Speaking Tips

 

No MOG

We were speaking with Napa friends Jeff and Kari about the 2021 wine harvest. Kari is the Winemaker at Cornerstone Cellars. Jeff is a Wine Educator. Right now, grape varietals are ready to be harvested, requiring many hands for picking. Jeff supported Kari and did...

Upstaged

There is a dirty word in the theatre; it is “upstaged.” If you do it, or it is done to you, all hell breaks loose backstage. However, in two recent episodes of AGT (America’s Got Talent) we were astounded by the prevalence of upstaging. For the contestants,...

So, Right?

Recently, Eloqui ran a Communication Immersion workshop in Santa Fe. As participants ran through various exercises, the use of right? and so were rampant, ultimately becoming humorous because of how difficult they were to eliminate. Then on Sept. 1st, we saw an article in the...

Best Medicine

Watching the evening news is depressing. The Taliban retakes Afghanistan; there are rampant fires and floods; and COVID continues to surge. There’s no question we could all use a dose of laughter. The benefits are legion: it boosts our mood; strengthens our immune system; diminishes...

The Gather

In Santa Fe, Indian Market is a huge yearly event, bringing together Native American artists from around the U.S. and Canada. During the recent long weekend, the town buzzed with activity and visitors. We went to a glassblowing demonstration by Preston Singletary (see photo) and Dan...

Hooked on a Feeling

CBS Sunday Morning recently covered the Young at Heart choir. It was founded 38 years ago and the members’ average age is 85. The focus of the piece was about being creative at an advanced age and the thrill of live performing. Singing in front...

Storybook Ending

Track and Field star Allyson Felix returned to the Tokyo Olympics at age 35 after enduring a difficult pregnancy and facing daunting odds of winning a medal.Behind the headlines lies a richer story. After Felix’s childbirth, her sponsor Nike proposed a 70% pay cut. Felix...

CryBaby

As the Tokyo Olympics wind down, the news stories vacillate between kid-from-nowhere makes good, upsets, returning heroes win again, and the crushing mental toll on the athletes. Some sports commentators tell athletes to go the stoic route and “suck it up, turn stress into motivation,”...

Pressure Cooker

As the world knows, Simone Biles withdrew from the Olympics this past week. She was the face of the competition, the most decorated American gymnast and deemed to be the Greatest of All Time. To paraphrase, Biles said that preparing for the Olympics, while honoring...

Goat Wisdom

The Olympics are finally here! COVID outbreaks, corruption and scandals aside, we will be focusing on the athletes and their accomplishments. For us, the Olympics are inspiring and thrilling.Simone Biles (Greatest of all Time) is the proclaimed face of the American Olympians. This phenomenal gymnast...