ALL THE FURIES

One of my favorite movies - certainly my favorite action movie - is Fury Road. The movie introduced the audience to an incredible character, Imperator Furiosa played by Charlize Theron. We are left with more questions than answers about her, which is why it was so wonderful to watch Furiosa, a prequel to Fury Road, this past weekend.

While Fury Road was a chase movie, Furiosa is an origin story, and we come to learn what makes Furiosa such a bad ass and what all she had to endure during her childhood and young adulthood - abduction, enslavement, and innumerable assaults from bad actors from across the apocalyptic landscape.

If you have not seen Fury Road yet, I encourage you to watch Furiosa first. Doing so will help you understand Fury Road even more. Enjoy!

SOUNDS OF SPRING

There are many changes that herald spring - flowers, sunrise and sunset time, and temperature. In Ann Arbor, the sounds of birdsong greet you even before some of these other changes emerge. Listen for yourself or close the windows!

PEONY TIME OF YEAR

It is that fleeting time of year when the peonies in the U-M Peony Garden in the Arboretum (Arb) are in bloom. Therefore, I decided to take a detour on my run in the Arb this weekend to take them in.

When I arrived, it was only 8AM. However, there were already a handful of people, mostly armed with cameras or camera phones, taking in the beauty of the blooms.

There are many beautiful flowers and plants, but it is probably the liminal nature of these flowers that makes them so attractive. Words cannot do them justice, so I will let yo enjoy them with your eyes!

SHE SHOOTS, SHE SCORES!

Cate has been playing on the Greenhills Varsity soccer team this season, and she has done an amazing job! Last week, they began the playoffs, facing a local Catholic High School, Father Gabriel Richard.

From the first whistle, Greenhills dominated possession, and Cate was particularly dynamic on the ball, sending multiple beautiful passes through to the forwards. Unfortunately, we were unable to capitalize on any of these, and the scores was knotted at 0-0 at half.

In the second half, Cate sent a looping ball to one of the forward, who has able to latch onto it and slot it home. From there, Gabriel Richard began to grow into the game, and they had a strong run of possession and several chances on goal that nearly went in.

Later in the game, one of their players handled the ball in the box, setting up a penalty. Cate rushed forward to claim the ball and volunteer to take the penalty. Cool as you like, she dispatched the penalty and doubled the lead  to 2-0 - a lead which would stand at the end of regulation.

I do not know how far the Gryphons and Cate will go this year in the playoffs, but I will enjoy every minute of seeing the magic my mini Iniesta/Xavi weaves on the field. Go 'hills!

TRUE GRIT

Nicholas recently found out that he did not get either of the summer internships he interviewed for. He also did not hear back from many other media outlets in the area, which was quite surprising and discouraging.

However, I shared with him that he is one of the most passionate, curious, and talented young writers that I know. Sometimes, talent is not enough, and who you know and timing play a big part in success. I shared how many times my writing through grants or publications have been rejected and how that hurts. However, I always used that as an opportunity to improve the product, understanding that writing - like life - is a work in progress.

Nicholas has rallied and has thrown himself into his job working at the snack shack at the racquet club. I told him there will be plenty of time to gain more journalism experience and to have internships focused on what he wants to do long-term. In the meantime, enjoy this summer and use it to plan for next summer and the many opportunities that he wishes to pursue then. 

I hope he gets what he wants. More importantly, I hope he continues to build grit and resilience to handle the times when he does not. Chin up, Nicholas!

NOT THE WAY YOU TREAT A LEGEND

I consider Xavi Hernandez to be the greatest midfielder of his generation - and possibly the best #6 of all time. Xavi is not only a greater player, but he is a leader who led Barca and the Spanish national team to so many trophies and to a stratospheric level of play. He has also been a tremendous coach during his time at Barca, ending a 4 year trophy drought in the Spanish League when he led Barca to the league title in 2023. 

