by Eric Schenck The last few years I have been deep in the world of artificial intelligence. Using it. Reading about it. Learning from people who are experts. What follows are 15 random thoughts about AI. What it means for us, what the future might look like, and different things I’ve reflected on recently. Some…

by Eric Schenck In Arabic, the word kahwa means coffee. At least that’s how I learned it. The Egyptian dialect doesn’t seem to care about the letter qoff, and will leave the sound off just about every word it appears in. The result?  Ahwa. It still means coffee, but the word takes on a much…

by Eric Schenck In December of 2016 I hitchhiked from Dallas, Texas to Tucson, Arizona to visit my best friend. It was the day after Christmas. I wanted to make it there by New Years – and I did. Here are my stats: Total days: 4 Total drivers: 12 Total miles traveled: 956 Shortest ride…

by Eric Schenck One of my New Year’s resolutions was to read one of the “classics of fiction” each month this year. I’m happy to report that I’m on pace to succeed.  While I won’t tell you which books I’ve read so far (no spoilers here!) this year of reading has taught me a few…

by Eric Schenck These are some of the things you will hear from  frequent international travelers:  “Food is the passport to the entire world.” “Every dish tells a story about its country’s past.” “Exploring new cuisines is the best way to appreciate other cultures.” While these feel a bit melodramatic, I suppose they have a…

by Eric Schenck Ten years ago, I took a one-way flight to Cairo, Egypt. I lived there for three years (and even wrote a book about it). As a way to celebrate that decision in 2015, here are ten life lessons that living in Egypt taught me. It’s valuable to periodically remind myself of these…

by Eric Schenck At a Christmas market in Germany, I told my German girlfriend’s mother that I masturbate with my family every December. Of course (I swear), this was a mistake. What I was trying to say is that my family and I do a gift exchange every year. What I actually said? That we…

by Eric Schenck My sister and I have always been close. But for the last few years, something has bonded us like nothing before: trashy television. We love nothing more than to watch reality TV shows and rejoice that we are not these people.  90 Day Fiancé (hereafter affectionately referred to as 90 Day) is…

by Eric Schenck There are two types of readers: People that can read just about anywhere, and those that prefer a specific location to do it. I’m the second one. To describe where I’ve done most of my reading, I use the phrase “reading place.” “Reading spot” sounds too specific. “Reading nook” also isn’t quite accurate.  I’ve…

by Eric Schenck I love public transportation. As an American, I know that makes me weird. Over the years, from both family and friends, I’ve heard many complaints about it: Public transportation is dirty Public transportation is slow The people using it are weirdos Why bother when I have a car These are all perfectly valid…

by Eric Schenck It’s Christmas of 2013. In my family we usually have some kind of white elephant gift exchange, and this year the theme is “Bizarre of the Bazaar.” The weirder the better. All the presents lay stacked on a table, ready to be unwrapped. We play with dice and booze. Around and around…

by Eric Schenck “Think you can beat me today?” I don’t have to think about my answer. “100 percent. Might even break the course record.” It’s three weeks before Christmas. Overly happy music is everywhere and everybody is out shopping. In this time of jolly tidings, my older sister and I have decided to have…

by Eric Schenck If you celebrate Christmas (and even if you don’t), you should make somebody an Advent calendar at least once in your life. Truly, an Advent calendar is the most under-celebrated joy of Christmas. If presents under the tree on Christmas morning are the rich and highly accomplished lawyer of the family, an…

by Eric Schenck Rowing is a sport that you naturally underestimate. You think of canoes, of guys with perfect hair, of leisurely strolls on a lake while the glorious sun shines down. From my experience, that’s not even close to the truth. In reality, it’s brutal. If you’re doing it right (going fast) rowing is…

by Eric Schenck The longer you’re in a new country the more it becomes a relationship. It starts out wonderful. You never knew a place could understand you like this. Everything is fun and exciting and “Oh my God just so different!” But then reality sets in. And, with enough time, the things that start out oddly…

by Eric Schenck The first time I hear about couchsurfing is in a political science class. It’s 2013 and I’m a sophomore in college. Our guest speaker is a guy in his 30’s that’s traveled the world. His secret to doing it on the cheap? A website called Couchsurfing that lets you sleep in strangers’…

by Eric Schenck Now It’s a strange thing when your parents get ready to sell your childhood home. There’s a feeling of excitement at what’s to come. Something good and normal is happening, and after all, home is where you make it. There’s also a feeling of detachment. It doesn’t feel real, in a way,…

by Eric Schenck I’ve been surfing for about three years.  Not enough to be a guide of any sort, but certainly enough to realize what a miracle the sport really is. What follows are nine life lessons surfing has taught me. The more you do anything, the more you realize it can teach you about…