One of my friends proposed starting a bookclub for badass ladies and I was thrilled. I need intelligent discussion in my life. I think we might have decoder rings or something, so I’ll keep the names private. First selection is Tess Vigeland’s Leap. I thought I’d write this post this afternoon before our first get …
Category: Grow
When I stepped to the front of the classroom, Mrs. Bowen already had the big, gray behemoth powered up. I carefully positioned volume W of the World Book Encyclopedia into the image capture area and a state map appeared on the grayish white screen pulled down over a section of drab green chalkboard. I gently …
Mind Meld with Copyblogger’s Brian Clark

Sometimes I think Copyblogger’s Brian Clark installed trojan horse in my computer a few years ago when I joined the Authority community. Or maybe he’s just a mind-reader. Of course, it might simply be a coincidence that has something to do with the fact that we’re both non-practicing lawyers of similar age who discovered the …
18 years ago—June 1997—I was in the midst of an internal struggle about what I should do next with my life. On the outside, I was a successful lawyer. I was a shareholder in my law firm and, for the first time in my life, starting to make “real” money, by which I mean that …
So here’s a bit about how the Shinecast has evolved over the past year …. [I originally published a similar version of this to a private Facebook group that I’m a member of] The Shinecast vision has been (and continues to be) about helping others discover, find inspiration, grow and shine. The journey is where …
I have a lot on my plate and can often get frustrated (with myself) when I don’t get everything completed that I have on my informal to-do list. This past week I came down with a nasty cold, probably due to a combination of pushing myself REALLY hard to launch my dream project, the stress …
Idea Machine, Day 40: 10 Regrets to Let Go Of

For Day 40 of Become an Idea Machine, Claudia Altucher prompts us to list 10 regrets to let go. So far, I’ve been posting all of the Idea Machine content over at The Ben Franklin Follies. But a few of the prompts have been less helpful to others, so I’ve decided to publish the more …
A Letter To My Younger Self

In early February, while looking for another document, I found this file saved on my computer….It’s an unfinished letter to my younger self. The file metadata says this was written December 21, 2013. After copying and pasting here on February 11, 2014, and then scanning through it for typos, I’m posting it verbatim. It’s clear …
My 3 words for 2014 were Now, Be, Do. These three words came to me, like a gift. No need for contemplation. Now, Be, Do just popped into my head immediately in December 2013 and I knew these words represented my mandate for 2014. At the time, I perceived Now, Be, Do to be about …
My Three Words for 2015

My three words for 2015 are: Sceptre, Beams, Orchard This year, I return to words that serve as metaphors. These three words are the windows to new opportunities and the windows that deliver illumination along the path that leads the way. Sceptre is my window to authority and the power to speak. Beams give strength, energy …