For all those reasons, it is shameful to witness how the club dismissed Xavi last week. I will not attempt to summarize the affair. Sid Lowe has done that in his piece for the Guardian. However, I can say that any football club that throws such a loyal and transformational employee under the bus is a club that forfeits the right to called itself by its own motto - mes que un club (more than a club). In fact, their action are below the dignity of the club that I once loved and that I have seen torn apart by presidential mismanagement for more than a decade. This is what happens when powerful, dishonest people who lack a clear vision or moral compass are given the reigns of an organization - disaster. I have been unfortunate to witness something similar myself at various stages of my career, and it is an affront to all who care about an organization or who have given so much of themselves to a cause bigger than themselves embodied in such an organization.

To Xavi, thank you for being such an amazing ambassador of football and for never settling or taking short cuts. Your play and your players play brought me so much joy these past 14 years. I hope you come back to Barca one day to restore the club to what it once was and what you helped to make it into. Visca Xavi!

FOREVER 21

This month, Kathleen and I celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary. Our marriage is now old officially enough to drink!

Marriage, by far, is the hardest thing I have ever done because one's own wishes and desires and interests must be balance by those of another individual whose happiness and fulfillment is equally important for a successful union.

I have not always been the best partner. Often, I have let my own experiences witnessing marriage up close color how I behave, or I have let my own insecurities or issues color my mood and behavior. 

I wrote to Kathleen in her anniversary card that I wanted to focus on handling stress better and being a better partner. Sensing just how much pressure I have been feeling, Kathleen asked me, "what is the worst thing that would happen if you failed?" It was such a simple question, but it cut to the core of the problem - how I have let my work and the challenges I face on a daily basis impact our happiness. She went on to add, "No matter what happens with our work lives, we will be fine." These words were so full of grace and understanding, and I felt a weight lift when she said that.

I found myself wondering, "what did I do to deserve this amazing woman," with whom I have been lucky to spend half my life - 25 years? I still do not have an adequate answer, but I will try to appreciate everything I have in my life, most of all someone who has been my constant companion and source of strength in all these years together. I love you, Kathleen!

SEEING RED

Earlier this week, Barca were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Champions League to PSG. In many ways, this was same story, second verse and yet another humiliating exit after taking a lead into a return leg.

It all came undone despite Barca winning the first leg by one goal and after leading 1-0 in the return leg. Late in the first half, Ronald Araujo, the last Barca defender, pulled down a PSG player who was breaking towards the goal. The foul occurred right outside the box, resulting in a red card and sending off. One could feel the oxygen leave the stadium. The stress on Xavi's face was palpable, knowing that Barca would be forced to play down one man for nearly 60 minutes. 

Before half, PSG scored to tie it up the score 1-1. However, Barca were still up by one goal on aggregate. Soon after half they gave up another goal. Shortly thereafter, Xavi became incensed after a no-call on a foul on a Barca player and kicked a sign board near the touchline. He, too, was sent off.

I have loved this team for fourteen years, but the past eight years have been one disappointment after another - not because they failed to win trophies like their golden era from 2009-2015 but because of the indignity of so many self-inflicted, humiliating collapses. Enough!

It is hard to see something one loves die. I am not sure I will watch another Barca game again because the depths to which this team has fallen due to mismanagement and malfeasance of the board and presidents - current and former. 

Life is frustrating enough. I will save my energy and sanity for other pursuits.

GRATEFUL

The NPR podcast, "Hidden Brain," is one of my favorite shows. The podcast is focused on social sciences, namely psychology, and it covers the many mental traps we fall into. Recently, they released a show called, "The Enemies of Gratitude," which featured the psychologist Thomas Gilovich. In summary, we are our own worst enemies, and ingratitude often happens because we place ourselves center stage and forget all those around us who are also key protagonists in our lives. This tunnel vision becomes particularly acute under times of stress, and I must confide that unremitting stress is something I - and some many others - have faced these past few years.

However, somedays one is able to rest one's gaze outside one's self and to appreciate everything that is around us. Today was one of those days when I went for a run in the nearby Nichols Arboretum on a beautiful spring day. 

