What I've learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious): 0173

8601.  (I just realized) Justin Bieber’s uncle-in-law is Jack Donaghy (i.e., Alec Baldwin in “30 Rock”) and his aunt-in-law is a (former) Bond girl (i.e., Kim Basinger as “Domino Petachi” in “Never Say Never Again”) . . . weird;

8602.  Faith is really good for stopping worry and anxiety;

8603.  Beliefs are subconscious and therefore below the level of conscious awareness.  So how will we know if there’s a problem in that area?  It usually shows up in the form of repeated frustrations.  A feeling like you’re trying and trying, but not making much progress.  When that happens, and it’s a pattern, then you know that you have some subconscious belief change work to do;

8604.  Ella Fitzgerald (the American jazz singer) was born in Newport News, Virginia;

8605.  Time is more than money; it’s the currency of life and it’s an irreplaceable resource.  When time is up, it’s gone;

8606.  We can increase many capacities, but there’s nothing we can do to expand, save or manage time.  Time is a fixed resource; the number of minutes in a day, days in a week and weeks in a year all tick away relentlessly in spite of our efforts to control it;

8607.  If we want to get more done, make a greater impact and truly lead a life of significance, we need to increase our energy capacity;

8608.  People who grow to their maximum potential don’t sit back and wait for things to happen; they go out and make things happen and that requires energy;

8609.  When you spend your time doing the things that you care about most, you will find yourself fully charged with energy.  What are the activities that make you say, “I was born to do this?”  That’s your gift zone.  Spend more time there;

8610.  A life of significance is not about having more money and more stuff.  It’s about spending time and creating experiences and memories with the people you care about most;

8611.  When we serve others by providing something that makes their day a little better, we enter what Ed Bastian calls the “virtuous circle.”  We not only draw energy from having done something good for someone else, we also get an energy boost from their response;

8612.  R(eckless)I(nvesting)S(ans)K(nowledge);

8613.  Between (the ages of) 25-40, the number one cause of death for men in the Western world is suicide. . . . After 40, it’s (coronary) heart disease;

8614.  If you constantly break your word to yourself, how can you trust yourself?

8615.  Every time you say you’ll do something, but you don’t you lose trust with yourself;

8616.  The “hero” goes into the darkness to find the light;

8617.  The biggest obstacles to your success is your own self-doubt and laziness;

8618.  It is your self-doubt and laziness that define and limit who you are;

8619.  There is no one in your way except you and your doubts;

8620.  Irrational tendencies typically lead to the types of mental constructs that often promote addiction, avoidance, compulsiveness, procrastination, anxiety, depression, shame, guilt, hurt, anger, self-pity or self-blame;

8621.  The idea that success is the only option as anything else will lead to a loss of social standing, love and affection from your support group and the other good things in your life;

8622.  If failure is seen as the worst possible outcome then, when you find yourself dealing with adversity, you will often find yourself more depressed and prone to greater frequency of anxiety or panic attacks than you may otherwise experience.  This often leads to an overall feeling of worthlessness that makes it difficult or even impossible to complete otherwise minor tasks;

8623.  Ben Franklin started the first mutual (fire) insurance company in the English colonies/future U.S.;

8624.  Top performers understand that getting distracted is human nature.  They accept it’s going to happen and they don’t beat themselves up when it does;

8625.  Indulge distraction then refocus twice as hard;

8626.  Productivity is not simply being busy.  Anyone can (be) and stay busy.  Being productive means moving the ball toward the goal line efficiently and effectively.  Being busy, on the other hand, can mean running around in circles and making no meaningful progress toward your goal;

8627.  Prioritize your work.  Time is a limited commodity and every choice has an opportunity cost.  Productivity hinges on setting priorities;

8628.  Don’t bite off more than you can chew.  Set proper expectations for yourself.  Don’t load up your schedule with a bunch of tasks especially if they’re not important.  Focus on one big ticket item each day;

