The Strength of Calm
This is no time for conspiracy theories (conspiracists are always paranoid), or for partisan politics (blaming anyone in office is simply unproductive, you can vote in November in the US), or for blaming big business (which is trying to re-gear
I Would Rather Be A Dog on Social Media
A woman actually wrote on LinkedIn this morning that we should avoid the self-check-out machines in stores in order to make sure there are jobs for cashiers. People making such claims are the people voting in the primaries and general
Hello, I’m Alan, Nice to See You Here
I happened to hear James Carville on the news this morning. He was my guest not too long ago at one of my events, and it was also his birthday. I ordered Makers Mark bourbon, his favorite, which, inexplicably, the
What Do You Mean, “What’s a ruler?”?
I'm closing in on four million air miles. I began counting from my first plane trip as an exchange student in 1963. Right into my professional career, I would open an atlas, use a ruler, calculate the inches and then
In Case You Were Wondering What I Was Thinking
Complaints about too many tourists in a location uttered by people who are, themselves, tourists, is just about the height of a lack of self-awareness. Every single person who’s ever offered me unsolicited critique about my cars, clothes, jewelry,
Sir, What Are You Doing Down There?
Do designers ever ask the intended customer to consult with them? I think it's great having power outlets on planes, but when you have to turn on the iPhone flashlight and kneel on the floor to find it and make sure
Note: Toes Go In First
I bought two new bird feeders recently online. They came promptly, well packaged, and with dozens of directions! I was looking for the instructional video! There were also warnings, because apparently some people like to eat birdseed, or don't know
You’re Divorced Three Times and You’re Giving Me Marriage Advice?
On the internet, no one knows you're a dog. That's pretty clever. Also quite profound. No one knows what most people's credential are, or what the validity of their advice is. The social medial platforms are great homogenizers of commentary. Everyone
Alan’s Fifth Law
For every aphorism there is an equal and opposite aphorism, Alan's Fifth Law of Linguistic Reversals. For example: Haste makes waste. But: The early bird catches the worm. (The early worm is eaten.) Actions speak louder than words. But: The pen is
Market This
If you can't do it yourself, you have no right taking someone else's money to show them how to do it. Some of the worst charlatans are the "marketing experts" who have never marketed anything successfully themselves except their current