British Firm Has the Nerve to Poke Fun at John Lewis’s Christmas Commercial Featuring Elton John

Last week I wrote about the great Christmas commercial British retailer John Lewis came out with this year which features Elton John. The Boy & The Piano opens with 71-year-old Sir Elton sitting at a piano at home, playing the first few notes of his famous hit Your Song. From there, it works backward through his life, from … Continue reading British Firm Has the Nerve to Poke Fun at John Lewis’s Christmas Commercial Featuring Elton John →

Thanksgiving 2018

It was another wonderful Thanksgiving, getting a chance to spend time with family. I am grateful for such moments, and I always look forward to them. In honor of the holiday, I thought I would share this crowdsourced Thanksgiving poem I came across on NPR. Earlier in November, NPR asked its readers and listeners to … Continue reading Thanksgiving 2018 →

Secret Tips for Getting into Harvard – Would My High School ID Have Helped?

Arguments began last month in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, a lawsuit that claims Harvard University is discriminating against Asian-American applicants. Many are watching the federal trial examining how Harvard uses race to shape its student body as a landmark test of civil rights laws. During the trial, information about Harvard's admission practices have been revealed, … Continue reading Secret Tips for Getting into Harvard – Would My High School ID Have Helped? →

Add One More to Life’s Embarrassing Moments

I'm still not sure how it happened, but it did. I had just finished one class, and there was a ten-minute break before the next one, so I decided to go and use the men's room. The time in between classes is a busy one for the restrooms, and the only open spot was the … Continue reading Add One More to Life’s Embarrassing Moments →

Music Monday: Queen at Live Aid

When the song Killer Queen came out in 1974, I distinctly remember rushing out to buy the album it was on and playing the song over and over until I had it completely memorized. Ever since that night, Queen has been one of my favorite groups. However, somehow I missed their performance at Live Aid in 1985, … Continue reading Music Monday: Queen at Live Aid →

I Asked My Students a Survey Question, and I Was Shocked at the Response

Before you invest a couple of minutes into reading this post, please note that the headline is totally click-bait. The question I asked is likely not that interesting to most people, and the result is not really "shocking". But hey, if I can even get one more person to read my blog, then I count that … Continue reading I Asked My Students a Survey Question, and I Was Shocked at the Response →

Would You Want to Know?

An essay in today's Wall Street Journal shares research about a new tool for analyzing hundreds of thousands of small genetic differences that can predict a range of psychological attributes from birth. The author of the essay believes the tool will transform how we see ourselves, our capacities, and our problems. As I read the … Continue reading Would You Want to Know? →

Some Gifts Are More Than Just a Gift – the 2018 John Lewis Christmas Commercial Is Here!

It's one of the annual traditions I've looked forward to for the past few years, the release of the John Lewis (a British retailer) Christmas commercial. This year feels a little bit extra special after spending last winter in London and getting to visit the John Lewis flagship store on Oxford Street. This year is the first … Continue reading Some Gifts Are More Than Just a Gift – the 2018 John Lewis Christmas Commercial Is Here! →

Finally Finding Flublok

I often spend way too much time making decisions on matters that shouldn't require nearly as much time. I've spent weeks, months, and in this case, years doing research online, talking to people, and in general, postponing the decision for usually no valid reason. The case in point here is whether or not I should … Continue reading Finally Finding Flublok →

Squish Your Stress Away

Add another item to the list of "things I didn't know people did videos about." I've already written about "study with me" videos, pressure washing videos, and mukbang videos where you can pay to watch people eat. I've also read about unpacking videos, where you can watch people, you guessed it, by unpacking things. So while there … Continue reading Squish Your Stress Away →