8629.  Batch your tasks which simply means putting the same tasks together to reduce the transition time of your brain from switching between tasks.  For example, do send and answer all emails during a single block of time.  Make all your phone calls during another block of time;

8630.  Increasing productivity not only means more effectively getting things done, it means having more time for the things that matter most to you and having less stress and more happiness too;

8631.  Everything worthwhile is uphill. . . . Sadly, many people have uphill hopes and downhill habits;

8632.  Nothing that is good in life comes easy. . . . And very little that comes easy is good;

8633.  The (touring) pianist for “The Lumineers” (i.e., Stelth Ulvang) plays barefoot;

8634.  How do you know it’s not your day to hike?  The answer is: When the 4-wheel drive vehicle ahead of you slides on around on the road on the way to the trail;

8635.  Handjob in a cabin hot tub . . . check . . . fingering in a cabin hot tub . . . (double) check . . . sex in a cabin hot tub . . . (triple) check;

8636.  More is lost by indecision than wrong decision.  Indecision is the thief of opportunity.  It will steal you blind;

8637.  Apparently, seniors (seem to) like Cracker Barrel (Old Country Store);

8638.  Fried apples is just apple pie without the crust;

8639.  Your words have the power to both create and destroy.  The words we choose build our own reality and the reality of those around us.  Be thoughtful about what you say.  You have great power in your speech that can unleash a forceful fury that can create, tear down, build, heal or hurt;

8640.  Every time you open your mouth is an opportunity to stay true to yourself and what you value or an opportunity to stray from that path;

8641.  If you’re looking to feed a family of 4 for $5.00 or less a meal, (you might want to) try the recipes at “$5 Dinners” (5DollarDinners.com/recipes)

8642.  Chocolate chess pie tastes like a (fluffier, less dense) brownie;

8643.  Metered parking goes until 10:00 PM (Monday through Saturday) in D.C.;

8644.  Joey Genetti is (pretty) tall;

8645.  According to Lily Kershaw, the dressing rooms at the Pie Shop (PieShopDC.com) in D.C. are glamorous (not really);

8646.  Lily Kershaw is Sansa Stark’s (i.e., Sophie Turner) go-to sad music;

8647.  If you’re interested, you will do what is convenient; if you’re committed, you’ll do whatever it takes;

8648.  Anger can help you to either hide the pain that you are dealing with or it can be used to channel that feeling over to someone else.  It is pretty common that angry people will just lash out because it helps them to let off some steam;

8649.  When people experience something and they think that it is unpleasant, it will often invoke an angry response;

8650.  There are some people who may have gone through a bad experience in the past.  There are some people who are still going through those bad experiences today.  As a means of helping them to deal with these unpleasant times, they always resort to directing their anger towards another person;

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8551.  Avoid buying jewelry in big-name stores or at the mall;

8552.  Consider buying diamonds from a good online source (where they are certified by a gemologist);

8553.  Gemstones other than diamonds are becoming more popular in wedding rings so that’s an option;

8554.  The cost of movie popcorn is inflated by a ridiculous 1,000%;

8555.  Theater popcorn is chock-full of chemicals and additives that are bad for you, but taste oh-so-good;

8556.  There is a clear difference between accepting something and agreeing or approving of the way in which it is proceeding;

8557.  If you find yourself in a situation with a trigger that you simply cannot abide and your only option seems to be having a panic or anxiety attack then you may find it useful to distract yourself with alternative stimuli in order to short circuit the attack and help yourself self-correct;

8558.  The specifics of what you do to take yourself out of the moment doesn’t matter as along as it serves to take your mind off of the negative emotion that is threatening to spill out;

8559.  Before your next (panic or anxiety) attack hits, consider a variety of activities that you could have on hand that will require your full concentration to complete successfully.  Focusing your concentration away from the inciting issue will help to make whatever your issue is that much more manageable;

8560.  Helping others is a great way to get your mind off of the issue that is causing the problems.  While not always available, you may find that community service makes it easier to put your problems into perspective overall;

