My Resolution.

I've only got one resolution for the New Year/New Decade:  PLAY MORE.

Play has the power to transform:  improving health, boosting creativity, enhancing learning and invigorating relationships.

Forgotten how to play?  Don't have an 8-year old to observe?   Visit the The National Institute for Play, http://www.nifplay.org/, for stimulation..

Choosing to Love a Vulture.

I was in 2nd grade when my teacher asked what my favorite animal was.  It was one of those frequent "sharing moments"  so common in elementary school.  Because my last name started with a W, I was the last student to speak.

I was a smart-alecky kid.  And even at that tender age, a non-conformist who knew the value of shock.

So following a earnest little-kid chorus of puppies, kitties and turtles, I blurted out that I liked vultures.  I briefly considered declaring my love for pandas--which was real and lasted for
years--but I liked the subversiveness of the carrion eater. 

Never mind that I had never seen one. 

My young female teacher went slack-jawed.  Thirty heads turned, bug-eyed, to gape at me.  There was giggling, whispering and then silence.  I was given a chance to reconsider my apparently inappropriate declaration.

But I remained firm in my selection.  A vulture wasn't cute or cuddly or popular.  I knew something about that as an awkward eight-year old.

"Yes," I repeated, "I like vultures." 

This week, I thought of the maligned vulture. Native American culture celebrates animals of all kinds as totems, so I Googled the symbolism of these birds.

Turns out they are much more than nature's flesh-eating housekeepers.

Vultures are revered for their patience, resourcefulness and economy of movement, among other positive traits.  Read for yourself at:  http://www.whats-your-sign.com/bird-meaning-vulture.html.

So in the spirit of the season, consider your own lenses.  Then rethink it.  Applaud those with unconventional thoughts.  And the courage to express those thoughts.

As we enter both a New Year and a New Decade, I am mulling over how I can apply vulture wisdom to my life.  Especially to the misunderstood among us.

Happy holidays to you and yours.

Viva La France!

Buckhead's newest restaurant, the French Bistro Niko, is sumptuous without being stuffy. It's a welcome change from the minimalist, monochromatic decors of many of the city's trendy eateries.

It was packed on a recent weekday visit, infusing the place with the lively ambience of Parisian bistros.

We started with champagne and gougeres, feathery, two-bite cheese puffs, before moving on to the melting rich pork rillettes. The escargots, bathed in garlic and butter and goosed with a splash of Pernod, were tender and lip-smacking; the glistening steak tartare made traditionally way but enlivened with tabasco was a knockout. And don't miss the savory, flatbread-like tartes: the delicate smoked salmon with creme fraiche and the luxe truffle-oil topped mushroom.

Our favorite entrees were masterful comfort food: a veal osso bucco shephard's pie and succuclent coq au vin. Every dessert we tried was a triumph: the baba rhum atop a puddle of apricot sauce, the citron tart with its gorgeous flourish of meringue, the cinnamon-y spiced apple tart.

No wonder Buckhead Life Group founder Pano Karatassos was strutting like a proud peacock throughout the dining room.

The Fantastic Mr. Clooney.

George Clooney is one of America's sturdiest--not to mention studliest--actors.

His most recent movies, the animated feature The Fantastic Mr. Fox, and his adult dramedy Up in the Air, are currently in release. Both have been nominated for Golden Globes and SAG awards.

Both send up his playboy image in self-deprecating, but totally different ways. Both films are supremely satisfying.

Wield Your, Um, Assets, With Purpose.

As the Recent Tiger Woods bimbo explosion has shown us, being bodacious is often all a gal needs to garner attention.

The wrong kind of attention.

Which reminds me of Salma Hayek.

Yes, the Mexican actress is one hot tamale, to use an offensive, outdated cliche, but she is also...brilliant.

Did you know that she is the force behind the hit U.S. show Ugly Betty? She also used her potent combination of brains and beauty to bring the Oscar-winning film Frida, a project she long nursed, to fruition.

Bravo to women like Salma! They use their melons.

All three of them.

Simply Delicious Prose.

Two visually arresting phrases from critic Owen Gleiberman, writing in Entertainment Weekly about the movie The Young Victoria:

"...she makes her twinkly ivory radiance fit the role." (referencing actress Emily Blunt).

and

"Director Jean-Marc Valee's images have a creamy stateliness..."

Blue Collar Brillance.

I'm in awe of my plumber, Ken. His problem-solving abilities trump that of most MBAs.

Check out this article from Utne Reader, http://www.utne.com/Spirituality/Blue-Collar-Brilliance-Intelligence.aspx and you'll learn why.

Family Time.

Many of you know that over the past four months I have found members of my biological family.

So, it was with particular interest that I watched ABC's Find My Family, which airs on Mondays at 9 p.m EST.

And although I suspect this reunion show is scripted, it is a positive departure from most reality-show dreck. Complete with heartwrenching happy endings.

Not just for adoptees, this show is a reminder of the power of TV--for good.

Cinema Gets Small.

I like to watch. In the dark. With strangers.

Although I'm a devoted Netflix subscriber, I still love to see movies in the theatre. Especially when it comes to the cult films and classics that used to play in repertory houses.

But the rise of on-demand viewing has left the formerly flourishing indie cinema owners cash-strapped. Many once-thriving theatres have shuttered.

Still, small, devoted audience are experiencing film in so-called "microcinemas" across the U.S.

Which means we can gather for a communal viewing with other like-minded movie buffs.

Read more at: http://www.microcinema.com/newsflashes/cinemas_of_the_future.html. And www.wayfaring.com can point you to a microcinema in your community.

The Perfect Read(s) for the Road.

Need a holiday gift for someone who loves reading and traveling?

New York's Idlewild Books will custom create a "destination kit" with specially selected guidebooks and novels.

So whether you dream of Timbuktu or visit Texas all time, this free service is just the ticket.

Check it out: http://www.idlewildbooks.com/destination.

Play Misty for Me.

I recently read that the word nostalgia is Greek for "pain from an old wound."

So what's the difference between memory and something that is nostalgic?

Something nostalgic stings...a little.

Interesting to keep the distinction in mind during the coming weeks, full of both memories and nostalgia.

Don't Shop. Do Listen.

The Friday after Thanksgiving is typically a shopping day.

But why not acquire something truly priceless: the audio memory of a loved one?

November 27 is National Day of Listening. Teaming with StoryCorps, the nonprofit oral-history prject, you can capture a one-hour conversation for posterity.

And you don't need fancy equipment to do it.

Log onto http://www.nationaldayoflistening.org and you'll find a free downloadable DIY guide.

Guaranteed: no post-shopping hangover. Just great memories.

Outsmarting Writer's Block.

I get asked a lot about writer's block.

Yes, I get it. Yes, it is frustrating and unpredictable.

And yes, I have some tips for working around it.

1. Respect it as part of the creative process. Don't fight it; that's counterproductive and energy-sucking.

2. Distract yourself. I find that losing myself in someone else's artistry helps spark my own creativity. I like to enjoy a leisurely and beautifully plated meal or take a walk in nature. Visting an art gallery or museum or escaping to a movie are also good for my soul.

3. Trust that it's temporary. Sometimes I'm "dry" for a few hours, sometimes a few days. In Godforsaken times, a week or more. But eventually, it ends.

4. Write like mad when the block disappears. Regaining fluency is incredibly satisfying. It reminds me why I write.

Shopping for Religion?

Master Hsin Tao, a Buddhist monk, has built a "spiritual supermarket" in Taiwan.

Opened in 2001, the Museum of World Religions is located in a department store outside of Taipei City. On display are history, ritual, beliefs and sacred buildings of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Judiasm.

Check out www.mwr.org.tw.

Autumnal Poem.

I was watching birds in formation fly south this weekend. I love this time of year, but it can be a bit...melancholy.

Then I remembered this poem.

Mary Oliver captures the human experience with candor and grace. If someone you know is going through a rough patch, send it to them.

Wild Geese

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
. . . . . . . . . .
'Dream Work'
by Mary Oliver

Kaizen: Stepping Stones for Change.

The Humanity Healing Network has produced a short, beautiful video on Kaizen.

The message: embrace change with small, positive steps, will resonate both in the workplace and in your personal life.

If you've got a chnge-based presentation to make, you'll find powerful ideas here.

Check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx3wYnKLfFU&feature=sub.

Does Intentional Chocolate Taste Good?

I adore chocolate, eating it every day.

But I am cynical about its value promises such as increased energy, focus and calmness.

But hey, a square of the good dark stuff still tastes good. And yes, it elevates a girl's mood.

Check it out for yourself at: http://www.intentionalchocolate.com/?gclid=CLTN1NKE0Z0CFdpb2goddTxdqQ.

Knockout Sentence.

Talk about a tactile description:

"Sleepiness furred my senses," writes Allegra Huston in her memoir Love Child.

Please Just Stop the Music!

Just last night, the music in a Decatur restaurant was so intrusive I couldn't hear my pal Erin speaking.

We asked for a volume reduction, but it crept back up repeatedly through the night.

ARGH.

So Peter Jon Lindberg caught my attention with his funny rant about the full-on assault of our ears in public spaces from stores to restaurants and hotels in the latest issue of Travel & Leisure.

I think his essay is pitch-perfect:
http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/bad-music-in-public-spaces/1/?comments_page=1.

