Some of my family and friends will say that books ruined me. My wife and I left the Mormon church with our four kids in tow last September. For years, I was told never to read religious materials unless they came straight from the church. Luckily, I have a wife with a PhD who tookContinue reading Have Books Ruined Me? Let’s Find Out.
It was my first time blessing the sacrament (communion) in a Mormon church, and I bungled it. Most boys forget words or mispronounce phrases, but I went a step further by wearing a blue shirt. This was a faux pas of my religious duties. The church, like other religions, creates expectations or commandments (call themContinue reading A Blue Shirt In a Mormon Church
2,400 years ago, Sophocles wrote a play that still grips us today. It’s powerful, philosophical, tragic, and fascinating. The drama is called Antigone, and it took me about an hour to read. Did I love it? Yes, I did. There are two characters to pay attention to: Antigone and Creon. Antigone wants to bury herContinue reading I Dare You to Read Antigone by Sophocles
Let’s do a thought experiment. Assume you’ve just come back from your doctor who’s given you 30 days to live. You decide to make the most of your time on earth by being with loved ones, learning to taste your food before you gulp it down, going outside to feel the sunshine on your face,Continue reading How to Pick Your Next Book
I love our reading rituals. Many of you share with me your morning routine of enjoying a good book with a cup of coffee. Maybe you’re like Cal Newport, author of “Deep Work” and “Slow Productivity,” who enjoys munching on crackers while reading. Or perhaps you read while walking on a treadmill, commuting to work,Continue reading Reading Rituals
We had a car blow up yesterday. Well, it didn’t blow up, but the engine seized. Somehow, all the oil leaked from the engine while my son was driving, and now the car is headed for the junkyard. We towed it to a mechanic, who couldn’t explain how it happened. We changed the oil regularly,Continue reading Having “One Thing” Helps Me
This is nerdy, I know, but I love it. Check out the app Loud Typer for your Mac. I’ve been using it for over a year now. When you download it to your laptop, you can tell it what sounds to make when you press a key on your keyboard. From the dropdown menu, selectContinue reading Turn Your Mac Into a Typewriter
Reading is my favorite way to spend the day, but I have a limit. After so many pages, my brain turns to mush, and I have to go for a walk, listen to music, and make a cup of coffee. Then again, there are days when the reading mood strikes, and I can sit inContinue reading When the Reading Mood Strikes
Give in to your book. Stop forcing it, stressing out about it, or squeezing it into predefined boxes. Stop getting through it, inflating it, or hiding from it. Just be with your book. Let it lead you by the hand. Give it space to teach you, excite you, and surprise you. Reading is not aContinue reading Give In to Your Book
I live in Utah, surrounded by the majestic Rocky Mountains. Every time someone visits from out of state, they marvel at the breathtaking landscape. It’s undeniably beautiful and incredibly inspiring. I’ve climbed several peaks and have come to appreciate the value of flat ground. Climbing is exhausting—Utah’s desert heat, dryness, and unforgiving terrain add toContinue reading A Reading Break