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December 8, 2023
I have been reading (yes, me reading!) the book Be Useful by Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s just amazing what this man has done with his life. What stands out among many themes is how Arnold blames no one for anything. According to his philosophy, you get what you get and build what you make of your life. In one of the chapters, Arnold speaks about his life, dealing with his father, and his challenges. He reveals how he chose (and still chooses) not to allow those things to impact who he is. He talks openly about the fact that many of […]
December 2, 2023
Stock Market Markets rallied in November on the basis of a stronger-than-anticipated economy, resilient consumer, tempered inflation, and the realization that the Fed will likely pause rate hikes. For the month, Wall Street’s three major indices performed as follows: The Dow +8.8% S&P 500 +8.9% Nasdaq +10.7% In November, both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite saw their biggest monthly gains since July 2022, and the Dow broke its three-month losing streak in bold fashion. Inflation November’s highly anticipated Consumer Price Index report revealed the cost of goods and services remained flat from October, with annual inflation increasing […]
December 1, 2023
Well, another Thanksgiving in the books. This one had extra special meaning for me. It marks the second year in our new home and new town. It’s been a year very much in transition, both professionally and, in many ways, personally. I can honestly not think of a year where I thought more about my mortality than this one. ‘Seeing my children continue to grow and mature, watching what they do and how they think about things. And how we influence those behaviors, good and bad. I’ve thought a lot about how different my life has turned out than what I had […]
November 24, 2023
Remember life before 9/11? You could travel without taking off your shoes. The flight attendants would make REAL food for you on the plane. They could carve meat with a real knife, and the silverware was, well, silver! Then it all changed. We had to take our shoes off. Plastic forks and knives. Limits to what you can and cannot take on the plane. Heightened security everywhere. But then, relatively quickly, we saw innovations spring forth. There was Clear. Then, TSA Pre-Check. (Yes, Clear was before TSA Pre-check!) We could pay for services, both private and governmental, to help make […]
November 17, 2023
There is nothing worse than unused potential. The idea that one can do and be so much more yet chooses not to. I’m not saying that everyone has to strive for total optimization like some machine, and you definitely have the right to be exactly who you want to be. But wouldn’t it be so much more fulfilling to see what you really CAN be? To push those limits and see what you can do? Maybe try your hardest and leave it all out there, even just once. By pushing far out of your comfort zone, you might just show […]
November 10, 2023
Are you stressed or depressed? Words that sound so similar but have very different meanings. Or do they? How often have you said, “Man, I am so stressed?” Now think about this for a second: how often have you said, “I feel so depressed.” Or “I am so sad today and don’t know why.” Probably never. Very seldom do we (people in general) sit with our feelings. Instead, we’re always moving on to the next thing or simply saying to ourselves, “I’ll deal with that later.” We may even subconsciously treat an admission that we’re depressed or feeling something as […]
November 3, 2023
When people are not looking or recognizing it, doing what is right is where true interpersonal satisfaction comes in. Growing up in Los Angeles, my grandfather was an immigrant from Russia. He and his three siblings grew up in an orphanage. It’s called Vista del Mar in Culver City and is still there today. His father died on the long journey to the U.S. from Russia. My grandfather’s mother was so poor that she had to make the choice to give up her children – all four of them – just to guarantee their survival. So, she placed all four […]
November 1, 2023
Stock Market Despite regaining ground on the last day of the month, October proved subpar for the equity markets on fears of war in the Middle East, surging bond yields, and shaky earnings from Big Tech. For the month, Wall Street’s three major indices performed as follows: The Dow -1.4% S&P 500 -2.2% Nasdaq -2.8% It was the third-straight losing month for both the Dow and S&P 500, the first three-month negative streak since March 2020. Likewise, the tech-heavy Nasdaq saw its third consecutive losing month. The previous Friday saw the S&P 500 officially enter correction territory, defined as 10% […]
October 27, 2023
“Can I ask what the deciding factor was in selecting us?” I asked. The client, sitting across the desk from me, put his hand to his chin, thinking about it for a moment. “You guys were the only ones that came at us with a unique approach,” he said. “That’s great,” I replied. “But what exactly? Sorry to ask, but I always like knowing what we did or did not do well.” “Sure, no problem. I understand,” he said. “You didn’t make a recommendation or pitch a product. You came to us with questions and a solution, if and only if the results […]
October 20, 2023
I am very uneasy. The world. Our world. I know you probably feel the same way recently. I’m also very uneasy about the things people are saying, what they express, both publicly and privately. In my business, I have always felt most comfortable being uncomfortable. Living in that discomfort to get to a better result. Embracing it. In life, I suppose I have acted somewhat the same way, too. However, the events of the last couple weeks have changed my view on so many things: what is really important and what is not, the response that one should have. To speak […]