Sometimes we want to be seen by others, while other times we want to hide. When the desire not to be seen is stronger than our desire to be outstanding, we limit our success.

As I looked down from the top of the parking structure, I noticed all the people, with their own chaotic lives, behaving in a very orderly manner. The signs and lights of a street had so much power that they automatically produce compliance. Even a simple line in the ground has the authority that we are afraid to cross it.

Why should we be afraid? It’s not a person who can actually do it something. Even if you are alone at the dead of night, waiting at a red light, do you dare to defy the authority of… Continue reading

As adults, we constantly need to be on the look out for manipulators. Is someone trying to take advantage of us? In a world of ulterior motives, it’s refreshing when you can experience honest emotions that ask for nothing in return.

I was in church a few Sundays ago when I had an amazing experience. It was towards the end of the service, when the children are released back to their parents, and a little boy went up to his mother, smiled, and said “I’m so glad to see you.” How beautiful is that? He wasn’t asking for anything. He was just happy to be in his mother’s presence.

Using Unapologetic Emotions

Over the past few months I’ve been feeling that logic has been running me down and even ruining my life. Everything… Continue reading

Moleskines are kind of expensive, so you must treat them with a certain respect. Feeling a bit rebellious, I gutted a Moleskine Pocket and turned it into a reusable platform to be filled with cheap, yet high quality, refills.

I had a Moleskine Pocket lying around that I won from being a finalist in the My Moleskine 2.0 competition a few months back. I was a little bit bored, so I decided to turn it into a refillable cover, with the intention of putting some sort of workbook inside.

For now, I just filled it with 25% cotton ivory paper ($12/300 sheets), which I stitched together according to these directions. Theoretically, I can make about 20 booklets with one… Continue reading

A lot of post-modern thought has gone into symbolic reality. Advances in technology has allowed us to do many things simply for the sake of doing it. Overcoming challenges has moved from being a necessity to a luxury. When you do something, what’s the point?

I’ve been learning about a lot of physical stuff lately. I’ve been practicing parkour. I started doing yoga according to this chart. I’ve also been looking into bodyweight exercises by Christopher Sommers and Jeet Kune Do by Bruce Lee. Something I love about these disciplines is there is a higher reason for the things they do.

What is Natural?

I read a news article a little while ago that claims our ancient ancestors were able to easily complete physical feats that rival even the… Continue reading

I’ve been practicing parkour for the past week and I’m very excited. I feel a new sense of freedom because I now have a way to interact with my environment, rather than being defined by it.

Parkour is a physical discipline of moving through obstacles with efficiency. Imagine Jackie Chan running away from the bad guys. When I started telling my friends what I’ve been doing, I also found out that “hardcore parkour” was featured in The Office a few weeks ago. Parkour has received media attention from people jumping from roof to roof, but it has much more to offer to a person seeking self-actualization.

Freedom from Others

Sometimes I feel trapped by my urban surroundings. I am confined by buildings and follow predetermined paths. There are many people (civil engineers… Continue reading