I like defiance because it’s positive instead of negative. It’s creative rather than destructive. It’s a “yes” in answer to somebody’s “no.” It’s a step into the world you’d rather be living in. And it’s time-honored across cultures: from the ancient Christians who continued meeting when the Roman emperor banned it; to Gandhi making saltContinue reading “Letter of Recommendation: Defiance”
Category Archives: redtailhawk
The Wisdom of Youth
I’ve been watching a lot of vlogs lately with 20-somethings dispensing sage life advice. It reminded me that when I was that age, I thought I knew everything, and at the same time, I was totally insecure about myself and my knowledge about the world. As I’ve gotten older, I’m more sure of what IContinue reading “The Wisdom of Youth”
Letter of Recommendation: Black Panther
I had the good fortune of seeing Black Panther the weekend it opened in Vegas with a festive full house, many of whom were dressed as their favorite Marvel Cinematic Universe character or in African regalia. I’ve seen the movie multiple times since, and honestly I think I would list it in my top 20Continue reading “Letter of Recommendation: Black Panther”
The Kimchi Index
So I just put up a new batch of kimchi, and I felt so ridiculously happy I figured I’d best ponder that for a minute. Here’s the answer: Making kimchi requires enough time and specific resources—ingredients, containers, etc.—that if I can pull it off, it’s a good indicator that I feel settled. That’s why myContinue reading “The Kimchi Index”
Grateful Eating
This isn’t the same thing as mindful eating, though they’re related. I’m talking about something more specific and at the same time broader–a way of eating that engages me with the bigger picture of how and why I eat. I think if you were brought up in relatively mainstream America, as I was, grateful eatingContinue reading “Grateful Eating”
German Pflasterstein (Cobblestone) Rating System
This cracks my friend Birgit up, so I thought I’d share it. As I’ve mentioned before, cobblestones are tough on Lucky, my Bike Friday, with his 20-inch wheels. And cobblestones (pflastersteine or kopfsteinpflaster) are actually getting increasingly common in Berlin as the city tries to find ways to limit rain run-off and recharge its failingContinue reading “German Pflasterstein (Cobblestone) Rating System”
Aikido and Rhetoric: Refining
Iron is full of impurities that weaken it; through forging, it becomes steel and is transformed into a razor-sharp sword. Human beings develop in the same fashion. Morihei Ueshiba, The Art of Peace But can the man who does not know what abstinence is, claim to be truly abstinent? or brave, if he has never purgedContinue reading “Aikido and Rhetoric: Refining”
Rear Window Berlin Edition: Update!
The denizens of 2G have started dining al fresco given the great weather: it’s two dudes with luxurious pandemic beards down to their chests and, tonight at least, a nice bottle of wine and bouquet of foxgloves on the table. Bon appetit, Beard Bros!
German Word of the Week: Glühbirne
It’s a lightbulb, obvs, but the literal translation is “glow pear”: cutest thing ever.
Rear Window: Berlin Edition
So, its been a couple of months now, and while I haven’t met many of my neighbors–I find Berliners keep mostly to themselves other than the forced ritual of having the DHL guy leave packages with you for other people who then show up sheepishly at your door at 9 pm to collect them–that hasn’tContinue reading “Rear Window: Berlin Edition”
The Rookery 