Relationships
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Late-night musings #12
While preparing for our trip, I turned to social media to find an island tour/activity coordinator. After being convinced by the collective reviews and photos, I inquired; following further clarifications, we settled for a 13% downpayment and arranged our schedule of activities. During our first meeting, we exchanged a few greetings and went right on… Read more
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Letter no. 41
Dear reader from the future, With the recent events in the country, like the tension between China and the Philippines over territorial waters, I wonder what it would be like to live here ten years from now. At the same time, I believe that the future is what we make of it, which led me… Read more
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Are you ready for a world in which scrolling your phone in public spaces is banned?
Seine-Port, in the Seine-et-Marne area south of Paris, with a population of fewer than 2,000 people, last weekend voted yes in a referendum to restrict smartphone use in public, banning adults and children from scrolling on their devices while walking down the street, while sitting with others on a park bench, while in shops, cafes or eating… Read more
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Replacing old habits
Awareness has played a significant role in my on-and-off relationship with social media. So, if you’ve been reading some of my blog posts, like this one, and they resonate with you, you must be yearning for some habit changes like I do. So how to change one habit to another? The journal article Psychology of Habit (2016) shows that… Read more
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Algorithm-driven social media content
With just a tap on an icon, you can access the online public square without leaving your bed in the morning and be informed where people are or what they’ve been up to yesterday. Want to rant about that neighbor or that relative? You can now conveniently do that online without screaming at them live… Read more
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Children taking cues
When I was a child, I quickly ran to my mother whenever something scared me, usually unfamiliar sounds (like scurrying little feet on the roof). I did not care to know what caused it because knowing doesn’t matter. What I care about is the comfort I need right away. And when my mother doesn’t fret,… Read more
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Eating together with family
I grew up in a family whose rule about eating meals is having them together. Except for when breakfasts were spent hurriedly, there were times when we just took our time with them, especially on weekends. Having breakfast together is more than just eating the food at the table. It’s also about gathering together in… Read more