8561.  Regardless of how you feel about your current situation, it is likely that you have made it through worse in the past and have lived to tell the tale.  As long as you can find a positive variation of the situation in question then whatever you are facing at the moment should suddenly feel that much more manageable;

8562.  While not applicable in every situation, if you can find a way to force yourself to feel an emotion that is opposite of whatever emotion the situation is causing you to feel, you can cancel out the panic or anxiety attack with ease;

8563.  If you are familiar with mindfulness meditation then you are familiar with the concept of perceiving thoughts without interacting with them is a great way to show your negative thoughts the door;

8564.  If you feel your thoughts starting to take over, you may find it helpful to count backwards from 100 or recite something you have memorized for just such an occasion.  If you can ensure you keep control of your thoughts then you can be sure they won’t be taken over by emotions;

8565.  It is important to always remember that having thoughts of all types is perfectly normal; the thing that matters most is the way in which you react to them.  If you force yourself to refrain from making negative judgments about yourself when these negative thoughts do appear, you will find that they are much easier to dismiss out of hand;

8566.  To get profit without risk, experience without danger and reward without work is as impossible as it is to live without being born;

8567.  (It’s official,) I don’t have a milk allergy;

8568.  Family does not mean a consistent sacrifice in your mental or emotional well-being;

8569.  You heal by releasing not by suppressing;

8570.  The caterpillar grows wings during a season of isolation.  Remember that the next time you’re alone;

8571.  You can have it all, but, if your soul is not nurtured, you will feel empty even at the most extravagant celebration;

8572.  The rich invest their money and spend what is left over.  The poor spend their money and invest what is left over;

8573.  Apparently, deadbolt keys are longer than other keys;

8574.  Everyone uses the same basic eye patterns when it comes to remembering trauma, either real or imagined, which means that by changing the movements of the eyes during this period the intensity of the experience in question can change as well;

8575.  Elizabeth likes lilies;

8576.  Apparently, fragrant lilies are more expensive;

8577.  Elizabeth’s favorite color is cobalt blue;

8578.  Blowing your load onto her breasts and/or neck . . . check;

8579.  Ideas are cheap execution is valuable;

8580.  Getting married isn't a goal, but being married is;

8581.  Being vulnerable opens relationships to possibility;

8582.  “Maybes” are usually procrastinated “no’s;”

8583.  “This too shall pass;”

8584.  Nothing and no feeling is permanent.  As night changes to day so moments of joy and despair replace each other.  Accept them as the nature of things; as part of life;

8585.  You’re never as good as everyone tells you when you win and you’re never as bad as they say when you lose;

8586.  Using food as a source of comfort is something most people struggle with at some point in their lives;

8587.  Be aware of your “trigger” times.  The most common emotional eating times are after work, mid to late afternoon and after 8:00 PM;

8588.  During periods of stress, trigger times, strong cravings or emotions, stop and ask yourself before you reach for food: Am I hungry?  Am I angry?  Am I lonely?  Am I tired?  If you feel angry, lonely or tired, acknowledge these without judgment.  Being angry, lonely and/or tired are some of the most common non-hunger related food triggers;

8589.  Physical hunger hits below the neck, builds gradually, is easily satisfied and energizes you;

8590.  Emotional hunger hits above the neck, has a sudden onset, is not easily satisfied and leaves us feeling tired, sluggish and sometimes guilty;

8591.  If you’re unsure what kind of hunger you’re experiencing, ask yourself where you feel it in your body and eat a healthy snack or a small portion of the food you crave.  Note what happens 15-20 minutes after.  If you feel satisfied, you are likely experiencing physical hunger.  If the craving strengthens or now you want something else, it may be emotion related;

8592.  Angry?  Work towards a resolution of the issue by calmly addressing it.  If this is not possible or you aren’t ready, express yourself in another way.  Run, do jumping jacks, climb stairs or get on a bicycle or elliptical.  Find a way to regain control of your heart rate through activity.  Need to settle down?  Paint, write or use another relaxation practice.  Attempting to regulate this emotion with an endorphin release from food not only fails to resolve the problem, but can compound it by later causing increased feelings of guilt and, in some cases, more anger;

