Are you putting the pieces of the puzzle together?

  Jen was frustrated with me.  We were talking about something that was on going for two months.  I was giving her bits and pieces.  She asked a question.  I'd go back into something I told her about 4 weeks before and talk about that.  She asked another question.  I fast forward to another conversation we had a week after the conversation that I went back into for the previous question she asked.  Then I came back to the present.  Confusing! Pieces of the puzzle were all over the … [Read more...]

Just tell the story

    Jen looked at me frustratedly.  I sighed deeply, exasperated.  We'd been talking for 10 minutes getting nowhere.  She cried out, "This is going all over the place.  Just tell me what happened!"   Another sigh released from me.  I went to the beginning of the story. Two months ago, I drove over a ditch left uncovered by a construction crew.  It was nighttime.  When the car struck the ditch it surprised the shit out of me as felt the front slam thunderously.   The rims on … [Read more...]

A picture’s worth a thousand words

  We think in pictures.  If someone asks you to think of a million dollars, you think of a pile of cash or a filled out check.  There might be some language written on the check ... but the language is part of a picture. There's a simple reason for this.  Language isn't real.  Words are an invention. We use words to represent the pictures we see in our head.  People we speak to paint a picture in their head based on the words we use. Many of us don't use words well.  They're … [Read more...]

Opinions are like … ?

Everyone thinks that they know the better way.  Everyone believes they're are right.  A thought hits their consciousness, it must be right.  It's a fact to the person who thought it.   Of course, anyone who believes something differently is wrong. The next time you think you're right, ask yourself a question - "What evidence* do I have to prove it?" It might be humbling to realize most of what we think is just an opinion.  Especially if the other person can offer evidence. Elevate your … [Read more...]

What Do You Have Time To Do? 4 Questions to Ask Yourself

  We don't seem to have the time to do a lot of things.  Things like exercise, cooking healthily, calling our parents, brothers, sisters and friends, reading great books or magazines, driving without distraction (as we text some ridiculously unimportant message). We do seem to have time to do a lot of other things, though.  Things like Facebook, Twitter, reality TV, e-mail, long showers, visiting newyorkjets.com, miamihurricanes.com, tmz.com or working long hours with no specific … [Read more...]

Reach out and touch someone

  More people are watching porn than ever before. A recent poll showed that 79% of people are consuming porn nowadays. It was in the 30% range in 1983. The studies also show people are having less sex. They are masturbating more. We are a lazy species. We will do the thing that costs us the least. Contact and direct interaction are expensive. They require real-time emotional engagement. They require processing of non-verbal nuance. They require empathy and awareness. This is one … [Read more...]

Where do you pledge your allegiance?

I just finished the history of the Pledge of Allegiance.  There were some interesting facts.  Some I knew. Others were new (to me).  I learned a few things. Here's what learned: the pledge was written by socialist it was written over a century after the Constitution was ratified, in 1892 it was written as a marketing campaign part of a flag giveaway promotion to increase magazine sales for The Youth's Companion it did not include any reference to God Under God was added in … [Read more...]

How nourishing is your life?

Ellie, the younger twin, was fighting the bottle.  She'd take the nipple.  Chew and suck.  Then spit out milk and pout.  It was frustrating. Jen took her.  Ten minutes later the bottle was emptied.  I asked Jen what she did to make Ellie eat.  She told me.  I barely believed her.  She did it again the next time.  It worked.  And it still does. Jen encouraged Ellie.  She'd tell her in a sweet voice how good she was being and what a good little eater she was.  Ellie ate.  No … [Read more...]

What road are you on?

"You have to see they have good will.", Jen said to me.  I said, "Hitler had good will!"   In most circumstances, people are acting with good intentions. I have become more controlling since our babies arrived.  It's annoying.  Jen demonstrates great restraint and patience with me as I tell her how to do something.  I'm being more controlling because my intention is to produce the best possible outcome. Some parents beat their kids with good intentions, "I'm only doing this so you'll … [Read more...]

What bubble will burst next?

Bubble's burst. We've seen the real estate bubble, the internet bubble, the energy bubble, and whatever other bubbles. They over inflated until, under the the value they promised was very different than the actual value provided.  Reality reared it's ugly head.  The bubbles burst under the pressure that came from reality weighing in. It's easy and cheap to produce credibility in social media world.  Testimonials, reviews, followers ... all can be bought.   Go on Fiverr.com. You'll find … [Read more...]