I'm feeling encouraged. Even in the midst of the stress of the shutdown and then the acceleration of the opening up, I am feeling good about lots of things. I'm thankful for all the terrific conversations I've had the privilege to have lately.

As we reach the milestone of Podcast 1000, I am proud that the Marching Roundtable has shared the best of our activity.

As I am practicing toward my upcoming martial arts evaluation, I have found that I think a lot about the energy I am using as I do a form. The concept of using "the right amount of energy for each moment" was something I learned from Shirley Dorritie, and this has revolutionized my thinking and really improved my martial arts.

I am completely entranced with the animated short "Us Again" which is available on Disney+.  It's six minutes of sheer joy!  It illustrates the amazing power of this medium, telling a humorous, engaging, and moving story without a single spoken word.

Change is scary stuff. We all thrive on routines and there is great comfort in knowing that the way we do something will work and bring results for us.  However, for many of us in the activity, this comfort can be a trap.

Many people are frustrated with their work and feel they are "too good for their job." I often surprise them by telling them I believe them! They are probably right. But the next question is..."Why does everyone not see this in your work?" If you think you're too good for your job, you probably are, but the way to get out of a job you don't love is TO GET INTO IT! Do the job so well that the universe will have to move you out of it.

How does one attract that perfect life partner? Having an idea of what you're looking for is a good place to start, but I find that people are often missing a key component in their thinking. There may be a reason that they are not attracting these people into their life.

I'm here to tell you how to be a millionaire, or how to be wildly successful in your chosen field! In his classic book "Think and Grow Rich," Napoleon Hill says that although all knowledge is valuable, what you need to truly be successful and make money in your field is SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE.  You need to know how to be better at the exact skills you really need in your own field.

Hats off to band directors being brave, trying new things, and taking advice from their hired consultant.

As we move forward out of Covid things can feel stressful and harried. I get to decide what parts of the old "normal" I want to go back to. Even with the demands of work and social life, I can move forward in the way I choose. I hope you'll give yourself the same permission.