8593.  Dost thou love life?  Then do not squander time for that is the stuff life is made of;

8594.  Be mindful of the tendency to overemphasize the negative while overlooking the positive;

8595.  Negative thinking stops us from seeing and experiencing positive outcomes even when they happen often.  It’s a mental block that filters out all of the positive and only letting in the negative;

8596.  Try not to focus on extremes.  We have a tendency to want to see things in black and white, all or nothing.  And, most of the time, we view anything less than perfect as being extremely bad.  The truth is there’s a lot of grey area in between and just because something isn’t perfect doesn’t mean it’s a failure or a worst-case scenario;

8597.  Stop seeking negative signs from others.  We are often hasty to jump to negative conclusions especially when it comes to interpreting signs and communications (or lack thereof) from others;

8598.  Jumping to negative conclusions causes us unnecessary worry, pain, frustration and stress;

8599.  We can’t assume anything about others especially what they’re doing or thinking;

8600.  Identify underlying triggers to negative self-talk.  To change the way you think, you have to be mindful of your thoughts.  Instead of ignoring negative self-talk or blindly being a slave to it, pay closer attention to it and document it.  Write down the thoughts, when they come to you and identify what triggered them;

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8501.  We first make our habits and then our habits make us;

8502.  Pain doesn’t tell you when you ought to stop.  Pain is the little voice in your head that tries to hold you back because it knows if you continue you will change;

8503.  The fear of death is the fear of time.  And the fear of time, deep down, is the fear of unlived moments of an unlived life.  So what to do?  Live more and more intensely.  Live dangerously.  It is your life.  Don’t sacrifice it for any sort of foolishness that has been taught to you.  Don’t sacrifice it for words, theories, countries or politics.  Don’t sacrifice it for anybody.  Live it;

8504.  When you can’t control what’s happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what’s happening.  That’s where the power is;

8505.  Ben Rector’s voice sounds (to me) like a combination of Peter Cetera and Bruce Hornsby;

8506.  As I let go of the need to arrange my life, the universe brings abundant good to me;

8507.  Our struggles in life develop our strengths;

8508.  Without struggles we never grow and never get stronger so it’s important for us to tackle challenges on our own;

8509.  Our flaws are not the reasons that make us unhappy or feel insecure, it’s the way we judge ourselves;

8510.  It’s our internal dialog that drags us down emotionally and dictates our life decisions;

8511.  2 step process to change the way you judge yourself: 1.  Accept how you feel and remind yourself that nobody is perfect.  Example: I feel insecure about being fat.  That’s okay; everyone is dealing with their own insecurities.  I am not the only one; and 2.  View your insecurities with a sense of humor.  Example: Damn, I haven’t seen my penis in so long, I’m starting to feel like Caitlyn Jenner.  Who cares?  I am not fat; I have just been bulking up for the past 15 years;

8512.  Once you accept how you feel you can start to relax;

8513.  Learn to not identify with your negative thoughts;

8514.  Learn to be free from judgment;

8515.  From a place of nonjudgment, learn to view things with a sense of humor;

8516.  If you need energy for (some) late night puzzling, try (listening to) some EDM (specifically Gareth Emery);

8517.  Chocolate martinis (i.e., 1.5 oz.  Godiva milk chocolate liqueur and 1.5 oz. Absolut Vanilia) can be dangerous;

8518.  The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have;

8519.  Mezcal is not a fancy version of tequila; it’s the other way around.  Tequila is (in fact) one style of mescal;

8520.  Tequila is made only from the blue agave plant (i.e., Agave tequilana), while mezcal can be made from one of more than 30 different agave species;

8521.  According to Mexican law, the spirit labeled “tequila” can be made only in the area surrounding the city of Tequila and in the Jalisco Highlands (both in the central-western state of Jalisco);

