliberate exercise. It was very much a product of my parents and me and my upbringing. We generated a list of 30 or 40 names and we methodically narrowed the list down over the course of a few rounds. Finally, we decided to choose one of two names, Rocket or Apollo.If you know my family, you know we decided on Apollo – named after NASA’s Apollo program, which was

Why worry?

2011-03-10T00:26:00.002-05:00

There are some days, more than others, that I think about how unlikely it is for anyone to live very long, or even to live at all. Everyday we wake up in the morning, it's like a miracle all over again. So few things in the universe ever live. An even smaller subset on Earth. A microscopic subset of that are humans. Of humans, our clock is ticking from the time we're born...every second we

Above Average

2011-02-28T22:26:00.003-05:00

I had a good conversation with the roomzies at dinner on Saturday night. (We were at Grange's upstairs bar...that itself is something to note).Anyway, we were talking about whether we've met a lot of extraordinary people at Michigan, or just a few. W and I think we haven't. J didn't exactly say she has, but she certainly had a differing opinion.I've never really appreciate just being "above

Timeless Friends

2010-12-29T01:24:00.002-05:00

Some friends are truer than others. They come into your lives and they stick around, while others are the ones who are great to have around for awhile but fade because of circumstance.The friends that are permanently affixed to you are special. They are friends with you and you are friends with them. They are not friends with your intellect or your kindness or your success. And you are not

Leadership and Solitude: A response

2010-12-28T16:15:00.003-05:00

Joey kindly sent me this link from the American Scholar and I've thought about it a bit in the past few days after circulating it with some friends. Some dissected it argumentatively (nicely done, Eden) or offered practical wisdom of uninterrupted time (thanks Bouchard, I think that's actually something I'd like to incorporate into my daily life - see this also: Why Work Doesn't Happen at Work.)

ME first vs. me FIRST

2010-11-04T21:07:00.003-04:00

Even though I have a notable distaste for elections, I watch election night coverage enthusiastically. What of it? It's fun.Anyway, I remember watching John Boehner on MSNBC the next morning and something he said stuck with me. I paraphrase:The American People have spoken and they reject Washington. They don't want to pay more taxes...And that's where I stopped listening. I'm actually not

Michigan Men, Morality, and Mentorship

2010-10-19T23:18:00.003-04:00

I've been sitting on this post for awhile.I constantly aspire to be a Michigan Man. Note, that I don't think I've gotten there nor am I vaulting myself atop some moral pedestal. It's just a good way of manifesting virtue in an idea, I think. That means nothing. Let me explain. As always though, a bit of back story.I took a moral philosophy class in college, and one of the things I remember

1 Corinthians 13:11

2010-08-18T22:09:00.003-04:00

So, it's kind of unexpected...I draw on the Bible for small snippets of wisdom sometimes. Nearly all of the passages that I think of often come from fraternity lore. I'm reminded of 1 Corinthians 13:11 today. It reads (King James Version):When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.And I think of

Having it all

2010-08-01T23:50:00.004-04:00

I had a provocative conversation with a family-friend today. She's a medical resident in Flint right now and was telling me about what being a new resident is like and the sorts of challenges she's been facing. They are hard. Really hard.Over the course of our conversation, she got to something I have been thinking about a lot lately: can we have it all. Can we live a life with a fulfiling

"Real" life

2010-07-22T20:57:00.002-04:00

On my way home from work today, I read this article in GQ, titled Boom. It was one of the more moving things I had read in awhile. I swear, the article wasn't shmaltzy, though it had pretty "heart-tuggy" passages. It was just raw, real and honest...and that's what was moving about it.This passage in particular (the last bit of the piece): "Shane always told me, 'If anything ever happens to me

"The Lucky Ones"

2010-07-11T12:09:00.003-04:00

Just fooling around with some words, a little bit...And in their youth they hung off the precipice of what the world could be. Lining their dreams with magic and the begginings of things. Everything was dabbed with marinara sauce in those days. Optimism and iPods are how they made it through difficult evenings as they toiled away at building the world up again. The easy days were glorious.It

"Almost" stories

2010-07-11T11:40:00.004-04:00

There's a day, coming in the indefinite future, where things will start to coalesce. It's a day where random occurences will contribute to a larger narrative, and won't be so random any more. "Almost" stories will complete themselves and become stories in their own right. Everything will fall into place, so to speak.I imagine all this happening in a flurry, but I suppose I don't really know

Thinking of camp.

