Today is our 64th Wedding Anniversary

Today is our 64^th Wedding Anniversary and I find that amazing. To start with I never thought I would live to be 87 let alone being married for 64 years. When we were married, we would never have thought of being at an age that would allow us to be married this long, I mean, being over 40 was a climb. And now here we are planning for the next 64 years.

Well, maybe not quite 64. Our big question of the moment is where we are going to live for the next 10 to 15 years. Amazing. What is most amazing is that Pat has put up with me for 64 years – and it isn’t because of the money – that we know for sure. When we got engaged her father told her; “you will have a lot of fun, but you’ll never be rich.” Her father was a great guy and very sharp, I didn’t want to let him down. All my dad said was “don’t mess this one up.”

We have had a lot of adventures, met a lot of people, had a great variety of education, vocation, and vacation. We have been to the ocean, been to the mountains and have driven across this great land “From California to the New York highlands”, well maybe to Kentucky. (thank you Woody Guthrie). 

We raised a great son, who is having a great life doing better than I did most likely and for that I am proud. I did say to him “do not make the same mistakes, however, (as Tevye would say from Fiddler on The Roof) “On the other hand,”, some of my mistakes turned out to enhance my education – don’t do that again.

SO! I had to look up Tevye’s name spelling and found, via Copilot, that “On the other hand,” had ‘Thematic Significance’ Whoa… have to think about this. I will not copy the complete Copilot response however I do have to add this.

Conclusion

The phrase "on the other hand" in Fiddler on the Roof is more than a conversational filler—it is a narrative device that conveys Tevye’s internal dialogue, moral reasoning, and the broader theme of tradition versus change. It encapsulates the heart of the story: the delicate balance of maintaining cultural identity while adapting to a transforming world.

This fits, oh yes, I could not have said it better. Tevye is my kind of guy, ask Copilot. 😊

Onward. Tonight, out for dinner, a little wine (I must drive home) and some really good appetizers. Can’t handle the BIG meals anymore, just a good old veggie burger and some tater tots. Hmm… you might not want to take this seriously as I don’t think Seasons 52 has either on their menu.

Life is a blessing and I am happy to be here with the love of my Life. We are looking forward to many more adventures, perhaps some not as dramatic. 

"What's It All About Alfie?" (Burt Bacharach and Hal David) Great song, great lyrics. 

Another Friday but It Has Been Some Time.

Up early this morning, showered, shaved, made breakfast for my wife and then out to McDonald’s on Nilles Rd.

Have not been here for a very long time.

Same place, different faces.

Sausage egg and cheese biscuit about the same, coffee still good.

The cost about the same, except for the senior coffee, and I am amazed.

The Trey placemat still enticing people to come to work for McDonald’s.

Early morning gathering place for the older, retired, members of the Baby Boomers and maybe some of the Silent generation. There were Harley jackets, beards, some no hair and one or two with pony tails.

Interesting morning.

I did get to talk to two people who had been wondering if I was still alive. I talked long enough for them to realize I was. And long enough to talk health.

Most are still younger than I am (not all).

Fun morning, have to do it again but on a different weekday.

Let me leave you with this quote on why my day goes like this.

"I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult."   - E. B. White

Comment Email Correction

If you've been following the Curious Voyager and tried to comment, you may have noticed a glitch with the comment email. After Google moved my domains to Square Space last year, I changed some email addresses and only recently realized that the one receiving comments was removed. This issue is now fixed.

It's also been a while since I've posted—sometimes even Tech Support needs support. 😁

More On AI - Amazon Search and A Few Other Links

I recently discovered "Rufus AI" on Amazon. After typing "how to keep the iPhone cool" into the search bar at Amazon, a window appeared on the lower left side of the screen a with a response similar to ChatGPT or Copilot.  The information was informative and after reading about keeping the iPhone cool there were ads for devices that would be of interest. 

Search has become more incredible using the various AI forms. In some ways I find I am not using search engines in the way that I had become accustomed to for the last 20 plus years (30?). I had a difficult time stopping the use of Web Crawler in the late 90's, I had gotten so used to the web links one could chase down. Now it's Microsoft Edge and Copilot. 

In my post yesterday I meant to add some recent links that I found of great interest. 

