anecdotes

“I emptied my mind,” she explained, looking through me, returning to that mental place, in the moment before her race began. I bit my lip, to keep from smiling, even laughing. You see, she’s just 8yrs old, and tiny for her age, seriously, like the 1th percentile. Yet Olivia’s coach has her swim against 11yr olds. I don’t protest. Not my style. Plus, I’m pretty certain her coach qui

“120,000 terawatts,” he answered, definitively, without hesitation. Yeah, I love dude’s like that. Scientists. Mathematicians. And this one was my brother Craig. Silicon Valley entrepreneur, inventing revolutionary materials, transforming sunlight into electricity, grey matter into green matter. I’d called with the kind of odd question I consider when seeking distraction, inspiration, a break

“I’ve been up large, twice this year,” admitted one of Europe’s biggest portfolio managers. “But I’m back to flat now, cut my risk to nearly nothing, probably done for Summer.” Which didn’t surprise me. In our two decades of obsessing together, we’ve shared a similar education, evolution. Learning that with few exceptions, the fittest survive by trading with trend

Took a long walk, to shake a long flight, Seoul to NY is a bitch. Strolled through the World Financial Center, where a crazy mensch, gave me a shot, back in 1991. High above, floated two ghosts – Twin Towers. On which, I held my little brother, upon my shoulders, whispering the truth, “Pete, you’re on top of the world.” That was 1993. In the distance, stood our Lady. Liberty. I spun, headed uptown. Meat Packing

The soldier stood firm, insisting I wear a hard-hat. For our descent. Of course, I hate being ordered around, most Americans do. It’s a blessing and a curse, our revolutionary legacy. So I descended, deep, to explore The 3rd Tunnel. North Korean’s spent 10yrs blasting though a mile of granite, to enable 30k troops/hour to cross beneath the DMZ. And launch a surprise attack on Seoul. The tunnel is narrow, cold, wet. H

When I grow up, I want to be like this cat. Not because he’s authored countless tomes. Nope. Because he insisted we do our call at midnight. After his dinner party. He’s 78. F’in love that. The West’s preeminent China expert. For decades, Middle Kingdom leaders have dispatched princelings, from Beijing, westward, to study under him. Anyhow, I asked five questions, then listened. “Eric, no one knows, we can only appro

“What is my purpose on this earth?” the Nobel Peace Laureate asked himself, imploring us to ask ourselves too. (Things went real quiet) “Money’s become habit, an obsession, addiction, both means and end,” continued Professor Yunus, Bangladeshi pioneer of micro-finance lending to the poor. (Heard a pin drop) Decades ago Yunus lent $27 to 42 people. Changed their lives. His too. “I spoke with banks, learned what they d

The little creature emerged. A miracle. Adorable. And as the bitch’s motherly instincts kicked in, so did Mara’s. Yeah, without knowing why, Missy nudged her newborn pup. Licked it clean. Sparking a breath. For Mara it was love at first sight. Primal. And me? Well, I froze. Stuck in a Mars/Venus moment. You see, there was no point in putting up a fight. And it’s a little late to take flight. So here I sit, with 1 wif

The clank of ice axes shattered our silence. I spun, to see my pack tumble. Twirl. And come to rest, far below. A blue dot, amongst granite boulders. Vincent stood motionless, looking out across the vast glacier, to distant peaks, and said, “You never let go your pack on a ledge, you know this.” And I got hot, knowing then, he’d kicked it. “You’re very tired, me too, which is why you will go get it alone, but you’re