Sometimes the outcomes are unpredictable — The train car was not crowded. About eighty percent of the seats were open. We would now make every stop to downtown Chicago. I usually get an express train, but I was going in late for an all-staff meeting that began at ten, so I caught the later “milk-run” train…

It’s true with business plans, creative pursuits, and it applies to our lives — When the Italian sculptor Michelangelo had to describe how he created one of his famous sculptures, he replied that he saw the angel in the marble and set him free. In other words, he took the block of stone and carved away everything that wasn’t the angel he envisioned. Sometimes…

If it’s a cause that’s meaningful to you, it’s an unexplainable and memorable event you’ll never forget — “If I were to remain silent, I’d be guilty of complicity.” ― Albert Einstein It’s an amazing experience to be part of a large movement, to be lost in a crowd of other like-minded souls with a singular goal or purpose in mind. One opportunity I had to participate in…

How to break out to see what the rest of the world has to offer — The above was the easiest and hardest title image to find. It was easy because when I put the search terms “cat in a box,” dozens of usable images came up for me to choose from. What made it hard, is dozens of usable images came up for me to…

Too many writers point to established writers for direction, but there’s a better place to seek advice — Nobody can dispute the wisdom of the great writing gurus like William Strunk, Jr., Stephen King, Anne Lamott, William Zinnser, and Natalie Goldberg. Their valuable instruction on the elements of style, voice, structure, and routine are indispensable for any writer — aspiring or well-established. …

The second event had few spectators, and I witnessed a very rough landing — I was at Chicago's North Avenue Beach on Friday to view a preview of this weekend's Air & Water Show. The show runs about three hours and is full of aerial entertainment, culminating with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. The afterburn from that Friday event was still lingering as I…

The practice of being present on different planes of focus — The main attraction of the Chicago Air & Water Show is the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. Various military and civilian performers and aerial demonstration teams are featured over more than three hours of the lakefront event. I took in a preview of the show from North Avenue Beach, the epicenter…

Is this a sneaky snub or a gesture of care and concern? — I recently discovered that a couple of friends of mine did shots while I stepped away to take a leak. It was only 3 of us too, which made it odder. …

Sometimes it's the bigger picture we need for absolute clarity — I think again of the story about my wife and me as we look out at our garden one morning. She comments on some weeds that she needs to tackle. She also talks about the plants she has to cut back. I see the beauty of the bigger picture —…