The extra effort

It is amazing how sometimes, when we’re seemingly tired and are done for the day, a little extra effort can accomplish and for certainty, will add up in what we accomplished. I was reminded of it a few days ago as I was aerating our veggie garden, a yearly chore that I loathe. 

If I were putting my mind to it, I could still find mental and physical resources that would add up to a lot and make a huge difference in the job produced. I disregarded my internal calls for indulging into self-satisfaction and self-praise and leaving the job at a level substantially and quantitatively lower, but somehow mustered the resources to produce that magical extra effort. 

Was it the remnant of a habit I had observed in my family when I was a kid or that I have instinctively maintained throughout my adult life? Quite possibly, but it was still there to give me a head-start the next day when I would return to that job. I was just amazed about it and perhaps that amazement was amply justified. It made me realize that this “extra effort” is rarely about strength. 

It’s about intention. It’s about that quiet decision to lean in rather than step back, even when no one is watching and no one will praise us for it. And perhaps that is why it feels so strangely satisfying: because it reconnects us with a part of ourselves that refuses to settle for the minimum. Is it also a form of guilt? Quite possibly. A part of us that still believes in doing things well, not for recognition, but because it shapes who we are and want to stay. 

As I grow older, I’m increasingly aware that these small choices accumulate. They become a kind of personal signature — the way we show up in the world, even in the most mundane tasks. Maybe that’s why the moment struck me as it reminded me that I’m still capable of that little surge of purpose, that quiet insistence on doing things properly. 

And that, in itself, felt like a gift. In the end, the extra effort wasn’t about the veggie garden at all. It was about remembering that there is always a little more inside us than we think — a reserve we only discover when we choose to reach for it.

The “2cv mentality”

Believe it or not, I’ve learned an awful lot from owning and driving a Citroen 2cv. 

It made me an efficiency freak with its undepowered, smartly engineered and inspiring design, literally from top to bottom. 

All life long it has made me longing for efficiency in all kinds of domains, from house design, to all kinds of objects and devices and has made me a much better consumer while developing in me an unending quest for the best ratio between design and performance. 

It’s been a catalyst of sort for me, like many other objects or situations can be for many others. 

Thank you, lowly 2cv!

The little boy goes to China

The man with the IQ of a six-year old, beginning to show some serious signs of senility, that love to demolish things first, think about the consequences afterwards and still doesn’t understand basic arithmetic, is in China to meet and negotiate with Xi Jinping.

Both men are supposed to discuss a variety of very important topics including commerce between the US and China and of course an exit ramp for that insane US-Israeli war in Iran.

Xi is likely to smile as a way to manipulate Trump, flattering him, getting exactly what he wants while showing his contempt for a man he profoundly disrespect. 

Based on that, my level of confidence in a positive outcome for the United States is very low. We could have sent any American homeless begging off a freeway ramp to the Iran quagmire, with just enough common sense and expect a better outcome. 

So, as the six-year would say: “We’ll see…”

Who need sycophants?

Often, I wonder why any manager with a functioning brain would hire sycophants to surround him or her, and what this tells about the business acumen of such and individual? Of course, as we all know that a manager who surrounds themselves with sycophants is making a strategic choice — but not a smart one. 

And the choice reveals far more about their psychology and insecurities than about their business acumen. In fact, leaders hire sycophants when protecting their ego feels more important than protecting the organization. If one cannot tolerate dissent, challenge, being wrong or being questioned they will hire people who will never threaten their self-image. 

Let’s say that it’s emotional safety masquerading as leadership. That kind of leader is Trump and the sycophant is Rubio, or Kennedy or Hegseth to name a few. If Trump had any self-confidence he would hire strong people. Instead, our insecure president hires agreeable people that provide him with constant validation, the illusion of competence, the feeling of being in control and a psychological crutch. It’s true that being surrounded by sycophants makes daily life easier. 

