Friday Donuts

Friends, I can’t get over (or under, for that matter) the fact we’ve made great progress on the Colorado section of the southern border wall . Who knew? If you ask me, I think somebody was onto something. Forget Old Mexico. We need to set our sights on New Mexico. I’m not talking about new age spiritualism, Santa Fe chicken salads or Georgia O’Keefe paintings. No siree Bob! If you think about it, what runs faster: an old car or a new car? What will kills more efficiently: an old gun or a new gun? What’s more dangerous: old ideas or new ideas? You get my drift, New Mexico is the bigger threat! But why stop there? If you look at a map of the United States, there is a pretty darn straight line extending all the way from the Utah-Arizona border to the Virginia-North Carolina border. Granted, there is a little wrinkle between Missouri and Arkansas –nothing a little poetic liberty can’t fix. You’ve got the makings of a grand wall following a straight line from Beaver Dam Wash Nat...

Friends, Have you ever done a double-take at something that didn’t look quite right? Life may seem predictable –right until it doesn’t. Things are not always what they seem. Here are a few examples. A sunrise at sunset . When traveling, if you’re lucky enough to take-off right when the sun is finishing setting, you’ll notice this fascinating phenomenon. As the plane gains elevation the orange orb in the sky appears to reverse course and rise over the horizon. Once airborne, you get to see it set all over again. Sunset. Sunrise. Sunset. Makes you feel like a veritable fiddler on the roof… of the world! Truth in advertising . Have you ever seen those adds that say “the more you spend, the more you save”? The truth is, the more you spend the less you save. In economic terms, spending (consumption) and saving (investment) are competing ways to use your income. I recently saw a particularly deceptive ad in this family. You coul...

Friends, What a weather week we’ve witnessed! Wednesday evening’s 50+ degree temperature swing has me wondering why mother nature chose to leapfrog fall altogether and go straight from summer to winter. Now, since mowing your lawn is not an option, I thought I’d provide some alternative activities you might consider. Watch the NBA pre-season –unless you’re in China, that is; they’re boycotting over a tweet (and, no, it’s not your usual suspects). Grab a blanket and cozy-up to the fireplace with a good book. Maybe try Olga Tokarczuk (2018) and Peter Handke (2019), this week’s outspoken and polarizing Nobel literature prize winners. Binge watch one of the plethora of mediocre new shows . You know you want to! Perfect your mixology. Maybe try that new peach mint mule recipe that’s all the buzz. Who knows, this might be the perfect time to crack open a bottle of Khrotytsa vodka , the best Ukraine has to offer. Have a donut. ...

Friends, Serendipity. The occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way. Like my being at the Denver Convention Center for the Great American Beer Fest last night led me to wonder why there is a big blue bear peering in. It turns-out Lawrence Argent, the artist, was inspired by locals’ curiosity about what goes on in the convention center (never really knowing from the outside what goes on inside). Serendipitously, he saw the picture of a bear peering into a house and liked the playfulness. Serendipitously, his printer rendered his concept in blue instead of the sandstone colors he had planned. Serendipitously, bears are important to the Ute tribe. Serendipitously, blue is a level of spiritual enlightenment for them. And so, it is by a happy chance that I stumbled upon an interesting topic for this morning’s note. I hope you remain open to serendipity in your life. Who knows, maybe you’ll run into a new donut shop or find a new favorite flavor. ...

Friends, Communications can be tricky and getting your message across to your audience is often fraught with potential misunderstandings. A writer’s biases can blind her to unintended meanings. The reader, who also carries biases, might lend an altogether different interpretation to the same words. The fact is, we all live in our own little bubbles. Some days I think it’s a wonder we communicate at all. Case in point, this week’s “retirement longevity checklist” from Merrill Lynch. What a downer! For the record, I don’t find the prospect of retirement depressing, however, the message that came across was cringeworthy. I’m sure my biases played a big role, still, bear with me. The two page document’s structure seems benign enough: (1) invest in your future, (2) plan ahead, and (3) document your wishes! Unfortunately, what comes across when reading it is a little more sinister (1) we want more of your money, (2) your investments might make less than you think –plus ...

Friends, A week ago, Eddie Money got two tickets to paradise . Why two? Well, since The Cars front man Ric Ocasek followed him two days later, you might think the other is his. If you think about it, such a pact would make sense. Ric says to Eddie who’s gonna drive you home tonight ? Eddie responds take me home tonight . Too soon? Well, you can always grab a donut, they are as sweet as Candi-O . Or, If you’re lucky enough to be near Norfolk or Pittsburgh, try a KFC donut sandwich ! Happy Friday!

Friends, I don’t consider myself to be a superstitious man. Now that doesn’t mean I go around breaking mirrors, walking under ladders and opening umbrellas in my house –sharp shards, falling paint and poked eyeballs are, after all, real possibilities. I don’t have a rabbit’s foot, horseshoe or lucky penny. When I cross my fingers, knock on wood or tug on a wishbone it’s just an exercise in social participation. So if a black cat crosses my path, I won’t spit or throw a pinch of salt over my shoulder. Now, the fact the four preceding sentences each list three superstitions, does not mean I believe luck comes in threes (hey I just listed 13 superstitions!). On this thirteenth day of the month, which happens to be the thirteenth day of the week (start counting on Sunday and don’t stop after week one), grab yourself a baker’s dozen donuts (that’s 13) and throw your superstitions to the wind. Happy Friday the 13 th !