Americans are a quirky bunch. Our hearts bleed when we see others in crisis, especially when it's on a larger scale, and we rush to help. Friends of neighbors have a house fire? No sweat. We rush to our attics and dig out all the outgrown clothes, extra blankets, and old pots and pans we can... Continue Reading →
On your best behavior
Last night I had to run a few errands, so I stopped at the pharmacy to refill a prescription and pick up a few odds and ends. I went inside to the prescription counter, which I found to be abuzz with activity. Two pharmacists and three techs rushed about, frenetically serving the drive-thru window, in-store customers,... Continue Reading →
Studying masterpieces
I'm getting ready to go to a trade show. While I'm there, as I always do, I'll spend a fair amount of time checking out the competition. Even though I tend to want to look for chinks in their armor and catalog all the "mistakes" I think they're making, deep down I know that is... Continue Reading →
Random thoughts on Saturday
You can pick your life, or you can let your life pick you. If you're passionate about something, you'll overcome your own prejudices in favor of the crusade. You can believe in happy endings or you can vehemently eschew them, but in real life, there's no formula for how things will turn out. It's possible... Continue Reading →
Black Friday
I hate Black Friday. Aside from my aversion to maniacal crowds and teeming masses of claustrophobic frenzy, here's why: it's just bad marketing. Actually, I don't see the marketing at all; what I see is simply a race to the bottom. In order to entice people into their stores--Pick me! Pick me!--retailers compete to offer... Continue Reading →