When I was young, my parents convinced me that I should fast for at least one of the days of Ramadan. The challenge was a good one, and I grew as a result. But at the end of the fast, when all I wanted was a Big Mac, my mom gave me a date. I remember thinking it was gross, and then devouring my Big Mac. I never tried dates again.

+++ title = “12” date = 2019 +++ A few weeks ago, I got myself a cute bento box and started making cute lunches to put inside of it. The first time I made a salad in this thing with red cabbage, greens, and berries, I was stunned at how beautiful the whole thing looked. “I hope you’re posting these,” my wife told me. And truth be told, that was my first notion as well.

+++ title = “12” date = 2019 +++ We took my son to a restaurant in Tucson the other night. As the food was being prepared, a jazz band loaded up their gear in front of us and began to play. My son, who has always had a love of music, became completely entranced with the performance. He sat on the cough in the restaurant and watched in awe. The band members of course were more than happy to make funny faces and smiles at him from the stage.

I take time to think about what I wear much more than I used to. Different clothes appeal to different situations. For instance, I now wear a vest and bowties in certain situations, or a casual sweater in another. Style has become more fascinating to me in my 30s for some reason. But one peculiar habit I have is wearing hoodies. I wear them all the time, no matter the time of year.

+++ title = “12” date = 2019 +++ I’ve never been much for “going on a walk.” The idea seemed to trivial to me when I was young. My parents would go on a walk in loops around our neighborhood, and while I’d join them sometimes, I just didn’t get it. But it just wasn’t presented to me properly. “Going for a walk” is uninspiring, but wandering is absolutely enlightening. Over the past few days, I’ve spent my mornings with my son wandering around, discovering and exploring whatever I can find with him.