I, like many folks around the globe, look forward to the tradition and ritual of singing Auld Lang Syne at midnight. That got me thinking, which sometimes sends me down some unforeseen rabbit holes. Come down this one with me. What three songs would I pick as my all-time favourites, stuck on-a-desert-island tunes? By The…
I don’t mean funny as in ha-ha. But funny in how so many people appreciate Christmas from so many different perspectives. I compare this to plays by Shakespeare, written 500 years ago. I saw King Lear in Stratford, Ontario as a youngster. Instead of spears, the soldiers were carrying machine guns! It still works. Different…
I just finished watching a “Heygo” virtual tour of Hanoi at the time of this writing. So, first, let me get my personal Wow reaction out of the way. And there was more than one. I was feeling a bit at sea. Not quite bored, but getting there. I suggested that my wife find us…
I’m not promoting inefficiency be followed for all my time. But I think I am prone to try too many of life’s hacks to be more efficient to save time or make decisions easier. Netflix tells me what movies I’d like. Other services tell me what books I’d like to read, while another service recommends…
I read about how we react differently to round numbers versus non-round numbers. There were studies quoted, and I read it on the internet, so it might be true. But it is definitely fun. I’ll first give you an example of two round numbers to show how I react differently. On a package of ground…
I know that transformation is about change. The real interest for me is how to change myself as the core element within my sphere of influence. It helps to not believe glib generalization that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. I may be moving into the old dog classification, but I am confident…
I was reading an article that referenced a book that caught my mind recently. It tracked the change of metaphors mankind used to describe the brain as their understanding of the world changed. The water clock was used as a metaphor for how the brain worked in early Greek times. The Middle Ages introduced gears…
I know life is complex. With Remembrance Day finishing up yesterday, I wanted to tell you about a unique way I paid tribute. Recently I was an extra in several crowd scenes for a Canadian movie, Fallen Heroes. It’s the story of all nations with soldiers in Afghanistan hiding their fallen soldiers. They deliberately left…
I spent time thinking about why we value these two items differently. Take the specific example of the once trending ‘pet rock’ and the seemingly always trending diamond, in this case, the non-industrial kind. They are both just rocks with no actual function other than what we give them. Likewise, they have no real monetary…
I was in an elevator recently, and the person beside me pushed the button for floor 13. No hesitation. I’m not a very superstitious person myself. Floor numbers don’t bother me. In fact, I get miffed when a tall building just skips #13. I remember my grandmother, all too often, throwing salt over her shoulder….
