Archive for January 2020

A friend informed me of a possible job opportunity yesterday. Don’t tell Elysha. “What would that be?” he asked. “Job #10?” I didn’t take the job, of course. A technicality prevented me from even considering it, but I’ve got enough work right now to keep me busy. Not exactly nine jobs, but as a teacher,…

About 18 years ago, my DJ partner, Bengi, and I were driving home after entertaining at a wedding on the Connecticut shore. We had played the song “Sweet Home Alabama” that night, and though we knew some of the words from this iconic song, neither one of us knew them all, so we decided to…

On episode #80 of the Speak Up Storytelling podcast, Matthew Dicks analyzes his own story “The Avocado Melt” in an episode we call Storytelling Forensics. LINKS Purchase Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life Through the Power of Storytelling Purchase Twenty-one Truths About Love Homework for Life: https://bit.ly/2f9ZPne Matthew Dicks’s website: https://matthewdicks.com Matthew Dicks’s…

Tom Hanks received the Cecil B. deMille Award at the Golden Globe on Sunday night. In his speech, he offered advice once given to him on how to be a successful actor: “Know the text, have a head full of ideas, and BE ON TIME.” “Know the text” is specific to acting, but “have a…

As an author of a novel written entirely in lists, you can imagine how much I enjoy a good list. You might also imagine how much a song like Paul Simon’s “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” annoys me. If you’re going to title your song “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover,” YOU SHOULD INCLUDE…

As you may know, my beloved Patriots lost in the first round of the playoffs on Saturday night. From my seats in section 331 in Gillette Stadium,. I watched our season come to a screeching halt. Tom Brady’s final pass of the season was an interception to former Patriot Logan Ryan, which was returned for…

On a recent episode of The Political Gabfest, the hosts were offering their answers to various conundrums as part of their annual holiday episode. One of the conundrums that they were asked: “If you could swim in a pool filled with anything but water, what would you choose?” Admittedly, this is one of the stupider…

Whenever I see a photograph like this, of someone’s slippered feet, set atop a coffee table, adult beverage in hand, framed by the warm, orange glow in the fireplace, I can’t help but think: “My God that looks boring.” I know I’m in the minority here. I’ve seen enough of these fireplace-framed photographs of feet…

On episode #79 of the Speak Up Storytelling podcast, Matthew and Elysha Dicks talk storytelling! In our follow up segment, we we share Homework for Life success stories from several listeners and attempt to shame a sibling into joining her brother and sister in Homework for Life. STORYTELLING SHOWS 2020 January 11: “Still Life: Stories…

Every month, I report on the progress of my yearly goals in an attempt to hold myself accountable. Here are the results for December and for 2019 as a whole. I posted my New Year’s resolutions for 2020 yesterday. In 2019, I completed 21 of 44 goals for a success rate of 48%. This is…