Matt Refghi

Is It Possible?

by

You know those moments where you wish you had thought a little bit more before you spoke? I know I just finished writing a blog post about not using my brain wherever possible, but those kinds of moments aren’t exactly what I meant. So, I was at the grocery store today, and I set my eyes on pizza crust… otherwise known as the first ingredient in a meal that is pretty much destined to be tasty. As I typically do, I scanned the available packages, and looked for the one with the furthest best before date. I soon located the freshest, most suitable candidate for my eventual consumption, but right as I was putting it in my shopping cart, I did a double-take. … Read more

Don’t Make Me Think

by

You know what I like? Not using my brain. Sometimes, I find it refreshing to just hand over control, and enjoy a pre-established solution. Consider GPS navigation systems in cars, as an example – here we have a device that is capable of directing us, and as long as we follow its instructions (with common sense), there’s really no need to know every single step in the trip. We can just have faith that the automatic directions are gonna get us to where we want to go. If we miss a turn, no problem – the GPS adjusts itself to the new trajectory, and once again, no need to worry, no need to think. Now, of course, the brain is kind of … Read more

The Test

by

This week, I decided to seek the advice of a pharmacist. “It’s actually pretty simple,” I said, “I’d like to go to La Ronde [an amusement park] without being sick.” The pharmacist laughed. See, the last time I rode a roller coaster, I was really young, and the result wasn’t pretty. It didn’t result in extreme projectile vomiting, or anything graphic like that. I just felt really, really nauseous, and after that one ride, I’d had enough. But time passed since then, and I’m the type that likes to face obstacles, fears, and basically anything that brings me discomfort that I feel shouldn’t. So when a colleague invited me to visit La Ronde, I knew what I had to do. My body didn’t like being thrown around … Read more

A Quest for Water

by

It’s not exactly uncommon for me to roam the city of Montreal on my bike, as I enjoy a fitness-oriented life. Like most, I’ve been awaiting the arrival of summer with enthusiasm; spring being an appreciated intro. Today, I set out to do my usual routine: 20km, with no specific plan, trajectory-wise. I tend to vary the paths that I take, and I don’t usually know what I’m doing until I decide in the moment; however, there are certain trends that can be observed. My most frequent location, for example, is Parc Jean Drapeau, a local park that hosts the yearly Grand Prix races. Parc Jean Drapeau is fairly accessible, and it has a nice balance of greenery and asphalt, where the … Read more