Word by Word.

Best-selling author Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird is essential reading for writers.

Scratch that: for all creative human beings.

Her latest inspiring essay, How to Become the Person You Were Meant To Be , knocked me flat with her trademark sisterly honesty, clarity and wisdom.

Every word she writes hurtles the reader closer to essential--but often forgotten-- truths.

There are so many resonate nuggets in this piece that I stopped highlighting individual lines such as "You doon't have to make mistakes to find out who you aren't" or "I pray that your awakening comes with ease and grace, and stamina when the going gets hard."

Discover Lamott at:
http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200911-omag-purpose-anne-lamott.

Reliving Childhood Memories.

As a child, my mother read me Where the Wild Things Are. I loved that book so much I literally tattered the pages. She had to buy me a second copy.

In his new film, director Spike Jonze has expanded the slim plot while remaining true to author Maurice Sendak's fantastical story of 10-year old Max and the beasts he befriends.

Rage, understanding, sadness, play, fear and isolation are among the themes explored in this beautifully adapted movie.

If you're an adult of a certain age, you'll vividly recall the monsters. If you're a kid, you'll appreciate the sensitivity Jonze brings to childhood's challenges.

Both will marvel over the humanity of the beasts, with their expressive yellow eyes.

Microscopic Miracles.

A silken galaxy of spiderwebs. The mating dance of such diminuitive creature as mayflies, horseshoe crabs and velvet worms.

David Attenborough's astonishing two-part series Life in the Undergrowth will ignite your childlike wonder.

Spooky, poignant, comical, even prurient, the rituals of these invertebrates are caught on up-close on camera and set to pitch-perfect music.

Simply sublime.

Available at Netflix.

Land of Enchantment.

Once, 25 years ago, I choose Atlanta for my home with conviction.

Since then, I have chosen to live in Chicago and Washington, D.C., for work-related reasons. Sixteen years ago, I choose Atlanta again. Not for a love of the land, but for the love of a man.

But my spirit, my soul speaks to me of the Southwest, its voice growing more insistent with each passing year.

Specifically, my spirit speaks to me of New Mexico.

Of watermelon-hued desert vistas and vast cobalt blue skies punctuated by puffy clouds. Of Native traditions, of poetry and pinon trees. Of strings of chilies crinkling dry in the warm midday sun. Of sancutarios and milagros. Of beat-up trucks and lonesome two-lanes. Of chunks of turquoise and lengths of gleaming silver. Of arroyos, of pueblos and mesas. Of inky skies scattered with stars. Of cool nights and colorful woolen sweaters.

In a parallel universe, I am already there.

So, I was grateful to find a collection of essays--most written in the 1920s-1950s--from others similarly bewitched, The Spell of New Mexico, edited by Tony Hillerman.

It's no subsitute for New Mexico's red earth under my feet or its singular rhythms.

But its pages are filled with reveries from the likes of D.H. Lawrence and Ernie Pyle, capturing the state's lure. The words are a balm, even as they beckon me. I found myself savoring every word, nodding, even "yes, yesing" aloud.

The tug of the place is manifest. It is a deep and abiding love.

So, if you, too, are similarly transfixed by New Mexico, I suggest you, too, seek out this collection.

Turkish Delight

Had a great time at this past weekend's Turkish Festival in Atlanta, sponsored by the Istanbul Center.

Yes, there was great food, interesting handcrafts and friendly people, a rousing performance by the world's oldest military band, laong with the powerful and etheral chants of an all-girl Assyrian choir.

But best of all? Learning history first-hand, specifically, the little-known exile of the Ahiskan people while making manti, Turkish dumplings, with young women who shared their memories.

Log onto www.istanbulcenter.org to learn more about upcoming Turkish events, from cooking classes to language lessons.

A Mother's Wisdom.

In the November 2009 issue of O magazine, actress Julianna Margulies says her "Aha!" moment was remembering her mother saying: "Honey, this is only a moment, it's not the rest of your life."

Mother knows best, esepcially when you are depleted, anxious or overwhelmed.

Client Spotting.

My friend and technology advisor, Dale, (check out his website, www.gyronyconsultive.com if you need support), sent me this amusingly accurate article about different types of clients.

Regardless of your industry, I think you'll find it's a bull-eye in terms of the identification, care and feeding of each.

Read it at: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2009/10/15/identifying-and-dealing-with-different-types-of-clients.

TV Worth Tivoing.

I am four episodes into ABC's Modern Family and I am loving its deadpan depiction of dysfunction.

An Ad Campaign to Love.

American Express's clever new TV ads touting buyer protection are short on copy but long on memorability thanks to the smile-inducing imagery.

And they boast a killer tagline: American Express: Don't Take Chances. Take Charge.

Dream Dinner Party. Yours for $200,000.

The Neiman Marcus Christmas Book just arrived and it features The Algonquin Round Table Experience, a once-in-a-lifetime charity dinner party being held at Manhattan's legendary, literay hotel.

Along with fine food and drink, sparkling wit will be on the menu courtesy of some of today's today's most luminary minds including Malcolm Gladwell, John Lithgow, Anna Deavere Smith, Christopher Buckley and Delia Ephron.

Price too steep? For a mere $25, you can donate to First Book, which distributes books to children in need.

www.neimanmarcus.com/Algonquin

Pistachio Bliss.

Mid-afternoon in Atlanta. I'm feeling virtuous about the hour-long walk at lunchtime, but I need a pickup. Nothing in my pantry or my fridge will do.

Then I remember my pal Erin mentioning Alon Bakery's pistachio croissant.

I head to the Highland location. I'm not an early bird, but the pastry Gods have decreed that I shall have my croissant.

Cut to me, in the parking lot: biting into airy layers dusted with rock sugar, enfolding a deep green paste of crushed nuts.

Not too sweet, but decadent.

Perfection for $1.99.

Eating for Two.

Writing in O Magazine, Meg Giles has written one of the most lyrical essays on pregnancy I have ever read.

And I don't read essays on pregnancy as a general rule.

Entitled You Are What I Eat, she relates the dishes she consumes to important people in her life--both living and dead, a recipe for nourishing her as-yet-born child.

Read it at: http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200910-omag-meg-giles-pregnancy-meals.

An Ancient Approach to Perfectionism.

I've been fighting my perfectionism since I was old enough to understand its meaning. If you, too, are a perfectionist, you've got my empathy. It's not an easy thing to do.

The Japanese have a highly refined aesthetic. They are a perfectionistic people. Yet Japan is where the contrarian concept of wabi-sabi orginated.

Wabi-sabi honors the imperfect, the unfinished, the transient.

If a rose drops a brown petal and you don't brush it away, that's wabi-sabi. Setting a table with a chipped dish is wabi-sabi. Wabi-sabi is a crooked nose on a beautiful face. Wabi-sabi is a beat-up wooden table with rings and cracks from years of use.

Wabi-sabi is interesting because it allows us to appreciate the incomplete, the impermanent. Wabi-sabi celebrates asymmetry and deteroiration.

And wabi-sabi has been very effective at helping me recognize--and lighten up--on the soul-crushing perfectionism in myself and others.

Awareness of wabi-sabi softens the edges of perfectionism.

Ecological Intelligence

Daniel Goleman, the best-selling author of Emotional Intelligence, is tackling the hidden ecological impact of everything we do and everything we buy in his latest book, Ecological Intelligence.

With his trademark insight, he explores the concept of "radical transparency" which could revolutionize the green movement.

He also challenges the notion of "local," pillories greenwashing tactics, offers an analysis of "satisficing," and exposes our inertia even in the face of inexorable evidence our of mounting negative environmental impact.

Reading it, you'll be green all right. Green around the gills.

The F Bomb. (It's Not What You Think).

In an era where young girls wear belly shirts and idolize Paris Hilton, I find it encouraging that at least a few female teens identify as a feminist.

Yep, that's the f-bomb.

Check out their smart writing at: http://www.thefbomb.org/.

Questioning Irrational Exuberance.

Author Barbara Ehrenreich thinks vinegar deserves as much accord in American culture as honey.

Coming in October, her critique of positive psychology--practiced by such corporate charismatics as Jack Welch, Tom Peters and Tony Robbins--is entitled Brightsided: How the Relentess Promotion of Positive Thinking Has Undermined America."

Ehrenreich, who holds a PhD in cellular immunology, battled cancer and says it annoyed her to hear that the disease was a "gift." She traces the background of our cultural optimism and argues that negativity has a place.

Cranky or common-sensical? I am curious to find out.

Lost and Found.

If you've ever misplaced your keys or cell phone--and who hasn't?--you've had a taste of what living with Alzheimer's is like.

Between now and November 13, log onto www.lostandfoundcampaign.com and Accera will make a $1 donation to the Alzheimer's Foundation of America for every submission you make, sharing what you've lost lately.

Quick and easy, your action ensures the organizer reach their goal of $50,000 by Nov. 17, National Memory Screening Day.

Don't forget!

Sunny. And Sinister.

I'm talking, of course, of the simian-faced Dexter. Actor Michael C. Hall is riveting and matched by an equally slick, charismatic psycho in actor Jimmy Smits.

Watching them go mano a mano is TV at its killer best.

Season 4 premieres September 27.

Green with Envy.

