Woof?
A rural Japanese area has had a problem with marauding bears and has decided on a quite simple remedy: They have constructed a giant wolf, with a motion detector that activates frightening sounds and flashing eyes, not unlike Godzilla, in
Stalemate
I have a real problem. When we were in Charleston a couple of years ago, I purchased a Civil War chess set. Pieces in uniform, deep blue and light grey, with the respective presidents and first ladies as kings and
Regression to the Mean
There's a phenomenon called "regression to the mean" in statistics. My layman's explanation is that something that's far out of the norm tends to return toward the norm when you continue to measure it. (Don't berate me, math was never
Helping Hands
When you're feeling a tad depressed about your circumstances and/or prospects, go help someone who's in a worse state than you are. You'll feel better, they'll be better, and you'll be rejuvenated. It's not because there's someone in "worse" shape
What’s Calling You?
You can hold a job, forge a career, or pursue a calling. I've worked in corporate America, I've become a consultant, but what I really love doing is helping others to succeed. The money comes, never chase money. Chase happiness.
Shoveling
A young man walked up to me outside the post office recently and said, "You're Mr. Weiss, right?" "I am." "You probably don't remember me, but I came to your house a few years ago after a storm to ask if you
Right-of-Way
When I go over to work on my train layout for a little while most days, I get "lost" in the universe I've created. I don't live by others' rules or metrics. I mix eras, create novel scenes, establish my
Taking A Break
A buddy came over for a cigar the other day. We sat in my retreat center about six feet apart, had some scotch and Cohibas. We talked politics and people, TV and jobs. Then I went back to my final
When Every Day Is Casual Friday
I'm running my Building Dynamic Communities Workshop over two mornings instead of "live," using Zoom. This is the fifth time I'm presenting and facilitating a virtual workshop. I find myself preparing by shaving and showering, wearing good clothes, even putting
Holler or Help?
Social media posts would be funny if the times weren't so difficult for so many people. If everyone whining about the government's actions and/or bloviating about how they would do things differently—or using the crisis to make partisan political points—would
