Raven Montmorency

Americans Voting in Dogs and Goats as Mayor

To be chosen “mayor” is considered a great honor and it’s certainly not a title to be sneezed at. Any individual who has won this highly respected position through a general election can be proud of themselves. Furthermore, being a good mayor is not as easy as it seems. Mayors need to have strong leadership ...

Raven Montmorency

A cat lying on its side.

Adventures in Homeschooling: Do’s and Don’ts

It’s almost “back to school” time again. Yet, here we are in the year 2020, getting used to virtual classrooms. This is an opportune time to be creative and reevaluate our approach to schooling and consider alternative avenues of education for children. Homeschooling is one such approach. It is gaining in popularity and it holds ...

Raven Montmorency

Girls sitting on the shore of a lake.

How to Get Your Relationship Back on Track After a Fight

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned many things in our world upside down. The effect of the pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns might have exposed the gaps and insecurities in our relationships as well. These factors may have led to some misunderstandings and even bitter clashes with our loved ones. Although most couples strive to keep the ...

Raven Montmorency

An angry man yelling.

Indonesian Fishermen: Poor, but Happy

The Indonesian Family Life Survey (IFLS) conducted a statistical analysis on the welfare status of fishermen between 2012 and 2015. The IFLS questionnaire also contained an open survey for Indonesian fishermen, asking them how happy they felt five years ago, at present, and to predict five years ahead. The Indonesian ocean is recognized internationally for ...

Raven Montmorency

A beached fishing boat.

Stop Sitting, Start Squatting

People in the West rarely squat. The only chances are when they attend a yoga or CrossFit class, where for most, the position is one of deep discomfort. The way we sit has evolved into something quite distant from “primeval” squatting; the chair has become ubiquitous. This would not be such a problem if we ...

Raven Montmorency

A large man sitting at the office.

How to Make Friends

When was the last time you made a new friend? People, as they get older, find it more difficult to make friends, and wrap themselves in a virtual cocoon preventing others from offering their friendship. Friendship is one of the best things to happen in life. Living in an everyday society with stress from work ...

Raven Montmorency

Two friends laughing.

The Magic of Small Wins

Everyone needs to celebrate small wins because everyone has failed in life. That’s just another fact of living. Even Alexander didn’t get the horse facing right the first time. Alright, maybe he did, but that’s why he’s called The Great. None of us are called The Great. So we have failed again and again miserably. ...

Raven Montmorency

Boy standing on a ridge celebrating.

The Hardest Job in the Universe

What’s the hardest job you can think of? Construction, mining? That’s physically focused. How about brain surgery or an astronaut fixing the space station? These are all very difficult jobs, indeed, no doubt about that. High performance requires lots of dedication, and years of application before an everyday person can claim mastery. But there is ...

Raven Montmorency

A red sunset over the ocean.

What Is the Socratic Method, and Why Do We Need It Today?

Ask anyone who knows about Socrates and they will tell you about his most endearing and at the same time his most scary quality — the ability to ask questions using his Socratic Method; asking the most thought-provoking truth-revealing questions. These are the type of questions that would make the person think deeply about the ...

Raven Montmorency

A statue's head of Socrates.

Sriracha: An Immigrant Success Story

A Vietnamese immigrant landed on U.S. shores. Among all the difficulties he faced from leaving his familiar environment, people, and food, he could not come to terms with missing one thing — Sriracha hot sauce. He asked around but none could help him; all Vietnamese compatriots here, on this side of the world, we’re facing ...

Raven Montmorency

Containers of Sriracha hot sauce.