Entries by Jeffrey Ian Ross

Shit Yoga Instructors Say

Some two decades ago, after struggling with recurrent lower back pain, I reluctantly returned to a yoga studio. Within a few weeks of regular practice, I noticed significant relief from the pain. This experience marked the start of my journey as a frequent yoga practitioner. Over time, I’ve become a “true believer” in yoga’s ability […]

The Lasting Significance of Scorsese’s TAXI DRIVER

From Robert De Niro’s masterful performance, to its influence on the neo-noir genre of filmmaking, few movies in American cinematic history have been as lauded as much as Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver. The Descent of Travis Bickel Taxi Driver (1976) tells the story of Travis Bickel (Robert De Niro), a 20-something alienated and psychologically troubled […]

Subway Platforms, Serendipity, and the Power of Chance Encounters

What do Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Al Diaz, and Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe all have in common? Not only are they well-respected  artists, musicians, photographers, and poets, with partnerships that led to a considerable body of impactful work, but their initial introduction was through a random encounter on a subway […]

How to Respond in These Uncertain Times

In the next few days (Tuesday, November 5), the United States faces one of the most consequential elections in its 248-year history. Should Kamala Harris win, Donald Trump and his MAGA loyalists are unlikely to concede peacefully. Trump and his Republican supporters have made it clear, and his followers expect him to challenge unfavorable results—not […]