What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0217

10801.  Some of the deepest peace we can experience is living in integrity.  You can lie to other people about who you are, but you can’t lie to your heart;
10802.  Be careful not to let the noise of your mind overpower the whispers of your heart;
10803.  Life is always happening in just one moment.  That’s all you’re responsible for;
10804.  You can’t lifehack wisdom.  Do the work;
10805.  My parents (especially my dad) are not good at communicating (simple) things (such as we’re going out to dinner or I have an appointment on Friday). . . . It’s probably where I get that from;
10806.  (I’ve noticed that) I tend to tune out my parents especially if it’s a thank you or a compliment;
10807.  Segregation was legal.  Slavery was legal.  Don’t use legality as a guide to morality;
10808.  Cynar is made from artichokes.  It tastes like bitters/Campari;
10809.  The squid (in the fried calamari) at Galae Thai (GalaeThai.com) in Alexandria is so tender and not chewy at all. . . . And so is the duck (in the gang ped yang);
10810.  Brad Meltzer isn’t as tall as I thought he was;
10811.  Apparently, coconut water is (supposed to be) good for a cough;
10812.  Feelings aren’t facts;
10813.  Our feelings shift constantly throughout the day.  Sometimes minute by minute.  You’ll notice you feel so strongly about something and then an hour later you feel completely differently;
10814.  You can have many feelings (usually conflicting) at once;
10815.  Feelings come from deeper emotions( typically unconscious); they’re our interpretation of emotions.  That interpretation is based on our past experiences then reinforced by thought patterns that create more emotional responses;
10816.  Many of us struggle with emotional regulation.  When we haven’t learned to regulate, feelings become overwhelming.  We want to avoid, self-medicate or cope in ways that allow us to escape the sensations and the thoughts that come with intense feelings;
10817.  Feelings are simply experiences of the mind and body.  They come, shift and change.  They’re temporary.  When we become conscious, we can witness the feeling(s) while understanding we are not the feeling.  The feeling is not a concrete fact.  It’s a message;
10818.  We can choose how we respond to that message rather than letting that message drive our choices and behaviors;
10819.  Some people will judge you for changing.  Others will celebrate you for growing;
10820.  Henry Ford, founder of the Ford Motor Company and one of the best-known Americans of his day, held overtly anti-Semitic views and was not afraid to express them;
10821.  The famed American aviator, Charles Lindbergh, was a pro-German white supremacist, who embraced the Nazi’s anti-Semitism;
10822.  Plantation iced tea is (sweet, black) tea and pineapple juice;
10823.  Porn isn’t real sex.  The news isn’t real facts.  Red Bull isn’t real energy.  Alcohol isn’t real courage.  Video games aren’t real life.  Gambling isn’t real investing.  Caffeine isn’t real adrenaline.  Social media isn’t really social.  Degrees aren’t real knowledge;
10824.  Social media never shows the whole picture.  Perfection is an illusion;
10825.  On Tuesdays, Virginia’s Darling (MaesMarketAndCafe.com/virginiasdarling) in (Old Town) Alexandria serves double pours of already open (bottles of) wine until they’re finished/gone;
10826.  Sake (flavored) Kit Kats do (actually) taste like sake;
10827.  Ruthie’s All-Day (RuthiesAllDay.com) in Arlington has the biggest brunch (fried) chicken biscuit I’ve ever seen.  It’s big enough to feed 2 people;
10828.  The beef carpaccio at Mia’s Italian Kitchen (MiasItalian.com) in (Old Town) Alexandria is tasty;
10829.  I can say that I’ve had wild boar. . . . It tastes like a cross between a pork chop and a (beef) steak;
10830.  The molten lava cake (with vanilla ice cream, hot fudge & French Chantilly cream) at Bistro Sancerre (BistroSancerre.com) in (Old Town) Alexandria is tasty.  It has good chocolate flavor and it’s not too sweet;
10831.  It’s spelled “Sint” Maarten (i.e., the country/island) not “Saint” Maarten;
10832.  When you don’t remember a person’s name: I remember meeting you, I’m X;
10833.  (Vanilla) ice cream (topped) with (a little) eggnog is tasty;
10834.  (All of the) restaurants/stores take USD in Sint Maarten;
10835.  Oxtail reminds me of short ribs;
10836.  It’s $2.00 USD to ride the bus in Sint Maarten.  They’re independent drivers/owners licensed/regulated by the government.  There isn’t a set schedule.  You can wait for them at a bus stop (i.e., “bushalte”) or hail them when they drive by.  They run until 8:00 PM or 9:00 PM depending on when they want to stop working;
10837.  What do license plates mean in Sint Maarten: 1.  B/BUS – bus; 2.  M/P – private/passenger; 3.  MF – motorcycle; 4.  R – rental car; 5.  T – tourist bus; 6.  TAXI – taxi; and 7.  V – truck;
10838.  Sint Maarten is a (very) cash-heavy economy. . . . So bring a lot of cash/money;
10839.  You can travel freely between the Dutch and French sides of Sint Maarten.  They don’t stop you at the border;
10840.  There are wild dogs in Sint Maarten;
10841.  There are wild roosters in the French Quarter( of Sint Maarten);
10842.  The French Quarter in Sint Maarten seems very poor;
10843.  I can say I’ve had goat( curry);
10844.  (Curried) goat reminds me of (beef) pot roast/brisket;
10845.  There are no traffic lights or stop signs in Sint Maarten just/only roundabouts;
10846.  There are very few speed limit signs in Sint Maarten;
10847.  Some taxi drivers in Sint Maarten (specifically Kevin) think I look like Elon Musk (around the eyes) and (that I) talk like him( too);
10848.  You can take a (20-minute) ferry from Sint Maarten to Anguilla;
10849.  There’s also a ferry to St. Barts;
10850.  Merchants take USD in Anguilla as well;

