It was like one of those great standoffs in those old Western movies. The dusty Main Street with tumble weeds blowing across and a whirlwind whipping up a cloud of dust. Spurs clink as two tough gunslingers take their positions opposite each other; steely eyes staring each other down as they position their hand over… Continue reading When Rudolph Challenged the Wild Wild West
Category: The Last Half Century
The Balancing Act of Presenting the News
In the early 1980s I earned a degree in Journalism and went on to graduate school and a teaching assistant position in the Journalism department of my alma mater. I think it’s safe to say that the field of journalism is radically different now than it was nearly 40 years ago. When I graduated from… Continue reading The Balancing Act of Presenting the News
Assumed Identity
Few people know this, but there was a brief moment in my life when I lived under an assumed identity. I wasn’t myself, but someone else. It started innocently enough, but it didn’t take long for me to realize I was in over my head. Let me explain. When I was in high school in… Continue reading Assumed Identity
Reading the Road
In the age of GPS and smart phones, I can’t help but wonder if paper map reading is a lost art. I have to admit I can’t remember the last time I used a paper map to help me locate a destination. It’s much easier to put the destination into the map ap on my… Continue reading Reading the Road
Phone Calls Ain’t What They Used To Be
As I talked on the phone the other night with my granddaughter, I thought about how natural it is for her to have a video call. Even more amazing to me is that we were talking while I was out for a walk. She was able to share the sights around me. The availability of… Continue reading Phone Calls Ain’t What They Used To Be
The Never-ending Popularity of Buzzphrases
While cleaning out old files from nearly 40 years of work history, I ran across the gem pictured below from Lang’s Creative Services. Even though it’s from the 1980s, the Buzzphrase Construction Matrix (BCM) creates some phrases that still sound impressive today. How about “Quantitative Marketing Management” or “Diversified Data Parameters” for starters. Both could… Continue reading The Never-ending Popularity of Buzzphrases
When the Reality of Parenting Hits
I remember staring with adoring eyes at my first child immediately after she was born. It was the most amazing thing in the world to experience. Then a scary thought hit me, “Where are this baby’s parents?” It soon became apparent I was now a parent! I frantically looked for the owners manual, but found… Continue reading When the Reality of Parenting Hits
The Marbles I Couldn’t Let Go
Memories are powerful. When they attach themselves to the things in our life, it makes it very difficult to get rid of those things. At this point in my life, I am trying to downsize my collection of stuff from more than a half century of living. I am finding that as I pare down… Continue reading The Marbles I Couldn’t Let Go
Cracking Open New Skills
Sometimes it’s the unexpected skills and experience people have that matter most. This post explores experience that doesn’t always show up on a resume until someone asks the right question...
Electrifying Times on the Farm
Being the youngest child in the family can be challenging, especially when it comes to passing down practical jokes. Such was the case on the farm where I grew up when my older siblings taught me the secrets of the electric fence...
The Next Half Century 