What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0047

2301.  Happiness is even more than a good feeling – it is also an indispensable ingredient of our success;

2302.  Happiness leads to success in nearly every domain of our lives, including marriage, health, friendship, community involvement, creativity, and, in particular, our jobs, careers, and businesses;

2303.  Data abounds showing that happy workers have higher levels of productivity, produce higher sales, perform better in leadership positions, and receive higher performance ratings and higher pay.  They also enjoy more job security and are less likely to take sick days, to quit, or to become burned out;

2304.  Happy CEOs are more likely to lead teams of employees who are both happy and healthy, and who find their work climate conducive to high performance;

2305.  Study after study shows that happiness precedes important outcomes and indicators of thriving.  Happiness causes success and achievement, not the opposite;

2306.  One study measured the initial level of positive emotions in 272 employees, then followed their job performance over the next eighteen months.  And they found that even after controlling for other factors, those who were happier at the beginning ended up receiving better evaluations and higher pay later on.  Another study found that how happy individuals were as college freshmen predicted how high their income was nineteen years later, regardless of their initial level of wealth;

2307.  One of the most famous longitudinal studies on happiness comes from an unlikely place: the old diaries of Catholic nuns.  These 180 nuns from the School Sisters of Notre Dame, all born before 1917, were asked to write down their thoughts in autobiographical journal entries.  The nuns whose journal entries had more overtly joyful content lives nearly ten years longer than the nuns whose entries were more negative or neutral.  By age 85, 90 percent of the happiest quartile of nuns were still alive, compared to only 34 percent of the least happy quartile;

2308.  Happiness can improve our physical health, which in turn keeps us working faster and longer and therefore makes us more likely to succeed;

2309.  Research shows that unhappy employees take more sick days, staying home an average of 1.25 more days per month, or 15 extra sick days a year;

2310.  Studies have determined that happiness functions as the cause, not just the result, of good health.  In one study, researchers gave subjects a survey designed to measure levels of happiness – then injected them with a strain of the cold virus.  A week later, the individuals who were happier before the start of the study had fought off the virus much better than the less happy individuals.  They didn’t just feel better, either; they actually had fewer objective symptoms of illness as measured by doctors – less sneezing, coughing, inflammation, and congestion;

2311.  Extensive research has found that happiness actually has a very important evolutionary purpose, something Barbara Fredrickson has termed the “Broaden and Build Theory.”  Instead of narrowing our actions down to fight or flight as negative emotions do, positive ones broaden the amount of possibilities we process, making us more thoughtful, creative, and open to new ideas;

2312.  Individuals who are “primed” – meaning scientists help evoke a certain mindset or emotion before doing an experiment – to feel either amusement or contentment can think of a larger and wider array of thoughts and ideas than individuals who have been primed to feel either anxiety or anger.  And when positive emotions broaden our scope of cognition and behavior in this way, they not only make us more creative, they help us build more intellectual, social, and physical resources we can rely upon in the future;

2313.  Positive emotions flood our brains with dopamine and serotonin, chemicals that not only make us feel good, but dial up the learning centers of our brains to higher levels.  They help us organize new information, keep that information in the brain longer, and retrieve it faster later on.  And they enable us to think more quickly and creatively, become more skilled at complex analysis and problem solving, and see and invent new ways of doing things;

2314.  A recent University of Toronto study found that our mood can actually change how our visual cortex – the part of the brain responsible for sight – processes information.  In this experiment, people were primed for either positivity or negativity, then asked to look at a series of pictures.  Those who were put in a negative mood didn’t process all the images in the pictures – missing substantial parts of the background – while those in a good mood saw everything.  Eye-tracking experiments have shown the same thing: Positive emotions actually expand our peripheral line of vision;

2315.  Positive emotions can begin to open our eyes and minds to new solutions and ideas even at a very young age.  In one interesting study, researchers asked four-year-old children to complete a series of learning tasks, such as putting together blocks of different shapes.  The first group was given neutral instructions: Please put these blocks together as quickly as you can.  The researchers gave the second group the same set of instructions, and then asked them first to briefly think about something that makes them happy.  The children who were primed to be happy significantly outperformed the others, completing the task both more quickly and with fewer errors;

2316.  Students who were told to think about the happiest day of their lives right before taking a standardized math test outperformed their peers;

2317.  People who expressed more positive emotions while negotiating business deals did so more efficiently and successfully than those who were more neutral or negative;

2318.  Veal tongue can be very tender;

2319.  Even the smallest shots of positivity can give someone a serious competitive advantage;

2320.  In addition to broadening our intellectual and creative capacities, positive emotions also provide a swift antidote to physical stress and anxiety, what psychologists call “the undoing effect;”

2321.  A quick burst of positive emotions doesn’t just broaden our cognitive capacity; it also provides a quick and powerful antidote to stress and anxiety, which in turn improves our focus and our ability to function at our best level;

2322.  Just a short humorous video clip, a quick conversation with a friend, or even a small gift of candy can produce significant and immediate boosts in cognitive power and job performance;

2323.  Neuroscientists have found that monks who spend years meditating actually grow their left prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain most responsible for feeling happy;

2324.  You don’t have to spend years in sequestered, celibate silence to experience a boost from meditation.  Take just five minutes each day to watch your breath go in and out.  While you do so, try to remain patient.  If you find your mind drifting, just slowly bring it back to focus.  Meditation takes practice, but it’s one of the most powerful happiness interventions;

2325.  Studies show that in the minutes right after meditating, we experience feelings of calm and contentment, as well as heightened awareness and empathy;

2326.  Research even shows that regular meditation can permanently rewire the brain to raise levels of happiness, lower stress, even improve immune function;

2327.  One study found that people who just thought about watching their favorite movie actually raised their endorphin levels by 27 percent;

2328.  Often, the most enjoyable part of an activity is the anticipation;

2329.  Anticipating future rewards can actually light up the pleasure centers in your brain much as the actual reward will;

