Category: Family and Friends
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Spiritual reparenting: severed belonging, benefactors, vulnerability & reconnection
Tara Brach's weekly dharma talks and guided meditations have been a consistent source of inspiration and equanimity for me over the past several years. A few weeks ago, she presented a talk on spiritual reparenting to which I've listened four times (thus far), as it resonated on many levels for me. The practice of becoming…
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External Validation and Emotional Responsibility
Years ago, I discovered Validation, a wonderful short film by Kurt Kuenne about a parking garage attendant who validates tickets … and validates the people who bring their tickets to the window, offering compliments to each person as he stamps their ticket "Validated". He goes on to offer validation far and wide beyond the parking…
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Letting Go of Blame and Judgment: Emotional Transformation through Zen with Len
Many years ago, I experienced betrayal, pain and anger about something that someone did. I did not have the tools or life experience to fully understand my reactions – much less transform them – at the time, and the memory of the episode has resurfaced periodically, re-triggering unresolved emotions. The most recent recurrence began last…
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“Expressed Emotions” in Everyday Interactions: Acceptance vs. Intervention with Family and Friends
I’ve listened to the most recent episode of NPR’s Invisibilia, The Problem with the Solution, three times in three days, crying a little less – and understanding a little more – each time I listen. I believe the emotional impact stems from my experience as a son, a husband, a father and a friend ……
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Doing Data Science, Helping People Get Jobs @Indeed
Having just marked my 1-year anniversary at Indeed, it occurs to me that I have not yet blogged about my not-so-new job as a data scientist helping people get jobs. In addition to ending a long (7+ month) drought in my blogging practice, I'm also hoping that in sharing a bit about my work at…
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Doggone appreciation for our beloved Brittany, JoJo, 1998-2014
We euthenized our 16-year-old dog, Jojo, last week. A veterinarian came to our house and administered the injection while JoJo was resting in her favorite spot next to the couch, surrounded by her loving family. JoJo had gone deaf, was mostly blind, and had become increasingly incontinent, confused, unsettled and frail as the summer wore…
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Fathers, Children, Microevolution and Reinterpretation: A Personal & Generational Narrative
So many of the feelings I had about myself weren’t really mine, but feelings I learned to have to try and fit into his world. ~ Scott Berkun, Why Fathers and Children Don't Get Along Part of the story I make up about myself – and the feelings and judgments surrounding that story – is…
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Clear Mind, Wild Heart, Spiral Career Path, New Job
I recently accepted an offer to assume the role of Director, Analytics and Data Science, at Atigeo LLC. This career transition mostly marks a shift of title and status, as I've been consulting at Atigeo as a Principal Scientist for the past 18 months (part-time during the academic year and full-time during summers). I'm excited about…
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Arthroscopic shoulder surgery: biceps tenodesis, but not rotator cuff tear repair
Prior blog posts I've written about experiences with health challenges appear to have been helpful to others facing similar challenges. The following is a partial historical recounting of some problems I've experienced with shoulder pain, and some of the medical treatments (including surgery) that have been contemplated or applied thus far. I am not a…
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Continuing Education: Senior Lecturer at the University of Washington, Bothell
I recently embarked on the next stage of my re-engagement with academia, as a Senior Lecturer in the Computer & Software Systems program at the University of Washington, Bothell. Like the Tacoma campus, where I taught last winter and spring, the Bothell campus cultivates a small college culture within a large university system: classes are…