Happy Birthday California! Admitted to the Union on Sept. 9, 1850

We have been experiencing lock down for so long we have begun to forget some of the amazing places there are, not far from LA. When suitable, I highly recommend heading north-west on the 101 freeway for about 2 hours.

It's happened to me more times than I care to remember. I reach the voicemail of a colleague’s phone excited to share a business idea that I believe is a win/win for both of us and then never hear back. I email a fellow entrepreneur I admire with a request to meet for a coffee and catch up only to have my gracious offer fall on deaf ears. And this doesn’t just occur in my professional life. I’ll call a friend I haven’t seen in a while genuinely eager to reconnect and then place a personal bet as to how long it will take before (or, if) they’ll return the sentiment.

September and Labor Day suggest “end of summer” though we in southern California know that the season isn’t over, with many more days and weeks of intense heat waves. It was always dreaded returning to school in September, though lately it’s been in August for many students. With that in mind considering current closures of most campuses returning to the real classroom would be so welcome for the instruction, camaraderie, cultural/aesthetic aspects and sports activities.

Adventure is best experienced firsthand, but the next best thing is a well-written tale that takes you along for the ride vicariously. Forbes magazine has listed these seven books which come in many forms, from an exploration of urban subterranean landscapes to an Oregon man’s struggle to protect the world’s last, best stronghold for salmon in the Russian Far East.