Rick's Blog
Yea, But Will It Pay The Bills?
What is it about art that forces us to put impossible pressure on it? “Yea, I’d like to quit my job and paint, but…
Puzzles
In the seventies I used to play a unique form of chess with a friend.…
The Beginners Mind and Being Creative
You wouldn’t expect a commercial about an American truck to capture the simplicity of a…
- Food
- Leadership & Education
- Spirituality
- Photography
- Creativity
- Relationships
- Fun Stuff
- Theater, Arts, Dance, Music
- Writers
- Rick's Blog
polenta taragna
polenta with buckwheat flour [cliccare il link per andare alla versione in italiano] The Romans ate puls made with farro, millet and other grains boiled in water or milk. Corn (granturco) from the Americas was introduced in Europe in the...…
Game Day: Head This Way for Super Bowl Snacks
Still looking for recipes to serve at your Super Bowl party (or someone else's)? Head on over to our Game Day Headquarters for guacamole and salsa, wings, chili, and every other kind of party snack you can dream of. Recipes right this way! »…
Serious Reads: Breaking Through Concrete, by David Hanson and Edwin Marty
The current resurgence of the back-to-the-land movement has a slightly different twist than the California-based one in the 1970s. The main obstacle facing many would-be farmers is land—which can be expensive. So rather than head to the country to cultivate crops, farmers are breaking…
This Week In Recipes
Chocolate Oatmeal Pie: Imagine pecan pie without the nuts, with chocolate to amp up that sweet, sticky filling. Then add oatmeal. Dinner Tonight: Maple and Mustard-Glazed Salmon with Roasted Brussel Sprouts: A sweet and subtly spicy way to enjoy salmon and sprouts. Farmer Cheese Pie: Enjoy…
Sunday Supper: Lobster Boil
Quite simply, this is the indoor version of a clambake (without the hot rocks and seaweed). If you can't gain access to a beach and are craving a simple, but special treat, this lobster boil can evoke memories of evening by the ocean in…
six senses saturday
seeing : : these beautiful daisies that Jeff brought me last night for our date…
The Vegan Experience Days 20 and 21: The Vegan Superbowl Snack Challenge
I'm going to a Super Bowl party on Sunday, but as a man who associates…
Sunday Brunch: Cheese Buns
These may bear more resemblance to a biscuit, but straight out of the oven, these…
maple granola with cranberries & toasted coconut
~ granola ~ “I went to a cafe that had a sign advertising ‘breakfast anytime,’…
Hangover Helper: Pinnacles Scramble at Greens, San Francisco
An upscale vegetarian restaurant isn't necessarily the first place you'd think to go to cure…
This Week’s Tasty 10: The Most Popular Posts from the SE Table
1. Sandwiched: Crisp Grilled Cheese »
2. BraveTart: Make Your Own Butterfingers »
3. Pizza Madness: Pizza…
This Week at Serious Eats World Headquarters
Send Us Your Beer Questions!
For the newly minted beer enthusiast, there must be areas we're missing. Have you ever…
Fresh Food on TV: Weekend Edition
With all the channels on broadcast TV and cable and the inevitable episode repeats, it's…
wine tasting notes ~ cannon river winery’s “winter ice”
~ winter ice ~ “A rich and luscious sweet wine; white-gold in color with intense…
Drinking in Season: Meyer Lemon Pisco Sour
A sweeter cousin to the common (and more sour) Eureka lemon, Meyer lemons are differentiated…
Dinner Tonight: Pecan-Crusted Catfish
I've never had a problem firing up the fryer for a weeknight meal, especially when…
Leading Views: Ideas are Immortal. Inspiration is Perishable.
In ReWork—a go-to book for inspiration—authors Jason Fried and David Hansson explain why you need to get on with it. Just do it. We all have ideas. Ideas are immortal. They last forever. What doesn’t last forever is inspiration. Inspiration is li...…
Is "Command and Collaborate" the New Leadership Model?