What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0216

10751.  Misery lies between your expectations and reality.  Close the gap;
10752.  The universe is very giving.  Nobody has tried 100% and never got what they wanted;
10753.  Jealousy can either be demotivating or used to beat them;
10754.  Motivation is not a real thing; discipline is;
10755.  The result of everything that happens to you either good or bad is completely and utterly your fault;
10756.  If you allow life to happen to you and you’re not going to happen life, you’re at the mercy of the wind;
10757.  Don’t make excuses.  Don’t play the victim  .You’ll end up stagnating and going around in circles;
10758.  People complain for sympathy and dopamine;
10759.  Nothing happens by accident.  Calculate, plan and reflect;
10760.  It’s very easy to become a professional at big things when you’ve mastered being a professional at small things (e.g., never be late, wake up on time, replay to calls/e-mails punctually, etc.);
10761.  Women, who mean the most truly protect my spirit, love, care and use intuition to truly want the best for me;
10762.  Respect your elders.  Confront adversity with respect.  Phrase questions or challenge ideas in a thoughtful and respectful way;
10763.  The way you perceive stress or any stimulus will affect the outcome.  Negativity breeds negativity; positivity breeds positivity.  Outlook is key;
10764.  Get off the internet, interact and put yourself in difficult scenarios;
10765.  To the older population, we are the weirdos; understand the variety of different upbringings in different eras.  Don’t be so narrowminded and arrogant;
10766.  Status signaling has been around from the dawn of time; peacocks have feathers for a reason;
10767.  Money, status and power are driven by the innate ability to (want to) find the best partner;
10768.  Men also want the respect from/of other men;
10769.  Discomfort and trauma, channeled in the right way, can birth amazing things;
10770.  The most monumental things achieved in life have been on the backs of being pissed off or sad;
10771.  For average guys, social media can be a very negative experience.  Do you use that negative experience as motivation or sulk and victim blame?
10772.  Wherever you’re at in your life, how can you add to your quality of life by subtraction?
10773.  Anger is just an emotion that covers up hurt.  Hurt is just an emotion that covers up fear.  Fear is just an emotion that covers up insecurities;
10774.  When you are angry, don’t feed into it.  Stop, pause and ask yourself what is hurting me?
10775.  Nolan Ryan never won a Cy Young( Award for best pitcher in Major League Baseball);
10776.  Gordie Howe only had 2 Gordie Howe hat tricks (i.e., a goal, an assist and a fight) in his (very long) career;
10777.  Freedom of expression does not equal the absence of consequence;
10778.  Skrewball whiskey does tastes like a peanut butter cup;
10779.  According to a real estate agent friend( of mine), a little known rule about multiunit housing with a FHA loan is that the units you aren’t living in need to cash flow the entire property;
10780.  Laura Benanti’s mom(, Linda,) is a vocal coach. . . . She lives in McLean(, Virginia);
10781.  The motions of a symphony are called “movements” because the music should “move” you;
10782.  Liz Phair had an affair (with her manager) towards the end of her marriage;
10783.  Charlie (Dog) likes pumpkin;
10784.  The bottom 80% of men are fighting over the bottom 22% of women and the top 78% of women are fighting over the top 20% of men on Tinder/dating app(lication)s;
10785.  The male is likely to “like” the female 6.2 times more often than the female “likes” the male on Tinder/dating app(lication)s;
10786.  The United States currently has one of the higher Gini coefficients (i.e., most income inequality) of all of the world’s biggest economies at a value of 0.41.  The Tinder Gini coefficient is even higher at 0.58.  This may not seem like a big difference, but it is actually huge.  The United States Gini coefficient is higher than 62% of the world’s countries.  The Tinder economy has a higher Gini coefficient than 95.1% of the countries in the world.  The only countries that have a higher Gini coefficient than Tinder are Angola, Haiti, Botswana, Namibia, Comoros, South Africa, Equatorial Guinea and Seychelles;
10787.  A man of average attractiveness can only expect to be “liked” on Tinder/dating app(lication)s by slightly less than 1% of females (i.e., 0.87%).  This equates to 1 “like” for every 115 females;
10788.  You can be above average attractiveness and still only get liked by a few percent of women on Tinder/dating app(lication)s;
10789.  If you aren’t in the very upper echelons of Tinder wealth (i.e., attractiveness), you aren’t likely to have much success using Tinder/dating app(lication)s;
10790.  At the root of emotional immaturity is the lack of ability to regulate our emotions or to sit in emotional discomfort;
10791.  We skip from big moment to big moment and that’s the story we tell ourselves about our lives, but most of what we do is small, private and individually witnessed and experienced;
10792.  We might deepen our healing if we stop chronically dissecting our partner’s avoidance, narcissism or emotional availability and begin asking ourselves why we pursue people who cannot care for us in the ways that we need;
10793.  No one is coming to save you;
10794.  Personal accountability is the path to freedom;
10795.  Creating a different life means creating new habits;
10796.  Not everyone will want the best for you and that’s okay;
10797.  Old Ebbitt Grill is (Washington) D.C.’s oldest (bar and) restaurant;
10798.  (Remember to )check when the quarter ends;
10799.  Being negative only makes the journey more difficult. . . . You may be given a cactus, but you don’t have to sit on it;

