Posts tagged writing
Kerouac on writing
Jun 26th
Jack Kerouac.
Yeah. He wrote a lot of crap (in my eyes) but he did write down an amazing list of 30 ‘essentials’ to what he called his Spontaneous Prose method (just call it writing a frickin’ diary, dude) but he called it Belief and Technique for Modern Prose.
If you like to write here is a list of “must do’s” to even have a chance of being a relatively good writer.
- Scribbled secret notebooks, and wild typewritten pages, for your own joy
- Submissive to everything, open, listening
- Try never get drunk outside your own house
- Be in love with your life
- Something that you feel will find its own form
- Be crazy dumbsaint of the mind
- Blow as deep as you want to blow
- Write what you want bottomless from bottom of the mind
- The unspeakable visions of the individual
- No time for poetry but exactly what is
- Visionary tics shivering in the chest
- In tranced fixation dreaming upon object before you
- Remove literary, grammatical and syntactical inhibition
- Like Proust be an old teahead of time
- Telling the true story of the world in interior monolog
- The jewel center of interest is the eye within the eye
- Write in recollection and amazement for yourself
- Work from pithy middle eye out, swimming in language sea
- Accept loss forever
- Believe in the holy contour of life
- Struggle to sketch the flow that already exists intact in mind
- Don’t think of words when you stop but to see picture better
- Keep track of every day the date emblazoned in yr morning
- No fear or shame in the dignity of yr experience, language & knowledge
- Write for the world to read and see your exact pictures of it
- Bookmovie is the movie in words, the visual American form
- In praise of Character in the Bleak inhuman Loneliness
- Composing wild, undisciplined, pure, coming in from under, crazier the better
- You’re a Genius all the time
- Writer-Director of Earthly movies Sponsored & Angeled in Heaven
Look. I am not sure I understand all that (but I am not a great writer like he and Ginsberg and other “beat” writers of that age) but I am sure that if you can follow this list of 30 things you may have a chance to write something good some day.
smartwater and vitaminwater advertising
Apr 28th
I saw another vitaminwater TV ad again during the NCAA tournament. It amazes me how overcomplicated advertising agencies can make things. I think the current advertising is stupid (I know … I know … they want to create a vivid demonstration of the “character” of the brand and come up with something wacky). Well. Stupid. And overcomplicated.
They had their campaign already in hand. Every time you pick up one of their bottles you have their campaign. I guess it is so simple it’s not possible (or good enough). Smartwater or Vitaminwater (same company).
So. Evolving a campaign straight from your product and packaging would have been too simple huh? What do you guess the packaging company or whomever designed the labels and such says:
“Hey. Why waste money on a wacky campaign and some celebrities just to try and act bigger and cooler? Why not just have some non celebrity cool people read our labels?”
Someone at the other side of the table just laughs and says “well. That’s why you’re not in advertising.” (The label guy scratches his head and says to himself “but isn’t packaging advertising too? Oh well. They must know what they are talking about.”
(Fly on wall). “Buzz buzz buzz” (translated: stupid fucking humans. Even I could see the labels would make a great campaign even though I see things weirdly through my fly eyes).
Here is what I mean. The first time I read a smartwater bottle maybe 5 years ago I ended up buying the bottle of water simply because I wanted to read the bottle again. (and they don’t use caps when writing is a big hit on the McTague rating scale)
Smartwater. vapor distilled + electrolytes
side effects may include being called nerd, dork, geek, brainiac, know-it-all, smarty-pants, smart alek, bookworm, egghead, four-eyes, einstein or being mistaken for the I.T. guy.
may induce sudden and inexplicable aversion to all less forms of water. apply liberally and frequently to dry people.
So. In the company’s beginning their sole advertising, sole statement of character was to be found on the bottle itself. Brilliantly crafted. Brilliantly written. Every product had a slightly different slightly wacky always irreverent writing.
So I cannot believe the amount of money they waste on television advertising (or at least on what they have been doing). It’s like someone got a budget and then said “I need to spend it and do something wacky” and lost their minds in doing so.
If they gave me the budget I would be tempted to create a simple clean no-frills (or thrills) campaign reading the words already written on the bottles.
