I know several people who are currently struggling to accept aspects of reality that don’t align with 1. who they believed they would be, 2. how they believed they would feel, or 3. what they believed the world would look like at this moment in time. When the facts on the ground don’t align with […] The post Acceptance first appeared on Exile Lifestyle ..read more

When there’s a lot happening all at once, it’s not uncommon to experience cognitive overload: a nonstop feeling of overwhelm, memory problems, difficulties with focus, and an inability to healthily (and thoughtfully) deal with any volume of complexity. “A lot” is a relative term, of course, and there will be moments in which near-tornadic levels […] The post Cognitive Overload first appeared on Exile Lifestyle ..read more

Another year around the sun, another 365 days tallied, another torrent of experiences weathered and another boatload of lessons learned. Last December, my life was different from how it is today. I’ve had loved ones experience all sorts of traumas. I’ve suffered from, learned about, and attempted to ameliorate (unsuccessfully at first, but more successfully […] The post Another Year first appeared on Exile Lifestyle ..read more

Writing and sharing words would superficially seem to be the same thing no matter where you write and share them. But the number of words, the sorts of words you use, and the amount of focus (or lack thereof) folks on the other end can be expected to invest in your words changes the nature […] The post Tensions first appeared on Exile Lifestyle ..read more

A new working paper suggests that there’s an imbalance in the benefits of working with artificial intelligence tools: some people get more out of them than others. And while part of that segmentation has to do with ability—those with relatively less-developed writing skills will tend to get more out of using AI writing tools than someone who’s […] The post Which Ends? first appeared on Exile Lifestyle ..read more

When starting a new creative project—any kind of project, from writing a book to designing a new type of semiconductor—one of the better questions to start with is “what do I offer that’s distinct from what’s already available?” This isn’t always going to be the most vital question: some areas can sustain several near-identical burger […] The post What’s My Thing? first appeared on Exile Lifestyle ..read more

I probably use my laptop, a 2021 MacBook Pro, more than any other tool I own. It enables and amplifies my efforts in countless ways, and as a consequence I consider the few thousands dollars I paid for it to be money well-spent. I don’t drive my car very often—I only really use it for roadtrips. But it doesn’t require much upkeep, cost me a relative pittance to acquire (as cars go), and makes those overland jaunts to far-flung locales feasible, as otherwise I’d have to spend a fortune on rental cars to get where mass-transit options won’t take me; so I put my little 2007 Prius in the “money we ..read more

Some of the most incredible creative output of the past ten years (and arguably before that, too) has been created in support of video games and similar cultural artifacts; if you ever need aesthetic inspiration, google around for concept art, soundtrack music, and/or play a game like Disco Elysium (the writing and voice acting in this game!), and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Many of us have trouble meeting up with friends (and acquaintances who might become friends) as often as we would prefer. Something I find helps with this is planning social situations so they’re either u ..read more

It’s impossible to know what a future version of ourselves will want, need, and prioritize. But we make assumptions about our future selves (and the world they occupy) all the time. Unfortunately, many of these assumptions are knee-jerk and superficial, predicated on our sense of things, today, or based on an illusory, optimistic, not terribly realistic version of who we kinda’, sorta’ believe we could be at some point. (There’s an underlying presumption baked into a lot of these predictions that maybe if we buy this widget / take this trip / invest in these shoes, that will help make us that ..read more

Some creative work requires the application of quick, definitive force if you want to take what’s in your head, commit it to a distributable medium, and get it out the door in a shape that’s true to what you pictured in your mind. Other creative works, though, necessitate the slow, consistent application of effort and energy over time if you want to avoid converting desirable matter into unpalatable char. The distinction between these categories of work is partially down to the ingredients used (some conceptions are more suitable for extended-duration effort, while others are ideally served es ..read more