10800.  My dad is a hypochondriac;

What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0215

10701.  According to Richard Patrick( the lead singer of “Filter”), he was rejected for a record(ing) contract at 17 because he sounded too much like U2;
10702.  Johnny Marr was the guitarist and co-songwriter for “The Smiths;”
10703.  Pizza dough and bread dough are the same( thing);
10704.  The food at The Anthem in D.C. is pretty good (in particular the chicken masala wrap and the pork bao buns);
10705.  I can say that I was at The Anthem’s 5^th anniversary concert with Johnny Marr and The Killers;
10706.  To me, short(er)-haired Brandon Flowers (the lead singer of “The Killers”) looks like a younger Dennis Quaid with a little bit of Tom Cruise( mixed in);
10707.  Apparently, olive oil solidifies/thickens when you put it in the refrigerator;
10708.  Bindaas Bowls & Rolls (BindaasBowls.com) in D.C. is good. . . . It’s the Chipotle for Indian (street) food;
10709.  Before you book your flight to a (foreign) country, check the visa requirements;
10710.  It's strange/weird to have a cidery open up 100 feet from where you went to elementary/grade school;
10711.  The ciders at Sly Clyde Ciderworks (SlyClyde.com) in Hampton, Virginia, are actually (pretty) good;
10712.  You can get a can of Narragansett (beer) and a shot of (rail/well) whiskey for $6.00 all day every day at the Deadrise (TheDeadriseVa.com) in Hampton, Virginia;
10713.  If you like flat soda, try nitro (Pepsi) soda;
10714.  Ray Dalio’s all-weather portfolio is: 1.  40% in long-term U.S. bonds (i.e., iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond, TLT); 2.  30% in U.S. equities/stocks (i.e., Vanguard Total Stock Market, VTI); 3.  15% in intermediate-term U.S. bonds (i.e., iShares 3-7 Year Treasury Bond, IEI); 4.  7.5% in gold (i.e., SPDR Gold Trust, GLD); and 5.  7.5% in broad, diversified commodities (i.e., iShares S&P GSCI Commodity Indexed Trust, GSG);
10715.  David Swensen’s Yale endowment portfolio is: 1.  30% in U.S. equities/stocks (i.e., Vanguard Total Stock Market, VTI); 2.  20% in U.S. real estate (i.e., Vanguard Real Estate, VNQ); 3.  15% in long-term U.S. bonds (i.e., iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond, TLT); 4.  15% in all-term U.S. bonds (i.e., iShares TIPS Bond, TIP); 5.  15% in international equities/stocks (i.e., Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets, VEA); and 6.  5% in emerging equities/stocks (i.e., iShares MSCI Emerging Markets, EEM);
10716.  It’s easy to self-sabotage because it enables you to predict the future and gives you an illusion of control;
10717.  Trying to do things perfectly is slowly suffocating and killing you.  Take the first step and let it be imperfect.  Do it wrong;
10718.  Paul Tudor Jones (the investor) was a welterweight boxing champion at the University of Virginia;
10719.  Anxiety is a marker for pain and pain is a marker for damage.  Therefore, you experience anxiety before you experience pain as it’s part of a defense mechanism;
10720.  Agreeableness helps us solve the problem of how much to value our own interests compared to others;
10721.  Agreeable behavior is an adaptation for maternal care while disagreeable behavior is an adaptation for predatory aggression;
10722.  Disagreeable people are unlikely to be used by others, often receive higher salaries for the same work and do not become resentful;
10723.  Conversely, agreeable people can become resentful or passive aggressive over time;
10724.  It’s not any cheaper to buy tickets for Soundcheck (in D.C.) day of at the door than it is to buy them (in advance) online;
10725.  Apparently, you can only buy additional insurance through your paid-up additions rider (of your whole life insurance policy) as long as your term insurance rider is in place;
10726.  You can tell a cat likes being petted by you, when it purrs, raises its back, rhythmically pushes its claws in and out (i.e., kneading) and/or pushes its face into your hand;
