buckle-up

  Remind me again why we are taking up residence in Florida? In particular, in the Florida Panhandle alongside the Emerald Coast? Oh … that’s right; fall and winter are mild in comparison to what we experienced in Colorado. Having watched the news and seeing monstrous snowstorms hitting the Rockies and the Sierra Divide, not to mention the more recent bomb cyclone that caused even greater havoc in Washington State, we have become appreciative of the milder conditions fall delivers in this part of North America. In my previous post I wrote of how we were warming to our new location. As yet we have not put our toes in the water, even as we are now the proud owners of our very first pairs of Crocs. That will likely change shortly but for now, even with the mild temperatures we are experiencing, this week we have seen daytime temperatures dive down to the mid 50sF. Ouch … finding the right attire for such chilly conditions saw us pulling out clothing we had tucked away in our closet....

  If it is June then it is time again to take to the road. It always seems as though at this time of the year presenting clients at the conferences takes precedence. But who are we to even think about complaining or otherwise raising objections when the daytime hours lengthen and driving for days on end brings with it opportunities to catch up on conversations planned, but never quite started. There's more to the picture Than meets the eye. Hey Hey, My My – what an experience it proved to be this time. The photo above was taken as we entered Canada on our way to the picturesque village of Mississauga. Just kidding. This city lies on the outskirts of Toronto, adjacent to their main airport. Perhaps it’s a good time to quote Toronto’s own storyteller, Neil Young. Yes, with the photo above with it’s blue skies and black tarmac, there was a lot more to the picture. Given that it was June and summer was at hand, we had decided to make the trip from Windsor, Colorado, to Mississaug...

  It’s not all that often that Margo and I have an opportunity to combine time for work with time for celebration. However, on more than one occasion Margo and I have found the time to head to Paris when Valentine’s Day was around and in 2023, there was no disappointment over the venue. It may not be Paris, France, but somehow, Paris, Las Vegas, always rises to the challenge. During the time spent in Southern California we found ways to escape to Las Vegas for just a couple of days but as we progress deeper into the year 2023, if there isn’t an associated business reason to hit the road, we tend to hesitate – taking time to just relax seems to be a tad like guilty pleasure. I have to admit, the post-COVID nostalgia just overwhelmed us – we have so missed the freedom of spontaneous decisions to go to the actual Paris or Rome and making reservations right then and there as we used to do. So, here comes Las Vegas and it is within driving distance from our Colorado home. At least, in...

I still have to pinch myself that my working life is far from over. The time that I descend to my office and sit in front of a blank screen contemplating what I need to write next is always a source of concern. However, whatever the topic I still find ways to write something sufficiently fresh, enough that my clients welcome the story telling that comes with each finished article or blog post. In so doing, I have been able to attract an eclectic group of clients that then gives me the opportunity to push boundaries just a little. For now, however, what is occupying my thoughts has to do with coming to terms that I have based Margo and mine business mostly on storytelling and have been doing so for quite some time. Yes, I also help my clients create a strategy (and tactics) as needed, when asked we create data sheets and even modernize websites, but at the heart of our business is storytelling as we come up with creative ways to promote our clients business. As September comes to an...

There was a lot to consider. Should we keep the BMW i8 Roadster for one more road trip? Given how it would be a transit across several state lines before we make it to Las Vegas and with the price of gas having passed through US$5.00 for a US Gallon, electing to take the hybrid sports car seemed quite logical. Then again, the car was coming off lease and the potential for mishaps to occur along the way was enough deterrent from taking it for this trip. With heavy hearts we turned the roadster in, a couple of weeks early, and in taking that option off the table, we still had a decision to make. Faced with choices all of which would work, we arrived at the obvious conclusion. Let’s drive the Corvette. The F Pace came a close second and for a short while was the leading candidate, but when we looked at how large a volume of baggage space existed in the Corvette, it won the day. Now it’s all about the route and behind the wheel of a Corvette it will not include a lot of interstate driving....

I truly cannot recall a time when my desk has been messier. Then again, I am constantly multitasking on behalf of my clients and with the return of in-person events, I am working simultaneously on numerous papers and presentations that just have to be completed before a publication or event takes place. On the other hand, I haven’t been a religious follower of the clean-desk principle. Wasn’t it International Telephone and Telegraph Corp CEO, Harold Geneen, who many years ago put down the clean-desk, super-organized manager with the criticism, "If your desk isn't cluttered, you probably aren't doing your job." It is also best left to the coach of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick, who ends his post-game press conferences with something like “he just did his job!” Before you entertain any thoughts that perhaps you are hearing a complaint from me then nothing could be further from the truth as yes, I love my job and I love the people I work with. For someone ...