According to a blurb in the September/October issue of Psychology Today, eco-friendliness is not always eco-motivated.

Rather it's status-driven. Think Prius. Think "prestige" reusable shopping bags.

Wealth and self-sacrifice go hand in hand, but seemingly only with a label that boosts social standing.

True, Dat.

How's this for lacerating prose:

"I call again and get a busy signal that saws away at my morning optimism." from the novel Up in the Air by Walter Kirn, soon to be a movie starring George Clooney.

Unlocking Hearts.

A bit of wisdom from Michael Silverblatt, host of Bookworm:

"It's one of the secrets of the world. We all have the key to one another's locks. But until we start to talk, we don't know it."

Hotel Wonders.

On a recent sojurn to Canada, I pondered bad bathroom design.

Why do so few hotel bathrooms make use of pocket doors, which maximize a minimal space?

And on a related note, why do so many toilets feature two rolls of paper?

Just wondering...

Memorable Phrase of the Day.

"Coiled desire."

Your Kid is Probably Racist.

Cruising through the airport yesterday, the headline on Newsweek's cover caught my eye: Is Your Baby Racist?



The authors of Nutureshock, P Bronson and Ashley Merryman, posit that modern child rearing is failing. And the most explosive premise? That toddlers discriminate despite parents best efforst.



It's depressing news in 2009.

Techno Ethics.

Just read about the fascinating field called techno ethics, which is concerned with whether computers have rights.



And I though the machines were running us! Who's really in charge here?



Read this interesting abstract to learn more: http://capurro.de/ethicsandroboticshtml

Three Cheers for Chipotle!

Although I am not a big fan of fast food, I am a fan of Chipotle.

Especially the Ponce de Leon (Midtown Atlanta) location managed by Juan Mosalve.

I pulled in last month, unknowingly sans wallet. Embarrassed, I demurred and offered to return with the cash. After conferring with Juan, the clerk "gifted" me with my pork burrito.

Which, I might add, was delicious.

That's the kind of smart decision that builds customer loyalty. Worth way more than the $6 it costs.

Thanks, guys.

Vacation as Lifesaver.

We've long known that stress and disease are linked. But it seems that we've forgotton the healing power of vacationing.

According to an article in the September issue of Conde Nast Traveler, an escape could stave off aging or even save your life. One study says two annual vacations can cut a person's risk of a heart attack by 50%.

Yet 34% of all American workers don't tap all their vacation time.

No question, travel has its hassles (delayed flights, crowds, booking snafus) but at its best, a change of venue provides unparalleled pluses, including the chance to unwind, reflect, recharge and de-stress.

And those positive holiday patterns often stay with us once we've back home in our routine.

So don't cancel that weekend getaway. Tell your boss it's good for your health

Creative Symbolism.

Had an interesting conversation today with Maggie Macnab, who practices "applied imagination" at her design studio in New Mexico.



Maggie has written a fascinating book, Decoding Design, discussing logo design from the context of sacred geometry and creative symbolism.



She says the best design is sustainable: in balance. Her next project? Exploring multi-disciplinary colloboration.



Check out Symbol Simple on her website, http://www.macnabdesign.com/symbolsimple.html.



And read chapter 1 of her book, at http://www.decodingdesign.com/images/DecodingDesign_overview.pdf.

What do a Slattern and a Truffle Have in Common?

According to food writer Alan Richman, they are both dark and alluring.

In his terrific article Hillybilly Truffles in the September issue of of GQ, Richman writes of the aroma of truffles, comparing the prized fungi to someone we know is wrong for us, yet intoxicating.

Tennessee's truffle master Tom Michaels is taking on the French with winning results.

Read it at: http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_10877.

Well Worn Pages.

Have you tried book swapping?


It's faster than Amazon, free and easy: www.bookins.com.

Green Transit.

Robin Chase, co-founder of Zipcar, a car-sharing company, and GoLoco.org, a social networking site that promotes ride-sharing, believes that the future of commuting will be green.

And traffic jams? A remnant of the past.

In the September issue of Body + Soul, Chase predicts that Americans will swipe a card, seamlessly transferring between subway, trolley, bus, eleectric scooter and bike, whether headed to the city, the beach or the mountains. Even the most remote destinations will be reached by shared car.

Read more about Chase's visonary outlook at:
http://www.wholeliving.com/article/big-idea-carpooler-robin-chase?autonomy_kw=robin%20chase.

Rocky Mountain High.

Just back from Vail and Aspen, where I stayed at two iconic properties, the Lodge at Vail and Hotel Jerome.

Both are in the center of their respective towns, frequented by as many locals as visitors. Both offer a distinctive sense of place.

Vail Village, built in the 1960s, evokes an Austria ski burg, while Aspen is a mining town that dates to the late 1880s.

And both are glorious in summer and fall, when rates--and crowds--drop.

http://rockresorts.com/

Damn Right!

On August 10, TIME ran an article called "Why Swearing is Good for You."

Studies show it not only vents frustration, but can actually alleviate physical pain.

Even though my dad was a military man, cursing was limited to "darn" in our household. "Butt" was off-limits, though its utterance on TV would dissolve we girls into giggles.

Likewise, we weren't allowed to say "fart," but rather used the oddly violent euphemism "shoot a bunny."

As someone with an, ahem, colorful vocabulary, I'm gratified to learn that a well-timed curse offers a myriad of benefits.

@#$%^&*!

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1910691,00.html

Geopolitics are Thrilling. Really.

"Nations have no permanent freinds and no permanent enemies but only permanent interests," writes George Friedman in The Next 100 Years.

The canny prognosticator writes with assurance and vigor--his forecasts are based on an extensive understanding of history's patterns--about population trends, technology, future wars, space exploration, the rise of Mexico and alliances (Japan and Turkey!) in the 21st century.

This fascinating page-turner reads like a thriller.

Rebranding Womenswear--in a Recession.

Love, love, love the new Chico's print ads, which are chic, playful, impactful and current. The merchandise looks younger and fresher and the ads reflect that boldness.

What hasn't changed: the great customer service.

Makes me wanna shop!

Working Through Fear.

Best-known as the quirky red-headed daughter from Six Feet Under, the actress Lauren Ambrose spoke in the September issue of O magazine about fear.

"Every single time I begin a job I think, I'm a fraud. I'm going to get fired. What am I doing here? They're going to find me out. What helps is really living with what it feels like to be that afraid, and beginning from there. The fear is the way through."

All of us live with fear every day. But economic fears have amped up the anxiety.

Ambrose's wise words might serve as an antecdote.

Tat Chef?

A half hour into the premiere of Top Chef and what strikes me most? The lurid tattoos on both sexes. That and the prodigous use of hair gel.

Do these fashion flourishes offer a culinary advantage?

Fierce Prose.

Here's an arresting image: "She kissed like a hungry angel."

It's from an essay in Kate Clinton's collection I Told You So.

Coolest Concert Video. Ever.

What is it about Iceland?



The music is haunting. The performers are singular. The landscape is otherworldy.



The ambient rock group Sigur Ros has created a most original and atmospheric documentary--part travelogue, really--that will have you Googling for flights.



They've captured an endless summer in this rare and beguiling film.



Netflix has the dreamy DVD. Get a preview at: http://www.heima.co.uk/.

The E-Myth.

No question about it: the recession has spawned a spate of would-be entrepeneurs.



But Connie Glaser, writing in the Atlanta Business Journal says, that potential business owners need to confront the "e-myth" about success: chiefly that the very skill you possess--i.e, baking or landscaping--is not enough to sustain you as an entrepeneur.



Read her article at: http://atlanta.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2009/08/17/smallb3.html

An Ode to Victoria's Undies.

Instead of pitching all those glossy lingerie catalogs, Billy Collins, a former U.S. Poet Laureate, cleverly peeled back the superficiality and exposed the stories of real women in underwear.

His observant prose in Victoria's Secret is witty, poignant and hopeful.

Read it at: http://www.class.uidaho.edu/cae_core/Links/CollinsVictoria.htm.

And if you like that, try Advice to Writers:

Even if it keeps you up all night,
wash down the walls and scrub the floor
of your study before composing a syllable.

Clean the place as if the Pope were on his way.
Spotlessness is the niece of inspiration.

The more you clean, the more brilliant
your writing will be, so do not hesitate to take
to the open fields to scour the undersides
of rocks or swab in the dark forest
upper branches, nests full of eggs.

When you fiind your way back home
and stow the sponges and brushes under the sink,
you will behold in the light of dawn
the immaculate altar of your desk,
a clean surface in the middle of a clean world.

From a small vase, sparkling blue, lift
a yellow pencil, the sharpest of the bouquet,
and cover pages with tiny sentences
like long rows of devoted ants
that followed you in from the woods.

Happiness Now.

"Happiness is a way of traveling , and not a final destination." Robert Holden in Happiness Now!

I floated in a long-time friend's pool today. I surrendered to the water as he cradled my back, arched toward the sky.

The sky was not supposed to be blue. But it was.

Threatened rain didn't come. Skyscrapers shimmered in the late afternoon light. There was a cool breeze.

Too often, I travel to find happiness. Today I only journeyed 10 blocks for bliss.

Where Are Real Men?

Caught a recent TV showing of From Here to Eternity with Burt Lancaster.

