Archive for March 2020

On episode #89 of the Speak Up Storytelling podcast, I try something new. I craft a brand new story on the spot – something I do in workshops but never before on the podcast. Also something that I don’t entirely love. Not one bit. It’s an opportunity to hear me tell the worst version of…

I wear many hats. I do many things. One might think that I collect jobs. At the moment, my list of jobs for which I am paid for regularly include: elementary school teacher author humor columnist advice columnist dramaturge storyteller public speaker producer podcaster communications/advertising consultant storytelling/speaking coach wedding DJ minister life coach I’ve also…

I experience many good, very good, and even great moments in a day. Eating my Egg McMuffin every morning is a legitimately great moment for me (followed by the saddest moment of almost every day when breakfast is over). Listening to a student say, “Oh, I get it now!” is just as great as an…

I was pouring Diet Coke into a cup at a local McDonald’s – the restaurant I managed for years while putting myself through college – when a man approached and asked if I knew that Jesus was my savior. I was in a hurry. I was teaching a storytelling workshop in less than 30 minutes,…

Every now and then, Stephen Colbert will drink alcohol during his evening monologue. At some appropriate moment, usually in an effort to feign disinterest or finish off a bit, he will step toward the camera so a staffer can pass him a glass of bourbon, whiskey, or similar spirit, and then he drinks. Here’s the…

In case you missed it, Dunkin Donuts (recently rebranded Dunkin) introduced a new menu item at the end of February: Bacon. They call their new menu item Snackin’ Bacon, but it’s just bacon. A bag of bacon. Eight half-strips of wrapped in “a portable sleeve for on-the-go snacking ease.” Sometime in 2019, in some boardroom…

Elysha sent this text to me from the comfort of her bed a few minutes ago. Please note the condescension. Take the plastic wrap off first? Does she really think I might be stupid enough to cook cinnamon rolls while covered in the plastic that she stretched over the tray last night? Clara had already…

A new study has found that drivers of expensive, high-status vehicles are less likely to stop and allow pedestrians to cross the road – with the likelihood they’ll slow down decreasing by 3% for every extra $1,000 that their vehicle is worth. In other words, people whom drive expensive cars are jerks. But we didn’t…

Years ago, Elysha Dicks and I were attending a Moth StorySLAM in Boston. The host of the show reached her hand into the bag filled with potential storyteller names, pulled out a slip of paper, and announced the name of the next storyteller. The young man sitting directly in front of us rose, took the…

Perhaps you heard about Dave Ayers, the 42-year-old Zamboni driver who came in as the emergency backup goaltender last week for the Carolina Hurricanes and and stopped 8 of 10 shots to get credit for the 6-3 win. An amazing night for Ayers, but it’s not as if tending goal was something new for the…