Mike Peterson

The ancient Greeks had four distinct words to express the nuances of love. “Eros” characterized love driven by lust and sexual passion, for example, and “storge” described the affectionate kind of love that, say, parents feel toward their offspring. Words give the world meaning. Every time we learn a new word, we add a new color to our palette. Not only can we better depict the world for others, but we can also better understand it ourselves.

For many of us, ordering wine in a restaurant is like shooting darts with our eyes closed. We set the bar quite low for ourselves when it comes to defining success, and often we’re content just to hit the board. We may aim for a delicious wine (and strive not to embarrass ourselves in the process), but how can we expect to consistently nail our target when we’re shooting blind?

Imagine that you’ve been dragged to a dinner party you really do not want to attend. Would you rather take an ice bath on a frigid winter morning than attend this party? Yes. Would you rather lose your significant other, who wants you to be there? Sadly … no.

You’re seated at an ivory table in an Ikea-furnished room. A mustached man in a tailcoat enters, and gently sets two unmarked bottles of wine down on the table along with a crystal tasting glass. He informs you in his thick German accent that one bottle is $5, and the other $50. He politely challenges you to taste them to identify the more expensive of the two.