I think about my car like I think about my can opener—as a tool. So, when it was time for a new car, I bought the sturdiest, most reliable one I could afford. It’s a gray Toyota; one of a million. The antithesis of flashy. It does the job. I like it just fine except […]
Last week, I had the privilege of recording three short “chats” about resilience for students in the University of Toronto Arts Management Program. This newsletter is based on my remarks. 🌻🌻🌻 In 30-plus years working in the arts, I’ve seen too many talented leaders hit a wall. Not because they weren’t capable or committed, but […]
Some post-Thanksgiving reflections on how to cultivate gratitude As Thanksgiving fades in the rearview mirror, some of us return to our regular lives feeling grateful for family and friends, delicious food, and opportunities to gather together. But what happens when that feeling of gratitude dims? Or maybe we struggled to find any feelings of gratitude—when […]
I woke up a sweaty mess today. The air conditioning in my building is broken and now, with the sun barely up, my condo is 28 C. Did I mention I have a south-west facing space? It is only going to get hotter. My first response was a spurt of judgement. “This happens every spring! […]
In 1967, I won a silver dollar. It was a very exciting prize for a seven-year-old! To enter the contest, I had to colour-in a Smartie on a black and white picture inside the Smarties box and mail in the box. It was only by watching a tv ad, where an identical picture briefly lit-up […]
A day or two after New Year’s, my friend Jen posed a question: “Is everyone else having as much trouble getting back to work as I am?“ I was surprised by this question because for the first time in many years, I wasn’t having trouble getting back to work. In fact, I was happily anticipating […]