2330.  A long line of empirical research, including one study of over 2,000 people, has shown that acts of altruism – giving to friends and strangers alike – decrease stress and strongly contribute to enhanced mental health;

2331.  Sonja Lyubomirsky, a leading researcher and author of The How of Happiness, has found that individuals told to complete five acts of kindness over the course of a day report feeling much happier than control groups and that the feeling lasts for many subsequent days, far after the exercise is over.  But if you want to reap the psychological benefit, make sure you do these things deliberately and consciously – you can’t just look back over the last 24 hours and declare your acts post hoc.  And they need not be grand gestures, either;

2332.  Our physical environment can have an enormous impact on our mindset and sense of well-being;

2333.  Making time to go outside on a nice day also delivers a huge advantage; one study found that spending 20 minutes outside in good weather not only boosted positive mood, but broadened thinking and improved working memory;

2334.  Studies have shown that the less negative TV we watch, specifically violent media, the happier we are;

2335.  Psychologists have found that people who watch less TV are actually more accurate judges of life’s risks and rewards than those who subject themselves to the tales of crime, tragedy, and death that appear night after night on the ten o’clock news.  That’s because these people are less likely to see sensationalized or one-sided sources of information, and thus see reality more clearly;

2336.  Supposedly, there’s a pool of about 50 pilots that fly “Marine One” (i.e., the presidential helicopter);

2337.  The truth is that you cannot have what you want unless you do something.  It’s impossible.  Maybe it’s success, wealth, or health.  In order to accomplish any one of those goals requires that you do something.  Success requires accomplishments.  Wealth requires delivering a product or service that someone is willing to buy.  Health requires eating well and exercising;

2338.  Whatever you have is a result of what you do;

2339.  There are three types of doing that are necessary to reach a goal: aspire, acquire, and apply;

2340.  True knowledge comes from putting what you’ve learned into real-world practice;

2341.  To know and not do, is to not yet know;

2342.  What do you get for rushing up an escalator (at a Metrorail station) to try and catch a train?  The answer is: A scraped up, bloody knee and a trip to the doctor(‘s office);

2343.  If it’s been over six hours since you were cut, your wound has started to heal and you can’t get stitches anymore;

2344.  Setting your vacuum cleaner to the correct height makes a big difference in its effectiveness;

2345.  I think some people just aren’t wired to be married or in a monogamous relationship;

2346.  The most common and worst mistake job seekers make: Spending all their time answering ads, or sending out their résumé to blind contacts, instead of making meaningful connections and doing face-to-face networking.  It’s the number one, catastrophic job search mistake.  It fools people into thinking they are doing a pro-active search when in fact it’s very passive;

2347.  More than 50% of jobs are never posted;

2348.  Eighty percent of jobs are found through networking or direct contact;

2349.  Dream as if you’ll live forever.  Live as if you’ll die today;

2350.  It’s $13.00 (i.e., one-way) to take the water taxi (PotomacRiverBoatCo.com) from (Old Town) Alexandria to Georgetown;

What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0046

2251.  The Napoleon House’s (NapoleonHouse.com) first occupant was Nicholas Girod, the mayor of New Orleans from 1812 to 1815.  He offered his home to Napoleon in 1821 as a refuge during his exile.  He never came;

2252.  New Orleans is (like) Key West on crack;

2253.  You can (still) smoke in bars in New Orleans;

2254.  Supposedly, you can get a free drink and a souvenir glass on your birthday at Pat O’Brien’s (PatOBriens.com) in New Orleans.  You just need to show them your ID (when you order) at the bar;

2255.  Where can you find a black midget, wearing glasses and missing a few teeth, as a shot girl?  The answer is: Bourbon Street in New Orleans;

2256.  Jonathan Brown (JonathanBrownPoetry.tumblr.com) performing live reminds me of Eminem;

2257.  Supposedly, Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar (LafittesBlacksmithShop.com) in New Orleans is the oldest structure (i.e., built between 1722 and 1732) used as a bar in the U.S.;

2258.  Canal Street, in New Orleans, reminds of Washington Avenue in South Beach;

2259.  Every day, “The Beach on Bourbon” (BeachOnBourbon.com) in New Orleans has a 3 for 1 Happy Hour;

2260.  The blonde shot girls on Bourbon Street (in New Orleans) can be very persuasive;

2261.  Don’t (sarcastically) tell a woman you’re about to leave and you wanted to give her one last chance to slap you. . . . She just might;

2262.  If you return the souvenir glass from your “hurricane” to one of the (side) bars at Pat O’Brien’s (in New Orleans), you’ll get $3.00 back;

2263.  Scholars estimate that there are as many as 27 million slaves today; the majority is not in forced prostitution, but instead in other forms of exploitation (though rape and/or other forms of torture are often tools for coercion);

2264.  Slavery permeates northern India, where children, to help pay off their family’s exorbitantly high debts to corrupt local businessmen, hunch over in the dark for hours at a stretch as they weave carpets on looms until their fingers bleed;

2265.  Slavery is embedded in Nepal, where children and families in debt bondage spend years making bricks by hand, never making enough money to pay off their debts;

2266.  Slavery is also rooted in Brazil, where poor farmers are lured to remote forests and forced to work in hot kilns to produce charcoal for the production of pig iron, which goes into the steel of the cars we drive and the appliances in our kitchens;

2267.  Slavery is found in West Africa, where the cocoa industry obtains about half of its world crop, in part from child labor, for the chocolate we enjoy and the cosmetics we use;

2268.  Super Bowl Sunday is the largest annual sex trafficking event in the U.S.;

2269.  Every Tuesday from 5 o’clock to 11 o’clock, Bar Pilar (BarPilar.com) in D.C. has taco night.  For $12.00, you get a (chef’s choice) meat, four (corn) tortillas, (diced) onions, (chopped) cilantro, salsa roja and salsa verde;

2270.  There’s a great view of the White House from the top of the Hay-Adams Hotel (HayAdams.com) in D.C.;

2271.  How do you know you’re cheap?  The answer is: You sneak in rum and vodka into bars in (empty) 5-hour Energy bottles;

