What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious):

2151.  Karl Alzner (of the Washington Capitals) has a sweet tooth;

2152.  The (Washington) Capitals’ families and friends sit in section 103;

2153.  If you (ever) need a hockey net strung, you can ask Rachel Fehr (i.e., Eric Fehr’s wife);

2154.  Courtney Parrie (i.e., Mike Green’s girlfriend) is rather attractive;

2155.  Brooks Laich (of the Washington Capitals) seems like a good guy;

2156.  Joel Ward (of the Washington Capitals) has (really) skinny legs;

2157.  It seems (to me) that all relationships end with someone getting hurt.  When one person doesn’t feel the same way as the other, (the relationship ends and) someone gets hurt.  When a marriage ends (in divorce), the divorced spouse gets hurt.  When one spouse passes away before the other, the surviving spouse gets hurt.  Should both spouses pass away together, it’s usually tragically and the surviving family members are hurt;

2158.  It goes without saying that banks (right now) aren’t loaning out money, when in a month, you can find more change on the ground than what you can earn in interest on your checking and/or savings account(s);

2159.  The peanut butter topping at Dairy Queen (DairyQueen.com) is a disappointment;

2160.  You’re not supposed to keep your RV’s generator on at night to run the heater.  Apparently, you can get carbon monoxide poisoning;

2161.  I’d imagine a post-apocalyptic world would look a lot like an RV lot at a NASCAR race;

2162.  You need your (grandstand) ticket and your (pre-race) pit pass to get into the race pits;

2163.  You can bring in your own alcohol to NASCAR races.  Each person (i.e., child and adult) is allowed (to bring in) one, soft-sided cooler, no larger than 14” by 14” by 14.”  Hard-sided coolers and coolers with telescoping handles or wheels aren’t allowed;

2164.  NASCAR races are really loud. . . . You might want to get some earplugs;

2165.  I think people (partly) like to go to NASCAR races because it gives them an excuse to tailgate and get sloshed for a couple of days;

2166.  I want to share my life with someone, but I don’t need to;

2167.  Using duck confit (wings) is a nice little twist on wings;

2168.  When you enrich people’s lives with your friendship they tend to do the same for you;

2169.  Most people lead lives of quiet desperation, thinking: “One day I’ll be the person I’ve always wanted to be, on day.”  But this day never comes because they never decide to actually start being this person.  They simply hope it will happen, in vain.  You need to make a conscious choice to start becoming the person you’ve always wanted to be, the person inside.  Who is this person?  What would s/he say or do in any given situation?  The only way to become her/him is to start living like her/him;

2170.  Telling a woman (you just met) that you want her to have your kids is just an indirect way of saying, “I want to fuck you;”

2171.  Akil Mitchell (of the University of Virginia’s men’s basketball team) is very poised, mature and affable . . . way more than I was at his age (i.e., twenty years old);

2172.  A cheap(er) way to go out, is to order a non-alcoholic drink (i.e., iced tea, soda, etc.) in a regular-sized/tall glass and ask the bartender to put a shot of rail/well liquor in it.  At most places, a shot of rail/well liquor is around $5.00, so it can end up being cheaper than drinking beer;

2173.  Single ply toilet paper sucks, especially after you’ve gotten used to multi-ply toilet paper;

2174.  The enchilada roja (i.e., chicken, cascabel chili and Mexican chocolate) at Bandolero in D.C. is kind of pricey (i.e., $10.00 for one enchilada), but it’s really tasty;

2175.  Chocolate in enchiladas! . . . Who knew?

2176.  The hushpuppies at Tackle Box in D.C. are awful;

2177.  You would think that a racetrack would let you use credit cards to pay for drinks and other concessions, so you’d have more money to bet on the (horse) races . . . not at Pimlico (Race Course) in Baltimore, Maryland;

2178.  You can bring in your own food and (non-alcoholic) drinks to the Preakness (Stakes).  You’re allowed to bring in a clear see-through plastic container no larger than 18” by 18.”  Glass of any kind and thermoses aren’t allowed;

2179.  If you want to film a movie set in the ‘50s, go to Pimlico (Race Course).  It’s like you’ve been transported back in time;

2180.  A ‘70s looking pimp would fit right in at the Preakness Stakes. . . . It’s a great event for people watching;

2181.  It’s kind of weird that Pimlico (Race Course) is located in the heart of a residential neighborhood.  It’s surrounded by houses and apartment buildings;

2182.  What’s in a “Black-Eyed Susan” (i.e., the official drink of the Preakness Stakes)?  The answer is: 1 ¼ ounces of Finlandia vodka, ¼ ounce of St. Germain liqueur, 2 ounces of lemon juice, 3 ounces of lemongrass and blackberry simple syrup and 6 drops of Angostura bitters . . . garnished with a sage leaf;

2183.  The duck confit burritos (with spicy ginger lime relish and avocado) at Willow (WillowBaltimore.com) in Baltimore, Maryland, are pretty tasty;

2184.  A great place to watch the game at Oriole Park (at Camden Yards) in Baltimore, Maryland, is the roof deck overlooking centerfield.  Just buy a cheap ticket, walk over and enjoy the game with a drink from the bar;

2185.  Whatever you believe will eventually become your reality;

2186.  Success breeds success and failure breeds learning;

2187.  The 138^th running of the Preakness Stakes had the 4^th largest on-track attendance ever at 117,203 people;

2188.  A black-eyed Susan is the name of a flower.  It has nothing to do with domestic violence;

2189.  Wolfgang Puck knows how to cook lamb chops.  His Chinois lamb chop lollipops (with cilantro mint vinaigrette) are so tender.  They might be the best lamb chops I’ve ever had.  I could eat a (whole) tray of them as an entrée;

2190.  Filet mignon can be two inches thick and the size of a doughnut;

2191.  Wolfgang Puck weddings are (really) nice;

2192.  What’s a sign of a nice hotel?  The answer is: When there’s a complementary toothbrush and toothpaste already in the room;