I mean c’mon. They fully understand how to present Smartwater & Vitaminwater as not just another water typed product in a sea of bottled water products. Now. These products aren’t particularly healthy (lots of sugar to cover up nutrient taste stuff) but they nailed the product’s strengths and introduced the brand in a really distinct way from others by focusing on the water’s functional benefits and communicating the value through packaging.
And then they blew it with the ad campaign (because it just blends in with everything else out there). Don’t worry vitaminwater people, I slammed Heineken for doing the same thing.
On a last note. Here is what I believe is one of their newest products. Awesome writing. Think of the advertising you could do with this:
Vitaminwater spark
well .. well .. well …. look who’s got the clever coconut. now we are not saying this was too hard to figure out. and we’re not saying that if you drink this you won’t respond to “what’s up” with “good thank.” or that you won’t find yourself wandering around a parking lot thinking “this time it is really stolen.” so even though this bottle won’t make you smarter (blame your parents). it does include vitamins b12, c & e and choline (that’s “choline,” not the pool stuff), nutrients that can help your noggin. not that you really need it though … it’s not like you forgot to put the cap back on before reading this.
(the label is printed upside down on the package).
Awesome stuff. Awful advertising.
Kornflakes, Kids and Knowledge
Apr 12th
Yeah. I eat cornflakes (cheerios too). And I even sometimes don’t eat them at breakfast (I know. crazy, huh?). Regardless I don’t eat them sitting around a kitchen table staring at the box with nothing else to do. So. When I went to throw the box away I happened to see the back of the box.
Book Trivia for kids. Good stuff. Not really easy stuff. Stuff that not only teases out some curiosity but I would imagine it actually generates some conversation over breakfast (gosh. What’s that?). Some of them were a short description followed by a question and some were multiple choice. The 
trivia:
- What name is this author better known by? (and it was Theodor Geisel).
- Can you name this famous one-time author? (and it was Harper Lee).
- Solve the mystery and guess who this author is? (and it was Agatha Christie).
- Which of the following books was not written by Mark Twain (they used Last of the Mohicans as the ‘odd book out’).
- Which title below was written by Ernest Hemingway?
- The Grapes of Wrath
- To Kill a Mockingbird,
- The Great Gatsby,
- The Sun Also Rises.
- Which of the following is not a play written by Shakespeare? (and I loved how sneaky they were on this one with using the title styles to confuse you)
- The Barber of Seville
- The Merchant of Venice
- The Merry Wives of Windsor
- The Taming of the Shrew
Okay.
This isn’t exactly NY Times crossword puzzle tough but this is really good stuff for kids. And it’s not silly easy. And it’s on the back of a cereal box. And at minimum it keeps us adults on our toes with our literature. That alone may make it worthwhile. Kudos to the cereal company for not wasting space on some ‘cross sell.’
Unencumbered
Mar 25th
So. I am nearing my 200th post on my site. I guess the experience to date finally qualifies me to be able to answer a question a mentor of mine asked me when I announced my site – “what makes you think anyone is going to want to read what you write?”
It was a damn good question. And I answered honestly to him one-on-one by simply stating “I am egotistical enough to be able to be happy reading what I write myself.” Kind of an audience of one as it may be. (and that seemed okay at the onset)
Another blogger suggested “write like no one is reading.”
Well. Now that I have been writing I am not sure I agree with that. I write about what I want to write about and I do write as if people are reading (and I am pleased to say that there are a larger number of people than I expected reading my stuff). I care about writing as if people do read because … well … I admit … I want people to come back and read more.
But here is the joy of writing on your own site. The beauty of writing what I write is that I am unencumbered by rules and regulations and the size and scope of what I suggest or talk about. I believe we all wish we could be able to do it in a work environment (but it is very very difficult to do so). And I consult as well so maybe I have honed this particular unencumbered thinking knife a little sharper (but even as a consultant you are often forced to put a dose of reality into what you suggest so that there is some practicality to where you end up).
In an unencumbered fashion I write to share, to maybe make some money some day, to think, certainly not for fame and, sure, I write for myself. The myself portion is that I enjoy the process of putting these thoughts down (oops. I almost wrote “down on paper.”).
But the real fun is to be unencumbered. You get to be a little less careful about how you word things and things you talk about. I hesitate to say I am less politically correct but maybe more importantly I am a lot less worried about having an aligned organization point of view when I write because …. well … I am an organization of one. (I hope I didn’t infringe on the Army’s old army of one trademark there). And sometimes I may get a little lucky by being unencumbered and have a real thought or insight.