2272.  The average academic journal article is read by only seven people;

2273.  Happiness is not the belief that we don’t need to change; it is the realization that we can;

2274.  The belief that we are just our genes is one of the most pernicious myths in modern culture–the insidious notion that people come into the world with a fixed set of abilities and that they, and their brains, cannot change;

2275.  There are a lot of farms in Delaware;

2276.  Delaware seems really flat;

2277.  There’s no sales tax in Delaware;

2278.  The (ocean) water in July is pretty cold in Dewey Beach, Delaware;

2279.  On the beach, an umbrella is (the) key to surviving the scorching, midday sun;

2280.  You know it’s windy when the beach umbrellas are flying out of the sand;

2281.  I must be (pretty) delusional (and stupid) to think that a gorgeous (and much younger) woman, whom I just met and may have spoken to for less than five minutes, would be interested in me;

2282.  It seems to me that (a lot of) military guys (i.e., current and former) don’t believe in monogamy when they’re away from their wives/girlfriends and/or on deployment;

2283.  A recent study published in the Journal of Economic Psychology suggests that people may be as much as 10% more willing to trust someone who smiles;

2284.  There’s a lot of marijuana at a Phish concert. . . . The last time I smelled that much (marijuana), I was in Amsterdam;

2285.  Everyone who touches you, teaches you;

2286.  “Murphy” isn’t necessarily a guy’s name;

2287.  Gary Rissling played for the (Washington) Capitals and (Pittsburgh) Penguins.  In the 1983-84 season, he had 297 penalty minutes in 47 games for the (Pittsburgh) Penguins;

2288.  Studies have found numerous ways we can rewire our brains to be more positive, creative, resilient, and productive – to see more possibility wherever we look;

2289.  Bugsy’s (BugsysPizza.com) in (Old Town) Alexandria has an all-you-can-eat pizza (and salad) buffet from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM on weekends and holidays for $7.95;

2290.  We do not know the limits of human potential.  Just as we can’t know the limit for how fast a human can run or predict which student will grow up to win a Nobel Prize, we still don’t know the limits of our brain’s enormous potential to grow and adapt to changing circumstances.  All we know is that this kind of change is possible;

2291.  Studies have confirmed numerous ways we can permanently raise our happiness baseline and adopt a more positive mindset;

2292.  People can become happier, pessimists can become optimists, and stressed and negative brains can be trained to see more possibility;

2293.  Far too often, just having the knowledge is not enough to change our behavior and create real, lasting change;

2294.  There is no single meaning; happiness is relative to the person experiencing it.  This is why scientists often refer to it as “subjective well-being” – because it’s based on how we each feel about our own lives.  In essence, the best judge of how happy you are is you;

2295.  So how do the scientists define happiness?  Essentially, as the experience of positive emotions – pleasure combined with deeper feelings of meaning and purpose.  Happiness implies a positive mood in the present and a positive outlook for the future;

2296.  Martin Seligman, the pioneer in positive psychology, has broken happiness down into three, measureable components: pleasure, engagement, and meaning.  His studies have confirmed (though most of us know this intuitively) that people who pursue only pleasure experience only part of the benefits happiness can bring, while those who pursue all three routes lead the fullest lives;

2297.  Perhaps the most accurate term for happiness is the one Aristotle used: eudaimonia, which translates not directly to “happiness” but to “human flourishing;”

2298.  Happiness is the joy we feel striving after our potential;

2299.  The chief engine of happiness is positive emotions, since happiness is, above all else, a feeling;

2300.  Barbara Frederickson, a researcher at the University of North Carolina and perhaps the world’s leading expert on the subject, describes the ten most common positive emotions: “joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe, and love;”

What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0045

2201.  Depression rates today are ten times higher than they were in 1960;

2202.  Every year the age threshold of unhappiness sinks lower, not just at universities but across the nation.  Fifty years ago, the mean onset age of depression was 29.5 years old.  Today, it is almost exactly half that: 14.5 years old;

2203.  Frank Ruta, the executive chef at Palena in D.C., used to be a chef at the White House during the Reagan and (first) Bush administrations;

2204.  You really can fry anything; some of the entrées at Palena in D.C. have fried lemons in them;

2205.  If we study merely what is average, we will remain merely average;

2206.  If all you strive for is diminishing the bad, you’ll only attain the average and you’ll miss out entirely on the opportunity to exceed the average;

2207.  Turn on the news, and the majority of airtime is spent on accidents, corruption, murders, abuse.  This focus on the negative tricks our brains into believing that this sorry ratio is reality, that most of life is negative;

2208.  What we spend our time and mental energy focusing on can indeed become our reality;

2209.  Countless studies have found that social relationships are the best guarantee of heightened well-being and lowered stress, both an antidote for depression and a prescription for high performance;

2210.  We become more successful when we are happier and more positive;

2211.  Doctors put in a positive mood before making a diagnosis show almost three times more intelligence and creativity than doctors in a neutral state, and they make accurate diagnoses 19 percent faster;

2212.  Optimistic salespeople outsell their pessimistic counterparts by 56 percent;

2213.  Students primed to feel happy before taking math achievement tests far outperform their neutral peers;

2214.  It turns out that our brains are literally hardwired to perform at their best not when they are negative or even neutral, but when they are positive;

2215.  Celebrate Fairfax (CelebrateFairfax.com) is in June.  Tickets are cheaper if you get them in advance;

2216.  David Hasselhoff is from Baltimore, Maryland;

2217.  I thought (French) macarons were soft and spongy.  They’re not.  They’re hard and crisp;

2218.  A juniper macaron (with juniper ganache) reminds me of a gin and tonic;

2219.  Once we understand who we are at our core, we can then decide if we like that person or if we want to aspire to be something more;

