Listen now | Intro messages from Mike in Washington, Adam in the UK, and a human from an undisclosed location. I discuss a few topics suggested by listeners, including: “Should I have kids?” “What about yoga?” “What’s the deal with asexuality?” “How has your sense of your personal future changed as you’ve aged?”
I've always been a big fan of the ROMA's and I believe this to be one of the best. A principle piece of advice I've been given (and will ostensibly give to a younger generation as I age) is that a release of expectation - as well as an embrace of uncertainty - is key to life satisfaction. The notion of being comfortable with uncomfortability and having a willingness to challenge one's self regularly is my biggest takeaway from the teachings of Wim Hof. If you confront fear/resistance/discomfort each morning, it goes a long way toward releasing fear of outcome for the rest of the day. Thank you for these words on uncertainty, and know that they bring peace in moments when stress tries to creep in.
Hey Chris, I have some comments on asexuality. I have recently come to accept that I fall on the asexual side of sexuality. I don’t walk around with sexual desires or a sex drive (although I can and do masturbate). And I believe it is a result of my fears (very conscious fears) around intimacy that cuts off the flow of energy to my sexual center. One thing I’ve always struggled with in relationships is maintaining a sense of self while intimately relating with another person, and feeling lost and ungrounded as a result…and I’ve learned that engaging in sexual acts (especially where bodily fluids are exchanged) create a lasting imprint on the psyche, like a merger of two people into one…this is beautiful in many ways, but not so beautiful when I try to recollect myself and get in touch with my own desires and purpose, I can feel lost and very disoriented…in some ways, I find sex to be akin to a strong psychedelic experience…therefore I treat it with tremendous respect, so maybe it’s not so much fear of intimacy, but a fear of loosing myself to the wrong person. I’m not giving up hope on my sexuality, I do believe with the right person I will feel safe enough to reactivate that center, as I do enjoy the pleasure it can offer, but the pleasure and connection isn’t worth losing my sense of self over, (without that I become a pretty lame partner, anyway). So yes, from my experience, I am directing my life force energy away from my sex centers for my own protection
I really loved what you said about looking back you can see all the good times, the adventures, etc. and looking forward there will be a lot of great stuff too, but that's all wrapped up in the rainy days and the cleaning the house and waiting on hold. It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one who feels like the wonder and awesomeness of my lived experience get masked by daily minutiae. One of my favorite ROMAs so far!
I see them as a remnant of 20th Century cocktail culture.
They are probably still there because the mob entered the business and if owners don't take their ice machine they get iced. (Speculation)
--The honest memoir. This parts interested me because I think that's the angle I'm trying to take with my new podcast, finally reveal myself and risking repulsing some people.
--I never had kids but I really regret pushing away my dear girlfriend of 8 years because she is so much younger and I didn't want her to get stuck taking care of me.
I know what you mean about finding the place to rest for a little while. Although I have generally not liked this year of teaching at all, it was an ease to the "existential angst" that like to fill my 20 something mind. The more experiences of "getting on the bus" that I have, the less I worry about finding the room/bed and the more I get comfortable and excited by the uncertainty.
Ice machine rant reminded me of a rant about hammocks in the beginning of episode 208 with Deia Schlosberg. Chris gets heated about how great hammocks are as an invention, "likely the first invention."
Historically business men both travel and drink, thus need ice in hotels... Filling the ice bucket was a top priority for my dad, as I remember fondly.
Hey Chris! How long are you in Spain? I'm visiting my sexy girlfriend in France for the weekend, but I live in Madrid and will be back on Monday. Drop me a line if you wanna meet one of the young and impressionable minds that this community is molding.
No need to ask Wim Hof about the purpose for hotel ice machines. It’s used extensively by us flight attendants and pilots to keep our perishable food edible.
The uncertainty of life. That was my big takeaway so far. Had to stop there because, this is the true existential crisis. If you figure out a path to an answer, that you can sell, that explains how to handle "life's uncertainty", you will have someone else drive that van of yours and you won't hear any ice machines in your hotel room. Get on it! Look up Objective, Path , Duration.
