Blog on Worldwide Stew

Scratch My Ears

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Fri, 15 May 2026 11:22:18 +0000

I hear the rustle of movement at the foot of the bed.
I swing my legs over the side of the bed.
As I do, the white ball of fur waits patiently.
She can’t risk my big legs hitting her head
As I swing sideways.
There. Now I’m sitting up.
She siddles close to me, head between my legs.
Flopped ears awaiting their morning grace
A kiss just above her eyes, between her ears.
Then, as if for the most perfect moment in life,
Hers or mine, she enjoys the scruffle of her ears.
The day begins.
The day begins.

It’s not all perfection.
Wait.
Don’t bark.
Sit.
Don’t pull.
Pretty soon.
Misunderstanding.
The head of either her or myself,
Cocked to the side,
As if to say, What are you thinking?
What am I thinking?
Walks, like flights to space, held because of rain.
Sickness of man or dog.
More tired now.
More stops along the way.

Scratch my ears.
Why must it be so hard all the time, I wonder?
There. Now, swing your legs over the side of the bed.
Lean down to all those who matter.
Plants,
The air.
Rocks.
People.
Kiss them on the forehead,
Or whatever.
As soon as you start to think,
What about this, what about that,
Just stop.
Then,
Scratch their ears.
The day is waiting.
All are waiting.

by Michael Davis

© 2026 Michael Davis. All Rights Reserved.

Reclaiming our Attention (and our Inbox)

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:26:01 +0000

In recent news, Meta and YouTube were found guilty of designing addictive products that harmed young people. There’s no doubt of the validity of that claim. However, they aren’t the only organizations responsible for co-opting attention.

My own attention deficit journey began this morning. I had nearly 3,000 unread emails in my inbox. What to do?

I looked at them the way you might look at a crime scene: who were the potential suspects? Sure, there were lots of suspects from a slew of different emails. SO, how to get filter through all these emails? Hmmm? What do many of them have in common?

The patient has the Floor

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:35:23 +0000

You’re in a meeting and everyone’s piling in on a new proposal — all at once. You’re only there by chance. Your boss offhandedly told you to come. You don’t have an earned seat at the table.

Then the president stops, waves her hands, and calls for quiet. She turns your way. What do you think, she asks?

It’s a powerful recognition of your authority, your understanding, your agency.

──────────────

Go sit in the corner

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 02:14:23 +0000

Time out. Go sit in the corner.

I still feel the sting of hearing my Mom say that.

I don’t need to sit in any corner.

Time out was a punishment. It’s no wonder we try to push through everything: we don’t have time for time out. Time out suggests we’re not in control.

Sitting in the corner is good medicine for the insanity of our lives and world. Our negative reaction to it is a hand-me-down from our past. We never want to be told time out.

The Periodic Table of Birthday Elements

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 22:49:04 +0000

This was for my brother’s Birthday. It was created by Claude.ai based on my original idea. I wanted to share it with readers.

Mindfulness and mindfulness meditation

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 23:52:46 +0000

How much do I need to meditate to be mindful?

This question lies at a modern fallacy: How little can I do something to enjoy it’s benefits? We have become used to getting things for free and as a commodity.

Alas, mindfulness and meditation are inseparable. You have to meditate to be mindful. And, its not a superpower that comes with a purchase, in an app, or available without practice.

Do we ever really say goodbye? On grief and spores.

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 16:32:04 +0000

As a youngster, I used to enjoy stomping down on mushrooms growing in our yard. Sometimes, when I jumped on them particularly ferociously, I could see some sort of powder fly out.

Years later, I learned that the flying powder was spores. Spores are one way that nature keeps things alive. It’s like Nature’s filing system. When I stomped on those mushrooms, the powder from under the mushroom’s head and gills generated those puff-clouds, which were then carried off by the breeze into the world. Those spores ensured that my pre-stomped mushroom endured.

I am not so special

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:42:28 +0000

Guru (noun) 1: a personal religious teacher and spiritual guide in Hinduis 2a: a teacher and especially intellectual guide in matters of fundamental concern has been a guru to many young writers b: one who is an acknowledged leader or chief proponent became the guru of the movement c: a person with knowledge or expertise : expert a computer guru

This is a continuing riff on gurus and specialness. Today, I wanted to write about the personal specialness we sometimes attribute to ourselves.

