A R C H I V E

There’s an art to aging gracefully in good physical and mental health. My column last week on Sage’ing while Age’ing explored the slow unfolding of life from matter to spirit. Shakespeare paints a more eloquent picture of this arc.

In As You Like It, the melancholy Jaques delivers the famous “Seven Ages of Man” speech, casting life as theater: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”

The first age is infancy: helpless, crying, utterly dependent. The second is schoolboy: dragged reluctantly to class, “creeping like a snail,” resisting duty. Then comes the lover—sighing like a furnace, consumed by passion and clumsy verse…

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Just as every horse believes its own pack heaviest, every age imagines itself uniquely burdened. Despite wars, depressions, plagues, and upheavals recurring so regularly, they continue to surprise us. With Trump in office, France and England on the verge of civil war, and Iran, Russia, and China plotting against us, the present may feel apocalyptic, but it is simply our turn in the long cycle of disorder and renewal.

This recognition need not drive us to despair. Even as crises mount, we still eat, sleep, and laugh. We fall in love, raise children, and watch the seasons turn. Life persists with stubborn grace. The question is whether we meet these times awake, or, like a deer in headlights, stand frozen as history barrels forward.

The Stoics urged us to see adversity as an opportunity to learn and grow. Marcus Aurelius called this “the raw material for virtue.” Buddhists remind us that suffering is the very texture of existence, woven from our attachments and expectations. Both traditions reveal the same truth: the root of our suffering is striving to force the world to conform to our desires…

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To face the greatest question of all—“What is the meaning of life?”—we must begin where Socrates began: “Know Thyself.” Only then can we decide whether to chase wealth or fame, love or power, comfort or truth. To seek wisdom is to live as philosophers, wrestling with these questions and shaping our lives accordingly.

Yet advice is always easier to offer than to embody. Like the honeybee, which gathers nectar from countless blossoms to make its honey, I studied many philosophies and six religions to craft my own simple path through life, learning that at the physical level, we are both ancient and new. The reptilian brain, nearly three billion years old, keeps us alive with its instincts for survival, safety, and desire. The mammalian brain, 500 million years old, stirs memory, emotion, and longing. The neocortex, only 70,000 years old, gives us language, reason, and imagination…

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Humanity lurches forward in cycles of order, collapse, and renewal. According to Peter Turchin’s The Fourth Turning, America is nearing the end of an eighty-year cycle, marked by the emergence of two massive technological breakthroughs— artificial intelligence and quantum computing— and three major conflicts: the Iran-Israel war, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the looming possibility of a China-Taiwan war.

These battles are part of a war that will determine the fate of Western democracies and America’s position as the dominant superpower. 

Iran’s 46-year dream of destroying Israel by encircling it in a “Ring of Fire” turned into a nightmare when Israel decisively defeated Hezbollah and Hamas, orchestrated the downfall of the Syrian regime, and won its 12-day war with Iran. President Trump’s decision to send B-2 bombers to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities delivered the final, decisive blow, allowing ninety million frustrated and thirsty Iranians to orchestrate the final downfall of the much-hated regime…

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Whether you are a physicist who believes in quantum entanglement or a spiritualist who believes in synchronicity, you believe in what Jesus, Rumi, and the movie Matrix tried to convey: we are all One, and reality is a projection of our perception of this Oneness.

With the rise of Democratic-Socialists Zohran Mamdani and Omar Fateh as front-runners for the mayors of New York and Minneapolis, I decided to read A Gentleman in Moscow to recall what happens when Socialists and Communists take over. In one particularly vivid scene, the authorities order the Metropol Hotel’s sommelier to strip the labels from ten thousand bottles of fine wine, forcing guests to choose only between red or white, all at a single price, in the name of equality.

Authoritarians have long relied on projection to succeed, accusing their critics of the very crimes they commit. The Bolsheviks branded political opponents as “counterrevolutionaries” and “enemies of the people,” even as they dismantled democratic institutions, censored the press, and ruled through terror…

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The only constant is change. A recent tour through Rome’s 2,600-year history reminded me that cities are either being born or dying, growing or falling apart.

