For much of my adult life, I’ve been focused on self improvement, a noble cause as I’ve had plenty to work on: awkwardness in social settings, emotional intelligence, communication of needs, and so on.

Self improvement implies you’re working on …

Are we living in a Multiverse? And, if so, how would we know?

Those are some of the questions I asked myself on a recent morning commute. (You can blame my work-in-progress novel for such thoughts.)

Shortly after asking these questions, I realized we …

I used to watch a YouTube artist who was a fan of using oversized paint brushes on his canvases. He argued that being precise with imprecise tools led to interesting errors.

In the world of painting, I agree 100%.

But …

In case you ain't heard, I'm writing a novel. What kinda novel, you ask? A grief novel.

Oh, so it's a complete downer, right?

Not exactly.

Actually, the fact it ain't a complete downer is what excites me most about the project. I mean, it ain't just a …

What if what frightened you could instead motivate you?

What if you could not only accept your biggest weakness but also somehow turn it into a strength?

These are some of the questions I've been asking since I heard a certain point on Mark Manson's …

Hey there,

Jake here.

Welcome to the second edition of the newsletter. (That's right, this site's no longer a blog. Alert the presses we've taken our own advice and moved into the 21st Century!)

We're still finding our way, so expect more tweaks in the …

Hey there,

Jake here.

Today's edition is about how the vibes can be bad when the numbers are good.

You know how you hear the economy is doing well yet consumer confidence is in the toilet? (At least this is the case in America at the time I'm writing …

Maybe, just maybe, supersizing wasn't such a great idea.

The meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs didn't end all life on Earth.

Small, agile creatures survived.

And they evolved while the supersized were wiped out of existence.

Not every small, agile …

Hey there,

Jake here

In this edition of the newsletter, we talk about when hoarding data goes wrong.

Your business should take in only inputs that will lead to outputs.

Instead of hoarding whatever data they can, businesses should focus on only data they …

What to expect...

Tone: outside voice

Snark level: it's surely there somewhere

Other special provisions: another post criticizing ai. surprise.

ai has so much potential, but no one knows what the future holds for the technology. this truth will excite …

What to expect...

Tone: outside voice

Snark level: low but sprinkled throughout

Other special provisions: while i'll discuss some depressing material in this post, please know that i mean it to be helpful and inspiring, not a complete downer. but, to …

What to expect...

Tone: outdoor voice

Snark level: existent

Other special provisions: you may want ice cream after reading this post

people don't want an abundance of choices; they want to know they've made the right choice
— Scott Galloway (I'm too lazy …

What to expect...

Tone: outdoor voice

Snark level: surprisingly low

Other special provisions: art can make your soul soar

the title of this post seems to ask a simple question: what's the value of your art?

for most of us, the answer is simple from a …

What to expect...

Tone: outdoor voice

Snark level: low af, bordering on pure sincerity

Other special provisions: I'm embracing my inner artist. deal with it.

the prophets of ai continue to promise their favored tech will make our lives easier. thanks to …

What to expect...

Tone: outdoor voice

Snark level: low

Other special provisions: this post is about one of my core writerly beliefs.

my name is jake lacaze and I'm a writer with an ego.

damn, it feels good to admit that.

no one reading this should be …

What to expect...

Tone: outdoor voice

Snark level: low

Other special provisions: I love notebooks and pens and think other people should too

trying to get my notebooks just perfect has kept me from writing more. this notebook for this. this notebook for …

What to expect...

Tone: outside voice

Snark level: low

Other special provisions: i'd call this an opinion piece, but i know i'm right about it.

too many of us think we're opposed to failure. but the truth is that each of us is participating in the …

Are humans more than math? That’s the question we’re all asking in the age of generative AI hype, even though we may never string together those exact words in that exact order.

Weight and height are obvious numbers. Hair color can be easily converted …

What does the future hold for those who see themselves as landmen and little more? That’s the question a friend and I often ponder during our regular coffee chats. It’s a question I often ponder alone as well.

If there’s only one constant in life, …

The 21st century has seen America losing faith in institutions.

The government after September 11th, the medical establishment after COVID, universities and the mainstream media through it all—trust has eroded at every level of American society. Most …

I’ll never understand how a ninety-nine cent pack of low-quality noodles became a gourmet experience in America. That’s the power of marketing, I guess.

Recently my wife and kids wanted to try this local ramen place. I was too lazy to make dinner …

I’m no idiot, but I wouldn’t call myself a remarkably intelligent person either. If I’m being completely honest and letting go of any pressure to fake humility, then I have no problem saying I’m likely slightly above average intelligence.

But, Jake, I …

I've been eating the hell out of these mandarins my wife got recently.

Oranges and their cousins are fine, in my book. I don't hate them or love them. They're just there.

Turkey House Publishing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts …

The worst professor I ever had was an economics professor.

His class was an introduction to both macroeconomics and microeconomics. It was the only class I ever fell asleep in, in high school or college. His class was also the only one I ever got a D …

Some creatives worry that having kids will distract them from their art. But I’m lucky that, contrary to some expectations, my kids have actually inspired my art. And lately they’ve definitely pushed me to create far more than they’ve held me back.

As …