'4:33' is a music composition by John Cage composed 'for any instrument or combination of instruments', divided into three movements (lasting in total 4 minutes and 33 seconds). There are at least two peculiarities connected with this that I am particularly fond of. • The first is that 4 minutes and 33 seconds is equal to 273 seconds, ...

Something I've been pondering on for years now is how comfort — in excessive quantities — becomes poisonous. The idea is not new at all. Epictetus, one of the most famous Stoic philosophers of the ancient times, wrote: 'Every difficulty in life presents us with an opportunity to turn inward and to invoke our own inner resources. The tr...

“What you are going to do, do quickly. ~ John 13:27, ESV” Out of all skills we learn during our lifetime (well, hopefully learn) there are skills that are taught in schools and universities and skills that are not taught there. This makes the skills from the second category not just valuable, but absolutely precious — they directly aff...

Recently I have read a book by a molecular biologist and a science journalist Irina Yakutenko titled ‘Willpower and self control’ (it is in Russian and is not translated into English, sadly). Overall it is an intriguing read, especially since I am genuinely interested in the topic, although is a bit too detailed about biological and me...