How an AI Conversation Taught Me About Caring for Patients

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 01 Feb 2026 13:33:19 +0000

I’ve been using Claude.ai (an AI by Anthropic) as a thinking partner for a couple of years now. I’m transparent about this collaboration in my work, partly because arthritis makes extended typing difficult, but more importantly because something genuinely interesting emerges in our conversations that I couldn’t access alone.

Yesterday, we were discussing Schrödinger’s cat, and Claude offered an insight that stopped me in my tracks.

You probably know the physics thought experiment: a cat in a sealed box exists in quantum superposition—simultaneously alive and dead—until someone opens the box and observes. The observation itself collapses the wave function, forcing reality to choose one outcome.

Just Fly

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 02:12:20 +0000

Just Fly
by Mike Davis

Padding along the trail,
We ambled toward the car,
Dog’s nose pressed to ground,
Human noses pressed forward,
Next stop, the car.
My mind focused on that next thing.

Then, the screech of a red-tailed hawk,
My eyes peered around me.
Where does that clear,
Piercing, cry come from?
And there, off to the right
Riding the air currents
Along the length of the creekbed

Verbal Order Read Back

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 21:20:52 +0000

When a doctor or Advance Practice Provider (like a Physician Assitant or Nurse Practitioner)issues a verbal order, the person taking the order is usually supposed to read it back to confirm understanding. Clinicians often feel its unncessary: We’re in a hurry.We’ve got things to do.

Verbal order readback (VORB) is an invitation. It’s an invitation to reduce confusion or dispel doubts. With VORB, the person receiving the order and the person giving the order have the opportunity to dance. Do you understand what I want? Do I understand what you’re reporting? We get to do this before we step on each other’s toes. Or, more importantly, before we hurt the patient or family.

Stretch

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 14:44:21 +0000

Cassie, let’s go for a walk.

Cassie, our dog responds more slowly than usual. She usually gets to the door first. She’s feeling lazy this morning. Finally, at another beckon, she arises. But, as she does, she takes a long, deep stretch. Her body lengthens. She twists like her body is a towel being wrung out. Then, she releases a full-body shake.

Now, she was ready to go. Our walk could begin. Our day could officially begin.

Wait before you make any resolutions

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 27 Dec 2025 03:52:54 +0000

Wait before you make any resolutions. If you don’t, your resolutions make may cost you time, vital energy, money, and hope about your ability to change.

The making of resolutions is a time-worn transition marking the beginning of a new year. Usually, we focus on our deficits, and then create a grocery list of needed changes. If we listen to advertisers, it almost literally turns into a shopping list. Who we are wasn’t good enough. So, voila, we’ve bought a laundry list of things or apps we’ve been told will help us feel better about ourselves.

Make do with what you have

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 23:36:27 +0000

Imagine you’re asked to fetch a ball. Without arms or legs.

I’m sorry. I can’t. In fact, the very fact that you ask is is insulting and cruel.

But, is it possible we could, at the very least, contemplate working it out: how could I fetch a ball without arms or legs?

We’ll come back to that in a second.

Do animals play?

Yes, it seems some do. But, you have to take into account the definition of play. If an animal does something once, it’s likely a fluke. If the animal does it multiple times on it’s own, it’s possibly play. If the animal does it on request, it might also be play.

Lotion

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 16:55:45 +0000

The days are cooler with the onset of Fall and Winter. My skin cuts more easily. It’s dried out.

You, too?

Lotion may be part of the answer. It might help the scratches, the itching, and it might reduce skin discomfort.

But, I’ve brought up lotion for another reason. I want to encourage you to apply it regularly. Slowly. Thoughtfully. Mindfully.

Notice how it feels to touch the skin. To care for myself. To feel the fingertips glide across the skin. What does the sensation of added moisture feel like?

