One of my biggest, stupidest problems is that I really struggle to make meals for myself.

For a long time, I thought it was laziness. But I am a hard worker in many areas of my life. If anything, it seemed to have more to do with weak planning and a lack of prioritization.

While it’s been fun having a wide array of culinary choices at my disposal in the fabulous Atlanta restaurant scene over the past few months (plus, living alone so that I could eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted), I finally got to the point that I didn’t want to eat out anymore.

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It’s a weird thing to be cast in the role of naysayer on someone’s journey to greatness.

I believe that people can achieve great things if they have the belief in their ability to do so and a strong plan to back it up.

However, having only the belief isn’t always enough. The enthusiasm and motivation will peter out with repeated exposure to hardship if a person isn’t prepared for that.

As a teacher and coach, I’ve sometimes been the one to suggest that someone modify their plan or pursue an incremental goal on the way to the massive, ground-breaking, world-shaking achievement they are seeking. These suggestions are not always welcome. My character is definitely not making it to the second act when this story is turned into a movie.

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The other day, I had the longest day of driving I’ve ever experienced, and I did it solo.

I hit the road at 6:30 AM and reached my destination at around 9:30 PM, with a little over an hour’s worth of stops.

Miraculously, I was never drowsy and didn’t get too hungry. My energy was good the whole time. I had the option of stopping, but I just felt like driving. By the time night fell, I was so close to the end that the momentum carried me along.

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A friend’s daughter, a first-grader, was invited to do math with the second graders at the start of the school year.

My friend was conflicted about it. She, herself, skipped fourth grade math and still remembers the feeling of being lost and confused in fifth grade math and resented for the privilege. She was worried that her daughter would have the same experience.

The way school subjects are organized in the American system contributes to these kinds of age vs. ability conflicts. Students are expected to move in lock-step with their cohort, regardless of whether they understand the material. If they don’t, they will be with kids of a different age, which has the potential to cause social problems and still doesn’t guarantee that they’ll have their academic needs met.

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Every aspiring classical pianist wants to learn to play Beethoven’s “Für Elise.” Some two hundred years after its composition, it’s still irresistible. And the good news is that the well-known theme is very simple. The harmony consists of only four chords, meaning that it can be taught by rote. The hands don’t play together very much — they just overlap. In other words, you can show someone how to play it even if they don’t read music and don’t have a lot of experience.

What many people don’t realize is that “Für Elise” has two other themes that are lesser known than the iconic A-section. These parts are not for beginners.

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