Matthew's Blog
Reading: My New Blog Category
I've decided to add a new category to my blog: Reading. I don't do this lightly. After all, my blog is unfocused enough. Yet I do recognize that to be a good writer, I must understand readers better, and to do that, I must think about reading more carefully. And why...
Hip Surgery Update: It’s Hiking Time!
Fours weeks and one day out, I am finally hiking again! Sure, I only went 40 minutes, but for me it was every bit as eventful as a Mount Rainier climb. Now, I am using hiking poles. These have the benefit of giving added stability, a full body work out, and muscular...
Lottery Tickets, Black Swan Thinking, and “What If?”
About twice a month I buy a $5-$10 lottery ticket (usually Powerball or Mega-Millions). On a rational, financial basis I am aware this is not a sound financial decision. Over time, I am much more likely to lose money than to win it. So why do a buy them? For two...
Creativity and The Resistance
The author Steven Pressfield—one of my writing role models—says there is a force in the universe called the “Resistance” that actively opposes all creative people in pursuit of their goals and dreams. It's a force which isn't just trying to slow them down or stymie...
Lessons From My Cat: Simplicity
My wife and I have an old cardboard box in the middle of our living room floor. It is next to our brand new sectional sofa. Our cat, Roo, loves this little box. He sleeps in it, he plays in it, and he hangs out in it. I suspect he enjoys it so much because it has what...
The “No Talking Animals” Rule
I had a discussion with someone the other day who is frustrated with the unwritten “rule” that authors shouldn't submit children’s books with talking animals. This person contends that there are plenty of examples of best-selling children’s books with talking animals...
Muting Anger
Anger is not a bad emotion. There is much to be angry about in this world—especially in regards to injustice—and anger, in the right context, can be a useful tool for motivation. Yet on Twitter, there are people who appear to be angry all of the time. Every tweet is...
Digital Dictation For Blogging
This particular blog post is being created using the native voice to text digital dictation software on my iPad iOS system. There's nothing fancy going on here. I am simply dictating a blog pos rough draft directly within my Ulysses software program and I will only...
Wittgenstein’s Language Games and EHRs
I have a difficult question about the philosophy of electronic health records (EHRs) that I want to ask someone: Should we consider the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the tonal voice analysis of patient-physician conversations and it's subsequent natural...