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Mary Lou Retina
As the ophthalmologist was preparing me for photocoagulation this afternoon, it took every ounce of restraint in my body to not turn to him and say, “Do you expect me to talk?” That’s because, until today, my only knowledge of laser surgery came from this scene: It turns out that…
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Bird Lines
Our neighborhood has looked a bit Hitchcockian since the weather got cool. Large flocks of birds have taken up residence on power lines all over South Tampa. It looks a bit menacing, doesn’t it? I assure you there’s nothing to worry about unless you believe in omens or don’t like…
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Here Comes the Sun (an Hour Earlier Than Yesterday)
Daylight Saving Time1 kicked in yesterday, and lots of people seem upset. I’m not one of them. I time my runs with the sunrise, and an earlier start means I won’t be late for work. Ergo, I won’t have to give up sights like this — the blue hour from…
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Somebody Alert Ed McMahon
Is there anything more fun than pretending you’ve misheard your other half?1 I do this all the time with the Complimentary Spouse, and he seems to enjoy it. In fact, he’s a good sport and goes along with it. I pretend to mishear him anywhere and anytime I want — even…
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Acceptance, Change, and Me
I have been thinking lately about how difficult it is to balance radical acceptance and self-growth. It has always been a challenge for me, and I’m willing to bet for many others, because the two concepts seem to have disparate objectives. First, some definitions. Radical acceptance is the ability to…
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Frankly, My Dear …
Dear Hollywood, Please stop using “from the studio that brought you …” as a selling point when you promote new movies. It’s disingenuous. It’s ludicrous. It’s like EMI telling people they’ll enjoy Iron Maiden’s “Dance of Death” because it comes from the same label as the Beatles’ “St. Pepper’s Lonely…
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Cults, Myths, and Conspiracies
On Tuesday, hundreds of Qanon supporters turned out in Dallas1, believing that John F. Kennedy Jr. would return from the dead and dance the batusi with Steve Buscemi.2 Spoiler alert: JFK Jr. didn’t show up. But the bigger picture is worrying. I’m not the first person to realize that, for…
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Meditation Observations
Today is the 500th day in a row that I’ve meditated. To celebrate, I’d like to share five hundred things I’ve learned: There are infinite ways to meditate: I like guided mindfulness meditation, but there’s no end of things to try if you’re interested. It’s always useful, even when it…
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There Is Nothing Either Good or Bad, but Thinking Makes it So
I don’t have a successful relationship with self-help books. When I pick one up, it’s either because the name catches my eye — “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck” comes to mind — or I hear about it from a friend. If the book resonates with me, I’ll…
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Whimsy in Havana
I wrote a post yesterday about a display of whimsy I discovered in Sarasota. I just realized that I didn’t mention one of the most whimsical places the Complimentary Spouse and I have ever visited: Havana, Cuba. When Americans think about Havana, they usually picture dilapidated buildings, food shortages, and…
The Daily Dave
Live, laugh, logorrhea