+++ title = “11” date = 2018 +++ So many ads, when they state the price of the thing they’re selling, follow it with “that’s the price of a cup of coffee!” What this trope is supposed to illuminate is the idea that the product being sold is affordable, and we mindlessly spend that much on other things anyway. A cup of coffee? What kind of coffee are we taking? A latte?

+++ title = “11” date = 2018 +++ I watched Coco recently (I’m late to the party). My first thought afterward was how poignant the idea of music as legacy is. When we pass down our music to our children, we give them a little piece of our soul. It’s true for the original songs I write for my kid, and it’s true for the Beatles and ABBA records my dad played constantly on our road trips in the 90s.

+++ title = “11” date = 2018 +++ There are some books that I come across that go into my personal favorites section on my bookshelf. Most of these wouldn’t be that interesting to most people because they are refined and tuned to my particular interests such as magic and self-development. But then there are some books that explain a part of human life so well that I have to recommend them to all.

+++ title = “11” date = 2018 +++ Want to appreciate a moment? Write down the sensory details. Want to appreciate a person? Write them a love letter. Want to appreciate a piece of art? Say how it makes you feel, regardless of whether it’s positive or negative. Want to appreciate your kids? Watch them play. Want to appreciate a friend’s work? Gush over it, as sincerely as you can.

The word relationship contains the words ship and relate. Relate means to connect. I’m often told that I am good at keeping friends: I still hang out with at least 8 or so of my high school friends on a regular basis. Sometimes, I’m asked how I maintain these relationships for so long. The truth is that I’ve never really thought about it. Perhaps I’m better at maintaining long friendships, maybe more than most, but I didn’t realize how many other people wish they could do it too.