Ahhh, I thought, as I surrendered to his undeniable cellouid power--there was a time when actors were men.

Grown-up men protraying other grown-up men on screen. Men of accomplishment, men of substance, men of danger, men of intelligence, men of sophisication, men of charm.

Men of heft.

Too many of today's male movie stars--Ryan Reynolds, Bradley Cooper and Eric Bana come immediately to mind--are bland in comparison.

They seem to be made of balsa wood. They seem like boys compared to Burt.

Books as Security.

When asked about the power of first memories, writer Alain De Botton was quoted in the August issue of Psychologies magazine as saying, "Books were my safety nets."

As a lifelong reader and eventual writer, I can relate. At an early age, books were a refuge for me, too.

My beloved 5th grade teacher, Mr. Michelob, used to let me sit out dreaded recess in the back of the classroom, which he had fashioned into a U-shaped cubicle stacked with books.

There, as other kids played tag, I discoverd an abiding adoration for words.

Summer's Last Read?

In between sending the kids to school and scheduling your final beach escape, find time for the immensely pleasurable book A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian.

Although it hit the shelves in 2005, it has the right pathos-to-punchline ratio, perfect for the dog days of summer.

Both the prose and premise are crackling. And memorable long after tank tops have been retired and sand has been emptied from your sneakers.

http://www.amazon.com/Short-History-Tractors-Ukrainian-Novel/dp/1594200440

The "Creamy Smear" of Celebrity.

James Wolcott writing in the September issue of Vanity Fair about Larry King's exploitation of dead celebrities, scribed a doozy of a spot-on sentence that stopped me cold:

"The orgy of attention lavished upon the creamy smear of Anna Nicole Smith's woozy demise and its awful aftermath was proof that a severe talent deficit is no hinderance to matyrdom in a postmodern Passion play."

RA Sushi.

Midtown Atlanta is the latest outpost--scratch, make that in-spot--for the Arizona-based RA Sushi chain.

The place was packed last night. The decibels were way too loud inside, so my vegetarian pal and I opted for the patio, which, remarkably had a breeze. Adorablly unruffled Ray took good care of us.

Among our favorites rolls: Yellow Monkey Rolls with roasted red peppers and marinated artichokes topped with cashews, and the Viva Las Vegas Rolls, cream cheese/tuna/crab showstoppers that looked like showgirls lined up on a white plate, topped with fried lotus root rounds. We kept our cool with Pure Stars, a sparkling sweet sake served cold.

Does the RA reference the Sun God? Or does it stand for Rockin' Ass?

Doesn't seem to matter based on the diverse crowd lapping up sushi and throwing back sake.

So True.

"A river of Truth
Ends at a dam of bias--
Truth floods and moves on."
--Gloria Steinem

"You are a Great Conversationalist."

A piece of wisdom: If you listen--truly listen--people will feel heard.



You needn't say a word. Perhaps nod your head, cluck your tongue, smile, cup a hand. The connection will be made.



And you'll be called a great conversationalist.

Seoul Survivor.

Seoul has been in the news and on my mind.

Last winter, I was diverted from Thailand due to protests that shut the country's airports down. I was fortuitously re-routed through Seoul.

Talk about a soft landing.

Though I have traveled for years in Asia, I had never spent time Seoul. South Korea's capitol city is Asia-lite in the best sense: easy to navigate, full of English speakers, yet still thrillingly vibrant with an East-meets-West flair.

Perched on Mount Namsan--the city's highest point--The Grand Hyatt Seoul is an oasis for cosmopolitan residents, intrepid travelers, ex-pats and power brokers. There's a serene spa, a fantastic gourmet grocery store and, best of all, a gracious and accomodating staff.

Seoul is surprising in the best way: it exceeds expectations.

http://seoul.grand.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp

500 Days of Summer.

Boy Meets Girl. It's a formulaic staple of song, books and movies.

But 500 Days of Summer is given a completely fresh reworking by the male writers and director, and especially the hugely appealing actors, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zoeey Deschanel.

This is pure celluloid joy. You'll laugh, you'll cry. You'll want to hug a member of the opposite sex.

And face it: that's a winning formula.

http://www.foxsearchlight.com/500daysofsummer/

Green Porno?

Who knew the lengths that dishy Italian actress Isabella Rossellini would go to in promoting animal mating habits?

Following a successsful first season in 2008, she continues to don silly homemade costumes to prove that "nature is scandalous" when it comes to sexual behavior.

The program is whimsical, informative and scientifcally accurate.

http://www.sundancechannel.com/greenporno/

Delicious Cinema.

Nora Ephron, the writer-director of the new film Julie & Julia says her main goal was to make people walk out of the movie "starving to death."

Yes, the beouf bourguignon looks yummy. But I was hungry for more Meryl Streep, who stars as the indominable Julia Child.

Turns out Child was herself a real dish--spirited, sexy and unstoppable.

What a summer treat.

Are you an Urban Pansy?

Does your favorite guy fall a bit short in the home improvement category?

This article from the August issue of GQ is one of the funniest I have read in ages.

http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_10057

When in Istanbul..

For the past 2 weeks, I have been in Turkey taking care of complex (family) business.

It's been made easier by the staff at Istanbul's chic Radisson Blu, situated right on the Bosphorus. It's a true 'see and be seen' spot--posh but not pretentious.

Against the lapping waves at StarBoard restaurant, a diverse crowd can be spotted.

Tycoons arrive via boat wıth coiffed models, businesspeople close deals over cocktails and wealthy Saudi women in black abayas converse in family groups. The city's top clubs are mere steps away. The scene reminds me of South Beach Miami.

Until the moon rises and the call to prayer echoes from the mosque.

Then I am reminded that nowhere on earth is Istanbul. A city both enduring and contemporary, a bewitching blend of East and West.

http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-istanbul

Tech Advice for the Rest of Us.

My pal Dale Dixon--who upgraded my system earlier this year sans drama--is launching an IT consultancy for small and mid-sized businesses.

His genius? He avoids geek speak and takes a holistic approach to your entire tech set-up.

Bookmark his site: http://gyronyconsultive.com/

Head to the Moon.

Tiny indie flick Moon is worth seeking out for the tour-de-force performance by Sam Rockwell.



This gripping sci-fi drama is a hauntingly beautiful study of alienation. The critics have rightly raved; it has a 90% rating on http://www.rottentomatoes.com/.



Fun fact: the movie was produced by Sting's wife, Trudie Styler.



Check out the trailer at: http://www.sonypictures.com/classics/moon/

Customer Service is Not Dead.

Consumer advocate Clark Howard calls it customer "no service."



Recnetly, though, I've enjoyed stellar service from the following:



* Eye Gallery: Maren in Marietta and Jamie in Buckhead made sure two pairs of glasses--both frames and lenses--were rock-star right

* Buckhead Life Group: When a reservation snafu stranded us in Chops versus the desired Lobster Bar, manager on duty Jared seated and personally served in the tiled space which we had all to ourselves

* Boston Market: Within an hour, Alexy, a call center representative, responded to my online complaint about a disappointing sandwich served onboard a recent flight, expressing appreciation for the feedback and mailing out coupons for in-restaurant dining

* OXO: Jean at OXO cheerfully replaced a year-old dish scrubber that was not performing as expected



Share stories of great customer service. Reward responsive companies with your business.

Head South From Sea-Tac to Tacoma.

Last week, I flew to Sea-Tac, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for some R&R, Northwest-style. Like most folks, I usually head north to Seattle, but this time, I made a point to drive south to Tacoma.

I'm glad I did.

Tacoma has shed its gritty image and is emerging from Seattle's shadow as a destination in its own right.

There's mesmerizing glass from native son Dale Chihuly and majestic views of Mount Rainer. The city is clean, the residents are friendly and there's plenty to do and see. I stayed at chic Hotel Murano and walked to most destinations, including the Museum of Glass and the Tacoma Art Museum. I made my own glass creation at the Tacoma Glassblowing Studio. I enjoyed dining at Pacific Grill, BITE, The Lobster Shop and Hello Cupcake.

It's time to discover Tacoma. http://www.traveltacoma.com/

Best Copywriting. Fewest Words.

The billboards for Patron Silver are on-the-money copywriting genius: Social Networking.

Worst Copywriting. Fewest Words.

Why are city parking signs examples of the worst copywriting?

Because they are poorly written. And they are everywhere--literally.

Trying to decipher the confusing and limited language while whizzing down an empty street often requires a PhD. And often results in a ticket because of misinterpretation.

When you are writing--or reviewing someone else's writing--ask yourself if the language is clear, concise and easy to understand.

You'll know it isn't if it brings to mind municipal signage.

That's a starting point for good writing.

The Glorious, Global Oyster.

I just spent a week in Washington state eating thumb-sized Penn Cove oysters and Bowes that were two-thirds the size of my fist.

Slimy bliss.

If you, too, love the sweet and briny tang of this lowly mollusk, then get your hands on a copy of the August issue of Travel & Leisure and flip to page 127.

Peter Jon Lindberg has spent three years traveling the world in search of the best specimens.

His rhapsodic prose in "The World Is My Oyster" will delight you. (No link online, buy a copy at a newsstand).

A sample: "Perhaps it's their shells, the contours mimicking the landscapes they inhabit, craggy coastlines in miniature. Perhaps it's their pungent, briny liquor, crashing like surf across the tongue....Knocking one back is like mainlining the cove it came from."