The theme at Davos this year was "The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models." One of the models up for discussion...…
The Five Proofs of Facebook’s IPO
The record-breaking Facebook IPO proves a number of things. But one thing it won't prove is that investors who buy...…
Your Marketing Can Keep Pace with Facebook and Google
The reality of web marketing is that almost all of it happens on platforms that are owned by others. Platform...…
need for online skills is growing
The US economy alone is likely to produce nearly 47 million job openings by 2018 and more than 60% of those will require college degrees or advanced certification to fill. In short, the economy is hiring workers who have learned to keep on learning.May...…
10 Power Tips for Connecting with Powerful People
Image source: Pat Buntrock Nothing trumps great work but abilities aren’t enough. Ignorance and insensitivity…
The End of Customer Service Heroes
ask kate| waitress to accountant?
Bonuses Are Good, But Clawbacks Make Them Better
Entrepreneurship: Still Lost in the Davos Dialog
Desperately Seeking Simplicity
The Problem with the Profit Motive in Finance
Emerging Economy Leadership Needs Private Sector Planning
Top 10 Ways to Tick Off CEOs
***** If you aren’t concerned about ticking off the CEO, you should be. It’s easy…
Fiat’s Smart U.S. Launch Strategy — Really
When Presenting, Remember to Pause
Compensation and the Myth of the Corporate Superstar
Atheist Career Choices
Pat Robertson and co-host Kristi Watts discuss the atheists, who don’t believe in anything. Watts goes on on a tangent, talking about how Wiccans are “all about the environment,” and that “trees are their God.” [wtf?] She then asks why … Continue reading →…
Weekend Links
I don’t want to raise a good child :: Lysa TerKeurst McDonald’s drops use of gooey ammonia-based “pink slime” in hamburger meat :: MSNBC When you need friends (but have a hard time finding them) :: (in)courage Motherhood, Ambition, Passion, and Purpose :: The M.A.P.P.…
Explaining US Foreign Policy
From an October 2011 article at Human Life International World Watch, a "pro-life and pro-family" organization dedicated to monitoring "anti-life forces operat[ing] under the radar implementing their destructive agenda": ...You would think, in an empty nation like Kazakhstan, there would be groups encouraging people to have…
Refusing to Counsel: Another Way to Look at Conscience
From Mark Oppenheimer’s article at the New York Times today on the case, taken up…
One Way to Escape a Sex Scandal
Sh!t Meditators Say…Tiny Devotions Giveaway
Looks like Tiny Devotions, the fabulous mala bead company, couldn’t help but take a little…
What Would Jesus NOT Do?
lf Only…
Troll Dad
Flying Robots
One bite at a time… together
Note from Tsh: I loved Jeannett’s idea a few months ago—to regularly write about her…
…
…
America’s Muslim Anxiety: Lessons from The Third Jihad
The past week has witnessed an escalating political crisis within the New York Police Department,…
God Hates Checkered Whiptail Lizards!!!
![What Shooting Modes do Our Readers Shooting in Most? [POLL RESULTS]](http://middleagedcrazy.com/wp-content/themes/linepress/timthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Fmiddleagedcrazy.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F02%2Fwhat-shooting-modes-do-our-readers-shooting-in-most-poll-results.png&q=90&w=300&h=225&zc=1)
What Shooting Modes do Our Readers Shooting in Most? [POLL RESULTS]
In last months photography poll we asked readers about what mode they shot in most. Is it Auto? Manual or something else? Here are the results (with over 72,000 readers participating). Last time we did this poll (back in 2009) the results were similar…
Istanbul diptych #6
Here's the sixth Istanbul diptych, which continues the musical theme from the previous one. And in case you're wondering, these items were glued to the outside wall of a cafe, along with quite a few other 45s, old cassettes and other bits of musical ep...…
Workaholics
photobomb that guy - WorkaholicsSubmitted by: soypio…
Do You Have a Favorite Landscape Photography Destination?
