Like other art forms, writing does not start with the piece of paper or white computer screen in front of you. I remember learning about and experiencing the "white canvas" problem while in art school. Sitting in front of a blank canvas is the toughest part of creating. Knowing where and how to start can be a big stumbling block.

The Hubble Field is an area smaller than a point of the pen held at arm’s length. The Hubble telescope took a look in a space exactly like that and found millions of billions (a very big number) of objects that are more then 30 billion light years away.

“It’s time to liberate our dusty ideas about what friendship is and who it’s for. We’ve gotten so used to the idea of moving through life with just our family and a tight circle of friends that we’ve lost our ability to imagine a wider web of connection encompassing a gorgeous mess of layers and levels of closeness. What if neighbor is just another word for friend?” - Shannan Martin

We sometimes look at getting our voice heard as a way to combat the others around us who we see as being wrong, or full of wrath themselves, when we should be looking for a way to not stir up wrath inside our own minds. “Turneth away wrath,” is just as much an internal struggle as it is a struggle with those around us.

Most people have no idea about what may be the most important part of the Cola Story. Someone needs to make a movie out of the facts I’ll share with you below. This is a good vs. evil story.

Planning is not going to give me one more minute of time. Being more productive just gives me more to do and I miss the weeks ticking by.

We will never figure it all out. We will never find a place where we agree with everything inside some organization, or some faith, or some group of people. We will never know it all in some subject, or with some skill, or in a profession. You’ll never fully understand your partner or your children. You can never read all the books and learn all the skills. You will never feel like you have arrived.

Good things happen to evil people. Tragedies and small troubles happen to the best of people.

85% (or more) of what is searched for every day has been searched for before.

Which bands or artists have had a string of 3 or more perfect albums in a row? This is good dinner or car trip discussion material. The fun is in how you define "perfect" of course. Once you have that defined for yourself then you can just go create your list.

My wife and I have recently gotten into this Japanese TV show call “Old Enough!” on Netflix. It is also called “First Errand” in Japan, I think. We started watching the show after I listened to a podcast that was kind-of about the show, but really more about the design differences in Japanese and American cities, roads, and life in general that allow these events to happen in Japan yet be totally unthinkable in American

I think about how many times a day I use Google search, then I think about how many decisions I make after that search, and it is crazy. Searching for information used to be a process of going to the library, talking to an expert, finding books or articles, reading magazines, and other steps that took time.

I’m watching a TV show tonight in my hotel and one of the characters has a secret note to herself written by ball point pen on her hand. It says “WWTDD”. (Meaning, “What would The Doctor do”)

One of these videos is from 1970 at Isle of Wight Festival, and the other from just a few days ago when Joni Mitchel performed a surprise 13-song set at the Newport Jazz Festival with the support of many well-wishers and performers. If you know of her at all, I’m soon you have seen the videos of her set at Newport, they are everywhere right now.

Listen to this song sung on stage at both sides of her life and career.

More evidence that 1978 may have been the greatest year in Pop/Rock music history. Sure, there are some cringe worthy things that came out of the 70’s but this is not one of them. I’ll fight anyone who disagrees. I mean just look at the joy these bearded-post-hippie well-dressed men have clapping at each other while turning in a circle. That is the feeling of knowing they are making a song that just brings happiness to the world.