I pour the ice over a few beers in the sink … but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some shady contract between hotels and ice machine manufacturers 😂
I can’t be the only one excited for the erotic memoir
I've always been a big fan of the ROMA's and I believe this to be one of the best. A principle piece of advice I've been given (and will ostensibly give to a younger generation as I age) is that a release of expectation - as well as an embrace of uncertainty - is key to life satisfaction. The notion of being comfortable with uncomfortability and having a willingness to challenge one's self regularly is my biggest takeaway from the teachings of Wim Hof. If you confront fear/resistance/discomfort each morning, it goes a long way toward releasing fear of outcome for the rest of the day. Thank you for these words on uncertainty, and know that they bring peace in moments when stress tries to creep in.
go too far north, and then youre going south ;)
Hey Chris, I have some comments on asexuality. I have recently come to accept that I fall on the asexual side of sexuality. I don’t walk around with sexual desires or a sex drive (although I can and do masturbate). And I believe it is a result of my fears (very conscious fears) around intimacy that cuts off the flow of energy to my sexual center. One thing I’ve always struggled with in relationships is maintaining a sense of self while intimately relating with another person, and feeling lost and ungrounded as a result…and I’ve learned that engaging in sexual acts (especially where bodily fluids are exchanged) create a lasting imprint on the psyche, like a merger of two people into one…this is beautiful in many ways, but not so beautiful when I try to recollect myself and get in touch with my own desires and purpose, I can feel lost and very disoriented…in some ways, I find sex to be akin to a strong psychedelic experience…therefore I treat it with tremendous respect, so maybe it’s not so much fear of intimacy, but a fear of loosing myself to the wrong person. I’m not giving up hope on my sexuality, I do believe with the right person I will feel safe enough to reactivate that center, as I do enjoy the pleasure it can offer, but the pleasure and connection isn’t worth losing my sense of self over, (without that I become a pretty lame partner, anyway). So yes, from my experience, I am directing my life force energy away from my sex centers for my own protection
I really loved what you said about looking back you can see all the good times, the adventures, etc. and looking forward there will be a lot of great stuff too, but that's all wrapped up in the rainy days and the cleaning the house and waiting on hold. It's reassuring to know I'm not the only one who feels like the wonder and awesomeness of my lived experience get masked by daily minutiae. One of my favorite ROMAs so far!
Ice Machines;
I see them as a remnant of 20th Century cocktail culture.
They are probably still there because the mob entered the business and if owners don't take their ice machine they get iced. (Speculation)
--The honest memoir. This parts interested me because I think that's the angle I'm trying to take with my new podcast, finally reveal myself and risking repulsing some people.
--I never had kids but I really regret pushing away my dear girlfriend of 8 years because she is so much younger and I didn't want her to get stuck taking care of me.
I know what you mean about finding the place to rest for a little while. Although I have generally not liked this year of teaching at all, it was an ease to the "existential angst" that like to fill my 20 something mind. The more experiences of "getting on the bus" that I have, the less I worry about finding the room/bed and the more I get comfortable and excited by the uncertainty.
Ice machine rant reminded me of a rant about hammocks in the beginning of episode 208 with Deia Schlosberg. Chris gets heated about how great hammocks are as an invention, "likely the first invention."
Historically business men both travel and drink, thus need ice in hotels... Filling the ice bucket was a top priority for my dad, as I remember fondly.
Hey Chris! How long are you in Spain? I'm visiting my sexy girlfriend in France for the weekend, but I live in Madrid and will be back on Monday. Drop me a line if you wanna meet one of the young and impressionable minds that this community is molding.
No need to ask Wim Hof about the purpose for hotel ice machines. It’s used extensively by us flight attendants and pilots to keep our perishable food edible.
The uncertainty of life. That was my big takeaway so far. Had to stop there because, this is the true existential crisis. If you figure out a path to an answer, that you can sell, that explains how to handle "life's uncertainty", you will have someone else drive that van of yours and you won't hear any ice machines in your hotel room. Get on it! Look up Objective, Path , Duration.
I pour the ice over a few beers in the sink … but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some shady contract between hotels and ice machine manufacturers 😂