Is there a place that you love to go shoot landscapes? I’d love to hear…
They Never Saw It Coming
photobomb that guy - They Never Saw It ComingSubmitted by: tomahawk2013…
Gaping With Excitement
photobomb that guy - Gaping With ExcitementSubmitted by: Jenni D…
How I Shot And Edited It – Nepal Zoomable Panorama
Have I mentioned how much I love photography and technology. Here’s a good case for…
Take That Giuliana Rancic
photobomb that guy - Take That Giuliana RancicSubmitted by: Unknown…
Istanbul diptych #5
While yesterday's image was the most abstract in this short series of diptychs from Istanbul,…
I Have the Most Reasonable Boner Right Now
photobomb that guy - I Have the Most Reasonable Boner Right NowSubmitted by: Kyle Woolley…
Can I Get In On This?
photobomb that guy - Can I Get In On This?Submitted by: Unknown…
Street Photography: Weekly Photography Challenge
This week your challenge is to take and share an image that fits the theme…
Product Placement
photobomb that guy - Product PlacementSubmitted by: maxxaid…
Pretty Postcard
photobomb that guy - Pretty PostcardSubmitted by: Unknown…
In search of a timid trapeze artist
Good luck with that, there aren't any. If you hesitate when leaping from rope to another, you're not going to last very long. And this is at the heart of what makes innovation work in organizations, why industries die, and...…
Will energy consumption stay private?
It's clear that the consumption of energy has external effects that impact more than just the person who is paying for it. Geopolitical, health and economic issues come to the neighbors and nearby citizens of entities that are using a...…
Longing for Change? How to Turn Nothing into Something
The experiences or achievements you long for the most can seem so overwhelming (and so far away) that you never even start. Life coach and self-development expert Dr. Susan Biali, M.D. shares tips from the great Jim Rohn, as well as her own strategies,...…
Rightsizing your passion
Excitement about goals is often diminished by our fear of failure or the drudgery of work. If you’re short on passion, it might be because your goals are too small or the fear is too big. Do a job for...…
Can I see your body of work?
Are you leaving behind an easily found trail of accomplishment? Few people are interested in your resume any more. Plenty are interested in what you've done. The second thing you'll need to do is regularly note what you produce in...…
Super Bowl Sunday Twitter Chat Tips – 11 Tips for #SBExp Chat
You’re all invited join us Super Bowl Sunday for a fun, intimate Twitter chat all…
80% off while they last
Continuous Innovation and Continuous Improvement – Woody Bendle
Here’s another great post from Woody Bendle, who debuted as a guest Brainzooming blogger last…
You will be disappointed
Where Do “Earworms” Come From?
Have you ever had a song stuck in your head and, no matter how hard…
Successful Presentation Tips – 7 Ways to Make Winning $450,000 Easier
It’s not THAT often when successful presentation tips can make a 6-figure financial difference in…
An endless series of difficult but achievable hills
Super Bowl Moves from #BZBowl to #SBExp, AMA Virtual Exchange, “Why Creativity?”
#BZBowl Is Moving to #SBExp for Super Bowl XLVI With the Super Bowl this Sunday,…
The waffle paradox
Emotionally intelligent signage and Louis C.K.
Comedian Louis C.K. garnered a lot of press — and made a ton of money…
Social Media Expertise – Why Wouldn’t You Demand It?
Listening to some folks talk recently about business development and client opportunities in social networking…
(What you get) – (What you were hoping for)
Day 1- Make it her way…
Brad says… The 10 Day Challenge is finally here! Today is the day, but before you just run and jump into the sack we have a few tips and ideas to help you make the most of your 10 days of passion together! Every couple…
Living Alone Is a Sign of Success – for the Individual and for Society
Two things: (1) We live alone because we want to and because we can. (2) A survey in the Washington Post invites single people to describe their experiences. Go have your say. It is good to be asked what we think. read more…
