These photos of Black folks skating at the Savoy Ballroom in Chicago from 1941 are just priceless. Look at how dressed up folks are! And love how joyful and silly everyone is. Oh and apparently photobombing was always a thing? Photographer: Russell Lee, 1903-1986 Source: Library of Congress
Self-knowledge and the Thrilling Unknown
I’m not sure where this insight or thought experiment came from. Possibly a professor in undergrad or a weird book I happened to pick up. It pertains to the continual quest for self-knowledge. It goes like this: Imagine everything that is true about you as a box full of facts, beliefs, ideals, fears, and other…
The Joy of Breathing Freely
After weeks of labored breathing, to go any entire day without having to use my rescue inhaler is just heavenly.
“This is the true joy in life…” George Bernard Shaw
This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life…
Meandering through Mexico with Amy
The year was 1992. I was 23 years old, an aimless college grad on my own. I had just spent a year volunteering at a legal aid society in El Paso, Texas, helping refugees apply for political asylum in the United States. It was an eye-opening experience for me, living in a border town, learning…
2024 Round Up: Skate Travels and Teaching, Hiking SF, Challah for Papa
As I wrote in the previous post, lots of 2024 was spent dealing with external events that impacted my life. Which was a lot. But I also accomplished quite a bit. Published the Definitive History of Yehoodi.com I began 2024 with the release of a 39-page history of the online community Yehoodi.com, a labor of…
2024 Year in Review: Bad Knees, Bullies, Death and Unexpected Joy
At its face, 2024 was not the best year ever. Let’s run down the awfulness: But honestly, despite all of these events – and in some ways because of them – 2024 was still a pretty great year. Let’s break it down. Problems Money Can Solve Someone said “You are fortunate if you have problems…
Tribute to the Kouign Amann Krew (2017-2024)
In 2017, I was completely obsessed with French pastries. If there was a new bakery in town, or a favorite shop had a new seasonal item, my brain just couldn’t let it go. I simply could not sit still knowing there was a delicious pastry only a few minutes from me that I hadn’t tried…
Learning to Skate as Building New Neural Pathways
I’ve been thinking about how learning to skate is both a physical and a mental skill. Of course you need to be able to physically move your body in certain ways, and involves a certain amount of strength in your legs, butt and core. But perhaps the harder aspect of skating is building up the…
I Made a Sweater Vest!
It only took five months and at least four attempts. But I learned a lot!