Sometimes, something is said -- and without validation, it just becomes widely accepted as fact. For example, variations of, "Money can't buy happiness." Or, "Beyond [arbitrary number of dollars], money doesn't increase happiness." Or, for the truly wedged, "Kids who live on dirt floors and have nothing are just so happy.​" (If you really think that, you are wrong, and seriously need to check your privilege.)

So I went to this super epic camping party this weekend.​ (Just an hour from home, too -- I love discovering new adventures right in my own backyard.) There were burgers, guitars, and beautiful harmonies. I was just about to debut my new song, "Expats Are Expats for a Reason," when one of the trip organizers made an announcement:

We were to gather around the fire for group storytime. And during this storytime, I realized that if you're a feminist guy or a male ally or whatever... you kind of just can't win.

I’ve made, like, five new friends this month, just from flying on airplanes. I find it basically impossible not to meet cool people on airplanes, unless I actively choose not to (which I do, sometimes -- airplanes are also one place where I’m tremendously productive).

This has always been the case for me, and it's one of the best things about flying. Beyond learning interesting stuff about women's health, self-driving cars, forestry, and so much more... I've learned at least one important life lesson from which we can all benefit:

Too often, we don’t start a conversation… because we don’t know how. We all needlessly miss opportunities because we think we need some sort of “pickup line”... when, really, we don’t.

I was never a fan of "motivational speakers" -- I have plenty of motivation, and when I listen to someone talk, it's because I want to laugh or learn.

But I stumbled upon an inspirational talk by author Brené Brown a few years ago, and it made me laugh and learn so much that I've listened to it at least once per year since.

​Listen to it -- I guarantee you'll at least crack a smile.

Every year, countless college counselors and writing tutors tell high school seniors not to write about their teen travel tours and summer service trips...

​But this advice is shortsighted and wrong.

I know it's only June... but I think I'm ready to hand out my mother of the year award. Kirstie Allsopp, this trophy's for you!

Earlier this week, Allsopp told the Sun newspaper that she and her partner sometimes sit in the business class cabin, while her children, 10 and 12, sit in economy.​

Of course, the rage machine that is social media immediately lurched into action... but rather than apologize for something she shouldn't be sorry for, she defended her personal parenting decisions.

True fact: "bitchy" is a gender neutral term.

​And if you’re being passive aggressive, you’re being bitchy -- regardless of what’s in your pants.

And… it is my moral obligation -- to myself, to the speaker, and to society -- to ignore passive aggression.

Purdy, Persky -- what's the difference? 

13 Reasons Why covers tough topics, from bullying to sexual assault to teen suicide. The events in the show closely mirror many real-life events -- including several not-so-subtle nods to Brock Turner, a former swimmer who was caught by two graduate students raping an unconscious woman behind a dumpster on the Stanford campus.

And, of course, Judge Aaron Persky's ridiculously lenient sentence. Despite a prosecutor's belief that Turner should spend six years in prison, Persky deemed he would only serve six months in jail (in the end, Turner only served three months, before being released on probation).

Fun fact: a few weeks ago, I accidentally went to a Russian surf camp in Bali...

And it was one of the happiest mistakes I've made in my entire life! 

Being the only native English speaker at Endless Summer Surf Camp, I learned something other​ than surfing that will probably be beneficial for the rest of my life: 

If you turn on the news or login to Twitter, you may be overwhelmed by the crushing sense that our country is more divided than ever...

So let's celebrate the one thing we can ALL agree on: the driver always picks the music.