The first one, "How Everyone Can Feel Empowered to Ride the AI Wave" by Scott A. Snyder. In the article from Knowledge at Wharton, the author talks about the "AI Divide" and how is growing and it may not be in everyone's best interest to let it pass. I suspect there are some who have tried to write off AI with numerous reasons of which many are not valid. The writing goes into "5 AI Trends Everyone Should Know About" and they may be worth reading for your own thoughts and knowledge, there is information you could pass along to others. 

The later part of the writing that deals with "Making AI Personal" and this is more along the lines of what I am attempting to do. Having spent a great number of years teaching software, and although basically retired, I still get asked about technology and AI is at the front of many questions. So, I have had to learn and make it personal. It has been fun using AI for research on many subjects away from Technology including Health, Lifestyle, hobbies, and many other personal areas. Great read. 

From the same place, Knowledge at Wharton, there is a link to "Does AI Limit Our Creativity?" by Seb Murray. The writing may focus on ChatGPT; however, I believe one could easily use other sources of AI such as Microsoft's Copilot, or Google Gemini, and others.  At the beginning I mentioned Rufus AI at Amazon and I began to use prompts there as well. 

There are so many resources I actually asked Copilot for thoughts on AI writing tools for both fiction and non-fiction.  So many options. I have also used Sudowrite and Grammarly.

Enjoy. ow Everyone Can Feel Empowered to Ride the AI Wave

Thoughts on Our World of AI

I'm back at Starbucks and on to the thoughts that have been intriguing me for some time. 

I've been learning to use Copilot and ChatGPT, and I find them promising tools for now and as we keep going into the future AI will become even more effective. As Ray Kurzweil suggests, AI will likely enhance human capabilities rather than replace us, potentially deepening our pursuit of wisdom—which is more than just facts, but real understanding, and discovering the truth. However, I've noticed many people use AI-generated responses that feel impersonal and lack their usual tone or warmth, which stands out in written communication.

If I feel the communication is just the result of turning over the job to AI, then do I feel I have a responsibility to read it? Respond to it? If I ask, will I get a defensive response? Since this has happened recently, I find this is a serious problem. 

It made me reflect on what is lost when our words are filtered through circuits and algorithms instead of the warmth of our own intent. There’s an unmistakable gap—a subtle hollowness—when a message, however articulate, lacks the unique rhythm and idiosyncrasies of its true author. The color and texture of genuine communication fade, leaving something that may be technically correct but emotionally empty.

Of course, I see the practical advantages—efficiency, clarity, and even a kind of polished professionalism. Yet, as we integrate these tools more deeply into our daily lives, it becomes essential to remember the value of authenticity. Our connections thrive on the quirks, hesitations, and moments of vulnerability that only we can provide. Perhaps the real challenge, as AI grows in capability, is not just to wield it skillfully, but to ensure we do not lose the thread of our own voices in the process.

I asked Copilot for an analogy of AI based on the writing above and here was the response.

“Think of AI as a sous-chef in the kitchen of life. It can chop, dice, and sauté with precision, but it’s the head chef—you—who adds the secret ingredient that makes the dish truly special.”

I’ve watched enough cooking shows to appreciate this analogy. 😊

Enjoy your Life, Keep it real. 

Copilot - A Wonderful Resource for Learning

 I will say at the beginning I wish I had Copilot in high school as well as in college and can understand how this could benefit the students of today in so many ways.

Terminology can often be a drawback to any independent studies and was a problem for me in my early years in school. I am currently taking an online class and attempting to learn about Cognitive Psychology. In my reading I came across the use of the word” temporal” and, following what I had been taught in high school, I went to the dictionary and looked up the definition. 

The same problem began to occur, as it did when I was in college. There were 3 definitions, and I would have asked a classmate, and possibly a professor, how the word was to be interpreted and how research would use this: denotatively, connotatively, and perhaps even philosophically. There would be a discussion and I would become wiser. 

In this case I am learning at home, in a field of study in which I am a neophyte, and no one to talk to. I have no place to turn.

And then I thought “what about Copilot?” I have been using Copilot to get better search results but not quite in the same way.

So, I asked Copilot the following question: “What does the term "temporal" mean to a brain scientist?”

And what to my wondering eyes did appear?

An answer which was quick and quite clear,

The answer also included resource links at the bottom to go deeper. The following is the answer from Copilot in Microsoft Edge.

