The Everyday Human

January: On Existence  January 26 Today's reflection was inspired by Zora Neale Hurston's novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. Life is broken up into a series of three cycling phases: a time for questions, a time for answers, and a time for nonanswers (vague and roundabout words in response to said questions or perhaps more likely, not answers at all). But despite being an integral part o...

January: On Existence  January 25 Today's reflection was inspired by Sylvia Plath's novel The Bell Jar.  You are promised a great many things that are supposed to make you happy: money, fame, status, a new job, a promotion, a big house, nice car, the perfect partner, sex, alcohol, food, a new watch, a new phone, a new computer, followers, likes--the list goes on. But look around you. How...

January: On Existence  January 24 Today's reflection was inspired by Friedrich Nietzsche's book The Dawn of Day.  You die every night and are reborn every day. And there is a blessing that comes with this type of death--it offers you the opportunity to reflect on the past, choosing what actions and habits you wish to keep and cultivate, or which ones you wish to leave in the past because...

January: On Existence  January 23 Today's reflection was inspired by another instrumental song: "Travelers" by Andrew Prahlow for the video game Outer Wilds.  You are but a traveler,  moving through the journey of life from birth to death.  You begin small, quiet, unsure, but as you grow and journey onward, you become louder and your melody travels to the ears of others where by som...

January: On Existence  January 22 Inspiration for today's reflection comes from Mary Shelley's novel The Last Man. What they don’t tell you before signing up for this wild adventure of existence is that near most every day you will be encumbered with the irrationality and intensity of love and fear. We will go to extremes to protect those we love from harm--doing whatever it takes. No la...

January: On Existence  January 21 Today's reflection was inspired by a quote from Alan Watts, specifically from  Eastern Wisdom, Modern Life: Collected Talks 1960-1969. We're all rushing around in a great panic, aren't we? Worried about achieving something great, leaving a lasting impact, or gaining the adoration and respect of the masses. But how much do we lose of ourselves in thi...

January: On Existence  January 20 Today's reflection was inspired by a poem from Nazim Hikmet called "On Living." How easy is it to consider ourselves as separate? As individuals? Not connected to everything from the sparrow's egg on the porch to the dead deer on the side of the road to humans experiencing tragedy across the globe?  It is easy, but it is dangerous business to d...

January: On Existence  January 19 Today's quote comes from . . . me. And I wrote it down specifically for this book/podcast, so you won't find it in any of my comics or novels. We are sold the idea that we need so much in this world . . . influencers will have us believe we need a new gadget or device, software, supplement, whatever, to help us become strong, smart, and beautiful like th...

January: On Existence  January 18 Today's reflection was inspired by a poem from Emily Dickinson. The stars and the cosmos are vast. And it's easy to lose ourselves in their eternal splendor and mystery. But there is a vastness just as deep within us--in our hearts and minds and souls. The spectrum of emotions we are capable of experiencing is nothing short of astonishing. In this episod...

January: On Existence  January 17 Today's inspiration comes from a quote by Kurt Vonnegut and his book A Man Without a Country. Despite what the news or social media algorithms might have you believe, there are so many beautiful moments in your life and all over the world happening right now. (This is not to downplay the terrible things that are happening simultaneously.) But are you recogniz...

  January: On Existence  January 16    Today's reflection was inspired by a quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's Letters to Natalie Paley. Heads and tails of a coin. Crest and trough of a wave. Light and dark. Sound and silence. Good and evil. Love and hate. Life and death. You can’t have one without the other. And the fact that we will hurt those we love, and the fact that we will also...

  January: On Existence  January 15    Today's reflection inspiration comes from an instrumental song by Amos Roddy called "The Tunnel Through" from the video game "Kingdom Two Crowns." We all find ourselves in tunnels at some points in our lives--no matter how short or long. Those times when we are shouldering pain, sorrow, anxiety, fear--whatever it might be.  But every...

January: On Existence  January 14    Today's reflection gets a bit personal.  And just as a heads-up, I focus on the topic of miscarriage for a fair portion of it. The quote that inspired today's episode is from the movie  Mad Max: Fury Road. Loss is an inevitable part of existence.  We all deal with it in one way, shape, or form. After we've felt our grief and processed it, it&apos...