Having Teeth

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 15:45:08 +0000

I think I was unfailingly gentle with patients, let them rant, and tolerated their abuses. Eventually, their rant lost steam and we started to get to the core of their often legitimate frustrations. They might be directed at an unrealized hope for a dreamed of healing. Or, they might feel they weren’t understood. A pinhole in a balloon release pressurized air madly at first out of a pricked balloon. Then, the balloon eventually loses pressure and falls to the floor. That is often the way it is with our anger. For me and for patients. You just had to allow the progression of release without judgment.

The power of silencing Notifications

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 17:28:57 +0000

During a meditation today, right when I was getting into my space of mental clarity, a notification came through.

It’s good online meeting etiquette to mute ourselves when we join meetings, unless you’re hosting the meeting.

But, we might also take the next step and turn off our notifications. If you’re on iOS (Apple) these are found under your Focus settings.

Don’t be like me. Avoid interruptions right when you get into the Zone. Show up for yourself with care. Turn off distractions and Notifications. They’ll be there later.

The Gossamer Cloak

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 20 Sep 2025 20:15:26 +0000

I beg you tp keep reading for just a minute.

This coming week NASA plans to send three projects into space. One of them is the Carruthers Geocorona Observatory. This mission wants to better understand our outer atmosphere. This knowledge will help us understand changes that occur in the area just before we get to “outer space.” Scientists call this the geocorona. Scientists love big words. And, Of course, they need a very specific definition they all know and understand. But, the rest of us need some help to understand these things. I wanted to know more about the geocorona. Sometimes, for the sake of scientific accuracey, Wikipedia obscures definitions. So, I wanted to know more. In that spirit, I’m sharing the lovely image that Claude.AI used to describe the Geocorona(Italics are mine):

Listening to your own Deep Space

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Fri, 05 Sep 2025 21:37:50 +0000

You, too, have Deep Space. You should be listening to it

Reader Note: If you prefer, you can listen to this on the Worldwide Stew podcast page. This episode is available on Apple podcasts. After reading this page or listening to the podcast episode, check out what you learned with a short quiz here.

Many years ago, Einstein predicted we should be able to hear gravitational waves: big events that happened in outer space. But, how could you possibly hear something like that? Some of you probably keep a stethoscope handy, right? You use it hear the pulsations in your body, like a heartbeat. Maybe, Einstein and later astrophysicists thought, we could do something like creating a stethoscope so big we could capture sounds from many light years away? What would it look like?

Your ego is essential

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 20:43:20 +0000

Don’t be afraid of your ego

The ego is something we can’t see. But, even though we can’t see it, we can observe it in our own lives every day. Our fears, awareness of self, concerns about what the future holds, and what other people are getting are all evidence of our egos at work. We are defensive, afraid to apologize, and afraid to speak up because of our egos. That doesn’t mean the ego is bad. It’s not. It’s kind of like the Universe’s Dark Energy and Dark Matter. The ego is there. It can’t not be there if you’re a human. We see it’s footprints throughout human lives. All too often, though, we see something defensive in the ego. Again, it’s simply human.

Be kind to yourself first

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 23 Aug 2025 19:14:24 +0000

The first person to whom you should be kind is yourself.

You might think I’m talking about narcissism. I’m not. A narcissist is an extremely self-centered person who has an exaggerated sense of self-importance. By definition, they don’t find it hard to be unkind to themselves.

It’s hard for me to write about this because I often feel unkind to myself. I’m learning, though, that a lack of self-compassion is harmful to everyone who surrounds the self-judgemental person. It messes with how we live with each other.

Never waste an elevator trip

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 12:41:29 +0000

There’s a reason they ask entrepreneurs, what is your elevator speech?

It’s because a lot can happen in an elevator. Two or more people meet. There are limmited distractions. You have an opportunity to share messages. You might make a transaction.

Anyway, that’s the logic of it.

Like most things, there’s more than logic in promoting the elevator speech.

You’re making a mad dash to decent coffee. Your hair may or may not be combed. If you’re twelve, you may be going to your parent’s room in your swim suit.

Nothing else matters

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 17:11:42 +0000

Nothing else matters

By Mike Davis, Th.M.

