The Blue Mountain

1.) It's apparently possible to "try too hard" in learning a language. "The findings support a theory of language acqu...

1.)  Tim Ferriss and Gabriel Wyner discuss how to learn a foreign language 2.) Another breakthrough in solar-energy efficiency 3.) The r...

Yesterday, the 30-day novel challenge I began last month ended. A short summary of the tale would state that I managed about 16,000 words, s...

1.)  An essay by Joan Didion on "Self-Respect" (1961). "Although to be driven back upon oneself is an uneasy affair at best...

Phew! We're now 15-days into our 30-day novel challenge, and the results are something of a mixed bag. On the positive side, I've ...

1.  Is sectarian fighting inevitable in the Middle East? Thomas Friedman says no. 2.  Big changes could be coming to Japan . Would not ha...

One of the hardest things I find about writing isn't starting but finishing (har-har ;)...). I struggle in other areas, too, but the lac...