Hi Everyone,

Happy Friday! Thanks for spending part of it reading The Lake Street Journal.

8 Musings on Men and America

I've shared some of Jon Finkel's writing in the past. I really enjoyed this piece from him with his reflections on a recent trip to some of our national parks.

Some of my fondest childhood memories are from family trips to national parks, and I hope to do a lot of the same with my kids. If you have similar memories or want to hit some national parks, I think you'll like this piece.

Daily Dad Gems

Ryan Holiday writes a wonderful newsletter called Daily Dad. It's a short article every day with stories and lessons that apply to parenting. I don't read it every day, but a couple pieces stuck with me this week.

The first was about understanding. It was a good reminder that kids often don't feel understood, and one of the great gifts you can give as a parent is striving to understand your children.

The other was about how fast every phase ends. As Holiday writes, "It’s a short period, you know, when the idea of sleeping on a pull-out coach in a hotel room is actually thrilling to them. It’s a short period when they get excited about going for a drive or going through a car wash. It’s a brief window when they want to play catch in the back yard or want you to tell them a story before bed. It’s not long that a $1 popsicle serves as motivation."

As someone with young kids, that's a reminder I need every day. I'm going to miss these moments.

Not every email is great. Not every one speaks to me. But if you're a parent, this is a newsletter worth adding to your regular rotation because some of them hit you just when you need it.

Books I Loved

If you're looking for a book recommendation, you're in luck. I've written a few articles on my favorite books, and this is the most recent.

Find all my other book recommendation articles linked at the bottom of this one.

Song of the Week

I've been a fan of The White Buffalo for more than ten years now. I've seen him live twice. I love most of his songs.

This week, I want you to check out The Pilot, one of my favorites by The White Buffalo. If you like this one, you'll love the rest of his music.

Quote of the Week

"If you wish to improve, be content to appear clueless or stupid in extraneous matters." - Epictetus

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Talk soon,

Joe