Southwest Airlines doesn’t operate out of Madison. If it did, I’d be tempted to fly it, mostly because of their reputation for having Adultitis-free flight attendants. I don’t even know how accurate that reputation is anymore, but it was refreshing to get a taste of how I perceive it to be on a recent Delta flight. We were greeted by an enthusiastic (but not annoyingly so) young man who said, "I'm Ryan and I'm your MC on this one hour and twenty minute flight of aviation excitement!” Accustomed to airline announcements sounding like they’re being delivered by Charlie Brown’s teacher, my …
Archives for July 2014
Saturday Morning Sprinkles: Cornasaurus Edition
• My friend Sara pointed me to this awesome tutorial about making a cornasaurus, which is "a dinosaur that inhabits dinner plates around the world and loves to watch kids eat their veggies." Fun! (via @PagingFunMums) • My favorite part of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood was when he'd take tours of different factories to show how things were made. That's why I'm a sucker for videos like this one about ramen noodles. • I've always thought it would be cool to kayak next to a big whale. This video shows a few people getting as close as you can get. Literally. • LOVE this passage from a …
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Adults gather to escape adulthood at summit
This article was originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on 7/19/2014 and was written by Bailey Berg. A flurry of ripped cardboard. Fat markers haphazardly scribbling on sheets of paper. Makeshift hats. Piles of candy. Kazoos. The Friday gathering at Olbrich Botanical Gardens might sound like a children’s birthday party. But the attendees at this weekend’s sold-out “Escape Adulthood Summit” were all adults. Bill Thom was one of them. His name tag identified him as a Lego builder, expert napper and Cap’n Crunch fan. What it didn’t say is that he also is the co-creator of a …
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9 Nuggets for Non-Speakers from The National Speakers Convention
A few weeks ago, I was in San Diego with Kim and Ginny for the annual convention of the National Speakers Association. One of the highlights for me was getting recognized for achieving Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) status. Less than 10% of professional speakers have earned this designation, which is based on number of paid speeches given, income earned, client evaluations and a peer review panel. I cracked up at some of the alternative ideas for what CSP could stand for, as suggested by people on our Facebook page: Celebrated Silly Person, Childlike Super Powers, Causes Smiles …
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Thou Shalt Determine a Thing’s Importance by How Easily it Can Be Measured
How can you tell if the story you’re living is any good? Before a speech I gave recently, the executive director of the organization that hired me was sharing the results of a survey they had commissioned to evaluate their effectiveness. By all accounts, this organization had met or exceeded all of their performance metrics. But as the leader admitted, "most performance metrics don’t tell a really good story.” She’s right, you know. Things like income, expenses, and profit margins can give us a handy snapshot of the health and growth of an organization. But they do not tell the whole …
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Saturday Morning Sprinkles: Twister in the Elevator Edition
• Innocent is a company in the UK that makes juice and smoothies. They also recently outfitted their elevator with the game Twister. Brilliant! I propose that elevators the world over are outfitted similarly. • One thing I hate about the internet are all the passwords. It seems like every site has different requirements. Some make you change them regularly. And then there's the business of keeping track of them all. But not once have I ever thought that an internet password could change my life. You need to read about Mauricio Estrella's experience that might get you thinking differently …
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Thou Shalt Wait for Permission from Your Boss Before Doing Something Awesome
Did you know that Steven Spielberg was actually going to use stop-motion to animate the dinosaurs for his film Jurassic Park? It was a no-brainer, especially since he had Phil Tippett, the master puppeteer who was responsible for bringing many of the Star Wars creatures to life. But then some rebels at Industrial Light & Magic who lived by the motto “Always question the established system” did some covert experimenting and the results ended up changing Jurassic Park — and movies — forever. "I love the term ‘you will never.’ If I had listened to ‘you will never,’ the T-Rex never would have …
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Is Struggle a Sign That You’re Doing Life Wrong?
Sometimes I look at my kids and see beauty. I marvel at the sparkle in their eyes and the sweetness of their smiles. I am overwhelmed by gratitude and joy, awestruck by how amazing they are, and humbled to be entrusted with their wellbeing. Other times I seriously consider the ramifications of dropping them off at the mall and driving to Miami, never to return. I have lamented the fact that were I to launch myself through a window of my home, none of them are far enough from the ground to cause fatal damage. More times than not, I am flabbergasted by how frustrating parenting can be. I …
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6 Things You Didn’t Know About My High School Years
I was listed in the yearbook as an example of a fashion trend setter. Anyone who knows me knows how hilarious this is. I had the good fortune of being a senior right when the Seattle grunge scene was emerging, which is to say flannel and jeans found me. Although the flannel is in the closet, I still listen to Pearl Jam. Speaking of yearbooks; you know those awards they give to seniors, like Best Eyes, Class Clown, Most Likely to Be President? They had one for best artist, but I did not win it. That honor went to Mike Beenenga, who was (and still is) super talented and super nice guy. Damn …
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Thou Shalt Tear Here
I totally opened this from the other side and my Horsey Sauce came out just fine, so…#notarule. …