2010-07-04T13:02:00.004-04:00

On this 4th of July. I think of character. And character which is not shakeable, is not character at all. As a nation, as a tribe and as individuals. I've found it difficult lately to stay "centered" in this way. But at the same time, if we are not true to our character, all we have in this world is not true. So we must, whether it is painful to discover and exercise - or if is not.This is

2010-06-28T00:02:00.003-04:00

We felt pathetic.Trading stories, a roommate and I, commiserating about a topic that's irrelevant to this story. But we felt that way, nonetheless.The stories were wrenching, for us, emotionally. And, we feel that way about other things too - I think we find ourselves in this predicament of feeling pathetic, precisely because we're willing to take risks in social and emotional matters. In

Satyam Vada, Dharman Chara

2010-06-22T23:24:00.003-04:00

I've been thinking for many weeks now about why I believe in honesty. I've run into walls for two reasons. First, I find myself valuing honesty because if one is not honest, bad things happen. Second, I find myself valuing honesty because good thing happen if one is honest. These are fine, but their valuing honesty on the basis of utility.I don't want to do that.I want to find the intrinsic

This I Believe, again.

2010-05-05T22:43:00.002-04:00

I have spent much of this year reflecting upon what matters in life. Friends, family, persistence, freedom, etc. In other words, I've cataloged the core group of things that I value.But I want to revisit an old exercise that I struggled with the first time around.Backstory: one of my favorite things is the radio segment This I Believe. Basically in the 1950's - during the era of McCarthyism -

The World is Messy

2010-04-11T10:35:00.003-04:00

The world is messy, just as our lives are messy. The way we live, the way we love, the way we hurt and the way we act...all these things cause pain and frustration side by side with the joy and wonder they inspire. To modify an old adage...sometimes the world is gray, but more often it is black and white mixed all the way together into a chunky stew of morality. Right and wrong is not blended,

"I'm done being nervous."

2010-04-05T23:31:00.003-04:00

Segel said an interesting thing to me today: "I'm done being nervous". It was an epiphany.Why be nervous - in the anxious, performancing-undermining way. It doesn't make sense. All it demonstrates is a lack of confidence and a lack of preparation. And, any man whould be both perpared and confident at at all times. There's no other way to live.That doesn't mean to disregarind the stakes and

30 Day Challenge

2010-04-01T17:48:00.002-04:00

I was checking out Coatney's Google Buzz feed and he was attempting a 30 day challenge. I'm on board...I just have to figure out something to do. Can you help me think of something to challenge myself with for 30 days?Here are some things I'm thinking about picking from:1. Read a poem every day for a month.2. Take a picture every day for a month.3. Medidate for 10 minutes every day for a month

Joyous things

2010-03-06T20:13:00.002-05:00

I'm sitting in Eastern Market, DC with Leslie and her roommates. Because of my last post, Leslie said that I should write a post about something happier. So, I will.Here's the exercise:1. Get around some cool people that you care about.2. Ask them to tell you something which makes them very, very happy.3. Write it down in your blog.4. Of course, respect people's privacy.Person 1 - A day in

Honesty and Optimism

2010-03-06T19:42:00.002-05:00

Am I a cynic? And, if I am...is it silly to be?Here's the scoop.I'm pretty blunt, and once I decide I believe something or feel something, I'm pretty deliberate and straight forward about it. I consider myself to be honest about the world and about myself and who I am. But, that honesty is abrasive and certainly borders on skepticism and cynicism.But that honesty has costs. I am so hard on

Privilege

2010-03-01T23:29:00.002-05:00

Last week, I took a few days off work. I was on the be(a/n)ch, so I wanted to advance some personal projects. I did. I laid down a draft presentation of a potential project - developing open source life skills curriculum.[note: still deciding on whether to pursue this, I don't know if I have the passion, time, resources, or team to do it successfully. I don't want to waste time on something

Giving

2010-02-14T22:49:00.004-05:00

My parents sacrificed a lot in their lives. That's a story for another evening, but the act of sacrifice is a very important act outside of marriage, too. I'll discuss it here in the context of relationships in general. It is Valentines Day, after all.A very simple interpretation of relationships is that they are a give and take, a push and pull where the currency is not newtonian forces, nor

Mental Gymnastics - which mental muscles do you train?