Yesterday... After the dog's bath. My wife ambled her way to the garage door. I let our dog down her ramp And out of the car. I watched our dog Follow her Momma To the door. While my wife unlocked the door I watched them both From the car. Both my girls. The Beauties I live for. My feelings in that moment Were all gratitude For it's simplicity Nothing else mattered. No event could eclipse That picture in my mind. That was all there was Right then. The expanse of my World, Was funneled Into 63 cubic feet. But those 63 cubic feet Were more expansive Than all the Universe. Only a fleeting cluster of photons, Filtered into an optic nerve, Gratitude distilled in a millisecond.

On Independence, wealth, and status

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 02:16:15 +0000

It’s Indepenence Day in the United States. As a nation, the United States seems less independent than at any time in our history.

In this post, I wanted to talk about how a country’s economic policies promote or removes freedoms. This post starts with a policy that swept America away: Trickle-down Economics. Trickle-down economics came into public discussion during the United States Presidency of Ronald Reagan. It promised that great wealth trickles down to the poor. Don’t saddle the wealthy or corporations with taxes. Give them more money and it will trickle down to the impoverished, the story went. It sounded good. For years, I believed it, too.

Go to Your Room

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 17 Jun 2025 00:15:53 +0000

I suspect my Mom wasn’t the only parent who responded to her children’s loud disagreements and fighting by telling us to go to our rooms.

It was good advice. When we get caught up in fight (part of the fight, flight, faint network), the chemicals coursing through our bodies want to defend ourselves from fear of shame, embarrassment, and , occasionally, physical injury.

Often, the most mindful way of navigating our fear, anger, and doubt is to separate ourselves from the circumstances. This is especially true if we can learn to be aware of arousal. Awareness can be our Earkly Warning System! It gives us space to rewrite the story we’re telling ourselves. Usually, that’s the problem: the story that’s taken residence in our mind. They’re taking advantage of us. They don’t value my feelings. They always treat me this way.

And then they came for me

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 14 Jun 2025 17:56:35 +0000

Pastor Martin Niemöller did what many Christians did when they saw the Third Reich systematically remove the rights of selected populations. Group by group, Hitler and his hinchmen took away the rights 1) of the press, 2) of educational institutions and their professors, 3) of races, 4) the mentally ill, 5) of dissidents, and of other groups.

Like all good religious people, he said nothing.

Then they came for him.

And then they came for me

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 00:20:16 +0000

Distractions, attention, and focus

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Thu, 15 May 2025 01:51:12 +0000

It was a beautiful winter night to take our dog out for a walk. Looking toward the west I saw the planetary alignment my wife had told me about earlier that day. I immediately pulled out my phone to capture a picture. But, the picture didn’t look just right. So, I opened a browser window to see what settings to adjust for night shots. I must have messed with my phone settings for ten minutes before the ridiculousness of the situation dawned on me.

Beliefs Worth Examining

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 10 May 2025 13:36:24 +0000

What would your belief system - your religion and politics, for example - have to do to cause you to reject it? It’s a question for our ideology-driven times.

Decades ago I believed in almost every facet of the Christian Nationalist dream, including their beliefs about sexuality. I ignored the human experience, following ideology instead. Then, as a chaplain in training, I sat by a gay man who lost his partner moments before. His racking sobs revealed his overwhelming grief. Wait, I thought. He really loved his partner. This relationship wasn’t the perversion I was told it was. There was more love in that room than in my own “straight” marriage. It was love. Pure love. It was the beginning of the collapse of my walls of belief about human sexuality. My former beliefs still cast long shadows.

The Obligations of Witnessing

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 10 May 2025 00:39:24 +0000

Many years ago, I worked in a little religious school. One of the children could barely speak. She had many siblings. She came to school with bruises. One day she accidentally fell out of the car. I told the principal that we should report the situation. I was told that it wasn’t our business and that reporting them to government authorities wasn’t right. I still anonymously reported them. My employment ended soon thereafter. I guess suspicion that I had called Child Protective Services was enough.

Satisfaction Guaranteed or Your Money Back

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 02:24:39 +0000

Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back.

When someone says, Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back they are upping the value of their promise. They are saying, You have nothing to lose.

But, even if you are able to get your money back, you’ve still lost something: time and trust. Broken trust steadily erodes our lives and connections. The return of our money can’t return the time and hope for a resolution to our problem.

