I live right on the beach in L.A., and I thought about something I noticed on my trip: the Atlantic Ocean in Miami sounds different than the Pacific Ocean. The waves are smaller, but have continuous little swells that come in, so you hear a constant whooshing sound. The Pacific has bigger waves that crash harder, so it’s a different sound. In Hawaii, the ocean sounds different too. When I’m in the South of France, at the beach in Cannes, the waves are totally different.

Nature has so many different sounds. Each beach has different birds with different sounds. Different forests have different sounds depending on the density of the trees. Each thunderstorm is different depending on where you are. If you’re in the mountains, a thunderstorm sounds far different than it does if you’re on flatland in Kentucky.

Getting in touch with nature can make you a far more interesting person, but not only that, it’s going to help you connect with the opposite sex better. You’re going to be more tuned into the environment and you’re surroundings.

Every day, lots of people here watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean. But when you live on the East Coast, you watch the sunset over a city because the sun sets in the West. Different! And the reflection of the sun fading out as the day gets dark over the water on the East Coast gives it a different hue that you don’t get on the West Coast. On the West Coast, you get the red water, the red sunset.

It’s all about noticing these little things in those “torturous” sounds of silence that makes you really start to think about how beautiful the world is. When I was in Miami, I always looked up, and that’s something that I learned to do. I look at the Art Deco buildings and admire the architecture and I think to myself, “Wow! These were built by hand in a whole different era.”

I notice buildings. I notice the way the sand feels. It’s different sand in Miami Beach compared to the sand where I live in Los Angeles. Everything is different in the world. It’s up to you to explore it.

Start looking around. Start looking up. I remember when I was in Miami and I stared at this beautiful Deco building. It was an off-yellow at the base, and then as it went upward it became more white. And it had trees on the upper level, which means that somebody had a giant patio. And everyday they get to see the sunset on the East and the way that the beautiful sun reflects on the water as it sets.

I urge you all to get out into the world and start paying attention. Get in touch with everything that’s around you and you’ll never be lacking in conversation.

. . .

Some days I’ll walk down the street and I’ll see a woman and say, “Do you ever look up, because some of the most beautiful things are up there.”

Okay, I don’t know if those are the lyrics at all, but I know that it’s all about the sound of silence.

For so many of you, when you’re out on a date or in a new relationship, the sound of silence really bothers you. But in reality, there never really is any silence. You can be standing there looking out at the water on a date, listening to the ocean, and feeling the need to talk, but in reality what’s the issue? If you just stood there and looked into the water together you’re forming a memory, you’re forming a union, and you’re both enjoying nature.

There are so many beautiful sounds that are around you at all times, there’s never really complete silence.

Don’t be afraid of the silence. Enjoy it. And after sitting next to your date in “silence” for 20 minutes, listening to the ocean, look at her and say, “God, that was amazing. I love listening to the ocean; it’s such an amazing, rhythmic, incredible sound.” You can share silence together; you don’t have to be afraid of it.

It’s amazing how we always feel the need to talk, or to fill the airspace with words, or thoughts, or anything. But through silence we actually get deeper in touch with our emotions and we connect back to the Mother Earth; we connect back to the way things really are.

I’m writing this as I’m sitting on Miami Beach listening to the water, listening to the birds, watching the people leave the beach, watching the sun get lower into the sky, checking out the art deco buildings, looking at the way that these lifeguard stands are painted, and just listening to the water and to the sound of the ocean.

It’s that easy. Get peaceful. Learn to enjoy the silence.

So at the Hollywood Bowl last night looking at the two visible stars in the sky, we got to watch Depeche Mode play a concert. It was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen.

Not only was the band great, but crowd moved right along with them. Everyone stood for the entire concert.

The opening band, The Whistlers, was good too. You know The Whistlers — Peter, Paul and Bjorn? I’m just joking, but they were good.

Something that happened last night was really funny. We went to the concert with another couple. They brought so much food, it was incredible.

We also learned something about Sonja’s friend Angie. We learned that she always has an emergency stash of almonds in her purse.

Do you know people like this, who always have some kind of emergency food — raisins, nuts or trail mix or something — in their bag? I don’t know about you, but I’ve never had emergency food in my bag.

I mean, there always is a convenience store nearby if you really need something. I guess if you were trapped on a desert island, then having the emergency food stash is smart. Or, maybe, if there’s an earthquake that knocks all your food on the floor and your dog eats everything but the emergency nuts, then it’s a good idea too.

Really, though, there are just some people who are going to make wonderful mothers . . . because a good mother always has an emergency bag of almonds. My mother always had an emergency Valium. So whenever we were hungry on a road trip, my Mom would say “There’s no food” in a not-so-nice tone of voice and then pop the emergency Valium. So, clearly, some people are better prepared to be mothers than others.

On the subject of children, I have a question. Is it just me, or does it seem like everywhere you look women are pregnant?

That brings up another children-related topic I wanted to talk about today. . . I truly believe there should be a DPB (“Department Of Better Parents).

You know, you’d go in there and tell the child experts why you want to have kids. You’d take a test to see if you can parallel park with kids in the back seat. Then the child experts would determine whether you should become a parent.

I think this is a great idea, because I’ve got to tell you that there are a lot of people who wouldn’t pass if they had to get a parent’s license. I don’t think it’s right to have a child just because you want one.

I want a boat, but I don’t think I’ll take care of it. I also want an old car, but I think it will frustrate me and break down too much.

Children are people, not things or possessions. They are not put on this earth so you can relive your frustrated childhood through them, and be made to do all the things you wanted to do as a kid. You need to embrace that, and allow them to be the people they want to be.

I think having a child is not a right. It’s a gift. It’s a gift for which you have to be ready. You have to be someone who embraces that gift. You know, the emergency almond woman from last night would definitely be a good one.