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There is a curious phenomenon you may have witnessed in your own kitchen sink. Place a flask beneath the faucet and turn the water on to the mildest of streams — just above a trickle. The water rises slowly in the wide lower chamber… almost lazily. But when it reaches the very bottom of the […]

I continue with a recap from my debate with a man I am calling Ferdinand Yocum as we debate whether President Donald Trump is justified in sending in the National Guard into Chicago to try to quell the violence. Ferdinand says no. I say yes. Again, I will designate Ferdinand Yocum with the initials FY […]

In life, we must always deal with the various energies around us, and some of those energies are not peaceful. Some people don’t have gratitude, so they attack what brings joy, healing, and wellness. Gratitude isn’t about pretending everything is good; it’s about remembering that something is. It’s about noticing the things that are easy […]

Building Your Power of Expression Bucolic, adj. Pronunciation: byo͞oˈkälik Meaning: This word conveys the pleasant aspects of the countryside and country life. Usage: “The church is lovely for its bucolic setting.” “Her childhood memories were steeped in bucolic scenes of orchards dirt roads, and the gentle rhythm of rural life.” “The poet’s language was so […]

We tend to think of productivity as a mental game—about focus, strategy, or time management. But here’s the truth: your brain is a biological organ, and your body is the system that powers it. When your physical health suffers, so does your ability to think clearly, create effectively, and perform consistently. The link between health […]

Not long ago I was involved in a serious dialogue with a man of the Left. Some would actually call it a debate. So be it. In the interest of full disclosure, the man, (let’s call him, . . Ferdinand Yocum,) would vehemently deny my characterization of him in this column. He would protest that he […]

One of the most entertaining movies I remember from an earlier era was Raiders of the Lost Ark which hit the theaters in 1981. It was a fun movie with actor Harrison Ford as “Indiana Jones” (AKA Professor Henry Walton Jones, Jr.) If you recall the film, perhaps you can recall that in spite of […]

Building Your Power of Expression Optics, n., pl. Pronunciation: ˈäptiks Meaning: Although this is a plural noun, it is usually treated, in practice, as a singular noun (similar to economics, politics, etc.) While the word originally pertained to the scientific study of sight and the behavior of light, I tend to use the word in […]

When we talk about “team productivity,” most people imagine a group of bright-eyed professionals firing on all cylinders, effortlessly crossing off tasks while humming the company jingle. Reality check: real teams have messy schedules, competing priorities, and at least one person who thinks “urgent” is just a suggestion. But fear not—team productivity is not a […]

Let’s talk about presidential power. It can cut both ways, and as a loyal American, you should be thinking about this because it directly affects your well-being. In his first term, Donald Trump played the usual White House game until he lost reelection. Then all hell broke loose. But during the four years he occupied […]

“And now, as ye are desirous to come into the fold of God, and to be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort, . . . […]

Building Your Power of Expression Surgical, adj. Pronunciation: ˈsərjək(ə)l Meaning: Outside the practice of medicine, I often use this word to convey the idea of doing something with precision. Many others, especially in military circles, use the term to describe a type of attack on a military target that is done swiftly and with high […]

Conflict is as old as humanity itself. Whether between nations or within marriages, within teams or within oneself, conflict signals a clash of needs, values, desires, or fears. But conflict also offers a doorway: if handled with humility, imagination, and courage, it can lead not to defeat, but to deeper understanding, stronger relationship, and renewed […]

“The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.” William Butler Yeats wrote those words about Europe after the Great War, but they ring with terrible clarity this week as we bury Charlie Kirk, murdered at 31 for the crime of arguing in public. The young man who built an empire […]

There is a passage found in an ancient sacred text (The Book of Mormon) which is at once fascinating and disquieting. The passage is a statement by a Hebrew prophet of God who had lived in the area around Jerusalem in the days of the biblical prophet Jeremiah, around 600 BC. This prophet I have […]

Building Your Power of Expression Sublimate, v. Pronunciation: ˈsəbləˌmāt Meaning: To sublimate is to divert or modify (an instinctual impulse) into a culturally higher or socially more acceptable activity, such as to quell or suppress one’s darker impulses. Usage: “My guess is he would tend to sublimate his hurt and anger into humor. ” “Freud […]

