Interior. Coffeeshop. Day. As that catchy new pop song plays subtly under the scene, we see a cute 20-something actress give her handsome 20-something co-star a flirty goodbye and exit (they haven’t had their first kiss yet – that’ll happen within 10 minutes, guaranteed – but the stage is being set). A beat later, she...Continue reading
Job of the Future: Hunter / Gatherer
Around this time each year, lists come out detailing the jobs on the uptick (I see you, cybersecurity) and those on the steady approach to obsolescence (sorry, minecar operators). The employment trends come and go and shift, but there’s one ancient job set to have a major comeback… The Hunter / Gatherer. As the true...Continue reading
Turn, Turn, Turn
Look at these doors. Now look closer – which ones are locked and which aren’t? Trick question; you can’t tell by looking. You’re going to have to walk over and try them. Isn’t the same true as we consider our possible paths forward? Without question, there’s a time for thinking and planning and strategy, but...Continue reading
Not Perfect – Still Valued
A few fun facts about A Charlie Brown Christmas courtesy of mentalfloss.com… CBS didn’t like it. The ad agency handling the sponsorship of the show didn’t like it. Even Charles Shulz was embarrassed by some of the program’s technical shortcomings, including continuity issues. “I thought it was a disaster because the drawing was so poor.”...Continue reading
Today Is Veteran’s Day
[Originally published in 2011] I saw him several times as I moved from aisle to aisle at the grocery store. I would steal a glance as I moved from ‘Cookies/Snacks/Chips’ to ‘Household Items/Stationary’, then back to ‘Bread/Rolls.’ An older, heavy-set man, fully occupying a Hoveround cart, wearing a blue cap with some kind of military...Continue reading
‘Ice, Ice Baby’ (In Swahili)
ORIGINAL LYRICS ORIGINAL LYRICS INTO SWAHILI AND BACK INTO ENGLISH Yo, VIP, let’s kick it Ice ice baby Ice ice baby Alright stop, collaborate and listen Ice is back with my brand new invention Something grabs a hold of me tightly Flow like a harpoon daily and nightly Will it ever stop yo I don’t...Continue reading
Grab Everything
Whenever I check into a hotel, the first thing I do is scoop up all the soaps, shampoos, notepads, whatever in the room. It’s not like I’m doing anything sneaky – I’ve paid for them – I just want to get the maximum benefit possible in my short time there. I think that same...Continue reading
Owe? No. // How to Bypass Worry and Get to Work
OWE? NO. My plan goes sideways… …but I’m not required to obsess over it. I have to pay bills… …but I don’t owe anyone my peace of mind worrying about it. Someone wrongs me… …but I’m not obligated to carry resentment about it. I’m not where I want to be… …but I’m not required to...Continue reading
A Sales Lesson From Dottie at Cracker Barrel
Because I enjoy fine dining and am very health conscious, I had dinner last night at a little place called Cracker Barrel. Judge if you want – those biscuits are amazing. As I paid, the lady at the register noticed my t-shirt featuring The Man in Black and said, “I bet a Johnny Cash fan...Continue reading
What We Mean When We Say ‘Paying Attention’
Paying attention. Paying attention. With the English vocabulary being so vast, why a monetary allusion in this well-known idiom? My guess is it’s because attention, like money, is finite. There’s only so much you have at a given moment. You can spend it here or there, but not everywhere to an unlimited degree (and there’s...Continue reading