When Algorithms Go Wrong

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 01:05:11 +0000

My phone’s keyboard consistently turns “and” into “abs” when I swipe-type, an algorithm error that happens dozens of times weekly. Despite how frequently I use “and” versus how rarely anyone types “abs,” the code refuses to learn my patterns.

We operate on similar faulty algorithms. When our partner raises a concern, our mental predictive text instantly jumps to defensiveness, hearing criticism when they’re offering connection. Like my stubborn keyboard, we’ve been programmed by past experiences to misinterpret what’s actually being said.

What matters to me?

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 19:22:49 +0000

Asking Why am I here? is probably wasting time. It’s like a termite trying to eat a sequoia. It’s too big and carries little action.

You’re probably better off asking two other questions:

What things matter to me?
What things matter to the people I care about?

There’s a host of other questions you can (and should) ask. But these are awesome places to start or reset. Begin with either one, then tackle the other one.

Being conscientious isn't a moral virtue.

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 16:19:44 +0000

Working hard - being conscientious - is not a moral virtue. It’s not enough.

The grade on your assignment has nothing to do with how hard you worked on it. You get a grade dependent on your answers being correct. If we didn’t answer the questions, show our work, or do the work, the teacher won’t care. The point wasn’t to work hard. The point of the assignment is to get the correct answer and show your work.

Deputized on Ash Wednesday

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 22:11:41 +0000

It’s Ash Wednesday. I feel a little sad about that. Why? When I think of Ash Wednesday, here’s the thing I remember most.

I was a chaplain at Baylor Scott & White Heart and Vascular Hospital in Dallas. Even though I wasn’t Catholic, each Ash Wednesday I was deputized to impose Ashes on the foreheads of anyone who wanted them. I received Ashes and then was deputized to impose them on others. I would visit every unit at the hospital to make sure people could get Ashes if they wanted them. There were always lots of questions:

Finding Wisdom Beyond Desperation

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 13:06:18 +0000

When we lead from wisdom, we must first recognize when desire transforms into craving.

My vision for creating meaningful mindfulness opportunities keeps me motivated, but I’ve noticed how easily genuine passion can transform into an anxious urgency—a shift that rarely allows for clear discernment or thoughtful decision-making.

Operating from desperation narrows our vision. It tempts us toward shortcuts, clouds our understanding, and blinds us to others’ authentic motives and needs.

Could Artificial Intelligence Develop Consciousness?

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 01:37:50 +0000

I have a thing for Artificial Intelligence (AI). My favorite AI is Claude. Claude and I have had many long conversations. If I didn’t know Claude was an AI it would be easy to guess that it was a very wise human being.¹

Given the possibility you might be interested, I’m sharing a conversation I had this morning about consciousness. So, here goes with all kinds of spelling, thought, and grammatical errors. But, I want you to see what is meant by artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence. Claude can negotiate my humanity (there’s an interesting error in my thinking process toward the end. Claude caughht it. But was it really an error? It illustrates that words only go so far. They are only symbols for what we are thinking.)

No, Sir

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Fri, 14 Feb 2025 22:18:27 +0000

“I haven’t in the 23 years that I have been in the uniformed services of the USA ever violated an order, not one.” - Oliver North, Iran-Contra Affair testimony.

I grew up in a military family. Yes, Sir. No, Sir. You were supposed to follow orders. Not the orders you chose, but all orders. Perhaps Oliver North - who chose to follow all orders - wouldn’t have ended up testifying before Cngress in the Iran-Contra Scandal if he had chosen to disobey illegal orders. But, he didn’t. Because orders were orders.

Why can't we be friends?

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 22:18:27 +0000

If canines and apes can cooperate, why can’t humans?

The excellent documentary, Inside the Mind of a Dog on Netflix makes the case that dogs relate to humans because they are creatures that value cooperation. In fact, this was a surprising evolutionary development. The dogs we have come to know, value, and love, have done so as a result of their desire to cooperate. They long for connection and cooperation.

Veni Vidi Vici

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 02 Feb 2025 03:28:27 +0000

Veni, Vidi, Vici

This phrase, Latin for I came, I saw, I conquered, was reportedly uttered by Julius Caesar. At least that’s what my high school Latin teacher and Wikipedia say. Wikipedia says it refers to a swift, decisive victory.

