ELECTION DAY Even those of us who love our jobs dread some tasks that we can’t avoid. For many politicians, it’s the interview with the local newspaper’s editorial board. The horror is over for at least another two years, but I imagine a lot of candidates will relive the scene […]
I happen to be a fan of the San Francisco Giants, who happen to have won three of the last five World Series. But since my team is not in the playoffs this year, and I live in Metsland, I’m rooting for the New Yorkers. I’m generous that way. Also, […]
During a conversation with a group of writers, artists and other creative types one of the participants asked if I could handle a specific assignment. Can you write for women?” she asked. I answered with an enthusiastic “Yes!” The one other guy in the group literally harrumphed. “There’s no writing […]
A university is a wonderful place to work if you like the energy of young people and smart coworkers. The excitement that the combination creates sometimes also creates misunderstandings of intent, centered on the use of language. Complicating the situation, colleges and universities are often at the forefront of trends […]
Too often, the things we need most to talk about go unsaid, like the way we look and differences in our cultures. Usually, we settle into our customs and prejudices and leave it to someone else to question orthodoxy. The good thing about working at a university is that the […]
I have not published a blog for four weeks – four weeks! A farce, a failure — an injustice to my many fans! This is despite my belief that regular communication through blogging is essential for all who wish to be known as thought leaders in their fields. The act […]
Twitter was alive last week with crabby writers complaining about people they wanted to interview. This information can be valuable to those who want to build good relationships with reporters and therefore get publicity for themselves or their businesses. It turns out that what sounds reasonable and time-saving to you […]
The first time I saw The Beach Boys was in a sports coliseum with 20,000 other people. That evening, most of the band came on stage and started with a song to warm up the crowd. Before the next song, Brian Wilson, wearing a muumuu and with his guitar slung […]
Excellent customer service can be practiced by anyone, but I would argue that in some situations it is a little more important than in others. Dr. Robert Cooper is retiring after 37 years of treating cancer patients in private practice and at Western Connecticut Health Network, and the horror and […]
Following is a list of phrases that have caused me to want to tear my hair out — or to put it more clearly, frustrated me greatly — in the past week as I have read them in various publications: One communicator wrote that a pleasing situation was “music to […]
