If practicality, efficiency, utilitarian functionality, and austerity put a bustle in our hedgerow, then Starbucks would look and feel like a cold-war clinic. All cars would look like a Dodge Aries K with roll-down windows and get 40 MPG. No fancy bourbons, wines, beers, or gins either; just Everclear, which is very efficient, by the … Continue reading High Efficiency Yoga and the Death of Romance
In the 110th episode of Seinfeld, entitled “The Understudy”, J. Peterman is sitting in a restaurant with Elaine and asks, “That Shirt. Where did you get it?” Elaine, not missing a beat, “Oh, this innocent looking shirt has something which isn't innocent at all. Touchability! Heavy, silky Italian cotton, with a fine almost terrycloth like … Continue reading Some People Just Want the Address
While I was studying athletic training at Temple University, one of my mother’s friends came up to me and asked, “Hey Rob, what can I do to get rid of this?”, flicking her triceps fat, while eating a donut. Hmm. Very attractive. As I got into the real answer, she interrupted me with, “No, I … Continue reading Why is Reality a Hard Sell? 3 Questions
Trust is not something that can be earned. It is only given or lost. In the movie, A League of Their Own, there’s a scene at the train station where Jon Lovitz is waiting for two dairy farm workers, played by Gina Davis and Lori Petty, to get on the train. They’re reluctant to board … Continue reading Trust: What’s the Matter?
There I was, seat 21D, flying home from my annual performance review. I got a nice bonus and was feeling pretty good. I was surrounded by a group of people who worked for a large corporation and apparently they had a damn good year, considering this conversation: “I got a Porsche. What am I going … Continue reading Threshold of Happiness
There are a lot of corporate mission statements that mention things like, “honesty”, “social responsibility”, and “quality”. Using the word “Quality” is like saying “Character”. It’s just an empty word without an adjective. Maybe your quality sucks. Maybe you’re an asshole. Why are you being so vague? And … do you really need to have … Continue reading The Tao of Culture
