The Vibe: The Beautiful Now 🦋

Just an ‘ordinary’ day at the grocery store 💙

The gift of presence transforms our perception of so-called “ordinary” days into the extraordinary. As a quote from the film About Time, which I previously recommended, captures: “I just try to live every day as if I’ve deliberately come back to this one day, to enjoy it." This mindset shift allows us to inhabit each moment as if seeing with fresh eyes, newly amazed by details routinely overlooked.

By intentionally returning to the present, we cultivate beginner’s mind, that zen-like awareness defined by openness, curiosity and awe. Think of how travelers find inspiration photographing scenes the locals pass without notice. When we consciously sink into the richness available here and now, mundane moments become treasures.

Consider how a prognosis of terminal illness entirely recalibrates one’s lens. Suddenly every ordinary detail of our days is precious: the textures underfoot, the play of light and shadow, snatches of overheard songs. Freed even briefly from the automatic momentum of schedules and habits, we marvel at these forgotten subtleties.

I often share perspectives such as these to deliver reminders needed as much by myself as anyone else. As someone oriented towards constantly setting goals (or OKRs) and building career momentum, I easily lose balance—getting caught chasing the next achievement and failing to fully participate in my present. This message re-centers me towards what matters most: the texture of living—the laughter permeating my home, the brightness of the morning light, and our favorite songs enhancing ordinary days with my family.

Of course radical shifts shouldn’t be required to renew appreciation of our ordinary days. That we forget this daily gift of presence and perspective results from cultural conditioning more than circumstance. We absorb implicit and explicit messages that a worthwhile life must continually ascend, that we must accrue excitement, accomplishments, wealth and prestige.

Lost in chasing the next milestone, we bypass the present. Our attention is perpetually focused ahead rather than within. We scorn the mundane and familiar, not recognizing that our most meaningful and fulfilling experiences often hide in plain sight.

The ‘now’ forever eludes us, existing as an imaginary future point we race towards. Meanwhile, we undervalue the  beauty of our real lived moments—the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze, the soothing hum of a busy coffee shop, the sound of little footsteps that fade so fast.

How might it feel to invert priorities? Could non-doing release as much joy as doing? What relief might we experience suspending constant measurement of progress?

About Time suggests a remedy to reconnect with the extraordinary always accessible within ordinary life: consciously choose presence despite—or rather, because of—life’s ephemeral nature. Deliberately return your attention again and again to the here and now.

Allow awareness of each moment’s singular essence to re-enchant the habitual. Through practice, this cultivation of presence rewires our neural patterns to more readily default to awe rather than autopilot. In turn, our daily lived experiences expand to spill over with inspiration, meaning and sublime contentment percolating beneath the surface of routine.

Especially amidst the bustle of holidays, staying grounded in extraordinary mundane moments keeps my mind from spinning into excessive planning and expectation-setting. When feeling overwhelmed, I recall the quote from About Time, deliberately returning attention to the present's subtle glories. Sheltered there a moment, priorities rearrange themselves around what holds enduring value beyond status and schedules. From that space of presence, I regain capacity to fully show up for loved ones without losing momentum towards meaningful milestones. With practice, we can steward the fullness of both the present and the future.

The gift lies not in changing external circumstances to conform with some idea of perfect, but sinking into the perfection that this moment, the ever-shifting now, continually offers.

Artificial Imagination 🚀

Our redbone hound Madi is no spring chicken—a bit gray in the muzzle, a tad thick in the middle—but her personality seems to grow along with her belly these days. Especially on autumn mornings when she snuggles right up in front of the crackling fire, the image of cozy contentment. I tried to capture the scene in MidJourney as a little memento. When she looks at us with those soulful brown eyes or snores loud enough to wake the neighbors, our Rachel’s hearts melt every time. She may have lost her youthful agility, but Madi has mastered the lifelong art of snoozing by the fire and reminding us to cherish the simple joys.

This is not an actual photo, but one that was totally A.I. generated using a prompt that I created with MidJourney 🤯

Vibe Challenge 🪄

Magically Mundane: This week, choose a routine task to focus on each day. Maybe it's your morning jog or sifting through emails. Find something in it that sparks joy or intrigue. Capture these little nuggets of wonder in your phone or with a quirky photo. By week's end, you'll have a collection that transforms everyday routines into moments worth appreciating. Let me know how it goes!

My Weekly Vibe

• Movie: Trading Places is a classic comedy that cleverly intertwines the themes of wealth, social status, and the arbitrary nature of fortune. The film is set around the holiday season, making it a Christmas movie in my book, despite Rachel clamoring otherwise. Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd deliver brilliant performances in this riches-to-rags and rags-to-riches story, where a street hustler and a wealthy broker are manipulated into swapping lives by two callous millionaires as part of a bet. While some scenes in the movie definitely feel a bit dated and cringeworthy, the sharp wit and satirical humor remain comedy gold. So take a step back to 1983 for your next late-night movie date.

