Mr. Joyce Takes on the World

Courage (The Cardinal Virtues Part Three) We're all on a hero's journey. The dragons we face may not have scales. The lands we visit may not be exotic. We may not have to carry a sword; except for the one forged by our own iron will. I have worn armor though, or many kinds. I have no doubt that in the future I will travel to many lands, and face many dragons. I also have no doubt that I will tame them. Why carve up a rare species when you can learn from it? Does the knight always have to slay the dragon? That being said, I may look good in dragon skin boots.  Know where I can score a pair? House Targaryen? Were they at New York Fashion Week? Moving along... If you have anxiety you'll know this is a tough one to practice. The world is an uncertain place. There's no guarantees, no security. Even stepping out the front door can be a challenge. But without the risk nothing is gained. The alternative is to live a life that is not only cir...

Temperance (The Cardinal Virtues Part Two) Temperance by Baroque artist Luca Giordano I remember my first hangover. I was twenty-five, and I thought to myself, “This feels like I have a head cold. My face feels all hot and flushed. My nose is stuffed up, and I'm tired. I'm not doing this again.” Less than a month later I did it again, and had the same results. Since then I'd not had a hangover. I have the occasional drink, but never to excess. I guess that makes me an aberration, because in America people pride themselves on how much they can drink, and how drunk they can get. I remember in high school I'd overhear kids brag about how “F—ed up” they were going to get on Friday night. It almost seemed to be a place of pride for them to get so plastered they'd not remember their own zip code.  We all go through that phase when we first start drinking. After a while we learn that drinking isn't about the destination, it's about the j...