In its brief 150-year history, Boulder has been a miner’s base camp, a university town, a county seat, a scientific mecca, and a cultural hub. Today, Boulder faces familiar challenges: budget cuts, declining sales tax revenue, rising homelessness, and a 32% office vacancy rate, not including subleases and ghost spaces.

Since its founding, Boulder has strived to cast itself as the “Athens of the West,” a stage for cutting-edge art, science, sport, spirituality, and technology. Think University of Colorado, Chautauqua, 32 national labs, IBM, Pearl Street Mall—and, now, Sundance…

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Trust is the foundation of every functioning relationship—family, work, community, and nation. Its erosion sits at the root of many personal and societal ills.

From presidents who lie about their mental acuity to those who enrich themselves at our expense, from pedophile priests and Boy Scout leaders to corrupt CEOs and financial advisors, it often feels as though we remain trapped in the law of the jungle.

In 1964, 77% of Americans trusted the government to do the right thing; today, that number is just 22%. In 1970, more than 70% of Americans trusted the media; today, only 31% do…

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We think of our community as a Black Sheep Club. The centerpiece of our art collection is a large diptych by local artist Frank Sampson titled Celebration—a whimsical portrayal of humans, animals, and mythic hybrids gathered around a dining table. The painting reflects a simple truth: what appears strange at first often reveals itself as familiar once we share a few meals and stories.

City Club embraces this truth, rejecting the fantasy of human perfection as an aspiration fit only for gods. Instead, we strive to attract members willing to do the more complex work of self-reflection—those brave enough to confront their shadow sides, rather than those who presume themselves to be evolved.

This paradox lives most vividly in our leaders. Consider the sexual transgressions of Kennedy, Clinton, and Martin Luther King Jr.; Jefferson’s slave ownership; or Churchill’s lifelong dependence on alcohol. Even Donald Trump’s unchecked appetites remain a mirror we must reckon with. Reducing people to their worst traits is lazy. Wrestling with their contradictions—our contradictions—is what it means to be fully human…

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The United States Surgeon General has declared loneliness the number one epidemic in America. Loneliness and social isolation profoundly affect both mental and physical health, raising the risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, depression, and premature death.

I speak from experience, having suffered two heart attacks and carrying five stents in my heart, which I largely attribute to my first eight lonely and difficult years in America, and later, a divorce. Picture a geeky, foreign teenage engineering student struggling with language, culture, and a lack of friends—a stranger in a strange land.

Recognizing the magnitude of the problem, modern-day snake-oil salesmen peddle “community” alongside whatever else they’re selling. Starbucks calls itself “The Third Place,” yet removes seating from its 38,000 locations and locks its bathrooms. Step into a modern office or co-working space, and you’ll find folks wearing earbuds to signal, “Don’t bug me.”…

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The arc of human freedom reaches back to the enslaved Hebrews in Egypt who yearned for liberty. Cyrus the Great and Greek philosophers gave us democracy. Jesus taught us to love our neighbor. The Magna Carta in England, followed by the Renaissance in Florence, cleared the path to signing the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia.

In the 250 years since, America has strived to be the shining city on a hill. Compare that with the five thousand years it took to bring about the Agricultural Revolution, and the more than two centuries required for the Industrial Revolution. Now, we stand amid the AI Revolution. How long will it take, and what shape will its blessings and perils assume? The Declaration of Independence was a revolt against a tyrannical king. Today, we need a modern declaration to challenge the status quo.

In 2020, we launched the Highland Institute for the Advancement of Humanity to imagine—and help build—a brave new world of AI, quantum computing, cryptocurrencies, personalized medicine, and whatever else lies on the horizon. Five years in, we’re finally making solid progress on multiple fronts. For example, next week we’re hosting a nine-part series, Technology & Statecraft, to explore topics such as:..

