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When I was a kid, our toilets backed up. The block where we lived in Elmhurst had a lot of big trees and their roots would get into the sewer pipes and cause our plumbing to clog.

My dad never called a plumber during my entire childhood—EVER.

He’d head off to rent a Roto Rooter so he could clean the pipes out himself.

Well, not exactly himself. My brother and sister and I were his helpers.

The access to the pipe that connected from our house to the sewer system on the street was … [Read more...] about Roto Rooters

In February of 1961, four Black freshmen students at the Agricultural and Technical college walk up to a lunch counter at a Woolworth’s in Greensboro, NC. They politely order donuts and coffee. The waitress refuses to serve them.

Instead of leaving, the four students take seats at the counter.

For the next four days, more Black students dressed in their best clothes—pressed suits and starched dresses—show up at the Woolworth lunch counter and order food that never comes while White … [Read more...] about How to Act in the Moment

Mary has a law degree, a masters degree, and is an expert in her field. But the first time I met her on our coaching call on Zoom, her speaking style betrayed her expertise.
I came to discover through the course of our conversation that she’s smart, thoughtful, astute at answering people’s questions, and has great empathy for people.
But she spoke in a monotone with little emotion.
Her voice and delivery didn’t reflect the person I found her to be on the inside. She came across as lacking … [Read more...] about How To Breathe to Have a Better Voice

Imagine having one of the most beautiful voices in the world, maybe in history, and one day losing it. Bam. Just like that. Gone.

That’s what happened to Julie Andrews nearly 30 years ago when a botched operation to fix a benign lesion on her vocal cords left her unable to sing.

What would YOU do?

Curl up in the fetal position? Go into a deep depression? Rage against the forces that took your greatest gift and stole your identity?

No doubt Dame Julie Andrews did all of those … [Read more...] about The Mantra That Saved Julie Andrews’ Life

I couldn’t believe the date when I looked it up last night. May of 2012. It’s been 14 years. Yet it’s still so clear in my mind.

I was driving home from Northbrook on a Sunday evening.

Alec Baldwin’s smooth voice was introducing Renee Fleming on his radio show, Here’s the Thing.

Baldwin has a way with introductions, and this one lives in my memory:
“Renee Fleming has a powerful effect on people. Conductor sir George Solti described the opera singer’s voice as double cream. Garrison … [Read more...] about Here’s to Great Beginnings