Health

The Stoic CGM A Data-Driven Guide to Reinventing Yourself Executive Summary The Stoic CGM treats continuous glucose monitoring as a practice of self-knowledge—not merely a medical intervention, but a discipline of attention applied to the body’s own politics. It examines what happens when Stoic principles meet metabolic data: how to respond to information without being ruled by it, and how to govern the self when the self is constantly in motion. The core message: the body is not an enemy to defeat, but a system to comprehend. ...

📰 Reflection: The Shutdown Showdown I owe you an apology for the quiet week. No new articles, no fresh analysis — just the hum of a weary mind taking a breather. Sometimes you have to pause, even when you don’t want to. As for Washington’s latest shutdown drama, I see no angels in this one — only the bad and the worse. It’s less about policy now and more about performance. Every speech is a jab, every soundbite a weapon. Meanwhile, regular people pay the price in stalled services, missed paychecks, and a slow erosion of trust. ...

I used to believe investing was something you did while you worked. You built a nest egg, retired, and lived off it. Simple. But when retirement arrived, I quickly learned the story doesn’t end there. Retirement isn’t the finish line—it’s the start of a new chapter. And in this chapter, investing takes on a different purpose. For me, Social Security is the backbone of retirement. It’s steady, predictable, and deeply reassuring. I also receive book royalties, though they’re so modest they don’t change the math. Still, those checks remind me that something I created lives on, even if only in small ways. ...

🪞 Reflection What We Feed Grows We all have a diet. Not just of food, but of thoughts, habits, and attention. Every day, we choose what to give our time and energy to. And here’s the truth: what you feed, grows. Scroll through social media for hours and you’re feeding distraction. Watch the news on repeat and you’re feeding anxiety. Spend time with your family, read a book, or write a page, and you’re feeding connection and growth. Like it or not, the results are predictable—seeds always sprout into what they are meant to become. ...

I’ve never seen much value in tearing a person down for the sake of it. Savage criticism might feel good in the moment, but it rarely changes minds. What does help is pointing to what could be better—offering constructive criticism that invites reflection and growth. With that in mind, here are five ways President Donald Trump could strengthen his leadership right now. 1. Bipartisanship and Unity America is deeply divided. Trump’s style often sharpens those divides. But the presidency carries a unique opportunity to build bridges. If Trump works with Democrats on shared priorities—like infrastructure, veterans’ care, or the opioid crisis—he can show that unity is not weakness but strength. ...

I’m not chasing a fantasy of elsewhere. I’m chasing a better use of my remaining time. Albania keeps coming up because it offers something I can’t seem to buy in the States at any reasonable price: a quieter life that still feels alive. What I want is simple. I want mornings that begin with a short walk to coffee, not a long drive to errands. I want a budget that buys time—time to write, read, and call the people I love—rather than buying square footage I barely use. I want streets that reward curiosity, not speed. Albania, from Tirana’s café lanes to the Adriatic towns, looks like a place built for human pace. ...

The first time I truly understood what rage could do to a man, I wasn’t watching the news or reading some philosophical text. I was standing in my own home, unmoored by betrayal. I had just found out that my first wife was involved with someone else, a friend of a friend. No slow unraveling. No explanation. Just a blunt, soul-jarring truth that hit me like a punch to the chest. I remember the heat crawling up my neck. My hands trembling. My vision narrowing like I was looking through a straw. I don’t remember exactly what I said—I only remember the volume. The force. The aftermath. ...