#281

Ashton Kutcher is a spokesman for the company I work for. He's a colorful actor, of course, but also a startup investor and consultant. He's outspoken about concepts like staying busy and working hard. Amen. He created, produced, and hosted the show 'Punk'd,' which I didn't particularly like but thought was bold. Kutcher's from Iowa City. M 'n' m have a munificent aunt and uncle in Iowa City, and enjoy family dogs and holidays there, and tolerate the glut of Hawkeye fans who march like ants to Kinnick on Saturdays, where the Hawks were undefeated in 2015, and should continue kicking ass in 2016. Ashton Kutcher said the following, and I will preach this to M 'n' m: "The sexiest thing in the entire world is being really smart, and being thoughtful, and being generous. Everything else is crap! I promise you! It's just crap that people try to sell you to make you feel like less! So don't buy it! Be smart, be thoughtful, and be generous." I hope M 'n' m know this, or learn it, find it, discover it, relearn it, keep it close. It's a process, a difficult one. And while I'm at it, I'll throw in this from Jim Carrey: "The effect you have on others is the most valuable currency there is. Because everything you gain in life will rot and fall apart, and all that will be left of you is what was in your heart." Can I get another AMEN! Carrey said this in Iowa, of course, at his 2014 commencement address at Maharishi University of Management. It's really a must-watch. I realize a guy could respond to this as nonsense from Kutcher and Carrey, "Easy for them to say. Haven't they had Demi Moore, Jenny McCarthy, and Mila Kunis for wives? Yes. Yes they have, and Lauren Holly, and probably others and more to come, but I can't assume any marriage – or life of fame or not-enough-fame – is easier than the rest. On the contrary. Run your own race; be thoughtful, be generous, and have a good effect on others.

Prince died. Nearly as iconic and innovative as Michael Jackson, he is known without exception by my generation. It's sad. Kurt Cobain, Scott Weiland, Michael Hutchence, Shannon Hoon, Layne Staley, Brad Nowell. Maybe being a rockstar isn't so easy or natural? Many survive it, but many do not.

Speaking of music, Michael's been downloading, converting, and compiling. He gave me a playlist on a USB memory stick for our minivan. (We are unabashedly, unashamedly minivan-ers now; the trunk is full of baseball and softball gear and muddy shoes and hoodies – the weather's been shit lately but we don't mind – and we can still taxi around six more teammates and friends and their gear.) The first song on Michael's playlist is 'Ode To My Family' by the Cranberries. It's a nice nod, from a good kid whose 'family' isn't so conventional these days. And I'm a fan of Delores O'Riordan and pretty much everyone from Ireland (Conor McGregor, Rory McIlroy, Liam Neeson, U2).