The Importance of Source Material.

Not too long ago, I attended a screening of an artsy film called Cheri. The reviews were mixed, as were my feelings after the credits rolled. The movie looked sumptuous, but it lacked depth.

But the story of an aging courtesan who falls tragically in love with a much younger man in 1920s Paris was intriguing. I went to the library and checked out the novel written by Colette.

Why read when you can watch? Why seek out the original source materials?

Because Hollywood takes liberties. Because it is thrilling to let your imagination connect the dots. Because there's magic in your own interpretation of an author's words. Because the morsels of language revealed on the page quicken the blood in a way film cannot.

"A Marrow Experience."

All of us, intuitively, can relate to a "marrow experience," one that pervades our very bones.

In her memoir of manic depression, An Unquiet Mind, Dr. Kay Jamison unblinkingly describes the state she was in:

"St. Andrews provided a gentle forgetfulness over the preceding painful years of my life. It remains a haunting and lovely time to me, a marrow experience. For one who during her undergraduate years was trying to escape an inexplicable weariness and despair, St. Andrews was an amulet against all manner of longing and loss, a year of gravely held but joyous rememberances. Throughout and beyond a long North Sea winter, it was the Indian summer of my life."

Writing With Bite.

This wonderful sentence is from Melissa Bank's novel The Wonder Spot:

"Back at the Cave, I took a sip and tasted thousands of pots of coffee that had burned themselves into black bitterness; I tasted the burner itself."

What's Wrong With Liking Pate?

Is cultural snobbery dying in a low-brow world?

The August issue of Vanity Fair explores the topic in a pithy column by James Wolcott, arbiter of all things highbrow.

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2009/08/wolcott200908

Go Early. Go Green.

I'm up and at 'em uncharacteristically early (and on a summer Friday!) to attend SART, Sustainable Atlanta Roundtable.

Sponsored by Southface Energy Institiute, which promotes responsible solutions for environmental, today's talk is about financial incentives for making your home energy efficient.

Want to get involved? Check out future programs at: http://www.southface.org/web/programs&events/SART/sart-menu.htm.

Need a Break?

If creative frustrations are getting the better of you, Sarah's Smash Shack in San Diego has the solution for your aggravation.

And it's a smashing success.

In specially designed "break rooms," you can demolish plates and glasses--wearing safety gear, of course--and someone else cleans up mess. Then you can donate the broken bits to artists for use in mosaics. Responding to customer demand, the entrepeneurs even offer mobile smashing sessions.

The beauty of destruction? Satisfied smashers say letting loose with breakables releases stress and anger and leaves them feeling free.

Don't knock it 'til you've broken it.

Stick It.

Ever wonder why some things stick--urban legends, pitches, conspiracy theories, proverbs-- while others don't?

Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath identifies six commonalities of "sticky"--i.e., memorable--ideas:

* Simplicity
* Unexpectedness
* Concreteness
* Credibility
* Emotions
* Stories

As a writer, the last requirement--Stories--interested me most.

It's worth bearing in mind when you want to create stickiness for your products or services.

Eat--Er, See This Movie.

Today I learned what a "notional tomato" is. And I also know that production agriculture controls food from seed to supermarket.

Hungry to learn more?

Food, Inc., is in theaters right now. http://www.foodincmovie.com/

On America's Birthday.

Food for thought, in between bites of potato salad, grilled burgers, watermelon and apple pie:

"The United States is the only country with a known birthday. "
James G. Blaine, polititican, 1830-1893

What Miss Moss Knows.

My longtime gal pal Susan Moss tossed this nugget off during dinner last night:

"Those who are older than us know things we've not yet seen. Those that are younger than us know things we've forgotten."

Which is the best argument I've heard for including both toddlers and seniors in your social circle.

Life's Big Three.

According to a Chinese proverb:

Happiness is somebody to love,
Something to do,
And something to hope for.

One Line Wisdom.

"There is no path that goes all the way."
Han Shan, Chinese poet, 9th century

Are you Polychronic?

Polychronicity, I just read in the June issue of Psychologies magazine, is the preference some people have for doing several things at once. Such as reading email, talking on the phone and listening to music.



Monochronic people, on the other hand, prefer to do just one thing at a time. They will ignore the ping of email and screen calls while completing a single task.



Workplaces have both types of people. And while neither is superior, the styles are different enough that it can lead to misunderstandings.



Something to be aware with when your colleague waves you away to better concentrate--or invites you in for a chat, then proceeds to open mail.

Retail Therapy.

I've been doing my part to stimulate the economy.



And that's in spite of a recession and the feeling of dread that shopping all too often inspires.



So I want reward the retailers who give great personalized customer service. It's increasingly rare and much appreciated.



Among my perennial five-star favorites are:



* GoDaddy.com

* REI

* SOMA

* Trader Joe's

* Zappos.com

The Art Instinct.

How does natural selection inform our understanding of natural and artistic beauty?

"Human beings are born image-makers and image-enjoyers," writes author Denis Dutton in The Art Instinct: Beauty, Pleasure, and Human Evolution.



Dutton links Darwinian theory with the universality of art and artistic appreciation, arguing it is innate in all of us.



In an early chapter dubbed Landscape and Longing, he points out that Kenyans are attracted to the Hudson River school of art with its hilly undulations and visual complexity.

The savanna, in turn, has greatly inspired modern golf course design.

In the chapter titled What is Art? he offers a list of 12 cluster criteria found cross-culturally, including direct pleasure, emotional saturation and intellectual challenge present in all works of art, regardless of form.

The book's a beaut, successfully proving that while forms of art may vary across countries and continents, the appreciation of art is a constant.

Why He Hates Dogs.

Time has published a pithy essay by Joel Stein that ponders something I have wondered for years: why do people willingly pick up a dog's poop?

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,990664,00.html

More vicious in their musings are the bloggers of http://doghaters.tribe.net/.

You might say their fury has been unleashed.

Rethinking Overhead in a Nonprofit.

Check ou this very interesting article in July's Fast Company that argues that the old adage about low overhead in a nonprofit=success is outdated.

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/137/do-something-good-vs-evil.html

Reason No. 42 I Hate Reality TV.

Besides Reason No. 1 (it's waaay too easy to get sucked into the vortex) and Reason No. 11 (it seemingly celebrates the stupidest among us), the grammar--or lack thereof--of many "stars" is appalling.

Am I the only one yelling at the TV for her to use the correct pronoun?

On tonight's The Bachelorette, Jillian used "him and I" at least a half dozen times to describe herself and one of the guys.

Admittedly, I've indicted myself for watching.

But my thoughts lie with my 5th grade English teacher Mr. Michelob. And English teachers everywhere.

We All Scream for Ice Cream.

The thermometer has been doggedly north of 90 degrees in HOTlanta this week.

My coping mechanism? Keeping cool in the air-conditioned great indoors and eating lots of ice cream.

And reading the packaging, as it happens. Haagen-Dazs, to be specific.

Yes, they have great flavors: pomegranate chip in the Reserve line and passionfruit in the Five line. And lately, the Fleur de Sel Caramel bar.

But they also have clever copywriting.

The "flavor notes," for example, for the latter, which also comes as a premium ice cream: "Fleur de Sel caramels covered in a chocolaty coating blended into caramel ice cream with caramel ribbons and French sea salt accents. Crisp, salty nuances harmonize with rich, creamy caramel for the ultimate combination of sweet and salty."

Irresistable. Packaging copy as tasty as the product.

Tuneful Procrastination.

What deadline?

I'll organize my closet by color and style, purge old papers, make spaghetti sauce, schedule social dates and re-read a favorite book when a deadline looms but the muse is MIA.

Those who write know that procrastination is as intgeral to the process as the writing itself.

So says singer/songwriter Suzanne Vega in her playlist of tunes to procrastinate by published in the New York Times.

http://papercuts.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/living-with-music-a-playlist-by-suzanne-vega/

Earthquake Bolts and Benne Seed Wafers.

I recently attended the Society of American Travel Writers chapter conference in Charleston. The CVB did a whale of a job hosting us.

My favorite creative flourish during our four-day stay was creative and copy-centric: supper club "tickets" shaped like bookmarks that highlighted the city's treasures from wrought iron to sweetgrass baskets, plantations to pecan pralines, she crab soup to church steeples.

What a great idea--portable, informative and a whole lotta fun. I collected them all.

http://www.explorecharleston.com/

Enough is Enough.

Peter G. Peterson, the co-founder of the Blackstone Group, wrote in Newsweek of giving away his fortune.

He concluded his column with this exchange that crystallized his philanthropy involving authors Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller.

Vonnegut told a story about seeing Heller at a wealthy hedge-fund manager's party in a luxurious house in the Hamptons. Vonnegut said, "Joe, doesn't it bother you that this guy makes more in a day than you ever made from Catch-22?

"Not really," said Heller. I have something that he doesn't have: I know the meaning of enough."

The Tao says this: "To keep on filling is not as good as stopping."

The Artful Blogger.

And The Artful Banker. The Artful CIO. The Artful Teacher. And the Artful Plumber. The Artful Mail Carrier.

Appreciation of the arts can inform the way you live your life, your career achievements and your community.