2220.  Jenna knows how to lick an ear;

2221.  Jenna has a squeezable butt;

2222.  In a perfect relationship, each partner gives 100% to the other person.  That way, everyone is giving 100%, and everyone is also getting 100%.  If your girlfriend/boyfriend is all take and no give, then you’re closer to being her/his hired help than behaving like a good boyfriend/girlfriend.  Keep an eye on the back-and-forth ratio to make sure s/he’s doing things for you as often as you do favors for her/him;

2223.  Keep an eye out for decisions based solely on the fear of letting her/him down versus a true desire to please.  If you become afraid of disappointing your girlfriend/boyfriend in every action you take, you’ve already lost your sense of self in the relationship.  You’re supposed to love and cherish your girlfriend/boyfriend, not live in fear of her/him;

2224.  The Tutsis weren’t just killed by the Hutus during the Rwandan Genocide (of 1994); they were (sadistically) tortured and raped as well;

2225.  People can be really cruel and sadistic;

2226.  There isn’t a country in Africa where Twitter isn’t used;

2227.  Copying and emulating our heroes is one of the best ways we learn;

2228.  Never give equity to a person whose services you can buy in the marketplace.  If a friend wants a part of your asset by exchanging services for it (i.e., being your property manager, doing your accounting, offering consulting services, etc.), make sure you are not losing out on the deal.  If your friend is providing services you can get elsewhere or just needs money, look elsewhere for a partner;

2229.  Arrogance diminishes wisdom;

2230.  What you know makes me money.  What you don’t know loses you money;

2231.  When you’re arrogant, you truly believe that what you don’t know isn’t important;

2232.  Most people use arrogance to hide their ignorance;

2233.  Fear often gets in the way of moving forward;

2234.  With almost everything in life, there is a learning curve.  Know that you will make mistakes along the way, so start with small steps;

2235.  Risk is not knowing what you are doing;

2236.  In order to be rich, you must have the self-discipline to pay yourself first.  Use your income to invest in cash-flowing assets before you pay your bills or buy anything fun.  This in turn will create more income that you can use to invest in more, cash-flowing assets;

2237.  June 21^st (i.e., summer solstice) is the longest day of the year (in the Northern Hemisphere);

2238.  (Washington) Redskins cheerleaders (specifically Megan) fly out of BWI (i.e., Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport) in Baltimore, Maryland;

2239.  Adolescence is when you’re totally concerned about what other people think about you;

2240.  When we stop caring about what other people think of us, we’re free to live in the moment;

2241.  There’s a blast of heat and humidity as soon as you get off the plane in New Orleans, Louisiana;

2242.  There are a lot of high rises in New Orleans . . . more than I had imagined;

2243.  It’s a flat rate to take a taxi from the (Louis Armstrong) New Orleans (International) Airport to the French Quarter.  It’s $33.00 for 1-2 passengers and $14.00 per person for 3 or more passengers;

2244.  When you walk down Bourbon Street in New Orleans, your nose is assaulted with the stench of sour (river) water, horse manure, sweat, cigars, marijuana and cigarettes . . . with one smell following another;

2245.  A “hurricane” is like alcoholic, red Kool-Aid;

2246.  In New Orleans, you can drink in public and bring your beer/cocktail from bar to bar as long as it’s in a plastic cup;

2247.  The most beautiful woman physically (i.e., tall, slim, tanned, platinum blonde) that I’ve ever seen in person was at Rita’s Tequila House (RitasTequilaHouse.com) in New Orleans on the night of June 21, 2013;

2248.  A “hand grenade” tastes like a (really sweet) pineapple Life Saver;

2249.  Beignets are crisp and chewy, not soft and doughy;

2250.  Gerald McRaney (i.e., the actor) graduated from Ole Miss.  His first wife is a descendant of Adolphus Busch (i.e., the co-founder of Anheuser-Busch).  His college roommate is an administrator at the University of South Alabama in Mobile;

What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0044

2151.  Karl Alzner (of the Washington Capitals) has a sweet tooth;

2152.  The (Washington) Capitals’ families and friends sit in section 103;

2153.  If you (ever) need a hockey net strung, you can ask Rachel Fehr (i.e., Eric Fehr’s wife);

2154.  Courtney Parrie (i.e., Mike Green’s girlfriend) is rather attractive;

2155.  Brooks Laich (of the Washington Capitals) seems like a good guy;

2156.  Joel Ward (of the Washington Capitals) has (really) skinny legs;

2157.  It seems (to me) that all relationships end with someone getting hurt.  When one person doesn’t feel the same way as the other, (the relationship ends and) someone gets hurt.  When a marriage ends (in divorce), the divorced spouse gets hurt.  When one spouse passes away before the other, the surviving spouse gets hurt.  Should both spouses pass away together, it’s usually tragically and the surviving family members are hurt;

2158.  It goes without saying that banks (right now) aren’t loaning out money, when in a month, you can find more change on the ground than what you can earn in interest on your checking and/or savings account(s);

2159.  The peanut butter topping at Dairy Queen (DairyQueen.com) is a disappointment;

2160.  You’re not supposed to keep your RV’s generator on at night to run the heater.  Apparently, you can get carbon monoxide poisoning;

2161.  I’d imagine a post-apocalyptic world would look a lot like an RV lot at a NASCAR race;

2162.  You need your (grandstand) ticket and your (pre-race) pit pass to get into the race pits;

2163.  You can bring in your own alcohol to NASCAR races.  Each person (i.e., child and adult) is allowed (to bring in) one, soft-sided cooler, no larger than 14” by 14” by 14.”  Hard-sided coolers and coolers with telescoping handles or wheels aren’t allowed;

2164.  NASCAR races are really loud. . . . You might want to get some earplugs;

2165.  I think people (partly) like to go to NASCAR races because it gives them an excuse to tailgate and get sloshed for a couple of days;