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“To a brain scientist, the term “temporal” often relates to the temporal lobe, which is one of the four main lobes of the cerebral cortex in the brain. The temporal lobe plays a crucial role in various functions such as:

1. Auditory Processing: It houses the primary auditory cortex responsible for interpreting sounds.
2. Memory Formation: The hippocampus, located in the medial temporal lobe, is essential for converting short-term memories into long-term ones and for spatial navigation.
3. Language Comprehension: Wernicke’s area, within the temporal lobe, is key for understanding spoken and written language.
4. Emotion and Social Processing: The amygdala, also in the medial temporal lobe, is involved in emotional responses and social cognition¹.

Additionally, brain scientists study “time cells” in the hippocampus that encode the flow of time, which are thought to be crucial for sequencing events in our memories². The concept of temporality also extends to the subjective experience of time, known as time perception or chronoception, which is the sense of the duration and unfolding of events³.

Overall, the temporal aspect of brain science encompasses both the physical structure of the temporal lobe and the abstract concept of time as it relates to memory, perception, and cognition.

Learn more.

1 thebehavioralscientist.com, 2 sciencealert.com, 3 en.wikipedia.org, 4 newscientist.com, 5 overtimephilosophy.com, 6 merriam-webster.com,+2 more”

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I followed up on a couple of the links provided and found information which was also quite interesting and made this learning experience much more valuable. This will not make me a brain scientist however it will allow me to understand both the term, and how it is meant to be used in the paper I am reading.

Good morning the day before Valentine’s Day.

In my quest to make my Valentine’s card for my wonderful Wife I always must do some research – isn’t that what the techie people do? Or the deep thinkers? Hmmm….

Anyway, I started off with Copilot, my new favorite digital assistant (next to Alexa) and asked Copilot the following question on the very sunny Tuesday at 11:30A.M.

Q: What does “Be my Valentine” mean

And my answer was (with links to follow up on).

“Be my Valentine” is a phrase that people use to ask someone to be their romantic partner for Valentine’s Day, which is a holiday celebrated on February 14th. It usually implies that the person wants to express their love or affection for the other person, and maybe give them some gifts, such as flowers, chocolates, or cards. The phrase comes from the tradition of sending valentines, which are love notes or tokens, to someone you admire or care for. The origin of the phrase is not very clear, but it may be related to the legend of Saint Valentine, who was a Christian martyr in ancient Rome. Some stories say that he healed the daughter of his jailer and wrote her a letter signed “your Valentine” before he was executed¹²

¹: Why We Ask Someone To Be Our “Valentine” | Dictionary.com ²: ‘Be My Valentine?’ What Does That Even Mean These Days - 101 Sex+Relationships The Notebook

Now the links were to; 1) Dictionary.com and 2) 101 Magazine and I checked out those links. The reading was fun and interesting.

I hoping this helps me in my endeavor to product the card of wonder and Love.

Happy Valentine’s Day

The Beginning of The Internet For Us - So Much Fun.

Not sure the exact date (1993?) but this is the disk that took me further down the road to the Internet. A conversation with a good friend in Cincinnatian, off to a store, and listened to a demo on Prodigy took the disc home.

This was ultimately followed by downloading Netscape at midnight - or sometime there after due to the crush. 

From there to building webpages for Netscape using the famous "Hot Dog Web Editor". What do you mean you have never heard of "Hot Dog"? "Hot Dog" was created by "Sausage Software" I think from Australia. 

I was led to "Hot Dog" by a disc in a book by "Que", "Creating Your Own Netscape Web Pages". Pages created all in code and so much fun. 

I wasn't the first, but we were right there. Many, many stories to tell 

I was laughed at for buying the computer in the early 80's and no one wil ever use the Internet, what a waste. :) I LOVE IT! How far we have come since these days. 

I remember the first night we downloaded a picture of a map from a library in France. Working with a 300 baud modem it took quite some time, but with each line we became more fascinated with the World Wide Web. 

And today I am still impressed with what we can do. 

I know, I need to take a better picture. 

UX of Buying Online and Its Problems.

 We recently purchased a product from Costco online and it was a big UX – User Experience.

We were looking at a specific trash can for our kitchen. We found one at Costco, which we thought looked good and would function for our needs. We debated and finally made the decision and the Warehouse we go to did not have anymore. It must have been a good seller as they had a bunch the week before, so, we went online at Costco.

Online, at Costco, we discovered a $20 increase in price, so we did a little search and found the same price at Amazon, where we normally shop, but being the customer’s we are, we bought from Costco. Product arrived and just what we wanted.

