2020 | Adam Fuller

Gaming the system

Thinking through questions, ideas and opportunities in video games

I don’t play video games, and I don’t know very much about the industry, but after listening to this episode of EconTalk: Josh Williams on Online Gaming, Blockchain, and Forte, I’m fascinated by the opportunities video games present.

I recommend listening to the episode all the way through, even if — especially if! — you’re like me and not all that into video games.

The discussion sparked a lot of questions and ideas for me that would be fascinating to work on, and also just fun to chew on as a thought exercise.

In this article, I list out 13 of my initial questions, ideas and takeaways. I’d welcome any feedback or additional perspectives to continue the conversation.

Breath

Notes and excerpts from the book, Breath by James Nestor

I highly, highly, highly, very, very, really, really, highly recommend the new book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, by James Nestor.

I finished it earlier this week and it’s the first new book I’ve read this year — new in the sense that it was just released a couple months ago.

It’s one of those jaw-dropping, underlining nearly every page, change-your-life kind of books.

Foot Fight 3

The latest from a minimalist runner’s barefoot battle to overcome posterior tibial tendonitis

I’ve been working to become a barefoot runner for almost 10 years.

It all started back in 2011 when the book Born to Run, by Christopher McDougall, convinced me that my cool cushy running shoes were doing more harm than good, and that I should instead adopt a weird minimalist running philosophy.

After years of stupid running in Converse All Stars, creepy running in Vibram FiveFingers (VFF), injury setbacks, physical therapy sessions, and a fair number of triathlons, road races and trail runs, I’m finally making some progress and getting (nearly) back to barefoot.

Now, I’m excited to share an update on the barefoot battle.

Waking the tiger

Reflections on racism, free speech, front running, guilt, innocence, hypocrisy, healing trauma, our responses to recent events, and other aspects of these unprecedented times

This article is my way of thinking through, slowing down, digging into the nuance, and voicing my opinions on some of the big issues we’re working through these days.

War and Peace

Notes and excerpts from the novel War and Peace, by Leo Tolstoy

These times keep getting stranger and stranger.

The COVID-19 pandemic keeps us socially distant, digitally dependent, and teetering on an edge of uncertainty.

The economy is in shambles.

The geopolitical relationship between the US and China is disintegrating.

And over the past week the tragic killing of George Floyd, protests, and riots have ratcheted up local, racial, and political tensions.

It’s like we’re living in a big tinderbox and every day presents another series of sparks.

There are many ways to respond to these conditions, and I plan on putting some thoughts together on that topic in a future article.

In the meantime, in today’s article, I’m going to highlight one place I found peace, truth and inspiration in this storm: Tolstoy’s brilliant novel, War and Peace, translated by Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky.