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
Category: The Last Half Century
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...
When A Lot is Not Alot
I’ve been in the marketing and public relation business for a long time. I’ve seen some pretty effective product campaigns, but none more effective from a cost and impact perspective than the one I saw in sixth grade. This particular campaign was the genius of a determined English teacher who sought to rid the world… Continue reading When A Lot is Not Alot
When Words Collide
Years ago, a friend of mine moved to Geneva Switzerland. After he had been there for a couple years, I had the opportunity to visit him for a week. I had never been to that part of the world and I soon learned that CERN was located a few miles from my friend’s house. If… Continue reading When Words Collide
Grabbing Fear by the Tail
Sometimes you just need to face your fears head on and go from there.
A Penny Seed Packet Yields Life Lessons
Mid-summer in the MidWest. Hot, humid days, warm summer rains and fresh produce from the garden. It reminds me of the summer when I was a kid when my mom first gave me my own row in her garden and a special pack of seeds. My mom was a master gardener. Each year she planted… Continue reading A Penny Seed Packet Yields Life Lessons
How a Stupid Typing Class Changed my Life
I knew I could type up to 25 wpm thanks to my high school typing class, but could I do it with five mistakes or less? I remember the stopwatch ticking as I pounded the keys on the manual typewriter, knowing my future was at stake.
The Next Half Century 