We were back at the Costco Warehouse not long after and what to my wandering eyes should appear, the Step can is back in stock but at $20 less – priced same as before.

I was going to write Costco, however, like many online businesses it is difficult to write and explain the issue, Customer Service has options, but this kind of feedback is not one of them. In their Warehouses there is someone to talk to but not online. 

I could have asked for a Price Adjustment, however, all I wanted to say was “Love your store but I just won’t buy from you online anymore.” I felt lucky this lesson only cost $20, much less than the one I learned from the Plumbing and Heating organization we recently used.

We shop at the Big Box Store, Costco, because it’s fun to go out and walk, look at all the ‘stuff’ and it is interesting and informational. Not sure how many times we have gone there and bought something we did not plan on buying because we saw it, became intrigued, and eventually purchased it. 

Not so sure with their online business.

First the Kiosk, then...?

 

Created with DALL-E3

In the past I would always go to McDonald's in the morning for breakfast and do some reading, some writing, and start my day this way. With the advent of COVID I stopped doing this. Now my routine (if there is one) is to fill up my thermos and head for the library - of which there are two great ones in my area and so I have choices. 

Yesterday I broke with my new pattern and went to McDonald's. As I walked in there was a gentleman (I think he was gentle) filling out his order at the Kiosk - interesting, however, there was a person, standing behind a cash register, who was just staring straight off in the distance 

I walked up to the cash register where the employee was standing and they said, "Can I help you?" - no smile, no outward appearance of excitement, joy, or intrigue. I ordered a cup of Senior Coffee and the individual said, "99 cents", still no sign of recognition. I gave them a dollar bill and they said, "Do you want the penny back?", to which I replied "No". At this point, the individual gave me a receipt and said nothing else, and no eye contact. 

Was I talking to a real person? Are the employees being trained to imitate robotic communication so we will not be aware when they change over? Kiosk to Robot (the penny helps pay for the robot). 

I have done retail sales training (years ago), but it would appear the rule book has changed. The rules now appear to be:

• Don't smile
• No superfluous communication
• Keep the penny

The coffee was good, the place was clean, and I did some reading. 

I will be going back to the library; the coffee is cheaper (.40¢ a pod), it is quieter, no superfluous communication, water is free as well, and I keep the penny. 

A Look at Microsoft's New Office Font

 Microsoft is moving to standardize Aptos Font for the office, and I thought I would look at it. I am very much in favor of the change, was not crazy about Calibri for the reasons at the bottom of this post. I might note that for the reasons at the bottom I tend to use Times New Roman because of the Serif. When fonts get small there is a problem with sans serif fonts. Also, as I get older, I need all the help I can get reading small print. I think sometimes advertisers, and others, try to get too much into a small space. Perhaps they are being paid by the word. I have heard here are those who would say I could excel at that.

 It is possible I just might use Aptos more than I did Calibri. 

Friday Morning Lost at the Library.

All morning I have been concerned with how we gain our Lifelong patterns of communication, and then we change it up as we go. In the middle of this, as often happens, I get myself distracted. It all starts very simply, I think something, which distracts me, then I go down a different road, find some obscure fascinating thought and I'm gone and who knows s for how long.  

Someone once told me (or I read it somewhere?) You begin to learn Truth, or Wisdom, at some point in the same way - parental guidance. “You go out into the street, and I’m going to kill you.” You go out into the street; they drag you back, but they don’t kill you. OK, I’m learning. 

And then I think WOW all this and it’s only 11:16 am and I am at the library. 

Wait! 

When you see “am” after the time what does that mean? Then I use it in the following text. When I read it back it didn't look right; "11:16 am and I am..." - whoa. I'm off. 

The first "am" means “ante meridiem”? What? Then pm means "post meridiem". Now I find "am" is also an acronym for “amplitude modulation”, something we should all be aware of (particularly if you wear hearing aids). 

What was difficult was finding a definition for the way we use "am". Have you looked for a definition of “am” lately? Yet we use it all the time. What does it mean? What do you think it means? 

The search begins. 

The first reference I found was in the UK “am” is "1 form of be :” (Cambridge Free English Dictionary and Thesaurus). I 'assume' that is the same as "one form of be :" and their example: “Do you know how old I am?”, I reflected could be said “Do you know how old I be?” (works for me.) 