2193.  It was recently discovered that Saturn’s rings aren’t circular, but a spiral.  They’ll eventually disappear as they’re slowly pulled down into the planet;

2194.  When Persians go out, they (really) dress up;

2195.  Thanks to cutting-edge science, we now know that happiness is the precursor to success, not merely the result.  And that happiness and optimism actually fuel performance and achievement;

2196.  Waiting to be happy limits our brain’s potential for success, whereas cultivating positive brains makes us more motivated, efficient, resilient, creative, and productive, which drives performance upward;

2197.  The Mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven;

2198.  Our interpretation of reality changes our experience of that reality;

2199.  In 2004, a Harvard Crimson poll found that as many as 4 in 5 Harvard students suffer from depression at least once during the school year, and nearly half of all students suffer from depression so debilitating they can’t function;

2200.  A Conference Board survey released in January of 2010 found that only 45 percent of workers surveyed were happy at their jobs, the lowest in 22 years of polling;

What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious):

2101.  I think love is being perfectly happy to be in someone else’s company.  You’re just as comfortable talking or not talking.  You’re just as content doing something or nothing at all.  You enjoy spending time with her/him and being in her/his presence . . . and there’s (absolutely) nowhere else you’d rather be and no one else you’d rather be with;

2102.  I think love is knowing s/he isn’t perfect and accepting her/his (and all of her/his faults) anyways;

2103.  If you have a craving for chocolate covered pretzels, dipping pretzels in Nutella (i.e., hazelnut, chocolate spread) isn’t a bad substitute;

2104.  The most common way we learn our dating habits is through modeling the behaviors of others.  It starts with modeling our parents when we are children, then through watching our friends, movies, etc;

2105.  We tend to be identical to one or a combination of our parents’ belief systems in regards to love and relationships.  We must be careful about the lessons we internalize and hold as fact;

2106.  Just because someone we love and look up to did something a certain way doesn’t make it the best/right way.  Sadly, we learn these behaviors at such a young age, they are now autopilot responses.  We do them automatically and have a blind spot to how they might be holding us back;

2107.  Unless you have seen someone you consider successful in a loving, healthy relationship, be careful about modeling their behaviors, thought patterns, and actions;

2108.  Be careful when you model someone that you don’t try to become that person;

2109.  Don’t let unhealthy people pave the way for your thoughts.  Surrounding yourself with healthy people will help you think, and behave, more healthily;

2110.  If you want to attend a play, but don’t want to pay for it, try the Shakespeare Theatre Company’s free “ReDiscovery Series” (ShakespeareTheatre.org/info/support/special-giving-opportunities/rediscovery-readings).  Several times a year, (professional) actors and actresses read a play aloud with a historical overview given beforehand and a discussion following afterwards;

2111.  Every Wednesday from 5 o’clock to 7 o’clock, Whole Foods (Market) in (Old Town) Alexandria has “Winesday.”  For $5.00, you get a wine glass (that you can keep) and you can sample five different wines paired with food.  If you bring back the glass on another “Winesday,” you save $1.00 off the price;

2112.  Some people can pass out while standing up;

2113.  There were fourteen “(Wizard of )Oz” books;

2114.  You can “cock block” yourself;

2115.  If you thought eating peanut butter with Nutella would taste (just) like a peanut butter cup, it doesn’t. . . . But it’s still pretty good;

2116.  In descending order (from most to least), there are a lot of Starbucks( coffee shops), McDonald’s( restaurants), CVS( pharmacie)s, Potbelly( Sandwich Shop)s, Pret A Manger( restaurant)s and Subway( restaurant)s in D.C.;

2117.  I think love is being so comfortable with someone that you feel like you could tell her/him almost anything.  You don’t feel self-conscious about doing things with her/him that you would normally feel around somebody else. . . . You don’t feel like you’re being judged. . . . You feel accepted for who you are, but, at the same time, you want to try and be a better person for her/him;

2118.  Humans can detect over 300 smells, but only 4 (maybe 5) different tastes;

2119.  One in four craft beers is an IPA (i.e., India Pale Ale);

2120.  It isn’t beer without the hops;

2121.  Tareq Salahi(, who notoriously crashed a White House state dinner in ’09,) looks thinner in person (than he does on TV) . . . and taller;

2122.  Getting cutoff at DC101’s Kegs & Eggs at 10:30 in the morning, but not getting kicked out: Priceless;

2123.  (Spicy) Cantonese dishes pair best with off-dry German Rieslings;

2124.  The French Embassy in D.C. (i.e., La Maison Française) isn’t all that impressive;

2125.  Canadian icewine is super sweet . . . and so are some Canadian whiskies;

2126.  Apparently, Bastian Baker is the Swiss “Justin Bieber;”

2127.  It’s kind of weird when it rains and snows at the same time;

2128.  What makes a happy camper?  The answer is: 1/3 ounce of Kahlua coffee liqueur, 1/3 ounce of Bailey’s Irish cream and a 1/3 ounce of Frangelico hazelnut liqueur . . . shaken with ice and strained into a glass filled a quarter with ice;

2129.  It’s pretty stupid to get thrown in jail because you’re angry your credit card was declined over a $50.00 bar tab . . . especially when you called the cops on yourself;

2130.  Go for respect first and popularity second.  It’s easy to gain popularity.  It’s brutal to earn back the respect that you gave away up front;

2131.  Don’t give people any more respect than they earn;

2132.  Shine by actions, not by words;

2133.  People must earn your praise.  Your praise is as rare as gold.  You don’t hand it out unless people truly deserve it;

2134.  You like, but don’t need other’s validation;

2135.  Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.  True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation;

2136.  Your time is precious.  Don’t let people disrespect your time, yet expect you to respect theirs;

2137.  If you can’t use OpenTable.com to make your restaurant reservation, try using CityEats.com;

2138.  The rigatoni Bolognese (i.e., hand diced beef and pork ragout) at Palena (PalenaRestaurant.com) in D.C. maybe the best I’ve ever had. . . . It’s pricey (i.e., $17.00) and the portion is small, but it’s tasty;

