Ships like the MSC Seascape are a big reason why Rees is having so much fun. “The difference in the cruise business from a few years ago is that now the attraction is the ship,” Rees notes. Galveston is home to some of the newest and most beautiful ships sailing today, including the newly built Carnival Jubilee, the Norwegian Prima and Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class Harmony of the Seas.

If I am forced to arrive at a single takeaway from my conversation with Leeanne Gardner, it would be authenticity. It’s not often one encounters someone like Leeanne. She’s an open book, as cliché as that sounds. Whereas in today’s world, closed or slightly ajar books are typically the norm, Leeanne embraces her true character and is unwavering in her desire to bring about the same in everyone she meets.

Paul Herrera runs Everything LifeSaving. Together with Freya and business partners Josh Cooke, and Brandon Whorton, Everything LifeSaving is a disaster preparedness and humanitarian aid organization. Paul, Josh, and Brandon are veterans who have now dedicated their crafts to preparing those living in disaster-prone areas and providing relief in affected areas. The company was founded to benefit returning veterans to civilian life. In partnership with the Field Innovation Team, the two groups raise funds for humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and help to acquire more equipment to help and assist communities. Their bread and butter are training first responders, providing emergency housing logistics, aiding in search and rescue, providing hygiene and food service logistics, and assisting emergency management agencies.

An age-old game, “What Would You,” locks you into a binary. Yet, life is far from binary choices. In fact, life is chock-full of astronomical highs and earth-crushing lows, with a wide swath of grey in between. “What would you” is so appealing because you’ll never encounter such whimsical binary options in life. You will encounter rollercoasters that’ll whip you about and can only be ridden successfully by calling on one very important attribute - resiliency.

As Clint Eastwood avowed in the acclaimed The Bridges of Madison County, “this kind of certainty comes but just once in a lifetime.” The Northside Café, the very café from the Oscar-nominated movie, is certain of one thing – simply taking it in the face from Corona will be the death of this industry. The 144-year-old café is releasing, “The Novel Corona Cookbook,” with proceeds to support the café and other emblematic Mom & Pop restaurants like it nationwide.