10727.  (The truth is that) when someone insults you, it usually has more to do with him/her and his/her experience than it actually is about you.  Insults usually come from a place of anger and hurt;
10728.  Various evidence has pointed out that what matters most in our lives is meaningful relationships.  They matter more than money, fame or any other external entity (including what that stranger said to you harshly on the street);
10729.  When you have a negative thought (whether that means believing what someone else said about you or finding yourself in an negative thought spiral due to life events), challenge it.  Is there an alternative to this negative thought?  Usually, there is;
10730.  It’s always a good idea to remain hopeful, but also realistic.  This can prevent you from internalizing things or facing an array of negative emotions.  For example, it’s good to hope that you get that scholarship.  But if you’re being realistic and only two out of 20 people get it, it’s important to take this into account when thinking you’ll obtain it;
10731.  Hell-Cat Maggie (Irish) whiskey is/tastes buttery;
10732.  I can say that I’ve sat ice level(, right up against the glass) at a Washington Capitals game;
10733.  Colonel T(h)om(as Andrew) Parker (i.e., Elvis Presley’s manager) was born in the Netherlands as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk.  He illegally emigrated to the U.S. at the age of 20;
10734.  Elvis (Presley) died at (age) 42( on August 16, 1977);
10735.  Elvis (Presley) is the best-selling solo music artist of all time;
10736.  Liz Phair is afraid of spiders;
10737.  For those choosing to break generational cycles, your parents couldn’t do it.  Their parents couldn’t do it.  But for some reason you noticed the pattern and decided it ends with you.  You’re the prototype;
10738.  The goals people pursue affect their long-term happiness;
10739.  People are happiest when they pursue goals that connect them to other people;
10740.  In the workplace, this is reflected in studies suggesting that when people see their work as connecting to a broader purpose and helping other people to achieve their goals, they’re more satisfied with their careers;
10741.  The happiest people tend to engage in a lot of cooperative goals rather than competitive ones.  This allows people to celebrate their own successes as well as the successes of the people around them;
10742.  Very few things are completely good or completely bad.  Most experiences have some positive elements and some negative ones.  Happy people tend to focus on the positives and to let the negatives of events fade into the background;
10743.  Over the course of your life, people will do bad things to you.  Even the people closest to you in your life will do selfish or mean things.  One thing that happy people do well is to forgive others;
10744.  The interesting thing about forgiveness is that it enables you to forget the details of what someone did that upset you in the first place.  As a result, you will not be reminded of all those negatives when you see them or think about them in the future;
10745.  Forgiving someone does not necessarily mean that you will trust them completely in the future.  There are people who are mean, selfish or unreliable that you might choose not to spend time with or do business with anymore.  Still, forgiving them for what they did will help you to move past those interactions without harboring negative feelings that can drag down your mood or your satisfaction with life;
10746.  Don’t miss the joy of being you when you spend so much (of your) time chasing an ideal/idyllic version of you(rself);
10747.  Eggnog as a coffee creamer . . . do it;
10748.  Be careful with your words.  They can only be forgiven not forgotten;
10749.  Feel the feeling, but don’t become the emotion.  Witness it.  Allow it.  Release it;
10750.  Self-love is the most important thing.  It turns into being able to give love and share love.  What else are we doing all of this for?