2139.  Quite a few places are closed on Saturday afternoons in Adams Morgan;

2140.  What’s the quickest way to go to bed early?  The answer is: Day drinking;

2141.  I’m not very good at telling Bulgarian accents from Russian ones;

2142.  I’ve watched a hockey game with (at the time) the world’s 10^th ranked women’s tennis player and an Olympic bronze medalist (i.e., Alexander Ovechkin’s fiancée, Maria Kirilenko);

2143.  We don’t get to choose who we love;

2144.  Be wary of buying tickets to (basketball) games at the end of the season, especially when a really good team (like the Miami Heat) plays a (really) bad one (like the Washington Wizards). . . . The good team might not play their regular starters;

2145.  Angel food cake (kind of) reminds me of cotton candy (texture-wise);

2146.  Love is blindness;

2147.  Missing your (dental) appointment because you’re stuck in (bumper-to-bumper) traffic will remind you why you (chose to) live close to work and how much D.C. traffic sucks;

2148.  MacKenzie Schultz (i.e., Jeff Schultz’s wife) is rather attractive;

2149.  If you (ever) need a bench stained, you can ask Mandy Alzner (i.e., Karl Alzner’s wife);

2150.  The Alzners live in Alexandria . . . close to Del Ray;

Zagat's 5 D.C. Area Restaurants With Killer Views

1.  Charlie Palmer Steak
2.  L'Auberge Chez François
3.  Sequoia
4.  The Source
5.  2941

What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious):

2051.  Fake breasts are (rather) soft;

2052.  Apparently, I have soft hands;

2053.  Every night after 8:00 PM, Mango’s Tropical Café (MangosTropicalCafe.com) in South Beach has a free cabaret style singing and dancing show;

2054.  Most of the food served on Ocean Drive (in South Beach) is pretty boring. . . . The restaurants are touristy.  They serve similar things.  And the food isn’t very good or authentic;

2055.  The News Café (NewsCafe.com) (in South Beach) has great tomato soup;

2056.  You can get (free) discounts to local restaurants (and shops) using the Scoutmob (Scoutmob.com) app;

2057.  Some (Sicilian) baristas have birthdays on January 23^rd;

2058.  During the summer, Sicilians like to eat gelato in brioche (i.e., brioche con gelato). . . . It’s literally an ice cream sandwich. . . . It’s actually pretty good;

2059.  Some banks (i.e., SunTrust) charge fees to check your account balance at out of network ATMs even if you don’t withdraw any money;

2060.  The first cardinal virtue manifests in your daily life as unconditional love and respect for all beings in creation.  This includes making a conscious effort to love and respect yourself, as well as to remove all of the judgments and criticisms.  Understand that you are a piece of God, and since you must be like what you came from, you are lovable, worthy, and Godlike.  Affirm this as often as you can, for when you see yourself in a loving way, you have nothing but love to extend outward.  And the more you love others, the less you need old excuse patterns, particularly those relating to blame.  Excuses originate in a false belief that the universe and its inhabitants aren’t there for you;

2061.  Allow yourself to see others as willing to assist you in maximizing your human potential.  The more reverence you have for yourself, and for all of life, the more you see everyone and everything as willing assistants, rather than inhibitors to your highest life;

2062.  Using an excuse to explain why your life isn’t working at the level you prefer isn’t being true to yourself–when you’re completely honest and sincere, excuses don’t even enter into the picture;

2063.  Make truth your most important attribute.  Walk your talk; that is, become sincere and honest in all that you say and do.  If you find this to be a challenge, take a moment to affirm: I no longer need to be insincere or dishonest.  This is who I am, and this is how I feel.  From now on, when you make a commitment, do everything in your power to live up to what you’ve promised.  Remember that when you’re living your life from the perspective of your truest nature, you connect to Source.  This is the very foundation of the spiritual life.  As you work at being totally honest with yourself and others, those old self-defeating habits no longer crop up;

2064.  “When you have the choice to be right or to be kind, always pick kind.”  So many of your old thinking habits and their attendant excuses come out of a need to make yourself right and others wrong.  When you practice this third virtue, you eliminate conflicts that result in your need to explain why you’re right.  This virtue manifests as kindness, consideration for others, and sensitivity to spiritual truth;

2065.  The more kindness and sensitivity you extend to everyone in your life, the less likely you are to blame others for not living up to your expectations.  Gentleness means accepting life and people as they are, rather than insisting that they be as you are.  As you practice living this way, blame disappears and you enjoy a peaceful world–not because the world has changed, but because you adopted gentleness;

2066.  Stop identifying yourself on the basis of what you have, whom you’re superior to, what position you’ve attained, and how others view you.  See yourself as a piece of God, willing to act as close to that consciousness as possible.  When you desire something, try wanting it more for someone else than you do for yourself; in fact, act to make it happen for them before you even think about yourself.  Or if you’re about to be critical or unkind to anyone, remind yourself that your original nature is gentle;

2067.  When they’re next to each other, the number 1 and the number 8, which is the symbol for infinity, signify one infinite Source;

2068.  In Hebrew, the number 18 signifies life;

2069.  With constant practice, your mind can be trained to overcome any habits of thought.  The key is with constant practice;

2070.  Act as your Source would in every instant.  What would God do right now?  If you’re ever perplexed by your habitual thoughts, asking this question will serve as a way to reinforce that there’s an alternative;

2071.  Initiate a conversation with your habitual mind.  As you work to overcome your self-created limitations, talk to your subconscious, telling it that instead of reacting, you’re now going to respond with conscious choices.  This will work rather quickly for you if you’re serious about breaking a pattern–awareness of feeling locked into automatic reactions, along with a serious commitment to change, will allow you to choose a new response;

