Esparanza: A Daily Outsider Public Service Initiative

  Take action:  Drop, Cover, and Hold On  - the best way to protect yourself and loved ones when the shaking begins. For modifications of Drop, Cover and Hold On, check out the  Earthquake Preparedness Guide for Seniors, People with Disabilities, and Others with Access and Functional Needs (AFN) Create a family  emergency plan  that includes how and where to evacuate and how you will communicate. Get to know your SSA building’s emergency procedures. Know where to evacuate to. Organize your  emergency supplies .

 

  ​ This is the Word I'm Trying to Live By This Year ​ The past year has been all about LESS for me. At the end of 2022, actually as part of  The Daily Stoic New Year New You Challenge  ( new one starting on Jan 1 if you want to join us ), my wife and I picked a word we were going to use as our lodestar for the year. We picked ‘less’ because we felt like we were too busy, too overwhelmed, too stressed, too frustrated. I was just exhausted as December ended and I felt like my health, my family, and my quality of life could not face another year of the same. So as I wrote here,  in an article , my goal was: Less . Less commitments. Less drama. Less busyness. Less screen time. Just less. Part of the reason I want less is so I have room for more. More stillness. More presence. Looking back, I think we did a pretty good job. I was strict about passing on stuff I didn’t want to do. I asked my assistant not to schedule appointments or interviews or calls on Fridays. I pushed  my book  bac