Friday Donuts

Dear Members and Constituents, In trying to figure-out Wednesday’s cool-looking Google Doodle ( Jorge Luis Borges’ 112 th birthday ), I stumbled across a list of Google Doodles you’ll never see. This, and a Rockies game later that day, were sufficient inspiration to get my head spinning around what other doodles Google might never noodle? I’m sure you’ll probably have a few ideas of your own, but I was able to come-up with a couple. How about a former Colorado Rockies player whose unfortunate encounter with a moth put him in the news this week? The Matt Holliday doodle might look something like this… Another item which, surprisingly enough, has not been made into a doodle are donuts. Although I was slightly taken aback to find this delicious pastry has not been featured, after the initial disappointment, I decided to take matters into my own hands and take a stab at one (perhaps Google can use it next year for national donut day )… or to celebrate Greek police having “ blown a ho...

Dear Members and Constituents, Last week, as I sat in a hospital room reading the paper I had a realization: proper names can sometimes take-on unintended meanings in the feeble minds of the easily-amused (such as myself). Not quite sure what I’m talking about? I will illustrate my point with a sampling of actual names that grabbed my attention this past week. Top ten funny names taken from recent media stories (or, as I like to say, what were their parents thinking?) Taco Stein . As I mused on the Aruban solicitor general and his dry cleaning tab (do taco stains come off?), I wondered how many people throughout history have shared his first name. Could it be that a popular fast food chain (which will go unnamed) was founded by a phone company heir -A.G. Bell’s illegitimate son, Taco? Julia Gillard . Is there a famous music school named after the Australian prime minister ’s abbreviated name? (hint: it’s Jiulliard) Anna Hazare . Not that funny a name, you say. Maybe not, until ...

Dear Members and Constituents, It may surprise you to know that if I were sentenced to a donut-free lifestyle, I’d likely take it in stride. You may think it ironic that the founder and cheerleader-in-chief of our Friday Donut Club did not grow-up consuming these delicacies (weird!) and, if push came to shove, would be perfectly content to do without (gasp!). When we were getting started many years ago, I was lukewarm as to the choice of pastry (heresy?). Granted, my persona is that of a donut aficionado and, yes, the FDC is all about the donuts… but the e-mails that accompany it are not (even though the word “donut” is imprinted in all of them). In-fact, I enjoy writing these e-mails and having conversations with you far more than the donuts themselves (don’t get me wrong, I DO like the donuts). Over the years, my donut e-mails have gone from being a call to action (come get your donuts) to a humble attempt at brightening your Fridays with a curious fact, random association or pro...

Dear Members and Constituents, I have a confession to make: I did not attend kindergarten. Although I had not made much of it, lately I’ve been wondering whether it’s a foundational gap in my education that’s holding me back. Could it be true that everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten? Could not possessing this secret knowledge be keeping a holder of two masters degrees such as myself back? Could I be missing some fundamental human behavioral trait due of this omission? And, if so, is it too late for me to attend? My gut says it might be a bit too weird. How would my dozen or so five-year-old class mates react? How about the teacher? Would the school even let me enroll? On second thought, I think I'm not going to pursue that path. Perhaps I’ll settle for a kindergarten mentor who can help me reach my goal of becoming a budding boss. Then again, I am engaged with some pretty cool projects I really like. How many people can say that about their day jobs? Also on t...

Dear Members and Constituents, Friday morning has arrived What a day, hip, hooray! Feels so good to be alive, feel the breeze, if you please. Looking up into the sky It’s all blue How about you? Cannot frown although I try Life is good, it’s understood. Driving in I found no theme, what to say this fine day? All I could do was to dream, just relax to the max. Till I got here then it hit me I must write it’s the rite. Call to action, come and see they arrived donut time. Our boy Brad Christian has done great a deluge some are huge. Grab a couple it’s your fate Please enjoy boy, o boy! Happy Friday!

Dear Members and Constituents, As I skim world events, it seems apparent to me we live in a privileged nation. I will concede my views are probably distorted by the press and their attempt to narrow all that happens in any given country to a single theme. I picture myself comfortably reclining on a psychologist’s soft leather couch, playing the classic word association game (say the first word that comes to mind) with country names… Bahrain (protests), Somalia (famine), Syria (protests), Greece (bailout), Libya (protests), Mexico (drug violence), Yemen (protests), North Korea (lunacy), Malawi (protests), Japan (nuclear rector), Tunisia (protests –successful), Iran (lunacy), Egypt (protests –successful), Ireland (bailout)… Granted, we have our share of problems (a debt ceiling encroaching, a fiscal deficit looming and a heat wave oppressing the north east) but in the grand scheme of things Americans appear to lead charmed lives. Donut Club members in particular have the added benefit of...

Dear Members and Constituents, Why is it doing the right thing is sometimes harder than it ought to be? On the surface, it seems like it should be very straightforward: do good, avoid evil. Yet even the best of us will sometimes tell a white lie, indulge in a sideways glance or falter on our diets. It’s not like we set-out to do the wrong thing, either. I don’t think any of us wakes up in the morning saying “I’m going to do something bad today”. So why do we do it? The way I see it, we are being pulled in many directions and given the choice of multiple “goods” which are often in conflict with each other. When we choose a lesser good, we inadvertently move in the wrong direction of the higher “good vs. evil” axis. You tell a white lie because you don’t want to disappoint someone. Sparing their feelings is a good thing, yet in the process you fail to tell the truth. Cheating on an exam gets you a good grade but prevents you from learning that valuable lesson that will serve you later in...