George Harrison

I Me Mine is the ego problem. There are two 'I's: the little 'i' when people say 'I am this'; and the big 'I' - is duality and ego. There is nothing that isn't part of the complete whole. When the little 'i' merges into the big 'I' then you are really smiling!

--"I Me Mine" was a Beatles song written and performed by Harrison, as well as the title of his 1980 autobiography.

Ruth Rendell

Some say life is the thing, but I prefer reading.

Winnie the Pooh

I was going to change my shirt, but I changed my mind instead.

Alan Watts

No one imagines that a symphony is supposed to improve as it goes along, or that the whole object of playing is to reach the finale. The point of music is discovered in every moment of playing and listening to it. It is the same, I feel, with the greater parts of our lives, and if we are unduly absorbed in improving them we may forget altogether to live them.

Alan Watts, philosopher, writer, speaker (1915-1973)

Dan Pashman

Everyone loves slow cookers. They're the Willie Nelson of kitchen appliances. 

Paul Jaskunas

I was surprised to learn that love is now considered essential to the employment relationship. Some of us are lucky enough to have lovable jobs, but this strikes me as an extreme standard to apply with respect to most positions.

When I lived in Eastern Europe more than a decade ago, I found that people had a more moderate approach. People did not seem to feel the need to love their job or even talk much about it. You could become well acquainted with someone without finding out what he did for a living. When the subject did come up, it seemed to be beside the point. The real action of life — the singular life of the mind, soul and body — was elsewhere, wrapped up in private pursuits, away from the workplace.

That may have had something to do with the size of the economy there. It’s not easy to be thrilled about work when opportunity is scarce. Admittedly, the dynamism of Western capitalism depends upon people who work with missionary zeal, who refuse to accept that a job is merely a job. It must be something more — a vocation, an adventure, a journey to higher heights.

I often do feel this way about my work, but I’d rather not feel obliged to profess my enthusiasm. I’ll keep my chin up; on a good day I might even whistle. But please don’t ask me to smile if I’m not in the mood.

--"The Tyranny of the Forced Smile," New York Times, February 14, 2015.

Chocolate Streusel Poundcake

In this stunning dessert, a moist and soft chocolate poundcake is topped on two sides — bottom and top — with crunchy, slightly salty streusel flecked with chocolate chips. The combination of cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate gives this cake a particularly rich flavor. You can make it up to 3 days ahead. Store it at room temperature, well wrapped in foil. Then serve it topped with ice cream or whipped cream and fresh berries, or toasted and buttered, or plain as it is. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.

Featured in "The Bittersweet Kiss of Chocolate," by Melissa Clarke. New York Times, February 6, 2015

Mindy Kaling

I have a personality defect where I sort of refuse to see myself as an underdog. It has gotten me into a lot of trouble but it is also the reason for my success. I am often reminded of it when people ask me why I'm confident… Why wouldn't I be? It's because my parents raised me with the entitlement of a tall, blond, white man. That's the way to do it: Picture yourself as Armie Hammer on the outside.

Alan Lomax

We now have cultural machines so powerful that one singer can reach everybody in the world, and make all the other singers feel inferior because they're not like him. Once that gets started, he gets backed by so much cash and so much power that he becomes a monstrous invader from outer space, crushing the life out of all the other human possibilities. My life has been devoted to opposing that tendency.

unknown

How you make others feel about themselves, says a lot about you.

First world problems

I accidentally clicked iTunes and had to wait two minutes for it to open before I could close it again.

The Domino's Pizza Tracker is not working. Now I don't know when to put my pants on.

My laptop is low on battery, but the charger is over there.

I'm trying to text while at a red light, but I keep hitting all the greens.

I can't hear the TV while I'm eating crunchy snacks.

I had too much food for lunch and now I'm tired.

Unknown

Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.

Atul Gawande

All learned occupations have a definition of professionalism, a code of conduct. It is where they spell out their ideals and duties. The codes are sometimes stated, sometimes just understood. But they all have at least three common elements.

First is the expectation of selflessness: that we who accept responsibility for others─whether we are doctors, lawyers, teachers, public authorities, soldiers, or pilots─will place the needs and concerns of those who depend on us above our own. Second is an expectation of skill: that we will aim for excellence in our knowledge and expertise. Third is an expectation of trustworthiness: that we will be responsible in our personal behavior toward our charges.

Aviators, however, add a fourth expectation, discipline: discipline in following prudent procedure and in functioning with others.

from The Checklist Manifesto, p 182

Priya and Mike Lafky

Marriage ceremonies in India are a combination of ancient Vedic philosophy, rituals and symbolism, and various cultural traditions from different parts of the country. According to Vedic philosophy, all actions of humans lead towards one goal, that of the ultimate realization of the Self or Atman (the soul). Marriage is the pledged union of a man and a woman who join together to walk the path of Dharma or spiritual quest, helping each other towards the ultimate goal of self realization and two souls merging into one and then becoming one with the universal soul or spirit.

From the wedding program for Priya and Mike's wedding 1/10/2015

Atul Gawande

I want to be a good doctor for my patients. And the question of when to follow one's judgment and when to follow protocol is central to doing the job well--or to doing anything else that is hard. You want people to make sure to get the stupid stuff right. Yet you also want to leave room for craft and judgment and the ability to respond to unexpected difficulties that arise along the way. The value of checklists for simple problems seems self-evident. But can they help avert failure when to problems combine everything from the simple to the complex?

--from The Checklist Manifesto, p. 51