Unencumbered also means I can suggest unreasonable things. Ok. They only seem unreasonable when looking at the complexity of implementing. But. Have you ever noticed how common sense like unreasonable solutions appear? But being unencumbered doesn’t mean you get a free pass to stupidity.
Silly sloppy thinking will always remain silly sloppy thinking. Unencumbered doesn’t mean being sloppy in thinking. It just means offering a solution that dismisses some aspects of “what is practical” and “some aspects of reality” but keep within the construct of “what is.” Then maybe you can actually have a good idea (and not a stupid idea).
Also. I often use the quote “change occurs because of unreasonable people.” My site permits me the luxury of being unreasonable on occasion. It permits me to suggest what appears to be impossible. And I like that. Frankly I think a lot of people want what many say is impossible (because many of us cannot understand why it isn’t possible).
About the writing process.
For the few people who have asked me about writing (which is something I have never done like this before).
Did I know I could do it? Nope.
What was my biggest worry? I wouldn’t be able to write enough (the fear I couldn’t think of enough worthwhile things to write about).
Was it difficult in the beginning? Yes and no. I had to find what worked for me. If I focused on one thing to write I freaked. I hated the pressure of that one thing. It made me constantly think about the “when will it be written” and I would never write it (to a satisfactory conclusion). The deadline freaked me out to the point I was afraid to commit to a date because I believed it wouldn’t be done on time (that was the biggest hurdle I had).
So I stopped worrying about writing upfront. I just wrote down ideas. I found if you have a word document and you list 10 items that interest you for potential writing, as you write them down (and maybe add why you are interested) you will find with maybe 5 of them you already have a paragraph. For me the trick is the list instead of focusing on writing one. The one will drive you nuts. It will haunt you sitting there waiting to be written and finished. The many allows you to dabble and maybe have one pop to the finish line while you weren’t looking.
I admit that I write style wise for my benefit but content wise for the reader. If you get something from reading it, I love it. If it’s a laugh, a thought or even an inspiration to get up and do something I love it. I find it difficult to write things in here for the sole reason someone wants me to (but I am receptive to topics because I can never tell if something will spark me to write about it). But I absolutely will not omit something because someone doesn’t want me to write it (and I want to write something).
Where do I go from here?
I know I don’t always express myself perfectly. I chuckle on occasion with my friend who helps me with the site because there are things I write in a word document that looks Hemingwayesque only to have it post and read like Dr Seuss. And then there are things that seem flat until they get posted. I believe part of what makes writing difficult is it can be interpreted so many different ways, so much of it depends on the reader and not the writer (and what truly makes blogging interesting is that when something gets posted then all of a sudden I get in a reader mode and have issues with the writer – okay … maybe not to the extent I stare in the mirror and go “stupid, stupid, stupid” – but rather I read as a reader and take umbrage on how I, as a writer, elected to phrase and say some things). I want to improve.
The wonderful thing about this writing thing is connecting with complete strangers with words. I like to think that my writing makes a difference in the lives of others, no matter how large or small that difference may be. The one thing I am really sure of is that my writing makes a difference, small/medium/large/venti, in my life. And I guess that is what really matters. But. I want to reach more people and see if I can make a change.
So. With that. I will write on.
Just so everyone knows … I do accept topic suggestions (I cannot guarantee I will write about it but if it peaks my interest at some point who knows).
I would imagine my love of quotes, music, common sense and intellectual curiosity will remain the backbone of what I write about. But. If I can write about Blobfish than I imagine I will write about anything. Read on as I write on. Thanks.
Two Favorite Authors Pass Away
Mar 24th
Two of my favorite authors recently passed away. Two completely different writers but of one generation of classy classic writers. Thank god their books live on.
J.D Salinger. Author J.D. Salinger died recently at 91. Everyone claims he wrote a number of great books. I only read one. Catcher in the Rye. And I have reread it several times. While some may claim there are antiquated parts I thought it never went out of style. Awesome book. Funny and insightful and not just a little nutty.
All morons hate it when you call them a moron. ~J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye.
Catcher is narrated by Holden Caulfield, an angry prep school student who rails against “phonies” and that message remains relevant today. Even though good ole JD was pretty much a recluse I was sad to hear of his passing.