It was in the high 40s without a cloud in the sky when I took off for my run this morning. Within seconds, I was struck by how our long winter had finally come to a close. I witnessed bulbs on some plants and even flowers on others. As I neared the Arboretum, I even caught a glimpse of a blue jay, resplendent in the sun. 

As I was running back home - up a very steep hill, mind you - I could not help but feel grateful to live so close to the trails in the Arboretum, to have my health, to be able to still run, and to have the capacity to appreciate the beauty around me.

When times get tough or stress creeps back in, I hope I will remember my experience today and that it will sustain me.  What an amazing life I have had, including these last four and three quarters years with my family and teams at work here in Ann Arbor. These people and experiences like today remind me what gratitude is all about.

GIRLS STATE

This weekend, we watched the Apple TV documentary. "Girls State." The film was made by the same team that released the companion documentary, "Boys State," in 2020, and one could not help but compare the two films and the events depicted.

Girls State, like Boys State, is a weeklong "camp" for high schoolers to build a government from the ground up. There are election, and candidates for each office must convince a plurality of the attendees to vote for them. 

In Boys State, there was a fair amount of back stabbing, hypocrisy, and electioneering that filled the two hour film. Girls State was staid in comparison due to the fact that the organizers of the event seemed to be more concerned with the girls being gentile, docile, and avoidant of the major political divisions of the day.

Over the course of the documentary, the audience is introduced to several characters who are running for office. Nearly all are White and reside in rural areas of Missouri, where the documentary was shot. However, there were several characters who particularly stood out for their seriousness and their qualifications to win the offices they were seeking. There was a young woman, who was the daughter of Nigerian immigrants, running for Attorney General, and a young Indian woman named Nisha who wanted a slot on the Supreme Court. Despite both girls appearing highly qualified, one wins her nominating contest while the other is shut out. One could not help but feel that popularity was much more of a criterion for selection than principle in the case of the girl who misses out. In that sense, Girls State reflects our political environment all too well.

Although the inequities in the experiences between the boys and girls were brought to light in the film, it was clear to me that the girls were more well-poised to be effective leaders in our society one day. They demonstrated a greater ability to listen to other viewpoints, understood that consensus is necessary to achieve one's goals, and did not leap to demonize their opponents. 

A wise person once said, "The Future is Female." 

For all our sakes, let's hope so!

ORIGIN

On a recent flight, I watched the movie, "Origin," by the director Ava DuVernay. The movie is based on the book, "Caste: The Origins of our Discontents" by the journalist Isabel Wilkerson, which is a history of discrimination on the basis of class station across global societies. When I read the book, I remember feeling blown away by its premise and how race alone is an unsatisfactory explanation for how people are placed in the heirarchy.

Wilkerson - and DuVernay - depict how the social ladder is built upon the belief that some groups - regardless of shared religion, nation of origin, or race - are felt to be better than other groups in their society. There is probably no better example of this than India with its century's old caste system. To this day, the lowest caste - also known as the untouchables - are forced to carry out humiliating jobs, including those that modernization and sanitation have largely replaced. Among these jobs are cleaning out sewers or public toilets that lower caste members are made to crawl into and clean. The scenes from the movie describing these harrowing feats are particularly unsettling, so be warned prior to watching it.

A great book and movie help change one's world view and shed light on a wholly new perspective the audience had not considered. By these metrics, "Caste" and "Origin" are revelations.

LAST DANCE

Last Sunday, I drove to Cleveland on a whim for one purpose - to see Caitlin Clark's last college game in the NCAA Women's Final. While I had hoped Clark would win and end her career with a title, that was not meant to be. Like in life, things often do not according to plan in sports as well. Despite that, the game was truly electric thanks to the efforts of players on both teams, but most of all to Clark.

In years passed, I have not even watched the NCAA Women's Final. However, the past two years have been different with Clark's ascendance. Simply put, you always have a chance with Caitlin Clark on your side! She is a gamechanger who elevates those around her and whose feats on the court are unmatched.!