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The only constant is change, and change moves in cycles. From Capital to Labor, Conservative to Liberal, political Left to Right, economic boom to bust, we’re perpetually caught in the rhythm of these swings.

The American Civil War was fought over freedom versus slavery. Today, America is simmering over immigration, abortion, gender, and social and economic justice. 

The liberal and hippie revolutions of the '60s and '70s ushered in conservative figures like Ronald Reagan as President and Rudy Giuliani as Mayor of New York. Now, the pendulum has swung so far left that New Yorkers are considering electing Zohran Mamdani, a Muslim immigrant and self-described Democratic Socialist…

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The Query family—Dave, Dana, Matt, and Sonya—has long been a cornerstone of Boulder and the City Club communities. So, when Dave told me, “You should meet John Cullen,” I listened.

Many individuals worked hard to bring the Sundance Film Festival to Boulder, but I consider John Cullen and Governor Jared Polis the primary catalysts behind Boulder’s successful bid.

John Cullen has been the owner and CEO of Grand Heritage Holdings since 1989. This global hotel and resort company has operated 51 properties across 17 countries, including the historic Stanley Hotel in Estes Park.

John is a force of nature: brilliant and bold, impulsive and unpredictable—equal parts Oscar Wilde and Tim Cook. He’s a bit hard to follow, not because of his British accent, but because his thoughts race faster than his words. A dealaholic by nature, John is either buying or selling, so unless you have a deal in mind, he doesn’t have time to deal with you!..

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In 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini led a revolution that toppled the Shah of Iran, inspiring militant students to seize the U.S. embassy in Tehran. America stood paralyzed and humiliated as 52 hostages were held for 444 days.

Rather than uniting Iranians with a hopeful vision, the new Islamic regime ruled through fear, torture, and repression, focusing instead on the destruction of Israel and America. It funneled oil wealth to Hezbollah, Hamas, the Syrian regime, and the Houthis to wage proxy wars—while pursuing nuclear weapons and declaring, “Israel is a one-bomb country.”

Since WWII, America has lost wars in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, leaving it war-weary and hesitant to confront Iran. But Israel, cornered, had no choice but to act—and prevail.

For 3,500 years, Jews have faced repeated threats of extinction. Today, they confront a new existential danger—this time as a fortified sovereign state, ranked second globally in innovation and among the top ten in military strength…

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The term “Semite” historically refers to a family of ancient peoples bound by Semitic languages such as Aramaic, Hebrew, and Arabic. In the 19th century, German agitator Wilhelm Marr coined the term “antisemitism” to rebrand Judenhass (Jew-hatred) with a more scientific veneer.

After over 2,000 years of exile, in 1948, the Jews re-established the state of Israel. To remain politically correct, the new Judenhass began using antizionism instead of antisemitism to express its hatred of Jews.

Humans carry hate in their hearts, and history shows Jews are often the first target. Today, it’s easier and even safer to direct that hate at Jews than at Blacks, gays, the wealthy, or other minorities. Yet hate, once unleashed, does not stay neatly contained. The same mob that chants for the eradication of Jews today will turn its rage elsewhere tomorrow, dismantling the fragile order that protects us all. Just last week, we saw a flash of this hatred erupt in Boulder. Although none of the quotes above use the word “antisemite,” the hatred for Jews is loud and clear…

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Last Sunday’s terror attack in Boulder demands more than our sorrow. It demands clarity. Who are these terrorists, and how should a free society respond?

We don’t have to look far. The agitators disrupting Boulder City Council meetings are the same ones who defaced Highland City Club with graffiti, vulgar posters, and racial slurs. Their hatred isn’t random; it’s targeted. Their tactics aren’t new; a moral and civic leadership vacuum emboldens them.