2072.  If you want to break a pattern, you need to truly commit, and then start conversing with your habitual mind.  You’ll be amazed at how fast the excuses disappear;

2073.  Get quiet.  Decide to reduce the noise level of your life.  Noise is a distraction to your highest self because it keeps your ego on red alert.  Ways to discard habits along with their attendant excuses are often found in silence, in the void that’s the creative Source of all form;

2074.  The Law of Attraction works when you surround yourself with people who are on a spiritual path similar to your own.  Remember, this law states that like is attracted to like, so you attract Source energy to you by being like it.  Similarly, when you’re continually in the company of low-energy, angry, depressed, shaming, hateful people, you’ll probably find life a little more challenging;

2075.  It’s your responsibility to yourself to create the right energy for you.  Stay in your place of peace, regardless of how tempting it may be to lash out or argue;

2076.  The more peaceful and loving your environment (and the people in it), the more you’re in a serene place where excuses aren’t on the agenda.  This is the environment in which self-defeating habits are most likely to fade from your consciousness.  Further reinforce your new way of being by having your surroundings reflect the design of what you want your life to look like.  In this energy, like-minded people will appear;

2077.  Love your family (and everyone else on this planet).  Treasure all of your relationships, but first and foremost make your relationship to your highest self your priority.  When you see God simply as love, there will be no room left for excuses and bad habits.  You will only be able to give away the love that is your creative essence;

2078.  Work the paradigm: 1.  Is it true?  Probably not.  2.  Where did the excuses come from?  I allowed them.  3.  What’s the payoff?  I get to avoid risks and stay the same.  4.  What would my life look like if I couldn’t use these excuses?  I’d be free to be myself.  5.  Can I create a rational reason to change?  Easily.  6.  Can I access universal cooperation in shedding old habits?  Yes, by simply aligning with my Source of being.  7.  How can I continuously reinforce this new way of being?  By being vigilant.  If you work the paradigm several times, you’ll soon see where you’re guiding your life with thoughts that aren’t necessarily true.  You’ll be able to discern where those thoughts came from and what your life would look like without them, and then you’ll create a rational reason to change them by accessing Divine guidance through perfect union with your Source of being.  To be consciously merged into that perfect union with God is a feeling that’s difficult to explain, but ego does take a backseat.  You know that you’re allowing yourself to be guided by a force that’s bigger than you are, yet if you so choose, you can stay infinitely connected to it.  In this state of knowingness, excuses become a thing of the past;

2079.  The Washingtonian (Washingtonian.com/happyhours) is another place to look for Happy Hour specials in the D.C. area;

2080.  Penn Social (PennSocialDC.com) in D.C. has Happy Hour on Saturdays from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM;

2081.  I know a part-owner (with three shares) of the Green Bay Packers;

2082.  5 ways you’re accidentally making everyone hate you: Hint: It’s almost always about power.  1.  You assumed that because you were OK with a situation, everybody was.  2.  You wasted their time.  3.  They think you owe them.  4.  You accidentally asserted power over them.  5.  It’s not what you said, it’s what you didn’t say;

2083.  The mezzanine corner seats at the (very) top of the Verizon Center aren’t all that bad . . . at least for hockey games;

2084.  Green potatoes are poisonous. . . . Who knew? . . . Apparently, green potatoes contain high levels of a toxin, called solanine, which can cause nausea, headaches and neurological problems.  Potatoes naturally produce small amounts of solanine as a defense against insects, but the levels increase with prolonged exposure to light and warm temperatures.  The green color is actually caused by high levels of chlorophyll, which by itself is harmless.  But it is also a sign that levels of solanine, which is produced at the same time as chlorophyll, have increased as well.  According to a recent report by Alexander Pavlista, a professor of agronomy and horticulture at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, a 100-pound person would have to eat about 16 ounces of a fully green potato to get sick.  That is the weight of a large baked potato.  Most green potatoes never reach the market.  Still, to avoid the development of solanine, it is best to store potatoes in cool, dimly lit areas and to cut away green areas before eating.  Another good rule: If it tastes bitter, don’t eat it;

2085.  Cantina Marina (in D.C.) closes in the winter;

2086.  Britt McHenry or at least someone who looks like Britt McHenry (of ABC7) hangs out at the bar at Oyamel Cocina Mexicana in D.C.;

2087.  What do you do when you spill coffee on your digital timers?  The answer is: Put them in an airtight container of rice;

2088.  Basic rules for matching suits and ties: 1.  If you don’t know what shirt to wear, choose a white one.  White shirts go with pretty much any tie.  2.  No matter how amazing the match between a suit and tie, an uncoordinated shirt will throw the entire outfit from a “do” to a “don’t.”  Knowing this, keep the following rules of coordination in mind: Light tan shirts match with brown ties.  Light pink shirts match with burgundy or navy blue ties.  Light blue shirts complement red, navy, yellow or burgundy ties.  When dealing with striped shirts, determine what its base color is and coordinate with colors as above.  Just make sure the stripes on the shirt do match the stripes or pattern on the tie.  3.  A suit with a solid base of dark colors is the safest way to emphasize solid, bold-colored ties.  4.  Pattern sizes (stripes, etc.) across your suit, shirt and tie need to vary – nothing looks weirder than a man who is wearing the same pattern on every layer. . . . The Classic Power Combination: The classic power combination of a dark, solid or slightly pinstriped suit with a bold-colored tie is a cornerstone of every man’s wardrobe.  Though teaming a dark suit with a classic white shirt allows you to choose almost any tie pairing short of one with bright yellow polka dots, a traditionally yet impeccably cut deep-red tie has been a go-to “power” look since John Kennedy wore the pairing in his first presidential debate. . . . The Formal Combination: After the suit and tie a man wears to work, the most crucial combination in a man’s closet is best described with two magic words: “black tie.”  A classic black suit paired with a classic black tie or bow tie is one of the most painless combinations to pull off for most men, but can also make a guy feel like he’s lost all of his personality for the sake of formality.  If that’s the case for you, try to find unique bow ties in order to get some second looks. . . . The Summer Combination: One of the worst habits men adopt is continuing to choose the same dark-suit and bold-tie combo they wore all winter, when the temperature has risen 70 degrees.  The rules for summer suit-tie combinations?  First find a solid, light-colored cotton suit with a good cut that also allows you to move in the summer heat.  Then, the fun part: choosing a provocatively patterned, bright tie in shades like pink that would be unacceptable for the other six months of the year. . . . The Casual Combination: Any suit-and-tie combination worn before noon on the weekend should have a sense of whimsy about it.  To find a look for those occasions that don’t involve your usual 9-to-5 work responsibilities, take the color of your power suit and find a suit a few shades lighter.  Likewise, find a tie a few shades lighter than your favorite power tie that also throws in a mix of wild patterns with other colors.  As this is your combination that is most likely to clash, test your look with a couple of off-white or very light-colored shirts to ensure that everything pulls together in the end;

