Archive for November 2014
BJ Novak’s new children’s book is annoyingly brilliant, just like everything else he does annoyingly well.
Television writer, actor, director, producer, and the author of a book of short stores BJ Novak has written a children’s book entitled The Book With No Pictures, and damn it, it’s good. It’s clever and poignant and hilarious and ingenious. It’s entertaining and it says something. I hate that guy. Not only can the jerk…
Read MoreA simple declaration and a smidgen of self confidence can launch a business and change your life. Just look at my mother-in-law.
Yesterday I barged into a friend’s office and told her to launch a new business. I’ll refrain (for now) from telling you what this business is and what she will be doing, but it’s a no-brainer in terms of profitability. She’s perfectly (and almost uniquely) qualified for the job, will earn a lot of money…
Read MoreAdult sized Underoos might be even better than a sexy Princess Leia costume.
A few years ago, I bought a sexy Princess Leia costume for my wife, Elysha. She hasn’t gotten around to wearing it, but I’m sure that she’s just waiting for the right moment. Timing is everything. While I’m waiting for her to find that right moment, it’s come to my attention that Hot Topic is…
Read More3 most important rules of the thank you note
TIME assets that the thank you notecard is not dead. No duh. That said, quite a few people are small minded and idiotic when it comes to thank you notes. Here are three simple rules that should be remembered at all times. The heartfelt thank you note is a beautiful thing. The expectation of a…
Read MoreMy father rode horses all his life. I rode horses until they were taken away. Watching my kids ride horses, even for a day, was magical.
I grew up on a horse farm until my parents got divorced around the age of seven or eight. For a few years of my childhood, I practically lived on the back of a horse, often riding bareback through without any adult supervision. A horse once bolted with me on it, and my father didn’t…
Read MorePerhaps I have more in common with the Matthew Dicks of Des Moines, Iowa than just our names and our mug shots
Back in May of 2011, I wrote a post lamenting the fact that a person with the same name as me has been arrested in Des Moines: Great. Someone who shares my name has been arrested and booked at the Polk Country Jail in Des Moines, Iowa for failure to pay child support. You’d think…
Read MoreSometimes I think that my daughter is already cooler than I will ever be.
New word: Truché
New word: truché Pronounced troo·ché I can’t recall if I or my friend, Shep, first coined this word, but we use it with each other often, so I’ll give us both credit. The definition: exclamation1. used as an acknowledgment during a discussion of a good or clever factual correction made at one’s expense by another…
Read MoreI have a lot of stories to tell. More than you could ever imagine. I suspect that Bill Murray would understand why.
Bill Murray on the Howard Stern show: Howard Stern: “Who teaches you to tell a story? Is it something you are born with?” Bill Murray: “No, I don’t think you’re born with it. You have to hear stories and you have to live stories. You have to have a bunch of experiences and be able…
Read MoreMy possibly petulant “I told you so” climate change Kickstarter idea: I need your feedback. Am I an idiot?
Earlier in the week, I wrote about the sound byte being used by Republicans in response to questions about the existence of climate change: “I’m not a scientist.” Variations of this ridiculous statement include: “The science isn’t all there yet.” “I’ve heard arguments from both sides of the scientific aisle.” House Speaker John Boehner: “Listen,…
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