There are no debates, no push-back and no uncomfortable truths to hear. The cost however is enormous with plenty of blind spots, strategic errors, group-think and stagnation. A president like Trump who surrounds himself with sycophants is signaling at least one of the following traits. Poor judgment as he can’t distinguish competence from compliance, alignment from flattery and loyalty from dependency. 

Fragile decision-making as bad news is filtered, risks hidden and mistakes unchallenged. Lack of strategic maturity as great leaders know they need dissent, debate, diverse perspectives and people who dare say “you’re wrong”. Finally a final trait is fear-based leadership, as Trump needs flattery to function, he’s not leading he’s managing their own anxiety. 

Sycophants don’t gather around strong leaders but gather around leaders who need them, and that need is the real problem.

A healthy knee hits the ground

To celebrate May Day, as we arrived late afternoon in San Francisco. I didn’t have a better idea than raising my glance to admire some Victorian architectural detail on a home while we were walking one of the city’s many steep hills. I hit something with my right foot, lost my balance and fell right on my left knee. 

When this kind of fall happens, the pain is always intense. In fact falling on one’s knee can cause a serious injuries like patella fractures, ligament or meniscus tears, and severe contusions, often leading to immediate swelling, bruising, and inability to bear weight. In my case there was a bloody bruise over the knee cap, but the beast I am kept on walking up and down the hilly streets. 

I felt okay when I went to bed but woke up at midnight with some intense pain, particularly in the back of my knee. I meditated, took no drug and eventually went back to sleep. The next morning my knee was both stiff swollen, I took a pain killer and decided to participate in a rather long 8 miles walk to and through Golden Gate Park. Strong at first, the pain gradually dissipated through the day and I thought I was “saved”. 

The night was okay, but the next morning my knee’s pain and stiffness were intense. I swallowed another painkiller and followed wife and daughter on a hike over Marin County, to Mount Tamalpais known locally as “Mount Tam”, through a mountain bike trail. 

Gradually, the horrible pain disappeared and by the end of the day and 6.5 miles later, it felt okay. From that day one, there was pain in the morning that quickly went away as soon as there was activity and blood circulation. 

Had I listened to my body I would have stayed home, put an ice pack on my knee, elevated my leg and probably would have suffered much more. All this to show that when there is nothing broken, activity that promotes blood circulation is a better remedy than laying down!

Marin County, California

I’ve always had a weak spot for Sausalito and Marin County that both sit North of San Francisco. Not only do the views of the City from that shore are unique as well as stunning, but they offer a significant relief from the hustle bustle of the city life. 

I’ve stopped in Sausalito many times over the years, and it‘s always been the spot where I could marvel at the wonderful city across the Golden Gate bridge.

If I were so lucky to live in San Francisco, would I live in that City or in its opposite neighbor across that bridge? 

Yes, most definitely! I would honor my weak spot I alluded to in the opening paragraph of this blog. Would I’d be happy there? Quite possibly! Would it ever happen in my lifetime? Why not after all…

In the meantime, our daughter who lives in San Francisco is fully enjoying an incredible view that is totally one of a kind!

San Francisco, the progressive city

Today, our daughter guided us to a complete walking tout of San Francisco. Solely walking maybe not, but we’ll return to this. Our morning walk began at the San Francisco Golden Gate Park that at over 1,000 acres is larger than NYC's Central Park. 

This iconic spot includes attractions like the Japanese Tea Garden, San Francisco Botanical Garden, and Conservatory of Flowers. The longer afternoon walk took us to the Embarcadero another mandatory place for any City visitor, located at the water edge, followed with a delightful dinner at Dasha, a Russian restaurant. 

Returning home was the main attraction though as we boarded a driver-less Google-Waymo taxi (see video below). These are available since 2021 and while they were 300 in operation two years ago, there are now 800 of them being made available to the public. 

It’s that car which took us back up the hill to our daughter’s charming apartment with expansive views of the San Francisco city center and East Bay.

The Waymo ride was a first for us that comforted us that self driving cars will soon be the norm for baby boomers that otherwise would no longer be able to drive, but instead will get a salutary extension through AI technology!