Until Caitlin came along, I had never heard the term "Logo three pointer," which is to say a three point shot taken from the logo at center court. This shot is just a routine part of her repertoire, and her scoring percentage from that distance rivals that of many players from two point range!

What is truly remarkable is that Caitlin is not just an incredible shooter and scorer but that her court vision and passing is among the best I have ever seen. She is the best combination of Steph Curry and Magic Johnson all in one - something I have never seen!

Wright Thompson had a wonderful profile of Caitlin recently. It was eye-opening, and I learned many new facts about her. For example, I did not known that she had committed to Notre Dame, where her parents had encouraged her to play. Ultimately, she decided she was not read to move so far away from home, and she stayed to play at Iowa. Deep down, she must have made the decision that family was more important that winning titles. She must have maintained that thought because she also refused to transfer from Iowa after her first two seasons and after coming up short in the final last year. 

It is quite possible had she gone to any top ten women's basketball school, she would have led them to multiple titles. However, it is also probable that she would not have been able to impose her free-flowing, dominant style on her opponents in those other schools' offensive systems. I cannot speak for Caitlin, but I can say that the way she plays has reframed my view of sports - not just women's sports - and what an elite, game-changing athlete looks like. 

I hope the Indian Fever make her the number one pick in the upcoming WNBA draft, and I look forward to heading down to Indianapolis to see her play again! 

From all of us, thank you, Caitlin, for allowing us to see you dance your way across the court and for bringing so much joy and awe to our lives. The NCAA Final will definitely not be your last dance!

THAT'S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR

We have not made many friends in the past four and a half years in Ann Arbor, but we have become close with one of our work colleagues, Dan, and his wife, Jane. We've had dinners at each others' homes and see each other on walks as they just live a few blocks away.

Recently, Jane recommend one of my favorite books that I read and reviewed here recently, Demon Copperhead. She leant me Kingsolver's earlier novel, the Poisonwood Bible, too. 

We both share a love for the outdoors, but we have not been to too many hiking spots since our move. Dan and Jane told us about one of their favorite spots, Kensington Park, and they even left a nice map of the park in our mailbox. Therefore, we decided to check it out this past weekend.

It was only about 20 minutes from our house, but it was a beautiful stroll around a large lake. We saw storks and a variety of other birds, and they even had a Nature Center, where one of the workers treated us to the daily feeding of a rescue bird who is recovering there. All in all, it was an excellent afternoon.

Afterwards, I was struck by how we never would have known about this park or Barbara Kingsolver, or so many things in Ann Abor were it not for Dan and Jane. That is what friends do. They enrich our lives, share parts of themselves with us, and make us better people. Grateful for them and so many of my friends who have made me who I am!

THE ZONE OF INTEREST

Yesterday, we watched the Zone of Interest, Jonathan Glazer's new film about the commandant of Auschwitz and his family who live next door to the death camp.

The film does not show a single image of the torture and devastation that take place in Auschwitz during 1943 when the film takes place. However, the sounds of the camps are inescapable, despite the characters' best efforts to ignore the horrors happening next door.

The film was understated, almost banal, and that was the point. So many soldiers, citizens, and other bystanders were witnesses to this shameful episode in world history, and I fear that we are seeing a repeat of this kind of devastation - and a blind eye to it - in Gaza.

I pray that we will learn the error of our ways and stop looking askance from the horrors men perpetrate other men before it is too late.

GROWTH MINDSET

We enjoyed Nicholas's visit home for spring break, but - once again - our time together went by way too fast.

I continue to be amazed by this young man, who has such an amazing head on his shoulders. He has navigated the first two-thirds of college without incident, and he has thrown himself into so many pursuits- his classes, home basketball games, the school radio station, the school television station, and the school newspaper. 

During his return home, I noticed a more mature, more thoughtful, and more grateful person than I had known before. More and more, I look to this young man as a guide for how to be and how to carry myself in this world.

