"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing." Benjamin Franklin
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words. Since I’m stuck behind the Orange Curtain and haven’t made it up to Los Angeles in 6 weeks, I can’t testify to the 100% accuracy of this image. But I know from speaking with my people in LA they speak of no traffic and no smog.
Quarantine has been challenging for most of the world’s population. The global effort to eradicate and immobilize the novel corona virus has been unprecedented. People all over the world have quarantined themselves for months to reduce the spread of the virus. Healthcare workers have been working around the clock.
Needless to say, those of us who have been quarantined have definitely not been as challenged as the front-line healthcare workers, and the essential workers that keep our nation’s food/electric/gasoline/medicine/etc/etc chain operational. (THANK YOU ALL!!) But being locked inside for months with one’s family, even if you love and like them, is challenging.
Many of us are working the jobs we have always worked and adding an additional job of being a 4th grade teacher, or a kindergarten teacher, of both. Many of us have lost our jobs. Some are trapped at home with an abusive partner or an abusive parent. And even in the best of situations, we’re humans, we miss having contact with other human beings. Needless to say, the entire world is suffering through stress that was unimaginable 6 months ago. We are all currently leading very different lives.
But one thing has remained the same for me and my family… we don’t go to the store. Period.
It started four or five years ago. After Seattle, Southern California was the second, or third site Amazon rolled out Amazon Fresh. Soon after, all of the local grocery stores followed suit with a delivery option of their own. As one of the stock holders of WebVan when it went belly-up, I’ve been anticipating in-home grocery deliveries since the Dot-com bubble burst. With my wife and I being very busy professionals with two young children, we quickly became early adopters of this new service. In our lives, time was/is the most valuable commodity, so soon, we began switching most other shopping to in-home delivery as well.
With all the talk about reopening the economy, talking heads are forgetting one important thing
Consumers will only act if they feel safe to act. Period. This means wide spread testing. Currently, the testing in the United States, per capita, is laughable. South Korea got to where they are through extensive testing. Instead, we used our resources to bail out Fortune 500 companies that have been using their last bail out to enrich C-suite executives.
This is an opportunity for Corporate America to flex their innovative muscle. All companies need to meet the consumer where the consumer is, not the other way around.
Emirates is testing all people before flights. American airlines could do that, but they haven’t.
We live in a densely populated area, near the country’s busiest port, and a busy warehouse district, that made efficient grocery delivery an option, but that’s no reason why it can’t be an option everywhere, including rural America. There’s a reason why grocery stores are big, well-light, and well-stocked, because that’s what the consumer wanted. Now the consumer wants something else. So it’s time for industries to meet their consumers where they are. Many have made this adjustment, but some have not. Yet.
The leaders of Carmax learned a valuable lesson around the turn of the century with regards to their massive dealerships (Gwinnett, Laurel, etc, super-sized stores). They were very difficult to make profitable, so they rolled out more of their smaller stores.
There’s a wise saying among traders… It’s very difficult to predict the future. Being a Futurist is a tough gig. Most of the time they try to pad their stats by making many predictions, and like a broken clock, they will get a few calls correct. But even though predicting the future is almost impossible, this prediction seems to be low-hanging fruit.
Either during this pandemic or soon afterwards, grocery stores, and other merchants, are going to maintain a smaller retail footprint, and use warehouse-to-door delivery more and more. Also, it doesn’t take Nostradamus to see that the check-out person will be replaced at an even quicker rate by automated checkout. This trend has been coming for many years, and the Covid-19 pandemic has poured gasoline on it.
More and more industries will be geared for delivery, which is fine with me. I detest the retail store experience. Parking during the Christmas season—no thank you. Pushing a broken, squeaky cart—no thank you. We are a delivery-only family, in the past, present, and the future. Won’t you join us corporate America?
In fifth grade I had a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Neal. Every day in her class was enjoyable, but like all teachers, she would sometimes miss days and we would have a substitute teacher.
One substitute teacher in particular stands out. He was an old man, and I can’t remember if he subbed for one day or a week (it felt like a loooong time). But I remember this, the dude must have been permanently scarred by the Great Depression. For every question, he gave the exact SAME answer… “Waste not, want not.”
That was his only answer.
“Mr. Teacher, can I have a piece of paper for my quiz?”
“Waste not, want not.”
“Can I get a hall pass to go to the bathroom?”
“Waste not, want not.”
“What’s the capital of Delaware?”
“Waste not, want not.”
He was a broken record.
