Phoebe Smith of the UK has been given the rather pleasing job title of the “world’s first sleep storyteller-in-residence” by Calm, a leading app for meditation and sleep. Smith was a travel writer and journalist when she was approached last year by Michael Acton Smith, co-founder of the sleep app Calm. She’d written an article … Continue reading I Think I’ve Just Found the Job I Was Meant to Do
Today's Wall Street Journal had a story about the loneliness epidemic among the elderly, a topic I've written about a few times. This article profiled a few people who are experiencing loneliness: Danny Miner, a 66-year-old retired chemical plant supervisor, spends most days alone in his Tooele, Utah, apartment, with “Gunsmoke” reruns to keep him … Continue reading Where’s the Empathy?
The topic for my class today was technology in the business world, and one of the items we discussed was data mining. Data mining involves using technology and algorithms to discover previously unknown relationships between two or more items. There is a story related to data mining that I have told for years; the truth of … Continue reading Beer and Diapers – the Perfect Couple
George W. Bush gave a moving eulogy for his father today, George H.W. Bush. Here is the video, followed by the transcript (with my favorite parts italicized). Rest in Peace, George H.W Bush and thank you for your service to our country. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2u_Ntu3uHZk Distinguished Guests, including our Presidents and First Ladies, government officials, foreign dignitaries, and … Continue reading A Beautiful Tribute to a Kinder, Gentler Man
Last week I wrote about the great Christmas commercial British retailer John Lewis came out with this year which features Elton John. The Boy & The Piano opens with 71-year-old Sir Elton sitting at a piano at home, playing the first few notes of his famous hit Your Song. From there, it works backward through his life, from … Continue reading British Firm Has the Nerve to Poke Fun at John Lewis’s Christmas Commercial Featuring Elton John
It was another wonderful Thanksgiving, getting a chance to spend time with family. I am grateful for such moments, and I always look forward to them. In honor of the holiday, I thought I would share this crowdsourced Thanksgiving poem I came across on NPR. Earlier in November, NPR asked its readers and listeners to … Continue reading Thanksgiving 2018
Before you invest a couple of minutes into reading this post, please note that the headline is totally click-bait. The question I asked is likely not that interesting to most people, and the result is not really "shocking". But hey, if I can even get one more person to read my blog, then I count that … Continue reading I Asked My Students a Survey Question, and I Was Shocked at the Response
An essay in today's Wall Street Journal shares research about a new tool for analyzing hundreds of thousands of small genetic differences that can predict a range of psychological attributes from birth. The author of the essay believes the tool will transform how we see ourselves, our capacities, and our problems. As I read the … Continue reading Would You Want to Know?
It's one of the annual traditions I've looked forward to for the past few years, the release of the John Lewis (a British retailer) Christmas commercial. This year feels a little bit extra special after spending last winter in London and getting to visit the John Lewis flagship store on Oxford Street. This year is the first … Continue reading Some Gifts Are More Than Just a Gift – the 2018 John Lewis Christmas Commercial Is Here!
That was the answer for three toys this year - the Magic 8 Ball, the popular card game Uno, and pinball. The honorees were chosen from a field of 12 finalists that also included American Girl Dolls, chalk, Chutes and Ladders, Fisher-Price Corn Popper, Masters of the Universe, sled, tic-tac-toe, Tickle Me Elmo, and Tudor Electric Football. I … Continue reading Will I Make It into the Toy Hall of Fame? You May Rely On It.
Borden's Blather 