I can't wait to see him again in May for a nice three month stretch. Until then, I will relish this past week and think about just how proud I am of my boy - correction- my young man!

DEMON COPPERHEAD

There are books that grab you by the shoulders and awake you from sleepwalking through life. These books radically open up worlds you had no knowledge of and leave you wanting more time with the characters, just like loved ones in real life. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver is one of those books.

The book is set in far western Virginia in Lee County and charts the adolescence and growing up of the main character Damon Fields, whose nickname is Demon Copperhead because of his fiery red hair. He is the son of a mother with drug addiction and a father who passed away prior to Demon's birth. The book is modeled after David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, and very soon this does turn into a book about an orphan's odyssey through the world.

The book was heartbreaking at times - mainly because the author helped one to understand that there are countless Demons out there whose lives have been ravaged by our economic policies, lack of medical care, the opioid industries that preyed on them, and the lack of focus or understanding by the rest of America on the Appalachian region in which the story takes place.

There are so many truths this story revealed, but most of all it reminded me that the main difference between Demon and the rest of us is the multiple safety nets - familial, financial, and structural - that we have to fall back on and that poor kids like Demon do not have. The novel made a strong case for addressing the root causes of the disparities that exist in our country by investing in social services, schools, addiction recovery, and medical care in rural communities. However, the greatest lesson the novel taught me is that children are our greatest asset as a nation. Failure to invest in a child not only dooms that child to so many poor outcomes; it also dooms the generations that follow from the child once he/she grows up. 

After you are done - and I recommend you read this book right away - I highly recommend this podcast episode with the author. She grew up in Appalachia, and she moved back there after many years away in recent years. Her novel made me want to know her other works better and to know the people of that region better, too.

A COMEBACK FOR THE AGES

This week, the Kansas City Chiefs triumphantly came back from behind to win their second straight super bowl and third in five years. It is safe to safe that even if they lose next year - which would be the expectation because no team has ever won three Super Bowls in a row - this Chiefs team is a Dynasty!

What made this Super Bowl victory so special was how far the team had to go this season. They started off quite poorly by their standards, dropping balls, committing infractions that led to penalties, and not closing games out. They looked mortal for the first time.

However, as the regular season was concluding, the team seemed to come together and realize that the playoffs were an opportunity to reset things and begin anew.

They defeated the Miami Dolphins at home in one of the coldest games in NFL history - well below freezing. They then went on the road and beat the Buffalo Bills - again in frigid conditions. Finally, they defeated the AFC Champions, the Baltimore Ravens, in Baltimore. Quite a run!

Many still considered them the underdogs in the Super Bowl against the San Francisco Forty-Niners. Those people must have forgotten that Patrick Mahomes is the Chief quarterback and that he is surrounded by an incredible group of players on offense and defense.

It was a disappointing first half of the Super Bow for the Chiefs. However, just like in the regular season, they came back strong in the second half and turned things around. It was a fourth quarter and overtime for the ages.

Congrats to Chiefs Kingdom! I cannot wait to visit there in June for Cate's soccer.

Let's get that third in row next year!

BEAUTIFUL HARMONY

Our society is riven with division. Many days, it seems very difficult to break through to the other side or to find common ground (see the recent breakdown of the border legislation after months of bipartisan negotiation). Therefore, it was such a delight to watch the Grammy's last weekend and to watch the wonderful performance of "Fast Car."

Chapman, a black female singer songwriter, wrote the song and released it in 1988. It was a major hit back then, and I remember listening to it when I was 15 in high school. However, I must admit I did not comprehend the song's meaning or message despite the lyrics being clear as day. I guess that is what growing up does for you.

Last year, the country singer Luke Combs, a white man from the south, decided to cover the song, and it has received a tremendous amount of critical acclaim, including "Song of the Year" at the 2023 Country Music Awards. 