I did fine one definition of “am” in a search that stated, “verb - first person singular present of be” – not sure what dictionary provided the answer; however, an Oxford English Dictionaries link was connected to the definition and when clicking on the link I could have subscribed to the Oxford English Dictionary for $39/year. I am sitting in a library, and I think I will be happy to use their dictionary. Anyway, the answer was available online via Bing using Edge - and that is where I be. 

And then I'm off again. 

Now there is an advertising line for you; “Binging on the Edge”. This is not Lady Gaga’s “The Edge of Glory” where one line is “I’m on the Edge with you”, although, Microsoft should use Lady Gaga’s song in their ad’s. 

Hmm.... "I'm Binging on the Edge with you".  It has a certain ring to it. Anyway, it was fun for a Friday Morning. 

I be on my way. 

The Local Library Is a Great Resource for Research and with New Features

 I really should say the features are NEW to me.

My local library is the Lane Library, in Fairfield, Ohio. This has become my writing, reading, and thinking spot. It’s quiet, easy to get to, warm, and the people are friendly.

Features I did not know were available.

Recently I wanted to read the book; “Silent Messages” by Albert Mehrabian valuable information on research into non-verbal communication, and I was told the ultimate study. This publication was copyrighted in 1971 and to purchase the book would be costly so I went to my Lane library.

They did not have it physically but on checking I could, through the library, borrow it from the Ohio State University library – wow. Through a program called “SearchOhio”, a consortium of public libraries throughout the state, I would have greater resources.

I put in my request and 2 days later had an email to pick it up at my local library. I not only kept it for the allowed 21 days but was able to renew it without going through the compete process for another 21 days.

This is a service.

And it gets better.

I went back to the library looking for a copy of “The Art of Living” by Epictetus and now I find I can get it digitally through the library. Well, I am a great eBook reader, and this is available for download, via my Kindle app.

The people at the library gave me the instruction on downloading the “Libby” app from the Google Play store for my Android phone and not only was I able to borrow the book to read on the Kindle app, I also was able to capture an audible version of a Thich Nat Han book on “The Miracle of Mindfulness” which I can listen to in the car or on my headphones.

All on the 21-day borrowing policy with the ability to renew.

All for the cost of a Library Card.

As Jim Rohn would say: “And what is the cost of the library card? It’s FREE, its FREE!”

I do wish they had a coffee shop but then I own a thermos, so I bring my coffee with me.

Philosophy and More For This Monday

 I have not written for a long time, still trying to figure out what the “Curious Voyager” is doing. My wife and I just celebrated a major wedding anniversary and I am still trying to work out what it is I want to be when I grow up – hence the name “Curious Voyager”.

“Well, I've been around this land, just a-doin' the best I can, Tryin' to find what I was meant to do.” (Tom Paxton, 1964 – Album “Ramblin’ Boy”)

Recently, having just finished auditing a class on “Critical Thinking”, and while still going over my notes, I found a blog, the Daily Stoic, and I am now quite fascinated with Stoicism. From the Daily Stoic I started reading “Ego Is the Enemy” by Ryan Holiday which led me to the audio rendition and my wife even lets me play it in the car.

I have always had an interest in Philosophy, and when I left the University of Kentucky in 1975 and later took a job with a local company it was made clear to me “people do not want to talk about philosophy Walter”, so it had to be kept a secret (not a well-kept one) until recently. Now it’s out in the open.

I have never understood why no one wants to talk about Philosophy when the definition returns the meaning “Love of Wisdom”. Learning to reason, think, attempt to understand. On the other hand, after listening to all our politicians I can understand the reluctance to gain wisdom. I suspect some of the Stoics would not be appreciated by many in government today. Sadly, I was never taught (or remembered) about Philosophy during my early schooling. Like most we were taught what to think, not how to think.

Bring it on Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Socrates, let’s get at it. My hair is silver, and I do have a long green robe (It is my Obi Wan Kenobi robe - I think of Obi Wan as a philosopher - or was it Yoda?).

The above is a long way around to why I got so excited today. Over the weekend, while studying for my class “Stoicism 101” I found a video by Ryan Holiday who introduced me to another individual whose philosophy is as interesting as well, the individual is Casey Neistat.

The video I discovered via my class “Stoicism 101” was Casey Neistat's 10 Stoic Practices (For Productivity). Its runtime is twenty minutes and both interesting and insightful.  

As interesting is Casey Neistat’s YouTube videos.

