Jonathan Miller's Blog, page 12
February 4, 2015
John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Voice Mail
I am not a doctor but am impressed with my doctor’s voice mail message and am going to start using part of it for my new voice mail message.
“Hi. This is John Brown. I’m not in right now but if you will please leave your name and number I will get back to you as quickly as possible. If this is a true emergency then hang up and immediately go to the nearest emergency room. Thank you.”
Lauren Mayer: Why Leftist Humor Is Easier
Pundits and comics alike have posited all sorts of theories as to why there is a more robust culture of political humor on the liberal side. Is it that liberals take themselves less seriously so are less open for ridicule? Or is the media quicker to pounce on right-wing mistakes? Are liberals more educated and wittier? Or is it that the entertainment establishment isrun by liberals who won’t give a platform tomore conservative viewpoints? Do liberals see more nuances in issues? Or is the cul...
February 3, 2015
John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Mind Tricks
Mind tricks I use to improve my mood
If I am getting flustered, music always seems to help. Especially a song with a melody and title like “Feelin’ Alright” by Joe Cocker.
Listening to Joe Cocker’s “Feelin’ Alright” always helps me feel more “alright” too.
And if listening to the song alone isn’t enough, I look at the pictures of Joe Cocker on the two album covers of “Feelin’ Alright” and remind myself that this apparently is what “Feeling Alright” looks like. And if I look more “alright” today...
Erica and Matt Chua: The Best of Shanghai in 3 Days
rriving in Shanghai at the end of our 14 week trip through China was a respite from the chaos and a fantastic end to our China adventure. Having battled spitting swarms of Chinese people throughout the country, arriving in the modern, state of the art train station was like being beamed on to another planet. Looking around I felt the same way Dorothy must have felt when she first arrived in the Land of Oz, wide-eyed and amazed. Public transport was simple and the people were as helpful as the...
February 2, 2015
Basketball and post game class acts
I have had the privilege several times in the past year of being around Jack “Goose” Givens on a business matter.
Our fist interaction was through an email introduction that asked me if I knew Jack Givens and copied him. I responded, “Are you kidding me? I’ll never forget the night back in 1978 when Jack Givens and I combined for 41 points and UK won the NCAA championship.” And then added, “Of course, Jack was on the basketball court thatnight and I was just one of 20,000 fans in the stands –b...
John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Starbucks
Just went through Starbucks drive-thru and ordered “A grande ice Chai tea latte without a chocolate chip cookie; please.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t understand that last part” came back the answer.
“Well, every day I order a grande Chai tea latte and you all always ask me if I’d like to add a chunky chocolate chip cookie with it and I say no. Just thought I would take care of it all on the front end today.”
She laughed. Hand it to Starbucks. Their folks do seem to have a cheerful disposition and good...
January 30, 2015
John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Think Fast!
Think fast!
I have to do this a lot –thinking fast. Mostly when I get myself in a jam because I am thinking slowly. Or not thinking at all.
I was behind a young couple at Starbucks today and ordered a grande, or medium, coffee (“grande”must be how they say “medium” in Seattle, where Starbucks started).
We were the only ones in the store but they took my name anyway which demonstrates the extra pains Starbucks takes to make sure no customer gets another customer’s coffee order. I sometimes think...
Julie Rath: This Versatile Wardrobe Item May Surprise You
Just because you’re not a cowboy, doesn’t mean you should ignore the denim shirt. Sure, you can wear a denim shirt on the ranch, but you can also wear it to the office, on a date, out for dinner – just about anywhere. How rugged vs. fine the material is dictates how dressy you can take it. Also, dark rinses read fancier than light ones.
Here are 4 ways to wear a denim shirt in order from casual to dressy:
1)Weathered with pockets.Wear a different shade of denim on bottom for the optimal Canadia...
January 29, 2015
John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Parking Lots
When you are in a parking lot and not paying attention when going to your car and the car parked next to you looks like your car, it is easy to walk up and try to open the door of the wrong car.
When that happens, of course, the door stays locked, you immediately realize your mistake and you have a good laugh at yourself.
But tonight I took it to the next level. Coming out of a Thortons I lackadaisically wandered over to the wrong silver sedan in the parking lot and tried …to open the driver’s...
Josh Bowen: I Can’t Squat
If there are any trainers that read my rants you can sympathize with me on the following statement made by a client, “My doctor told me not to squat.”
Oh he did, did he? Well isn’t that great, what in the world am I going to do to strengthen your legs?
Hold up!
Do me a favor and get up and down from that chair. So you know what I am getting at. There are some uneducated people out there that tell patients to stay away from certain activities, not realizing that those activities could potentially...
