“The top emotion people struggle with (more than a quarter in my study) is fear, followed by sadness and shame. Brian Wecht, a Harvard- and MIT-trained theoretical physicist from Pennsylvania who stepped down from his tenured professorship to devote himself to his comedy rock band, Ninja Sex Party, feared humiliation. ‘If I take the leap and it fails,’ he thought, ‘I may be throwing away my entire future for this weird YouTube career.’ Finally, he decided, ‘I’d rather live with fear and failure than safety and regret.’ The band’s next album reached the ‘Billboard’ Top 20.” My friend Bruce Feiler on my friend Brian Wecht (and others). Learning to Conquer Life’s Crises.

+ My friend the excellent Jessi Hempel talks to my friend the amazing Lindsay Harrison. In the Room Where It Happens with Lindsay Harrison. (What we’ve learned so far is that these people have no taste in friends.)

+ “Hi, my name is Brayden Harrington, and I’m 13 years old, and without Joe Biden I wouldn’t be talking to you today. About a few months ago, I met him in New Hampshire. He told me that we were members of the same club.” Brayden Harrington, a boy with a stutter, gave a gripping convention speech. (On the other hand…)

+ An Iowa restaurant owner is giving out 400 free BBQ meals every day to storm victims.

+ West Side Teens Transform Liquor Store Into Fresh Food Market.

+ USA’s first male ‘murder hornet’ captured in Washington state. They should throw the book at him. Or even just drop the book on him.

+ “A local corn-loving crew was quickly dispatched to the scene of the crime and efforts to save the patient began.” Hope lives: 57th Street corn transplanted. (I love a corny ending.)