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Showing posts from 2018

Begin

One problem too many is where we all begin. -- doug smith

It's Up to Them

It's hard to be nice enough to make an unhappy person happy. -- doug smith

Note to Self #1

If it feels pretentious, it is. -- doug smith

Please

Every have one of those moments when the GPS tracker in your phone assumes you are someplace that you're not? Imagine the history of locations you are creating that you've never ever been to. When I saw this, I had to screen print it immediately. Really? Please! -- doug smith

Calls to Action

Values evolve over time. If values are ever true, they refine without denying what once was. They grow. They distill. They find ways to self-generate the results they aspire to. Choose your path... Here are some values I've refined into calls to action. I don't just agree with them, I expect to do them. To show them. To act on them. Sometimes it goes well, and often I fall short. The journey is a long one, so keep going. Here are my current calls to action: Be your best Stay curious Turn toward all offers (bids) to start Challenge yourself Reach out with compassion Expand your possibilities Appreciate Play nice, work hard, stay smart Learn constantly What are your values? What are your calls to action? -- doug smith

TMI Department: Not Ready

The house on Elm Street burns It was about three years ago when I told my therapist, in talking about my ex, "I guess I should feel good that she's happy and wish her well..." His response? "That's preposterous. It hurts too much for that and you know it. You can let that bullshit go." I appreciated his honesty. I understood my own truth in that moment. It was preposterous then. And, it still is. Some hurts heal. Some scar over. Some leave sensitive spots. If you can't fix it, at least don't pretend something that's not true. -- doug smith

Push Against Your Limits

Creativity, like leadership, requires us to stretch. To be at our most creative we must grow. Since we are surrounded by limitations, that can cause some discomfort. Which boundaries should we cross? Which lines are mental and which are metal? How do we create without getting hurt (or worse, hurting?) I'm not sure. Maybe that's the wrong question. Maybe the question is -- what limits should we ignore today? What limits should we buck against and stretch? If a limit is telling you that you are NOT creative -- ignore it. If a limit is telling you that you cannot grow -- defy it. If a limit is telling you that the world doesn't need your creativity -- laugh it off. The world needs you. The world needs your creativity. The world needs you at your creative best. The creative life pushes against limits. Keep pushing. -- doug smith

Cartoon: Blue Collar Crazy (1976)

My idea of humor in 1976. These are some tough job requirements. Job interviews have always been tough.

Sketch: Balancing Topper

Not much more than a doodle but it brings me joy and seemed brilliant in 1976. Now, I'm not so sure, but I can still smile.

Cartoon: A short treatise on existence

I created this oddity in 1976, in the middle of a disappearing relationship, working a series of very odd jobs including security guard, bartender, and parking lot attendant. Saved for posterity because I'm just too self-absorbed not to, I guess.

You May Not Need Every Tool

Do you have a lot of tools? I don't. I had a nice collection inherited from my dad (I call them a collection because I collected them but when they were his he actually USED them) until they were destroyed in a fire. Now, an apartment dweller, I have few tools. I still don't use all of them -- but I know how. When we are solving problems we have many tools. The temptation is to use them all. It's oddly satisfying to bring out tool after tool. Satisfying, but sometimes inefficient. Simplicity - elegant simplicity is often best. Use the tools that work, and leave the rest for another time. It isn't always necessary to overwhelm a problem in order to solve it. Sometimes the solution is right there in from of you and in need of only one tool. Dialogue. Talk about it and see what happens. You might just solve that problem faster than you expected. -- doug smith This entry comes from one of my other blogs: High Performance Leadership and also appears on

Collage: Corner Office

Corner Office by doug smith Collage: Corner Office, (c) 2007 douglas brent smith

Drawing: Where To Begin?

(c) 2006, douglas brent smith from Creative Play, p.203,  Douglas Brent Smith, (c) 2006

Collage: It's In The Water

It's In The Water From Creative Play , by Douglas Brent Smith

Collage: Discovering Another Garden

Discovering Another Garden Collage, created March 2006 by Doug Smith (c) 2006 Douglas Brent Smith

Collage: Bizarre Box of Treasures - Cover Detail

Poem: off again

did i ever tell you that any of that                 mattered or that        holding out hope is what i do best? with your barely open gates closing and your once flirtatious musing silenced you look at me           differently and see another friend                   ending this dance           again ending this           dance again           But, didn't you tell me that you don't dance? -- doug smith

Photo: Wedgwood Office

FRL Office in Longmont

Photo: Random Lighting Panel

Do You Think This is Up to Code?

Bedroom Lamp and Light

Bedroom Lamp and Light

Collage: Let's Pretend

Let's Pretend (c) 2018 douglas brent smith

Collage: The Trill Is On

"The Trill Is On" Collage by Douglas Brent Smith 8 1/2 x 11" (c) 2018 Douglas Brent Smith Created in Newtown, PA

Collage: Twice Around The Pass

Twice Around The Pass (c) 2018 Douglas Brent Smith Created 30 March 2018 in Newtown, PA You may use this image as an illustration and for your own personal use as well as for sharing but please do not duplicate it to sell in any manner. Please notate is using the original tagging; image by douglas brent smith, (c) 2018

Song: The Mad Again

Mp3 Audio Mp4 "video" The Mad Again               (apologies to Lewis Carol) Lyrics by Harley Halpern, Music by Doug Smith   ‘Twas Grunin and the P.A.A. Did grumble on the stage; All gloomy was the stage crew,   And the Mad Again outraged.   Beware the Wilson Mark my son, The steely stare the haughty frown, And beware the Young Milk Shell And don’t eat lunch when they’re around.  You shouldn’t fool with the master crew And make them feel upstaged It’s bound to cost you once you’ve got the Mad Again outraged The Mad Again, The Mad Again, The Mad Again outraged The Mad Again, The Mad Again, The Mad Again outraged He took his crescent wrench in hand, And focused lights, and mopped the floor, He set up chairs and music stands, Then opened the stage door.  And there behind the door he saw The Wilson Mark as dark as night Battling the Young Milk Shell He nearly fainted from stage fright.   (chorus)

At Table Indulgence

At Table Indulgence - photo by doug smith

Under The Hood

Under the Hood I wanted to be a gear-head. I just never had the tools or the chops for it. But cars have always been fun and I've usually been a Chevy guy. Oh, I've wandered into lots of interesting cars and owned a few. What was your first car? Did you name it? This 1966 Chevy Impala SuperSport was my first car. I'm sure that I paid too much for it because I paid what the guy was asking. I didn't know any better and I really wanted that car. It was fast. It was sporty. And, gasp - it had an 8-track stereo. You have to imagine the joys of listening to "Dark Side of The Moon" on an 8-track that had to fade-out and click-thru to the next track even if the song wasn't finished. Not the medium for Pink Floyd, that's for sure. But Elton John and Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck sounded just great, tooling down the road. I've had other great cars, too: 1966 Volkswagen Beetle (this was my dad's but he was willing to trade cars wh

Who Is That Masked Man?

Photo: douglas brent smith comedy singer

Seriously, some of this is funny.

Image: doug smith training logo

Photo: doug working on a song

doug working on a song

Enjoy And Learn

We don't always enjoy what life is preparing us for but that's no reason to waste the preparation. -- douglas brent smith

Photo: Cold Enough

Cold Enough - photo by douglas brent smith