By Jerry Zezima According to an old saying, which must have been said by somebody old, muscles have memory. I forget who said it because my muscles are soaking in milk of amnesia. Still, I thought I was the oldest member of my gym until I met a guy who was born during the Roosevelt […]

Feedback is an important skill but know how and when to deliver it is an important. I learned this lesson in my grade school in Queens during the annual valentire day card exchange. When I was in grade school, we exchanged little paper Valentines and placed them on our classmates’ desks. A boy named Doug […]

By Jerry Zezima Sometimes a boy just likes to feel pretty. That’s why two of my granddaughters recently gave me a beauty treatment at their very own spa and salon. And I can count on the fingers of two hands how much it cost to be the envy of everyone at an evening gathering where […]

Why Your Cat Sleeps All the Time By Mark, Cat Behavior Analyst (self-appointed) Let’s face it: your cat sleeps more than your Uncle Larry after Thanksgiving dinner. But unlike Larry, your cat isn’t just digesting gravy — she’s plotting. That’s right. Beneath those twitching paws and face-covered naps lies a creature operating on a sleep […]

As I was preparing for the week, I found myself thinking about Punxsutawney Phil.And it struck me: he’s never been recognized as an excellent communicator or a strong leader.We’ve been far too focused on one thing— Early spring or six more weeks of winter.So let’s cut Phil some slack and take a moment to appreciate […]

By Jerry Zezima TOP SECRET To: Tom Cruise From: Jerry Zezima Re: “Mission: Implausible” Dear Mr. Cruise: I am a dashing, heroic and admittedly aging spy cleverly disguised as a syndicated newspaper columnist whose work is highly suspect. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to let me star in the next installment […]

In this debrief episode of Leadership Story Talks, Jerome and I reflect on what we learned from our very first Leadership Story Talks LIVE—a live storytelling event that delivered exactly what it promised, though not in the way anyone expected. What begins as a conversation about a technical glitch quickly becomes a deeper exploration of […]

By Jerry Zezima As a man who dozes off at the drop of a hat, even though I don’t wear one, I find it hard to wake up and smell the coffee. The problem is that I can’t smell the coffee until I wake up. And I can’t wake up until I have coffee. If […]

By Jerry Zezima If it weren’t for Venetian blinds, it would be curtains for me. It also would be valances, drapes, shutters and other coverings for windows that I haven’t washed in two years, which is why my wife, Sue, has been throwing shades at me. We recently got new blinds in the family room […]

If you’ve ever wanted to know what it feels like to have your brain turned into a warm bowl of oatmeal while sitting in a vibrating velvet chair, I have found your soundtrack. I’m talking about “Already Gone” by Wooden Shjips (yes, with a ‘j’—because regular ‘i’s are too high-energy for this level of chill). Most bands feel the […]