January: On Existence  January 13    Today's reflection was inspired by a quote from Pooh's Little Instruction Book written by Joan Powers and illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard. There is no end to the stream of information available to us--and sometimes it feels like it's being shoved down our throats. We're told what to buy, how to think, how to react, and there's a pressu...

January: On Existence  January 12    Today's reflection was inspired by a quote from Virginia Woolf's The Waves . Humans are complex creatures, so why do we get lost in singular identities based off of jobs or roles that we assume at certain points in our lives? There are so many facets of our existence, so many ways we spend our time.  In today's episode we explore what it means to...

January: On Existence  January 11    Today we reflect on a quote from Jacqueline Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming . Are memories all that we are? What happens to us if our memories fade and disappear? Memories can be beautiful, ugly, or simply shades of the past we carry with us, but how can we be sure to live in the moment, appreciating it for all of its beauty and complexity before it too beco...

January: On Existence  January 10    Today we reflect on a quote from Jazmina Barrera--in particular, from her book On Lighthouses. There is no end to the types of fog the world and life will throw at you, attempting to smother your unique light--your blinking characteristic,  like that of a lighthouse. When the fog inevitably rolls in, the lighthouse turns to its second voice: the fog horn.  What...

January: On Existence  January 9   Today we reflect on a quote from the cartoonist, graphic novelist, and satirist Jules Feiffer. Existence is chaotic (and beautiful).  But you are able to work within your limits to implement at least some level of design.  The question is . . . are you? Reflection title: Order Is Hard, Chaos Is Harder Creative inspiration: Jules Feiffer Reflection Question: Where...

January: On Existence  January 8  In today's episode, we reflect on a quote from blink-182. This quote comes from the beginning of their song "All in My Head" from their album One More Time.   Is it possible for humans to be both nothing  and  everything? We pull in the grand scale of the universe and our unique experiences and perspectives to help us explore this idea further. Refl...

January: On Existence  January 7  Today's reflection was inspired by a quote from Gwendolyn Brooks--from a book called Conversations with Gwendolyn Brooks. We explore the value of accepting things and people for what and who they are rather than always seeking reason or purpose. Reflection title: A Flower Is a Flower, and You Are You Creative inspiration: Gwendolyn Brooks, Conversations with...

January: On Existence  January 6  Today's reflection was inspired by an interview with Dr. Edith Eger from the Feel Better, Live More podcast with Dr. Rangan Chatterjee.  We look at what it means to acknowledge our limits with the understanding that humans are limited in our capacity in every regard, which isn't a bad thing. Reflection title: Limitless? No Such Thing Creative inspiration...

January: On Existence  January 5  Today's reflection was inspired by the Super Nintendo JRPG, Chrono Trigger . We look at what a video game from the 90s can teach us about living in the present moment, while at the same time, building toward a brighter future. Reflection title: Live As if Tomorrow Will Not Come, but Trust That It Will Creative inspiration: Chrono Trigger Reflection Question:...

January: On Existence Quick note: I wrote this (all of these reflections) last year. It is not in direct response to current events, though it could easily be read that way. It goes to show how timeless Shelley's poem and the lessons we can learn from it are. January 4 Today's reflection was inspired by Percy Byssche Shelley's poem "Ozymandias." We explore the fleeting nat...

January: On Existence January 3 Today's reflection was inspired by Clarice Lispector and a line from her novel, The Passion According to G.H.   We explore: The idea of existence being both a blessing and a curse  The concept of freedom existing within fate Choosing to fulfill or not fulfill our fate Reflection title: To Fulfill or Not Fulfill, That Is the Question Creative inspiration: Claric...

January: On Existence January 2 What can a frog and an old pond teach you about what it means to be human? Today's reflection was inspired by Matsuo Bashō and his poem "The Ancient Pond." We look at what it means to make a splash in your own pond--those positive effects and consequences of your actions in your life and the lives you touch. Reflection title: Make a Splash  Creative i...