shm notes & posts

Health

Questions to ask yourself while searching for a therapist

23 May 202323 May 2023

In which I outline a few questions to ask yourself when evaluating a therapist. Open for years of therapy searching distilled into one post.

As May is mental health month, there is no better time to talk about the noble and sometimes arduous quest for therapy. But first, a couple notes: It often takes a couple of sessions to accurately assess your therapist. A therapist is not a replacement for community or societal change Over the last decade, I’ve had eight therapists. Most of my switches were because of external factors (moves, job changes), but I’ve also had therapists that just weren’t a good fit. My trials gave me quite a bit of insight on what to look for in a therapist. Everyone is...

Health

Sustainable steps to a smaller footprint

22 April 202323 April 2023

In which I detail some of the ways I try to be more sustainable. Open for inspiration on how to celebrate Earth year round!

This Earth Day, I wanted to take the time to talk about sustainable swaps for a reduced carbon footprint — but first, a note: Individual action is not enough to reduce climate disruption, and in fact addressing climate disruption is almost entirely a top-down matter. There is no ethical consumption, but some options are greener than others. Consumption is impossible to avoid at this point, but we can always be better. Becoming more aware of your carbon footprint is beneficial in so many ways. You can feel a tad better about yourself, reduce your spending, and increase your creativity! As...

Reflections

The role of control in our personal perceptions

16 April 202316 April 2023

In which I present another lens for self-analysis. Open for new insight into old characteristics.

The entire spectrum of human experience is impossible to put into words, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try. “Name it to tame it” has been instrumental in, well, taming my mental health. In particular, specificity has helped immensely in my reflections and understanding of myself and the world. Generally, people assume they’re in control of their life, actions, and thoughts. The jury is definitely out on all of those. In addressing my depression and its role in my life, I had to be honest with myself and my limitations. Now (mostly) on the other side, it’s interesting to see...

Career Reflections

Handling a negative performance review, healthily

13 February 202313 February 2023

In which I outline a step-by-step plan for processing a negative performance review. Open for tips on dealing with work grief.

Now that we’ve fully exited the holiday season, it’s that time of year again: performance reviews. Now I’ve gotten a range of performance reviews, and I remember my first negative one and the grief that I had to work through. Years of therapy and other experiences have perfectly poised me to write about the best way to work through a negative performance review. Alternatively, you can picture your reviewers face on a punching bag and have at it. This is a bit more productive though. . 1. Realize that part of a negative review is almost always the fault of...

Hills

Countries should have a population cap of 100 million people

24 January 202324 January 2023

In which I layout the case for countries having a population cap. Open for musings on geopolitics and sociology that no one asked for.

Lately I’ve been pondering the limits of democracy, particularly it’s scalability. Democracy and implicit obligations of governmental institutions lead me to believe that countries should be capped at 100 million people. When this threshold is reached, countries would split into multiple countries along appropriate geographic and cultural lines. This process would be beneficial for a number of reasons. We know that companies that are too big are dangerous, so why not countries? There are a number of legitimate arguments for and against it, so let’s get into it! . As populations grow, representation becomes more difficult and less accurate Cultural...

Finance Travel

Communism under capitalism [Cuba part 2]

1 December 202229 January 2023

In which I talk about Cuban economics. Open for my take on communism and its relationship to capitalism.

In order to evaluate the true efficacy of communism, it would require a controlled environment with little outside influence. Cuba would make an excellent case study were it not for its overbearing neighbor to the north. The United States’s embargo has a ripple effect (primarily via the Helms-Burton Act) which effectively prevents Cuba from trading freely on an international stage. International trade is a necessity for all nations’ current way of life. We should all commend how well Cuba has adapted to life under draconian policies that overstep the powers that any one nation should have. Looking for the touristy...

Travel

A panorama of Havana [Cuba part 1]

1 December 20221 December 2022

In which I detail my trip to Cuba. Open for Cuba in the eyes of a tourist.

Though my preferences and history trend towards solo-travel, I cannot do everything on my own. The week prior to Thanksgiving, I had the opportunity to attend the REMIX CAPITALISM tour hosted by Bravely Go’s founder Kara Perez in the beautiful country of Cuba. This tour was jam-packed with enough information, sights, and conversations for a whole saga, but I will condense down to two posts. This post is about the more touristy parts of my trip. Looking for the economic parts of my Cuban trip? Check out Cuba part two. . First impressions Maybe it’s because Cuba reminds me of...

Travel

There’s no place like Rome

18 September 2022

In which I recount my summer trip to Rome. Open for good times and begrudging respect for Italians and their food.

Full disclosure: I was biased against Rome from the start because of their attempts to colonize my homeland of Ethiopia. That said, the city pleasantly surprised me. It wouldn’t be the worst thing to return to Rome, perhaps in addition to other Italian cities. Though I only spent five days in the city, it felt satisfactory without being tiring. A family friend also did a lot of the heavy lifting when it came to planning activities. Plus, I’m definitely a “one activity per day” type of person, with the rest of the time being for relaxation/wandering. So getting into the...

Poems Reflections

All aboard and into the void!

18 August 202224 January 2023

In which I talk about the void we all know and often hate. Open for a poem and quick thoughts about social media.

As an elder (12 years strong) tweeter, there are few things I am more familiar with than shouting into the void. On most social media I post and share content that makes me appreciate, think, and laugh about life. My websites also serve as my own carved out section of the void. That said, Twitter is the premier website for unsolicited opinions. A recent encounter inspired me to write a poem I think applies to most of the internet. It was one of those tangential argument threads where one stranger asked another, "did anyone even ask you?" As if the...

Travel

A time in Turkey

21 June 202219 August 2022

In which I detail a week-long trip to Turkey from May 2019. Open for my take on some Turkish delights and sights.

Turkey was my first international trip as an adult that I took after losing my precious airline benefits. It was awesome travelling as a working adult! No more hostels! ~Exotic~ destinations! Enough mobility to run around! In order to make the most of my trip I booked a tour package with Tours Turkey for May 2019 that included the following: admission/tours in sights, solo hotel accommodations for 8 nights, internal Turkish flights, daily (MASSIVE) breakfast and lunch, airport pick-up and drop-off, and someone to ask all my burning questions to! For all of that I paid only $1200 USD, which is money...

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