What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0214

10651.  Success without happiness is not success.  It’s just a well-polished turd.  It looks nice from the outside, but the successful guy knows deep down that underneath the facade is just a bunch of shit;
10652.  So what’s the lesson for you?  Celebrate your wins.  Anchor your success.  Enjoy your success;
10653.  There’s always more you can achieve.  More is not always the answer.  Contentment is the answer;
10654.  Be content with who you are, but not where you are;
10655.  Don’t suppress your good feelings.  Don’t gloss over your wins.  You deserve to be happy;
10656.  You can substitute any of the pizza crusts at California Pizza Kitchen;
10657.  The Jamaican jerk chicken (pizza) at California Pizza Kitchen is (pretty) tasty . . . and so is the spicy Milano( pizza);
10658.  Apparently, there’s such a thing as being a pet nanny. . . . And it can be (very) lucrative; paying as much as $1,500.00 for 4 days of work;
10659.  Our greatest weakness lies in giving up.  The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time;
10660.  How to address passive aggressive behavior: 1.  I notice when you give a compliment there’s also a bit of a dig, are you aware of this? 2.  It seems like something is bothering or upsetting you, can we talk about it? 3.  I feel like you’re trying to send me an indirect message here, what is on your mind? and 4.  If you had an expectation that something was to be done, I need you to communicate that;
10661.  The (limited time) Krispy Kreme “Churrdough” doughnut with dulce de leche is really tasty;
10662.  Pinot noir is the primary red wine grape grown in Burgundy, France, so if someone is referring to a “red” Burgundy, they are talking about a pinot noir;
10663.  Donovan Woods had planned to go to law school before he decided to be a singer;
10664.  Matt Nathanson (generally) hates musicals;
10665.  Matt Nathanson calls his daughter “Bubba;”
10666.  Matt Nathanson’s daughter loves musicals;
10667.  You’re the chooser.  Assume she’s going to like you, now you need to decide if you like her;
10668.  If you have a dream, work towards it daily without attachment to the outcome.  Even a teeny tiny step in the right direction is a move in the right direction;
10669.  Apparently, once you’ve had an operation with a surgeon, you have to go back to that surgeon if there are any complications or problems.  Other surgeons won’t touch you because they don’t want to be liable for something another surgeon did;
10670.  Braden Holtby still buys art at the Alexandria Old Town Art Festival;
10671.  A bottle of water can be $.50 at a supermarket, $2.00 at the gym, $3.00 at the movies and $6.00 on a plane . . . same water . . . the only thing that changed its value was the place.  So the next time you feel your worth is nothing maybe you’re at the wrong place;
10672.  Meghan (Wallen) drinks tequila (specifically Casamigos) and (club) soda;
10673.  Every choice we make has an opportunity cost.  The things that you want in your life can’t happen all at once;
10674.  According to my therapist, anxiety can be used to push down/suppress emotions.  In my case, anxiety (expressed by emotionally withdrawing) is used to push down/suppress anger;
10675.  On (Whiskey) Wednesday(s), all bourbons, ryes, Scotches and whiskeys (except flights) are half-off at Whiskey & Oyster (WhiskeyAndOyster.squarespace.com) in (Old Town) Alexandria;
10676.  He knows what he thinks, but I know what I know;
10677.  Love is not just your capacity to give, but also your courage to receive;
10678.  Posting less.  Doing more.  Comparing less.  Reflecting more.  Judging less.  Accepting more.  Complaining less.  Praying more.  Discussing less.  Accomplishing more;
10679.  Altered states can lead to altered traits;
10680.  Trust the ebbs and flows of the friendship that come with life (i.e., times when you’re closer or times when there’s distance);
10681.  Ask if your friend is in a space to listen when you want to vent or share: “Hey I know you have a lot going on, do you have space to listen to something I’m struggling with?”
10682.  Clearly communicate any expectations rather than expecting friends to be able to mind read.  This will keep resentment out of the relationship;
10683.  Ardbeg 10 Years Old (Scotch) is rather/very peaty;
10684.  If you like she-crab soup, do yourself a favor and get the (special) smoked Cajun crab soup, when they have it, at Sweet Fire Donna’s in (Old Town) Alexandria.  It’s really good.  It’s like a Cajun/spicier version of she-crab soup, but lighter and not as heavy;
10685.  Cate Blanchett is Australian( . . . not British);
10686.  According to Meghan( Wallen), the way to recover from (running) a marathon with 5,000 feet of vertical is to drink tequila, sleep 3 hours and then go to a baseball game in a hurricane;
10687.  Pike’s Peak is named after (the explorer,) Zebulon Pike(,) even though he never summited it;
10688.  Apparently, ketamine is known as the heroin of psychedelics;
10689.  4 rule of thumb to carry into the exploration of altered/ecstasis/non-ordinary states: 1.  It’s not about you; and 2.  It’s not about now; Helps us balance ego inflation and time distortion; 3.  Don’t become a bliss junkie; and 4.  Don’t dive too deep; Ensures we don’t get seduced by the sensations and information that arise in altered states;
10690.  Knob Creek smoked maple (Kentucky straight bourbon) does taste like maple syrup;
10691.  When you can, ask yourself if you want to before you do;
10692.  We have to prepare to have freedom.  We have to do the work to then do the job.  We have to prepare for the job so we can be free to do the work;
10693.  We must learn the consequence of negligence; it’s not just what we do, it’s what we don’t do that’s important as well.  We are guilty by omission;
10694.  “If only” means you wanted something, but did not get it.  For some reason, either by your own incompetence or the world’s intervention, it did not happen.  Sometimes this is just the breaks and we need to bow out gracefully.  But more often than we care to admit, we don’t get what we want because we quit early or we didn’t take the necessary risk to get it;
10695.  The more boots we put in the backside of our “if onlys” the more we will get what we want;
10696.  Don’t walk the “it’s too late it’s too soon” tightrope until you die;
10697.  We are all made for every moment we encounter.  Whether the moment makes us or we make the moment.  Whether we are helpless in it or on top of it; the predator or the prey.  We are made for that moment;
10698.  Piece Out Del Ray in Del Ray has Happy Hour on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM and Tuesdays through Friday from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.  It’s $2.00 off draft beers, $4.00 Piece Out pilsners, $5.00 red sangrias, $5.00 glasses of house red, white and rose wines and $7.00 for a slice of pizza and a Piece Out pilsner;
10699.  Detroit-style pizza is like (a rectangular version of) the old Pizza Hut pan pizza, but less greasy;
10700.  (Taco Bell) Mexican pizzas are just nachos with fewer/less (tortilla) chips;

