On some topics. That I still intend to talk about. — On a virtual writing workshop, the instructor was pepping us up. “You don’t need advanced degrees. You don’t need years of experience. You are an expert! Own it in your writing and pitches!” In the late 2010s, this advice was everywhere. Find a niche topic (the kind that doesn’t have…

A taxonomy of tiredness and what to do about it. — The feeling of needing a break can be visceral and unmistakable. Progress grinds to a halt, you’re physically uncomfortable, and frustration is rising. At some point, even the most stubborn must admit there’s no more blood to be pulled from this stone and step away from their task. But now…

And is it there to be found? — I miss physics exams. Back then, all the information I needed fit on a couple of pages. A few equations and laws, and once you knew them, it was all about technique. You used them in a variety of calculations, learning subtle nuances and learned to recognize trick questions. The…

When what you are best at isn’t up to the task anymore — I prided myself on my decision-making ability. I was great at letting the irrelevant factors fall away, looking at the facts, and just wandering around as my subconscious chewed on them. I’d stay in a state of pre-commitment — holding my cards close to my vest — not ruling anything…

A gradual buildup of needs that suddenly become pressing — My priority list hadn’t changed in years. What’s always been important to me, in a big picture, life-and-career sense, is still important to me. But I’ve been noticing though journaling recently that spending all my attention on my priority list, like research quests, science, and art, wasn’t working for me. …

The best days are the ones when I take a little longer to decide what to do. Partially because if I do know exactly what to do, it’s because there’s some ghastly deadline bearing down on me. Those days are always worse. Partially because if I do know exactly what…

I’ve been reflecting on how a lot of changes can happen at once, without you noticing, until suddenly you do. One such change that my main creative stumbling block shifted from having too few ideas to having too many. I’m in a whole new regime regarding what limits my progress. …

I thought I was done learning to cook. I was good enough at it to make meals I found palatable — the only standard that really mattered. I had my go-to spice-blend of turmeric, coriander, and chilli that made the flavors pop in vegetables, beans, and eggs. Gradually, my cooking…

Disorienting, isn’t it? — Lately, I’ve been reflecting about how change has been sneaking up on me over the past few years. One of the more innocuous of these changes was an expansion of my aesthetic tastes. I’ve always liked a certain dark, vintage, minimalist style — think Sherlock Holmes’ house on Baker Street…

…and fantasy books, historical dramas, and reflection. — This has been a rough week (and month and year) for news. With regard to women’s rights, climate change, and the health of democracy, we’ve received significant setbacks. The era we grew up in, where we could take progress for granted, is gone. …

Our priorities are shifting, because they should. — Does everything seem different to you? When did that happen? The world has been changing continuously but we hadn’t updated our picture of it. Like that baby-faced ID photo that looks nothing like us now. Everything is confusing, but that didn’t just happen. It had been getting more confusing over…