• How I Feel About Stoicism

    How I Feel About Stoicism

    I recently finished Ryan Holiday’s “The Obstacle Is the Way,” a very popular self-help book about modern stoicism, and I’m scratching my head. It’s a good book — I highlighted many passages that seemed written expressly for me — but I disagree with the premise. The author seems to say that…

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  • A Cheesesteak Is a Hug in Sandwich Form

    A Cheesesteak Is a Hug in Sandwich Form

    When our MLK weekend plans fell through, the Complimentary Spouse and I called an audible and booked a last-minute trip to Philadelphia. Not only would it give us a chance to catch up with good friends, but also the opportunity to scarf down as many cheesesteaks as possible in 48…

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  • I’m Not Just Sure. I’m Covid Positive!

    I’m Not Just Sure. I’m Covid Positive!

    There hasn’t been much activity here on The Daily Dave recently because I am the newest member of — drumroll, please — the Covid Breakthrough Case Club. Despite two vaccine shots and a booster, I tested positive for Covid on Wednesday afternoon. Here are the answers to the questions everyone…

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  • The Ninth Wonder of the World!

    The Ninth Wonder of the World!

    The Complimentary Spouse and I put up our Christmas tree last night, and can you guess who our favorite Disney character is? Hint: We call him Jumbo Jr., not the horrible nickname given to him by bullies.

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  • Pix Just for Kicks

    One of the most delightful things about the Photos app on my iPhone is how it will automatically generate videos based on my photos and videos. “Hey, Dave,” the phone seems to be telling me. “Here’s a cool reminder of a special time, person, or place.” This feature is called…

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  • Every Fog Has its Day

    Every Fog Has its Day

    I have seen fog three times this week. Each time, this Carl Sandburg poem came to mind: The fog comes on little cat feet. It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches and then moves on. “Fog” by Carl Sandburg There is indeed beauty in fog, but there are plenty of other…

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  • The Cards Are Stacked Against Us

    The Cards Are Stacked Against Us

    Hi there, greeting card companies! There are millions of Jews in the United States1, and I’m willing to bet that nearly all of us celebrate Hanukkah in some fashion. Why, then, do you put so little time and effort into Hanukkah cards? Every year, without fail, we’re disappointed to go…

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  • You Can Take the Boy out of Britain, but You Can’t Take Britain Out of His Vocabulary

    You Can Take the Boy out of Britain, but You Can’t Take Britain Out of His Vocabulary

    The first time I told the Complimentary Spouse I felt “a bit peckish,” he looked at me quizzically and asked what he had done wrong. His response confused me. Why would he think I was accusing him of something when I only wanted a snack? It turns out that he…

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  • The Sounds of Hanukkah

    The Sounds of Hanukkah

    It’s Hanukkah! Let’s celebrate with a few non-terrible Hanukkah songs. The first is “Puppy for Hanukkah” by the incomparable Daveed Diggs, best known for “Hamilton.” Neither Lucy nor Linus are Hanukkah puppies, but they get Hanukkah gifts each year. Linus doesn’t like to share toys, and Lucy has a flazéda…

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  • Turkey Pot, Turkey Pot, Turkey Pot Pie

    Turkey Pot, Turkey Pot, Turkey Pot Pie

    The Complimentary Spouse usually takes care of all the cooking here at Camp David but, after watching him hard at work all day yesterday for Thanksgiving, I decided it was finally my turn to make dinner. I promise Principal Skinner’s recipe for steamed hams never crossed my mind. After researching…

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