Prepping for spooky Night brings goblins, witches, ghouls. It's time for candy!   Daily Stoic: "All of us have been made by nature," Rufus said, "so that we can live free from error and nobly — not that one can and another can't, but all." It is not Nature against which my philosophy strives, but man.  In my studies, I must take care to evaluate carefully those ideas I entertain.  Too often, I've allowed myself to be taken in by the charlatan, the fast-talking flim-flam man.  Their proclamations, so self-assured and forcefully stated, convinced me I should believe. So I did.  How many childish shifts from one system to another — Ugh. God Mooooooooom. I am NOT a communist. That was last week. I've grown now and am more muture. I'm an agrarian socialist now. Sheesh! — did I go through?  (Though I can't remember ever actually going through a communist / socialist / Marxist period, it wouldn't surprise if I did.)  I happily weathe...

True morning studies,  Rosy-fingered dawn illume. Phil in my mind space.  Daily Stoic: Philosophy gets the leftovers, right? The Greatest Subject gets what remains of the day I assign to it. It's much more important to catch up on that series or watch that game or follow that celebrity. If I can spare 10 minutes at the end of the day, as I lay in my bed, then that's what it gets.  Why spend time reading the dusty old thoughts of long-dead guys who just sat and thought about things?  Or did they?  Marcus was the  emperor of one of the largest realms in history, during a plague, yet found the time.  Epictetus suffered a horrid life as a slave, including maiming yet found the time.  Seneca, Chrysippus, Junius, Musonius, Posidonius, Cato . . . all lived their philosophy. All were their philosophy so completely that simply being was practice for them.  But I am not them. I do not share their talents and fortitude. So I must lear...

Underlying facts, Unmoving as solid rock. Reality waits.   Daily Stoic: I should not care about someone's title or position or family or other accidentals.  I should care about what kind of person they are . . . or who they may become. In other places, Seneca tells us not to associate with those of unworthy character.  There is no contradiction here because there is a difference between (a) those who have had the chance to become better and steadfastly chosen to remain upon the path to personal prickdom and (b) those who are either too young or too inexperienced to know better or those who have made mistakes but want to learn from them and be a better person. If someone is less than perfect, inviting them to my table can be a good thing in many ways. At the very least, I should be able to set a good example for them.  (If I'm practicing my Stoicism properly, how could I not?)   By asking them to join me, I am giving them a chance to explore better options, ...

Sneezing, sniffling, hell. What is carried on this wind? Accept life. Adapt.   Daily Stoic: The need for human connection is stronger than gravity. No matter how independent I feel, or how introverted or misanthropic, there is still an instinctual drive to connect with other people. Even if I could manage to never feel the need for company in a personal sense, eventually I'll need some thing and that leads to needing some one  (even if it is just a cashier or delivery driver).  More likely though, I'll want the comfort of being with another person; someone to talk with, play with, celebrate with, commiserate with, fight with, love with . . . whatever the desire may be. Wouldn't it be nice if the people whose lives I touch liked me and were helpful to me?  Then I must be likeable and helpful.  How?  By being genuinely kind, caring, honest, interested, friendly, loyal. If I am not these things, why would I expect someone to be that way for me? Today's Medita...

In an easy life, Small problems become mountains. Time to make mole hills.   Daily Stoic: I must be mindful of the example I set. If my child sees me lying or cheating or skirting necessary rules, they will understand that this is acceptable behavior. If my coworker sees me shirk my duties and deliver shoddy results, they will learn that this conduct is allowed. If my wife sees me eying another woman . . . well, I'd be dead so there's no use worrying about that.  Memento mori , right? * [Aside: I know these aren't absolute rules.  For instance, I'm fine with my child learning from me that lying can be done in the right way, for the right reasons, at the right time — think Nazis looking for Jews.  The crux is that such exceptions require additional explanation.  Explanation which must be provided as quickly and clearly as possible after the transgression was committed .] Still, the rule applies: if I want others to behave virtuously, my conduct must adhere to tha...

Share loving-kindness. Metta , through the world to you. Give love in all things. Daily Stoic: For Stoics, all three aim toward one goal: living a life in accordance with Nature.   Other philosophical schools examined these themes for different reasons.  Aristotelians and others made much of exploring the world and categorizing its bits and pieces.  They made elaborate logical frameworks to judge and prove their thoughts.  They looked at different methods of determining right and wrong and spent untold pages explaining them. Stoics covered these same topics with a pragmatic eye toward discovering the best way to live a good life. I've studied these other philosophies — Epicureans, Cynics, Skeptics, Aristotelians, Platonists, scholastics, deontologists, teleologists, utilitarians, etc. — and, while they often fascinated me, they always left me feeling empty.  They stimulated my mind, but never moved my soul. Studying Stoicism (and Zen), gathering wisdom...