2166.  I want to share my life with someone, but I don’t need to;

2167.  Using duck confit (wings) is a nice little twist on wings;

2168.  When you enrich people’s lives with your friendship they tend to do the same for you;

2169.  Most people lead lives of quiet desperation, thinking: “One day I’ll be the person I’ve always wanted to be, on day.”  But this day never comes because they never decide to actually start being this person.  They simply hope it will happen, in vain.  You need to make a conscious choice to start becoming the person you’ve always wanted to be, the person inside.  Who is this person?  What would s/he say or do in any given situation?  The only way to become her/him is to start living like her/him;

2170.  Telling a woman (you just met) that you want her to have your kids is just an indirect way of saying, “I want to fuck you;”

2171.  Akil Mitchell (of the University of Virginia’s men’s basketball team) is very poised, mature and affable . . . way more than I was at his age (i.e., twenty years old);

2172.  A cheap(er) way to go out, is to order a non-alcoholic drink (i.e., iced tea, soda, etc.) in a regular-sized/tall glass and ask the bartender to put a shot of rail/well liquor in it.  At most places, a shot of rail/well liquor is around $5.00, so it can end up being cheaper than drinking beer;

2173.  Single ply toilet paper sucks, especially after you’ve gotten used to multi-ply toilet paper;

2174.  The enchilada roja (i.e., chicken, cascabel chili and Mexican chocolate) at Bandolero in D.C. is kind of pricey (i.e., $10.00 for one enchilada), but it’s really tasty;

2175.  Chocolate in enchiladas! . . . Who knew?

2176.  The hushpuppies at Tackle Box in D.C. are awful;

2177.  You would think that a racetrack would let you use credit cards to pay for drinks and other concessions, so you’d have more money to bet on the (horse) races . . . not at Pimlico (Race Course) in Baltimore, Maryland;

2178.  You can bring in your own food and (non-alcoholic) drinks to the Preakness (Stakes).  You’re allowed to bring in a clear see-through plastic container no larger than 18” by 18.”  Glass of any kind and thermoses aren’t allowed;

2179.  If you want to film a movie set in the ‘50s, go to Pimlico (Race Course).  It’s like you’ve been transported back in time;

2180.  A ‘70s looking pimp would fit right in at the Preakness Stakes. . . . It’s a great event for people watching;

2181.  It’s kind of weird that Pimlico (Race Course) is located in the heart of a residential neighborhood.  It’s surrounded by houses and apartment buildings;

2182.  What’s in a “Black-Eyed Susan” (i.e., the official drink of the Preakness Stakes)?  The answer is: 1 ¼ ounces of Finlandia vodka, ¼ ounce of St. Germain liqueur, 2 ounces of lemon juice, 3 ounces of lemongrass and blackberry simple syrup and 6 drops of Angostura bitters . . . garnished with a sage leaf;

2183.  The duck confit burritos (with spicy ginger lime relish and avocado) at Willow (WillowBaltimore.com) in Baltimore, Maryland, are pretty tasty;

2184.  A great place to watch the game at Oriole Park (at Camden Yards) in Baltimore, Maryland, is the roof deck overlooking centerfield.  Just buy a cheap ticket, walk over and enjoy the game with a drink from the bar;

2185.  Whatever you believe will eventually become your reality;

2186.  Success breeds success and failure breeds learning;

2187.  The 138^th running of the Preakness Stakes had the 4^th largest on-track attendance ever at 117,203 people;

2188.  A black-eyed Susan is the name of a flower.  It has nothing to do with domestic violence;

2189.  Wolfgang Puck knows how to cook lamb chops.  His Chinois lamb chop lollipops (with cilantro mint vinaigrette) are so tender.  They might be the best lamb chops I’ve ever had.  I could eat a (whole) tray of them as an entrée;

2190.  Filet mignon can be two inches thick and the size of a doughnut;

2191.  Wolfgang Puck weddings are (really) nice;

2192.  What’s a sign of a nice hotel?  The answer is: When there’s a complementary toothbrush and toothpaste already in the room;

2193.  It was recently discovered that Saturn’s rings aren’t circular, but a spiral.  They’ll eventually disappear as they’re slowly pulled down into the planet;

2194.  When Persians go out, they (really) dress up;

2195.  Thanks to cutting-edge science, we now know that happiness is the precursor to success, not merely the result.  And that happiness and optimism actually fuel performance and achievement;

2196.  Waiting to be happy limits our brain’s potential for success, whereas cultivating positive brains makes us more motivated, efficient, resilient, creative, and productive, which drives performance upward;

2197.  The Mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven;

2198.  Our interpretation of reality changes our experience of that reality;

2199.  In 2004, a Harvard Crimson poll found that as many as 4 in 5 Harvard students suffer from depression at least once during the school year, and nearly half of all students suffer from depression so debilitating they can’t function;

2200.  A Conference Board survey released in January of 2010 found that only 45 percent of workers surveyed were happy at their jobs, the lowest in 22 years of polling;

What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0043

2101.  I think love is being perfectly happy to be in someone else’s company.  You’re just as comfortable talking or not talking.  You’re just as content doing something or nothing at all.  You enjoy spending time with her/him and being in her/his presence . . . and there’s (absolutely) nowhere else you’d rather be and no one else you’d rather be with;

2102.  I think love is knowing s/he isn’t perfect and accepting her/his (and all of her/his faults) anyways;

2103.  If you have a craving for chocolate covered pretzels, dipping pretzels in Nutella (i.e., hazelnut, chocolate spread) isn’t a bad substitute;

2104.  The most common way we learn our dating habits is through modeling the behaviors of others.  It starts with modeling our parents when we are children, then through watching our friends, movies, etc;

2105.  We tend to be identical to one or a combination of our parents’ belief systems in regards to love and relationships.  We must be careful about the lessons we internalize and hold as fact;

2106.  Just because someone we love and look up to did something a certain way doesn’t make it the best/right way.  Sadly, we learn these behaviors at such a young age, they are now autopilot responses.  We do them automatically and have a blind spot to how they might be holding us back;

2107.  Unless you have seen someone you consider successful in a loving, healthy relationship, be careful about modeling their behaviors, thought patterns, and actions;