8522.  Mezcal comes primarily from the state of Oaxaca, but it is made in numerous other states in Mexico

8523.  Tequila is generally made on an industrial scale, while mezcal is mostly made by small-scale producers in facilities known as fábricas or palenques;

8524.  There is much greater diversity in the flavor and character of mezcal, depending on the species of agave used, the soil upon which it is grown and the details of its production method;

8525.  Each agave plant can take up to 30 years to fully mature before harvest;

8526.  Agave used to make tequila is processed in steam ovens;

8527.  Mezcal is made by burying as many as 100 piñas (i.e., agave hearts) for a few days to a week in a giant charcoal or wood-fired pit oven, which accounts for its smoky aroma;

8528.  Whether for tequila or mezcal, the cooked piñas are mashed to a pulp, transferred to large vats or barrels with water and allowed to ferment for anywhere from 4 to 10 days;

8529.  The alcohol that forms from fermenting cooked piñas is distilled 2 or 3 times until it reaches the desired concentration;

8530.  Tequila is typically distilled in copper kettles;

8531.  Some mezcals are first distilled in clay jugs (en barro), which can give them a mineral-y, astringent quality;

8532.  There are more than 300 known compounds found in both tequila and mezcal including complex alcohols, methanol, esters, aldehydes, terpenes and furans, each of which contributes to the character of the particular spirit in question, providing it with fruity, smoky, cocoa, herbal, floral, malty or woody flavors and aromas.  Some of these molecules are present in the agave itself, while others form only during cooking or fermentation;

8533.  Agave syrup is a sweetener made from several species of agave including blue agave;

8534.   Agave syrup is made much like tequila and mezcal though the inulin-rich juice is typically extracted from the piña before being cooked to convert its sugars into fructose;

8535.  Agave syrup is 1.5 times sweeter than sugar;

8536.  “Amber” versions of agave syrup has a pleasant, caramelized flavor;

8537.  Agave nectar ranges in color from pale gold to amber depending on the amount of filtration during processing;

8538.  Lighter agave nectar has a relatively neutral flavor, while darker nectar has a caramel-like taste;

8539.  Agave contains 2.9 calories per gram compared to sugar’s 4 calories per gram;

8540.  You can use 2/3 cup agave nectar for every cup of sugar;

8541.  When substituting agave nectar for sugar in baking, you should reduce the liquid content of recipes by 1 ounce per 2/3 cup of agave used, drop the oven temperature by 25 degrees and up the baking time by 6 percent;

8542.  Use agave for sweetening drinks, but don’t use it for baking;

8543.  It is easy to forget that everyone is running his/her own race and that you only have to keep up with your own pace;

8544.  Knowing you need to make a change is not enough.  You’ve got to find the guts to do it;

8545.  Name-brand printer ink is marked up by 300%;

8546.  A quick search reveals that off-brand printer ink can be purchased for 50% less than name-brand (ink).  Read the reviews before purchasing, but most off-brand (printer) ink is just as good as its more expensive counterpart;

8547.  Coffee at your favorite shop comes with a 300% markup and that’s not including whatever you tip your barista;

8548.  When you make your coffee at home you’re spending $.25-$.50 cents a cup (depending on what you add to it);

8549.  You can expect at least a 300-400% markup on jewelry (especially diamonds) often even higher.  And you might not even be getting the quality you think you’re paying for;

8550.  Jewelry stores will often run 50-75% off “sales” on their goods and they’re still making a nice profit.  Not only that, but many big-name jewelry stores are selling inferior diamonds that were purchased from socially and environmentally unsafe sources;

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8451.  My brother doesn’t like coffee, but he’ll drink Panama Geisha (coffee);

8452.  Venison tastes like a cross/mix between beef and pork;

8453.  Sarah Michelle Gellar is 9 days older than me;

8454.  What went wrong?  What went right?  And what are we going to do differently next time?

8455.  Southern Comfort “Traditional Egg Nog” is tasty . . . and it doesn’t upset my stomach (i.e., lactose intolerance);

