In Britain we cling to the idea that you can be or do anything in life so long as you put your mind to it.
At the Livingston discussion, Dr. Caroline Silby, a sports psychologist and author, said this: "Becoming the best is a process, whether you're becoming the best child you can be or becoming the best champion you can be".
These days, you can be (or turn a loved one into) any kind of Santa you like — a Thomas Nast Victorian model, a tropical Santa in fur shorts, or a "Sexy Plus Size Santa's Sweetie," but is this really how you want to spend your holiday?
Maybe your song is about being the best parent you can be, or the best teacher, lover, listener, friend, sister, brother, neighbor.
"Son, because being a man is NOT about how loud you can yell or how hurtful you can be or how hard you can hit something or someone.
In a hyper-connected world where you date through OkCupid, talk with your family on Skype, catch up with your friends on Facebook, and engage the like-minded on Twitter, it's hard to imagine you can be, or need to be, even more connected.
You can be earnest or flippant, plainspoken or baroque, blunt or coy, dilettante or geek.
In fashion, you can be weird or edgy or cool and still be considered beautiful.
You can be happy or successful or whatever, but that thing still stays within you.
You can be gay, or pro-choice or an atheist and still agree with conservative principles".
You can be playful or extravagant, you can be artistic, or you can indulge in bad puns, as I did for Bobby.
