When Halloween is in February and today is yesterday
Imagine for a moment, if you will, that you’re the editor of a glossy magazine, such as Cosmopolitan. This idea could either fill you with joy or horror, depending on your thoughts about the width of pants or the height of hair. But one thing you would be grappling with is a screwed-up calendar. Because…
Newsletter questions answered
Let’s dig deep into my inbox to answer more of your questions about newsletters. Here comes the first one. How often should I send a newsletter? Is quarterly enough? This is the #1 question I get. The best answer is that you should send it as often as you can. A small newsletter, more often,…
Are you ashamed?
Brrrrnnng! There’s the phone at Ready to Go Towers. It’s someone asking about our newsletter service. Indeed, it is a former client who quit a couple of years ago and went to use another newsletter. The scoundrel! He found someone younger and prettier…and now he’s back with his tail between his legs. There other guys…
You can’t make Stilton in Stilton
The European Union is famous for its rules. Some of its diktats make sense. But many others are simply crazy. In order to protect the local heritage of some foods, such as Champagne, Parma ham and a Spanish chili pepper called Asado del Bierzo, the European Union says they can only be called Champagne, Parma…
Dead leaves, clean sweeps and flossing
Fall comes early to my part of the world. The leaves have already changed color (boy, it was spectacular this year) and now they’re mostly dead on the ground. The firewood is delivered and stacked. The outdoor furniture secured from frost. The deck swept clean. …just as I do every year. It’s the rhythm of…
Heading westwards for a thousand reasons
I watched a movie called The Way the other day. It stars Martin Sheen and is directed by his "other" son, Emilio Estevez. The movie itself is OK. But the scenery is stunning. It’s about the El Camino de Santiago, an ancient route of pilgrimage that windswestwards from the French Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela, in…
Are You Better than CNN?
Once upon a time, I used to be in the news business. Newspapers, magazines (and even now I consult at a small town newspaper and help out at a community radio station). So why I am I telling you to ignore the news? Here’s the thing. If you were to listen any of the TV…