Empathy is often described as one of the noblest of human capacities. It is the ability to place oneself in another’s situation, to feel—at least in part—what they feel, and to respond with compassion and understanding. In our age of rapid communication and constant noise, empathy stands out as a rare and transformative skill. But […]

After Charlie Kirk was murdered in cold blood by a radicalized Left-Wing zealot on September 10th, just 26 days ago, many people on the Left cheered wildly. I already documented 26 specific examples in Uncommon Sense #340 demonstrating that Leftists mocked Kirk’s assassination, showed hatred toward Kirk and his grieving family, and basically celebrated the […]

One of my favorite places to go is the Musical Instrument Museum. Located in the northern reaches of Phoenix, it’s about an hour’s drive from my home. But the drive is always worth it, whether I am attending a cultural event, a live concert, or wandering for hours through the museum itself, captivated by their […]

Building Your Power of Expression Parity, n. Pronunciation: ˈperədē Meaning: This word has in mind the state or condition of being equal, especially on matters of status or pay. Usage: “The issue is the euro’s parity with the dollar.” “Ultimately we are seeking parity of between rural workers and those in industrial occupations. ” “The […]

Let’s be honest: “boundaries” often sound like something you put around a garden to keep out nosy neighbors or rogue squirrels. But in business and in life, boundaries are less about fences and more about sanity. Without them, you end up exhausted, resentful, and—ironically—the very opposite of helpful. Why Boundaries Matter Think of boundaries as […]

A conservative icon was publicly assassinated twelve days ago. Charlie Kirk, an earnest, decent man, was shot in the throat by a radicalized Leftist monster whose name I will not utter. Charlie’s approach to the clash of ideas between Conservative thought and Leftist thought was to face his opponents with courage and decency and hold […]

Questions are our most powerful intellectual tool. In fact, every invention is the result of someone formulating a question, and then wrestling with that question. There are times I feel particularly contemplative, and I thus ponder questions that are deep, and strange, and peculiar. Sometimes I find myself staring at the ceiling at night, plagued […]

Building Your Power of Expression Sonorous, adj. Pronunciation: ˈsänərəs Meaning: This nifty word has in mind, when speaking of a person’s voice or some other sound, something that is deep and full and rich and resonant. It describes something that is capable of producing a deep or ringing sound. It often implies a voice or […]

Have you ever noticed that the most successful people seem to have a clarity about where they’re going—even before the rest of the world sees it? They carry within themselves a vision that guides their steps, fuels their persistence, and keeps them moving forward despite setbacks. This isn’t coincidental. It’s the power of visualization at […]

Here’s a primer on today’s political landscape. What does this singular noun, politics, really mean? At its core, politics is about how people live together in groups and make collective decisions, especially regarding power, resources, rights, and responsibilities. It is the process through which societies debate, decide, and implement rules and structures that shape how […]

It is interesting to note that there are scientists out there that try to measure the relative pain from various stings that we humans sometimes encounter. There’s even a famous Sting Pain Index called the Schmidt Sting Pain Index. It’s one of the strangest projects in entomology (i.e., the scientific study of insects). Created by […]

Building Your Power of Expression Abeyance, n. Pronunciation: əˈbāəns Meaning: A state of temporary inactivity, disuse, or suspension. Usage: ”Matters were held in abeyance pending further inquiries. “After the manager resigned, the decision-making process fell into abeyance.” “Legal proceedings were kept in abeyance while both parties attempted to reach a settlement.”

Last Tuesday, I found myself reorganizing my spice rack. Alphabetically. Twice. I don’t even cook that much. But suddenly, alphabetizing paprika before parsley became a matter of national importance. Why? Because I was supposed to be writing this very article. If that little story feels uncomfortably familiar, congratulations—you and I are kin in the noble […]

In June 2011, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a man who goes by the name of CeCe McDonald and who insists he is a woman, stabbed Dean Schmitz to death with a knife. In March 2023, in Nashville, Tennessee, a woman who goes by the name of Aiden Hale and who insisted she was a man, walked […]