A few months ago, I underwent a month long daily radiation therapy for breast cancer. It was hard for my frail rail thin body. The treatment left me physically, emotionally, and mentally depleted — like nothing I had experienced before. Several months after completion, I still suffer the side effects. (I know survivors who remain affected many … Continue reading An Insider View of Cancer Radiation Through the Eyes of a Cancer Patient
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The Refuge Within (Poem)
Taking refuge in the forest Amidst the tall redwoods Majestic protectors Of all things living. Their cracked brown skin Brings to mind my brown ancestors Still alive among these trees Centuries after centuries. Their resilience exemplary Their strength legendary They’ve overcome severe hardships With awe-inspiring dignity. Settling deeper into the peace I hear them call … Continue reading The Refuge Within (Poem)
Letter to My Forgotten Heart
When I finished radiation, I sank into grief, and became acutely aware of the fragility of life, and the human heart. It was clear that my body had suffered a great deal. But I also viscerally realized that my heart had been beaten up and terrified by cancer treatment. One night, I felt inspired to … Continue reading Letter to My Forgotten Heart
Why Answering “How Are You” Is Difficult As a Cancer Patient
Many people are unaware of how difficult it is to answer social greetings when one is in crisis. They ask "how are you" mechanically, without thinking. I've done that in the past. Before my experience of cancer painfully opened my eyes to the stress of social greetings. I suddenly became one of many struggling everyday … Continue reading Why Answering “How Are You” Is Difficult As a Cancer Patient
When Life Kicks You: Let it Kick You Forward
The kick came for me in the form of breast cancer. Cancer has a way of showing up in your life, unannounced, and take up all the space in the house. It’s a visitor you can’t ignore. Rowdy. Overburdening. Demanding. Draining. It derails your routine, your plans, your work, your sleep, and your relationships. You … Continue reading When Life Kicks You: Let it Kick You Forward
The Psychology of Innovation: Finding Invisible Needs
There are many frameworks to help companies discover the visible needs of customers, but no tools to help them uncover the deep-seated emotional needs of customers. Yet, ignoring or misjudging these needs comes at a hefty price. 1) It leads us to create products customers don’t want. 2) It leads us to create products customers … Continue reading The Psychology of Innovation: Finding Invisible Needs
The Secret of Customer Success: Bridging Emotional Needs
The power of emotions has been known for millennia. Aristotle first emphasized the importance of emotions in his rules of persuasion. In the last century, neuroscience unequivocally demonstrated that emotions play a central role in decision-making. We all know that customers do not make decisions based on logic alone. Yet, with some exceptions, human emotions … Continue reading The Secret of Customer Success: Bridging Emotional Needs
Solace Among Oaks (Poem)
I felt the oaks’ embrace, The gentle acceptance Of their long branches, Brush over me tenderly And whisper in my ears, You are safe here You belong here. And my body relaxed And my fears surrendered, I felt held in kindness. Was I an oak in a previous life? I feel a kindred connection With their … Continue reading Solace Among Oaks (Poem)
We Missed the Inner Voter
With all our technology prowess, almighty analytics and big data galore we failed to predict the results of the presidential election. It is a sobering lesson for the media. It is a sobering lesson for data science. It is sobering lesson for politicians. It is a sobering lesson for every one of us. Whether we … Continue reading We Missed the Inner Voter
The Magic of the Anderson Collection
Pollock's Lucifer now resides at Stanford University and is welcoming visitors. The news is of significance to everyone for reasons described in this article. Lucifer, the crown jewel of the Anderson Collection, moved to Stanford with a retinue of 120 colorful accomplices he's befriended while living at the Andersons' residence. The whole gang is now … Continue reading The Magic of the Anderson Collection