Many people have taken exception to Combs covering this song - nearly all from the left. He has been accused of appropriation and worse. However, in the video intro to his performance with Chapman at the Grammy's, Combs described how his father first introduced him to the song when he was a young man. He said he always admired it and felt inspired to release his own version.

Last weekend's duet with Chapman and Combs was a coming together, a blending of styles, races, generations, and so much more. The New York Times described it well, stating that the performance had brought harmony to a nation that had forgotten how to live together. I cannot think of a more apt description. Here is the performance from the Grammy's. I hope it brings a little bit of harmony to your day!

EVERYDAY IS LIKE SUNDAY

Throughout much of my life, I hated Sundays. This was mainly because it meant the end of the weekend and a return to school or a busy work week during medical training. However, something happened as I got older. Sunday became my favorite day of the week.

There are many explanation for why Sunday became such a sanctuary for me. When I started my faculty career, I often worked on Saturdays to wrap up the work I did not finish during the work week. Therefore, Sunday became my one day off. I made the absolute most of that day, often playing pick up soccer, watching soccer on T.V., and definitely reading the Sunday Times. 

It is Sunday today, and today was no exception to my routine. I started off with a nice run outside while the snow quietly fell. I then settled in for a few hours of reading the Times. 

Afterwards, I took a nice walk in our neighborhood. During that walk, I listened to a playlist by the Smiths and Morrissey, one of my favorite bands and singers from my youth. Fittingly, one of the songs that came on was, "Everyday is Like Sunday." That song laments Sunday's arrival, but on my walk on a somewhat dreary Michigan winter day, I was struck by just how beautiful this Sunday was and how far I have come since those teenage years listening to those bands.

I have lived all over the country. I have trained in some of the finest medical centers and am now a faculty member in one of them. I have amazing friends, wife, and kids, and most of my dreams have come true! I hope I can remember all the things I have to be thankful for on the other days of the week so that everyday can be like Sunday!

WINNING THE NATTY!

One week ago, the University of Michigan (U-M) Wolverines won the National Football Championship, capping off an undefeated 15-0 season! It was a long way from the depths of the 2020 COVID season when the team had a losing record and was in the wilderness of college football.

To his credit, Coach Jim Harbaugh re-tooled his coaching staff and his game approach, reverting to strong defense and a pounding run game. In the last three years, the results speak for themselves: three consecutive victories over their rival Ohio State, three straight Big 10 Championships, three College Football Playoff berths, and now one "Natty," or National Championship!

There is a quote attributed to former U-M President Lee Bollinger when asked about why football matters and why it is important to invest in football at a top academic institution. Bollinger reportedly simply said, "if the team wins on Saturday, people are happier to come to work on Monday."

Last week, we were quite happy, indeed, to come to work! Go Blue!

THE NEW YORKER

In the year 1996, one of my dear friends from medical school first introduced me to the magazine, the New Yorker. This was before magazines were online and content could be easily shared. Therefore, my friend would photocopy articles that really touched him and share them with me. Ironically, my friend moved to Manhattan for residency in 1997, and he has been a New Yorker, himself, ever since!

Sometime in the early 2000s, I became a subscriber. Though I considered cancelling my subscription many times - especially during busy periods - I always felt like doing so would be like selling out or giving in to the demands of life. Needless to say, I never cancelled my subscription and remain very much a fan.

The New Yorker has navigated some seriously challenging times - the authoritarianism of Donald Trump and his attacks on the press, the balkanization of the media landscape and the disbelief in facts, and the dearth of advertisers to support the increasing costs of running a media organization.

Despite all these challenges, the New Yorker continues to put out incredible commentaries, articles, and podcasts. The New Yorker Radio Hour is in fact one of my favorite podcasts, and so it was a treat to hear an interview with the magazine's editor, David Remnick, on this week's episode. I have enjoyed his writing for years, but I did not know much about his life or career arc. I shared this episode with Nicholas and hope that it inspires him and helps him understand that life is not a straight line and that one's own personal experiences should inspire and influence one's reporting. 

