Random Thoughts & Observations Archives

I picked Wally Amos up at the airport and headed downtown for a late lunch. We were walking to Dexter's in Thornton Park and passed a house where there'd obviously been a little partying going on the night before. There were some party cups laying around on the sidewalk. Without missing a beat, Wally bent down, picked them all up as if it were his own yard, and carried them down the street until we got to a garbage can.

It's just part of who he is. He cares about his environment and is not too proud to clean up after others' thoughtless behavior. I've found myself stopping to pick up a few pieces of trash myself this afternoon. Wow, if only we could start a movement, sorta like the old Prell commercials: I pick up two pieces, and you pick up two pieces...and so on and so on...

BoardCafe is a great ezine, put out by CompassPoint, for nonprofit professionals. It's been over ten years since I ran a United Way agency, but I still like to stay on top of the trends and issues in the nonprofit industry.

This month's issue features a cool site where you can create your own custom images free for your blog, newsletter or other online uses. I created one for the D.R.E.A.M. Principle that should go well on my new Z4.

How are you spending your dash?

For years, I've told people "never underestimate the power of a good pair of black pants." Today, my quote was immortalized thanks to Sara K. Clarke in the Daily Business Buzz, the Orlando Sentinel's new online newsletter (note, if you click on the Buzz link after today, you'll find someone else quoted; it changes daily and right now they don't appear to be archiving the issues).

Why black pants? Here are a few of my favorite reasons, culled from the very long list I've developed over years of standing in my closet contemplating what to wear this time:

1. You can wear them more than once and noone will know, even if it's within the same week (not that I've ever done that, of course).

2. You have peace of mind wearing them. You don't have to worry about the wind showing more than you want the world to see during an outdoor press conference. Knock your coffee in your lap when your boss walks in and finds you surfing bare-chested photos of Rob Lowe on the internet? Wipe the spill off your chair, noone will see it all over your pants.

3. They can be dressed up or down.

4. Black is a slimming color. Too much pizza this weekend? Don the black pants and noone can tell.

5. Black is a power color. Ever heard of a yellow power suit?

6. Everything goes with black. Forget to pick up your white shirt at the dry cleaners? No worries, pull another color out. It will match!

7. Black is elegant. "Black tie" is considered to be the most formal of attire.

What are some of your reasons for wearing black pants? Leave a comment and let me know.