Today I landed into those Casey Neistat videos. The first one, Do What You Can’t, was fun and quite interesting. So, I followed that with Snowboarding with the Nypd, now the day is almost lost. There are more, and more, this was just the beginning. Casey turns out to be both fun and someone you could learn from as well as enjoy. 

Check out the Daily Stoic and while you are on the internet catch one of Casey Neistat's videos. Who knows, it just might lighten up your day and give you something different to talk about.  

*Note: in reviewing the above I changed Stoicism 1001 to what it should have been, Stoicism 101 - and that was not an autocorrect error - writer error. :)

Why Is Bad News The Only News?

I think many people should read “Bad News Bias” in the New York Times this morning. I think it is quite insightful. On the other hand, I have thought for years that people loved bad news and even created their own stories if they could not get enough. 

Is this because it is what people have been expecting for so many years? Do the “Bad News” headlines grab an audience? Are we such a depressed group of people that we are only attracted to stories loaded with downers? Is this what is wrong with the nation? Or perhaps the world? 

Disclaimer: Since 1997 I have not read but one newspaper, and I find TV news rather depressing – especially the late news – it will give me a bad night. 

Not all headlines are bad, however, headlines are written with the intent to GRAB you. If you are looking for bad news, and today that appears to be the essence of a great number of people’s thinking, some headlines will really give you what you could be looking for.  

Here are a couple of headlines on the front page today which I thought would be intriguing for some.  

• “Survivors Describe ‘Listening to Him Kill Everyone You Know.’”
• Horrific, would not read this and consider the headline gruesome.  
• “Why ‘Cursed’ Olympics in Japan Are Pressing Ahead Amid a Pandemic.” 
• Hmm…”Cursed” – already a dire prediction for the Olympics by the writer - don't go.  
• “Politicians Behaving Badly.”
• Now this could be one to read just to have a laugh – and it doesn’t matter the party. 
• “Officer Brian Sicknick Died After the Capitol Riot. New Videos Show His Attack.” 
• See the answer to the first one above.
• I would almost put money on those video’s being an attraction. 

Perhaps it is this bad news fixation which is supporting the anger culture of the American people. I do not think the media is responsible, but I do think it has the potential to feed it. It could also have the potential to change it, but his would be to over the top to consider.

Why do we get joyful over other’s misfortunes? Is it because we are looking for people in worse conditions than we are? There appears to be a consensus of finding others to blame for our own bad times and we are joyful in their troubles. I guess this is something I just do not understand. 

I do not understand bigotry either, but that is another story, or is it?

Additional disclaimer: I get most of the news I want digitally, including The New York Times. My other sources are Microsoft, Google, Apple, and ESPN – when my team is winning. 😊 

I do see headlines as I am on the web a great deal, then again, instead of grabbing me they often turn me off. But I bet you would have guessed that. 

If You Have Not Looked at Futureloop Perhaps Its Time

I know some of you may get the newsletter, Futureloop and this morning in just reading the headlines I am suddenly hit with the REAL accelerating speed of what is going on in all area’s of technology. SpaceX Raptor Engine setting a world record, Hand’s Free Driving, chips going into the body to help detect Tumor’s and repair injuries, then the "Future mental health care may include diagnosis via brain scan and computer algorithm". There are other item’s in the newsletter which are mind boggling as well. 

The realization these advances are not in the next 5 years – they are here now, just being perfected. 

So what is going to happen in the next 5 years, 10 years?  I personally find it all kind of exciting. I know there are people who do not find it exciting and who may not be prepared for these advancements.  

OR does everyone just happily grab on and go? 

Sometimes I feel the Luddite is still very much among us, and for the same reasons. The real fear by people whose Lives will be financially disrupted by these technologies, businesses turned upside down by advancements. I Believe we need to preach future excitement as well as the need for Learning. 

We are growing and going!

Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs starts at the bottom with basic Physiological needs and then moves up to Safety, then Social. I believe between Social and Esteem should be Learning. You cannot move up to Self-Actualization without Knowledge which comes from Learning - continued Learning. 

A Bob Dylan song, although written for a different time and reason, still works today; "The Times They Are A-Changin'". And change does not stop at any level except personal, and maybe management. 

I have been into some form of technology all my Life and I find today is even more exciting, not only because of what is happening, but with ones imagination we are going places even Albert Einstein and others may not have ever seen possible - well maybe Leonardo da Vinci had a vision.

Check out Futureloop and Peter Diamandis and Futureloop on Facebook

What will the return of retail look like in the coming months - years?

