Personal

If it were not for doctors and medical science, I would have been dead for 30 years. (I suffered acute appendicitis, which was quickly resolved at a local hospital.) In fact, most people over the age of fifty would be dead were it not for life-saving drugs, medical procedures, and the care of doctors and…

My doctor, Peter Attia, writes: “If you’re interested in longevity… you want to prioritize muscle mass.” And he recommends three forms of exercise: Zone 1 is strength training, which can be done through weights or isometrics. I do both.  Zone 2 is low-grade cardio, where you’re not so breathless that you can’t hold a conversation,…

Wilfred M. McClay, winner of the Bradley Prize, remarked on May 17, 2022: Would a serious country so completely lose perspective on its own past that it would entertain the idea that the nation was founded on slavery, rather than on the ideals that have made it a beacon to the rest of the world?…

He was born with a gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad. —Raphael Sabatini from Scaramouche. That quotation is about another heroic character, but it could just as well apply to Edmond Rostand’s hero, Cyrano de Bergerac. Cyrano is a delightful movie. It stars Peter Dinklage—who I believe gives a brilliant performance—as…

There is an intriguing and, I think, truly important essay by Tracy Dennis-Tiwary who has devoted the past 20 years to understanding difficult emotions like anxiety. She is a Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience and has a new book, Future Tense: Why Anxiety Is Good for You (Even Though It Feels Bad). It is so…

Dear Friends, Many of you know that I am a student of Objectivism, and some of you know why. But others may wonder why I’m so attracted to the philosophy and give it so much time and investment. A wonderful summary is contained in “Introducing Objectivism,” which is a column that Ayn Rand wrote on…

“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark… Do not let the hero in your soul perish…” – Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged In my last blog, I posed a question: What do you do to keep your fire burning? It ignited a lot of interest. Thank you for your posted answers and…

(Since many of my family and friends are advancing in age, I thought this post may be helpful. I do hope it is.) Generally, doctors are very smart, hard-working, and conscientious—and incredibly busy. Their knowledge and skills vary widely. Obviously, doctors can be outstanding, caring, life-saving professionals. Or on the other hand… Generally, the advice…

“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark….” Ayn Rand wrote that.  I have a question for you: How do you keep your fire burning? How do you keep your fire burning for each day, each week, month…. What are your thoughts and ideas for keeping your fire burning… brightly? Once I…

A philosopher once told me that the way one ends a relationship says a lot about a person’s character. Yelling and screaming recriminations and walking out and slamming the door is damaging to the people involved. Unfortunately, such endings are common. So often, relationships end badly—sometimes with great loss, trauma, or even tragedy. There are…