Newsletter Archive

  • Backward Update

    Yes, I’m still here. This has been the longest duration between newsletters since starting Becoming Polymathic. What necessitated it wasn’t lack of ideas or time, but a need to dedicate resources towards my second novel, Backward. It became apparent after my last piece on May 4th, despite my continued belief its first draft is significantly…

  • Why I Write

    Perhaps its no surprise since turning 30 in December 2024, Becoming Polymathic’s pieces have been more reflective. This week will continue that trend as two more milestones were crossed since the last piece. The first was a long-due ending, the other intermediate but increasing in significance. Furthermore, the latter offers a partial answer to the…

  • Adventures in Cold Brew

    The fall of 2014 was significant for a couple reasons. The first, I started my sophomore year of college. The second, I began drinking coffee. My roommate Collin worked at Babcock Dairy beginning at 5:00AM and he’d leave about two cups in the Mr. Coffee for when I’d need it around 9:00AM. I was, and…

  • The Hawthorne Effect

    Cicero, IL is known for two things – Al Capone and the Hawthorne Works Factory. In the 1920’s, it became headquarters of the notorious Chicago Outfit. Simultaneously, the factory, operated by the prominent telecommunications manufacturer Western Electric, reached its peak capacity of 45,000 employees spread across 5 million square feet. For perspective, the Boeing Everett…

  • Why is the Mona Lisa Famous?

    In 2024, 8.7 million people visited The Louvre. Furthermore, if you take Louvre Director Laurence des Cars’ word, 80% of them went solely to see the Mona Lisa. From that perspective, I was in the minority who couldn’t be bothered. Even at the end of January, the queue was tremendous. I steered to the right…

  • Bridge on the River Kwai, A Story of Fundamental Behavior Patterns

    This will be the second piece centered around Pierre Boulle’s work. Previously, we leveraged Planet of the Apes to discuss theory of mind. Similarly, this piece will center around human behavior, but rather than compare us to our primate ancestors, we will compare amongst ourselves. The Bridge on the River Kwai, which debuted ten years…

  • Is the Problem You or Where You Are?

    There’s a running joke in my family that every 2-3 years, I’ll tire of my location or job and move. I don’t appreciate being the butt of this joke, though attempting to argue would be a fruitless exercise. Since graduating high school in 2013, I’ve lived in five different locales, an average location change every…

  • Meditations from Staring at a Wall

    This piece will be the 60th I’ve written for Becoming Polymathic. In of itself, that’s not significant. March 2025 also marks its 18 month anniversary. Again, insignificant in of itself. There’s been a gamete of topics covered in this time, a fact made especially clear as I return to old pieces and update them to…

  • Sparks, a Story of Interest

    I’m going to take a step back to the first Becoming Polymathic piece: the introductory “Why BP” email. Those of you registered will know what piece I’m referring to. Those of you who are not will see it when you do. Shameless plug over, we return to the piece. The First Becoming Polymathic Piece The…

  • Choosing Good Books: Another Scientific Art

    During prime New Year’s resolution season of January 2024, I made a cliché proclamation; I was going to read more. It wasn’t the first time me and millions of others shared this hollow pursuit. Knowing history, and abhorring the desire to repeat it, I ponied up $45 and paid for Blinkist, an app providing 10-30…