Monthly Archives: January 2017
Happy Monday
Mondays begin with the most frustrating alarm ring. That blasting sound from our alarm clock, whether from a smartphone or an actual clock, feels like a cold splash in the face.
In other words, a cold open.
If only there was a so-called “cold open” that could inspire us instead of dreading Monday mornings…
That cold open to the Golden Globes was, as Justin Timberlake might say (as Jimmy Fallon), “so great, so great!”
And he would be correct. Now that’s a great way to start the workweek on a positive, uplifting note.
Have a Better Week Than Last Week.
A Time-Traveling Car is a Good Stopping Point (or Starting Point?)
“On this day in 1925, John DeLorean, a maverick auto industry executive and founder of the DeLorean Motor Company, is born in Detroit, Michigan. The DeLorean Motor Company produced just one model, the DMC-12, a sports car with gull-wing doors that opened upward, in the early 1980s before going bankrupt…In total, approximately 9,000 DMC-12s were produced.”
–History.com
Imagine inventing and building only one car model, yet that singular act of ingenuity, by pure happenstance, is immortalized because of a science-fiction trilogy? Great Scott, indeed.
The beloved Back to the Future films are pop-culture gold that continue to flex its muscles iconic car, power-lacing shoes and World Series predicting prowess more than 30 years after the first movie’s release back in 1985. The fact that the futuristic-looking DeLorean was chosen for a ground-breaking movie about the past (and eventually the future) may seem conceivable now, but John DeLorean’s professional legacy will mostly be glorified as an American success story. Sure, the car isn’t the best performing automobile on the market then or now, but everyone knows his last name and it’s forever associated with blissful memories of imagination and childhood wonder.
We all remember that scene when we first saw that time-traveling DeLorean…
The power of film strikes again.
And the power of love is pretty great too.
Kansas, Revisited
Laughter is the best medicine…
especially when you have to deal with all that dust in the wind.
The Late Late Show host James Corden skipped “Carpool Karaoke” and instead teamed up with Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons for a musical homage in classic Kansas style (and then some hilarious ridiculousness). Mr. Corden, like Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon, continues to prove his prowess for singing-related skits. While there are plenty of musical groups today that deserve parody, it can be quite entertaining to flashback to an era some may have forgotten for a brief moment.
And Thursday seems like an appropriate day for such a flashback.
Notice any similarities with the real Kansas music video for their hit “Dust in the Wind”?
Well played, James and Jim…well played.
This Story is a Kroc
Before a brand can become a brand that everyone knows and loves, it needs something:
A founder.
Everybody knows about McDonald’s. Most people are probably aware of the name Ray Kroc and his association with McDonald’s. However, very few people likely know the incredible story of how a fast food joint became a global phenomenon.
Just as The Social Network is a film that highlights the brilliant happenstance of American ingenuity, so may The Founder. A trailer was just released for the new year with Michael Keaton starring as Ray Kroc, who is, you guessed it…
Building and managing a company is a complex undertaking inherent with infinite challenges (seen and unforeseen) that’s never as easy as people may imagine, despite a speedy drive-thru. Ensuring that all the moving pieces are functioning properly and are accounted for is akin to clockwork: Even one small malfunction can potentially jeopardize the entire operation. Back when McDonald’s was introducing its burgers and fries to the American public during the mid-1950s, there were probably as many reasons why this new restaurant should succeed as there were to why it should fail.
Someone needs to be a leader and determine how to transform a vision into a successful reality. The Founder looks like an entertaining true story with fascinating insight into how fast food (and even entire cultures) were changed forever by way of a daring American Dream.
I’ve gotta say…I’m lovin’ it so far.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 