A friend of my daughter’s recently explained why New Year's resolutions were important to him. He said they act as markers for his life. He’s starting a new job this month and wants to both acknowledge how hard he worked to get the job and how much he wants to make this new job meaningful and long-lasting.

What are some of your resolutions?

I’ve been watching my own home movies lately. I’m always struck, when sitting and watching these old movies, by something I may not have noticed before.

The home movie I watched this past week was one I made of my mother several months before she passed away. A filmmaker colleague of mine and I had driven up to visit my mother in her Berkshire home.

When my eldest daughter was graduating high school, a friend of mine suggested taking her on a trip. “She’ll never forget it,” he said. “Better than something she may later throw out.” What my daughter and I have from that trip has lasted for years. The video with our younger faces and voices brings wonderful memories back.

Thanksgiving is approaching and those who are planning to host the holiday may now be considering the menu, looking up new recipes, or finding the old standards. They’re making grocery lists, writing place cards, and taking out the oversized tablecloths from cabinets.

What do I love about interviewing people? I love the details of their stories. When you put people at ease and are able to ask just the right questions, you’d be surprised at the memories that surface and the level of detail that emerges.