2108.  Be careful when you model someone that you don’t try to become that person;

2109.  Don’t let unhealthy people pave the way for your thoughts.  Surrounding yourself with healthy people will help you think, and behave, more healthily;

2110.  If you want to attend a play, but don’t want to pay for it, try the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s free “ReDiscovery Series” (ShakespeareTheatre.org/info/support/special-giving-opportunities/rediscovery-readings).  Several times a year, (professional) actors and actresses read a play aloud with a historical overview given beforehand and a discussion following afterwards;

2111.  Every Wednesday from 5 o’clock to 7 o’clock, Whole Foods (Market) in (Old Town) Alexandria has “Winesday.”  For $5.00, you get a wine glass (that you can keep) and you can sample five different wines paired with food.  If you bring back the glass on another “Winesday,” you save $1.00 off the price;

2112.  Some people can pass out while standing up;

2113.  There were fourteen “(Wizard of )Oz” books;

2114.  You can “cock block” yourself;

2115.  If you thought eating peanut butter with Nutella would taste (just) like a peanut butter cup, it doesn’t. . . . But it’s still pretty good;

2116.  In descending order (from most to least), there are a lot of Starbucks( coffee shops), McDonald’s( restaurants), CVS( pharmacie)s, Potbelly( Sandwich Shop)s, Pret A Manger( restaurant)s and Subway( restaurant)s in D.C.;

2117.  I think love is being so comfortable with someone that you feel like you could tell her/him almost anything.  You don’t feel self-conscious about doing things with her/him that you would normally feel around somebody else. . . . You don’t feel like you’re being judged. . . . You feel accepted for who you are, but, at the same time, you want to try and be a better person for her/him;

2118.  Humans can detect over 300 smells, but only 4 (maybe 5) different tastes;

2119.  One in four craft beers is an IPA (i.e., India Pale Ale);

2120.  It isn’t beer without the hops;

2121.  Tareq Salahi(, who notoriously crashed a White House state dinner in ’09,) looks thinner in person (than he does on TV) . . . and taller;

2122.  Getting cutoff at DC101’s Kegs & Eggs at 10:30 in the morning, but not getting kicked out: Priceless;

2123.  (Spicy) Cantonese dishes pair best with off-dry German Rieslings;

2124.  The French Embassy in D.C. (i.e., La Maison Française) isn’t all that impressive;

2125.  Canadian icewine is super sweet . . . and so are some Canadian whiskies;

2126.  Apparently, Bastian Baker is the Swiss “Justin Bieber;”

2127.  It’s kind of weird when it rains and snows at the same time;

2128.  What makes a happy camper?  The answer is: 1/3 ounce of Kahlua coffee liqueur, 1/3 ounce of Bailey’s Irish cream and a 1/3 ounce of Frangelico hazelnut liqueur . . . shaken with ice and strained into a glass filled a quarter with ice;

2129.  It’s pretty stupid to get thrown in jail because you’re angry your credit card was declined over a $50.00 bar tab . . . especially when you called the cops on yourself;

2130.  Go for respect first and popularity second.  It’s easy to gain popularity.  It’s brutal to earn back the respect that you gave away up front;

2131.  Don’t give people any more respect than they earn;

2132.  Shine by actions, not by words;

2133.  People must earn your praise.  Your praise is as rare as gold.  You don’t hand it out unless people truly deserve it;

2134.  You like, but don’t need other’s validation;

2135.  Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.  True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation;

2136.  Your time is precious.  Don’t let people disrespect your time, yet expect you to respect theirs;

2137.  If you can’t use OpenTable.com to make your restaurant reservation, try using CityEats.com;

2138.  The rigatoni Bolognese (i.e., hand diced beef and pork ragout) at Palena (PalenaRestaurant.com) in D.C. maybe the best I’ve ever had. . . . It’s pricey (i.e., $17.00) and the portion is small, but it’s tasty;

2139.  Quite a few places are closed on Saturday afternoons in Adams Morgan;

2140.  What’s the quickest way to go to bed early?  The answer is: Day drinking;

2141.  I’m not very good at telling Bulgarian accents from Russian ones;

2142.  I’ve watched a hockey game with (at the time) the world’s 10^th ranked women’s tennis player and an Olympic bronze medalist (i.e., Alexander Ovechkin’s fiancée, Maria Kirilenko);

2143.  We don’t get to choose who we love;

2144.  Be wary of buying tickets to (basketball) games at the end of the season, especially when a really good team (like the Miami Heat) plays a (really) bad one (like the Washington Wizards). . . . The good team might not play their regular starters;

2145.  Angel food cake (kind of) reminds me of cotton candy (texture-wise);

2146.  Love is blindness;

2147.  Missing your (dental) appointment because you’re stuck in (bumper-to-bumper) traffic will remind you why you (chose to) live close to work and how much D.C. traffic sucks;

2148.  MacKenzie Schultz (i.e., Jeff Schultz’s wife) is rather attractive;

2149.  If you (ever) need a bench stained, you can ask Mandy Alzner (i.e., Karl Alzner’s wife);

2150.  The Alzners live in Alexandria . . . close to Del Ray;

Zagat's 5 D.C. Area Restaurants With Killer Views

1.  Charlie Palmer Steak
2.  L'Auberge Chez François
3.  Sequoia
4.  The Source
5.  2941

What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0042

2051.  Fake breasts are (rather) soft;

2052.  Apparently, I have soft hands;

2053.  Every night after 8:00 PM, Mango’s Tropical Café (MangosTropicalCafe.com) in South Beach has a free cabaret style singing and dancing show;

2054.  Most of the food served on Ocean Drive (in South Beach) is pretty boring. . . . The restaurants are touristy.  They serve similar things.  And the food isn’t very good or authentic;

2055.  The News Café (NewsCafe.com) (in South Beach) has great tomato soup;

2056.  You can get (free) discounts to local restaurants (and shops) using the Scoutmob (Scoutmob.com) app;

2057.  Some (Sicilian) baristas have birthdays on January 23^rd;

2058.  During the summer, Sicilians like to eat gelato in brioche (i.e., brioche con gelato). . . . It’s literally an ice cream sandwich. . . . It’s actually pretty good;