2010-02-04T22:17:00.001-05:00

I was driving with some colleagues to our client’s office in New Jersey on Monday. On this 45-or-so minute long car ride, I came to find out that one of my colleagues – Kevin – teaches young kids how to play chess. Needless to say, I thought this was pretty cool (I like chess) and have always admired the game. It’s strategic and spatial. Moreover, I know that chess develops the mind, even though

Providence

2010-01-13T20:00:00.002-05:00

I really like the movie Akeelah and the Bee, for many reasons. A good script, a heart-warming story and some solid onscreen performances.One of the lines in the movie, a Maryanne Williamson quote (not that I have any idea who Maryanne Williamson is), often has echoes in day to day life, too. Today, I was thinking about providence. Do we often allow ourselves to have providence? Do we open

Sacrifice in 2010

2009-12-31T09:23:00.003-05:00

This past year was rough, for Michigan and for the country, so several I've spoken are thankful that this year is [nearly] complete.There was a lot of spilled milk this year and even more finger pointing. Lot's of analysis of who was right and wrong (see: bailout, healthcare, Iran, Afghanistan, DPS, Cobo Hall, MI Budget, CA Budget, etc...) and less of an emphasis on what went wrong or how we can

The Art of Racing in the Rain #2

2009-11-21T17:17:00.003-05:00

There are things that happen in life, that are so close to destiny that I can hardly stand it. You see, I don't like to believe in destiny because it makes me feel like my life is not my responsibility. But maybe it's the opposite, maybe those things--destined things--happening and weaving them together is just as much of a responsibility as a life without destiny.But this is not of my concern

Making beautiful things and making things beautiful

2009-11-20T22:45:00.004-05:00

There are times where meaning and truth come out of opacity, to translucency and into clarity. By which I mean, therea re times wehre things just make a helluva lot of sense. now is one of those times.I can't precisely say where this came from, but it did. I was reading "The Art of Racing in the Rain" which is a wonderful story, I might add (I'm halfway through). And I started thinking - I'm

Second Thoughts on Draft #1

2009-11-14T10:42:00.002-05:00

So, the last post -- piss poor quality of writing aside -- just struck another thought. Let me explain."The Ways I Wait" wasn't about anyone in particular. Instead it was an emotion and reflection on the idea of someone or something. At the time, I thought it was a powerful feeling...something rooted in a deep stirring that causes thoughtful engagement in day-to-day lifeIs it? Or is it "'

Draft #1

2009-11-10T21:27:00.003-05:00

A return to spoken word (at least a legitimate attempt, finally. This is a draft of course...I just won't be able to read my notebook handwriting if I don't strike now!) The Ways I Wait - Draft #1 I think I'll know you in a flurry.In a sunlight-broaching-past-you-standing-in-the-doorway-of-a-hardwood-floored-urban-apartment sort of way. With a peaceful, heart-throbbing fury.Divine, honest, and

Random

2009-10-13T21:49:00.002-04:00

1. So, today was a more banal, jaw-clenching day than usual.1a. However, things happen which make you remember why life is great...every time you wake up it presents an opportunity to be damn happy or to make someone else damn happy.2. My life is easy. Rather, it's hard in the easiest ways. And that's okay, for now.3. Watching how people act under duress is revealing. So is watching them

Doing the little things big.

2009-10-11T14:55:00.003-04:00

I used to think more about about big things and big moments. And by "think" I mean dream and romanticize about them. There's an allure to imagining yourself at the pinnacle of your element, doing what you always imagined. And it's healthy, because by visioning yourself performing at the highest level and immersing yourself in the thought of your greatest moment is one step required to get to

Every Day is a Good Day

2009-10-05T21:29:00.002-04:00

I don't think it's atypical, but I really enjoy and miss little things. Especially lately.I miss things like playing FIFA or roommate quirks. I miss hugs and high fives and spontaneous laughter. I miss walking places and moments of total autonomy. I miss having coffee with others and having no expectations attached. Most of all, I miss spending time with close friends and family. If I had

Game

2009-10-04T01:41:00.002-04:00

Today, was my first informal lesson in "game". Sure, I've had chats with buddies about game and some anecdotal accounts of technique. But a friend of mine really knows his stuff. And, he imparted some of his wisdom, findings and challenges to me. Which is helpful. I don't have much "game", at the very least the "game" I do have isn't traditional or particularly effective for someone in their