2089.  If you’re looking for (cheap) parking garages in a city, use Parkopedia (Parkopedia.com). . . . They also have an app;

2090.  Besides Carah Faye Charnow, the members of “Shiny Toy Guns” are pretty forgettable on stage;

2091.  A “very dry martini” means no vermouth;

2092.  There are women who drive us to madness and to foolishness, and the heart does mend, even if the scar remains;

2093.  Alan May (of Comcast SportsNet) hangs out at Clyde’s (of Gallery Place) after (Washington) Capitals home games;

2094.  Wataru Misaka was the first player of Asian descent (i.e., Japanese) and the first non-Caucasian to play in the NBA;

2095.  The “Loft Bar” upstairs at the Hamilton (TheHamiltonDC.com) in D.C. has a speakeasy vibe to it. . . . It seems like a good place to bring a date;

2096.  “Commander Cody” (i.e., George Frayne IV) walks with a limp;

2097.  You have to work harder than you think you possibly can.  You can’t hold grudges. . . . And it doesn’t matter how you get knocked down in life because that’s going to happen.  All that matters is that you’ve got to get up;

2098.  It’s interesting how people can affect our lives.  Some people affect our lives more than we thought they would while others are just the opposite and affect us less than we thought they would;

2099.  It makes sense (from a safety standpoint) why a bar would want to use plastic drinkware, but, for some reason, it just feels less classy and cheap;

2100.  Watch out for groups of (black) women celebrating their girlfriend’s birthday.  They might molest you by fondling your abs;

Zagat's 7 Lobster Rolls to Net in D.C.

1.  Freddy's Lobster and Clams
2.  Hank's Oyster Bar
3.  Johnny's Half Shell
4.  Kinkead's
5.  Luke's Lobster
6.  Red Hook Lobster Pound
7.  Tackle Box

What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious):

2001.  Want more for others than you do for yourself; that is, be compassionate;

2002.  Rather than saddling yourself with self-limiting labels, affirm: I am capable of accomplishing anything I place my attention upon;

2003.  Complaining and explaining are the two huge allies of excuse making.  Generally speaking, when you resort to complaining you employ an excuse of one kind or another, placing the responsibility for what’s upsetting you on something or someone external to yourself.  Complaining about the way somebody has performed (or failed to perform) is another way of making an excuse for why you’re dissatisfied or unhappy;

2004.  By not expecting to be impacted in a negative or fearful way, you have a much better chance of eliciting the reaction you want.  You have a higher chance of your family members being supportive when you support your own desires and intentions.  And do be willing to endure any disapproval you might face by asserting your strong beliefs about your purpose in life–that disapproval will most assuredly morph into respect, gratitude, and even awe;

2005.  Loving what you have and being in a continuous state of contentment is the key to having what you want.  Also, be willing to contemplate that whatever assistance you need is on its way, even when you can’t predict where it’s coming from;

2006.  Whenever you’re tempted to use an excuse to explain some deficiency in your life (or even after you’ve noticed that you just relied on a long-standing alibi), silently put the excuse to the truth test.  Simply and honestly answer these two questions: (1) Is it true? and (2) Can I be 100 percent certain that it’s true?  As you do, you’ll discover that no excuse pattern holds up to this scrutiny;

2007.  Create an explanation that reverses the excuse you’re using.  It should be just as capable of being either true or untrue as your mental crutch, but the difference is that this explanation leads you away from self-defeat.  Since neither your old excuse nor your new belief can be 100 percent guaranteed, and you’re free to hold either of these two visions for yourself, why not select the one that will work for the highest aspirations you hold, rather than against them?

2008.  Once you start understanding, you can stop rationalizing and justifying.  Your past isn’t another reason to explain your deficiencies;

2009.  Everyone in my life did what they knew how to do, and I chose to buy into it at that time.  But today I’m going to stop this insidious kind of absurd thinking.  I will no longer entertain thoughts of my being unworthy–I’ve lived with them long enough, and they’ve never served my highest good;

2010.  The excuse It’s not my nature came directly from the list of what you were taught you couldn’t do or be.  You were formulated and then crafted into the finished product that your family and culture desired.  When you’re told “You can’t do this; you can only do that” enough times, and you’re willing to become the product the people around you want you to be, then you believe that your nature is what you’ve been told.  You act on the pronouncements about yourself that you’ve absorbed.  So if you hear that you’re lazy, undeserving, or uncoordinated often enough, it ultimately leads you to adopt this as your self-portrait.  If you’re told over and over again that you’re just like your father and he never amounted to anything, then you’ll ultimately view your nature the way that others viewed your dad;

2011.  I chose to allow the opinions of others to be more important than my fledgling opinions of who I was and what I intended to become.  Yes, I was small and vulnerable, but it was still my choice;

2012.  Academic performance has nothing to do with your potential for intellectual mastery;

2013.  Laws provide against injury from others; but not from ourselves;

2014.  I chose to use excuses as a child.  I didn’t realize at the time that I had other choices available.  I realize I’ve continued to choose those excuses until now;

