Eric: "Hey, have you ever seen the movie, The NeverEnding Story?"
Kathleen: "No, why?"

At this point, I ended the conversation. Many people would have continued, simply because they enjoy talking. Completely oblivious to the fact that the individual has admitted having no frame of reference to the subject at hand - and would assuredly be disinterested in the story's remainder.

I refuse to do this, and I think this is why I have so much frustration with interpersonal communication.

I don't want to talk in the trivial. I don't want to listen to your commentary on the weather. I only want to talk about our overlapping passions. Behavioral and post-modern economics. Political and theological liberty. Emergent musical theory.

I don't just want to socialize. I want to think.

Note: for those of you who have seen the film, my podcast co-host got to interview Atreyu the other day. It was awesome.

I had an opportunity to guest post on the amazing comedy + running site, Reluctant Runners yesterday, "a site for people who love running - just not while they're doing it."

So, today, I'm going to send you over there to read it. It's probably more funny than what I would have written here anyway.

Have you ever thought to yourself how you could probably kill someone and get away with it?

You know who else thinks like that? Serial killers.

Now whenever a friend enthusiastically tells me how much they enjoy the television show CSI, I can't help put have the same slight feeling of nausea I would if I spotted, "How to Make a Homemade Pipe Bomb" on their bookshelf.

For the past 8 weeks since my daughter entered the world, I have engaged in conversations with others - not really paying attention to what they're saying.

Because I don't care.

I can't. My insomniac head is completely drained of any remaining empathy. It's all been used on myself. Our daughter is, statistically, a horrifically fussy child. And we have also learned that she will need two serious kidney surgeries within the first year of her life.

Because of that, I haven't cared what's going on with those around me. And it makes me feel horrible. I listen to their stories, thinking to myself, "that's awful!" but without "feeling" awful in the slightest.

Is this what Californians feel like all the time?

I recently read a story about a scientific researcher who bought a small sustainable farm out in rural Northern California in case of a overwhelming environmental disaster.

He wanted his family to be safe - just in case.

If I've learned anything from the riots taking place this past week in London, one of the Top 10 cities in the world, it's that after a global catastrophe, he'd have people storming his land, looting his storehouse and setting fire to his livestock within an hour.

To prepare for a global disaster, don't buy a farm. Buy a lockable bunker.

One of my close friends is moving to Madison, WI. Just 2 years ago, she moved back to Chicago from living out of state, and I was so excited. We could actually be friends again. But, in the past two years since her return, I saw her only once...on her wedding day.

3 years ago, another close friend moved back even closer to me. From Nebraska, to a Chicago suburb just two towns over (30 minutes away). I've seen her 3 times in those 3 years.

These are close friends. Well, at one time they were. But, if you don't live within a 10-mile radius, good friends become great acquaintances.

It's why we should all live in a giant house together.

Love is a command. Not a mandate.

Whenever I read one person's opinion of a topic I'm unfamiliar with, I'm quickly convinced they're right. After all, the author has posed a feasible answer to the problem. And I'm left unaware there are multiple ones.

Recently, I read a book, co-authored by 5 individuals. Ch. 1 consisted of the 1st author's thesis. Ch. 2 consisted of the remaining authors rebutting his thesis. Ch. 3 consisted of the 2nd author's thesis... and so on.

By the end of the book, I was so much more intellectually edified and had so much deeper a grasp of the issue than if I had read any one of the author's opinions alone, accepted it blindly, and been on my way.

All books should be written in debate format. So should all blogs....

Scientists build upon the best science from the prior generation. Engineers build upon the best designs from the prior generation.

But I still see fathers at the park yelling at their kids for crying while trying to learn baseball precisely because they're so scared of letting down their dad.

Why aren't the rest of us learning from the best examples of morality and parenting, and evolving too?

Last Sunday, I had the privilege of going to see Bon Iver at the beautiful Chicago Theatre.

On our way out of the show, there was a guy handing out CDs of his band, free of charge. I started thinking about how smart this was. This guy was marketing directly to people that spend good money going to see live shows - the exact market a working musician depends on. I was so impressed by the brilliance of this move...and then I listened to the album.

The CD was close to the opposite musical style of the performer we had all paid good money to see.

Good idea guy. But next time, wait 'til Korn plays here.