8456.  The Museum of Pop Culture (in Seattle) is (actually) pretty interesting . . . especially after an edible;

8457.  Edibles . . . check;

8458.  The gray jays (i.e., birds) are rather aggressive on Mount Si;

8459.  The t(ele)v(ision) at the Seattle Airport Marriott is better than at the W Seattle. . . . Who knew?

8460.  New Year’s Eve/Day . . . check;

8461.  Apparently, there are 180 Starbucks in Seattle;

8462.  “Hard” kombucha tastes pretty much like ordinary/regular kombucha;

8463.  Apparently, warm sakes are bad; chilled sakes are better;

8464.  “Momiji” means “autumn leaves” in Japanese;

8465.  The lemon basil (hard) cider from One Tree Hard Cider (OneTreeHardCider.com) is really tasty (and refreshing);

8466.  The Mezcaleria Oaxaca on Queen Anne (Avenue in Seattle) is now El Mezcalito (SeattleMeetsOaxaca.com/El-Mezcalito);

8467.  El Mezcalito (in Seattle) has the best flan I’ve ever tasted;

8468.  You can only get Cosmic Crisp apples in Washington. . . . They’re good;

8469.  When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends;

8470.  The barbecue chicken pizza at Wolfgang Express/Puck is (pretty) tasty;

8471.  Today, McDonald’s is the largest single owner of real estate in the world, owning even more than the Catholic Church.  McDonald’s owns some of the most valuable intersections and street corners in America and around the globe;

8472.  The man without a purpose is like a ship without a rudder – waif, a nothing, a no man.  Having a purpose in life, and, having it, throw such strength of mind and muscle into your work as God has given you;

8473.  My team has mastered the basics and the advanced basics.  That’s it.  We don’t worry about anything beyond that. . . . This strategy will take any area of your life to the next level;

8474.  You can judge a person’s character by the manner in which they treat those who can do nothing for her/him;

8475.  If your (kitchen) sink is “burping,” (you might want to) try hydro-jetting your pipes;

8476.  Since its founding (in 1819), the University of Virginia has only had 9 presidents.  Apparently, (Thomas) Jefferson didn’t believe in having presidents (for the university);

8477.  The University of Virginia is the only U.S. college to be protected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (“UNESCO”);

8478.  Elizabeth likes (fresh) flowers;

8479.  The (seasonal) rotten pumpkin (latte) at South Block (SouthBlockJuice.com) is tasty;

8480.  The amateur worries about the quality of her/his first draft.  S/he worries about inspiration.  S/he worries about being great.  S/he worries about being bad.  S/he worries about being judged.  S/he worries about failure.  The pro(fessional) creates no matter what;

8481.  It’s the pro(fessional) who’s willing to be the worst that will become the best.  It’s the pro(fessional) who’s willing to fail the most that will succeed the most.  It doesn’t mean you’ll actually fail the most.  It just means you have to be willing to fail;

8482.  A true professional is willing to have the world’s worst ideas because s/he understands the best and fastest path to great ideas is to create without judgment.  It’s the willingness to have 10 bad ideas that will lead to 1 incredible idea;

8483.  Chicken broth (will) mold(s). . . . Who knew?

8484.  In order to obtain (loan) debt, there are common standards borrowers need to meet.  There are 3 fundamentals that will allow you to qualify for the debt necessary to invest in multifamily real estate: 1.  Net Worth – The rule of thumb is you will need net worth to equal the loan amount you’re seeking.  If you want a $1 million loan, you will need to show a net worth of $1 million on your personal financial statement; 2.  Liquidity – Cash is still king.  Most lenders want to see at least 6-12 months of payment reserves to qualify for a commercial loan.  Always keep 5-10% of your net worth in cash.  If you’re a syndicator it ought to be 10%.  It may feel like lazy money, but it’s the price of admission for the best loan options.  There’s also an added sense of peace in your life and investing when you have cash in the bank; and 3.  Credit Score – Get your credit score up above 725 – there are many tools and resources online if you need help on this one.  Keep your personal liabilities low as you build your portfolio and keep your credit score high;

