Looking through my blog history, there are many references to the Washington Football Team, which was – until recently – called the Washington Redskins. I grew up in the DC metro area at a time when this was a magical team that frequently won the Super Bowl and I developed a strong affinity for theContinue reading “I Don’t Say “Redskins” Anymore”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapter 6
Having consumed the Harry Potter stories almost exclusively in audio fashion until recently, I always assumed that Fleur Delacour’s last name was a reference to “the heart.” It would seem to be in keeping with her portrayal as commanding the hearts of many would-be suitors at Hogwarts. Now that I have seen it in writing,Continue reading “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapter 6”
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapter 5
I never thought about this before but we are told here that Moody placed enchantments at the Order HQ. Now that Moody is dead, should the enchantments persist? When Dumbledore died, the petrificus totalus (or similar) spell he had placed on Harry died with him. Perhaps there are some types of spells that persist afterContinue reading “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapter 5”
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapters 3&4
Here we deal with Harry’s flight from Privet Drive and narrow escape from the Death Eaters. There are several head scratchers here: Why not sneak Harry out with the invisibility cloak? Why not have Hedwig fly to Burrow? Why not cast protego on the back of Hagrid’s motorbike? That said, if you can suspend disbelief,Continue reading “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Chapters 3&4”
Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Chapters 1 & 2
We have come to the final book in reading our nightly bedtime Harry Potter reading to our 2yo. Generally I love this book and think it ties things up nicely. However, there are also many instances in which JKR’s retcons fall pretty flat – get ready, because I have thoughts! Let’s start with the beginning,Continue reading “Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Chapters 1 & 2”
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Film Review
This is one of my least favorite Harry Potter films. I am generally less of a fan of the David Yates films, which seem more plot-paint-by-numbers and lose much of the magical whimsy that make the books and early films so fantastic. This movie is probably the greatest offender because it leans so hard intoContinue reading “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Film Review”
Entrepreneurial Mentorship
In the call to action of my TED talk on the Entrepreneur’s Journey, I exhorted seasoned entrepreneurs to answer the call to service by mentoring less experienced entrepreneurs. Because entrepreneurship requires such different skills, heuristics, and calculi than other, much more common business arenas, having an experienced guide is invaluable to first-time entrepreneurs and canContinue reading “Entrepreneurial Mentorship”
The Mandalorian Review
TL;DR The Mandalorian is an OK show with high production value and occasional flashes of brilliance, occasional flashes of inexplicably low quality, but mostly mediocrity with a shiny veneer. It’s a fun romp of mindless fun but doesn’t capture what makes Star Wars special. I usually review media properties in three sections: The Good, TheContinue reading “The Mandalorian Review”
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 29 & 30
Another Harry Potter book finished – only one more and our 2yo will have “finished” them all! Reflecting back on the end game of Half Blood Prince got me thinking about the burden of responsibility for products sold. I wonder where the Death Eaters procured their Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder. In my head canon IContinue reading “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Chapters 29 & 30”
Rice Ring Ceremony
Last week was Rice’s first ever virtual Homecoming. Owl Together brought together thousands of alumni, students, parents, faculty, and staff to help people connect – to the university and with each other – despite the challenging times. As President of the Association of Rice Alumni, I was invited to make some brief remarks at theContinue reading “Rice Ring Ceremony”