The entire class was utterly confused. If it happened now, one of us would ask, “What the F**k is he talking about?”
And now, 35 years later, I finally understand.
In fact, because supply chains are so screwed up, yesterday, when my youngest was complaining about the lack of paper towels, it just shot right out of my mouth, “waste not, want not.” In fact, I kept saying it all day yesterday. At least until my oldest looked at my youngest and whispered “what the f**k is he talking about?”
In my normal day-to-day existence, I have the privilege of serving some of the best UX and Design professionals in the world.
Because our students are spread across the planet, I need a way to keep in touch with them on a regular basis. So every Monday, they get an extensive email from me—part information they need, and part information designed to improve their professional development.
Since they are all intellectual workers and students, every year I start out by exploring how the brain works. We cover study habits and how to take advantage of various brain waves at various times of the day, how to do deep work and other related topics.
I go in-depth about the three major parts of the brain, the Limbic System, which includes all the modern-person elements. This is the part modern marketers love. The mammalian part is shared by all mammals. Mammals don’t lay eggs, we are predisposed to care for our young, etc. The reptilian brain, the oldest part of the brain, and the part solely focused on danger and keeping you alive. The good news is that you are all currently alive, the bad news is that lizard brain will try to protect you from EVERY risk, all the time. That’s its job.
Normally, my post turns to their professional development, and how lizard brain affects every decision, including changing jobs. No matter where you are in your career and no matter how great the opportunity may be, the reptilian part of your brain will NEVER be “good” with a change. It will always want you to remain safe and remain where you are. Always! Again, that’s its job, and it has no other job. Now, it’s the other parts of your brain, and your life, that should be able to overcome lizard brain, but I think it’s valuable just to recognize we all have this uncontrollable element affecting our decisions to some degree.
In other words, lizard brain is constantly affecting your daily life, often without your knowledge.
Most research concludes that because our modern world has no equivalent of being stalked by a lion, our always-working lizard brain finds things to be “scared” of, as if it was an actual lion. When in fact, it’s just you presenting a PowerPoint to a manager and some colleagues. Yet, because of lizard brain, your mind and body reacts and releases chemicals (adrenaline, norepinephrine, and cortisol) as if there is an actual lion.
But now, there is a lion. There is an invisible microscopic lion, that kills, and is currently stalking every part of the planet. For most of us, this means our lizard brains have taken over. Most of us, even those who have self-quarantined, are experiencing much higher-than-normal levels of cortisol, higher blood pressure, and increased heart rates. (me included)
How to silence lizard brain
First, exercise. I know, I know, that’s advise you’ve heard a thousand times. But you’ve heard it so often because it’s true. Right now, it’s chemical warfare inside your body. Exercise will release the chemicals to cancel out the negative chemicals released by your reptilian brain.
Next, use the Limbic System of your powerful brain to acknowledge lizard-brain’s existence, then tell it to “shut-up”. This is just another way to say “be mindful”. Your Limbic System is used to driving the car. But now, it must force its way into the driver’s seat. This can be done through mindfulness and meditation. I know, I know, meditation is hard, and many people have tried it and discarded it (me included). But if you want to go this route, there are now many excellent apps to aid you in this pursuit.
Lastly, maybe it’s o.k. to let lizard brain drive for a while. Not forever. But right now, all of our resources need to be used to survive, so why not let the part of your brain dedicated to survival run the show? I’m not saying disregard the higher-functioning parts of your brain, please utilize that as well. But for a while, all of our awareness needs to be cautious of threats. The quicker everyone can get there (Some states STILL think Covid-19 is a joke, or “just like the flu”. Looking at you Florida, West Virginia, and Georgia) the quicker we can all go back to worrying about our Power Point presentations instead of a global pandemic.
Be well. Be safe. If you’re NOT an essential employee, stay at home. The essential employees are risking their lives for us, the absolute least we can do is make some popcorn, invite lizard brain on the couch, and you both can Netflix and chill for them.
Apparently, the FCC received 1,312 complaints about this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show starring Jennifer Lopez and Shakira.
Also, in a related story…
As a parent,and a former teenager, I feel strongly that this is exactly the kind of “education” that is needed to curb unwanted teenage pregnancies.
This year’s Democratic primary reminds me of the song I sometimes still sing to my small children, “This Is the Song That Never Ends”. It just goes on and on my friends.
(Checks the calendar)- It’s only February? Sigh!
