Hello. I promise.
Years ago, a teacher of mine, Ed Burghard — the very first time we met — told me about his Handshake Document. "When I shake your hand," Ed said, "I automatically make these promises." He handed me a sheet of paper. The paper described the implicit promises he makes...
Two Favorite Questions
When we turned 50, death was undoubtedly closer than birth. Any mathematician can multiply by two. And I'm not betting on living to my hundredth birthday. Even closer -- closer than death -- is the date when the world will stop seeing us. We will still walk the Earth,...
The Second Arrow
When I dream I can fly, I awake buoyant, fresh from swimming in the air. Waking from nightmares is gruesome. My nightmares are either chase scenarios, where I am hunted, or failure scenarios, where I am ill-prepared, incompetent, or unethical. From those nightmares, I...
Listening As Meditation
John Cremer taught me about listening last week. I'd already learned about Active Listening. John raised the stakes. During his session on improvisation, he described the keys to improvisation on stage, in business, and in life. The first key was listening. (For the...
Canine Poetry Slam (The Essay)
No one means to write poetry for dogs. I meant to write an essay for a new group, The 2020 Club. The members take turns presenting an essay on a topic that is not the essayist's work. It was my turn to write and deliver an essay. It turned out that the essay — really,...
SMARTY Goal Setting for Wingnuts (2020 edition)
Here's an annual message in a bottle: it's time to set goals for next year! I'm not the goal-setting type. I prefer to wing it. That's my strength. When it comes to setting goals, I'm a wingnut. Goals seem too limiting. Or too ambitious. Or both. Or neither. In any...
How To Avoid Writing Poetry
A few friends have asked, "What happened?" They wonder what led me to write a book of poems. Perhaps, if they find out what happened to me, they might avoid the same thing happening to them. Here's what happened. First, What Got Writ I wrote Throw Me A Bone: Poetry...
Not Learning Faster
John Broons, "The Family Business Guy," a Vistage Chair in Australia, told me during a recent Zoom: "The world is moving faster. My members need to learn faster. I am trying to learn how to learn faster." If that is your wish, I'd be glad to help you learn how to...
Turning 75 Next Year
It's hard to believe that I'm turning 75 years old. Especially since I was born in 1960. But I've decided to turn 75, rather than 60, next year. What strange new eccentricity is this? I'm motivated because: People reach their best at 75: wiser, calmer, more present....
Poems For Dogs, Part 1
What We Are Doing Now You were over there. I was over there. Now we are over here. You can do things I can't do. I can do things you can't do. Together, we can do anything. Dog. Eat. Dog. Soon after waking, Foodlady fills the dish. We eat. Long into the day,...