Friday Donuts

The past three months as a consultant for three communications   companies of various sizes at three stages of growth (none of them Level three) have been an enriching learning experience. I’ve met different people, experienced dissimilar corporate cultures and learned diverse concepts. My commute has ranged from a stroll out of bed to a struggle with I-25 to sacrificial air travel on the redeye. The range in systems, processes and red tape is vast, yet, despite all their variety, these companies have one thing in common. Keurig. The coffee pod company with a Dutch-inspired name is taking-over the world. Am I the only one who sees a SciFi horror film plot unfolding here? Alien name, pods as the delivery mechanism… Their thinly veiled world domination ploy became apparent to me as I was Christmas shopping at Costco. A wall of Keurig as high as the eye can see. Then again, nothing goes better with donuts than free coffee. Cheers!

Dear Friends, Like a comfortable pair of old jeans, “Dear Members and Constituents” has been my opening line for over a decade. An old habit if ever there was one, I could write these familiar words before the first sip of coffee lit-up my brain cells and by the time caffeine kicked-in, inspiration had already struck like a lightning bolt. Still, with no donut club to run or predictable place to get them (the downside of leaving Level 3), this linguistic crutch won’t do anymore. Much like Duck Donuts, made fresh as you wait (I had the privilege of trying them for the first time on a business trip to DC this week), this fresh start demands a fresh new opening line. “Friends” feels right. Over the years, your support and feedback have encouraged me to continue writing. They have also made me feel the bonds of friendship with many of you (I hope you feel the same way too). During this new stage, I hope this blog will serve not only as a creative outlet for yours truly, but also as a me