Items about anything and everything
What I’ve Learned from Writing On June 23, 2024, I published my first post on Yogiwan.us—a simple “Hello World” that marked the beginning of a small project I started mostly for myself. I had no real audience in mind, no monetization plan, no urge to build followers or chase likes. I just wanted a space…
(Or: Why We No Longer Know What’s True) There was a time—not so long ago—when “being informed” meant something. You read the newspaper. You watched the evening news. You listened to voices that, for all their flaws, were anchored in reporting, fact-checking, and editorial standards. You may not have agreed with everything they said—but you…
Building Online Still Takes Work (No Matter What the Ads Say) There was a time — not so long ago — when building an online business took real work. You needed a real product, a serviceable understanding of the tools, and the discipline to learn, test, revise, and persist. It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t flashy….
And Other Mysteries of Modern Tech Where did the everyday user go? And does Microsoft even care anymore? I recently attempted something wildly ambitious. Not building a rocket. Not editing a podcast. I tried to read a book. On my Surface Pro 7. Specifically, a Kindle book. You know, the kind I can read on…
(Because I’m Not Repeating That Again) The jazz is playing, the lights are mostly on, and the future still looks bright There was a time—maybe not so long ago—when enjoying music meant a little work. I had hundreds of vinyl albums and CDs, sorted (mostly) by genre: jazz, pop, Broadway musicals, blues, even a little…
My Tablet Setup Saga In the early 1980s, we were introduced to a brand-new concept: the personal computer. IBM’s PC arrived in 1981, and the Apple Macintosh followed in 1984. By today’s standards, those machines were laughably clunky—limited in speed, memory, graphics, and the ability to do more than one thing at a time. But…
We are almost into Summer (June 20) and should well be into grilling time. So I thought I would go back and pull some of my material from the Your Smart Kitchen newsletters and republish them here. These tips and recipes were good then and should still be useful. Tips for beef: When picking steaks,…
From LPs to playlists—when the jazz never stopped Jazz doesn’t just age well—it matures, like a fine wine or a favorite old coat. It gets more comfortable, more familiar, and yet somehow more meaningful. And if you’ve been listening to it for a few decades, it becomes the soundtrack not just to your evenings, but…
When DJs picked the playlist, jazz clubs whispered magic, and discovery took time When I was in high school, most of the kids were glued to the pop charts. And to be fair, that era—late ’50s through the ’70s—produced some of the best music ever recorded, much of which is still being played today. But…
Memorial Day is this weekend which the de facto start of Summer and is also the start of grilling season. I have borrowed a couple of delicious burger recipes and since my daughter only eats chicken, there is a chicken burger to start. Also, there are a couple of salad suggestions in case you do…
Or: Why My Light Switch Now Needs a Software Update We used to joke that we’d never understand our kids. These days, I’m not sure I understand my house. A while ago, I dipped a toe into the “smart home” world. It started innocently enough — a smart plug to control a lamp behind the…
(Or: How Data Tries To Take Over Even In My Own House) “My Smartwatch Thinks I’m in Trouble — Even When I’m Just Napping” Back in the day, if you were breathing, standing upright, and didn’t spill your coffee, that was enough proof you were alive. These days, my smartwatch needs confirmation every ten minutes…
Will New Elites Rise or Will Power Concentrate Forever? Every major leap in technology reshapes who holds power — and who doesn’t. The Industrial Revolution created a new class of factory tycoons and financiers. The oil age crowned energy barons. The internet minted tech billionaires who’ve reshaped markets, media, and even the way we think….
