Cole's Chronicle

Cole's Chronicle

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Experience

The persistent drone of an idle air conditioner; the dull sensation of contact between skin and garment; the unwavering image of a laptop amid a backdrop of knick-knacks and corkboards—experiences I am having in this moment, and this one, and probably the next. Experiences aren’t acute. There is

The Silver Lining

The Silver Lining

Is a phenomenon we are surprisingly keenly aware of. The prospect of the sun is always more enticing than the reality of the storm. This selective attention has served humans well over time, encouraging perseverance in the face of adversity. But how useful is self-deception when we are solving for

Stories

Peer deep enough into the present and you’ll find there’s nothing solid to grasp. Like an endless pinch to zoom, “now” expands or contracts without ever resolving into a final unit–asymptotically approaching definition, but never quite intersecting. However ineffable moments are, our lives are made up of

Foreigner

To notice the particular shade of green of the oak leaves, the length of the silence between bird chirps, the uneven sensations of gravel beneath your feet–this is what it's like to be a foreigner: taking in all things as they would be totally new. To traverse

Inadequacy

It’s the feeling of giving everything you have–your time, your energy, your desire–and finding it still wasn’t enough. Despite your best efforts, you couldn’t perform, you couldn’t be who you wanted to be. And it’s not the failure itself that’s so painful,

Thought

Every conscious action in history has one common thread: the prerequisite of thought. Every event–triumph or defeat, development or regression–was preceded by someone’s thought: “I would like to live here.” “What would happen if I put these together?” “This is uncomfortable.” Such thoughts lifted humans to the

Optimism

Is not a mood but a mindset–the conscious decision to frame every fractional moment as part of a meaningful whole. It’s the belief that things happen for you, not to you–that each experience, pleasant or painful, is an opportunity to learn. Optimism is a skill that’s

Want

Here’s a universal problem: wanting something you haven’t yet acquired. We all carry unmet needs, unfulfilled desires. But are we ever truly unable to obtain them? Sure, we can’t fly, breathe underwater, or see through walls. But these are outside the realm of human possibility–we have

Seasons

Our lives, when retold, are often grossly simplified. They become shaped by the stories others tell about us–and by how we behave around them in turn. A collection of assumptions and averages. When viewed from a distance, our life might look like a set of data points, trending in

Being

The hum of life. The empty room, the open sky, the busy street. The compressed air filtering in, then back out of your nostrils. The weight of the bed, the chair, the ground, pushing back against yours. The steady throb of your body, blood pulsing through your veins. The buzz

Living Philosophy

Living Philosophy

Given how similar humans are, we live remarkably different lives. Culture is powerful. Some live ascetically, others altruistically, and many hedonistically. But there is no correct way to live. We all operate differently. Our philosophical outlooks are shaped by genetics, environment, age, and condition–not universal truths, but adaptations to

Craft

Is the intentional elevation of the work at hand. It is deep, focused attention–total immersion in the task. Great products come from great craft, but great craft doesn’t come from great products. Craft is care for the process, not the result. It’s not skill, expertise, or talent.

Utility

Productivity. Growth. Action in the pursuit of future pleasure. The work done in this moment to augment the next one. Utility promises outcomes–health, happiness, success–but it neglects process. It ignores the real value of this moment: the potential to be present. Humans have benefited immensely from the concept

Desire

That which propels us to succeed is also the obstacle. It is the fuel of life, the enemy of bliss–the spark of action, the thief of peace. The more we desire, the sharper our purpose, the deeper our discontent. There is no desire to manufacture or eliminate, nor should

Finitude

Time only gets so much of us. We’re born into its current, swept along for some years, and then, one day, we die. As time carries on, we vanish–or at least our thinking selves do. Our atoms are recycled, perhaps into another conscious being, but for us, this

Time

Time is indifferent. It moves forward, unyielding, unconcerned with how we spend it. We are merely passengers, carried through its ceaseless current—into the future… which becomes present… which becomes past. Our lives blur, a fleeting moment in the vast cosmic scale. Yet, within this moment lies our eternity. Here,

Embrace

Just as the moon waxes and wanes, so too do we. Our states are as sure to turn as the tide. Yet, when darkness encroaches, we don’t yield to its certain saturation. We exhaust ourselves trying to prevent the inevitable; we cling to moments of bliss as if they

Curiosity

Is the mind's ceaseless appetite for comprehension. It’s the desire to understand both tangible and ethereal phenomena–to decode our own nature, map our trajectory, and unveil life’s deeper purposes. Curiosity is the courage to seek the silver lining in even the dullest of moments. It

Authenticity

Behind every windshield, pair of sunglasses, and social media profile there is, usually, a human being—someone who eats, sleeps, and poops just like you and I. They long for meaning and connection, but often lose sight of it. They say things they don't mean, and do things

Patience

It’s what we have least of when we need it the most. The future so enticing that waiting is practically unbearable, and the further we reach to grasp it, the further it drifts away. Time is slow and agonizing while we wait, when we yearn to be somewhere else

Busy

We will do almost anything to remain occupied. The moment plans are cancelled, we scramble to fill the void—resisting the unbearable prospect of having no objective with our time. We’d rather numb ourselves with trivial tasks than experience any depth in our lives. We’d rather kill time

Creativity is Overrated

Creativity is Overrated

Most “creatives” are dissatisfied people. They view the world through a critical lens, detecting problems where others see none. Recognizing flaws is their talent, but it often overshadows beauty. They are cynical of the moment, reserving hope only for a hypothetical future—a future of their own making. But even

Intention

We have very little control over our lives. The past has been written and the future is uncertain—The present is the only place where we have any jurisdiction. We have agency, but only in this moment. Presence, therefore, is the relinquishment of false control. It is the “serenity to

Attention

Throughout our days and lives, we cast our attention from one place to the next. We can be easily seduced by shiny objects, creating shallow, fleeting focus. But we can also find depth in meaningful relationships and work. Nonetheless, what we pay attention to becomes a reflection of who we

Omens

We are bombarded with information in our daily lives—a relentless flood of sights, sounds, and sensations. Yet the majority gets filtered out by our cognitive processes, leaving only what is deemed essential. But we shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss the details. Dialing back our filters and paying