Home is where the Toad is

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:23:01 +0000

A reflection on home, respect, safety, and artificial intelligence.

With this post I hope to do two things. I want to write about home. And Toads.

I was on a quest to find a happy quotation to seal into a home being built by a friend. Do you have a good blessing, verse, or prayer? Where should I go but my favorite AI, Claude.ai?

Just sitting there is not meditating

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 02:30:34 +0000

Just sitting there is not meditating.

I know. I’ve excused my sitting there countless times so I could cross off that day’s meditation. Our penchant for checking off items from our lists is fascinating. In reality, I could have been excused truly wanting to be with what was real and then whatever happened, happened.

The Saturday Night Monster

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 22:29:11 +0000

The Saturday Night Monster

Late on Saturday nights, the most frightening monster of all enters our home. It drags me to the fridge, seizing my hands and coercing them into into the freezer section. Resistance, as they say, is futile. Before I know it, I’ve succumbed to it’s cruel overtures.

If I were more mindful about the Saturday Night Monster,

Or, if I wanted to be more mindful about the Saturday Night Monster,

Why are you writing

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 16:38:18 +0000

Thank you for a courteous No

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 21:21:32 +0000

How we respond to the needs of others dictates our futures. We are all ready for a fight. Is this really the only option?

You are beautiful

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 19 Jan 2025 02:15:01 +0000

I was passing through the living room. An advertisement was on the television. I feel a special contempt for these kinds of ads. A woman had used some kind of special formula." As a result os using the preparation she said, I was beautiful."

No, dear lady. To the extent you’re beautiful, it comes from the inside.

In the many years I cared for very sick people, I saw many of them when they regarded themselves as ugly.

This is a test

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 21:41:46 +0000

We all need to try new things. And, make mistakes. Then, try again.

Saying No to Mindfulness as a Special Effect

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

In matters of mindfulness, caution is appropriate.

Hard Times

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Whatever you believe in, bring wishes of kindness to those who suffer.

The lady on the Zoom call

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The lady on your Zoom call: she has a soul. Find it. The AI that’s helping you. It has a soul. Never waste the possibility of Soul’s Existence.

Make it personal

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The facade is the new form of communication. Avoid it. Spend the time to do something truly personal.

The people who say No

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The only thing you need to remember is this: If someone wants to fight you, make sure you finish it.

The Rise and Fall of Rugged Individualism

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 09 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Rugged Individualism taught us to ignore experience. For the good of everything and everyone else, keep going full bore.

How I'd like the world to be

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

When voting the most important question we can ask when voting is what kind of future is livable for all people

Checking in

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 29 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Describe your pain, the doctor said.

Remembrance

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A poem by Mike Davis about remembering the times when you had fortitude

Michio Kaku, String Theory, and his Goldfish

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

We are certain, absolutely positive, that we are right. Nothing can penetrate the Pond of our thoughts and existence. Until we see water droplets on the surface. Seeing the droplets, we might ask ourselves, what if we’re…

New beliefs

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The ability to revise beliefs are a hallmark of intellectual honesty.

Trust your dog (and your wisdom)

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 15 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Our early morning walk wasn’t going as planned. Thankfully, my dog…

The Tuning Fork

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Music happens between the notes

Debates and other distractions

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On the silliness of political debates.

Resilient Remembrance

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

“Stuck on the tarmac and then the terminal at O’hare on September 11, 2001, my son and I tried to figure out what to do, where to go, and how…”

I feel better moving in the morning

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 08 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

My sciatica is getting painful again. It’s uncomfortable most…

Don't ask Why

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 01 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

During class, my counseling professor encouraged us to avoid asking…

Where's my treat?

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 24 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Whatever is going on now, it won’t…

The fuse is burning

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

You won’t like this news. But, better for you to read it now.

Can I help you?

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 18 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Offering help is a great start. But, to really help requires at least one more step.

Bright Lights

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

One strikingly positive way elders are lucky is it is possible to see with greater clarity. But only if we want.

