I’ve witnessed this scene countless times (and I’m sure you have, too). In fact, I feel I watched it at least twice this week in Netflix binges I’ve already forgotten. Our hero needs some vital information. She/He sits before a stony bureaucrat who has the necessary intel, pleading their case. ...

It may be both the most sincere and also the most ruthless thing I do. Each year, I invite my nearest and dearest over to decorate our Christmas tree. It is a delightful gathering where I serve only gingerbread. At the same time, it’s also an incredible time saver. It’s perhaps a no...

The first time it happened was slightly unnerving. Vlad and I weren’t expecting anyone when we heard something that wasn’t even really a knock at the door. More like a subtle, almost eerie tap. The peephole revealed very little until I noticed some tan fur at the bottom. Vlad’s best friend Mali...

It began badly and it kept getting worse. Line after line of awkward prose. Poorly stated––even incorrect––facts––snowballing, one after another. Exaggerations going beyond the point of caricature into the utterly impossible. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. Unfortunately, it was my ow...

All elections are important but this one felt particularly so. Eager for the support, I brought Vlad with me to my local polling center which is a mere 3-minute walk from our home. The last time I voted there, they told me dogs were allowed. This time, however, I now noticed signage to the contrar...

It happened not once but twice this week. I had zoom meetings with clients and partners in Europe and both times we almost missed each other. Apparently, the end of Daylight Savings Time occurs on different days on other continents. Both ahead––and therefore, in this case, behind–– the curve, Euro...

Vlad and I entered innocently enough, arriving at our small rooftop dog park as we do several times a day. This time, however, things immediately felt different. The air itself was highly charged, thick with intense debate. It seemed wrong to attempt to jump into such a heated conversation so we s...

It was a startling––and although I hesitate to say it––near-miraculous moment. Firing up my MacBook Air, out of habit, I reached for my drugstore reading glasses. I put them on and something truly odd happened. Instead of helping my vision, they actually made things worse. To my astonishment, I...

I haven’t thought about this in a LONG time but… I had a flashback while writing this newsletter to my first official job, meaning one where you had to fill out forms and got a regular paycheck. Namely, I worked in the local Sears department store, mostly in the catalog pick-up department. My memo...