Yesterday, I asked a simple question on Facebook and Twitter:
“Recommend something to me. I don’t care what it is… just anything you love.”
The response was overwhelming. I got recommendations for everything from music to products, podcasts and places to visit, things I should experience and overall life advice. What was most fascinating to me was how much other people benefited from these recommendations. Most of the recommendations sparked little micro-conversations in the comments where people expressed agreement, discussed similar recommendations, or simply said thank you.
Isn’t it surprising what you can learn from your friends?
In that spirit, I decided to collect all of those fascinating recommendations here so that other people can benefit from them. Please feel free to share anything you’d like to recommend in the comments.
Music
- Petra – Joe Butler
- House of Heroes – Doug Schaefer
- Rejoice by Dustin Kensrue – JoAnne Beasley
- Stuck by The Aces – Andrew Gregory
- The Alan Parsons Project: Tales of Mystery and Imagination – Paul Stern
- Shadows by The Midnight – Todd Asmus
- Wider Than The Sky by 40 Watt Sun – Paul Patton
- Known by Tauren Wells – Lyle & Becky Hartwell
- Willis Alan Ramsey by Willis Alan Ramsey – Chuck Green
- Once by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova – Chuck Green
- Harry Chapin – Meredith Marsh
- Serenade For Strings in E major Op.22 by Antonín Dvořák – Andy Martin
- “Dinner Jazz” station on Pandora – Jay Cornelius
- Channel 18 (“The Beatles Channel”) on SiriusXM – Will Kessel
Television
- The Path (Hulu) – Kinsey Dickey
- Chef’s Table (Netflix) – Kayla Simmons
- White Collar – Tom Pfannkoch
- Batman (Adam West-era) – Nancy McGrath
Movies
- Speed Racer (Wachowski version, 2008) – Daniel Truman
- The Greatest Showman (2017)– JoAnn Beasley / Sarah Trop / Lyle & Becky Hartwell
- Tootsie (1982) – Nancy McGrath
YouTube
- Lazy Game Reviews (channel) – Paul Stern
- La Blogotheque (channel) – Paul Stern
- Learn Liberty (channel) – Andrew Colclough
Books
- The Red Rising Trilogy – Sarah Rummens
- Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle – Aimee French
- Clan of the Cavebear series – Pamela Spicer
- Institutes of Elenctic Theology by Francis Turretin – Peter Van Kleeck
- On Writing by Steven King – Marc Hemeon
- Dark Nights of the Soul: A Guide to Finding Your Way Through Life’s Ordeals by Thomas Moore – Dan Murray
- The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson – Jonathan Moore
- The Spirit Flyer series by John Bibee –
Podcasts
- The Pivot – Carrie Givens
- Song Exploder – Paul Stonier
- On Being – Ruthanna Marie Wilkerson
- Baan Dek Montessori – Leslie Jensen-Inman
Food / Drink
- Entube Harissa chili paste – Chuck Green
- Dave’s Killer Bread – Dan Gallo
- Ballast Point Sculpin Grapefruit Beer – Kevin Seese
- Pierre Hermé’s macarons – Kayla Simmons
- Chocolate Cake (recipe) – Maria McCall
- Chameleon Cold Brew Coffee – Ruthanna Marie Wilkerson
- Trader Joe’s Milk Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies By Laceys – Faith Conaway
- Döner kebab – Andrew Hahn
- Fresh pasta – Chris Fullman
- Homemade peach cobbler – Robin Brennan
- Homemade soup – Honour Ruffer
- Pickles (for breakfast) – Daniel Gottschall
- Bubble Tea – Mike Tompkins
- Avocado and toasted walnut sushi roll – Pamela Spicer
- Hass Avocados – Dan Sardinas
- Tacos al Pastor – Bob Patterson
- Korean BBQ – Amber Carter
Products / Services
- Leatherman Skeletool – Dan Wolfgang
- Codenames! (board game) – Amy Brandt
- Sublime Text (text editor) – Ken Edwards
- The Blockheads (video game) – Chris Harrison
- Splendor (board game) – Amber Carter
- Machi Koro (board game) – Amber Carter
- Pentel Sharp Kerry mechanical pencil – Chuck Green
- Burt’s Bees Lip Balm – Lyle & Becky Hartwell
- Youtube TV – Jack Carpenter
- Fair Trade Friday – Kate Lightcap
- AirPods – Mark Johnson
- A quality espresso machine – Josh King
- Plexus – Christy Holter / Lara Priest
- Essential oils (frankincense, lavender, lemon, lemongrass) – Anna Port
- School supplies – Toni King
Places
- Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot (restaurant) – Tiffany Lambert
- kru Coffee in Saratoga, NY – Justin Huestis
- Zion and Bryce National Parks in Utah – Julie Clum
- Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY (at the start of baseball season) – Tom Nardacci
- Vinalhaven Island in Knox County, Maine – Chuck Green
- Hawaii – Gina Sullivan
- Iowa – Amy Brandt
- The Middle East – Tami Stroud
Experiences
- Fire breathing – Jared Young
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – Mike Rentas
- Oil painting – Dave Therio
- Crocheting – Adene Karhan
- Walks in the wild – Lizzy Kuhlken
- New pillows – Pamela Spicer
- Massage – Deborah Elizabeth Lmt
- Rent cabins/tents for the entire family – Bj Stevens
- Send snail mail! – Anne-Marie Bailey
- Yoga and naps in sunlight – Kelly Cooper
- Waterfalls – Katie Beth Hostetter
- Snuggling squirrels – Sarah Bella
- Snuggling puppies – Pamela Spicer
- Snuggling kittens – Heather Adair
Advice
- “Take video of the most ordinary parts of your family life. (Those are what you will want to remember most.)” – Sheryl Logatto
- “Eat calories that don’t count.” – Honour Ruffer
- “Do more with less.” – Jack Lim-Kilburn
- “Buy low. Sell high.” – John Norris
- “Sleep.” – Gedy Leon
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P.S. Thanks to Jonathan Stark for the inspiration for the question!
