GRIN & BARE IT
Read (and subscribe to) Grin and Bare It, my daily blog on storytelling, productivity, current events, teaching, my family, and other musings.
I have been posting to this blog every day since 2005.
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“Talkers are no good doers.”
“Talkers are no good doers.” This line, from Shakespeare’s “Richard III,” is one everyone who seeks to make something should take to heart. Years ago, Read More
The little bit of good stuff about Star Trek
I am not a fan of Star Trek. I’ve watched the original series and parts of the later series, as well as several of the Read More
Angeli for the win!
I’ve had the pleasure of spending the last few months working with a lawyer and public speaker named Angeli. She’s been competing in Toastmasters events Read More
Government is good, even though it’s sometimes stupid.
In 2016, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority planned to spend $250 million on a project that would turn several New York bridges into an intricate light Read More
Weird Al’s journey is just as weird as Weird Al himself
Weird Al Yankovic is embarking on a major tour this summer: The Bigger and Weirder Tour He hasn’t released a significant amount of music in Read More
I’ve hung up my revenge shingle for anyone in need
Slate magazine is engaged in Revenge Week. Sort of like Shark Week, except the focus is on revenge. And somehow, a Slate editor identified me Read More
Guys love Charlie’s love of music
On Saturday night, Charlie and I attended the Styx concert in Mansfield, Massachusetts. REO Speedwagon and Don Felder of The Eagles opened the show. It Read More
How to replicate my career
I received an email last week from a person who essentially asked, “I’d love to have your career as a storyteller and consultant. Can you Read More
ChatGPT is changing the world. Literally.
Soundslice is a company that digitizes music from photographs. A few months ago, they started noticing that users were uploading screenshots of ASCII tablature — Read More
Words can really enhance an image
Elysha and I visited the John Singer Sargent exhibit at The Met during our anniversary jaunt to New York City last week. I don’t typically Read More
It’s just a park.
I was walking with a client to a restaurant for dinner when she pointed at a large, grassy field in the park and said, “I Read More
Some good customer service news
Over the past month, I’ve written about some unfortunate customer service situations related to hotels. One involving a Hilton in Miami. The other involves the Read More
Wedding anniversary #19
Yesterday, Elysha and I celebrated 19 years of marriage by taking a two-day getaway to New York City. Clara is entering week three of her Read More
Not a hippo
A month ago, one of my former students, for whom English is a second (and brand new) language, said: “Mr. Dicks, you look like a Read More
Fruit cocktail eaten. Promise kept.
Del Monte Foods, the 138-year-old company best known for its canned fruits and vegetables, has filed for bankruptcy and is looking for a buyer. I’m Read More
The insidiuous nature of posthumous awards
Major League Baseball commissioner Paul Manfred has revoked the permanent ineligibility of banned baseball players upon death, meaning that these deceased players are now potentially Read More
Count your blessings, and sometimes, keep your mouth shut.
Many years ago, I was standing at the copy machine at my school, waiting as it churned out homework for my students. A handful of Read More
A mistake is an opportunity to impress. Holiday Inn doesn’t understand this.
I had the pleasure of spending yesterday in Pittsburgh with an incredible company that owns and operates restaurants and food service for universities, corporate dining Read More
Peanut butter and tuna fish sandwich: MY INVENTION
Marco Sumayao of Chowhound writes about the peanut butter and tuna fish sandwich: “The origins of the sandwich itself are difficult to trace. Author Matthew Read More
Careless whispers everywhere
I’m in the car with Elysha, Charlie, and my friend, Kaia. We’re listening to music as we make our way to Winding Trails, the lake Read More