2015.  Forgive everyone, including yourself.  All those individuals who proliferated mind viruses and conditioning were only doing what they knew how to do given the circumstances of their lives.  Keep in mind the line from the Prayer of Saint Francis: “It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.”  Eschew blame and free yourself from anything that’s been plaguing your life and holding you back.  By forgiving everyone, you pardon them . . . and yourself;

2016.  Nothing is in reality either pleasant or unpleasant by nature; but all things become so by habit;

2017.  Many behaviors and thought patterns persist because of perceived rewards . . . which may not be that good for you.  In fact, most of the psychological benefits you receive from your excuse-making habit are actually quite self-destructive;

2018.  Avoidance is a common and easily identifiable payoff, or the psychological reward that allows you to be somewhat at peace with yourself when you make self-thwarting decisions.  The excuse becomes your ally, even though it’s an ally that doesn’t have your best interests at heart;

2019.  None of us like to feel unsafe, so excuses become what we use to avoid potentially dangerous situations.  Rather than wandering off into uncharted territory where we might face the risk of low performance, failure, criticism, exhaustion, the unknown, appearing foolish, getting hurt, and the like, it’s more convenient to retreat into a haven of familiarity.  The problem is that the excuse habit only brings us a false sense of security, in the same way a “blanky” comforts a frightened child;

2020.  Any excuse at all offers the bountiful reward of the easy way out.  Let’s face it, when you’re confronted with a choice between doing something requiring effort and something that’s effortless and easy, you’re apt to pick the latter, even if it’s not the choice that will actually lead to your objectives;

2021.  Your highest self wants you to fulfill your destiny, which often involves some type of sacrifice, expenditure of time, mental and physical energy, and material resources.  Ego is frequently in conflict with what your highest self desires–your false self pushes and cajoles you into staying put, threatened by anything that disrupts its mission of keeping you nice and comfortable by avoiding difficult choices.  Thus, there’s a big payoff for using excuses that allow you to take the easy road;

2022.  Excuses are simply explanations you make to yourself that have no necessary bearing on the truth–yet even though they’re lies, they do bring you some sort of reward.  So while your only evidence may be a habitual thought, if you convince yourself that you’re right, you get to retreat into the illusion of winning.  In this case, the excuse is a deception that props up your low self-esteem.  You’ve substituted an excuse in place of authentic self-worth, and the payoff is that your reasoning helps you live with yourself without acknowledging your self-deceit;

2023.  When you resort to using an excuse, the ultimate payoff is that you remove responsibility for your own shortcomings and place responsibility for them on the shoulders of someone else;

2024.  Make the decision that you’ll no longer use excuses to keep you from what you know is in your best interest.  Today, act on something you’ve always avoided and explained away with a convenient excuse;

2025.  Remind yourself that no one can ever make you feel anything without your consent.  Therefore, there’s no one to blame for whatever is taking place in your life;

2026.  When you feel dejected or out of sorts, ask yourself: Do I wish to use the present moment–the precious currency of my life–in this manner?  This will help you to become conscious of the importance of being here now–not just in your body, but in your thinking as well;

2027.  Become conscious of just how valuable the present is, and obliterate that old tendency to use excuses for the purpose of escaping the moment;

2028.  Eliminating lifelong thinking habits cannot and will not happen if it doesn’t strike you as a sensible thing to do.  It doesn’t really matter that everyone you know tells you how important it is to change–if it doesn’t make sense to you, then you’ll retreat to your old ways and continue to explain them away with your convenient laundry list of excuses.  If the answer to Do I really want to bring about this change? is yes, then that’s all you need in order to proceed and succeed.  But if you have any doubts whatsoever, your old excuse making will surface, and you’ll revert back to your long-held habits;

2029.  If you want to shed old habits and excuses, take some time to visit that private place within you.  Close your eyes and visualize yourself as being completely free of these limitations . . . how does your body react?  If you feel good, that’s all the evidence you need to prove to yourself that you have a rational reason to change;

2030.  If you’re hanging on to a whole bunch of habits that have been reinforced by excuses, note that these will make you feel bad.  Your old mental crutches only serve to keep you from having an experience within your body that registers as “good,” so you may even be accustomed to being emotionally bankrupt;

2031.  Pain, anxiety, fear, anger, and the like make themselves known in your body as rashes, eczema, heart palpitations, arthritis, backaches, headaches, stomachaches, diarrhea, eyestrain, cramps, and many more ailments too numerous to mention.  The point is that these emotional reactions that show up in the body can become your way of life, to the point that they define your reality.  And when you’re questioning why that is, that’s when the excuse I’ve always been this way tends to rear its ugly head;

2032.  Reheated, bottled pasta sauce makes a pretty good dipping sauce;

2033.  If the lifelong thinking pattern you’d like to change doesn’t make sense to you but everyone around you is telling you that it’s the right thing to do, erase it from your mind;

2034.  By being brutally honest with yourself, determine if, given the conditions of your life and how well you know yourself, this lifelong thinking pattern you’d like to change is truly doable.  You may not know how to do it, but you can still assess if it is in fact something that’s possible for you.  If it isn’t then discard it;

2035.  Picture yourself as being free of your habituated way of being, totally disconnected from the habit.  If that idea doesn’t make you feel good–and I mean really good–then it’s not for you;

2036.  Fourth line, left wingers can’t dance/skate Gangnam style, but second line, right wingers can (specifically Matt Hendricks and Troy Brouwer of the Washington Capitals);

2037.  A woman’s nipple can protrude out 3/8^th of an inch;

2038.  How do you make a “dancer” jump?  The answer is: By pinching her (protruding) nipple;

2039.  “Dancers” can have very strong thighs;

