The Bible Talks A Lot About Thankfulness,

I Am Officially Jewish, But I’m Jewish In The Same Way The Olive Garden Is An Italian Restaurant.

A Few Weeks Later, I’m In A Fluorescent-lit Classroom In Chelsea Awaiting The Start Of The Official Mensa Test. I’m Sitting Next To A Guy Who’s Doing A Series Of Elaborate Neck Stretches, Like We’re About To Engage In A Vigorous Rugby Match. He’s Neatly Laid Out Four Types Of Gum On His Formica Desk: Juicy Fruit, Wrigley Spearmint, Big Red, And Eclipse. I Hate This Guy. I Hope To God He’s Not A Genius.

The Best We Can Do, To Paraphrase Pollan, Is To Eat Whole Foods, Mostly Plants, And Not Too Much.

If My Former Self And My Current Self Met For Coffee, They'd Get Along Ok, But They'd Both Probably Walk Out Of The Starbucks Shaking Their Heads And Saying To Themselves, “that Guy Is Kinda Delusional.”

The Year Showed Me Beyond A Doubt That Everyone Practices Cafeteria Religion... But The Important Lesson Was This: There's Nothing Wrong With Choosing. Cafeterias Aren't Bad Per Se... The Key Is In Choosing The Right Dishes. You Need To Pick The Nurturing Ones (compassion), The Healthy Ones (love Thy Neighbor), Not The Bitter Ones.