Desk Photos, Work-Life Separation, and Character
I’m undertaking a new writing challenge: write one post a day for as many days as possible based on things at my desk. This is day 5 of that challenge. By my desk at work I have a string of […]
Cheap Google Sunglasses, Over the Top Startup Bro, and Leaning Into Tech Stereotypes
I’m undertaking a new writing challenge: write one post a day for as many days as possible based on things at my desk. This is day 2 of that challenge. Hanging up by my desk at work you’ll find a […]
If You Like Someone, Don’t Make Excuses for Them
One of the most disrespectful things you can do to a person is not to blame them, but to make excuses for them. At their deepest level, most people desire self-realization, which requires responsibility, which implies capability. At the same […]
No One Is Coming to Forgive You
“No one is coming to save you.” In Six Pillars of Self-Esteem, Nathaniel Branden penned this line to remind his readers of their self-responsibility. While many of us imagine that we’ll be swept away from our miseries and weaknesses by some […]
10 Things You’ll Experience In a Summer Job at a Hardware Store
I cut my teeth as a young employee in part by working in a hardware store back in the summer of 2014. Hardware stores are magical places, and they’re perfect places to be if you want to learn about home maintenance […]
Notes From My First (Official) 5K Run
After running an unofficial 5K last weekend, I decided to build on my momentum by joining a couple of friends for what became my first official 5K – the Atlanta Westside Beltline 5K. We ran this morning, and it was a blast. The whole […]
You Are Someone’s Stereotype
I realized recently that I am a stereotypical native of Charleston, South Carolina. Yes, unfortunately it’s true. I wear boat shoes and occasionally even what might be described as “preppy” clothing (it’s unintentional, I assure you). I sail boats. I […]
How To Have the “Best Years of Your Life” (Again): A Theory
Last night I watched a fun + inspiring (if unextraordinary) film called Being Awesome, about two high school students who reconnect after their high school reunion and form a mutual pledge to overcome their decade (or decade plus) of failure. […]
A Running List of the Wildly Random Things I Have Written About (and Why)
I wrote a blog post about laundromats last night. If I hadn’t written lots of posts about apparently random things, I might be more concerned. This blog has never been a single-topic affair. But it has ranged far afield into […]
Reasons to Fall In Love with Laundromats
My dryer broke at an inconvenient time this week – in the middle of a conference and on the eve of out-of-state travel. To top it all off, I was stuck with a pile of washed but definitely-not-dry laundry to address. I’ve always […]
Your Own Personal Normandy Invasion
I’ve been thinking a lot today about the young people of the Allied liberation of France, which started 74 years ago today with the invasion of Normandy. Many of them were several years younger than I am now, but they […]
My Inner 10 Year-Old and Personalities of Other Ages
It’s a fun thought experiment to break down your personality and likes/dislikes into “ages”. I often find myself acting with the priorities and characteristics I might normally associate to a young boy, or to a grandfather. Humans are complicated. But why not enjoy the […]
“Earn This”: Saving Private Ryan and the Transformative Power of Gratitude
SPOILER ALERT: If you haven’t seen the movie Saving Private Ryan, be warned that I’m about to reveal the ending. In Saving Private Ryan, a squad of Army Rangers led by Captain John Miller (played by Tom Hanks) sets off deep into […]
Ice Cream Shops, Saturday Night, and Peace
Waffle cone. That delicious scent is probably the first thing to draw my attention to the ice cream shop. It’s one of the most packed places in a busy Atlantic Station on a busy springtime Saturday night in Atlanta. Sitting outside […]
The Values and Traits Behind My Best Relationships
As I round out 365 days of daily blogging (today is day 364), I have asked some of my good friends to send me questions they’d like to see me answer on my blog. Grant Parker asks: What are the values […]
On Being a Part of City Life
When was the first time you felt connected to the life of a city? When I was younger, I could see the busy-ness of the world around me – the high office buildings, the businesses, the traffic, the construction, the people rushing […]
7 Reasons I Can’t Wait To Be an Old Man
I’ve got some 50 years to train for being the best old man ever. They say you should visualize your success, so here are seven things I’m looking forward to about senior citizen status. 1. I will finally be able to say things […]
5 Things I’m Enjoying About Getting Older
Age is relative. And I know I’m still young by most measures. But I’m also well aware that I’m getting older fast. And time is really starting to pick up (see point #2). There are some benefits to this aging […]
Listening To Old Mixtapes Is Good for You
No matter how secular our world may be, most of us have some “sacred objects” and talismans. These are nothing special – just objects that hold meeting (or allow us to experience meaning.) Some of mine happen to be mixtapes (OK, mix CDs). […]
Paradoxes for Young Citydwellers
There’s nothing like living in a city in your early 20s. The feeling gets better if you’ve never lived in a city before. The bigness of everything in Atlanta is still awe-inspiring for a country boy like me. If (like […]
Roll Your Window Down
For most of us, driving is just a chore. It’s sedentary. It’s waiting. No matter how far we travel, we can get out of our cars at the other end feeling like we’ve been sitting at a desk. Do you […]
Why Radio (Still) Matters
They say FM radio is dying. And to some extent, they’re right. FM radio is playing only the hits. But Spotify, Apple Music, and the like have made it possible for just about anyone to play any song, anywhere, at any time. […]
You Will Always Have Something To Give
A lot of people worry about being useful. They especially worry about being useful when they’re in their 20s and they’re trying to prove themselves. They worry even more about not being useful one day. They especially worry about not […]
Admiration Will Make You Admirable
“Have you ever felt the longing for someone you could admire? For something, not to look down at, but up to?” – Atlas Shrugged Aside from creating something I believe in, I never feel better than when I’m surrounded by […]
Christmas Gifts Given and Received – 2017
What a person gives and receives can be a pretty good clue to their character and interests. I think it’s an interesting idea to track gifts given and received every year for Christmas. Maybe next year, my tastes will have […]
7 Things I’m Looking Forward To This Christmas
1. Old Family and Old Friends. I’m hosting a bonfire this year post-holiday, so I’ll get a good chance to catch up with friends from previous parts of my life. I have so many stories to share and so many good […]
If You Aren’t Feeling Weak, You Are Not Strong
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. […]
The Snow Sabbath: the Joy of Snowfall in the South
Snow is wasted on the north. Down in Atlanta, when it snows, the world stops. Unless you’re driving (if you are, then God help you), you get a chance for a day to see your city in a whole new […]
The Only Way to Delight People
As Shakespeare says, “Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more.” Most of us poor players play our parts and live our lives by a script. The […]
The 80/20 Rule of Gift-Giving
Millennials are kind of bad about thoughtful traditions. I include myself in that number. We* don’t send thank-you notes. We don’t send sympathy notes. We don’t typically send gifts. Flowers are rare enough. I don’t think our hearts are entirely […]