What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0213

10601.  Tim Commerford (the bassist for “Rage Against the Machine”) has a full, upper body/torso tattoo;
10602.  Tom Morello (the guitarist for “Rage Against the Machine”) is (pretty) intense too;
10603.  “Rage Against the Machine” may be the hardest (playing and aggressive) band I’ve seen live in concert;
10604.  Charlie (Dog) and Tom Cruise share the same birthday;
10605.  A salad of baby spinach, arugula, blueberries, (red) grapes and walnuts with a poppyseed dressing is (really) tasty;
10606.  Don’t torture yourself by trying to measure up to the fantasy of a perfect life.  What’s good for someone else might be a bad idea for you;
10607.  DJ Diesel (i.e., Shaquille O’Neal) is actually decent/okay( as a deejay);
10608.  I didn’t appreciate/realize how big Shaq(uille O’Neal) is until seeing him in person;
10609.  Apparently, men store emotions in their hips and lower back;
10610.  A curandero/curandera is a traditional native male/female healer/shaman;
10611.  Orangutan means “forest person” in Malay. . . . It seems that the Malaysians of the past did not see orangutans as animals, but as people;
10612.  Breathing deeply in and out through the nose resets the nervous system and eases the fight or flight response;
10613.  Breathing (deeply) in and out through the nose produces alpha waves, which can help us get into a “flow” state;
10614.  I’m the one setting such high standards for myself.  I don’t have to make it so hard on myself;
10615.  I should be patient with myself;
10616.  I can ask for help.  I don’t have to “lone wolf” it( and go it alone);
10617.  “Purging( emotions)” can be by vomiting, diarrhea, heat/sweating, cold, muscle spasms and/or crying;
10618.  A person tends to purge by vomiting if it’s difficult/hard for him/her to cry;
10619.  Most people schedule their work, life, etc. and then let the fun fill in the cracks.  Schedule your fun first and let the rest fill in the cracks;
10620.  Apparently, Jordana (Grader) likes chai lattes . . . and pumpkin spice lattes;
10621.  Apparently, afros are a lot of work to maintain;
10622.  Apparently, there are more men than women in Austin(, Texas);
10623.  Jordana (Grader) says she was cute in Chicago and not so much in Los Angeles;
10624.  Curanderos/curanderas chain smoke like crazy;
10625.  Mapacho (i.e., Aztec/strong tobacco) can contain up to 9 times the nicotine of common tobacco;
10626.  There are pigeons living in the Las Vegas desert. . . . Who knew?
10627.  There are (desert) tortoises in Las Vegas . . . and frogs;
10628.  Once heated, limestone loses its ability to hold heat;
10629.  There’s a great view of Las Vegas at the end of the Calico Tanks trail at Red Rock Canyon (RedRockCanyonLV.org);
10630.  Crumble Cookies (CrumblCookies.com) are tasty . . . especially the milk chocolate chip . . . and they deliver;
10631.  Summerlin South and Spring Valley (in Las Vegas) are (kind of) food deserts;
10632.  Apache Plaza (in Las Vegas) has a lot of Asian restaurants;
10633.  There’s no need to be crazy/outrageous in your first (text) response on Bumble.  Afterall, she messaged you first.  She’s interested;
10634.  You can sign up for guest lists at websites like FreeVegasClubPasses.com, LasVegasNightclubs.com or NoCoverNightclubs.com to get into (Las) Vegas clubs without having to pay (the) outrageous cover/entrance fees( to get in);
10635.  Life hack: If you’re at a (Las Vegas) club (specifically Zouk Nightclub at Resorts World Las Vegas) and you’re thirsty, but you’re not drinking( alcohol), order a club soda instead of a bottle of water.  It’s about half the price (i.e., it’s $13.00 for a 330 ml bottle of Fiji water);
10636.  Rachael has (very) kissable lips;
10637.  Girls (really) don’t remember meeting you in the club (in Las Vegas) when you run into them the next day/night;
10638.  Any success takes one in a row.  Do one thing well then another.  Once then once more.  Over and over until the end then it’s one in a row again;
10639.  Days of prosperity make us forget adversity;
10640.  Good times seem out of reach during the bad ones;
10641.  Both can seem like final destinations; the summation of our days.  Then the cosmic joker plays with our ways.  Yesterday’s condition no longer remains;
10642.  The sooner we become less impressed with our life, our accomplishments, our career, our relationships, the prospects in front of us, the sooner we become less impressed and more involved with these things, the sooner we get better at them.  We must be more than just happy to be here;
10643.  The cinnamon roll waffle at Belga Café (BelgaCafe.com) in D.C. does (actually) taste like a cinnamon roll;
10644.  The frames you use for the world dramatically shift your experience of it;
10645.  Want her; don’t need her.  Do this and you have a chance; don’t, you won’t.  Forever for rent, never to own; the one we all lust for, the constant unknown.  Want her; don’t need her, and she might give it up;
10646.  The road less traveled may not be a dirt road; for some, it may be the autobahn.  Robert Frost was right, taking the road less traveled can make all the difference.  But that road isn’t necessarily the road with the least traffic.  It may be the road that wee, personally, have traveled less.  The introvert may need to get out of the house, engage with the world, get public.  The extrovert may need to stay home and read a book.  Sometimes we need to get out there, sometimes we need to get in there.  Some days our road less traveled is a solitary dirt trail.  On others it’s the subway on the 7 line;
10647.  Are you looking for feedback, advice or just a space to be heard?
10648.  Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for;
10649.  If we don’t say “yes” authentically, we say “yes” resentfully and that leads to far more problems than if we’d said “no” in the first place;
10650.  Success without happiness is not success.  It’s just a well-polished turd.  It looks nice from the outside, but the successful guy knows deep down that underneath the facade is just a bunch of shit;

