“I am standing here beside myself” is what Ben Jabituya (played by Fisher Stevens) said in the 1986 classic movie, Short Circuit. Stevens played an Indian engineer who was looking at a robot, “Number 5,” when he said it. I was 7 years old watching the movie, and remember thinking What the hell does that
Man’s Midlife Crisis – What to Expect
I saw an advertisement that said, “If you’re not completely satisfied with your sex life, give us a call.” Genius marketing. Since it’s a fact of human nature that we’re insatiable creatures. In fact, the biggest impediments to contentment are these: Expectations Human nature is insatiable Comparing yourself to other people Let’s focus on expectations.
Nazis on Meth (with pictures)
In the last pod, I discussed the origins of heroin. Here I’ll go further to talk about the drugs that fueled Nazi Germany. I’ve long been a student of World War II, but there’s so much more to know. Most of what’s here I learned from a book titled Blitzed by Norman Ohler. He expounds
Projection, Politics & Other Bullsh*t
You don’t need F-you money to speak on what’s happening in America. You also don’t need to be a psychologist to recognize projection. Here’s why. If you’ve ever been accused of cheating on a partner—knowing you didn’t have the time nor the energy to devote to knocking other boots—only to discover it was them straying
Why Nice Guys Finish Last: An Open Letter to Men
Dear Men— We’ve all heard nice guys finish last. It’s true. Nice guys get taken advantage of. Recall how many of your buddies have been left by a woman because “he’s too nice” vs “too mean.” Not sure the latter ever happens. I’m not encouraging you to be an a-hole. Rather I’m saying it’s better
Intoxicating Kindness
When I was in Zambia, one kid was like my shadow. If I turned around, his eyes were locked on me. I felt like Michael Jordan (maybe sans charisma and all the talent). That’s because when I was 12 years old and MJ was on WGN, I’d stop and watch his every move, even yelling
Nobody Gets Out of Here Alive
Nothing in life will be more harmful to you than your own thoughts. More peace and happiness can be developed by organizing your mind so as to reduce thoughts that make you unhappy. “It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing, that makes you happy
Fortify Your Mind and Forget Being Liked
Stop dealing with people as you wish they were. Or how you think they should be. You’re wasting precious time. You can only control your own internal state—not the misdeeds and misspoken words of others. People will act in ways you can’t believe. Say the dumbest things with regularlty. And not just today, but tomorrow
“If Someone Dropped $1 Million in Your Lap Tomorrow, What Would You Do With It?”
In my early twenties, I set a goal to become a millionaire. Not because I wanted to buy a lamborghini or live in a 10,000-square foot house. Nope. I set a goal to become a millionaire for the same reason Jim Rohn believed it to be a worthy pursuit— “for what it will make of
40 Pieces of Life Advice for 20-Year Old Me
I turned 40 today. Can hardly believe it. The past 5 years, especially, have flown by. I traveled from Croatia to Prague on my 35th. In transit, money was stolen from my suitcase. I also remember changing my Facebook profile picture that day—the shirt I wore is packed in my suitcase now, profile picture unchanged.
Flashback: Former Pelicans catcher Fats Dantonio, New Orleans baseball institution WRITTEN BY RICHARD CUICCHI
Quick personal story before I share Richard Cuicchi’s “Flashback.” I enjoyed visiting my grandparents’ house in New Orleans when I was a kid. They had souvenirs (and junk) piled to the ceiling in every room. Grandma Hilda was a hoarder back before it was cool. When it was time to leave, Grandma would walk us