Americans for the Arts, a nonprofit, has been advancing the value of the arts for 45 years.

Visit http://americansforthearts.org to learn how the arts can enrich the your life, the lives of your family, friends, colleagues and, especially, kids.

The Artful Toddler. The Artful Tween.

Has a nice ring, doesn't it?

Writing as Goulash.

Goluash is, according to one online definition, "a mixture of many elements; a hodgepodge."

So is good writing.

Author Toni Morrison says in the latest issue of O magazine that "everything I see or do, the weather and the water, buildings...everything actual is an advantage when I am writing. It is like a menu or a giant tool box and I can pick and choose what I want."

In other words, a well-rounded, inquisite writer crafts impactful copy.

So ask what books your copywriter reads. What galleries she visits. What movies he loves. Where she's traveled. What music moves him.



It's all part of the goulash of good writing.

The End is Beautiful.

There's an intersection where melancholy meets extraordinary beauty.

It's poetry, really, no matter the medium--a book, a song, a movie. It's a place of humanity, of solace, of inspiration.

Recently, I found myself recommending the final episode of Six Feet Under (available at Netflix) to a new friend for its understated dialogue, creativity and soaring soundtrack.

It's a place worth going to. I promise.

The Masterful First Newsmaker.

In the July issue of Vanity Fair, columnist Michael Wolff discusses the media prowess of President Obama and his 61(!) press handlers in a piece called "The Power and The Story."

The Commander-in-Chief has meticulously and brilliantly controlled his image, parceling out newsworthy nuggets to established media, paristan outlets and new media.

White House communication staffers are both medium and message. Maninpulation? Mastery? Does it matter?

Read

To Tweet or Not To Tweet?

Would Shakespeare tweet?

Today's USA Today doesn't think that The Bard would Tweet about daily minutiae.

Rather, there's an art to the Tweet.

The article goes on to say that while clever Tweets--though few and far between--are a joy to read, the vast majority are vapid and boring. Or simply TMI.

No doubt, many Tweeters are self-absorbed. They have too much time on their hands. Or they're starved for attention. And they're poor communicators, to boot.

A new tome, The Twitter Book, offers advice on crafting clear, concise and amusing Tweets. The kind that celebrities, who are paid to be entertaining, post.

Maybe even the kind that William would post were he Tweeting.

Go Green at Your Next Conference.

Tomorrow I'm sharing a 6-hour trip from Atlanta to Charleston for the Society of American Travel Writers Atlantic-Caribbean Chapter Conference.

With 4 strangers.

We're carpooling to reduce our carbon footprint, share the driving drudgery, split gas and parking costs, and make new friends.

And all it took was a couple of emails.

Could you do this at your next professional association meeting?

Revisiting Direct Mail.

Seems everyone is e-blasting these days.

Volume is rising. Our inboxes are bursting with spam. Most of us file and delete emails from unknowns. In other words, emails are often unseen and easy to ignore.

All of which makes direct mail an attractive option. Targetted and tangible, it stands out as a communication vehicle in a world email marketing.

Call it Old School, but postcards are an a cost-effective option you ought to rethink.

Hug Your Customers.

A "hug," according to retailer Jack Mitchell, author of Hug Your Customers, The Proven Way to Personalize Sales and Achieve Astounding Results, is any personal touch that impresses and satisfies a client, from a handwritten note to remembering the name of her dog to introducing him to business contacts.

Any business can boost customer loyalty by hugging its customers.

Filled with solid advice, it's a breeze to read. And you'll pick up some hugging tips.

C'mon Get Happy!

Research has shown that happiness is highly contagious.

Psychologies magazine reports that if you become happy, any friend who lives within a mile has a 25% of becoming happier, too. And a friend of that friend is 10% liklier to be happy.

Call it the ripple effect: you're happy and so are those in your circle.

Less Junk Mail?

Is it just me, or since the economy took a slide, are you getting less junk mail: solicitations, catalogs and the like?

Silver lining, I'd say.

Free Seminar. Plus, Hot Breakfast and a Free Book!

During an economic downturn, professionals in the training, development, organizational development and HR arenas are vulnerable.

Making it more critical than ever to link your value to the bottom line.

So if you live in Atlanta, you'll want to attend a free seminar sponsored by Fort Hill Company with Cal Wick, co-author of Getting Your Money's Worth from Training & Development, on Thursday, June 25 from 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Five reasons you'll want to attend:

* Hot breakfast
* A copy of the book (a $25 value)
* Access to a world-renowned thought leader during an interactive Q&A
* Networking opportunities
* Best practices insight
* Ammo to help you measure or program learning activities at your firm

Register here: http://atlanta25jun09-rss.eventbrite.com/

Transform Your Life in 10s.

Suzy Welch, former editor in chief of the Harvard Business Review, claims you can transform your life by thinking in blocks of tens.

As in: how will a specific decision--take a new job, end a reltionship--impact your life in 10 minutes, months or years.

It's an interesting way to approach decision-making.

Learn more at http://www.suzywelch101010.com/.

Tools for Reinvention.

These days it seems everyone is thinking about Their Life, Version 2.0 (or 5.0, depending on age).

Routinely, folks ask me to help them polish their resumes, make a cyber introduction or brainstorm career possiblities.

And I'm happy to do it. Many people have lent me a hand over the years and believe in paying it foward.

But there are experts out there in the field of personal reinvention.

If now's the time for a change, check out http://www.reinvention-institute.com/ for inspiration.

Winning Similes and Metaphors.

Enjoy these examples from Sharp Objects, a dark novel by Gillian Flynn:

I fell asleep, accidentally and hard at nine o’clcok, woke to an angry sun at seven the next moring.

John’s face, despite a night of drinking and very little sleep, was like a petal.

My mother’s pigs were pricked with chemicals till they plumped and reddened like squirting cherries, till their legs couldn’t support their juicy girth.

Challenging Nonprofit Assumptions.

Mark Rovner of Sea Change Strategies has been called a "heretic" for challenging the status quo of the nonprofit world.

You decide if the fund-raising model of the past 50 years--direct mail--needs skewering.

The Nonprofit Technology Network,http://www.nten.org/taxonomy/term/960, features Rovner's latest "seven things everybody wants," which involve leveraging the internet for optimum engagement.

Quitting to Win.

The Dip: A little Book That Teaches You When To Quit (and When to Stick), a slim volume by Seth Godin, founder of Squidoo, argues that winners do, in fact, quit.

They just need to know when to throw in the proverbial towel.

In fact, winners, he says, quit fast, often and without guilt. And then they commit to conquering obstacles he identifies as Dips, Cul-de-Sacs and Cliffs.

Great, quick reading that will get you thinking and help you manuever the inevitable lulls in your career.

Hog Wild.

Celebrities Jeremy Irons, Lauren Hutton, Laurence Fishburne and Dennis Hopper--the iconic star of Easy Rider--are all members of the exclusive Guggenheim Motorcyle Club, founded by the museum's former director.

Less well-connected but no less complicated are the characters on FX's Sons of Anarchy, http://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/originals/soa/#Nav/Homepage. The show features asphalt-peeling dialogue.

Glorious Language, Part 1.

Diablo Cody, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of the hit indie film Juno has a couple of uber-colorful phrases in the May 15 issue of Entertainment Weekly.

I quote them here for your inspiration:

* Laurel Canyon, that picturesque gash of a neighborhood I like to call "Hollywood's cleavage."
* A pickle the size of a Wiffle bat.
* Ah, reality TV: where opportunists delight in exposing opportunism!

Eat These Websites.

Point your browser to these websites and commence drooling.

http://www.smittenkitchen.com/: Because the photos have been dubbed "food porn."

http://www.thisiswhyyourefat.com/: Because "totchos" are a just one creative, caloric culprit of cellulite.

http://www.artisanalfoods.com/: Because Chinese black rice and California wild black sage honey sound noir-ly delish.

www.jerky.com: Because you secretly crave Slim Jims, but alligator jerky sounds sort of... dangerous. In a palatable way.

"After Watching That, I Feel Dirty."

That's what my pal Sherry said after the discouraging finale of the Celebrity Apprentice last night.

Our unsettling observations:

* There was an Insider/Outsider component. Joan Rivers is the ultimate insider.
* Annie Duke was composed while Joan was emotional. Seems we like our women unhinged.
* Annie was reasoned; Joan was reactionary. The audience roared for Joan's nasty put-downs of Annie.
* Annie, was the "invisisble" mother of 4, while Joan's daughter Melissa, was front-and-center with her fawning and freak antics.
* There was reverse ageism. Joan's stamina was repeatedly noted.
* There was more than a whiff of xenophobia as Joan's charity was positioned for Americans, while Annie's aids refugees.

So why does Sherry feel dirty? Why should we all?

Because Donald Trump declared Joan a "role model." And "honorable."

It is discouraging to see a female pioneer in the world of standup comedy diss another female pioneer in the male-dominated world of poker. Women are all too often still their own worst enemies.

More than dirty, I feel dejected.

Chin Up.

Back in December 2008, Entrepreneur Wil Schoter wrotes for the Atlanta Business Chronicle about how defeated bosses can potentially spread a deadly malaise to staffers.

Not that you have to be Pollyanna-ish. But leaders need to step up with optimism.

Check it his column at: http://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2008/12/29/smallb2.html.

