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If my former self and my current self met for coffee, they’d get along OK, but they’d both probably walk out of the Starbucks shaking their heads and saying to themselves, “That guy is kinda delusional.”

A. J. Jacobs

I thought religion would eventually wither away and we’d all be worshiping at the altar of science.
A. J. JACOBS

Myself Religion Science Worship
I thought religion would make me live with my head in the clouds, but as often as not, it grounds me in this world.
A. J. JACOBS

Cloud Ground Head Live Religion World
It’s hard to be in a bad mood when you’re walking around looking like you’re about to play the semifinals at Wimbledon.
A. J. JACOBS

Bad Mood Play Sports Walk Yourself
I find placebos uplifting and exhilarating. It means that taking action–no matter what the action is–might help you feel better.
A. J. JACOBS

Action Better Feeling Finding Help Yourself
Taking the Bible too literally is a mistake. It should be read as a guidebook of wisdom and insight.
A. J. JACOBS

Bible Fault Guilt Insight Lesson Mistake Should Wisdom
After decimating several vegetables, I decide juicing is my favorite form of food preparation. There’s something perversely appealing about subjecting an innocent plant to that much violence.
A. J. JACOBS

Appeal Decide Food Innocent Plant Vegetable Violence
When I was with the serpent-handlers in Tennessee, it was the most bizarre method of worship I could think of. Yet when you sit with these people, you can kind of see how it makes sense.
A. J. JACOBS

Kind Method People Religion See Worship Yourself
Probably 90 percent of our life decisions are powered by the twin engines of inertia and laziness.
A. J. JACOBS

Decision Life Ourselves Power
After a while, if you’re committed, you start to believe in the things in which you’re praying. It’s just cognitive dissonance. You can’t live a completely religious life and not start to have it sink in.
A. J. JACOBS

Believe Commitment Life Prayer Religious Start Yourself
I prefer the earlier birth control techniques, which ranged from the delicious (using honey as a spermicide) to the aerobic (jumping backward seven times after coitus).
A. J. JACOBS

Birth Control Delicious Idea Jumping Technique
I love to live things, so I wanted to immerse myself and get into the mindset – and sandals – of my forefathers.
A. J. JACOBS

Dream Explore Live Love Mindset Sandal Shop Wanted
How do you gag the voice in your head that says, ‘You don’t have to [do it] today. There’s always tomorrow.’?
A. J. JACOBS
When I went to Israel, it was a little disorienting, because there are so many people who look crazy and were dressed like me. There, I was just one of the apocalyptic crowd.
A. J. JACOBS

Appearance Crazy Crowd Myself People
My immune system has always been overly welcoming of germs. It’s far too polite, the biological equivalent of a southern hostess inviting y’all nice microbes to stay awhile and have some artichoke dip.
A. J. JACOBS

Immunity Invitation Polite Stay System Welcome Yourself
More people die on a per mile basis from drunk walking than from drunk driving.
A. J. JACOBS

Death Drink Drive People
Since I was relatively new to the Bible, I was surprised by the Old Testament God. He’s wrathful, but at other times, He’s incredibly compassionate. He’s not a one-dimensional figure at all.
A. J. JACOBS
I thought religion would eventually wither away and we’d all be worshiping at the altar of science.
A. J. JACOBS

Altars Bless Christ Donate Holy Humanity Love People Religious Surrounding
It’s a different way of looking at the world. Your life isn’t about rights. It’s about responsibilities.”–Mr Bill Berkowitz
A. J. JACOBS

Different Life Responsibility Way World Yourself
I don’t believe that prayers actually change God’s mind – if there is a God – but I liked praying for people in need. It was like moral weightlifting. I tend to be self-obsessed, and it was nice to get out of my brain once in a while.
A. J. JACOBS

Believe Change Emotion Equality Ethics Eye Fact God Nice Prayer Religion Worship
There’s a beauty to forgiveness, especially forgiveness that goes beyond rationality. Unconditional love is an illogical notion, but such a great & powerful one
A. J. JACOBS

Beauty Beyond Forgive Nature Powerful Rational Unconditional Love
Med students panic their first year when they learn all the diseases. It’s not until the second year that they learn the cures.
A. J. JACOBS

Aware Disease Fear Health Help Hide Learn Lost Panic Student Year
A 2002 Oxford study showed counting sheep actually delays the onset of sleep. It’s just too dull to stop us from worrying about jobs and spouses.
A. J. JACOBS

Delay Sheep Sleep Study
Paintings! They’re like TV, but they don’t move.
A. J. JACOBS

Creation Idea Innovative Level Magic Moving Quality Technology Time TV
I was what they call ‘skinny fat’ – a body that resembled a python after swallowing a goat.
A. J. JACOBS

Body Depend Fat Food Goat Kill Python Skin Swallowing
Giulia Melucci has written a wonderfully funny and moving book. It’s like Eat, Pray, Love, with recipes.
A. J. JACOBS
In trying to avoid one sin I’ve committed another.
A. J. JACOBS

Avoid Commitment Myself Sin Try
I was very good at sitting. But I just read so much research about how horrible sitting is for you. It’s like, it’s really bad. It’s like Paula-Deen-glazed-bacon-doughnut bad. So I now move around as much as possible.
A. J. JACOBS

Goodness Horrible Move Myself Possible Research

If my former self and my current self met for coffee, they’d get along OK, but they’d both probably walk out of the Starbucks shaking their heads and saying to themselves, “That guy is kinda delusional.”

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If my former self and my current self met for coffee, they’d get along OK, but they’d both probably walk out of the Starbucks shaking their heads and saying to themselves, “That guy is kinda delusional.”

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Popular Authors

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