“Run your race”

He was a little overweight. The rest of the middle-school runners had passed him by. He was mumbling an apology to us cross country spectators as he labored past us–something about why he got a late start. I yelled back encouragement: “Just keep going!” The older, wiser dad standing next to me didn’t yell at all. He calmly, firmly put …

The shrine of capitalism

I had seen the bumper stickers as a kid. I indeed wondered, “Where the heck is Wall Drug?” (Had I lived off I-90, I would have seen the legendary billboards as well.) And in 2012, I made my pilgrimage to Wall Drug, truly a shrine of capitalism. It is a place where Something was made out of Nothing. And it …

Jane’s Austen’s manual for … changing your mind

Is the public clamoring for more hot Jane Austen takes from two males sharing tips for the workplace? Much to our surprise: Yes! Our recent Jane Austen episode on sarcasm was one of our most popular.  There’s more. “Pride and Prejudice” has a lot to say about the dangers of … well … prejudice. Tune in for how Elizabeth Bennett …

The devil’s playground

Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore, the brothers should have specified periods for manual labor as well as for prayerful reading. We believe that the times for both may be arranged as follows. … With these sentences St. Benedict begins chapter 48 of his influential Rules. I’ll spare you the history lesson except to say that his short …

Good news and some mixed news about EV customers

Some good news for my car dealership clients from the latest global survey of consumers about purchasing electric vehicles. There are lessons here for all of us. From McKinsey & Company: Despite enthusiasm for digital, traditional approaches remain popular. Forty-four percent of consumers say that they value a personal connection, and 40 percent say that they appreciate the opportunity for …

Horn Sections Make Rock Better: Mandala

Thievery Corporation has two claims to fame in my book. First, they were a massive part of my Napster experience (may she rest in peace). Second, they introduced me to Les Baxter and helped me realize I probably really did like exotica. I love the slow burn to the horns on this one.