I wrote this post for BIZCAT360 after getting innumerable solicitations from ostensible self-help groups. Here's an excerpt:
I’ve never subscribed to any of the groups and programs to which I’m so often invited. I have, however, read this book. And I strongly suspect what’s missing from all those groups and programs is this fact: There isn’t a group, a person, or a program in the world that’s going to give you passion, mojo, power, self-worth, convictions, self-love, courage, and self-faith....
This is a contemplation about two songs that influenced me as a young man. I published it on BIZCAT 360. Here's an excerpt:
At some point in my wayward youth, it occurred to me that two of the songs I listened to frequently are thematically related. The first is “Fire and Rain” by James Taylor, from his 1970 album, Sweet Baby James. The second is “Too Much Seconal” by Johnny Winter, from his 1973 album, Still Alive and Well ... James Taylor and Johnny Winter were among my first musical idols....
This is a piece I wrote for BIZCAT 360 following a conversation on the weekly Friendship Bench. Here's an excerpt:
I was involved in a discussion recently, prompted by this question: What’s the difference between a calling and a purpose? I think the question was supposed to have been perceived as loaded. But the distinction seemed clear and elementary to me. (More on that shortly.) I was much more curious about why so many people seem so curious about callings and purposes these days.
As you...
This is a piece I wrote for BIZCAT360 in 2019 after finding out I have an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Here's an excerpt:
On January 30 of this year, I turned 65. On April 4, I went for my Welcome to Medicare wellness visit (I love that kind of talk) with my primary care physician, Dr. Wisniewski. In reviewing my family medical history, I told him of my father’s passing and its cause. On June 20, as a precautionary measure, he sent me for an ultrasound to find out if I might have an aneurysm or...
This is another post I originally published on Medium. Since I don't publish there any longer, I moved it to my Substack. Consider it a Saturday bonus. No extra charge.
The lessons I continue to learn from children are even more compelling and powerful than they were more than six years ago. And I always tell the children I’m happy to start my day with their smiling faces and their positive energy because, after that, I have to go to work with a bunch of grouchy old people.
I wrote this piece to recognize and to celebrate the life of the wonderful man who inspired my book, The One and Only Ben.
I published this post in response to an article that said this:
"Social media backlash and review-bombing are increasingly leading to books being delayed, revised, or canceled before release ... the movement has evolved into a moral panic that risks stifling creativity and narrowing the bounds of free expression."
We can't allow that to happen.
This is a post I originally published on Medium in 2018 about the shortcomings of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) vs. STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math). I've since moved it to Substack.