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Everything — housing, food, drinks, activities — is more expensive. Places are harder to get tables at, harder to get into. Lines are longer. But isn’t that part of the thrill? That this love is never totally requited?

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Millions of people want to be in the NBA. But only 500 or so people each year have what it takes to be in the NBA. And you know what? Half those players are on the bench all the time. This is how everything works and odds are that you aren’t talented enough to make it as a writer, a top-tier surgeon or lawyer, entrepreneur, or whatever.

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Reportedly, the Chinese company was so good at the man’s job that he won numerous awards and got jobs at other firms, which he outsourced as well.

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Fear of the unknown — the as-yet-unimagined craziest ever Starbucks patron — is really the only drawback of Starbucks-as-office. The Internet will never not work, and the coffee is always the same: flavorless, with a vaguely plastic aftertaste, and lovably strong.

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July 18: Premier of spouse’s off-off-off-Broadway play. Subject matter too personal to invite co-workers to performance. (One day off).

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I came away from Inventing David Geffen both inspired and flummoxed. I still don’t really understand how one person can accomplish all that he has.

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Unless you work at MTV (where I’ve heard tales of cocaine in the bathrooms and live penguins serving as waiters), your company Christmas party may seem like an event where you can let loose just a little. NOT SO. Do not be fooled!

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My father’s first love was chemistry. He figured out he wanted to be a scientist way before he could finish his first chapter book and proceeded to make himself that, and hasn’t stopped working since.

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You never “clock out” when you’re in grad school. I mean, yeah, you have to go to seminars and everything, but in general you pick your own seminars which is kind of like picking your own hours. There’s no time sheet, and you don’t have any jealous co-workers monitoring where you are. That sort of freedom is priceless.

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Responding to people who text you as promptly as you can, within reason. No one likes to be left hanging on a “what’s up” for three hours.