2040.  Some people actually name their daughters Bambi;

2041.  You don’t attract what you desire; you attract what you are;

2042.  You can’t just wish for a change, or simply think about what you want, and expect it to appear.  To see the old habits fall away and access Divine guidance in making your life work at the highest levels of happiness, success, and health, you must forget about what’s in it for you.  Start practicing higher awareness by serving and wanting even more for others than you want for yourself.  Otherwise, you’ll never experience the subtle joy of a blissful, fulfilled life;

2043.  You can’t demand guidance; it will come when you align as your Source is aligned;

2044.  It’s a flat rate of $33.00 to take a taxi from Miami (International) Airport to South Beach;

2045.  You know it’s a dive bar when Happy Hour goes from 8:00 AM until 7:00 PM (i.e., Mac’s Club Deuce);

2046.  Watch out for places in South Beach that lure you in with lunch (and drink) specials and when they seat you, you actually have to ask for the specials menu (specifically 530 Ocean’s Grill);

2047.  You know the food is bad when the (lemon honey) salmon is overcooked, chewy and tastes like bacon drippings;

2048.  Be wary of places in South Beach that lure you in with drink specials and their drink menus don’t actually have any prices on them (specifically the Kitchen Restaurant) . . . and when they try to upsell you the seafood sampler, just say no;

2049.  Most places on Ocean Drive (in South Beach) will give you a to go cup for your drink;

2050.  “Friction dancing” is just another way of saying dry humping;

What I’ve learned since moving to D.C. (some of which should be obvious):

1951.  Rather than asking for more–which implies shortages and, therefore, creates a vibrational match to more shortages–focus on what you have and how thankful you are for everything that has shown up in your life;

1952.  It’s already here; I just need to connect to it.  Nothing can stop my creative ideas from materializing.  I’ve banished all doubt.  I’ll soon be seeing evidence of my manifestations everywhere;

1953.  You must decide to stay in the feeling of love, prosperity, wellness, or whatever you desire, and let that feeling just flow through you.  And remember that you get what you think about, whether you want it or not.  Remain thoughtfully in the field of infinite possibilities rather than your negative emotions–fear, worry, hate, and shame are indicators of separation from your authentic self in the present moment.  When you come back to your authentic self, it will work full-time to deliver to you whatever you think about;

1954.  I get what I think about, and I am choosing from here on in to think in harmony with my Source of being until it is habitual;

1955.  Practice catching yourself when you’re engaged in the habit of negative thinking.  Monitor any thought that expresses, It can’t, It won’t, or It’s not my luck; and change it to an aligned thought such as, It will, It must, or It’s already here and I know it will arrive on schedule with Divine timing;

1956.  You can recover most things, but time that is lost is lost forever;

1957.  Tahini is made of ground sesame seeds;

1958.  The ego is a false self that believes in its separation.  It strives to acquire and to achieve, and it’s constantly in search of more.  Just as it can’t coexist with awareness and alignment, it can’t survive in the now.  When you luxuriate in the moment, it’s impossible to ask for anything else, let alone more.  The essence of living in the present is total acceptance of precisely what is here.  Your mind doesn’t wander to what used to be, what ought to be, or what’s missing; and you don’t conjure up excuses.  Rather, you have a heightened awareness of experiencing your highest self;

1959.  The issue isn’t whether you choose to live in the now or not, because the basic truth is that it’s the only thing that’s ever available to live in.  The past all occurred in the now.  The future, which never comes except as a present moment, is all that’s available.  The real issue is how you choose to use up the precious moments of your life.  You can choose higher awareness and suspend ego-dominated past/future thoughts, eliminating your reliance on excuses.  Full immersion into the essence of the now is when you truly come face-to-face with your Source of being;

1960.  Our relationship to the present moment defines our relationship to life itself.  Whatever has happened in the past–no matter how many years, centuries, or millennia ago–all took place in the now.  There’s no way to experience anything other than in the precious present.  Thus, the idea that it happened in the past must be an illusion, since everything only gets experienced now;

1961.  Your relationship to life itself reflects your relationship to the present moment, so if your head is filled with frustrating or angry thoughts about what isn’t happening or the way the world looks to you, you’re not going to have a very good relationship with life.  Yet a dysfunctional relationship with life is really nothing more than a dysfunctional relationship with the present moment.  Again, life only gets lived in the now;

1962.  You can sell tax credits for movies to businesses that have nothing to do with making movies;

1963.  Repeat this affirmation: I choose to stay fully present in the now, and this is the only place that I will come to know God.  By repeating this to yourself in silence for a five-minute period, you reinforce the importance of being a present-moment person.  Make this a regular practice and it will ultimately become your way of being;

1964.  Contemplation is the mental activity behind all inventions–indeed, behind all of creation.  It’s important that you understand that you can create the life you desire by concentrating on what you wish to attract.  Once you master the ideas surrounding this concept, you won’t want to use your mind for the purpose of excuse making.  Instead, you’ll prefer to use it to really consider what you want to manifest into your life and then visualize it as coming true;

1965.  The more you ponder the impossibility of having your desires show up, complain about life’s unfairness, and get upset about what continues to manifest, the more those very things define your reality.  That’s because whatever you focus on invariably shows up in your life–be it what you want or what you don’t want.  So if you’re always thinking or talking about what’s wrong with your life, then you’re attracting exactly what you don’t desire;

1966.  Self-actualizing people never use their minds to think about what they don’t wish to attract.  They don’t worry about an illness getting worse, an absence of funding, a downturn in the economy affecting them, a negative outcome in a business venture, their children getting into trouble, and so on.  Their minds focus on the conditions they wish to produce–then the lucky break, the right people or circumstances, or the synchronistic opportunity somehow presents itself as a result of their contemplation.  We all become what we think about, so it’s pretty important to pay attention to those thoughts;

1967.  The ginger ice cream at Ichiban Sushi House (IchibanOldTown.com) in (Old Town) Alexandria is sort of spicy (and effervescent) . . . and a little gummy;

