Category Archives: Uncategorized

“I’m not doing dialogue because I like doing dialogue. The characters are telling you the story. I’m not telling you the story, they’re going to do it. If I do it right, you will get the whole story.” -George V. Higgins Some of the best writing advice I’ve heard, especially for playwrights, is this…know yourContinue reading “Just Get ‘Em Talking”

“I think of the trees and how simply they let go, let fall the riches of a season, how without grief (it seems) they can let go and go deep into their roots for renewal and sleep…Imitate the trees. Learn to lose in order to recover, and remember that nothing stays the same for long,Continue reading “Let Go To Go Forward”

“I’m going to count to ten. I’m here, you’re there…You know what to do…Welcome…Welcome back.” –Stand Up If You’re Here Tonight by John Kolvenbach Dear Friend and Vs. Ally, I hope you had a great Holiday and this letter finds you well.  I know we’re all still dealing with this pandemic, but we will get through it and come out strongerContinue reading “Vs. 2021 Year End Letter and Fundraising Appeal”

“We have a strategic plan — it’s called doing things.” -Herb Kelleher, founder and former CEO of Southwest Airlines “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion. ‘” -Muhammad Ali Ever look back at on all the things you usedContinue reading “Do Hard Things”

“Think of many things; do only one.” -Portuguese proverb A New Year’s resolution that might actually stick… Do fewer things. Focus like a laser beam on those few things. How to choose? Remember to ask yourself (daily) this magic focusing question. P.S. – Can you name the 80’s film in the above pic?

“Perfect love casts out fear.” -John 4:18 “There is no deed in this life so impossible that you cannot do it. Your whole life should be lived as a heroic deed.” -Leo Tolstoy “The world wants to know if you have cojones. If you are brave?” -Emilo Perez asking John Grady in Cormac McCarthy’s novel,Continue reading “Courage Follows Love”

“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” -Marie Kondo, “The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up” “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.Continue reading “Meaningful Consumption”

“Our vanity, our self-love, promotes the cult of the genius,” Nietzsche said. “For if we think of genius as something magical, we are not obliged to compare ourselves and find ourselves lacking. . . . To call someone ‘divine’ means: ‘here there is no need to compete.”― Angela Duckworth, “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” If youContinue reading “On Or Off The Hook?”

Before you do ANYTHING (running an errand, making a phone call, driving a car, etc…you name it) ask yourself this question… “What’s my intention here or what do I want to happen?” It immediately focuses you. Makes you present. And ultimately will save you a lot of time and grief. If you can’t answer theContinue reading ““What’s My Intention?””

“It is difficult to understand the universe if you only study one planet.” -Muhashi, The Book Of Five Rings Bill:Socrates – “The only true wisdom consists of knowing you know nothing.” Ted:That’s us, dude. One of my favorite albums of 2021 is “A Beginner’s Mind” by Sufjan Stevens and Angelo De Augustine. (Great headphone album!) InContinue reading “Shoshin”