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Over the years of hunting down the true tools, I have noticed a pattern among the those that earn their place: they offer simplicity and reliability. These are not gadgets promising to revolutionise your life through complexity. They are not systems requiring elaborate maintenance or steep learning curves. They are foundational tools and habits that quietly-and without fuss-ease daily life.

— Nicholas Bate, The Tools of Excellence: Seventy Devices, Concepts or Strategies which enable Brilliance, Easily.

Her Serious Face

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Ever since she was a little kid, when Beatrix is having the most fun ever — the time of her life — her face is serious. No smiles or laughter. No wide-eyed wonderment. Dead serious. It remains that way to this day. If her face looks like this, she’s having a blast.

This was her at Mardi Gras in New Orleans watching a parade. Loving every second. Serious.

Seeing Hamilton or Hadestown (with the original casts, no less) on Broadway? Serious.

Seeing Frozen at five years old? Very serious.

When we were first noticing this, we’d stop to ask her, “Is everything OK honey?”

“Yeah! Why?”

Beatrix is one book you should never judge by her cover.

I’m still stuck on the wonder that we can get turn by turn directions almost anywhere on the planet for any mode of transportation available to us including our feet!

Way more amazing and useful to me than anything AI currently offers.

I love running errands with you. I’m really going to miss it when I’m gone next year.

— Beatrix, age 17 5/6.

(This whole going off to college thing is really beginning to sink in for us.)

Thought: In this day and age, lack of confidence in one’s ability to do anything is really just a manifestation of fear. All of the world’s knowledge is available to us in just a few clicks. You can learn anything you don’t know. If you have the time, energy, and desire, you can do it.

Some things to note about these senior photos of Beatrix…

Photo Nov 26 2025, 4 57 11 PM.

Five generations of her family attended convocation in this chapel.

Photo Nov 26 2025, 4 52 38 PM.

Her Great Grandmother’s ashes were scattered at the base of this tree.

Photo Nov 26 2025, 4 59 39 PM.

These were taken by her aunt, my sister, Patrice in New Orleans.

Photo Nov 26 2025, 4 49 53 PM.

They capture her well.

I just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone reading the happiest of this holiday season. Times are complicated and sometimes everything seems so hard. Yet, in the past few days I’ve experienced heartfelt joy, unexpected wonder, and moments I’ll always treasure. I’m grateful for it all.