Caught the actor/author/Parkinson's Disease activist Michael J. Fox's special on optimism on ABC Thursday. Good stuff--literally.

For a second shot of upbeat, log onto: http://abc.go.com/specials/michaeljfox/index.

Nature Nurtures.

Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that a 20-minute walk in a park enhances cognitive performance, but walking in a city does not.

The study, reported in the May/June 2009 issue of Psychology Today, explains that unlike urban settings that require intense concentration, greenery, while stimulating, provides gentle concentration, giving our mental muscles a way to refresh.

So if you want to renew your energy, walk among trees.

Smarter After Surfing?

Can Google searches benefit your brain? The UCLA Center on Aging says yes.

Volunteer subjects aged 55-74 who regularly web-surfed underwent MRI scans. The results showed that specific brain regions were activated by online browsing in ways they weren't by reading.

Seems that frontal lobe stimulation--home to complex reasoning--is stronger when logging on.

Query on.

Apple Polishing.

The first full week in May is Teacher Appreciation Week.


I got to thinking about teachers when I received a graduation notice from one of my best friend's children.


So, a big shout-out to Mr. Michelob, the lone male teacher in my elementary school. He let me hang out in the "stacks," the bookcases heaving with volumes in the back of his classroom.


In lieu of recess, I happily read. And formed a life-long love of words and books and ideas.


Here's to you, Mr. Michelob.

Not Your Mama's Website.

Savvy Auntie, http://www.savvyauntie.com/, is the first (only?) site for aunts by relation or by choice: "cool aunts, great aunts, godmothers and all women who love kids."

The lighthearted, interactive site includes advice on supporting nieces and nephews through divorce, Mother's Day infertility blues and such dispatches as "Aunt and the City" and "Auntipedia."

"Oily Cocoa-Butter Narcissism."

That delicious phrase, describing actor Matthew McConaughey in his new movie Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, is taken from Owen Gleiberman's review in the May 8 issue of Entertainment Weekly.

And how's this for an editorial bulls-eye: "Dimpled vivacity," his characterization of McConaughey's co-star Jennifer Garner.

I'd call the writing "trenchant criticism." It's my must-read dose of weekly pop culture.

King of Seafood.

Gorged on fresh seafood in Gulf Shores at King Neptune's Restaurant. This family-run eatery--Al and Diane Sawyer and their son Tony are the affable proprietors--offers honest regional specialities including a refreshing, vinegar-spiked West Indies salad, briny, palm-sized raw oysters, spicy steamed Royal Red shrimp and cornmeal-crusted fried green tomatoes.

Walk off your excesses at nearby Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge amid white dunes.
http://www.kingneptuneseafoodrestaurant.com/

Does TV Make You Less Lonely?

Is TV a social replacement or a social deterrant?

An intriguing new study argues that we're less lonely when we watch the tube.

Find out why: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7304294.stm.

Rebranding the Redneck Riviera?

I'm headed to Gulf Shores, Alabama, which is attempting to reposition itself as an "undiscovered ecotourism beach getaway."

That sounds challenging for the PR folks.

The Redneck Riviera extends for nearly 100-miles along the Gulf Coast Highway 98 in Lower Alabama and Northwest Florida. It's moniker comes from a Tom T. Hall song about the region, best known for seafood, white sands, emerald ocean, inglorious architecture, fishing and Bubbas.

To be sure, the RR has brand equity, but maybe not the kind the city's promoters want any longer.

Not sure how successful the new messaging will prove to be, but the trip itself should be a blast.

Writing Eases Cancer Stress.

According to a 2008 BBC report, Washington, D.C., patients who journaled about their illness felt better, with up to 49% reporting improvments in their attitudes.

"Expressive writing" and "writing clinicians" seems to shift negative feelings about leukaemia or lymphoma diagnoses.

The trick seems to be writing about feelings, not just facts.

For more information, log onto http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7304294.stm.

Company Blogging Basics.

Why would you create a blog for especially for customers? Because they are key stakeholders.

And because blogs are inexpensive, evergreen, deliver brand promise, engage customers and build loyalty.

At a recent IABC meeting in Atlanta, a panel of corporate and academic experts gave several tips for companies that want to create customer blogs.

* Make a long-term commitment. You can't just post...and walk away.
* Ensure the link is obvious on your website.
* The design should be easy to navigate.
* Be genuine in voice.
* Moderate the content.
* Address detractors. But don't try to control the conversation.
* Let your customer community come to your defense.
* Respond to misinformation quickly.
* Recognize it takes time and skill to blog.

Check out http://www.coca-colaconversations.com/, which recently celebrated its one-year anniversary.

Go Slow. Literally.

The Slow Food movement has given birth to the Slow Travel movement, which encourages savoring a destination not devouring it, taking your time in one place versus racing from one attraction to the next.


Anyplace can be a place where the pace is languid. For inspiration, log onto http://www.slowtrav.com./

Heard on the Street.

Attended a rally in my Atlanta neighborhood tonight about crime prevention.

Met a fellow named Russ Copeland who now lives in Dunwoody but was a former Ansley Park neighbor. You might say he left his heart in Midtown.

When we swapped "what-do-you-dos," he was asked a couple of pertinent questions about my career.

Then he distilled, from his viewpoint, the best writing as such: Hit 'em. So they can hear you.

Great insight from a great guy.

Environmental News You Can Use.

It's not always easy reading "green."

But even if you didn't mark Earth Day this year, you can bookmark The Mother Nature Network, http://www.mnn.com/, and stay up-to-date on all things eco.

The timely site has an interesting package of swine flu articles.

The Lyricism of Getting Lost.

Rebecca Solnit's book A Field Guide to Getting Lost is one of the most poetic narratives I have read on the value of wandering.

Sample passages:

"Night alone in motels in remote western towns where I know no one and no one I know knows where I am, nights with the strange paintings and floral spread and cable television that furnish a reprieve from my own biography, when in Benjamin's terms I have lost myself though I know where I am."

"The world is blue at its edges and in its depths. This blue is the light that got lost. Light at the blue end of the spectrum does not travel the whole distance from the sun to us....This light that does not touch us, does not travel the whole distance, the light that gets lost, gives us the beauty of the world, so much of which is in the color blue."

This volume would make a wonderful graduation gift.

Raging Inferno.

The antidote to reality TV is FX's riveting Rescue Me about NYC firefighters, starring Dennis Leary (who also writes and produces).

Snarky, sexy, smart and serialized, it's got some of the best dialogue on cable.

Political Superheroines.

A comic book called Female Force: Michelle Obama, will be released April 29.

Showcasing influential women in politics, this edition joins best-selling comics honoring Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin. Upcoming releases will feature Condoleezza Rice, Caroline Kennedy and Princess Diana. Each is $3.99.

Visit http://www.comicshoplocator.com/ for outlets.

Now is Not the Time to Buy. So Why Do We?

I can't resist splurging on a strappy pair of Michael Kors sandals, fiscal woes or not.

Turns out I'm not alone. Seems we can only go so long without cashmere or caviar.

Jeff Gordinier writes about a syndrome called Recession Splurge Reflex in the May issue of Details magazine, when we succumb to the fleeting temptation of pricey liquor or cosmetics.

"You've surrendered to what may be called the Recession Splurge Reflex, an impulse to treat yourself to the very indulgences that we're all supposed to banish in the name of fiscal austerity."

Read it at: http://men.style.com/details/features/landing?id=content_8817

Lucinda Williams on Clarity.

Award-winning country singer and songwriter Lucinda Williams was interviewed in the Feb/Mar 2009 issue of Garden & Gun. She grew up with a father who also wrote.

Here's what she had to say about his influence:

"Dad stressed the importance of the economics of writing. Clean it up, edit, edit, revise. Above all, the listener whouls be able to understand the poem or the song and not be forced to unravel a complicated, self-indulgent puzzle. Offer your art up to the whole world, not just an elite few."

I think that is good advice for all writers.

Wisdom From Jay Leno.

In the latest issue of GQ, Jay Leno waxes eloquent on consistency.

Of course, he's talking about stand-up comedy, but the insight applies to all service providers:

"Keep the water warm. Because a roiling boil, that's great for about twenty minutes and then the water's gone."

An Artist, Defined.

I like this quote for explaining what a writer (or painter or musician) does:

"The greater part of the labor of an author in comprising his work is critical labor: the sifting, combining, constructing, expunging, correcting and teasing." T.S. Eliot

When an Aubergine is Banal.

Recently, a linguistically-oriented friend and I discussed words that are under-used in conversation.

Here's a sampling of these $10 words. Try to use one before noon!

* Ruinous
* Aubergine
* Slattern
* Dodgy
* Cache
* Anomaly
* Sylph
* Tertiary
* Banal
* Fiasco
* Abyss

Is Twitter Twatter?

Detailing the minutiae of your life is addictive, says the author of an article in the U.K.-based Psychologies magazine.

TMI? You decide.

Read it at: http://www.psychologies.co.uk/Psychologies-magazine/This-month-s-feature/Are-you-an-online-update-junkie.

Black and White and Read No More?

It's no secret that newspapers are fighting for their very existence.

That topical theme is the backdrop for the new Russell Crowe-Helen Mirren thriller State of Play, which has already garnered glowing reviews.

Who triumphs, reporter or blogger? I'll be plunking down $10 for a ticket to find out.