Wealth, Education, and the Risks of Unequal Transformation When we imagine the future, it’s tempting to picture a dazzling world of possibility — where artificial intelligence anticipates our needs, biotech prevents illness before it starts, and clean energy powers an interconnected planet with little environmental cost. And where boring work is mostly replaced by ever-increasingly…
When you take a step back and look at the last 80 years, the magnitude of change is almost overwhelming. Daily life, work, health, communication, transportation — all reshaped, rebuilt, and reimagined in ways our grandparents could scarcely have imagined. It leads naturally to a question: Could the next 80 years bring a transformation of…
A Revolution in Living Recently, I came across an article extolling the benefits of doing a “life review” — where people systematically reflect on their past, through conversations or writing, to identify character strengths and develop greater self-awareness.While I’m not setting out to do one formally, it did cause me to pause and think about…
I am falling behind with my writing. Last week the weather was too good to stay inside all day and my garden needed a lot of attention toward getting it started. Besides I am retired as should get to do what I want when I want to. So article posting took a back seat last…
From “Are we there yet?” to “Where’s the next Starbucks?” My memories of road trips aren’t complete, though to be fair, that’s true for most things that happened before last Tuesday. One of the earliest I do remember was sometime around seventh or eighth grade. My mom and I were driving to Chicago (the reason…
“Write It Off” Comfort Meal Because if the IRS gets your money, you should at least get a great meal. Tax Day has a way of bringing out a very particular mood—somewhere between mild despair and triumphant survival. Whether you’re writing a check to Uncle Sam or nervously watching your refund creep through the IRS…
The Other Half of the Picture Previously, I posted about the benefits of reverse mortgages—and yes, they are substantial. Eliminating a monthly mortgage payment can really free up cash flow. Having the ability to access what was once “untouchable” home equity gives older homeowners more flexibility in dealing with major expenses like medical bills, home…
The Quiet Exit: Tiger Woods, the Masters, and Golf’s Changing Face Here we are again, just weeks away from the Masters—Augusta’s annual pageant of golf history and hope. But this year, one of the most familiar figures in the game won’t be walking the fairways. Tiger Woods, once the face of golf’s modern renaissance, will…
A Second Look with Fresh Eyes You’ve probably seen the ads—Tom Selleck giving you that knowing look, talking about reverse mortgages. I’ve had more than one friend say, “If Magnum P.I. is pitching it (or should it be NYPD police commissioner) , maybe I should pay attention.” And honestly, they might be onto something. So…
April 13th is Peach Cobbler Day! The birds are chirping, and the snow is all but done failing, except in the mountains. The days are finally getting longer, and sunshine should be a mandatory ingredient in every upcoming recipe. Too much of anything always seems to end up being a bad thing in one aspect…
A Promising Start When I first picked up a pickleball paddle, I was looking for something simple: light exercise, a few laughs, and maybe a chance to meet some like-minded folks. The game seemed perfect—easy to learn, low-impact, and everywhere you turned, someone was singing its praises. My wife and I started at about the…
The Masters Edition Introduction: The Augusta Mystique… or Myth? Every April, millions of us plop down in front of our screens, mesmerized by Augusta National’s emerald fairways, blooming azaleas, and the soothing hum of Jim Nantz telling us it’s “a tradition unlike any other.” But let’s be honest—beneath all that beauty lies a hard truth…
One of the benefits of having been around so long and having a couple of business adventures in the past is that I run across material I forgot was there. Every once in a while, I do l review some of the material that is archived in my history files. This is the case today…
When Sci-Fi Satire Meets Real-Life Asteroids So, here we are. Again. Humanity faces an existential threat from space, and—just like in the 2021 satirical film Don’t Look Up—we’re probably going to spend more time arguing about it on social media than actually doing something useful. NASA is currently tracking asteroid 2024 YR4, which has a…
My last few posts were pretty heavy stuff. So it is time to lighten up a bit. We just moved into March and today the weather is abnormal at just under 70 degrees. Tomorrow we are supposed to get snow. Thus a typical March which is usually all mixed up. (I drafted this on Saturday…
How to Fix History Education and Make Real Change Introduction: Why Fixing History Education Feels Impossible—And Why It’s Not If reforming history education feels like trying to move a mountain with a spoon, you’re not alone. The system is deeply entrenched, tangled in bureaucracy, politics, and competing ideologies. Schools answer to local, state, and federal…
Recommendations for History Education in a Diverse World Introduction So, how do we actually implement a history curriculum that strikes this balance? That’s the big question. We don’t need a complete overhaul—what we need is a smarter, more nuanced approach that respects foundational achievements while making space for diverse perspectives. The goal is to educate…
