The Copper Den

The Intimacy of Doing Nothing

One of my closest friends was home for about a month over the holidays. I was super excited to see him, but I found that I kept putting off reaching out, though. In my head, I had to come up with this plan. Would we grab coffee somewhere? Maybe we’

The Importance of Hobbies

This week for Discount Tuesday, I went to see Bradley Cooper’s new movie, Is This Thing On? I never quite know what to expect with a Cooper-directed film. I didn’t see Maestro, but I did see A Star Is Born, which has a less than happy ending. A

What Even Is Art?

I’ve been thinking a lot on the definition of art recently. The main reason why is because I’ve been reading What Is Art? by Leo Tolstoy. The book is a bit dry (it’s a long essay written at the end of the author’s life), but it’

Marty's Supreme Complexity

On New Year’s Day, I saw Marty Supreme. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d greatly been enjoying Timothée Chalamet’s press antics for the movies from rapping alongside EsDeeKid to having an orange blimp emblazoned with the movie’s title hover over a handful of cities.

Nihilism Isn't Cool!

I recently saw a video where I learned about an unfortunate new phrase: nihilistic violent extremist (NVE for short). This phrase was first used by the FBI back in March of last year.  According to PolitiFact, the term is used by federal law enforcement officials to “describe perpetrators who don’

Take It or Leave It

Like many during this time, I’ve been reflecting on the past year and considering how I want my 2026 to look.  The beginning of the year always seems to move so slowly before speeding up until December passes by in the blink of an eye. The holidays can be

Escaping the Algorithm

This past week, I watched a Cal Newport video in which he discusses ways to avoid doomscrolling and learn better. In today’s blog post, I’ll break down what stood out to me most about his approach and why I think it’s more important than ever to move

To be, or not to be

This might be my most foolish blog post yet. I’m going to try to tackle one of my favorite scenes in literature: the “to be, or not to be” speech from Hamlet by William Shakespeare. Shakespeare is getting a lot of attention recently with the release of Hamnet. The

Trying to Do Less

I recently watched a video by Matt D’Avella that has me reconsidering my approach to productivity.  Responding to this influx of hustle culture ideology, Matt suggests that there’s an increasing movement to slow down. He connects this with Cal Newport and his book Slow Productivity. I haven’t

What Are You Scared Of?

This week, I want to talk about a scene from one of my favorite movies, Good Will Hunting. A couple scenes stand out when I think of this movie. A lot of people think about the many Robin Williams speeches in the movie, but I want to dig deeper into

Be Curious, Not Judgmental

Ted Lasso is one of my favorite TV shows of this decade. It’s a show that’s just full of joy and hopefulness, which was much needed when it initially released during the pandemic. I remember first watching on a plane while I was going to visit a friend

Be Like Water: Applying Bruce Lee's Famous Lesson

When starting a new habit, it’s common to feel a sort of friction, but when is it too much? This week, I explore how changing the timing of a habit helped me complete it much more easily and how we can consider Bruce Lee’s “be like water” ideology to help us move more effortlessly through life.

A Constant Stream of Information

We’re witnessing a social media landscape where everything is curated for you. You can log onto a given platform to swipe for hours uninterrupted. In this age of constant video flow, though, actively deciding what you want to consume might be the greatest power of them all.

Ask Yourself "Why?"

Starting a new habit can oftentimes feel impossible. You’ll have a few good days, but then all of a sudden the momentum is gone. This week, I explore how asking yourself “why?” might help keep those new habits running by better understanding your core values.

The Japanese Secret to a Happier Life

Ikigai is a Japanese concept that loosely translates as "the happiness of always being busy." It's an idea that promises a lot, but it might just hold some key ideas for finding purpose and living a more fulfilled life.

"Peacemaker" and the Importance of Accepting Our Mistakes

While not perfect, Chris Smith’s journey in "Peacemaker" Season 2 is incredibly moving and makes me think on the importance of owning up to our mistakes as well as embracing those who try to help us. This week, I am exploring both of those ideas as I look back on the completed second season.

J. Cole's "Love Yourz" and the Secret to Happiness

It’s easy to find ourselves thinking that if we get a little more of something we’ll finally be happy. In J. Cole’s “Love Yourz,” the rapper reminds us about the trap of wanting and to reconsider what will actually bring us fulfillment.

On the Love of Fridays

Few feelings seem to match the quiet joy of Friday afternoons, when work ends and freedom begins. In this post, I explore how The Cure's "Friday I'm in Love" captures that magic and why even Aristotle would approve of its celebration of leisure.

The World Needs to Be a Little Goofier

This week, I'm reminiscing on the 1995 cult classic, "A Goofy Movie," a film that reminds us that beautiful things can happen when we try to meet someone where they are.

What Happened When I Cut Back on Social Media

I cut back on my social media usage and noticed some surprising changes in focus, cravings, and happiness. Here's what happen when I started to log off more.

How to Have a Better Relationship with Social Media

This is the second post of a miniseries about rethinking my relationship with social media. These are some of the tools and habits I've been using to reset that relationship, and they've started to make my time online feel lighter and more intentional.

Why I'm Rethinking Social Media: Dopamine, Negativity, and the Attention Trap

Lately, I've been noticing how social can shape my moods, my habits, and even how I spend my evenings. The more I learned, the clearer it became that what feels like harmless scrolling might not be so harmless after all.

Why Tools Matter More Than Dreams for Success and Fulfillment

We've all been told to chase our dreams, but what if the better path is building tools that carry us forward? Inspired by a Hank Green vlog, I explore why focusing on tools can lead us to places we might never have imagined in our wildest...dreams.

The Wheel of Life: A Simple Exercise to Find Balance and Purpose

It's hard to know what to work on if you don't have a good idea of where you are. The Wheel of Life is a fairly simple yet powerful tool that helps you step back, see the bigger picture, and figure out where to focus your energy next.

The Secret to Beating Procrastination? Start a Timer

When you're in a rut, sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. I've found that something as simple as starting a timer is one of the more effective tools that gets me moving in the right direction.