30 Things I Believe
Part 1 of (at least) 2
I believe a Saturday morning sweat is the key to a great weekend. Go for a run, play a tennis match, do a hot yoga class to feel refreshed and energized for the weekend.
I believe the question is more important than the answer. The best questions don’t have right answers.
I believe shopping second-hand is good for the wallet, sense of style, and planet. A $300 vintage jacket retains its value, a $30 fast fashion piece does not. The markets (Grailed, eBay, TRR) are semi-liquid. One-in, one-out is a good closet policy. Related: I believe that the quality of fabrics has gone down and older stuff will actually last longer.
I believe it’s important to be intentional about finding new music. Music is a very tangible way to confront the ways in which our rate of change declines. I don’t ever want to let “I don’t get it” stop me from enjoying great, new things.
I believe physical therapy is an underrated/underutilized health insurance benefit. Decently-insured Americans are entitled to ~20 personal training sessions (with a massage!) from an expert in mobility, longevity, and reducing pain.
I believe following friends on Instagram is one of the great time wasters. Make a new account to keep up with your cultural interests, but the Instagram social graph is punishing. Finding out a friend got married because of Instagram means that is not a friend. Related: I believe in only using Instagram in the browser, where it is not quite good enough to suck you in.
I believe everyone would benefit from learning how to roast a chicken. Cooking is healing and this “simple” “meal” is the most healing of them all. Roast veggies on the tray beneath the chicken (onions, carrots, cabbage are my favorites), eat a quarter of the chicken right after it comes out of the oven, save the breast for salads later in the week. Save the bones to make chicken stock.
I believe in sitting on the floor as often as possible. Being close to the ground makes me feel more connected and calm. It also promotes lower body flexibility. They’ve been doing it for thousands of years. Get yourself some floor cushions and a cozy wool rug.
I do not believe we wash our reusable water bottles enough. I love my Hydro Flask, but I know it gets gross in there. Wash it as often as you’d wash a drinking glass, but with vinegar and dish soap. Related: I believe “mouth microbiome” will become a mainstream health focus in the next two years.
I do not believe there are rules. There are things we all agree we should and shouldn’t do, there are policies and laws, but there are no rules. Don’t mistake a taboo or a norm for a policy or a law.
I believe we need less sleep than they tell us. I found out that I need just a little bit less sleep than I thought. Fun fact: Sleeping 2 hours less per night = 1 more year of life every 11 years. Related: I believe a 10-minute nap at 3pm goes a lot longer than snoozing for an hour in the morning.
I do not believe socks or underwear should be the reason you have to do more laundry. The limiting factor on this chore should not be another pack of socks or underwear. Related: I believe in only wearing natural fibers (cotton, linen, wool) in both of these departments.
I do not believe a second cocktail is a good idea, but I believe a second bottle of wine is. Almost no restaurant cocktails are worth the ~$25 EACH they cost in New York City these days ($18 + tip + tax). A second bottle on the other hand is a group experience — same sauce, same wavelength, communal memory.
I believe that if the group dinner is more than five people, prioritize a round table over the restaurant itself. Even a six-person dinner at a rectangular table has a high likelihood to devolve into two three-person dinners sharing a table. Only a round table can facilitate group conversation.
I believe we all shampoo too much. Shampooing more than once per week can actually be bad for our hair (I only shampoo after a chlorine pool, a flight, or a haircut). Related: a tablespoon of detergent and a pea-sized amount of toothpaste is plenty.
I believe buying coffee out of the home is a treat. DIY pour-over is meditative. Dialing in your craft is rewarding. Also, I paid $7 for a cold brew today.
I believe foam roller and lacrosse balls play effective tricks on the brain. Learn what it feels like to release tension. It’s not clear if they “do anything” but I get that sense that this is one of those things, like chiropractors, where the self-reported benefits are too high to ignore, despite dubious science.
I believe there are energies in the world that we don’t have language for. Manifesting, ghosts, thinking about someone right before they call you. There are things we don’t understand, but know to be true. That’s cool.
I do not believe in buying anyone anything off their registry. That’s not for people like us, that’s for the wedding party’s parents' friends. A celebration of marriage is an opportunity to demonstrate fluency in one of the five love languages and buy the newlyweds something special that reflects the friendship. Alternatively, just get them cash.
I believe in thinking of the price of items in “cost per use.” The best products are well-made and designed to last longer than the competition. For some things, that’s years instead of months. For others, it might actually be bought for life.
I believe paying for the expensive gym is actually a cost-saver. Speaking of cost per use. Paying more incentivizes going more. More expensive means cleaner and nicer and therefore makes me happier to be there.
I believe staying in and playing games will almost always beat a night out. Though, I’m not sure if Catan fits into this belief.
I believe in the power of a bath, the breath, downward dog, and a hug to calm me down. Related: Knowing that reading makes me tired and working out energizes me leads me to believe I can channel those energy shifts absent a book or a run.
I do not believe that I have ever regretted time spent reading or looking at art. The former alone, the latter with one or two friends. There are so many forgettable, if not regrettable, ways in which to spend time. These are not two of them.
I believe feeling my bare-feet on grass scratches a primal itch. Same goes for beach sand. Bonus: it’s good for your feet muscles and the entire chain up the leg.
I believe in making a concerted effort to see the sun come up. Find the right balance of waking up vs. staying up for sunrises. Very different experiences of similar reward.
I believe in choosing scents to set the/my mood. I light incense in the AM and candles in the PM.
I believe a dip in the ocean makes minor aches and existential worries subside. Of course, I don’t need to tell you how I feel about a sunrise dip in the Atlantic.
I believe in striving for a routine, but breaking it regularly. I won’t let my 6:00am alarm be the reason I don’t go to a 9:30pm dinner. See the note on the 3pm nap.
I believe in respecting the morning. If I don’t start my day giving myself time and space to think and slow down, no one will. No phone for 30 minutes is a good way to do this.
A few mixes for your auditory pleasure (see #4)
Spanning a few genres and vibes here. Click in and around to find out that tickles your fancy. —Andrew
Dead & Company at The Sphere
I went to see Dead & Co at the Sphere in Las Vegas in June and that band and that venue are a very good fit. I am not immune to uttering the familiar Dead & Co gripe that the tempo is too slow. But when you’re at the show, you don’t notice it in the least. (Side note: I listened to a Grateful Dead show from ‘84 last week and it was a helpful reminder that faster isn’t always better. You could practically hear the cocaine.) And the visuals are just so good. It’s not a cheap endeavor, but if you have a chance to see one of the final shows, I don’t believe you’ll regret it. —Justin
Alltimers Sale
One of the greatest things about skate brands is how delightfully weird they can be. Few brands took on this challenge like Alltimers. From their team to their decks to their videos, Alltimers always felt like a couple friends asked each other, “Wouldn’t it be cool if…” and then went off and made that thing (like a Lambo-shaped skateboard) happen. Sadly, the brand is closing up shop. But not before a blowout sale with some of Alltimers greatest hits. Most of the good sizes on the good stuff are gone, but there’s still gems to be had. —Justin