I Believe… [Old Guy Vanity]
...that, while the fascination with looking younger than people think you should look is a narcissistic vanity, it’s still pretty cool.
I Believe… [No Going Back]
...that you can’t go back to who you were but you can go back to where you belong.
I Believe… [Acknowledge This]
...that land acknowledgments are a collective pat on the back for people who want to seem aware without breaking a sweat. Trust me—money or land would mean more.
I Believe… [Heroin Chic]
...that, with Ozempic making the stars of Wicked look like they are on heroin, it’s safe to say that body positivity is as over as DEI.
I Believe… [AI Roast]
...that having ChatGpt roast you is a wonderful window into how potentially full of shit you are. It is a dispassionate revealer of how you appear to the online world and stings while pulling the veil aside.
I Believe… [Googly Eyes]
...that ownership and use of Googly Eyes as a man approaching 60 is a sign of an absolute refusal to grow old. Older, sure. Not old.
I Believe… [The Reese’s Takeover]
...that, if taken through the lens of truck stops and gas stations throughout the Midwest, Reese’s has taken over the world.
I Believe… [Follow the Money]
...that the most body positive corporations on the planet are McDonald’s, Frito-Lay, and Kraft.
I Believe… [Love Actually?]
...that my favorite part of Love Actually (which, mind you, is like declaring my favorite part of a Sizzler sald bar) is the story about the aging rockstar who realizes he’d rather spend Christmas with his loyal friend than party with Elton John.
I Believe… [The Paradox of Wisdom]
...that good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from poor judgement.
I Believe… [Intensity vs Depth]
...that intense and deep aren’t the same thing even if you’ve convinced yourself they are. Intense is momentary and fleeting; deep is the result of time and energy.
I Believe… [Banquet Platters]
...that few things are more appealing than leftover banquet platters.
I Believe… [Wrecking Ball]
...that, when coming in and making sweeping changes in an organization, it’s best to Miley Cyrus that shit and wrecking ball the place.
I Believe… [Too Much Absence]
...that some absence makes the heart grow fonder; too much absence makes the heart forget.
I Believe… [In Live Music]
...that music, like sex, sports, and theater, is best enjoyed live.
I Believe… [Spiteful Electioneering]
...that among the worst rationales for voting, the vote for spite is right up at the top.
I Believe… [Downshifting]
...that learning to downshift is more difficult than it seems but is a skill well worth mastering.
I Believe… [Expanding Empathy]
...that the people you encounter whose very existence challenges your worldview are an opportunity to expand rather than contract your empathy and common understanding.
I Believe… [Anticipation]
...that anticipating something wonderful is often more fun than the wonderful thing. If the two match up, that’s the juice, gang.
I Believe… [Puppy Casserole?]
...that if anyone in the country is guilty of eating dogs and cats they all live in the Appalachians.
How many parents use the drive to school as an opportunity to educate their young children about the impact of Snoop and Dre’s masterpiece “Ain’t Nuthin’ but a G Thang?” Just me? Dope.