TED
WeCroak: An app that does what my brain already does
My friend, Kim, alerted me to a new app called WeCroak. It does one simple thing: Five times per day, at unpredictable intervals, it sends you a message that says: “Don’t forget, you’re going to die.” The app was created by Ian Thomas, a 27-year-old freelance app developer, and Hansa Bergwall, a 35-year-old publicist, “I would…
Read MoreHow I delivered an inspirational talk at a human trafficking conference (while knowing nothing about human trafficking)
I was speaking to some of my former storytelling students – children of Holocaust survivors who had gone through a workshop series with me that culminated in a storytelling performance. One of them told me, “Now I see stories everywhere. Everything is a story.” While I don’t agree that everything is a story, I knew…
Read MoreOne person is listening. Perhaps more, but at least one. I’m so pleased.
I was asked by many people on Monday morning about the AFC championship game that I attended on Sunday night. One of the most frequently asked questions was: “What time did you get home?” I arrived home on Sunday night around 1:00 AM, but I explained that it was fairly early given the fact that I…
Read MoreBest introduction ever
I find myself speaking on stages quite often these days. Prior to taking the stage, I am often introduced by a host of some sort, and the introductions are often quite lovely. Kind words, generous anecdotes, and long lists of accomplishments. It’s great to hear someone speak so highly about you in such a public…
Read MoreResolution update: November 2016
PERSONAL HEALTH 1. Don’t die. I still have fluid trapped behind my eardrum after more than a month, making it impossible to hear out of my left ear, and now I think it might kill me. I am losing my mind. 2. Lose 20 pounds. I gained three more pounds in November, mostly because…
Read MoreTEDxTheCountrySchool: Speak Less. Expect More.
This is a TEDx Talk that I delivered in April of 2016 at The Country School in Madison, CT. The conference was run almost exclusively by the students of the school, who were of middle and high school age. It’s a variation of a talk that I have delivered before about the idea that teachers…
Read MoreWhen kids rule the world, it will be a fantastic place. But perhaps not always professional.
The TEDx conference at The Country School where I spoke last week was interesting in that it was run by students to a great degree. Kids greeted me at the door. Kids organized the ancillary activities taking place in between talks. Kids assisted me with my tech. There were kids onstage reading poetry. The host…
Read MoreTEDxNatick: Love Life Like You Are 100 Years Old
TEDx Berkshires: Homework for Life
Watch my most recent TEDx Talk, “Homework for Life,” below. In this talk, I discuss a simple strategy – stumbled upon accidentally – that you can use to slow down time, find greater meaning in your life, and give your future self one of the best gifts imaginable. And if you’re a storyteller – on the…
Read MoreTEDxNatick: “Live Life Like Your 100 Year-Old Self”
I’ll be speaking at TEDxNatick at the Natick High School in Natick, MA on January 23, 2016. The conference begins at 9:30 AM and wraps at 3:30 PM. Lunch is provided. Tickets to the conference are selling fast. They can be purchased here. I will be speaking on the topic: “Live Life Like Your 100…
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