History is Written by the Artists — The Project: Submerge myself in humanity’s best art in the form of the 100 Best Albums, Movies, and Novels. City Lights is the #11 best movie of all time, according to American Film Institute. The Results: Improved mood, less fear and anxiety, and the strongest faith in humanity I’ve ever…

America This Week — I spent a lovely, hot summer night on my patio last night, with music and current-events-twitter, two of my favorite things. Thursday night, my husband and I went to Summerfest in Milwaukee and saw Eric Church perform. It was fantastic! But yesterday was a great day of solitude after the…

Forgive me, Mother, for I have sinned — We need to have a talk, g. At the naïve age of twelve, I begged and pleaded for this menstrual monstrosity. You knew what I was in for more than I did, god. I just wanted to fit in with my friends. I received the lesson you served me like…

Quiet your monkey mind — Do you suffer from a “monkey mind”? Are you often cycling through the same thoughts and emotions? The Buddha described “monkey mind” as a restless, unsettled, and easily distracted mind. Oh look, it’s me. One of the most famous references to the monkey mind is in the Sutta Nipata, where…

American History through an Organized Crime Lens — The Project: Submerge myself in humanity’s best art in the form of the 100 Best Albums, Movies, and Novels. The Godfather is the #2 best movie of all time according to American Film Institute. The Results: Improved mood, less fear and anxiety, and the strongest faith in humanity I’ve ever…

Here come the indictments — I want to take a step back with you and approach this moment in time from a 30,000-foot view. It’s so easy to get bogged down in the headlines flying past us. Sometimes it becomes difficult to see the forest for the trees.

An exciting new project begins, and an honorable 30-year career in public service comes to a close — Writing: I write at my desk with a huge monitor. It’s where I spend most of my days, at my funky, modern little desk in my denim blue office, daydreaming out the window, or procrastinating on the interwebz. It’s the same desk that I sat at all those hours when I…

The magic healing of sad songs reveals our superpower — The Project: Submerge myself in humanity’s best art in the form of the 100 Best Albums, Movies, and Novels. Joni Mitchell’s Blue Album is the #3 Album of all time according to Rolling Stone. The Results: Improved mood, less fear and anxiety, and the strongest faith in humanity I’ve ever…

The Project: Submerge myself in humanity’s best art in the form of the 100 Best Albums, Movies, and Novels. Songs in the Key of Life is the #4 Album of all time according to Rolling Stone. The Results: Improved mood, less fear and anxiety, and the strongest faith in humanity…