1968.  You have the option to get cash back when the balance on your Gap (brand) gift card is less than $5.00;

1969.  To rid yourself of excuse, you must learn to practice contemplating what you intend to manifest, and simultaneously detach from the outcome;

1970.  Contemplate like God does, with thoughts of How may I serve? rather than What’s in it for me?

1971.  Repeat the following mantra to yourself for a minimum of five straight minutes each day: I contemplate myself surrounded by the conditions I wish to attract into my life.  Say it quickly and repeatedly, even if it sounds ludicrous to do so.  The repetition will help you begin to imagine the right people or circumstances, the necessary funding, or whatever it is you desire.  Stay detached and allow the universe to take care of the details;

1972.  You didn’t inherit your personality traits from anyone in your past–you’ve repeatedly chosen them, even though you may be unaware of how or why.  If you’re shy, loud, fearful, assertive, loving, hateful, kind, cruel, passive, or aggressive, learn to assert: This is what I have chosen for myself up until now.  Similarly, if you find yourself mired in debt, languishing in poverty, wasting away in an unfulfilling career, wilting in an unsatisfying partnership, in pain over someone’s poor business decisions, or even bored out of your mind because your parents made you pursue a career not of your liking–whatever the current conditions of your life, ask yourself if you’re willing to take sole and total responsibility for them;

1973.  There’s something for you to learn in any difficulty.  Look for the blessing in all situations, and remind yourself that you’re no longer a child, but a fully functioning adult who’s ready to accept responsibility;

1974.  Blame must be supplanted by a willingness to look at everything that occurs in your life and choosing to think, I attracted and created it all, and I am happy to take full and sole responsibility for all of it;

1975.  I am worthy of attracting unlimited abundance and prosperity into my life, regardless of what life experiences have gone before me.  I only reinforce and contemplate images that are in harmony with this vision;

1976.  Hold a vision that asserts: “I’m entitled to be respected, loved, and happy; to feel fulfilled and prosperous; to exercise; and to enjoy all of the moments of my life!  This is my vision, and I’m more than willing–I’m absolutely determined that this is what will come my way;”

1977.  Create an inventory of the things you’re unwilling to do in order to manifest your destiny.  Then erase everything on it but this title: What I Am Unwilling to Think or Do in Order to Become All That I Desire for Myself.  Leave this sheet of paper in a prominent spot, where you can look at it every day to remind you of your commitment to shed all unwillingness.  When you’re challenged and find yourself reverting to old habits, look at your empty sheet, and then affirm the following for at least five minutes: There is nothing that I am unwilling to think or do in order to become all that I am destined to become.  Repeating this inner mantra will serve as an energy shifter for you, and it will put you on the path of greatness;

1978.  You must be willing to take whatever pieces of life come your way and arrange them so that they work with and for you rather than against you.  The key is to be willing.  The pieces will show up–they always have, and they always will.  Your willingness to arrange rather than complain or make excuses will pay off;

1979.  Tough times don’t last.  Tough people do;

1980.  A (late) Saturday night at the Mason Inn (MasonInnDC.com) in D.C. reminds me of a basement frat(ernity) party . . . the dimly lit, narrow room . . . the blaring, thumping dance music . . . the slick floors from countless spilled drinks . . . and the mosh pit-like feel from so many people crammed into a small space bumping into each other;

1981.  The empanadas at Julia’s Empanadas are pretty good, but I wouldn’t get in a fight over them;

1982.  There’s just a certain energy (and vibrancy) in living in the heart of a (major) city.  There are people walking around at all hours of the day . . . from tourists strolling around sightseeing to locals going about their daily lives;

1983.  Before getting married, Amelia Earhart wrote a letter to her (second) fiancée insisting on an “open” marriage;

1984.  The National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum are in the old Patent Office Building.  It was used as a hospital during the Civil War and it was also the site of (Abraham) Lincoln’s second inaugural ball on March 6, 1865;

1985.  In the U.S., there are about 700 cars per 1,000 people.  In China, there are about 44 cars for every 1,000 people.  In India, there’s even less, there’s only about 12 cars for every 1,000 people;

1986.  All (loose-leaf) teas are $1.00 during tea happy hour Monday through Thursday from 5:00 PM until close (i.e., around 9:30 PM) at Killer E(spresso).S(orbet).P(ie). (KillerESP.com) in (Old Town) Alexandria;

1987.  Prioritize your schedule and schedule your priorities;

1988.  If you have passion, there is no need for excuses, because your enthusiasm will trump any reasoning you might come up with.  Your excitement will propel you toward acting on what you’ve been imagining with such gusto that you won’t need an explanation for what is holding you back.  While this doesn’t guarantee that your venture will be financially successful or well received, it does guarantee that you’ll follow it through to completion;

1989.  By believing passionately in something that does not yet exist we create it.  The nonexistent is whatever we have not sufficiently desired;

1990.  Your willingness to receive blessing is related to your ability to give them;

1991.  Make a promise to yourself that you’ll pay attention to your passion, that you’ll do at least one small thing daily to make it your reality;

1992.  Develop a sense of awe that then leads to the creation of passion by beginning to look at everything as though you’re seeing it for the first time.  Don’t let the concept of boredom even creep into your thoughts;

1993.  You do not attract what you want; you attract what you are;

1994.  Upon awakening, let the words Thank you flow from your lips, for this will remind you to begin your day with gratitude and compassion.  Make it a practice to begin each day by thinking first of someone else and then making a decision to actively do something, anything, that will bring a smile to his or her face.  When you become conscious of wanting to do something kind for another human being, you move into a higher way of being.  It takes your thoughts off yourself and What’s in it for me? and puts them on How may I serve?

1995.  Become aware of your potential for greatness and the power of your mind;

1996.  Align yourself by thinking like God thinks;

1997.  Live here and now in your mind as well as in your body;

1998.  Contemplate what you are, rather than what you want to become;

1999.  Be willing to allow health, happiness, and success to flow into your life;

2000.  Be compassionate about everyone and everything that enters your life;