Recently, because of the Pandemic, there has been a great deal of talk about the ability for retail to recover from “stay-at-home” restrictions put in place to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Having spent a great number of years working in retail, and then owning a small retail store while simultaneously creating a life in technology, I think I understand the viability of the question - can small retail return? Can any retail return, big or small? And if so, which type of retail has the better chance?

Small retail stores of today have one thing big retail does not and is often lost in online buying: the knowledgeable individual working in the establishment. The person who is really into what they are selling. They are (or can be); enthusiastic, excited, and totally enjoy what they are doing. They are willing to tell all they know. Most are also very customer oriented and love the fact that people come to them for their knowledge and guidance on purchases. They can be, and often are, a great influence in the market.

I must admit, when working for Federated Department stores in the early 70's we had people who would learn about the products they were selling. They even had training sessions. Today big retail will hire people to ring up the sale and make sure their area is clean - training went away as a reduction in cost. The only place I have seen knowledgeable people in big retail is in the cosmetics department. It is downhill from there, so why go?

I am aware of the small business owner who went into business for themselves and not the consumer. These business owners will most likely not return. They were not there originally for their customers, but for the prestige of owning a business. The ones that loved retail will try to get back and may be able to pull it off. They need support. They need friends. This IS their Life!

 What started me down this was an article this morning in the New York Times by Alexandar Alter "Bookstores Are Struggling. Is a New E-Commerce Site the Answer?"  - Warning - you may have to join, sign-in, or subscribe, to read. 

It was very insightful about the plight of the small bookstore owner during this pandemic. Today there is an online option for the small bookstore owner to stay in business, however, will it work when things open back up? Will it change the way they run their business in the future, or will it hurt them?

I am an avid reader so my own personal experience: In the 60's/70's I went to a small bookstore, and although it was part of a chain the chain allowed the manager to be a quasi-owner, and she was fantastic. She would even call when a new book was published by a particular author she knew I liked, and had knowledge about the book. I ONLY shopped with her. The store is gone as is the chain and now I shop at Amazon.

On the other side of this bookstore quandary: I have an author friend who just published another book. In his email he pointed us to Amazon to buy the book. Before I finished reading the email I bought the book on my Kindle. I am not a young person; however, I have gotten over the need for the tactile feel of paper.

As an afterthought, what small businesses s can return? Good question. How about hardware stores where knowledge can be sought after, beauty salons, coffee shops who allow conversation, perhaps ice cream stores. 

A great deal of knowledge can be had online today in almost every category, the small business can be a source of influence with specific products as can friends and other associates. This pandemic has increased the online sales volume (from what I read) but has definitely put more people online searching for information, which is what it is all about.

Monday Morning Read: Om Malik provides some interesting thoughts today and into the future.

In my email this morning was a blog post by Om Malik, "Has pandemic pushed us into a post-human future?" I recommend you take time to follow the link and read what Om has to say. 

I have followed Om Malik for years as I believe he is a very good interpreter, and reporter, of the technology arena of today. Om's input brings a real human insight to whatever he is writing, or talking, about. I found this particular article very appropriate in today’s world. 

I know I have always chased the future and tech but I still feel a lot of what he is saying is true. Perhaps the reason we have succeeded, in most cases, of staying at home during these lock down's is we do not have the immediate connection with  large businesses as people thought. We miss it and we don't miss it, if that makes any sense. 

My wife and I have owned small businesses and understand the connection with people. In my heart I really think there is a chance for the comeback of small businesses, on the Mom & Pop side, mainly because of what Om talks about in this post. We want to do business with people we know and are part of our community. 

Only once did I ever feel I had connection to a sales person in a large department store but I have had many connections with a people in the corner dry cleaner, a drug store, wine shop, deli, and other local owned businesses as well as local restaurants. Perhaps we will see a return to this. I have to admit I really won’t miss JC Penny's, Nordstrom's, or Macy’s - even thought I spent a number of years working with Federated Department Stores – as did our son. I mistakenly believed the customer comes first but realized later it was the stockholder. 

 Oh, and OM is a good photographer. There are other links, check them out. 

 Enjoy.

Thinking About Tomorrow - Personal and Business

Because of the Pandemic many things have already changed and many more will change. The big one I see is WE will change. There is already talk about what happens when things open up. I found the most recent article in "tech blog" from Peter Diamandis, "4 Industries Impacted & What's Next...."  quite interesting as he presents the challenges and lay's out potential future opportunities. Things have already changed and more things are going to change. Rather than fear the future, we need to find the way to a better Life. 

