Category: Life
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Thank you, Faiz
My friend Faiz Ahmed passed away yesterday. Thanks for being a good friend. Thanks for being you. Thanks for encouraging me with my writing, including reading the very rough first draft of Creative Doing. Thanks for writing your blog. Thanks for reading and sharing your ideas. Thanks for living your life so fully, for being…
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A final goodbye
Today, I visited a friend in palliative care. I was joined by three other friends, and the shared presence made the trip feel lighter. We talked to each other and his family in his hospital room. Our friend’s eyes were closed, and he didn’t respond to our comments. He seemed to be sleeping. He looked…
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Evening constitutional
Even during the winter, one of my favorite times of day is going for a stroll with my wife after dinner. It’s very helpful for digestion, so it’s known as a “constitutional,” or more crudely as a, “fart walk.” In Chinese, the term is, “散步.” I remember my grandparents doing this every night. If you…
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5 ideas I will be practicing this year
Work with what you’ve got. Bonus points if you’re struggling. Nobody else can push your buttons, unless you let them. You can impress other people without trying to be impressive. Relax. Don’t let a misunderstanding blow up or distract you from your goals. The best way to get through a difficult moment is to be…
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Third places on Christmas
When I grew up, Christmas was a day to spend at home or in someone else’s house. The convention was to be with family. Even if you weren’t, there wasn’t really an option, because most of the stores were closed. (Chinese restaurants were an exception!) That’s less the case now. There are several restaurants and…
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Thank you, Keane
My friend Keane Tan passed away eight years ago. He was 26. Thanks for encouraging me with my writing. Thanks for showing me how open the world was, and how everyone was one cold email away. Thanks for helping me and our friends win the first year case competition. Thanks for letting me in after…