what belongs on a pedestal? Why are heroes cast in stone, clay, or bronze? Why are they mounted high above, larger-than-life, and athletically built? I have heard that leaders should empower, support, and serve their followers. So why are super-sized statues of generals and kings placed above us? If a leader's job is to raise people to greater heights, is it appropriate to view them from below? What if the smallest among us were held up instead? What if a statue asked us to lead from below?...
17 days ago • 1 min read
where is the light? The clouds today are dark and getting darker. The future looks worse. Dystopian and apocalyptic stories took over the mainstream. Disbelief in a better tomorrow is seen as pragmatic, clear-headed, and wise. News feeds and political leaders tell us to focus on the bleakest corners. Frightened people cosplay courage. Is that the best we can do? Certainly, the world is changing and the past will never return. But the smallest light becomes obvious in darkness. Is it foolish...
23 days ago • 1 min read
do you want to listen? Reading is a wonderful thing to do, but sometimes I like to listen. When I was a kid, my Dad read chapters of book after book, and his voice replaced those of P.G. Wodehouse, T.H. White, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and many other authors. I think they would have liked his interpretations. But today, my book was released on Audible. (also available through Amazon). Secure your copy today. The recorded voice is mine. I believe the author approves. Keep chasing lights. Gunnar...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
what will you be when you grow up? When I was young, I bombastically declared that I would be an ACTOR, a RADIO DISC JOCKEY, a CEO and an AUTHOR. How foolish to assert those ambitions out loud. Wishing can't be powerful enough to deliver those kinds of results. And yet, here I am - a former Actor and DJ, now a CEO and Author. I still don't know what I will be when I grow up, but I should probably be careful about what I say out loud. It might happen. Keep chasing lights. Gunnar The audio book...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
what does light reveal? When Summer nears the final stages and late afternoon turns gold to signal an earlier closing time, that's the time to decorate with dim light, a romantic echo of times when we were careless with abundant sunshine. A string of lights barely illuminates. Surrounding details dim into darkness. It's impossible to read a newspaper or spot that dropped coin on a sidewalk. But I can still see the light. I am grateful for its company. Sometimes the only thing light needs to...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
what is the sound of reflection? Droplets drumming ripstop nylon? Hard shoes and suitcases hitting cobblestones? Gentle voices from down the way? I can't hear the meaning, but feel the intent. Introspection has a soundtrack. It's not quite music. It's close enough, but simultaneously far. It is isolated details, still part the whole, insisting one pays attention. It is an aural invitation to reflect. A gentle rain suspends the noise if I let it. Keep chasing lights. Gunnar More information on...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
broken? "Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;" The third line in W.B. Yeats' The Second Coming is playing on repeat in my head. That makes some sense, given the times we live in today are not unlike 1919 when he wrote the poem. Russia was in turmoil, technology was shifting rapidly, political and economic systems were out of control. Eventually, things did fall apart. And then like Japanese Kintsugi pottery, people mended the cracks in the world, sometimes with gold, sometimes with...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
funny? Falling flat, losing your balance, possibly suffering injury or at least a bruised ego. How could that be funny? Years ago I tried to lighten up a professional trade conference. I pulled out a t-shirt cannon and watched the fabric missiles sail over the audience's heads and to the back row. It was a terrible idea. Not because anyone was hurt, but because the joke didn't land. The room was silent. What on earth was I thinking? I moved on and hoped that it might be forgotten. But then,...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
what are you writing now? Would you like to read a preview? If you haven't had the time yet to read "Chasing Lights", don't worry, this is not part of a sequel so there won't be any crucial plot points to miss. I've been tinkering with a new book and if you are looking for a little summer escapist reading, the chapter below might be a fun diversion. Keep chasing lights. Gunnar Pre-Check “Logan is dead.” A voice without emotion on the phone—a news report from an airport terminal. Amy could...
2 months ago • 7 min read