It has been common practice to say that, in this new digitized and customized world, the smart people are choosing experiences over things. And, certainly, the adage that we should love people and use things—rather than the inverse—remains true. But I have to push back that there isn’t value in things.

My colleague Gordon Firemark used a phrase recently that I think could be a mantra: “Reframe Adversity.” He and I just finished teaching an online pilot program for other attorneys who want to be the “go-to” experts in their field, and seek to leverage 21st century tools to reach clients. We know we have tapped into an important issue--not just for lawyers--that can be summed up as “the art of turning lemons into lemonade” through personal introspection.

There is an ancient story of an old man who looked too feeble to be planting a tree, but, nonetheless, he planted a carob tree, which takes decades to produce fruit. It was pointed out that he would never live to see the literal fruits of his labor. He replied, “When I came into this world, there were already fully-grown carob trees; as my forefathers planted these for me so I too plant these for my children.”

There is an old riddle that has stuck with me for years: “What becomes bigger whenever you take away more of it?” The answer is: a hole. Holes have a bad reputation: the finest linens when moth-eaten are rendered worthless by holes, the quickest way to deflate a child’s mood is to poke a hole in his balloon, surgeons earn their keep by sewing holes shut. Just today, Time Magazine reported on the exciting discovery of a mid-sized black hole in the Milky Way, but it was reported not with the wonder we have for total solar eclipses, but a sense of foreboding. Even the positive feelings we have towards things with “hole” in their name are not about the hole itself: a hole-in-one has more to do with the ball and club, and donut holes are exactly the opposite: they are the tasty morsel we want instead of the tasty morsel’s absence.

I’m curious… where does “curiosity killed the cat” come from? I pause, and I Google that, of course. That’s what a curious person does these days, and I discover that it’s not clear if it derives from the older “care killed the cat,” which appeared in Shakespearean times, but definitively appears at the end of the 19th century. But now that I know that, now what?

Facebook has announced its intention to boost its Groups feature, and has committed itself to a mission of building community. I have loved Facebook Groups, as they have allowed me to meet and better know people all over the world. But part of me is ambivalent.

I woke up at 3 am and could not fall back asleep. I tried to read, but that didn't make me sleepier. I had a lot on my mind. I thought about my oldest finishing 4th grade. You get nostalgic when you can't fall asleep at 3 in the morning. When I was in 4th grade, we moved to a new neighborhood (the one I'm in now) and I would have gone to middle school in 5th grade if we had stayed.

In my reverie of those years, I reminde

The "Golden Rule" is one of the cornerstones of almost every society. It is evident in the concepts of Karma and Dharma, and even secular humanism and existentialism. It was most famously preached tenderly by Jesus as "Love thy neighbor as thyself," as a derivation of the Hebrew Bible's directive in Leviticus. And who can forget Jesus's contemporary Hillel the Elder who flipped the Rule on its head by stating: "That which is hateful to you, do not do to another. The rest is commentary."

I've mentioned before that I did not initially vote for Michael Bloomberg for mayor. But he ended up being one of my favorite politicians, despite the fact that he lacked in charisma. I enjoyed it when he said he had smoked marijuana and he liked it, too! But one story stood out for me: when services were cut by New York's government, he would find a way for his charity to donate to those very same services. This inclination towards philanthropy made me a permanent fan.

I have friends who were truly devastated to watch Donald Trump inaugurated as our 45th president. In fact, a number of my friends have begun counting the days until January 20, 2020. I have seen a countdown clock with the hours and minutes and seconds. People are biding their time. Or, from my perspective, killing time.

"I am lonely." These words must have been radical 60 years ago. "...I, thank God, do enjoy the love and friendship of many. I meet people, talk, preach, argue, reason; I am surrounded by comrades and acquaintances. And yet, companionship and friendship do not alleviate the passional experience of loneliness which trails me constantly." I've been thinking of Joseph B. Soloveitchik's words all day... especially today.

Before sunrise this morning, I wheeled the garbage pail to the curb and noticed I could see a lot more than I usually could in the dark. A phenomenal full moon cast its light so bright, I paused to think about it. It suddenly, um, dawned on me that today was Friday the 13th. I thought for a moment about triskaidekaphobia, the paralyzing fear of the number 13. I imagined that it would be a big deal if I believed in superstitions.

The pediatrician told us to go to the emergency room. My son's asthma attack wasn't so bad that we needed an ambulance, but the doctor didn't have the magnesium sulfate that an emergency room would. So--it was so many years ago, but still fresh in my memory!--on an icy narrow one-way seat in Queens, I buckled my toddler into his four-point harness, as a row of cars honked at me. I filled with rage. But I stayed focused. I drove ahead. When we reached the service road, the car behind me screeched, pulled alongside me, and I saw a middle finger through the foggy glass.

Every year for a decade or so, I have interviewed high school students for my alma mater. As much as I want to give back, I find myself enriched by the experience each year, too. One student years ago introduced me to the concept of "10,000 hours of purposeful practice." Others, who have excelled in research laboratories, have given me insight into the future of medical developments and biotech advancements. Still others regale me with fascinating tales of trips to Africa, Asia, Latin America. But I warn them, "This interview will likely make little difference on your likelihood of acceptance."

I used to love "American Idol." I have been on record as saying that "American Idol" was the biggest influence on music from the year 2002 to present day. And I loved predicting winners. I was almost always wrong, but I did win in an "American Idol" pool once. Part of my failure at predicting winners each year was my emotional investment in each year. I rooted too much to analyze clear-eyed.

This morning, I woke up and thought about how I try to squeeze extra value from each minute of each day, by finding easy ways to connect to my phone. Yes, people decry technology, and especially the phone, but I connect my phone immediately in my car, to initiate my "university on wheels," as Brian Tracy calls it. I even walk around with headphones in my pocket in case I get a free moment to listen to an audiobook or podcast, which I listen to at double speed. Walking around with a paperback would not yield such ROI.