Life tasting

Connoisseurs know how to taste fine wine.  You look at it, swish it, smell it, say something intelligent, close your eyes, take a sip, let it sit on your tongue and then… spit it out?  What’s up with that?!  Apparently this practice allows you to taste many more wines at the same sitting without getting…

Father’s Day fish story

Click to watch this 8-minute “story with a point” video.  I’d like to dedicate it to my father, Jim Goad, who organized a memorable fishing trip in March.  Added bonus:   My dad’s stated secret to happiness… “Looking forward to waking up each day, and finding something positive to be thankful for.”  Thanks Dad!      …

The secret ingredient

Coca-Cola has its closely guarded classic formula.  KFC has its 11 herbs and spices.  My Grandma’s famous noodles are made without a written recipe.  Each one has created a long-lasting legacy based on “the secret ingredient.”  The magic that holds it together… the one thing you can’t do without.  But what’s the secret ingredient that…

Welcome to the jungle gym

It was time for recess, and my two favorite playground structures had primal names – the monkey bars and the jungle gym.  Monkey bars were made of cold, grey steel.  There was a straight up ladder on each side, connected by a horizontal ladder in the middle.  You traversed one bar at a time, gripping…

Recession pep talk #2

The economy is good, then its bad, then it’s good again.  You are getting veeerrry sleepy.  The hypnotic effect of this giant pendulum swinging back and forth can hypnotize you into a “do nothing” trance… worried if things will ever get better, frozen with inaction when you really should be capitalizing on it. Crisis brings…

No shortcuts

The entire fitness industry can be traced back to one marketing genius – Charles Atlas. He placed full-page ads in the back of 1960’s comic books to be read by 12 year old boys like me (with bad complexions and serious self-esteem issues) promising the shortcut to a magnificent physique.    I remember silently agreeing…

Somebody call security!

“Job security” is an oxymoron these days, just like “government intelligence” or “pretty ugly.” You don’t need me to tell you the economy is pretty ugly. And the natural response in these times is to play it safe and keep the boat from rockin’ too much.  Why push for change or take a risk that…