Do you find yourself thinking about errors in judgment that resulted in less than stellar results? Agonizing over a task left undone or emails you wish were unsent? I do. I would go so far as to say that almost everything bad that’s happened to me has been rooted in my own decisions. However, my […]
Whatcha thinking when you see the light? Read More »
The mountain music… is compelling music in its own right, harking back to a time when music was a part of everyday life and not something performed by celebrities. ~ Ethan Coen My favorite places to relax are in the Smoky Mountains. This may well be because my most pleasurable childhood vacations were there. We
Music that soothes the spirit – the Mountain dulcimer Read More »
Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. Søren Kierkegaard Warning: This post contains insurance language and may induce boredom or nausea. Symptoms will be temporary and the purpose will be clarified shortly. Hang with me. Every insurance underwriter (UW) I know is a product of his or her experiences. Some
The value of good, bad and ugly experiences Read More »
Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.― Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose As I lay me down to sleep, I always give thanks for a safe, warm, dry place to sleep. I think of those I love and I appreciate their well-being. During
Abundance. Can you see what you have? Read More »
If you don’t know history, then you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree. ~ Michael Crichton This is a brief bio of a man who established a life and a family in a previously uninhabited area. His story is but one of thousands of the
A walk in an old cemetery Read More »
Humor can get in under the door while seriousness is still fumbling at the handle. – G. K. Chesterton I understand that not everyone will agree with me when I say there are more occasions served by levity than by solemnity. To take this a step further, consider that the use of humor can
Will your approach get you to the right gate? Read More »
Half a truth is often a great lie. Benjamin Franklin A few weeks ago I conducted a survey (see questions here) and subsequently published a blog that featured some commentary on the responses. At the time, I had not fully analyzed the results and my assessment was preliminary. Some of the questions were not addressed
Beware of the serpents you do not see Read More »
Pay heed to the tales of old wives. It may well be that they alone keep in memory what it was once needful for the wise to know. ~ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings My professional career was saturated with insurance, mostly in underwriting positions. That role fostered a need (compulsion?) for me to
Epic battle: Old rituals & New logic Read More »
If the human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we couldn’t. Emerson M. Pugh For as long as I can remember, I have drawn correlations. Some relate to how much an acquaintance–or family member–looks like an actor I watched the night before. Robert Duvall always reminds
How do your condiment choices expose your ultimate talents? Read More »
Most of our assumptions have outlived their uselessness.― Marshall McLuhan Did you know that our brains are like railroad tracks? According to relatively recent research, the neural paths are not set in stone. We don’t have to subject ourselves to the same expectations we’ve hauled around for years. I expect my experiences have been like many
How can we make the switch to great expectations? Read More »
But beware of this about callings: they may not lead us where we intended to go or even where we want to go. If we choose to follow, we may have to be willing to let go of the life we already planned and accept whatever is waiting for us. And if the calling is
Who do you want to be, down the road? Read More »
Expectations were like fine pottery. The harder you held them, the more likely they were to crack.― Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings My first twelve years of school I enjoyed a multitude of kind and caring and effective teachers. One of my favorite educators, Mrs. B., was quite a lady. She taught my mother in the
Erasing cockiness in two easy lessons Read More »
For what you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing: it also depends on what sort of person you are.~ C.S. Lewis, The Magician’s Nephew illumination in the darkness Years ago I had the extraordinary privilege of attending an art history class taught by Susan Slade. I don’t know whether the experience
Ignorance is easy to erase when you see it Read More »
“Your memory is a monster; you forget—it doesn’t. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from you—and summons them to your recall with will of its own. You think you have a memory; but it has you!”― John Irving, A Prayer for Owen Meany Our family history in this country dates
Family stories: do you see value or vapid? Read More »
A group of sheep led by a tiger can defeat a group of tigers led by a sheep. ~ Amit Kalantri, Wealth of Words Do you recall how many managers you’ve had? If you’ve been in the workforce for more than a decade, you may have lost count. I have had my fair share, and
Wisdom from the best & the worst Read More »
If ignorance is bliss, there should be more happy people. ~Victor Cousin Before I get too far, let me be clear that this is not a Hints from Heloise blog. I loved those tips when they were in vogue, but I don’t know enough shortcuts to create even one. What I will do is explore
Why does simple have to be obscure? Read More »
A person who holds strong convictions might appear inflexible, impolite, or exceptionally obtuse, when they are merely direct. ~ Kilroy J. Oldster, Dead Toad Scrolls Remember the Capulets and Montagues? In brief, these families were the 16th century’s Hatfields and McCoys. Romeo and Juliet were star-crossed lovers who died unnecessary deaths by their own hands,
Why is direct communication scary? Read More »
If then, I were asked for the most important advice I could give, that which I considered to be the most useful to the men of our century, I should simply say: in the name of God, stop a moment, cease your work, look around you. ~ Leo Tolstoy, Essays, Letters and Miscellanies Do you
What do you see, really? Read More »
We do not learn from experience… we learn from reflecting on experience. ~John Dewey Most of us do things, or avoid doing things, based on prior experiences and that behavior begins early. Toddlers don’t bang their heads against coffee tables too many times before they learn to back out lowly and slowly. When you were
Tough experiences make you learn Read More »
Nice words and nice appearance doesn’t conclude that someone is nice, I believe that the nicer you look, the more deceptive you appear. ~Michael Bassey Johnson Everybody experiences regret, and those occasions provide opportunities for self-teaching moments. This page includes some of those moments I’ve enjoyed (endured?), as well as random topics that intrigue
Too Cynical to Give a Little Grace? Read More »