Don Hall 1/6/25 Don Hall 1/6/25

I Believe… [AI Roast]

...that having ChatGpt roast you is a wonderful window into how potentially full of shit you are. It is a dispassionate revealer of how you appear to the online world and stings while pulling the veil aside.

Don Hall 1/2/25 Don Hall 1/2/25

The Perils of Excess: When Liberal Progress Overreaches

“It isn’t that people don’t want progress. They just don’t want so much of it all at once.”

Don Hall 12/31/24 Don Hall 12/31/24

New Year’s Resolutions: A Savage Journey to the Heart of Self-Delusion

The concept of the New Year’s resolution is as American as apple pie and arterial blockages—a ritualistic spectacle of good intentions dressed up in cheap tinsel and wishful thinking.

Don Hall 12/30/24 Don Hall 12/30/24

I Believe… [Googly Eyes]

...that ownership and use of Googly Eyes as a man approaching 60 is a sign of an absolute refusal to grow old. Older, sure. Not old.

Don Hall 12/23/24 Don Hall 12/23/24

I Believe… [The Reese’s Takeover]

...that, if taken through the lens of truck stops and gas stations throughout the Midwest, Reese’s has taken over the world.

Don Hall 12/17/24 Don Hall 12/17/24

ON SOLO TIME

There’s a weird and persistent cultural myth that being alone is inherently bad—like solitude is something that happens to you, not something you choose.

Don Hall 12/16/24 Don Hall 12/16/24

I Believe… [Follow the Money]

...that the most body positive corporations on the planet are McDonald’s, Frito-Lay, and Kraft.

Don Hall 12/9/24 Don Hall 12/9/24

I Believe… [Love Actually?]

...that my favorite part of Love Actually (which, mind you, is like declaring my favorite part of a Sizzler sald bar) is the story about the aging rockstar who realizes he’d rather spend Christmas with his loyal friend than party with Elton John.

Don Hall 12/4/24 Don Hall 12/4/24

On Gratitude

But gratitude isn’t just about the big, existential stuff. It’s also in the details—the smell of gasoline on a cold morning, the sting of whiskey after a long day, the way the world looks at 4:00am when you’re too wired to sleep.

Don Hall 12/2/24 Don Hall 12/2/24

I Believe… [The Paradox of Wisdom]

...that good judgement comes from experience and experience comes from poor judgement.

Don Hall 11/28/24 Don Hall 11/28/24

From the Archives: Unpacking Branson: A Thanksgiving Improbability

For Thanksgiving in 2012, I was single and Mom decided that I should come out to my step-sister's place in Branson, Missouri for a good old-fashioned country Thanksgiving. The carrot was family. The stick was Missouri.

Don Hall 11/25/24 Don Hall 11/25/24

I Believe… [Intensity vs Depth]

...that intense and deep aren’t the same thing even if you’ve convinced yourself they are. Intense is momentary and fleeting; deep is the result of time and energy.

Don Hall 11/18/24 Don Hall 11/18/24

I Believe… [Banquet Platters]

...that few things are more appealing than leftover banquet platters.

Don Hall 11/11/24 Don Hall 11/11/24

I Believe… [Wrecking Ball]

...that, when coming in and making sweeping changes in an organization, it’s best to Miley Cyrus that shit and wrecking ball the place.

Don Hall 11/4/24 Don Hall 11/4/24

I Believe… [Too Much Absence]

...that some absence makes the heart grow fonder; too much absence makes the heart forget.

Don Hall 10/29/24 Don Hall 10/29/24

The Why Behind the What

Therapy has its place, sure, but it shouldn’t replace the old-fashioned methods of dealing with life. Sometimes, a stiff upper lip, a little perspective, and a strong drink are all you really need.

Don Hall 10/28/24 Don Hall 10/28/24

I Believe… [In Live Music]

...that music, like sex, sports, and theater, is best enjoyed live.

Don Hall 10/21/24 Don Hall 10/21/24

I Believe… [Spiteful Electioneering]

...that among the worst rationales for voting, the vote for spite is right up at the top.

Don Hall 10/7/24 Don Hall 10/7/24

I Believe… [Downshifting]

...that learning to downshift is more difficult than it seems but is a skill well worth mastering.

Don Hall 9/30/24 Don Hall 9/30/24

I Believe… [Expanding Empathy]

...that the people you encounter whose very existence challenges your worldview are an opportunity to expand rather than contract your empathy and common understanding.