I write screenplays and rarely watch TV, but I love to go to the movies, where great films take me places and bad ones teach me what not to do. Since filmmaking is a team puzzle with a thousand pieces, I am ever vigilant for masterful performances … [Read more...]
Why Office Relationships are Easy or Difficult
The reason why some office relationships come easy and others grate like sandpaper is very easy to explain. Because of this, there is no excuse to let negative relationships perpetuate in your life or office. Virtually all are improvable -- if you … [Read more...]
The Best Way to Sell Something: Have Something Great to Sell
Eddie Bauer, Jr. dances under his own spotlight, which is how I came to meet him three or so years ago. Eddie lives in Houston with his wife and children, chasing his passions and staying frantically busy. He is a very charismatic man, an aspiring … [Read more...]
Ranking the Golden Globes Best Picture Nominations
Saw ‘em all, so listed below are my ranking of all ten films nominated by the Golden Globes for Best Picture. Since the Golden Globes nominate five films in two categories, Drama and Musical or Comedy, at the end of each summary I noted film’s … [Read more...]
“The Wolf of Wall Street”: Sales Lessons from the Film & Its Marketing
Martin Scorcese's big Christmas film "The Wolf of Wall Street" is a three-hour plunge into a cinematic cesspool of excess that has generated ten times more pub and debate than any other holiday release -- including far better offerings. There are … [Read more...]
The Only Resolution We Ever Need
December 31, 2013 During my recent visit to New Zealand's Bay of Islands I visited the small Christ Church graveyard in the tiny coastal town of Russell. Christ Church is 175 years old. A small modest building, its exterior has musket ball holes from … [Read more...]
A New Year’s Resolution for All: Resolve to Stop Using These Words!
Earlier this month Marist College Institute for Public Opinion, from its home base midway between the bright lights of New York City and the state capitol of Albany in scenic Poughkeepsie, surveyed nearly 1,200 adults to find out which word irritates … [Read more...]
How to Handle the Post-Holiday Blues
I live in a city that enjoys three months of each season. With Christmas comes the winter chill and white stuff we dream about as kids. This year things seemed different. The weather turned cold and it snowed a bit but the mailman delivered fewer … [Read more...]
Christmas Season Movies: 9 Quick One-Sentence Reviews
28 December 13 I despise commercials and rarely watch television or listen to the radio. Instead I go the movies to study the art and craft of motion pictures. I am not a big fan of CGI (computer special effects) or kids animation cartoon pictures … [Read more...]
Sacrificing Too Much for Success? 15 Warning Signs
"Despite excellent performance and good money the worker always seems tired and is rarely happy." If this describes you, you may be sacrificing too much in the chase for material success. A recent blurb by John Brandon in INC Magazine about the … [Read more...]