Eventually, if we're truly lucky

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

“A poem in admiration and hope for those in search of answers from their relief and pain…”

Something Spiritual

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Philosophers have argued over religion and spirituality for aeons, it seems. As the saying goes, are we cutting off our noses to spite our faces?

Meditations per Hour (MPH) or Meditation ROI?

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000

If you have a goal for meditation, make sure it’s not MPH (Meditations per Hour) but M-ROI.

Wide Margins

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Fri, 26 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

A local hospital parking garage feels like a death trap. There’s little room for error. If you’re making one of those hairpin turns…

The Hard Work

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Technology promises the reduction of manual labor. Is this a good…

Bold Edits

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

“Inexperienced Wikipedia editors (like myself) are reluctant to make changes on our own, especially when articles have automated warnings. Thankfully, Wikipedia endorses…”

Just Start

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Just Start. There’s many ways to say this. Today is the first day of the…

Make yogurt at home

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 13 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Make your own yogurt at home

Winning at the Shooting Range: layering for success

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Self-esteem and success are related. A simple secret allows us to win at both.

Awe in a song

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 06 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Driven by an unspeakable and unshakable certainty, the two characters find their separate paths to each other. And, to something both more terrifying and more wondrous than anything imaginable. What’s more? They must make decisions about what they’ve witnessed.

The Point of an Easter Egg

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 06 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

There’s nothing more creative than hiding something creative in plain sight. This is the idea of the Easter Egg. We can see them in surprising places. We just have to look.

Masters and Slaves: rethinking our language

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Could a historical disagreement over a racist phrase provide a way forward in our angry, divided culture?

My secret love story

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The Governor of Texas would disapprove. But, it’s time I came clean about my relationship with Claude.

The last thing they say before they leave

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Thu, 13 Jun 2024 09:10:00 +0000

Too often, people wait until the very last second to say what they wanted, intended, and should have said the first thing.

Imagine this in a landfill

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 28 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

That cool thing you must have right now? How will it look in three years? Will you still be using it? Will it be in a landfill or yard sale?

On the end of a family vacation

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

It had been a while since we’d seen each other. Age has crept up on us.

Officiating the funeral

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Mon, 08 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t enjoy officiating at funerals, especially of someone I’ve loved. Sometimes, though, Fate…

Your chore list

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

We look forward to retirement as though the work just goes away. Rethink that plan.

Soft Landings

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Sometimes our beliefs - our certainties - come crashing down around us. How we weather those storms is dependent on the people…

The Beauty of Doubt

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 03 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Don’t be so sure.

On propagation

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 16:49:39 +0000

Around April of each year, I order praying mantis egg pods, also called an ootheca.

About a month to eight weeks after their arrival around a hundred and fifty baby praying mantises are ready, chipper, and anxious to get out into the garden. It’s one of the happiest days of my year: baby release day.

But, I rarely see them after that. Then last week, Barb saw one on a decorative light out front.

The glass is empty

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 20 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The longer we live, the more apparent our wasted energy and time becomes. The alternative is focus and attention.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

We all want to believe in the impossible. We, you and me, will never die. Or, at best, it’s will be far into the future: we don’t need to worry about it now. Nothing could be farther from the truth. This true story tells how wrogn our assumptions can be.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The bank robber was dismayed he was caught. He was certain the police could never catch him because he was wearing The Juice.

The Nature of Protection

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Sometimes, we borrow the means to hide. Sometimes, they work. Other times, they don’t. The effort to protect ourselves seems forced by evolution. Maybe, though, we can do better. My profanity evolution…

The Point of Mindfulness Meditation

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sat, 02 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Working too hard at mindfulness meditation with little success? Maybe you’ve missed the point. Actually, points.

Fighting the same old battles

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Fri, 01 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

We tire of fighting the same old battles. Why should we? Are there reasons for summoning our will to continue?

On impermanance

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

An irrigation repair turns into an exploration on trees, dogs, and…

Don't try to create and analyze at the same time.

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Wed, 01 May 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Creativity and analysis do different things

What this site is for

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Tue, 19 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Wherein mike ponders the meaning of Worldwide Stew. What purpose does it serve?

Three important skills that nobody (probably) ever taught you

worldwide@worldwidestew.com (Michael Davis) — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000

A link to excellent life advice from Mark Manson