I’m standing on the beach this morning realizing that we’re in one of the two seasons we have here in Los Angeles: smoggy and smoggier. Right now we’re in smoggier season.

Last night I was standing on the beach talking to one of my neighbors and we were marveling at the beautiful red sunset. In New Orleans, the sunsets were orange.

When you see a bright red sunset, you should think it’s pretty but you should also be thinking “I’m breathing all that in.” On the east coast, it’s called “the horizon.” On the west coast, it’s call “the smogizon.” During smoggier season, the air gets thick and it’s even hard to take a breath in certain parts of Los Angeles.

Why am I sharing this with all of you? Well, because I figured somewhere in Los Angeles there is someone who has an excuse not to be out there today meeting people. They’re thinking, “I can’t meet someone today. It’s smoggy. I can’t talk to someone when it’s smoggy.” So I thought I’d give them another excuse to add to their list.

So today to help you get out of excuseland, let’s talk about something you need to do this weekend while you’re out enjoying the summer . . . and walking around wondering why you don’t meet anyone with your iPod attached to you. Here is your tip of the day…

I’m going to dedicate this blog to one of my favorite Members, Lang, because he coined the phrase that inspired this blog: “Don’t be an iPod isolationist.” I’ve always called iPods “the anti-social device.”

So many people who complain all the time about not being able to meet someone are the same people who are plugged into their iPod all day long every day. Those people who walk around plugged into their iPod, not looking at anyone and texting people all day long, are the iPod isolationists.

The reason why you iPod isolationists have trouble meeting people is because the only thing you have going on is your iPod. When you’re out in public, do not be an iPod isolationist.

iPods are great to listen to when you’re working out on the treadmill, but not when you’re working out in the rest of the gym. If you’re in the middle of the gym working out with your iPod on, then you’re being an iPod isolationist and you’re never going to meet anyone there.

Another example is when you’re using public transportation. This is a great time to smile, flirt and talk to someone. Why would you want to be an iPod isolationist?

When you’re out and about walking down the street, this is another opportunity to avoid being an iPod isolationist. Do you really need theme music going on nonstop? No, you really don’t. You want to be open to all encounters with people.

So Lang, this blog is for you and the wonderful term that you invented “the iPod isolationist.” For all of you who walk around with your head plugged into a little tiny iPod all day long, it’s time to unplug and listen to the sounds of the universe and the world around you.

Just the other day I ran by somebody who was walking around with their iPod oblivious to everything and everyone around them. I wanted to walk over to him, yank it out of his ears and say, “Dude, you’re missing life!”

You don’t always need to be all about music. Start being all about life. You may be amazed at all the people you haven’t been meeting.