Time for a toast

I witnessed an amazing inspirational speech contest this morning at Tracy Toastmasters. I volunteered to be the emcee, which allowed me to really enjoy the speeches without being a judge or contestant. This contest has been an annual activity and one of the greatest catalysts for growth for me in recent history. I decided not…

Hey brothers and sisters

Sometimes Facebook is a diversionary time sink, and sometimes it is a miraculous bridge between kindred spirits. I just met another sibling of a cancer survivor. Deborah is writing and running and reaching out to others to raise money to beat Multiple Myeloma. Her sister Deana, and my brother Jeff, are battling and winning against…

Let’s make a deal!

OK here’s the deal.  You can keep what’s in this box in front of you, or trade it all for what’s behind door #3 where Carol Merrill is standing.  Take a few seconds to think about it (studio audience screaming in background.) Sounds like they’re split on what to do. We need your answer now!…

A new catchphrase

The new “Catch” was a moment that brought San Francisco 49er tight end Vernon Davis to celebratory tears. With the New Orleans Saints up 32-29 and time running out, Davis cut across the middle of the field, caught the laser pass from Alex Smith and fell into the end zone to give the 49ers a…

What goes around

Hey fans, it’s that time of year when we talk about a nation-wide sport that favors the strong and strikes fear into the hearts of the weak.  No, not the NFL playoffs… I’m talking about tetherball, the classic contest of physical agility and hand-eye coordination.  I just watched the scene at the end of Napoleon…

Make your impression

Here I am in the so-called Act II of my life, waking up after intermission to an important realization: I am losing my fear of failing. I still fail a lot, but I’m somehow not letting it stop me from taking on more new things. It’s like I’m intentionally raising the risk that others may…