It’s been about 5 years since the Disney movie “Frozen” came out…but it popped back up in the news because of some uninvited flag waving: (NOTE: No matter what political party, product or web site you’re promoting, nobody wants you to block their view of Olaf). While the flag incident was an interesting news blurb, I…
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, or so goes the old proverb. It’s true that all journeys have to start somewhere – and the toughest part is frequently taking….that first step. We all have ‘journeys’ that we undertake – graduating from school, becoming a parent, or starting a new job…
This week, I attended the 2018 Toastmasters International annual convention in Chicago. Despite being a Toastmaster for five years, it was my first time going to the convention….and my first time competing in the International Speech Contest at the Semi-Final level. It was quite an experience, meeting Toastmasters from all over the globe – some were…
Fifteen years ago, September 11, 2001. I was working around the corner from the White House, sitting in a facilities meeting, talking about disaster recovery. Someone stuck their head in the door and said a plane had hit the World Trade Center. Having flown in and out of Laguardia many times, I figured that someone…
Another orbit around the sun….and 2015 is history. It’s been quite a year, with a lot of highs, a few lows, and a number of changes that I haven’t quite figured out yet. I’m grateful for the friends and family that continue to remind me that there is far more good in the world than…
Have you ever finished a major project or completed a goal that should give a feel of accomplishment, only to feel a let-down? Has all that drive that you put into the goal now dissipated, and you find yourself adrift, waiting for the next inspiration? I know the feeling. I’ve frequently found myself in ‘post-goal’ syndrome,…
One of my favorite movies to watch (and re-watch) is Star Trek: First Contact. The 1996 movie has all the best parts of Star Trek, with an engaging story, a seemingly unbeatable enemy, and some scenes that stick with me, nearly 20 years later. My favorite scene is where Picard (Patrick Stewart) is confronted by…
Have you ever tried to write something….and all you got…was nothing? I get that all the time…..and that’s one of the reasons my blog posts aren’t as frequent as I would like. I’ve sat at the computer for hours at times, hoping the right words would show up, and all I had to show for…
This past week, I ran in the 39th Marine Corps Marathon. It wasn’t my 39th…..(only my 3rd)….but it was the first marathon I ran since a motorcycle accident in 2004 fractured my spine. At the time, I didn’t know if I would walk again….in fact, that was the last thing I remember the doctor saying…
While the Internet has democratized the buying process for pretty much everything, the new car buying process remains, for many, a frustrating experience. According to JD Power and Associates, over 60% of Americans said that they hate the new car buying experience. A recent Edmunds.com poll showed that people found that not only was buying…