On The Fly

“He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone for eighty-four days now without taking a fish.”   No, no, it's the Au Sable river in Michigan.  . . . It’s time for enlightened self-interest. Place your financial future front and center in your life. I’m not a person looking for a job. I’m a company, a financial entity providing cash flow to enjoy a healthy lifestyle over the next 50 years. Wake-up! Your eyes flicker and slowly open. The clock on the dresser says 3:45 a.m. In a semi-consciousness state you stumble out of bed. You make your way down the hall to that little room where the world has absolved you of all obligations to communicate with another human being. Privacy. Well, now that you're up - let’s enjoy a cup of of hot coffee. One sugar and a little milk please Junior. Who am I talking to? Shaking your head, you realize, no one in their right mind is up this early, go back to bed . Right Junior? The cat is sitting...

“Bontemps, wake up – Adamas, my boy, wake up.” I awoke from deep sleep to a pair of piercing yellowish-green eyes looking directly into mine. Immediately, I realized it was the lean, smiling, congenial face of my colleague Alister Peridot. Groggy from jet lag, it was all coming back to me; it was day two of our trip to India – Yes, of course, . . . the sapphire case. Peridot was standing over me, completely dressed, in his slippers, wearing a necktie and a silk vest. “We have an appointment this morning with the client who engaged us to examine the Ceylon Sapphire he’s interested in purchasing. Kal Purush Kaniyar is a former Bollywood Star who immigrated to America - home visiting his parents. Our hotel room was a suite with two bedrooms and a sitting room in the center. A comfortable room with hardwood floors, a large flat-screen TV, plush chairs, Wi-Fi, and all the business amenities. While I showered and dressed, Peridot calmly walked to the desk, opened his laptop, and began ...

Look down at your feet, right now. What do you see? Are you wearing shoes? You might be wearing slippers, flip flops, running shoes, supple leather dress shoes, or your most comfortable everyday shoes? I’m looking at a pair of brown, soft  suede  leather, around-town walking shoes, they're new. My go-to, most comfortable shoes. As I was putting on my old faithful, worn out, daily shoes to run errands today a thought flashed into my mind. When your shoes wear out you’re simply back on your feet - right where it all started. It’s said, “A journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step.” That quote is attributed to Lao-tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher who wrote the Tao Te Ching, born 604 B.C. Imagine how worn his sandals must have been? But what about today? Your personal journey begins with a single step every day. Just how many pairs of shoes are in your closet, or under the bed? More than you think, I’m sure of it. I see you running off to count them, h...