My wife met me at the door when I came home and said, "Guess what came in the mail today?" After more than two decades of marriage I know better than to give her a straight answer to a question like that.

So I said, "I don’t know. My commitment papers?"

"No. I keep those in the fire safe for when I really need them. What came today was a coupon to the home improvement store. If we spend fifty dollars, we get ten dollars off! It’s to get us started on a project."

By us she meant me and by project she meant some-ill-conceived-poorly-executed-attempt-at-home-improvement-that-will-result-in-thousands-of-dollars-of-unplanned-repairs-and-marital-therapy.

I answered the only way I could, the way guys have answered for years, the one-size-fits-all of evasive answers; "I’m too busy right now."

This might have been more convincing if I hadn’t been pushing past her to get the to TV remote when I said it....

I like to think of myself as an easy-going guy; relaxed, laid-back, and fun to be around. I'd actually be like that if I just didn’t have to deal with other people. Some people have bad joints that flare up in rainy weather. Others have sciatica that troubles them when it's damp. Me? I have a streak of crankiness that comes on strong when people annoy me.

Like all of the blind people who have driver's licenses.

Really.

I'll be tooling along, rocking-out to some lost hit from my youth like Peter Schilling's Coming Home (and hoping that nobody in the other cars can lip read) when some moron will try to change into my lane WHILE I'M STILL USING IT!...

There was a time in this country when having an MBA meant something. It was the symbol of an accomplished business leader, a mark of distinction, a sign that said, "this person was willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars and hours in pursuit of a piece of parchment." Everybody wanted one and universities responded with a huge variety of mutant MBA programs -- the Executive MBA, the MBA for Working Persons, the MBA for persons who don't work, but would if they had an MBA, the MBA for NBA, the NASCAR MBA, and the MBA for the Criminally Insane. MBAs are now so common that some Universities are giving away one MBA with every regular graduation or cafeteria meal.

The American Businesses Leaders (at least those who are still employed) are saying, "Enough! If you – Mr. University President – want to distinguish your MBA program from the rest you're going to have to shift to a new paradigm, think outside the box, and re-energize your core competencies."

(Aside: Remember that the current world financial system was created and is maintained by people who talk just like this.)

What this really means is that MBA programs that want to survive are going to have to teach more than just buzzwords, they'll have to focus on actual, useful, real-world business skills.

December 1 -- It snowed today; first flakes of the season. Everything is blanketed in white and the whole world is magical. Even the simple act of shoveling brought a smile to my face and reminded me that Christmas is just around the corner. I think a quiet dinner party with friends would be just the thing. Must remember to talk to my wife about that.

Should probably also get her going on the shopping and whatnot. After all, it is Christmas.

December 5 -- I’m looking forward to the party even if my wife is less than enthusiastic. When I mentioned it to her she started to interrogate me about petty details like how many people I planned to invite and when I intended to hold this "little soiree". Scrooge! I told her she needed to lighten up, Christmas is to be savored and experienced and not rushed through like a hundred-yard marathon!

I still need to talk to her about the cards and stuff, but today didn't seem like the right time.