Welcome to the Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, Andrew McGivern, for September 17th.Today is National Apple Dumpling Day, a celebration that perfectly captures the essence of autumn's arrival. As the weather begins to cool and apple orchards reach their peak harvest, there's something deeply satisfying about this humble yet comforting dessert.Apple dumplings have a fascinating history – the term first appeared in print back in the 1500s, and many food historians believe they originated in England before spreading across Europe and eventually to America. What makes apple dumplings special is their simplicity and warmth. It's essentially an entire apple wrapped in pastry, filled with cinnamon and spices, then baked until golden. It's comfort food at its most elemental – taking something pure and natural like an apple and surrounding it with care and warmth.There's something beautifully symbolic about apple dumplings. They represent transformation – taking simple, everyday ingredients and turning them into something that brings joy and comfort to others.Today's quote comes from food writer M.F.K. Fisher, who said:"First we eat, then we do everything else."Fisher's simple yet profound observation captures something essential about what food means to us – and what apple dumplings represent. Food isn't just fuel for our bodies; it's the foundation for connection, comfort, and community.Think about apple dumplings specifically. They're not a quick snack or a fancy dessert meant to impress. They're the kind of food that requires time and intention. Someone has to peel the apples, roll the dough, carefully wrap each dumpling with care. It's an act of love disguised as baking.When we share apple dumplings, we're sharing more than sugar and spice. We're sharing warmth, tradition, and the simple pleasure of something made by hand. Fisher understood that eating together – really eating together – is how we create the foundation for everything else meaningful in our lives.The apple dumpling reminds us that some of life's greatest pleasures come not from complexity, but from taking simple, good things and treating them with care and attention. The apple was already perfect – the dumpling just gives it a warm embrace.So today... how can you create space today for the kind of nourishment that goes beyond just feeding your body? Maybe it's taking time for a real lunch instead of eating at your desk. Maybe it's cooking something simple but made with care. Maybe it's sharing a meal with someone you care about.You don't have to make apple dumplings – though if you do, I'm sure the people in your life would be delighted. The key is remembering that food is one of our most powerful tools for creating connection and comfort.What would change if you approached one meal today with the same intention and care that goes into making apple dumplings?That's going to do it for today. I'm Andrew McGivern signing off for now, but I'll be back tomorrow, same pod time, same pod station with another Daily Quote.

Welcome to the Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, Andrew McGivern, for September 16th.Today is National Play-Doh Day, and before you dismiss this as just another silly holiday, hear me out. Play-Doh has one of the most fascinating origin stories in the world of toys. It wasn't originally intended to be a children's plaything at all – it started life in the 1950s as wallpaper cleaner. But when Cincinnati-based company Kutol was struggling to sell their cleaning product, they pivoted and remarketed it as a modeling compound for children.That pivot saved the company and gave the world something magical. Play-Doh has been sparking creativity in children and adults for over 70 years now. It's malleable, forgiving, and endlessly transformable – qualities that make it the perfect metaphor for human potential.Today's quote comes from writer Anne Lamott, who said:"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you."Lamott's wisdom perfectly captures what makes Play-Doh so therapeutic and transformative. Think about it - when we're stressed, overwhelmed, or stuck, what do we often need most? A reset. A chance to unplug from the complexity and return to something simple and tactile.Play-Doh offers exactly that kind of reset. There's something profoundly calming about working with your hands, shaping something physical, creating without pressure. It pulls you out of your head and into the present moment. Your breathing slows down, your shoulders relax, and suddenly problems that seemed insurmountable start to feel more manageable.The beauty of Play-Doh is that it forces you to slow down. You can't rush clay - you have to work with it, respond to it, let it teach you what it wants to become. In our hyperconnected, always-on world, that kind of analog experience is incredibly valuable. It's a form of unplugging that doesn't require a meditation app or a weekend retreat - just your hands and some colorful clay.When you roll that Play-Doh back into a ball and start fresh, you're practicing one of life's most important skills: the ability to begin again, to approach familiar challenges with renewed energy and perspective.What dreams or projects have you been approaching with doubt instead of belief? What would change if you brought the same confident imagination to your goals that a child brings to a lump of Play-Doh?Maybe there's an idea you've been dismissing as too simple or too ambitious. Maybe there's a conversation you've been avoiding because you don't believe it will go well. Maybe there's a creative pursuit you've put off because you don't believe you have the talent.Today, try believing in the possibility first and let that belief guide your actions. Remember – Play-Doh started as wallpaper cleaner. Sometimes the most extraordinary things come from believing ordinary materials can become something magical.That's going to do it for today. I'm Andrew McGivern, signing off for now. But I'll be back tomorrow. Same pod time, same pod station with another Daily Quote.

Welcome to the Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, Andrew McGivern, for September 15th.Today is International Dot Day, a global celebration that might sound simple, but carries profound meaning. International Dot Day began when teacher Terry Shay introduced his classroom to Peter H. Reynolds' book The Dot on September 15, 2009. The story follows a young girl named Vashti who believes she can't draw. Her teacher encourages her to just make a mark and see where it takes her. That single dot becomes the beginning of an artistic journey.What started as one teacher inspiring creativity in his classroom has now become a global celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration observed in schools and communities worldwide.Today's quote comes from Vincent van Gogh, who wrote in a letter to his brother:"Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together."Van Gogh's words capture the essence of International Dot Day perfectly. Think about it – every masterpiece, every breakthrough, every moment of creative genius starts with something incredibly small. A single brushstroke. A simple mark. A dot.In The Dot, young Vashti learns this exact lesson. Her teacher doesn't ask her to paint the Sistine Chapel – just to make a mark and see where it takes her. That one small dot becomes the foundation for discovering her artistic voice.Van Gogh himself understood this deeply. His iconic paintings weren't created through grand gestures, but through thousands of individual brushstrokes, each one a small decision, a tiny mark that contributed to something greater. Each dot of paint in "Starry Night," each careful stroke in his sunflowers – small things brought together to create lasting beauty.The same principle applies to every area of life. Want to write a book? Start with a sentence. Want to get healthier? Start with one walk. Want to learn something new? Start with one lesson. The dot isn't the destination – it's the beginning of the journey.As you go about your Sunday, think about Van Gogh's wisdom: great things are built from small things brought together. What's one small mark you can make today toward something that matters to you?Maybe it's writing one paragraph of that story you've been thinking about. Maybe it's taking one photo for that project you want to start. Maybe it's making one phone call to reconnect with someone you miss.Remember – Van Gogh didn't become Van Gogh overnight. He became Van Gogh one brushstroke at a time, one dot at a time, one small decision at a time.Thanks for starting your day with The Daily Quote. I'm Andrew McGivern. Signing off for now, but I'll be back tomorrow, same pod time, same pod station with another Daily Quote.