Too little sleep drags.  Dragon, through the days of yore.  Did the kings sleep walk?    Daily Stoic: And that is why I study.  Time to be better.  Today's Meditation: Today's Meditation II: Daily Shakespeare: Henry V | Act 4 Scene 3

A whistle! Face off.  Sliding across the strong ice,  Knife-footed gremlins!    Daily Stoic: I like it when the Daily Stoic and the mediations I gather for the day align. Today's fortune brings me one of my favorite themes: be kind.  Marcus reminds me that, no matter how tired I am, or how frustrated or anxious or afraid I am, there's always a reserve of goodness, of kindness, within me that I may choose the better path through whatever challenge I face.  Solon shows me that no matter what accident or malfeasance or act of god happens, if I try to understand, seeking empathy will guide me to kindness.  Schopenhauer teaches me that, no matter how violently I feel anger or malice towards another, if they are fully human in my eyes, I will find mercy and forgiveness.  Epictetus reminds me of what is most valuable: kindness.  Today's Meditation: Today's Meditation II:

Language separates; Washing thoughts through its filter. Drying on a life.    Daily Stoic: My genetics are not under my control. My upbringing, the bad and the good, are neither to my credit nor my discredit.  They are accidents of history. They are facts, not options.  What is to my grace or disgrace? The choices I make.  The actions I take.  The way I live.  Time to be better.  Today's Meditation: Today's Meditation II:

Do right. Do proper. Do more than I need to do. Do kindness and love. Daily Stoic: Sometimes, I may do the right thing, but for the wrong reasons or at the expense of something I should be doing instead. Maybe I'm exercise or dieting so that I look better to others (external) rather than because it makes me healthier and better able to do what I want to do (internal).  Or maybe I get caught up in work and I let pass a chance to spend time with my kids or to do something nice for my wife. Better to make sure my motives are proper (internal, virtuous) and that I choose the more consequential option. I can still do all the important things I want to do while focusing on what I can control, choosing relationships over transactions, and being kind and generous over picayune, momentary pursuits. Today's Meditation: Today's Meditation II: Today's Mediation III: Daily Shakespeare:

Sweet songs on the wind Float down the stream of the day. Washing over all. Daily Stoic: If posterity thinks well of me, that'd be great.  If not, or if they forget me entirely, that would be really hard to accept, except that I won't have to accept it. I'll be dead. So, instead of worrying about what people I will never know think of me (laying aside any anxiety of what my "legacy" may be),  I shift my focus to my actions here and now. If I act according to nature — practicing wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance, caring for others / being kind, helping my community, etc. — my legacy will take care of itself. Today's Meditation: Today's Meditation II: Today's Meditation III:

Fell through the trap door to morning again. Why was there no sleep in between? Daily Stoic: There is no meaning to my life that I do not give to it. It's a huge responsibility. And great honor. And difficult task.  I give my life meaning by the principles by which I live. I must not only choose wisely, but also follow through.  Today's Meditation: Today's Meditation II:

A failure to launch Strands the post in drafts folder. First accident skip.   Daily Stoic: So . . . on a day when the quote is about building good habits I completely flake out and forget to finish and post my daily journal.  There have been a few days this year when I have actively made the decision to forgo posting until the next day, but this is the first time I just plain let it slip. Mea culpa.   This seems like an excellent chance to begin a good habit to replace the bad one which caused my error. Time to be better.

Rough night. Little sleep. The crack of dawn sees me rise To improve health . . . HA! Daily Stoic: Choose good people.  Be good people. I have a good, if small group of friends.  And, other than random people I interact with daily (cashiers, drivers, etc.), the only other place I encounter jerks is at work.  Not often, and not terrible, but even so, these are people I cut out of my life as much as possible.  (To the extent that a project I am working on has been delayed by months because I was counting on one person's cooperation and they were so untrustworthy, I cut them out rather than deal with their issues.) On the other hand, what do I do to be a good friend and someone others want around?  I try to be honest, kind, thoughtful, generous, helpful, reliable, etc. When I find myself coming up short (assuming I notice), I try to make it up to the other person. That's what we do for friends. Today's Meditation: Today's Meditation II: Robert M. Pirsig, ZAAM , on ...