2059.  Some banks (i.e., SunTrust) charge fees to check your account balance at out of network ATMs even if you don’t withdraw any money;

2060.  The first cardinal virtue manifests in your daily life as unconditional love and respect for all beings in creation.  This includes making a conscious effort to love and respect yourself, as well as to remove all of the judgments and criticisms.  Understand that you are a piece of God, and since you must be like what you came from, you are lovable, worthy, and Godlike.  Affirm this as often as you can, for when you see yourself in a loving way, you have nothing but love to extend outward.  And the more you love others, the less you need old excuse patterns, particularly those relating to blame.  Excuses originate in a false belief that the universe and its inhabitants aren’t there for you;

2061.  Allow yourself to see others as willing to assist you in maximizing your human potential.  The more reverence you have for yourself, and for all of life, the more you see everyone and everything as willing assistants, rather than inhibitors to your highest life;

2062.  Using an excuse to explain why your life isn’t working at the level you prefer isn’t being true to yourself–when you’re completely honest and sincere, excuses don’t even enter into the picture;

2063.  Make truth your most important attribute.  Walk your talk; that is, become sincere and honest in all that you say and do.  If you find this to be a challenge, take a moment to affirm: I no longer need to be insincere or dishonest.  This is who I am, and this is how I feel.  From now on, when you make a commitment, do everything in your power to live up to what you’ve promised.  Remember that when you’re living your life from the perspective of your truest nature, you connect to Source.  This is the very foundation of the spiritual life.  As you work at being totally honest with yourself and others, those old self-defeating habits no longer crop up;

2064.  “When you have the choice to be right or to be kind, always pick kind.”  So many of your old thinking habits and their attendant excuses come out of a need to make yourself right and others wrong.  When you practice this third virtue, you eliminate conflicts that result in your need to explain why you’re right.  This virtue manifests as kindness, consideration for others, and sensitivity to spiritual truth;

2065.  The more kindness and sensitivity you extend to everyone in your life, the less likely you are to blame others for not living up to your expectations.  Gentleness means accepting life and people as they are, rather than insisting that they be as you are.  As you practice living this way, blame disappears and you enjoy a peaceful world–not because the world has changed, but because you adopted gentleness;

2066.  Stop identifying yourself on the basis of what you have, whom you’re superior to, what position you’ve attained, and how others view you.  See yourself as a piece of God, willing to act as close to that consciousness as possible.  When you desire something, try wanting it more for someone else than you do for yourself; in fact, act to make it happen for them before you even think about yourself.  Or if you’re about to be critical or unkind to anyone, remind yourself that your original nature is gentle;

2067.  When they’re next to each other, the number 1 and the number 8, which is the symbol for infinity, signify one infinite Source;

2068.  In Hebrew, the number 18 signifies life;

2069.  With constant practice, your mind can be trained to overcome any habits of thought.  The key is with constant practice;

2070.  Act as your Source would in every instant.  What would God do right now?  If you’re ever perplexed by your habitual thoughts, asking this question will serve as a way to reinforce that there’s an alternative;

2071.  Initiate a conversation with your habitual mind.  As you work to overcome your self-created limitations, talk to your subconscious, telling it that instead of reacting, you’re now going to respond with conscious choices.  This will work rather quickly for you if you’re serious about breaking a pattern–awareness of feeling locked into automatic reactions, along with a serious commitment to change, will allow you to choose a new response;

2072.  If you want to break a pattern, you need to truly commit, and then start conversing with your habitual mind.  You’ll be amazed at how fast the excuses disappear;

2073.  Get quiet.  Decide to reduce the noise level of your life.  Noise is a distraction to your highest self because it keeps your ego on red alert.  Ways to discard habits along with their attendant excuses are often found in silence, in the void that’s the creative Source of all form;

2074.  The Law of Attraction works when you surround yourself with people who are on a spiritual path similar to your own.  Remember, this law states that like is attracted to like, so you attract Source energy to you by being like it.  Similarly, when you’re continually in the company of low-energy, angry, depressed, shaming, hateful people, you’ll probably find life a little more challenging;

2075.  It’s your responsibility to yourself to create the right energy for you.  Stay in your place of peace, regardless of how tempting it may be to lash out or argue;

2076.  The more peaceful and loving your environment (and the people in it), the more you’re in a serene place where excuses aren’t on the agenda.  This is the environment in which self-defeating habits are most likely to fade from your consciousness.  Further reinforce your new way of being by having your surroundings reflect the design of what you want your life to look like.  In this energy, like-minded people will appear;

2077.  Love your family (and everyone else on this planet).  Treasure all of your relationships, but first and foremost make your relationship to your highest self your priority.  When you see God simply as love, there will be no room left for excuses and bad habits.  You will only be able to give away the love that is your creative essence;

2078.  Work the paradigm: 1.  Is it true?  Probably not.  2.  Where did the excuses come from?  I allowed them.  3.  What’s the payoff?  I get to avoid risks and stay the same.  4.  What would my life look like if I couldn’t use these excuses?  I’d be free to be myself.  5.  Can I create a rational reason to change?  Easily.  6.  Can I access universal cooperation in shedding old habits?  Yes, by simply aligning with my Source of being.  7.  How can I continuously reinforce this new way of being?  By being vigilant.  If you work the paradigm several times, you’ll soon see where you’re guiding your life with thoughts that aren’t necessarily true.  You’ll be able to discern where those thoughts came from and what your life would look like without them, and then you’ll create a rational reason to change them by accessing Divine guidance through perfect union with your Source of being.  To be consciously merged into that perfect union with God is a feeling that’s difficult to explain, but ego does take a backseat.  You know that you’re allowing yourself to be guided by a force that’s bigger than you are, yet if you so choose, you can stay infinitely connected to it.  In this state of knowingness, excuses become a thing of the past;

