Good morning everyone, and TGIFAWLIAWWB (Thank God It’s Friday And We Live In A World With Butter).
Important announcement: I’ve created a ROB playlist. After my wedding playlist hit the streets, the people demanded more, praising my musical distinction. At first, I told Alexandra I didn’t want to share any more playlists because I liked the concept of gatekeeping my superior taste. It was for me and a select group of aficionados alone. Running On Snobbery, if you will.
But then I realized it was selfish to withhold this gift—which sometimes feels like a burden, you know?—from those of you who still listen to the same seven songs from junior year of high school.
I have many friends who fall into this camp. I am speaking to you.
If you still think Maroon 5 circa 2013 is acceptable, you’re part of the problem. If you think “Dude Perfect Radio” is fine, you’re the target audience. If you find yourself turning on Rachel Platten’s Fight Song for a dose of inspiration, you, my friend, are in dire need of this playlist.
This playlist is the current soundtrack Alexandra and I have on for evenings cooking dinner and drives through the desert.
Critical note: This playlist does not include my favorite genres—classical, Celtic, and also jazz standards. I don’t think those styles lend themselves particularly well to a playlist. Instead, this collection leans heavily into indie pop and folk.
And a fair warning: this is very much cool music. It’s not the Von Trapps, nor is it the Gettys. This is just good, cool music.
If it’s not your taste, drop a recommendation. I will listen—and judge.
For those interested in exploring my core musical tastes, I recommend starting with these three albums, one from each genre. Consider them the three strands of my musical DNA.
If you’re wondering why the butter guy is telling you to listen to music, it’s because we hold a firm belief here at ROB that music plays a central role in living an abundant, healthy life.
God did not create Spotify so you could drive to work, cook dinner, write a blog post, or fall in love in silence.
In today’s letter, we’re talking about a new turmeric’s cancer-fighting study, America’s rise in Olympic weightlifting, a remarkable MLB underdog story, Crumbl’s cookie crumble, why seven days of strength training can change your fat cells, declining enthusiasm for IVF, and Blue Bottle Coffee’s return to real milk. Plus, AI is coming for mathematicians, Running On Salmon, and the Chicago Marathon could be one for the record books.
