Category: Popular Culture

A Pleasant Reminder of the Power of a Change in the Routine

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 A Change of Scenery And Of Pace Can Do Wonders

Sometimes It Seems Difficult To Change

We are fortunate enough to live in the Blue Ridge Mountains. On any given day, a simple glance in almost any direction will lead to the conclusion I reflect on pretty well every day: this may be the most beautiful place on earth. At least it is in the top echelon of world beauty and majesty.

The fact that we live in such a fine area makes the idea of going somewhere else for a change of scenery not something that comes to mind all that easily.

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A Short Observation on Loyalty

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How a Leader Thinks About Loyalty Tells You All You Need to Know

Loyalty as a Value

There is no doubt that loyalty is an important element in any organization. It is an energy source and the lubrication that helps keep the wheels turning. An organization in which loyalty is missing, towards the institution or towards the leader, is an organization at risk.

Does that mean leaders should expect, even demand it? No. In fact, quite the opposite.

Looking at Loyalty in the Wrong Way

As long-time readers may recall, leadership is a life-long area of interest to me.

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It Turns Out That We Need Each Other

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Lessons in Community and Human Interaction

Things Change

 The funny thing about writing something like this blog is that life, despite our best plans, often ignores our feeble planning and whispers in our ear that we should write about something else, not what we planned for this week. That happened to me this week, so now you get something different. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed experiencing it.

I had a really fun discussion in my head, ready to go to print this week, when a couple of intersecting things happened that told me this was the time to talk about something else entirely.

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Politics, Technology, Middle East War, and Super Ants

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Something for Everyone Today

Taylor Swift Rigs The Super Bowl!

By now, you have surely heard about the Right Wing conspiracy theories that Taylor Swift has somehow conspired to right the Super Bowl for her boyfriend’s team to win and, according to one version, she will then appear at half-time to endorse Biden.

How nuts can these people get?! It really is amazing how this mindset has established itself among a lot of people. If something happens or is pending that I don’t like, there MUST be a conspiracy to blame, no matter how outlandish it seems.

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Good News – Part II

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10 More Observations of People, Institutions, or Things to Celebrate

Continuing Our Relentless Pursuit of Good Stuff

A couple of weeks ago, this blog listed a number of good news stories that seemed to me were not getting enough attention, or at least were getting lost in all the doom and gloom we sometimes generate. I mentioned then there were other good news items that made that list but did not want to make the blog too long.

Today, the rest of that list. Admittedly an arbitrary list, not complete and in no special order.

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Good News, Here & Now      

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As Promised Last Week, Signs of Progress and Possibilities

Where We Are

An awful lot of what we read in the media, and what we say to each other, calls out a sense of Doom, with a capital D. The political atmosphere seems permanently charged and forever divided There is, in fact, no shortage of seriously worrisome and frightening news out there, just waiting for us.

But hold on a minute- there is a lot of positive news to celebrate and encourage as well. Let’s remind ourselves of a few of them as we start a new year.

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Favorite Reads That Stand the Test of Time


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A Good Time of Year to Revisit Old Friends in Print

 Looking for Gifts? Thinking New Years Resolutions? These Reads Could Help

 I had occasion recently to check back in on a book I read long ago. It was like catching up with an old friend. This, in turn, led me to reflect on what other books I have read over the years that are worthy of rereading or at least perusing a bit to refresh my memory of what I learned from these writings and to reflect on why I liked them so much.

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Tis the Season! Spending Time with People Who May Not Be Your Favorites

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Seven Tips to Ease Relations

I like to joke (sort of) that one of the special things about the holidays is that many of us get to spend time with people you would not choose to hang around with were they not relatives and you were at gatherings that seem mandatory over the holidays.

So, in a modest effort to help ease the pain and tension, to minimize the risk of food fights, and to ease up on the need for aspirin and Alka-Seltzer during this holiday season, I am sharing my often used tips for such encounters.

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Have a Favorite Season?

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I Wonder What Our Favorites in Life Say About Us

Pick a Season

I had the pleasure last week of attending a concert built around Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. A fine choice for a concert, of course (those Italians are pretty good at this stuff). As I listened to the music, I thought, as I often do when hearing this collection, about my favorite season, and that of others.

For me, it’s Fall – no contest. No other season even comes close. The crispness, the color, that dynamic bridge that takes us away from the heat of Summer and pleasures us before the cold of Winter.

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Book Banning May Be The Single Worst Idea of All Time

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It’s Wrong to Begin With, and Never Stops with “Just” Book Banning

Better Late Than Never

We were going to talk about this over a week ago, but the Middle East demanded a change of focus. That obscene mess is certainly not over, and we likely will come back to it again, but life does not think much of doing one thing at a time.

So, while we worry about international affairs, let’s not loose focus on key domestic issues. And book banning is pretty darn high on that list that deserves our attention and our action.

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