The riddle—and the answer—was given to me by a friend who knows of my interest in nutrition.  The answer supplied to me was, “Because the 10th teaspoon of sugar wouldn’t dissolve in the water.”  That is an interesting answer—but it... Read More

Vermeer’s The Concert (c. 1664) was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum on March 18, 1990—along with 12 other pieces of art, including three works by Rembrandt.  The heist is known for the Vermeer painting that was taken.  If... Read More

The word is pronounced “Ick—ee—guy”.  The blend diagram has the key word in the middle and our life’s work, loves, passions, volunteer time and inherent mission orbiting around it.   I think we all have an Ikigai blend diagram in our... Read More

“Without ambition one starts nothing.  Without work one finishes nothing.  The prize will not be sent to you.  You have to win it.”    Ralph Waldo Emerson Ambition.  Some of us don’t have it and some of us have too much... Read More

Is the local museum housing stolen art? I’m going to answer the tease at the beginning instead of at the end.  The answer is “No.”  At least as it applies to the painting this essay is about.  There may be... Read More

Exercise classes and equipment are marketed based on how much fat they “burn”.  I was great at selling exercise equipment.  I’m sure I sold more than one $2,500 treadmill, recumbent bike, or cross-country ski machine by touting how much fat... Read More

This is a two-part essay.  It’s about technology and also about a conversation that did not happen—but could have happened. I was late coming to technology.  I didn’t have a computer until my cousin gave me a Packard Bell (it... Read More

This essay isn’t about any specific Paul.  It’s about the name Paul.  When I was in elementary school, there were Pauls in each grade and each class.  In 1964, Paul was an extremely popular name for newborn males.  1.32% of... Read More

After college, I worked for a real estate development company.  In addition to working on real estate projects, I was also involved in a bank the company owned in Florida and various investment research projects for the company owner. The... Read More

In my first book I wrote about my childhood and used the term “Norman Rockwell painting” to describe it.  Let me set the stage: my parents got married young and stayed married.  At some point, either overtly or by their... Read More