8485.  Separate yourself from the swirl!  Your life can feel chaotic.  Remember the control exists within you.  You can’t change people.  You can’t change shitty things that happened.  Do the inner work to heal and to learn how to control yourself from within;

8486.  You deserve rest!  Learn to rest not quit.  Your well-being is dependent on knowing when you need to tap out without guilt.  Don’t wait for someone to tell you; teach yourself;

8487.  The disease to please!  How many times have you said “yes,” when you meant “no?”  That’s betraying yourself.  It’s not selfish to put yourself first.  When you keep putting others before your needs you build up resentment, blame them and they don’t even know it.  Learn what you need, be clear on your intentions and then operate from that place.  Pour from a cup that is overflowing and people will get the best of you.  Say “yes” when you actually want to.  You don’t deserve to betray yourself;

8488.  I am not responsible for your emotions, I’m responsible for mine!  Don’t take on other people’s stuff.  Don’t rob them of their healing work.  Lead by example;

8489.  Run to your healing!  You don’t have time to waste.  When we don’t heal ourselves, we bleed over people who don’t deserve it.  Invest in yourself to heal and grow.  Don’t make excuses, everyone’s been through pain and you deserve to have peace in this lifetime;

8490.  Life is not here to punish you!  And God did not have a bad day when he made you!  You are worthy.  Your life matters.  You have purpose.  The world hurt you and you’re still here for a reason;

8491.  Who are the people that are part of your army, the people that fight with you for your best life?  Appreciate them.  Find them.  Build your tribe.  Create boundaries or end relationships that are no longer serving your well-being;

8492.  It’s a lifetime of choices.  You can have it all just not all at once;

8493.  Your why should make you cry!  Get clear on your intentions, the why behind your goals, the why behind your healing, the why behind your dreams, etc.  It should bring you to your knees because that is what gets you up every time you “fail;”

8494.  4 fundamentals of investing: 1.  The investment must put money in my pocket. – First, look for cash flow.  Second, look for appreciation.  A successful investor is in the business of building her/his asset column.  Any investment that doesn’t put money in your wallet is a liability not an asset; 2.  The investment must stand alone. – An investment cannot survive off the cash flow or funding of another investment – meaning you cannot use the wealth of one business to keep a subsidiary business afloat.  Each business must be profitable on its own.  The same is true for investing; 3.  I want to control the investment whenever possible. – In real estate and your businesses, control the income, expenses and debt.  Always look for ways to improve the investment and increase its value or the value it returns to you.  This is where ongoing education comes in handy; and 4.  Every investment must have an exit strategy or exit options. – This is a hard and fast rule: Always know when you will sell before you buy.  This decision could be based on any number of factors: price, date, market events or even personal events.  Even if you tend to hold onto your real estate investments as opposed to selling them, always know what it would take to sell;

8495.  If you like (fresh) naan, try the bing (bread) at Momofuku CCDC (CCDC.Momofuku.com) in D.C.;

8496.  If you’ve ever wondered why there are so many hard ciders at 6.9% alcohol by volume (“ABV”), apparently, under current federal law, hard cider by definition is only allowed to be up to 7% ABV before it gets taxed at the more expensive rate for wine;

8497.  “Masala chai” means “mixed-spice tea;”

8498.  Dalkon Shield was manufactured and sold by (the) A.H. Robins (Company).  E. Claiborne Robins, Sr. was the grandson of the founder and the person who saved (his alma mater,) the University of Richmond(,) from bankruptcy with a $50,000,000.00 donation of (common) stock and $10,000,000.00 in cash (contingent on matching gifts);

8499.  Apparently, as long as there’s someone inside or ahead of an elevator, who wants to go in the current direction, the elevator keeps going that way.  Once it has exhausted all of the requests in the current direction, if there’s a request for the opposite direction, it switches and goes the other way.  Otherwise, it stops and waits for a call;

8500.  Today and every day, I give that which I want to receive;