Hiking Adventures in the San Francisco Peninsula and Beyond
Not to be political, but it’s a very pleasant 84 degrees in Cancun … I need a vacation as well. Another Caribbean port (St. Maarten), but same concept (author's photo) Earlier this week, a certain U.S. Senator departed for a family vacation in Cancun. Meanwhile, his home state was experiencing a storm of the century, with … Continue reading Cancun
Let’s start with the “science.” Professional negotiators know about (and how to create and execute) negotiations plans (opens, fallbacks, accepts, walks positions), BATNAS (best alternative to a negotiated agreement), etc. They know what is and is not negotiable. They know the relevant market. They understand timing. They know how to listen, actively. You cannot learn … Continue reading The Art and Science of Negotiations
I have been visiting the same Starbucks, in Crystal Springs Shopping Center, for the past 15 years. At first, I would arrive early, on my way to work, ready to claim my cup of Pike Place Roast, an improvement (perhaps) over the coffee from my Keurig. On the patio stand a few tables and chairs, and, invariably, … Continue reading The (Not So Distant?) Future of Law Practice
Roma Senza Glutine We continue our food and beverage theme (https://johnpavolotsky.com/2021/01/28/in-search-of-the-perfect-cup/), with a trip around the world in search of gluten-free delights. We start in Rome, the mecca of gluten free dining. Roma Senza Glutine, a treasure trove of gluten free breads, crackers, biscuits, and other goodies, was but a short walk from our flat in Trastevere. … Continue reading International Adventures in Gluten-Free Dining
One of my favorites It is not always the right or perfect cup, in the absolute sense, but the right cup for the moment. After a bone-chilling carriage ride to Ocean Beach (San Francisco), Mark Twain writes: “That coffee did the business for us . . . . As the generous beverage flowed down our … Continue reading In Search of the Perfect Cup
If you want to see the future, visit Japan. Pepper, a semi-humanoid robot from Softbank Robotics, greeted us in the lobby of the Hyatt Regency Shinjuku in October 2016. On it was mounted a tablet (iPad?), displaying information in an interactive manner. Unfortunately, we could not discern any other capability. About a week later, on our last full … Continue reading Future-Proofing Work
One of the few (if only) bright spots of the last ten months has been that the morning hike has replaced the morning commute. More thoughts on the virtues of hiking are available here: https://johnpavolotsky.com/2021/01/09/take-a-hike/ Pulgas Ridge Preserve Today’s hike started at 7:15am, in the Pulgas Ridge Preserve (Redwood City, California) parking lot, en route to … Continue reading Early to Bed, Early to Rise
Pillar Point The year of the dog continues. Sure, in the Chinese zodiac, it is still the Year of the Rat, to be soon followed by the Year of the Ox, but my dog, a three year-old chocolate labradoodle named Roxy, could care less. She is a prolific hiker (and walker and runner), enjoying up to three … Continue reading Take a Hike!
Floyen, Bergen, Norway It is unfortunate that the act of learning and mastering a new language is generally viewed as a chore and not an opportunity. As for me, the first new language I learned was English, starting my formal (and informal) studies soon after I arrived in the United States in 1979, from the … Continue reading The Accidental Polyglot
The LBJ Master Biography (Volumes I-IV) - Caro From time to time, I am asked to suggest business and/or law books. For some reason, law books are less interesting. My favorite remains The Firm (Grisham). The Pelican Brief is not bad either. I have enjoyed some of the more specialized books, arguably not for the … Continue reading Top Business Books
The Peninsula Hiking Club 