The Unlikely Consequences of Genetic Engineering

2009-09-16T23:22:00.004-04:00

I was listening to a TED talk: http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/gregory_stock_to_upgrade_is_human.html on the car ride home today. Let me summarize before I comment on it.Biotechnolgy will drive our lives soon. Because of advances in genomics/biotechnology we can unlock our biology and have designer babies, live a long time and do lots of crazy stuff. There will be things we agree with and

Early September, Part II - Early Childhood Education

2009-09-13T21:30:00.002-04:00

Lots of people advocate for education--access, k-12, higher ed., etc. I'm glad they do. I haven't really been bit by the Education reform bug...not more than any other left-leaning independent anyway.But early childhood education, I'm sold that's the best solution we've got.I don't really mean to talk about politics here, but just write an expression of thanks.I'm so lucky to have the parents I

Early September, Part I - Fear the most

2009-09-13T21:07:00.004-04:00

Earlier, I took a few moments to think about the topic of fear. You can find that discussion, here: http://ntambe.blogspot.com/2009/05/exploring-fear.html.Here's an excerpt:"...Loneliness is [what I fear], and death by extension. A world alone is one that I would never want to live in. I'm damn sure that fear isn't natural, I know exactly where it comes from.But, even if I understand fear more

Innovation, Pressure and Leadership

2009-09-08T22:15:00.004-04:00

I've been listening to a lot of material about innovation lately. There's one consensus thought: innovation takes discipline. It takes the management of inspiration and persistence, so they say. And, I agree. To be creative--to have good ideas which are valuable in people's lives--is useless if it happens randomly or only in sporadic surges of ideating. Innovation is valuable, if a

What was Gandhi's intent?

2009-07-25T15:52:00.003-04:00

It's not just the social justice crowd that adheres to or at least proclaims that one must "be the change they wish to see in the world". Lots of people advance this idea. But, I wonder, what exactly did Gandhi mean when he said this?Most of the idea is simple enough "[blank] the change you wish to see in the world", that's pretty straight forward. But what exactly did he mean when he said "be

Eating our Vegetables

2009-07-25T00:01:00.003-04:00

There was a question in President Obama's news conference Wednesday night, in fact a them, about what Americans are going to have to sacrifice. The President gave a nonsensical, straw-manned response. I'll liken it to the following (I'm summarizing and paraphrasing, of course):Question: What will the public have to sacrifice, you've talked a lot about what they are going to get...but what are

Like Catching Fireflies

2009-07-22T23:27:00.002-04:00

There is god in art, I think. In images, in movement, in sound in color and words. Which is why we like it so much or so desperately want it. What's not to desire of something with beauty or grace? The rest can be taught, but beauty and grace can only be gifted and maybe discovered. Why else would the things that are essentially majestic usually be natural, spontaneous or dreamed in a rage

Governance 2.0? and reviewing Paul Light's a Government Ill Executed

2009-07-21T12:03:00.007-04:00

Whether or not I've blogged about this before, I often think it: our reconstruction of institutions for governance are outpaced by our increasing and increased demands on institutions for governance. Our problems are becoming more difficult to solve just as our capacity for solving those problems lags behind. I'll take this as truth because I've read about it quite a bit in Paul Light's A

Stories in sacrifice

2009-07-20T22:28:00.002-04:00

How can we possibly learn to do something that has the appearance of being against individual interest?Well, here's a place to start. Why make a sacrifice? Of course, these are interrelated, but in my mind they are distinguishable cases.-For someone else: an individual or group sacrifices for the benefit for another individual or group. (A parent commutes a longer distance so that their

Changelings

2009-06-26T02:18:00.002-04:00

My father was trying to explain to me about a moment that happens in one's life, the moment you stop changing. It's the time you just get tired, he said, where gritting your teeth is just too laborious and apathy is not only the easy, but preferred course. It's a point, he made it seem, where an individual is so ingrained in his own identity that it's no longer malleable.If he's correct, I hope

What's love got to do with it?