What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0212

10551.  The National Harbor is not a good place to watch the Fourth of July (Washington) D.C. fireworks;
10552.  You shouldn’t waste your life in insecure relationships.  Either trust each other 100% or leave;
10553.  If someone ghosts you, respect the dead and move on;
10554.  You won’t have a healthy relationship with someone else if you have a toxic relationship with yourself;
10555.  Stop searching for the right person and focus on becoming the right person;
10556.  Your self-love must always be stronger than your desire to be loved by others;
10557.  The people you allow into your life are contagious.  Choose wisely and cut quickly;
10558.  I can say I’ve been on a date with a TV chef;
10559.  Apparently, (Chef) Deme Vergos Kahn is friends with (Chef) José Andrés;
10560.  Arthur Kahn assisted in the representation of John Erlichman, assistant to President Nixon, in federal criminal and civil cases arising from his involvement in (the) Watergate( scandal);
10561.  I can say I’ve met someone who married 20 years her senior;
10562.  Apparently, Deme Vergos Kahn’s dating app(lication)s (specifically Bumble) are run by her 16 year-old daughter;
10563.  Ocean City, Maryland, reminds me of a bigger and cleaner Virginia Beach;
10564.  Seacrets (Seacrets.com) in Ocean City(, Maryland,) is pretty fun. . . . There’s something for everyone there;
10565.  The crab cake sandwich at “The Bar & Grill at the Inlet( Lodge)” (in Ocean City, Maryland) is (pretty) tasty;
10566.  According to our cabbie, the place to be/go on Friday nights in Ocean City(, Maryland,) is Fager’s Island (Fagers.com) and Seacrets on Saturday nights;
10567.  Apparently, walking up 3 flights of stairs is a major accomplishment for some 22 year-olds in Ocean City(, Maryland);
10568.  I can say I’ve met (and shaken hands) with the Secretary of Commerce( and the former governor of Rhode Island), Gina Raimondo. . . . I’m a little taller than she is;
10569.  The beach in Ocean City(, Maryland) has a (very) small strip of rocks/shells you have to walk over/through to get into the ocean;
10570.  Fractured Prune doughnuts (FracturedPrune.com) come out hot and fresh. . . . They’re tasty;
10571.  Kohr Bros. (KohrBros.com) has a kid size (frozen custard) that isn’t listed on the menu;
10572.  Sand (from the beach) can get caught in your intergluteal cleft/butt crack. . . . Who knew?
10573.  The Belgian chocolate soufflé cake at California Pizza Kitchen (CPK.com) is (pretty) tasty. . . . It’s better with (vanilla Haagen-Dazs) ice cream;
10574.  Denis Lawson (i.e., Wedge Antilles) is Ewan McGregor’s (i.e., Obi-Wan/Ben Kenobi) (real life) uncle;
10575.  May we stop seeing ourselves through the eyes of people that never saw us;
10576.  Everything you experience has no intrinsic meaning other than the meaning that you give to it;
10577.  We seldom admit the seductive comfort of hopelessness.  It saves us from ambiguity.  It has an answer for every question: “There’s just no point.”  Hope, on the other hand, is messy.  If it might all work out then we have things to do.  We must weather the possibility of happiness;
10578.  The longer it takes you to admit when you are wrong, the more attached you are to being perfect;
10579.  The more attached to being perfect, the more you will hate yourself;
10580.  Nobody is perfect.  We all get it wrong.  And that’s perfect;
10581.  The first step that leads to our identity in life is usually not “I know who I am,” but rather “I know who I’m not.”  Process of elimination;
10582.  Too many options can make a tyrant out of any of us so we should get rid of the excess in our lives that keep us from being more of ourselves.  When we decrease the options that don’t feed us, we, eventually, almost accidentally, have more options in front of us that do;
10583.  Knowing who we are is hard.  Eliminate who we’re not first and we’ll find ourselves where we need to be;
10584.  We cannot fully appreciate the light without the shadows.  We have to be thrown off balance to find our footing.  It’s better to jump than fall;
10585.  The future is the monster not the boogeyman under the bed.  The past is just something we’re trying to outrun tomorrow.  The monster is the future . . . the unknown . . . the boundaries not yet crossed . . . the challenge not yet met . . . the potential not yet realized . . . the dragon not yet tamed.  On a one-way collision course with no turning back, the future, the monster, is always waiting for us and always sees us coming.  We should lift our heads, look it in the eye and watch it heed;
10586.  Things can change at any minute.  And all we’ve really got are our experiences, our relationships and our beautiful, aging, ever evolving selves.  We can choose to be frustrated by that or we can choose to embrace it as our power;
10587.  Blagden Alley (in D.C.) really is an alley;
10588.  Causa/Bar Amazonia (CausaDC.com) in D.C. automatically adds a 20% gratuity/service fee to your bill/check;
10589.  Tangy lemon lime Topo Chico (hard seltzer) tastes like a Creamsicle( to me);
10590.  Calico (CalicoDC.com) in D.C. (also) automatically adds a 20% gratuity/service fee to your bill/check;
10591.  Throwing out your lower back is no joke;
10592.  Remember that once you dreamed of being where you are now;
10593.  We are not here to tolerate our differences, we are here to accept them;
10594.  We are not here to celebrate our sameness, we are here to salute our distinctions;
10595.  We are not born into equal circumstances or with equal abilities, but we should have equal opportunity;
10956.  Cool is a natural law.  If it was cool for that time then it is cool for all time.  A fad is just a branch on cool’s trunk, a fashionable fling whose 15 minutes can never abide, no matter how long s/eh trends to try.  Cool stands the test of time because cool never tries.  Cool just is;
10597.  After hurting/straining my (lower) back, I have a better appreciation for being able to get/move around;
10598.  Zach de la Rocha (the lead singer of “Rage Against the Machine”) drinks (hot) tea;
10599.  (I can say) I’ve seen “Rage Against the Machine” live( in concert);
10600.  Zach de la Rocha is intense on stage (even with a broken leg);

