Money is only a tool...

Ayn Rand wrote, "Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver." I agree with her. For me, the most important thing about having financial resources available to you is that it allows you to have choices in all kinds of situations -- choices of where to live, how to spend your time, etc.

Bringing About Change

Why not follow Mahatma Gandi's advice? He said, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

Collaboration

I am excited to see the increase in collaboration among all sorts of people. I've noticed it recently among musical artists -- I remember when Frank Sinatra's "Duets" were news -- it seemed almost revolutionary to have all those musicians singing together. But these days everyone, in all genres, from rappers like Eminem and Asher Roth, to top 40 acts like Beyonce and Shakira, record together. And even if they aren't working together on a specific project, they call out to each other in their songs. And rather than diminishing the efforts of anyone for not producing a solo piece, the collaboration truly works like a wave lifting all boats.

So is this increased collaboration the result of web thinking, akin to wikis and comments on blogs? Will this be an ongoing thing? I hope so.

Good Reasons to Live

I love the music of Susannah McCorkle and was privileged to hear her sing at the Rainbow Room cafe some years ago. I can't help think of her tragic end each time I listen to "I Don't Think I'll End it all Today" (from her From Broadway to Bebop album). And coming across Dorothy Parker's poem "Resume," I thought of her again:

Razors pain you;
Rivers are damp;
Acids stain you;
And drugs cause cramp.
Guns aren't lawful;
Nooses give;
Gas smells awful;
You might as well live.

Spineless Yes-men

Years ago, a musician friend confided that he always wanted to name his band "The Spineless Yes-Men." I've always liked the sound of that phrase.

News from Far Away

There is a verse in Proverbs that goes, " As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." I think this speaks to our love of receiving word from friends and family (be it by snail mail, email, text or twitter) and the popularity of travel writing (one site we particularly like is The Insider Travel Guides).

"We should count time by heart-throbs"

So wrote Philip James Bailey in his voluminous poem, Festus. There is a phrase, common on plaques and t-shirts, that is similar in meaning: "Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away." I like Bailey's version better.