Two of my favorite books of all time, Catcher and To Kill a Mockingbird, were written by reclusive authors with a limited writing portfolio beyond their brilliant masterpieces. Anyway. Here is a short list of classics I believe should be on everyone’s shelf:
Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Light in the Forest by Conrad Richter (shortest best book ever written)
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (the movie is even wackier than the book)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey (book is even better than the movie)
On the Beach by Neil Shute (most people cry at the end)
Sorry. I was never a big Animal Farm or Separate Peace fan.
Next.
Dick Francis. British mystery writer and former champion jockey Dick Francis passed away at 89 a couple of weeks ago.
So. I am gonna get slammed for calling Dick Francis books “classics.” Tough noogies.
Before he became an author as a professional jockey, he won 345 of the more than 2,300 races he rode taking the title of Champion Jockey for the 1953-54 season. His most famous moment in racing came just a few months before he retired, when, riding for Queen Elizabeth, his horse collapsed inexplicably within sight of certain victory in the 1956 Grand National.
After a career as successful steeplechase jockey, Francis turned to writing completing 42 novels almost all of which featured horse racing as a theme or an integral part of the story. During his writing career, Francis won three Edgar Allen Poe awards given by The Mystery Writers of America for his novels Forfeit (1968), Whip Hand (1979) and Come to Grief (1995).
His writing style was easy to absorb and always interesting. He wrapped horse racing around interesting topics – restaurants, publishing, vineyards, accounting, etc. He was amazing at weaving in a way to give his readers insight not only into horse racing but also the other career/storyline he intertwined with the mystery. I never failed to learn something interesting while being entertained by a Dick Francis book. Whether you like horse racing or not I believe everyone should read several of Dick Francis’ early books.
On the edge of extinction: Adopt a Blob (fish) Campaign
Mar 11th
Let’s save the dodo. Oops. Too late.
Let’s save the red tailed frog. Uh. Let’s find one first.
It’s time to save the blob.
Blobfish that is.
The Blobfish lives deep in the waters off Australia and Tasmania and is rarely seen by humans.
With a face only a mother could love this Jabba the Hut of fish is becoming extinct.
The Blobfish is cunning in that it has no use as food (it’s not edible) or does it have any known defense mechanism.
Yet it may be one of the most terrifying fish in the world.
Why?
It is butt ugly.
No. butt ugly doesn’t even suggest half how ugly it is.
Its hideously deformed body is quite boneless, simply a gelatinous orb which hovers in the deep waters covered in slime and mucus.
Oh. But there is more. Even worse.
Its face.
Most fish don’t really have faces. You’ve heard people refer to “fish eyes” or “fish lips,” or “a face only a fish could love.” (I made that last one up)
But the Blobfish actually has a face. Not a fish face, but a human face, complete with lips and a big, bulbous nose. This Jabba the Hut of fish is on the edge of extinction.
So gather round one and all and adopt a Blobfish as a pet.
Below see Bob the Blobfish. Poster child for the adoption campaign.
Yes. This not so pretty ocean occupant, the blob fish, is on the edge of extinction.
Kinda makes you hungry for mashed potatoes doesn’t it?
On a separate note The president of the “adopt the blob fish” foundation has petitioned to change the name of the blob fish (believing the name as not only politically incorrect but also creating negative perceptions on the possibly svelte friendly fish) and is seeking to rename it the “Pudding” fish and seeking sponsor From the tapioca pudding brand manager at Jell-O.
A Thought on Writing
Feb 22nd
Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.
If you write, your biggest desire is to be read. And your biggest fear is to be read. I guess in some way we who write want people to be pleased, and to pay attention. But maybe what is most important is as long as you write for yourself and can be pleased by what you write and say you have spoken your mind, well, you are ahead of the game. And if at some point you entertain someone else and happen to stumble across the truth to share and someone sees it, well, consider yourself lucky … it was a good day.
Business Thoughts Available for Download
Jan 8th
I am making some of my longer more professional ramblings available for downloading. Sometimes I care enough to be taken seriously and do some background research and source some of my thinking so that it could be useful for teaching, speeches or general educating purposes. The downloadable documents mostly represent those types of topics. Some places call them white papers. I just call them my more professional writings (hopefully just as smart as my non-professional writings but that is an entirely different topic). You can view and download PDF versions of these writings on the Thoughts on Business page. So feel free and use. And ask any questions. I also love presenting this stuff if you have any desire. Thanks.
