Five Things I’m Enjoying Right Now

Health

While I love coffee, I can’t drink it past 12pm otherwise I will pay the price with insomnia. But I love a warm drink especially during the winter months, so I turn to tea.

One I discovered recently is Green Tea with Coconut by Harney & Son’s, a family—owned local tea supplier here in the Hudson Valley. It is a combination of green tea, lemongrass, vanilla, coconut, and ginger, and tastes great in my opinion. In addition, green tea is recognized as one of the healthiest beverages you can drink.

Music

I’m a huge Marcus Miller fan (I was a bassist in my former career), and so whenever he releases a new album, I listen! His latest release “Laid Back” doesn’t disappoint, and I never tire of hearing his distinctive sound and musicality.

What do I listen to in the early morning hours while enjoying a cup of coffee? A favorite is “Mozart for Morning Coffee,” a great companion to the most creative part of the day for me.

Books

Atomic Habits by James Clear
Great book about the importance of habits and how they are the fundamental building blocks for growth and improvement in any area of your life. It’s filled with practical and science—based information, including how to form good habits and break bad ones. In terms of building your creative muscle, developing good daily habits is critical and this book is the best book on habit formation I’ve read. Highly recommended.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari
This is a profoundly wide-reaching book that is both thought provoking and illuminating. It’s a deep dive into the origins of our species, major periods of human development, and why we’ve had the greatest influence and impact on the planet, both good and bad, to date.

Gear

FLM Travel Tripod
I reviewed this tripod back in 2017, and after 12+ months of regular use, it still continues to be my favorite tripod when traveling light or hiking long distances. In addition, it doubles as my tripod when painting plein-air, so it’s become an indispensable part of my gear, regardless of the medium.

Inspiring Quote

“What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it.” – Unknown