I believe that almost nothing is worth doing unless you can buy a book about it before you start. I almost always need a good book to get started. I love reading good books, and talking about them with the people who write them and read them. Even when I read them on my iPad, I […]
We are surrounded by things of intense beauty. Our world is full of amazing experiences; incredible sights and sounds, inspiring people, enticing tastes and aromas, sensations that sometimes overwhelm us. The air we breathe to stay alive is also permeated with the expectations of other people, with pain and frustration, with our own sense of
My friend Jan and I got together again this week at another craft brewery in Orange County. Jan is a wine lover. The first time we met was her introduction to craft brewing. Now we have found a common goal of exploring craft brewing from the point of view of a wine lover, while researching Southern
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I was reminded this week of how powerfully a dream can transport you through time. I was in a store or at a gas station, and the background soundtrack started playing a Beach Boys song. I immediately travelled from an unseasonably warm January day in Southern California back to one of the Midwestern winter days
Breakfast provides the nutritional spark and sets the tone for our day. Breakfast in the United States has a history that mirrors the economic and sociological development of American culture. Before the Industrial Revolution, breakfast was a product of an agrarian society. People ate food that they or their neighbors produced themselves. In addition, people
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We begin at the beginning. What happens next depends on our focus and flexibility. Then, with effort and skill, and a lot of help, we accomplish what we set out to do. We achieve our goal, finish on time and under budget, keep our resolution, set a personal best. We meet our commitments, finish the
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Once I begin something new, a great deal of what happens next depends on my focus and my flexibility. Whether it is changing the direction of my career, preparing a meal, working to address a social issue, or having a single conversation, much of what I contribute is a result of the combination of my
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Benedict’s Rule tells us that “Always, we begin again.” Beginning is important. Beginning can be exciting and energizing. A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, and every day on that journey depends on a first step. Now, at the beginning of a new month and a new year, we continue our journeys
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I live in Pasadena, California. Most holidays in Pasadena are fairly typical. There are eggs on Easter and fireworks on Independence Day. People in Pasadena carve pumpkins on Halloween, and get together to eat turkey on Thanksgiving. They put up trees and give gifts on Christmas. One holiday, though, is Pasadena’s holiday. Pasadena may be
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When we think of the word “Leader,” most of us get a picture of someone in our head. We may think of someone who is confident, or articulate, or dynamic. We may think of someone who is nurturing, or compassionate, or dignified in the face of opposition. We may see someone who is insightful, or
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