2009-06-18T23:33:00.002-04:00

The last time I saw the phrase in text, it was looking up lyrics to a popular Fat Joe single. And, maybe he was onto something and maybe he just liked the rhyme. Nevertheless, the line finishes: "it should be about us, it should be about trust, babe".Logic would suggest that love either has something to do with it, or it has nothing to do with it. This is of course not necessarily what human

"The Joy of Having Less"

2009-06-13T00:09:00.008-04:00

I was have an e-mail chat with a few friends about this article, it's on a NYTimes.com blog. Two friends had this to say in response:MS-does a simpler life necessarily mean one alone or at a great distance from those one loves? is this a key ingredient or potentially complicating element?i can find myself in a blissful thoreauvian state where i want to count beans and listen to nature. and then

Quick thought about weddings

2009-06-07T20:21:00.003-04:00

Quickly, my attitudes about weddings changed a bit this weekend. They are not, steely affairs where the Bride's posse relinquishes the ability to be caretakers of the daughter and the demarcation of the Groom's buddies losing a direct link to their friend. This sentiment seems silly, yes, but believe me...it's all the more real the closer you get to the officiated parties.Rather, weddings are a

Concluding Thoughts on Peru

2009-06-05T01:31:00.002-04:00

I noticed immediately, the idiosyncracy that distinguishes the USA from Peru. It wasn't even difficult. All it took was a staple of our culture: semi-fast food.I was at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, waiting for a signature. I'd come to expect that counter service at places like Cosi would be decent at best. Most of the folks that have taken my order there, at any location across

Our Traces

2009-05-29T20:02:00.002-04:00

@ The Ruins of Macchu Picchu in the Guardhouse, 814pmThe Ruins at Macchu Picchu are surprisingly simple. There´s farmland, an enormous main square, many temples, a guardhouse, an observatory, urban residential area and it´s hidden deep in the Andes Mountains to be insulated from intruders. That´s presumably all the stuff that REALLY mattered to them. There are no shops nor hospitals nor

Confianza

2009-05-27T21:04:00.004-04:00

5.27.09, 517pm Car Station, Cusco, en route to OllantaytamboAs soon as we got off the plane in cusco this morning, in pure misguided tourist fashion, we stopped at a tourist stand. We asked hima bout getting to Ollanta. He connived us out of $30, dropped us off in downtown cusco and told us to meet him in front of a particular museum at 5pm. We didn´t get his name or phone number. And we didn

Culture - Lessons from the Catholic Church, The Spanish Inquisition, Taxis and Backpacker Hostels

2009-05-27T20:38:00.002-04:00

5.27.09, 30,000 ft above Central Peru, 830 am-Upon leaving Lima Peru, I´ve come to think differently about culture. Not on the traces of culture like race, popular media or idiosyncracies, but on the essence of culture...perhaps? Furthermore, the prevailing school of thought in the circles I tend to socialize in is mistaken about culture, I think. In their desire to be "inclusive" and in their

First Impressions

2009-05-25T11:42:00.003-04:00

Miraflores, Peru - Backpackers Family Hostel. May 25, 2009 @ 830amRicardo, our cab driver from Lima´s Intl Airport was holding a sign. He greeted us casually but warmly and led us outside to the taxi stand. It smelled, like something I had smelled before...New Delhi. But with a sweeter lingering and less abrasive feel.We started to chat. He asked us if we spoke Spanish. We said no and he

Going to Peru

2009-05-22T00:54:00.004-04:00

Headed to AA in about 12 hours.Then to DC on Saturday.Then to Lima in the evening on Sunday, May 25.Then to Cusco/Macchu PicchuMay 27 - Fly to Cusco/OllantataytamboMay 28 - Aguas CalientesMay 29 - Macchu Picchu - Back to CuscoMay 31 - Back to LimaJune 1 - Fly to USA late at night.June 2 - Arrive in DC and drive back to AA.Will try to e-mail/post updates. Hit me back!

Nobody must remain alone

2009-05-22T00:38:00.005-04:00

I believe it's important for people to have time by themselves, but a person should never have to be alone.I was sitting in a friend's kitchen the other day. We were chatting, as we always do, about lots of different things--U-M, the future, gender in leadership, food, etc. We also talked about our families, which was the hardest topic to discuss because both of us have a few difficult

Exploring Fear

2009-05-16T17:35:00.004-04:00

What is it that makes us afraid? Where does fear come from? - Note to self, I do realize how incredibly abstract and pretentious this is going to be. But, it's been on my mind.Not of the petty things, like being fearful of forgetting a tube of lip balm or being late for an important appointment. I mean the big stuff. The sort of fears that make your heart race in broad daylight amongst your

Corporate Social Responsibility: maybe nice guys don't exactly finish last?