Signs and Symptoms of the Kundalini Awakening Experience
One of the goals of Tantra is to awaken Kundalini. However, that process is seldom easy or comfortable. Anmol Mehta describes the signs of the Kundalini awakening experience and offers some tips for dealing with Kundalini Syndrome.To help people identi...…
On Your Mark…
Brad says… We are only hours away from the launch of the 10 Day Challenge. I hope that all of you are ready for an adventure! Over the next 10 days we will post a short idea, encouragement or tip every day. We will also…
Get Your Motor Runnin
Kate says . . . It’s that time wives, to rev up the engines for Sunday! As we get started and embark on this 10 day challenge journey there are a couple of things for you to remember. Take it one day at a time…
The Art of Manliness Podcast #39: Eugen Sandow, Victorian Strongman with David Waller
Before Arnold Schwarzenegger, even before Charles Atlas, there was Eugen Sandow. Rising from obscurity in…
So You Want My Job: Gym Owner
Once again we return to our So You Want My Job series, in which we…
Lighter Side: Heart On Your Sleeve
Lighter Side: Heart On Your Sleeve is a post from: Simple Marriage Click the post…
Disaster Relief: How to Get Hands-On and Volunteer
Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Jeff More. How many of us have…
A Teachable Racial Moment
We’re very excited to welcome guest blogger Honorée Fanonne Jeffers. Honorée is an award-winning poet…
This Book Will Change Our Lives
I don’t think I’ve ever said this about a book: “Going Solo” will become a…
Let’s Get Cracking: How to Make an Omelet
In October, we received an incredible response from our article on “How to Make Better…
10 Day Challenge Prep and Primping
Kate says . . . Sunday marks the start of our 10 Day Challenge, ladies…
A Valentine’s Day Gift Worth Framing: Frame the Date Giveaway 2012
The Frame the Date Valentine’s Day giveaway is back. We’ve run this giveaway the last…
Sexy Marriage Moves
There are times when married life hits rough patches. There are also times when things…
The 4 Qualities of a True Statesman
Here in the United States, the inauguration of our next president is a year away,…
The Manvotionals Recitation Contest
Last November we published our second book: The Art of Manliness Manvotionals: Timeless Wisdom and…
…
"toothpick"
Eva spotted this in the Republic of Georgia. Who knows what's really in there or…
"every" "day"
I guess these prices are only low on some days. Thanks, Megan and friend.
…
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Saturday, February 04, 2012
Saturday, February 04, 2012
…
…
"strictly prohibited"
envelope "required"
I guess you don't really need an envelope to make a deposit. Thanks, Amy.
…
Screenwriting News
In screenwriting news, Albert Torres hired to do film adaptation of TV series “Ben 10″. The Help writer-director Tate Taylor to receive the WGA Paul Selvin Award. Judd Apatow (Knocked Up) to receive the WGA East Herb Sargent Award for … Continue reading →…
Video Interview: Francis Ford Coppola & John Milius
HT to @furiouscinema and @LaFamiliaFilm for the link. …
Making donor dollars stretch and perform miracles
Does promising that donor gifts can accomplish far more than is realistic have long term negative impacts?... - Jumper…
The Zander scandal latest: injustice has been done
- Slipped disc…
Daily Dialogue — February 5, 2012
ELLE: Here’s to us. WARNER: The reason I wanted to come here tonight was to…
Every Opportunity to Write
Many writers say they knew they were writers even as kids because they’d write the…
When Words Hurt: Coping With Criticism
An insight…….
Learn More About Dance with Volunteer Opportunities
Hungary mourns one of its most-loved musicians
- Slipped disc…
My Life as a Starship
True philanthropy doesn't ask "what will you accomplish?" Instead, it commands, "Boldly Go.. Seek out…
Daily Dialogue theme for next week?
We had an interesting week of Daily Dialogues exploring the theme of break-ups [suggested by…
Taking our place at Versailles
The musicians of Opera Lafayette rehearse in the Royal Opera for the first time.... -…
Is Josh Schwartz this generation’s John Hughes?