Why I am linked to The Lint Screen
Jan 7th
First. Patrick is a great writer. So unlike me he tends to be grammatically correct, stay in proper tense and be funny and interesting.
Second. He has kind of a warped perspective on things which creates a pretty cool irreverence on a variety of topics. And that makes good reading.
Third. When I was a young buck and Patrick was a slightly older young buck we both worked at an ad agency which, for one of those unplanned coincidental moments in time, happened to gather an incredible group of extremely talented people at all levels. While many of us didn’t stay (sometimes you don’t see how great it is when you are in it) and went on to doing great things elsewhere, it was a really lucky time in my career to be surrounded by people of the kind of talent Patrick has.
Fourth. He’s funny.
Things Worth Reading
Nov 18th
“The Culture Code: An Ingenious Way To Understand Why People Around The World Live And Buy As They Do” by Clotaire Rapaille examines how different cultures view products and industries (conceptually). Rapaille, a cultural anthropologist, has helped many international companies explore these cultural codes by examining how consumers really feel about products.
I believe this book should be required for any strategic planner, brand planner, heck, any company that has a customer. Clotaire Rapaille may have Albert Einstein hair and kind of look like a mad scientist or a kook in general, but conceptually his stuff is straightforwardly brilliant (as long as you are a little selective because on occasion he does make some sweeping generalizations). I loved reading the book and I do know that I was at a place where we used his information to create an amazing strategy to help a client out (of course the client ignored it). But I have now seen embodiments of that same strategy in marketing for a variety of companies (and it appears to be working).
Rapaille argues each product makes a unique imprint on members of any given culture. This imprint can be described in only a few words. For example, Rapaille says the American code for cars is “Identity,” while the German code for cars is “Engineering.” Rapaille states the obvious that ‘different cultures are different’ but expands on that idea by explaining how a nation’s history and cultural myths are psychological templates to which its citizens respond unconsciously. Easy to read. Thoughtful. Provides nice general thinking fodder to develop some specific thinking of your own (depending on the situation you yourself are facing).
- The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia by Peter Hopkirk
This extensively detailed book chronicles the imperial struggle for power in Central Asia (Afghanistan is central to the book) between Victorian England and Czarist Russia. In a phrase coined by Captain Arthur Connolly of the East India Company before he was beheaded in Bokhara for spying in 1842, a “Great Game” was played between Tsarist Russia and Victorian England for supremacy in Central Asia. At stake was the security of India, key to the wealth of the British Empire. When play began early in the 19th century, the frontiers of the two imperial powers lay two thousand miles apart, across vast deserts and almost impassable mountain ranges; by the end, only 20 miles separated the two rivals.
It is a fascinating book telling an extraordinary story of ambition, intrigue, and military adventure. As you read it is amazing how relevant some of the discussions are to today’s issues and actions in that area. The Great Game was Russia’s version of America’s “Manifest Destiny” to dominate a continent, and the author is careful to explain Russian viewpoints as fully as those of the British. The book ends with the fall of Tsarist Russia in 1917 (but he also wrote a great book about this area and the transition o soviet empire). Today world peace and stability are again threatened by tensions in this volatile region of great mineral wealth and strategic significance and this book can give you some great background as to why it probably will be that way for decades to come.
- Aimee Leduc Investigation Series by Cara Black (the 1st one is Murder in the Marais)
If you love Paris, or are interested in Paris, and like a good mystery this series of books by Cara Black is awesome. Each book has a little detailed map upfront showcasing the section of Paris the book focuses on. Aimee Leduc (the main character) lives in one of the neatest sections in Paris – the Ile Saint-Loius. The Île Saint-Louis is one of two natural islands in the Seine river (the other natural island is Île de la Cité and also gets featured in a book in the series).
I love how you get a feel for the real Paris, the gritty side, the ease of access to all points in the city and the hidden special places only the locals frequent, as you weave your way through the mysteries.
If you cannot visit Paris then read the series. If you can visit Paris, well, read the series before you go.
- The lyrics from Madman Across the Water
Bernie Taupin is underrated. He provided Elton john a mix of lyrics that tell amazing stories.