2079.  The Washingtonian (Washingtonian.com/happyhours) is another place to look for Happy Hour specials in the D.C. area;

2080.  Penn Social (PennSocialDC.com) in D.C. has Happy Hour on Saturdays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM;

2081.  I know a part-owner (with three shares) of the Green Bay Packers;

2082.  5 ways you’re accidentally making everyone hate you: Hint: It’s almost always about power.  1.  You assumed that because you were OK with a situation, everybody was.  2.  You wasted their time.  3.  They think you owe them.  4.  You accidentally asserted power over them.  5.  It’s not what you said, it’s what you didn’t say;

2083.  The mezzanine corner seats at the (very) top of the Verizon Center aren’t all that bad . . . at least for hockey games;

2084.  Green potatoes are poisonous. . . . Who knew? . . . Apparently, green potatoes contain high levels of a toxin, called solanine, which can cause nausea, headaches and neurological problems.  Potatoes naturally produce small amounts of solanine as a defense against insects, but the levels increase with prolonged exposure to light and warm temperatures.  The green color is actually caused by high levels of chlorophyll, which by itself is harmless.  But it is also a sign that levels of solanine, which is produced at the same time as chlorophyll, have increased as well.  According to a recent report by Alexander Pavlista, a professor of agronomy and horticulture at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, a 100-pound person would have to eat about 16 ounces of a fully green potato to get sick.  That is the weight of a large baked potato.  Most green potatoes never reach the market.  Still, to avoid the development of solanine, it is best to store potatoes in cool, dimly lit areas and to cut away green areas before eating.  Another good rule: If it tastes bitter, don’t eat it;

2085.  Cantina Marina (in D.C.) closes in the winter;

2086.  Britt McHenry or at least someone who looks like Britt McHenry (of ABC7) hangs out at the bar at Oyamel Cocina Mexicana in D.C.;

2087.  What do you do when you spill coffee on your digital timers?  The answer is: Put them in an airtight container of rice;

2088.  Basic rules for matching suits and ties: 1.  If you don’t know what shirt to wear, choose a white one.  White shirts go with pretty much any tie.  2.  No matter how amazing the match between a suit and tie, an uncoordinated shirt will throw the entire outfit from a “do” to a “don’t.”  Knowing this, keep the following rules of coordination in mind: Light tan shirts match with brown ties.  Light pink shirts match with burgundy or navy blue ties.  Light blue shirts complement red, navy, yellow or burgundy ties.  When dealing with striped shirts, determine what its base color is and coordinate with colors as above.  Just make sure the stripes on the shirt do match the stripes or pattern on the tie.  3.  A suit with a solid base of dark colors is the safest way to emphasize solid, bold-colored ties.  4.  Pattern sizes (stripes, etc.) across your suit, shirt and tie need to vary – nothing looks weirder than a man who is wearing the same pattern on every layer. . . . The Classic Power Combination: The classic power combination of a dark, solid or slightly pinstriped suit with a bold-colored tie is a cornerstone of every man’s wardrobe.  Though teaming a dark suit with a classic white shirt allows you to choose almost any tie pairing short of one with bright yellow polka dots, a traditionally yet impeccably cut deep-red tie has been a go-to “power” look since John Kennedy wore the pairing in his first presidential debate. . . . The Formal Combination: After the suit and tie a man wears to work, the most crucial combination in a man’s closet is best described with two magic words: “black tie.”  A classic black suit paired with a classic black tie or bow tie is one of the most painless combinations to pull off for most men, but can also make a guy feel like he’s lost all of his personality for the sake of formality.  If that’s the case for you, try to find unique bow ties in order to get some second looks. . . . The Summer Combination: One of the worst habits men adopt is continuing to choose the same dark-suit and bold-tie combo they wore all winter, when the temperature has risen 70 degrees.  The rules for summer suit-tie combinations?  First find a solid, light-colored cotton suit with a good cut that also allows you to move in the summer heat.  Then, the fun part: choosing a provocatively patterned, bright tie in shades like pink that would be unacceptable for the other six months of the year. . . . The Casual Combination: Any suit-and-tie combination worn before noon on the weekend should have a sense of whimsy about it.  To find a look for those occasions that don’t involve your usual 9-to-5 work responsibilities, take the color of your power suit and find a suit a few shades lighter.  Likewise, find a tie a few shades lighter than your favorite power tie that also throws in a mix of wild patterns with other colors.  As this is your combination that is most likely to clash, test your look with a couple of off-white or very light-colored shirts to ensure that everything pulls together in the end;

2089.  If you’re looking for (cheap) parking garages in a city, use Parkopedia (Parkopedia.com). . . . They also have an app;

2090.  Besides Carah Faye Charnow, the members of “Shiny Toy Guns” are pretty forgettable on stage;

2091.  A “very dry martini” means no vermouth;

2092.  There are women who drive us to madness and to foolishness, and the heart does mend, even if the scar remains;

2093.  Alan May (of Comcast SportsNet) hangs out at Clyde’s (of Gallery Place) after (Washington) Capitals home games;

2094.  Wataru Misaka was the first player of Asian descent (i.e., Japanese) and the first non-Caucasian to play in the NBA;

2095.  The “Loft Bar” upstairs at the Hamilton (TheHamiltonDC.com) in D.C. has a speakeasy vibe to it. . . . It seems like a good place to bring a date;

2096.  “Commander Cody” (i.e., George Frayne IV) walks with a limp;

2097.  You have to work harder than you think you possibly can.  You can’t hold grudges. . . . And it doesn’t matter how you get knocked down in life because that’s going to happen.  All that matters is that you’ve got to get up;

2098.  It’s interesting how people can affect our lives.  Some people affect our lives more than we thought they would while others are just the opposite and affect us less than we thought they would;

2099.  It makes sense (from a safety standpoint) why a bar would want to use plastic drinkware, but, for some reason, it just feels less classy and cheap;

2100.  Watch out for groups of (black) women celebrating their girlfriend’s birthday.  They might molest you by fondling your abs;