By David Himmel

• The best way to overcome your internal panic is to change your perspective. But that requires breaking away from who you are. And everyone needs a vacation from their self every once and a while.

• I hold a lot of unpopular opinions. Here’s a few: There’s a strong case for Obama being a war criminal; Hamilton is an overrated musical; The Happy Birthday song should be sung at an upbeat tempo.

• I have a closet full of luggage stuffed with grudges. But I’m such a fantastic packer that the grudges don’t weigh me down or hold me up, and there’s always room for more.

• Ironically, vices keep me loose. And that’s the problem.

• All the world’s a stage, but all the people in it are not your audience.

• Sleep is good for us. What awaits us when we wake may not be. To paraphrase the Boy Scout motto, be prepared for the shit show.