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The ‘I Want You Back’ Paradox
What happens when a song about heartbreak feels like pure dopamine? I’m taking a look at why ‘I Want You Back’ by the Jackson 5 remains the ultimate feel-good anthem, despite its lyrics. From the technical brilliance of the Motown machine to the ‘raw’ humanity of my own podcasting journey,…
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Rob on…the lame duck illusion
Leadership is a fragile contract. From the halls of an alternative school to the corridors of Washington, D.C., I’m exploring the “lame duck” phenomenon: that liminal space where a leader holds the title but has lost the authority.
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The Waiting Room: Living in the Stretch
I’m currently caught in the ‘waiting room’ of life—the awkward, restless space between closing the book on one chapter and waiting for the next to begin. From navigating the final days of a school year to the quiet introspection following a relationship’s end, I’m learning that the tension of wanting…
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Rob on…closing the comic book
What happens when a relationship doesn’t end with a bang, but with a quiet, passive fade? In this look at the modern dating phenomenon of ‘soft ghosting,’ I explore the cowardly side of the status quo, the brick walls we build to protect ourselves, and why I’m finally closing the…
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How to Build Confidence: A 1,008-Day Guide to Stringing Together Victories
We often think of self-confidence as a static trait, but it’s actually a perishable skill that must be re-earned. From the ‘Samurai’ days of my 20s to the ‘Option C’ choices of my present, I’ve learned that true confidence isn’t about avoiding failure—it’s about stringing together enough victories to prove…
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The Beacon in the Digital Dark: Why I Write to Breathe
Are subscriber lists still the ‘holy grail’ of blogging, or are they just a vanity metric in the age of smartphones? After 14 years of blogging, I’m breaking down the reality of building a loyal audience, why the ‘follow-for-follow’ game feels transactional, and why I’ve decided that writing to breathe…
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Graduation 2026: Pomp, Circumstance, and the Cape I Need to Earn
Graduation is more than just a ceremony; it’s a mirror for the year behind us and a window into the future. After a ‘meat grinder’ of a school year, I stepped onto the stage to read names and realized that my own journey—from questioning my path to finding the audacity…
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The Lie of “Out of Sight, Out of Mind”
Stop telling yourself “out of sight, out of mind” is the cure for heartbreak. It’s a lie. Real healing isn’t about forgetting—it’s about building calluses.
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The Death of Destiny (And Why I’m Choosing Myself)
Do you believe in soulmates? After reaching a 1,000-day milestone and navigating a recent life transition, I’ve realized that pinning happiness on destiny is just an excuse to avoid doing the work. In this post, I break down why “soulmates” are a myth, how the 100% Policy saved me from…
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Between Pride Rock and the Plains
The 1,000-day journey is behind me, but the next chapter hasn’t begun yet. I’m currently navigating the “bridge era”—that raw, dusty space between who I was and who I’m becoming. From professional pivots to personal shifts, here is what it feels like to stand in the void and wait for…