Political theorist Patrick Deneen notes that our crisis is not one of too little liberty, but too little order - not mere law and order, but moral order rooted in shared virtue and mutual obligation. He faults not only liberal excess but a hollow conservatism that is more invested in preserving status than cultivating character. Deneen calls for cultural renewal - an honest reckoning transcending our tired political binaries to support the common good…

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Remember when a bottle of wine from Trader Joe’s cost just two dollars? It didn’t matter if it was red, white, or rosé—whether it was Manischewitz or Two-Buck Chuck—wine was more about the buzz than the bouquet.

Then came the storytellers, educating us about grape lineage, soil minerality, and the family vineyard tucked away in Napa. Almost overnight, wine shifted from table filler to trophy, fetching $25 for a five-ounce pour at the neighborhood bar—including tax, sustainability surcharge, and a 20% tip.

Maybe this is just what aging feels like, but these days, restaurant noise spikes my blood pressure, the chairs are stiff, the lighting either blinding or dismal, the food too oily or salty, the service hit-or-miss, and the prices rarely match the value.

At City Club, you can enjoy a delicious glass of wine at a fraction of what you’d pay elsewhere—no tip required. The only background noise is birdsong and bubbling fountains. We don’t cook with seed oils, and our staff knows your name, not just your table number.

Come savor summer the way it was meant to be—unhurried, heartfelt, and shared among friends…

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Last week, I led an architectural tour of Highland, and this week, Constance guided a tour of the Highland Gardens. With Dustin now overseeing the operations of both Highland and City Club, it’s heartening to see members eager to learn more about the vision and effort behind our life’s work.

When I was young, I saw a black-and-white photo of John D. Rockefeller seated alone at the far end of a 24-person dining table, hunched over his meal. Behind him stood two servers, still as statues—like Foo Dogs guarding a lonely scene. That image left a lasting impression on me: all the wealth in the world means little if we have no one to share it with…

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To leave a first-hand account of Highland’s history, I’ve begun offering design, architecture, and furnishing tours to share my knowledge with the membership. In that spirit, I previously wrote about the large mythical bird perched above the condos—affectionately (and somewhat notoriously) known as “the evil chicken.” I hope that, in time, a section of City Club’s website can be dedicated to preserving this evolving historical record.

Nearly eight centuries ago, Persian Sufi poet Attar of Nishapur, a contemporary of Rumi, wrote “The Conference of the Birds.” In the poem, the birds of the world gather to decide who is to be their sovereign, as they had none. The hoopoe, the wisest of them all, suggested they should find the legendary Simurgh. The hoopoe leads the birds, each representing a human fault that prevents humankind from attaining enlightenment. 

The hoopoe tells the birds that they must cross seven valleys to reach Simurgh's abode…

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At City Club, the foundation of our community is a Securus Locus—a safe space where members can converse, debate, discuss, and engage in Jeffersonian dialogues on diverse topics, fostering learning and connection. In that spirit, I would like to adopt the sage advice of City Club member Ted B. Page and suggest the following rules of engagement to facilitate meaningful interactions in a group setting:

One person speaks at a time while others listen intently.

Avoid cross-talking and preparing rebuttals while someone else is speaking.

Pause for a second to ensure the speaker has finished.

Old habits die hard. As our community grows and gatherings become larger, we aim to strengthen these principles further. Here are a few suggested guidelines to foster meaningful communication:..

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Some artists dare to touch the places we would rather leave untouched—love, lust, betrayal, death. Poet-musicians like Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen guide us there with tenderness and unflinching honesty.

I have long been a fan of Leonard Cohen, knowing well the dark shadows he wrestled with. Yet, like a fine wine aging into deeper notes, Cohen ripened into something wiser with time, moving from the songs of love and longing in his youth to meditations on death and dying at age 82.

Today, Cohen’s final song, You Want It Darker, feels less like a farewell and more like a hymn for the living. Drawing from the ancient story of God giving Abraham a miracle child only to demand his sacrifice, Cohen does not flinch. He lifts the words of the Kaddish, the Jewish prayer for the dead (“Magnified, sanctified be Thy holy name”), and offers us a way to respond to darkness with sacred defiance: Hineni. Hineni. Hineni.

Here I am. Here I am. Here I stand…

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