• Book: Working Backwards, an insightful read by Colin Bryar and Bill Carr, offers a captivating glimpse into Amazon's revolutionary business model. Although I'm not yet finished, each chapter has been a revelation, filling my phone with notes and insights. This book uncovers the principles and practices that transformed Amazon from a modest online bookstore into a colossal powerhouse. It's a deep dive into the company's customer-centric philosophy, innovation-driven culture, and long-term strategic thinking. For entrepreneurs and business enthusiasts, this book is a goldmine, providing a behind-the-scenes look at Amazon's journey to excellence and its unwavering commitment to customer satisfaction. Every page of Working Backwards is a lesson in how to scale a business without losing sight of the core values that drive success.

• Essay: If you're interested in Bill Gates' vision of how AI will redefine our lives in the next five years, his recent essay is a must-read. He paints a future where chatting with your computer is as natural as talking to a friend, thanks to AI 'agents' that manage a variety of tasks without the need to switch between apps. These agents aren't just smarter versions of current technology; they're set to transform everything from healthcare to your evening movie picks, making our digital interactions simpler and more intuitive. Gates' blend of insight and imagination offers a fascinating glimpse into a future where technology seamlessly integrates into our daily lives.

• Spice: Turmeric, the golden gem of spices, isn't just a culinary delight; it's a powerhouse of health benefits, especially when teamed up with black pepper. The key ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, is a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, but it's not easily absorbed by the body on its own. Enter black pepper: its piperine significantly boosts curcumin absorption, amplifying turmeric's health benefits. So, a pinch of pepper in your turmeric-infused meals not only adds a flavorful zing but also ensures your body reaps the full wellness rewards of this ancient spice.

Trading Places | Amazon Prime

Weekly Muse

"Time is very slow for those who wait, very fast for those who are scared, very long for those who lament, very short for those who celebrate. But for those who love, time is eternal." -William Shakespeare

Real Estate

Savvy investors understand that real estate value isn’t just determined by rents and appreciation. Tax incentives embedded into certain property types enhance overall ROI. Accelerated depreciation and cost segregation studies boost paper losses, creating tax obligations well below true cash flow. And eligible projects can qualify for powerful development tax credits.Monetizing these credits unlocks significant untapped financial upside.

Many city and state sponsored redevelopment initiatives come bundled with transferable tax credits that subsidize qualifying projects. For example, rehabilitating historical buildings triggers Federal Historic Tax Credits up to 20% of costs. Affordable housing development offers credits up to 9% under the LIHTC program. Even environmental remediation, seismic retrofits and adaptive reuse conversions qualify for tax credits.

The scale of tax credit benefit is determined by total qualified project spending, allowing large redevelopment projects to accumulate millions in credits. While many developers lack sufficient tax liability to fully utilize credits, they can sell them to deep pocketed buyers. High net worth individuals and profitable corporations generate substantial annual tax exposure from businesses or investments, making them eager buyers of tax credits that directly offset obligations.

Structuring the legal transfer of tax credits requires specialized legal and financial expertise to navigate eligibility terms. But the payoff is well worth the effort. Monetized credits can contribute over 20% of total ROI apart from conventional metrics like cash flow and appreciation. Smart real estate investors model projected tax credits into early feasibility analyses, using the expected proceeds to enhance equity financing.

In today’s  market, being able to accurately value ancillary tax incentives can completely change the potential return on your investment . Tax motivated investors enjoy consistent, leveraged returns from assets that would otherwise sit idle or underutilized. In many ways, state and federal tax codes subsidize the price paid by savvy developers to unlock revitalization in underserved communities.

$11 mil for beachside bragging rights? This Ocean City, Maryland pad is where luxury meets "I've made it." Nestled in a community so exclusive, even the seagulls seem posh. The property boasts two boat slips, because one is just mainstream. Located just a hop from beaches, golf, and enough nightlife to make your Instagram sizzle, it's not a home, it's a lifestyle flex. Perfect for those who say, "Go big or go home" and mean it literally. (courtesy of Holiday Real Estate)

Interesting Find

The Great Pyramids of Giza are shrouded in mysteries and intriguing theories, especially the Pyramid of Khufu. While they are generally believed to be built by ancient Egyptians using ramps and manual labor, some fringe theories suggest extraterrestrial involvement or the work of a lost advanced civilization. The pyramids show extraordinary engineering feats, such as precise alignment with Orion's Belt and true north, and contain hidden chambers and passages whose purposes remain elusive. Thermal anomalies detected in 2015 and the transportation of massive stone blocks over long distances further add to the enigma. So, were the ancient Egyptians just master builders, or did they have help from cosmic construction consultants?

This is not an actual photo, but one that was totally A.I. generated using a prompt that I created with MidJourney 🤯