Even though South Carolina hasn’t even voted yet, the topic of who the Democrats will nominate seems to make its way into every conversation I have with a fellow liberal (and many conservatives too). It seems that my fellow liberals have a very good grasp on the field. They should have, they’ve spent enough time following the nomination process.
Even though I try to maintain an anti-primary bubble around myself to prevent information overload, I am still bombarded daily with some new piece of trivia.
Did you know Bloomberg spent this much money on his new ad?
Did you see how well Klobuchar did in New Hampshire?
Did you see what so and so said about so and so?
Many people want to be informed but not overwhelmed when voting. Unfortunately, the amount of information coming at voters is forcing them to try and take virtual sips from a virtual fire hose. Once you factor in “news” that is either nonsensical, lies, or poorly veiled government propaganda, it often makes finding information a nauseating process.
For myself, there are obvious elements of each candidates’ past that makes them more or less exciting. But what I ultimately care about is how the candidates will face the future. I keep coming back to these wise words from the great W.E.B. Dubois
“How shall integrity face oppression?
What shall honesty do in the face of deception?
Decency in the face of insult?
What shall virtue do to meet brute force?”
The next candidate will have to answer these questions immediately upon assuming the nomination. In not only their fight against Donald Trump, but in their fight to mitigate the damage he has done and to heal a broken country.
Unless monumental new evidence surfaces, I know who I will vote for. I will vote for that person, and then I will trust in the collective thoughts of my fellow Democratic brothers and sisters to vote for their candidate. And the most votes/delegates will win. Period.
We should remind ourselves, as Marcus Aurelius reminded himself that, “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
I thoroughly enjoy having children that still completely believe in Santa Claus and the magic of Christmas. Like the wise ones before me, I’m trying to stay in the moment and enjoy it all, for I know that this time will soon pass. And when it does, a part of me will be sad.
But that part of me will be dwarfed by the part of me that will be soooo relieved to NEVER have to move the Elf on the Shelf again.
I blame my wife for bringing this instrument of evil into my life.
Let’s think about the sheer volume of work that parents go through during the Christmas season. Baking cookies, decorating a tree, decorating your house, decorating outside in nature, shopping, dealing with the enormous number of other people who are also shopping, and let’s not forget about all of the actual work needed to pay for all of that shopping, there’s often traveling involved, shopping and prepping for another large meal rivaling the recent Thanksgiving’s feast, and finally the Christmas Eve some assembly required nightmare.
Given all of this, someone thought, I know, we should add something else for parents to do, every-single-night. Not some nights, not most nights, every single night!
Most houses are cold in December. There are few feelings in this world as crappy as being in a warm bed, about to dose off, when you realize you haven’t moved the elf yet. And moving the elf will require you to leave your fortress of warmth while also trying to be creative about the elf’s presentation. Gotta make sure my elf’s presentation is good enough to put on Pinterest. Amiright?
The elf must die.
I’m not saying it’s today, or even this year, but the second my children even hint to me that Santa isn’t real, I’m chucking Frost Bite into the trash. Without remorse.
The elf is the W.O.A.T. Period.
I’m thankful to live under the rule of Pacific Standard Time. Truthfully, I’m thankful for this every day, but especially on Thanksgiving. To roll out of bed and right into the Lions game is always enjoyable.
FYI, Lions on one screen, dogs on the other screen—a tradition like no other.
It’s nice to have a DFS slate as well. On all three-game slates, my action is low. But this 3-game slate garners more interest, simply because each game is an island game.
Today, I’m more concerned about building my perfect line-up of side dishes.
In a land where we are all so thankful for what we currently have, let’s all hope and pray no one gets trampled to death while shopping in the next 24 hours.
Let’s eat.
In the late 90’s, I traveled to Detroit on a regular basis. Even with the economic struggles, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the city and the people that lived there.
And so, every Thanksgiving, my heart goes out to the good people of Detroit.
Like most people, Detroit fans love their hometown teams. And like most fans, their team’s success (or failure) can greatly affect their mood. I know that Detroit is proud of the Thanksgiving tradition their franchise started and continues. But it must be a struggle for them.
Yes they want to watch their team play on Thanksgiving, but watching your team lose can spoil even the sweetest pumpkin pie. And Detroit fans go through this struggle year after year.
So this Tuesday’s Terrible Take goes out to the fans of the Detroit Lions… Detroit fans, let the Thanksgiving game go, at least for one year, and enjoy some nice turkey with a side of no losses. It will be yummy. Trust me.
P.S. I’ll be rooting for you on Thursday