Below are some notes that I started in April but are still relevant today. We have all read that it takes 21 Days to Break a Habit, and the converse, it takes 21 Days to Make a New Habit.  From Lifehack is a link (and there are many out there) with some thoughts on ; How Long Does It Take to Break a Habit? Science Will Tell You. Some say 21 days and some say 28 to 30 days. We are going on 60 to 90 days and don't know when it will end. We will have new habits. 

Businesses, small and large, will have new ways of working. Remote working (article below) will have been found to be more successful than originally thought. There will be GREAT effects rippling thought the world of work, family, and play. We just might have more office space than needed and we can Zoom to that meeting rather than fly. Yes it's all been around but now we are finding just how easy it is and how important, or not, some of these things can be. 

Apparently I am not the only one who is hypothesizing about potential outcomes of our current status of "Stay at Home"  and work related issues. In reading this ZDNet article, "CFOs looking to make remote work, telecommuting more permanent following COVID-19, says Gartner survey", they cover some bigger issues like cancelling offsite meetings and travel expenses because we all now know how to ZOOM, or Go To Meeting, Skype, and other means of communications visually.  This article on ZDNet is part of a Special Feature on Working From Home: The Future of Business Remote.

The impact could be huge. How about offsite office rental being vacated, airline seats empty as well as hotel rooms, rental car companies looking for customers. The Service Industry will take a big hit; Uber, Lyft, Conventions Center's, as well as well known cities for hosting conventions.

There is more to be concerned with if the impact continues.  

Our First Attempt at The Kroger Pickup Service - We Like What We Found.

This past weekend my wife and I used Kroger's Grocery Pickup service for the first time. 

To begin my wife had talked to several others who had used this service and so we decided we had to find out for ourselves just how it worked. 

This is where it does benefit you to be a Kroger Loyalty Card member. When we went to the Kroger website and signed in, we found a record of what we have purchased in the past. I cannot remember when we first joined the Kroger Loyalty Card program, however, we probably joined soon after it started (in the year 2000) - I like to do things like that. 

Once you access the app on your phone, or go online with a computer (which is what we did), the first thing you to do is to pick the Kroger location you are going to pick up the groceries from. There are many Kroger stores in our area, and we frequent 3 of them on a regular basis. The one closest is the oldest and we use it more like a convenience store, quick in and out. We have another one within 4+ miles where we used to go for our big order’s, but then Kroger opened a bigger (newer) store about 6 miles away and we started going there. 

I mention the above because when we were selecting the store for our grocery pickup it turned out not to be anyone of the ones we would normally use. We had already been forewarned that it was not always quick, same day, next day, kind of thing.  We found a list of all Kroger Stores on the website with suggested pick up times. The shortest in the list was 4 days away, on Sunday, and it was a completely different location than we were used to, but still within 5 miles. Since we started this on Wednesday night, we had plenty of time and selected the shorted time location. We do not normally shop until Saturday or Sunday anyway

Once we brought up the website on the computer, we started going through all the items. Adding things to the cart was easy. First, we went through all the items we would normally purchase, then we started looking for items not on our normal list. We also ordered some wine in the process. 

Once we placed the order we did not go back to add to, or alter, the order in any way. I understand you can do that for a certain amount of time.  

In talking to friends, we were also warned of great lines at the pickup spaces at Kroger. Our pickup time was set for between 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM on Sunday. Preparing for long lines we arrived at 12:25 PM to find there were no cars in the allotted spaces - so we pulled in.

The sign said to call a number and someone would take care of us. We called the number, explained we were early, gave them our order number, and they said not a problem. We were asked if we had coupons and then sent someone out to the car to pick up the coupon (only one) and shortly our groceries were brought to the car. 

The people who brought out the groceries put them into the back of the car, explained that one item, which was out of stock, could be substituted with another, they had a suggestion which we accepted. One item was not available and there was not a replacement. 

We were back on the road by 12:50 PM and headed home. 

Once home we brought in the groceries and the wine and verified everything and said "This is cool. We will do this again". 

I will say it was a very pleasant experience. We did discover we did not order a few things because when walking down the aisles we were used to having a visual experience to remind us of something we needed. In the case of ordering online you do not have that same visual walk-through experience. Next time we will plan better, but for a first-time trial - this was really great.