2009-05-14T23:12:00.010-04:00

A few people have posted some really provocative comments. I think I'll hash out some of the ideas presented tomorrow or Saturday. I had a thought while walking Apollo--my dog--this afternoon; I was ruminating on an blog post I read here: Straight Talk About Corporate Social Responsibility. The piece came from Robert Stavins, a faculty member at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government

K.I.S.S - Keep it simple, stupid.

2009-05-10T21:16:00.003-04:00

I don't know when or where I came across this acronym (K.I.S.S: Keep it simple, stupid), probably in a business book. But it makes a lot of sense. I suspect that questions about how one should live life, is one that rests on the minds of many. You know, variations on "How to live a meaningful life?" or "What does it mean to be a good person?", all that jazz. Ideas about "figuring out life",

Purpose: Accept or Create?

2009-05-05T21:43:00.005-04:00

"Purpose...It's that little flame that lights a fire under your ass." - Avenue QI had the privilege of chatting with my very great friend, Nick, yesterday afternoon at Michigan State University. Over the course of conversation we covered several topics, per usual. He's a wise friend, so I threw him a question I've been gnawing on. I don't remember the question exactly, but it was about purpose.In

How with all this rage shall beauty hold a plea?

2009-04-26T11:54:00.002-04:00

For those that don't know, Ralph Williams is a legendary professor at the University of Michigan. He gave is final, final formal lecture last week. He spoke about many things, but in that lecture and in the lecture he gave as the capstone of the "Of Human Bonding" class, he made reference to the devastating, complicated and exceptional moment in history we currently live in. I am going to

Last Daily Column

2009-04-25T15:43:00.003-04:00

This was my last published piece in The Michigan Daily. I've included it because the paragraph I cared about most was edited out. It would've been the last paragraph of the column.Neil Tambe: The leaders and the best? By Neil Tambe On April 15th, 2009 It's true that I admire

Fire Talk 2.0...I found it!

2009-04-25T15:06:00.003-04:00

I posted previously in (Fire Talk 2.0 - What Motivates Me/4.11.09) that I had lost my original sheet that I had written up. Thankfully, I finally found it. Here is the original prose, in its entirety. I made one set of revisions which are in red strikethrough text on 4.3.09.Fire Talk 2.0 - What Motivates Me (Original text written immediately after University of Michigan Dance Marathon on

Wordle is sweet

2009-04-20T13:45:00.002-04:00

This web-app is sick.

"you're living the dream baby"

2009-04-15T00:30:00.000-04:00

I think I've managed to somehow meet all the best people on campus...gChat from this evening:Hans: be thankful for the things you've been given, the friends you've been surrounded by, the opportunities you've had, the memories you've made, and be hopeful for the future that awaits youit's really all you could ever wantyou're living the dream baby me: I think you've just managed to sum up

Fire Talk 2.0 - What Motivates Me

2009-04-11T15:25:00.005-04:00

University of Michigan Dance Marathon (UMDM) ended at around 4pm on a Sunday. The experience of it all and one particular conversation with someone--I'll spare her name here since I haven't asked her permission to mention it--about "[not] completely drinking the kool-aid about anything" inspired me to draft this...proclamation of sorts...immediately after the event. It's something I've been

In support of politics...it can be done

2009-02-22T11:40:00.002-05:00

I had an interesting conversation, as I often do with the friends I was with, about politics. The question was prompted by discussion about student-group politics at the University of Michigan. The opinion of my other two conversation partners was that politics is a not so great thing (their opinions were stronger, but I'll just leave it at that). I disagree, I think politics can be done well

Befriending Strangers - Why do we inflict hurt?

2009-02-01T03:21:00.002-05:00

I had a few bad experiences with strangers in the past 36 hours. Once trying to get a table at the bar, once at the hockey game, once walking back from the hockey game. For a moment, I started to lose faith in strangers. To say that is a big deal. Most people in this world are strangers to us.I wonder, what dictates the way people conduct themselves to those they have little obligations to--

A thought, only quickly.

2009-01-26T17:50:00.003-05:00

We must never err in our commitment to doing what is right. If we do, we will fail. It is a certainty. Even further, we must be feverish in our persistence to the path towards truth. I am willing to gamble everything valuable and invaluable that what is true is that which is right. The difficulty is that we must be tenaciously persistent in advancing what is right, while also being absolutely

Why do we distrust government?