From the NYT earlier this week: SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Josh Schwartz tried his best…
LOTR violin medley
From FlavorWire: Epic nerd and talented musician Lindsey Stirling has just released a follow up…
New Agent Alert: Carlie Webber of the Jane Rotrosen Agency
About Carlie: Carlie Webber refused to major in English in college because no one would let her read Stephen King or R.L. Stine for class. She took her love of young adult and genre fiction to the University of Pittsburgh, where she obtained a Master…
Event Spotlight: The Homeric Writers’ Retreat and Workshop on the Isle of Ithaca (Aug. 2-8, 2012 in Greece)
If you're considering a writing event this year, but are looking for just as much of an opportunity to sit down and write as you are to learn from presenters, then join me at the Homeric Writers' Retreat and Workshop from Aug. 2-8, 2012. It's…
The Frugal Book Promoter: How to get nearly free publicity
The second edition of The Frugal Book Promoter is an updated version of the multi award-winning first edition. It has been expanded to include simple ways to promote books using newer... Click on the title to read the entire post. …
Literary corruption
From author Andy Duncan: "I’ll even be giving away the first 20 copies to anyone prepared to write a five-star review on Amazon. (If you feel it’s unworthy of that, just send me the book back again, and forget you ever saw it.)"If I think the…
Agent Mary Kole is Teaching an Intensive Webinar on Young Adult and Middle Grade Novels (Feb. 9, 2012)
Literary agent Mary Kole has run three webinars for us before. They were so successful that we’re very excited to have her back for more. This new webinar on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2011 is an intensive on young adult and middle grade novel writing (and…
Before The Great Gatsby: Vintage Quotes and Wisdom From F Scott Fitzgerald
At Writer’s Digest, one of my favorite things to do is to go spelunking in…
Dorchester Publishing’s Fate To Be Decided This Month
WD Poetic Form Challenge: The Tritina Winner
These tritinas were fun to read. If sestinas are poetic marathons, these tritinas are like…
Best of the Web Book Marketing Tips for the Week of January 30, 2012
Get some inspiration from these book marketing Tweets from the past week, courtesy of bloggers,…
Learn How to Promote Your Novel and Sell More Books
There is no such thing as "Publish On Demand"
Copyright, Piracy and the Arts
Over on Slate, a debate on the topic of the merits of copyright, as well…
Why Publishers Are About To Go Data Crazy
This post, by Sachin Kamdar, originally appeared on the PBS Mediashift site on 1/17/12.
The following is…
Point of View Shifts in Writing: Proceed with Caution
“Which character tells the story?” That’s a crucial character-question writers must ask themselves in the…
2011 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Update
Happy Groundhog Day! I was hoping to have the results of the most recent chapbook…
Sometimes Latin is called Greek, and why Latin is important to graphic designers and writers of English
The Ultimate Guide to SEO for Writers
This post, by Bamidele Onibalusi, originally appeared on his YoungPrePro site.
I’m in the process of…
Yea, But Will It Pay The Bills?
What is it about art that forces us to put impossible pressure on it? “Yea, I’d like to quit my job and paint, but that won’t pay the bills.” You know what, it probably won’t. You have two courses of action then, get rid of…
Puzzles
In the seventies I used to play a unique form of chess with a friend. I was a good player and he was a relative beginner, so I would talk him though his moves; and mine. We looked at all the possibilities each move created…
The Beginners Mind and Being Creative
You wouldn’t expect a commercial about an American truck to capture the simplicity of a Zen master or teach us about living a life of creativity, but it does. (No, Middle Aged Crazy is not sponsored by Chevrolet now, I did embed the commercial, in…
Humility
Found a quote last week that summed a few things up for me: A man has made at least a start on discovering the meaning of human life when he plants shade trees under which he knows full well he will never sit. D. Elton Trueblood…
My Writing Process
As a creative, I’m sure you have a “process”, a series of behaviors that helps you produce your best work. You might not have defined your process but I bet it is there, something you find yourself doing. The process is worth examining; tweaking it…
The Beholder
Vanity: I am ridiculously vain about my hair. At 55 I have a mostly full,…
Here’s to Defiance
We are taught to “be good”, “behave” and conform so we might get along and…
Not Enough vs. Peace Love and Happiness
Do a little exercise tomorrow, if you are feeling reflective: How many things do you…
Gather Ye Rose Buds While We May:
To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom. Bertrand Russell John wasn’t really afraid, he’d…
“I Can’t Meditate” 8 Tips for New Meditators:
Do you have trouble trying to get your brain to shut off ? I’ve been…
Goals, Ego, Zen and Acceptance
Enrico Fermi, the Nobel Prize winning physicist mathematically proved that with every breath we take…
Party Line
Change happens and you can either marvel at it and participate or you can live…
Mindfulness
What is going to be different in 2012? What if you could find inner peace…
Brain Chatter
In a sales meeting: “Boy, his tie is nice, really goes well with that shirt.…
Why Christmas Works:
When you fold your hands in front of your chest, palms together, you are making…
Don’t Try
The American poet and novelist, Charles Bukowski, has this for an epitaph: “Don’t try.” The…
Where to MAC?
The end of the year is typically a time of goal setting for me, of…
