Be For Something

Patti Digh of the blog 37 Days consistently writes great material. I thought my friends might like to read this post "B is for 'Be FOR Something.'" It's an attitude that resonates for someone who believes that we grow in the direction we ask questions about.

Art is by Donna Miller.

Family Update

My favorite artist visited the neurosurgeon again yesterday. He was imaged (MRI) up and down for two hours. First the good news: there is no change in the size of the sclerotic bone lesion in his sacrum. Now the bad news: there is no change in the size of the sclerotic bone lesion in his sacrum. More watchful waiting is in order - he goes back in 3 months to be imaged again.

Meanwhile, my youngest son turns 9 years old today. He is very "into" his birthday this year. Last night we took a trip down memory lane by viewing his "Baby Book" at his request. Today Dad is making his favorite brownies for him to share with his class. Tomorrow we'll observe the Big Day officially with gifts, a special birthday dinner, and of course - chocolate cake!

My older son is rapidly transitioning into a teenager. He had exams this week, and is working on a robotics project for the Science Olympiad competition. Last week he received a recruiting letter from the Western Reserve Academy, a boarding school about 3 hours from home. I'm not ready to let my "little boy" leave home yet!

As I review this post, I wonder if I should edit it to move the health news to a more neutral location. It seems appropriate to leave it at the top of the page, though, as it seems to hang over our heads and color everything else in our lives right now. So, friends, know that I am aware of this and acknowledging it, and still appreciating all that is good and light.

David Cooperrider on Appreciative Inquiry

Regular readers of this blog know that I graduated from the Masters program in Positive Organization Development and Change (MPOD) at Case Western Reserve University. One of the immeasureable benefits of attending that program was the opportunity to study Appreciative Inquiry with AI founder David Cooperrider.

This month you can attend a free online workshop and hear David speak about Appreciative Inquiry. David is an inspiring speaker, and AI is a growing "social technology" that helps organization imagine and design their futures. You won't want to miss this opportunity to hear David Cooperrider talk about Appreciative Inquiry!

You can register for the workshop on the MPOD web site.

You'll notice that this is a recruiting event for the MPOD program. Harlow Cohen, the director of the program, will host an online MPOD Open House after David's talk where you can ask questions about the program and learn more.

MPOD was transformational for me. If you're thinking about going back to school for a Masters in organization development, you should seriously consider the Case program. The Organizational Behavior department at Case has been rated top in the world by the Financial Times for several years running. All the hype aside, the professors are spectacular, the program attracts serious, committed, sincere, talented, and accomplished students, and you will learn more about yourself and the world than you ever dreamed possible.

Tags: appreciative inquiry, David Cooperrider, MPOD

The Story of Stuff

This entertaining little film about all our "stuff" is one I would like all my friends to view. It takes 20 minutes to watch the entire piece, and I think it is well worth the time.

Annie Leonard, a sustainability consultant, has put together a wonderful and easy-to-understand piece that gets to the heart of sustainability. She brings it all together in one place in a fun way, and I think you will enjoy this show, The Story of Stuff!

Tag: The Story of Stuff

Johnny the Bagger

I enjoyed this inspirational, if somewhat sentimental, video about making a difference at work. You might enjoy it, too.

Probably veryone knows Ken Blanchard, but you might not be so familiar with Barbara Glanz. She's a speaker and author who has written a number of books, most of them about customer service. I actually contributed a personal story to one of her books,What Can I Do?