Consider me a New Yorker subscriber for life!

TWO THINGS AT ONCE

In an attempt to make sense of life, we often think in black vs. white or all vs. nothing terms. However, life is much more nuanced and complicated than that. I have tried to remind myself of this in this new year to avoid catastrophizing situations or circumstances.

The ability to see clearly and to put things in context is indeed becoming rare as we retreat to our filter bubbles with our curated news feeds that echo our pre-conceived world views. I do not know how to break our biases except to take a moment before drawing a conclusion or making a judgement. This is easier said than done, but I don't know of anything our world needs more than - honest perspectives and the ability to hold two disparate thoughts in one's head at a time. Hamas is evil, but so the Israeli response is similarly unforgivable. Our workplace has major issues, but the work is still rewarding. Our projects are not moving like they should, but they are important projects that we are capable of executing.

Two things at once. I will do my best to remember that today and every day.

LIFE IS BUT A GAME

I have always been enamored with the Shakespeare line, "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exist and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages." It seemed to capture the complexity of our existence and how so many other characters shape the course of our lives. 

In her most recent novel,"Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow," the writer Gabrielle Zevin has taken this quote and another equally famous Shakespeare's quote, from which the title is drawn, to sketch a beautiful story of two longtime friends over multiple acts.

After finishing the book, I read several articles and watched several interviews with the author. Without fail, each talked about how they felt that the book had been written for them. I had the same exact feeling, which speaks to how truly special and resonant this novel is.

On the surface, the story is about video game design in the early days of this field. However, video games are merely the medium the vehicle through which this story comes together over the course of some twenty years from adolescence in Los Angeles to college in Cambridge, and back to L.A. again for early adulthood of the protagonists.

Along the way, we see the arc of these characters' lives - their triumphs and their challenges - and how those experiences test their relationship and friendship. This book made me think fondly about so many of my friendships over the years, particularly one that began at the same age as the main characters and that continues to this day. Our relationship, too, began through a heavy dose of game playing, though - in our case - these were board games. I reflected on the highs and lows of that friendship and so many others.

While I did not wish to go back in time to that earlier part of my life, I found myself longing to feel as deeply as I did back then - full of passion, love, and longing. Somewhere along the way - perhaps because of eventually achieving some of one's dreams or perhaps because we take life for granted - we lose the ability to live so deeply. In that sense, "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" - like no other book I have read-  is a wake-up call. 

Perhaps the best compliment I can pay this book is that it made me feel deeply; it made me appreciate what an amazing life I have had with so many amazing fellow players; it reminded me that how we navigate life and how we interact with others is within our control. 

I, for one, hope the game of life I have played so far does not end any time soon.

REST

2023 was one of the hardest years of my life. We helped Nicholas navigate his college decision, which ultimately took him away from home. We moved him in. We encountered innumerable challenges at work due to staffing shortages and the refusal to address those shortages. I wrote 12 grants, many of which were over 100 pages. In sum, there was very little rest in 2023.

I had thought of rest as loafing or scrolling and not doing much of anything, but I learned on a new podcast episode today from the Atlantic that rest can be quite active and restorative. Exercising, taking mindful walks, pursuing one's hobbies - which I seem to have dispensed with in recent years - and connecting with others are all examples of rest. 

I had the chance to wish several friend groups happy new year today, and without fail I wished every one of them a restful 2024. I wish you the same!

COOKING WITH CATE!

Once we would have called her the mac 'n' cheese queen, but now Cate is quite a home chef and foodie. She makes her own breakfast everyday - usually overnight oats or a yogurt granola parfait - but it is her dinners that really sing.

Yesterday, for New Year's Eve, she made a wonderful dish of Ayesha Curry's General Ayesha's Chicken. It was flavorful and reminded me of P.F. Chang's or Panda Express. Topped with some grilled broccolini and garneshed with rice, it was absolutely wonderful! I cannot wait to taste more of this girl's cooking in the years to come!