- “Tiny Dancer”
- “Levon”
- “Razor Face”
- “Madman Across the Water”
- “Indian Sunset”
- “Holiday Inn”
- “Rotten Peaches”
- “All the Nasties”
- “Goodbye”
Each song’s words are pretty amazing, some overall, some just have a section with a sound bite that captures a great thought. To me, metaphorically, this was Bernie/Elton’s strongest mix of songs. And Goodbye is one of the sweetest minute and half songs you will hear.
- Paris 1919: Six Months That Changed the World by Margaret MacMillan and Richard Holbrooke
I am going to write a lot about his amazing book but all you really need to know is that this book explains a lot about the current tensions we face between many countries across the globe today.
The book explores the original intent, constraints, and goals of the diplomats who sat down to hammer out a peace treaty in the aftermath of World War 1. The narrative revolves around the “Big Three” Wilson (United States), Lloyd George (Great Britain), and Clemenceau (France) who dominated the critical first six months of the Paris Peace Conference (although the PM of Italy was also part of the council).
The book walks through how the peacemaking Council of Four, representing Britain, France, the U.S. and Italy, conducted six months of parleying concluding on June 28 with Germany’s coerced agreement to a treaty no Allied statesman had fully read. And in the end although President Wilson had insisted on a League of Nations, even his own Senate would vote the league down and refuse the treaty. As a rush to make expedient settlements replaced initial negotiating inertia, appeals by many nationalities for Wilsonian self-determination would be overwhelmed by rhetoric justifying national avarice. The Italians, who hadn’t won a battle, and the French, who’d been saved from catastrophe, were the greediest, says MacMillan; the Japanese plucked Pacific islands that had been German and a colony in China known for German beer. Wilson got nothing; returning home, he suffered a debilitating stroke. The council’s other members horse-traded for spoils, as did Greece, Poland and the new Yugoslavia. There was, Wilson declared, “disgust with the old order of things,” but in most decisions the old order in fact prevailed, and corrosive problems, like Bolshevism, were shelved. Hitler would blame Versailles for more ills than it created. The book extensively encompasses all the continents the peacemakers vainly carved up.
- target=”_blank”>The Economist
This magazine is oh so British. Oh so worldly perspective (versus USA today). Oh so well written.
It is insightful. Maybe a little liberal in its views but I have always found it generally fair in its coverage of topics globally. And I love the fact they (in a very interesting way) provide an opinion on every topic (and generously lampoon anyone at anytime). How they provide opinions is wonderfully entertaining (snapshots of some headlines and subheads):
- Binyamin Netanyahu cocks a snook at the American president
- An Irish riddle wrapped in a mystery
- Coconut Leader: A coup leader who is tough on the outside and softer underneath
- A New way to Annoy a Neighbour
- The War on Bambi: taking back the gardens
Delightfully irreverent tone even when talking about serious issues.
And don’t worry. The US edition is exactly the same as the international version as far as I can tell (they simply shift the entire American over view article section upfront to appease our egos).
Ah, J Peterman clothes and items, the stuff is pretty nice. But the descriptions are written so you don’t buy the stuff. Really if you do end up buying something you are buying what you will become if you wear or use the stuff. Wonderfully written catalogue. Mini stories about each item. Hey, it’s not just a striped shirt you just bought. You are Picasso at the moment he is sitting behind an easel. It is not a dress. It is a quiet moment with Audrey Hepburn at a cocktail event. Maybe what I like most is that I learn something. About someone. About a moment in time.
Standing on the quay at Douarnenz, watching the sardine fleet head out into the Atlantic, just as it has done for eons.
A stiff breeze blows in from the southwest. Not a chilly breeze, but you definitely want to be wearing something.
After a few millennia of fishing under these conditions, this is what the fishermen on the Brittany coast have come up with.
Breton Sailor’s Shirt (No. 2499). Found in a marine supply store near the harbormaster’s office.
It’s made from 100% cotton canvas sailcloth, which makes it sturdy enough to stand up to about a 5 on the Beaufort scale, yet soft to the touch.
Pullover style with a sailor’s collar, v-neck and loop and button closure.
There’s also an inside chest pocket for valuables. Perfect for taking out the E-Scow, raking the leaves, or a walk across the commons.
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
To Kill a Mockingbird is a piece of our American history that depicts racism and prejudice, childhood innocence, and the perseverance of a man who risked it all to stand up for what he believed in. Wonderful book and one I will read again .. and again .. and again (and I will give a copy to everyone I know). If somehow the book itself has passed you by, or if (sadly) it was imposed on you for a class assignment when you were young, revisit it. It’s one of the best books ever written.
