My insurance against breakdowns is a bicycle in the trunk — I’m a broke writer, so that means I have a contentious relationship with vehicles. They cost too much and they break down. When they break down, the expense of repairing them is always a burden. One of the biggest tricks that will help you navigate life is to prioritize the…

Don’t set yourself up to become a victim of identity theft — I was listening to an audiobook at the gym when I paused to send myself an email. I send myself a lot of notes about ideas that I can turn into articles throughout the day. I pulled my phone from my pocket and touched the screen. I didn’t drop my…

You can’t make anyone embrace decency by force — I found Ryan the mechanic slumped over his workstation and I felt a sharp stab of concern. We’ve developed a friendly banter over the years even though I only see him when I get my oil changed. “Are you okay?” I asked in a friendly tone. “You look tired.” “I…

The ability to participate in uncensored communication with your fellow human beings is a human right — I saw a post criticizing Megan Rapinoe and foolishly left a response in her defense. “She’s an American champion and a heroic public figure,” I wrote. Later on, I discovered that the individual who posted the initial criticism had over 200k followers. The next morning, I awoke to find them…

There’s nothing “noble” in declaring your tone-deaf indifference to the realities of human suffering — My wife’s father grew up on a small farm in rural Peru. He was the second son, and when he turned sixteen, his parents told him his older brother would inherit the family property. Realizing he faced a life of labor with no chance at personal advancement, he got up…

When navigating the internet, you must be brave, keep scrolling, and never look back — Yesterday one of my readers left a comment that my work sometimes made him depressed. He kindly emphasized that he felt my writing was important, but mentioned that the depressing state of our dystopian reality can be too much to take in all at once. In the past, I have…

The war on education has more casualties than any other conflict in history — I remember my first days as a young teacher. There was one student that the staff recognized as being highly intelligent. I was excited to meet him, but I was surprised to discover I felt slightly intimidated on the first day of class. He came in quietly and took his…

What happens when nobody remains to assault those who refuse to stand for the anthem? — During my days as a reckless youth, I once found myself riding a bus up a mountain in South America. Except for a tiny abandoned hut, the landscape consisted of nothing but rocks and sand as far as the eye could see. There were no people, no signs of civilization…

If you choose a revenue insecure profession, your whole life becomes a side hustle — My wife and I were curled up on the sofa, about to watch a movie, when my kids started screaming. “Daddy! Daddy! Daddy! It’s the end of the world!” Instantly, my wife, the dog and I accelerated up the stairs, barely touching the floor as we ascended. The dog was…