2008-12-24T19:29:00.013-05:00

I have been reminded that I Haven't followed through to much on blogging, and I think it's time to get started again.Why do we distrust government?Though, before beginning on this line of reasoning, I'd like to elaborate on government. What is it and what isn't it, (in ways relevant of whether or not we should trust government)?What isn't government?Government is certainly not a physical entity.

Family Ties

2007-12-31T21:43:00.000-05:00

Why do we value family ties more than other ones? Why do family ties receive special treatment? It doesn't seem to make sense. Well, I'm not complaining that the ties do, just it doesn't seem like it should be a given.I think that it could be compared to nationalism. I wish I could remember some of the arguments for and against nationalism. I know they exist, I wish I was more of a

2007-12-24T20:12:00.000-05:00

I think it has been a little bit too long since I've last blogged. As per my timestamps, the last post I made was in May of this year. As I recall it was just as I was heading in DC. I suppose that a lot has happened since then, perhaps nothing meaningful has. Maybe everything meaningful has. Regardless, I thought it was about time for an update.I was watching television this evening. It

2007-06-03T01:12:00.000-04:00

What dreams may come?As golden fields of cornturn to ranches, then mountains, then desert.My father and IHe a young man againTraveling for a new lifeout of circumstance, not choice.He needs a life.Like a younger man, again.I see myself in the windshield.[pause]I am a younger man, too.-----------------There's some shit that people shouldn't just have to do.Like burying a child, or a mother before

Spiderman3

2007-05-17T21:25:00.000-04:00

Okay. So the last words of the movie Spiderman 3 (don't worry, I won't spoil the plot) are: "We always have a choice to do the right thing". Okay, let's say we do. I think it's fairly obvious that the so called 'right thing' isn't always done. Why?Just as my last observation was fairly obvious, I think 'it's hard' is a fairly obvious response. Not good enough. There has to be more to

In Memorioum

2007-01-11T21:41:00.000-05:00

My grandfather was a good man. I could pretend to tell you that I knew this firsthand because of some fantastic relationship we had. Maybe I could draft a narrative about some fishing trips, or how I told him about my first kiss, or about how he described my dad when he was my age. The truth is, I can't. I barely knew the guy. The truth is, I couldn't have know him. He lived halfway across

Flexibility, Commitment, Love? Wha?

2006-12-08T09:31:00.000-05:00

I’m usually pretty emo and reflective after date parties. Today is no different. But, this is more important, I think, than talking about the happenings of a date party. But, perhaps these thoughts are motivated by the happenings of the evening. I suppose. Lately, I’ve been coming to appreciate my parents, and their marriage, more. They didn’t have the most admirable marriage that I I’ve

CD Hunt

2006-11-03T23:07:00.000-05:00

So, I was on my way to Borders today after work.Luckily I found myself there. Otherwise I wouldn't be listening to this great music."The Essential India" is what I'm listening too. It's a three-cd set, with one disc for Bollywood Gold, one disc for classical acoustic, and one disc for more contemporary chart-toppers.Talib Kweli's album wasn't there. Jason Robert Brown wasn't there. I couldn't

Progressions

2006-10-20T23:06:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry Mr. Blog. You've been idle for too long.I spoke with Jennie (my boss/co-worker) the other day. Among other things, like higher education and leadership theory, we were speaking about an exercise that all student workers in the division of student affairs are doing. It was a skills assesment. So we were discussing, and we got on the topic of "being authentic" in the context of human

Just?

2006-09-06T22:28:00.000-04:00

So, I just got back to my place from studying downstairs. I've been reading quite a bit; I'm halfway up to my eyeballs as of yet. Still plenty of steam left.Anyway, I've been reading a good load about the O.J. Simpson trial--as required for my Legal Philosophy class--and it's been rather interesting. The last line of the reading prompted some thoughts about what is just and morally correct.

The Killer Thrill

2006-09-01T21:43:00.000-04:00

Thrills just need to be felt. My age cohort thrives on thrill. We learn, work, and play all in a thrilling fashion. We are addicted.Look at the academic system for example. The system is high intensity with high-stakes and a high yield for rewards. Those who are strong push, push, and push. The ambitious ones survive and in turn seek more thrills and successes.The same goes for the social