What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0211

10501.  One of the most important decisions you’ll ever make in life is who you have children with.  Choose wisely;
10502.  When playing games with children, let them win;
10503.  You don’t have to learn everything the hard way;
10504.  One day you’ll need to be forgiven so learn to forgive others;
10505.  Instead of buying your children what you didn’t have, teach them what you didn’t know;
10506.  Never let your inner child die;
10507.  If you care too much about what other people think, you’re effectively their slave;
10508.  Be so busy improving your life that you don’t have time to criticize others;
10509.  Everyone you love will eventually die, spend your time with your loved ones; keep them close;
10510.  No one is a mind reader, voice how you feel;
10511.  Never feel bad about promoting yourself;
10512.  Hang out with people from different races, ethnicities and socio-economic classes;
10513.  Listen to understand not to respond;
10514.  You can’t pour from an empty cup.  Take care of yourself first;
10515.  Spending time alone is one of the best things you can do;
10516.  Remember that 80% of the success in any job is based on your ability to deal with people;
10517.  Compliment the meal when you’re the guest in someone’s home;
10518.  Show respect for everyone who works for a living regardless of how trivial their job;
10519.  The “Club 24” (Championship) Boxes at Nationals Park are nice.  The seats include food options from a high-end restaurant prepared by a chef and dedicated wait staff;
10520.  (I can say) I’ve sat in the “Club 24” (Championship) Boxes at Nationals Park;
10521.  Apparently, the “Club 24” (Championship) Boxes and the “K Street” (Championship) Boxes are the 2 most exclusive clubs at Nationals Park;
10522.  The 1924 Washington Senators won (Washington) D.C.’s first World Series championship;
10523.  The honey ham biscuits (i.e., mini, buttermilk biscuits with smoked Virginia ham) at the Lightfoot Restaurant (LightfootRestaurant.com) in Leesburg, Virginia, are tasty;
10524.  The berry salad (i.e., greens tossed with balsamic vinaigrette set with blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, spiced cashews & balsamic glaze) (with grilled shrimp) at the Lightfoot Restaurant (in Leesburg, Virginia,) is tasty too;
10525.  Strangely, life gets harder when you try to make it easy;
10526.  Exercising might be hard, but never moving makes life harder;
10527.  Uncomfortable conversations are hard, but avoiding every conflict is harder;
10528.  Mastering your craft is hard, but having no skills is harder;
10529.  Easy has a cost;
10530.  The berry Chantilly cake at Whole Foods (Market) is tasty;
10531.  Jean Louisa Kelly (the actress) (kind of) looks like Robbie;
10532.  Primus is a jam band. . . . Who knew?
10533.  Les Claypool is a self-proclaimed Rush (i.e., Canadian rock band) geek;
10534.  Les Claypool went to (high) school and is friends with Kirk Hammett (the lead guitarist of Metallica);
10535.  Les Claypool auditioned to be the bassist for Metallica;
10536.  Broccoli shrinks a lot when you roast it (in the oven);
10537.  Despite what most mainstream therapists claim, couples with “open marriages” generally rate their overall satisfaction (with both their relationship and with life in general) significantly higher than those in conventional marriages do;
10538.  Many people have sex outside their primary relationships for reasons that have nothing to do with any inadequacy in their partner or in the relationship;
10539.  Charlie (Dog) likes (roasted) peanuts . . . shocker, he loves peanut butter;
10540.  Not everyone handles grief the same way;
10541.  Many men report that they had affairs simply because opportunities arose while women, for whom opportunities are often more plentiful, tend to report a more complex confluence of motivations;
10542.  When Shirley Glass and Thomas White anonymously interviewed 300 men and women about their extramarital affairs, they found that men tended to see their affairs as more sexual while women were motivated more by emotional considerations and reported greater levels of dissatisfaction with their marriages;
10543.  I’m glad to have Rob(ert) Roebuck as a friend. . . . I should’ve seen/texted/visited him more when I had the chance;

10544.  If you want to lose weight, get Invisalign.  They’re so annoying/difficult to put in and take out and you have to brush and floss after eating that it’s just not worth snacking;

10545.  Apparently, Ajay is immune to mushrooms;

10546.  If you want to get COVID(-19), stand in line to get into a Dave Matthews Band concert (at Jiffy Lube Live in Bristow, Virginia) without wearing a mask . . . stupid;

10547.  If you’re out of milk for your cereal, coffee will work;

10548.  Post-COVID lethargy is a real thing;

10549.  Charlie (Dog) likes doughnuts (in particularly Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnuts);

10550.  Guac(amole) on a (ham)burger is pretty good;