30 Favorite Things in 2021
A counting of blessings exercise
Before new years resolutions, old year gratitudes are in order. Here’s my list beyond the thing we all need like oxygen - Love.
Wife, kids, family, co-workers, partners, friends, community. Doing meaningful things with people we love is actually all that matters, but beyond those things, the 30 things:
Not getting COVID so far.
Starting the Headspace newsletter.
Celebrating my moms 82nd birthday with pomp and circumstance.
Going deeper in my Sabbath practice. Reading amazing new books about the Sabbath
Epic birthday celebration of my wife Deb’s 51st birthday in a party barn with country chic dress code and a DJ.
Discovering the Laity Lodge - a magical retreat center in Texas founded by the Butts family, founders of HEB.
Discovering and making a friend with author and vocational theologian Steve Garber. Look him up on Amazon.
Eating Mexican-Asian fusion tacos at Taqueria Tsunami in Atlanta with old friends.
Listening to amazing live music in a Nashville honky-tonk.
Third Drive - Hiring some very talented new people, working with and raising capital for some great startups.
Reading more poetry and a novel after a stretch of only reading non-fiction.
Getting the ultimate e-book reader for Christmas. The Kindle Oasis. It’s awesome.
Going to a Chilean independence day party in Austin, TX. Wine, empanadas, cueca dances, and an ocean of chilenismos.
Watching Wess Andersen’s The French Dispatch. What a dazzling display of beautiful artistry.
New hiking shoes and more hiking on Austin’s green belt.
The sunset over the Areopagus rock in Athens and soaking in the richness of Greek civilization with my family.
Begrudgingly singing a verse of Gracias a La Vida at the theater in Ancient Corinth at the behest of Deb. Goose bumps.
Listening to Hendel’s Messiah over and over again during Christmas season.
Revising 90s,00s RNB as my workout music. It just works.
Getting invited to Fearless with Jason Whitlock to share my experiences with Marxism.
Tbilisi, Georgia - ancient cave city, falling in love with white wine, amazing cuisine, Georgian singing and culture.
Favorite/Creepy - visiting Stalin’s hometown of Gori.
Celebrating our 22nd wedding anniversary with a video combining wedding footage with a song I wrote for it.
Discovering the creator focused writing of Austin Kleon, author of Steal Like an Artist and others.
Unfollowing everyone I don’t actually follow on social media.
Swimming in the cenotes and snorkeling in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Relaunching the Ascend Academy in Maputo, Mozambique.
Discovering the writings of Wendell Berry.
Talks with my daughers about timeless things and how to navigate life.
Opening Christmas presents - intentional, thoughtful signals of love.
I’ll stop here, as my mind is racing with dozens more things to be grateful for. Which is the point of the counting of blessings exercise. To know there is much to celebrate and to propel us forward into the messy and glorious 2022.
Happy New Year!