Favorite of 2021

It’s the end of the year I will be taking a break with Headspace until mid-January as I embark on a series of the traditional combination of family time off, strategic work retreats, and January business trips.  I practice full-stopping to have more energized full-starting.

To conclude the year -  a list of my favorite things in 2021. 

Starting Headspace - a newsletter to share the different strands of the tapestry of life, work, inspiration, personal treasures. Neither a blog nor a diary or media post. Headspace describes what this is most accurately. My wife Deb came up with it in 30 seconds after I asked for help. So if you’re following this with interest and are perhaps a kindred spirit, thank you.

Celebrating my wife's 51st birthday. We’ve been married for 22 years. She hadn’t celebrated her 50th in 2020 so we threw an epic Texas Chic party called 50 Baby 1 More Time. The culmination was Deb lifted up over the audience in a hanging chair belting Gun’s and Roses’ “Sweet Child of Mine” at the top of her lungs.

Reviving and Launching two YT channels. Third Drive Stage - dedicated to interviewing remarkable people about lives well lived and Tribe Exchange - dedicated to spiritual growth and exploration. We’re working on launching a new channel Third Drive Capital devoted to startups and founders.

Favorite episodes: Jason Whitlock on his journey from poverty to interviewing a US president. Dr. Joe Beam on what makes great sex, open marriages, and a host of other sex-related questions. Dr. Douglas Jacoby on Progressive Christianity, Marty Solomon on Apprenticeship, and Dr. Steve Garber on Vocation. 

Being a guest on Fearless with Jason Whitlock and sharing insights on Marxism, its cultural DNA in modern America.

Work

My company Third Drive is evolving. We have a digital media side where we tell stories through media and a venture development side where we embark on capital and strategy partnerships with startups.

Impact Investing and Charity

After a pause for COVID, we’re relaunching the Ascend Academy in Maputo, Mozambique. If you’re looking to make some year-end tax-deductible donations. Check it out, it may inspire you to help.

Books

I read 1–2 books a month, less than I used to.

My favorites this year.

Steve Garber - Visions of Vocation

Austin Kleon - Steal Like an Artist

Living The Sabbath - Norman Wirzba

Live No Lies - John Mark Comer

Messy Middle - Scott Belsky

My full list of favorites is here.

Merry Christmas!

Whether a Jesus follower or not, may you find blessings and joy in the grand story of Emmanuel ( God with Us) in a time where so many of us feel the opposite of that.

Silent Night was written by Franz Gruber and Joseph Mohr in Oberndorf, a small village in Austria. Originally titled Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht was first performed in 1818. For years Mohr’s authorship of the melody was forgotten and attributed to Haydn, Mozar,t or Beethoven.  A manuscript was recovered in 1995 which finally established the true author of the music. Silent Night was one of the carols sang by opposing sides during the World War I Christmas truce in 1914, a spontaneous sometimes against orders truce between troops where they exchanged gifts, carols, laughs, and even a soccer game. That is the power of Christmas.

Enjoy my rendition of Silent Night. See you next year.