Set in the small Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama, during the Depression, To Kill a Mockingbird follows three years in the life of 8-year-old Scout Finch, her brother, Jem, and their father, Atticus the story surrounds the arrest and eventual trial of a young black man accused of raping a white woman. The book explores big issues through the eyes of a child. The result is tough and tender talking of race, class, justice, and the pain of growing up. Everyone who reads it has a favorite section in the book. Mine will always be the relationship between Dill and Scout.
- The lyrics to Sheryl Crow’s Wildflower
Oh, what an overlooked CD Wildflower is. Sure. There are some forced rhymes here and there. (but that is the bane of a songwriters’ existence) “Good is good and bad is bad but you don’t know which you had.” Plus. I am not sure there is a better female singer out there delivering lyrics when she stays in the lower range of her voice (which she does a lot on Wildflower). Some great metaphors. And, in general, some straightforward lyrics communicating some really nice thoughts.
- It’s Not What You Sell, It’s What You Stand For: Why Every Extraordinary Business Is Driven by Purpose by Roy M. Spence Jr. and Haley Rushing
I have noted several times I don’t particularly like reading business books. And then you run across one like this one and it renews your faith in perusing the business book section seeking something to read. This book is chockfull of interesting anecdotes and sound bites.
The premise of ‘purpose driven’ has been talked about before but possibly never so articulately. While I believe every business owner should read this (I believe it should be mandatory reading for every business class in universities) I hope that readers take to heart the individual message. The message that if you, as a person, can identify the purpose that drives them that they can truly live an extraordinary life.
This is an extraordinary book. It communicates some great messages and gives you some excellent behind the scenes stories which are just plain fun to know about.
- Technique for Producing Ideas by James Webb Young
This book (which was written in 1937 for advertising people) is relevant to anyone’s work. This little book is one of the simplest summaries of commonsense—and articulating common sense is this book’s greatest virtue. The book lays out a five step process for generating novel and not-so-novel ideas, crisply articulating them so that you can put to them to immediate use. It is a powerful guide for gathering information, stimulating imagination, and recombining old elements into dramatic new ideas. It is so simple you wonder why so many consultants make it so much more difficult.
- Mostly True Collected Stories & Drawings by Brian Andreas
I didn’t even know Andreas existed until 2000 when an amazing young woman I knew gave me a print as a gift. I know he creates things as life lessons for kids (kind of) but his little drawings and quirky thoughts are wonderful insights into everyday life. While every little book he has published is worth it. If you don’t trust me on this go for one of his first two books. I guarantee you will find at least one thing insightful that will make you stop and think and probably want to share with someone in either of his first two (Mostly True… and Still Mostly True). If I were an advertising guy I could build a great campaign around his thoughts.
- The Constitution of the United States
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
This is a powerful document that stands the test of time. This is the American vision of what government should be. Many people think that America is a democracy but it is actually a constitutional democracy. The Constitution of the United States sets limits to the powers of government and outside of these enumerated powers the government has no authority to do anything else.
Along with the Bill of Rights, which lays out the few rights of the people and states that are absolutely not to be infringed upon, if you want to get a sense of how frickin’ smart our forefathers were then sit down and read these documents. It will make you appreciate what they did (and maybe what you have for a country).
- The Eight by Katherine Neville
Even readers with no interest in chess will be swept up into this really fun fantasy-adventure-historical fiction novel. The story revolves around a search for a legendary chess set once owned by Charlemagne. All characters in the book covet the fabled chess pieces, because the chess service, buried for 1000 years in a French abbey, supplies the key to a magic formula tied to numerology, alchemy, the Druids, Freemasonry, cosmic powers. As the story shuttles between the 1970s and the 1790s, you are introduced to 64 characters, including Mireille, a spunky French nun who helps scatter the individual chess pieces across Europe lest the set fall into evil hands. Involving Napoleon, Talleyrand, Casanova, Voltaire, Rousseau, Robespierre and Catherine the Great in the quest, Neville has great fun rewriting history and making it all ring true. With two believable heroines, nonstop suspense, espionage, murder and a puzzle that seems the key to the whole Western mystical tradition, this is first-rate escapist entertainment.