Review: http://www.atomicpopcorn.net/phils-state-of-play-movie-review.

Let's Get Small.

Here's an intriguing idea: single-room hotels located in cities across the globe.

The folks behind this less-is-more concept? The Finnish-based Hotel Room collective, which has launched its first one-room property in Helsinki.

Check it out at: http://www.hotelroom.fi/.

S(mother) Love.

Just saw a screening of Grey Gardens, which premieres on HBO on April 18.

It's a devastating story about the ties that bind....in this case, between an eccentric and wealthy mother and daughter (relatives of Jackie O).

The subject matter will make you squirm. The performances by scene-chewers Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore are equally parts luminious and haunting.

A cautionary tale with great costuming.

Gripping Golf. Gripping Advertisements.

This year's Masters was a nail-biter, with frustrating lows and spirited highs from Tiger, Phil, Kenny, Chad and Angel, the eventual winner of the Green Jacket.

But the sponsors' advertising was consistently on par, especially that of ExxonMobil. Their "tinkerer" campaign encouraging math and science education for kids is, in a word: brilliant.

Check it out at http://www.exxonmobil.com/.

Anchors Aweigh & Bite The Dust.

Ever wondered about the origins of commonly used phrases like "anchors away," "love is blind," "bite the dust" or "mum's the word?"

Wonder no more: http://www.phrases.org.uk/ reveals all.

Sign up for the "phrase a week" email service and you can dazzle friends and associates at the next mixer.

Mourning Becomes Her.

Dealing with death gracefully is a fierce art.

A friend whose mother is dealing with terminal cancer has found solace in a series of beautifully written essays on Slate.com by Meghan O’Rourke: http://www.slate.com/id/2211257/entry/2211256.

The Sound of Good Writing.

Listen closely to the next voiceover you hear in a movie. Do the words sound good? Do they paint a pciture? Do they sound natural? Is there a rhythm to them?

Werner Herzog's narration in Encounters at the End of the World is a great example of compelling writing.

Try reading the copy you have written aloud. The ears know.

The Case for Not Dumbing Down.

In his latest column "Stop the Inanity!" for Entertainment Weekly, Mark Harris argues against the dumbing down of movies.

I'd argue his reasoning applies to all communications.

Read his essay at:
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20269754,00.html.

10,000 Hours to Mastery.

Malcolm Gladwell writes in his latest book, The Outliers, that it takes 10,000 hours to become a master at anything, regardless of the field of endeavor.

That's about 10 years of hard work.

On his blog, Harvey Mackay sites neurologist Daniel Levitin who has studied this formula for success: "It seems it takes the brain this long to assimilate all that it needs to know to achieve true mastery."

Every hour you log brings you closer to mastery--a great thought to keep in mind when I'm pulling long hours.

Connect The Dots.

Heard something interesting this morning during a panel discussion on Corporate Grantmaking at Atlanta's Nonprofit Summit.

William McCargo, Global director of Community Relations Site Strategy for Cisco, offered this nugget to a room of development executives looking to boost their chances of receiving funding: tell a story.

"Build a strong case. Help us connect the emotional dots with a strong, concise narrative."

Now, more than ever, compelling content spells success.

Social Media Up in a Down Economy.

Marketing investment in social media continues to grow, according to a recent poll by Forrester Research:

http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/despite_recession_more_than_50_of_marketers_increase_spending_on_social_media.php

Jesus Saves...Careers?

In God we trust? An article in the April issue of Details highlights "prosperity theology."

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, 48% of job seekers use churches to find a job, as do 24% of HR professionals.

Seems both believers and non-believers are networking in the pews.

Read the article at: http://men.style.com/details/blogs/knowandtell/2009/03/christian-netwo.html.

Wile E. Coyote & The Economy.

In his April Editor's Letter entitled "Once More Into the Void," Vanity Fair's Graydon Carter evoked a beloved cartoon character in his assessment of America's economic woes:

"As far as the global economic crisis goes, part of me thinks the U.S. has gone off a cliff pretty much the way Wile E. Coyote does in the Road Runner cartoons. He doesn’t drop immediately; he’s suspended in midair. He knows he shouldn’t be out there, but he’s not plunging! Filled with hope, he begins to gingerly tiptoe his way back to the ledge. He’s almost made it—he’s not going to fall! And then, with a puff of dust, he’s gone, plummeting far, far down into the canyon. As a nation, we might just be in the tiptoeing stage: we know we’ve screwed up big-time, but we’re praying that we can get back to the ledge before gravity takes over."

This gives me hope. Wile always survived.

Read the full article at: http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/2009/04/graydon200904.

It Takes a (Creative) Village.

My new website, http://www.writesquared.com/, has been in the works for most of the first quarter.

In preparation for a total rebranding, including a new logo and tagline, new colors and design, new navigation and content, and a new photo, I immersed myself in research. I spent long, solitary hours reading books, watching TV, scouring magazines and surfing websites.

But it was hardly a DIY process. Rather, it was truly collaborative.

My brilliantly talented, endlessly supportive friends provided me with the most constructive and creative feedback. Often at exactly the time when I needed it most.

If you like what you see here, credit also goes to each of them. I couldn't have done it without their invaluable help. A heartfelt thanks to:

* Simon Cairns
* Debra Gallo
* Barry Guthrie
* Joy Hallinan
* Bradley Hazelrigg
* Philippa Kingsley
* Jeff Lebow
* Duane Marcus
* Susan Moss
* Erin Parks
* Nancy Robinson
* Stephen Walker

Beach Dreaming.

Grayton Beach, in the Florida Panhandle. Gorgeous in every season; but most serene in winter.

My fingers may be on the keyboard, but I wish my toes were buried in the whitest, softest sand on Planet Earth.

Bad Day?

I'm not sure where I read this, but I like it: A bad day for the ego is a good day for the soul.

I'll try to remember that when someone takes the piss out of me.

The Extra Inch.

Here's a reminder of what we already know, courtesy of Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval in their new book, The Power of Small: Why Little Things Make All the Difference:

"There's often a pay-it-forward beauty to going that extra inch. It can be as easy as writing a thank-you note that isn't expected, or asking after your client's children by name. Too often in our elbows-out world, it's assumed that being considerate and being competitive are mutually exclusive. The opposite is true."

It Is Who You Know.

I've been hearing a lot of buzz about the book The Power of Who: You Already Know Everyone You Need to Know.

My good friend Simon Cairns says it will change how you think about networking. Sounds intriguing. I've ordered my copy.

Check it out: http://www.amazon.com/Power-Who-Already-Know-Everyone/dp/1599951533

7 Signs That Spring Has (Nearly) Sprung.

The ATL has been a bit schizy, weather-wise over the past few weeks. But here are some telling signs that winter is ceding to spring:

"Ugly" tomatoes in grocery stores.
Bradford pear trees in bloom.
Manicured toes in flip-flops.
Frequent cravings for ice cream.
The beach house you wanted for Memorial Day weekend is booked.
Open windows.
Sneezing (yep, it's the pollen).

FYI, March 20 is the official Spring equinox.

Is your website a page-turner?

Jen Shockley, the whip-smart owner of San Francisco-based Jumping Fences Design, http://www.jfdsf.com/ made an interesting observation the other day.

“Websites should be more like magazines or movies. They often fall short on editorial quality.”

She’s right. So many websites are data-driven but boring, lacking the "what's-in-store" energy of a keep-you-guessing flick or a read-from-cover-to-cover magazine.

That, friends, can only be achieved with a combination of great design and great content. Make sure your site has both.

Sunny side up.

I've been on a news diet for months because the news has been so bleak. Seems others are also tired of being bummed out.

So imagine my delight to discover the Good News Network, http://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/, which publishes upbeat stories.


Bookmark it this site. Consider it your daily dose of Vitamin A.

Righties rule!

Used to be that being "artistic" was a bit, well...suspect.

Daniel Pink makes the case for creatives in his excellent book "A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the World." Pink says that the workplace has shifted, with an emphasis on Design, Story, Symphony, Empathy, Play and Meaning--the essential new business skills.

So, mamas, let your babies grow up to be designers, writers, painters and musicians.

Freelance nation?

In this economic climate, more companies are using freelancers.

"As business models change, you get a lot of organizational upset and that adds to the economic uncertainty," says Joe Pastore, professor emeritus of management science at Pace University.
" A business really can't see out much more than a year, perhaps. And you're operating from business cycle to business cycle."

Pastore goes on to note the economic incentives to hiring freelancers, including savings in the areas of salary, benefits, payroll taxes and equipment and work space.

Find the full story at: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/01/14/freelance.nation/index.html

Can't Beat 'em? Join 'em.

I confess: I’m a fulltime copywriter and I’ve resisted blogging until now.

But the last line of Andrew Sullivan’s provocative essay called "Why I Blog" in The Atlantic changed my mind: “Words, of all sorts, have never seemed so now.”

But do all words matter? Not necessarily.

Sullivan argues that even with an explosion of words, the value of writers has never been more clear: "A traditional writer is valued by readers precisely because they trust him to have thought long and hard about a subject, given it time to evolve in his head, and composed a piece of writing that is worth their time to read at length and to ponder."

Lesson: make sure your words count.

Read the full story at: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200811/andrew-sullivan-why-i-blog