Chris Carosa

‘I’ve Been Contemplating The Death Of An Old Friend…’

By Chris Carosa on December 3, 2024

The titular quote comes from the climax scene of the Star Trek: The Original Series episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” While this aired on September 22, 1966 as the third episode of the first season, “Where No Man Has Gone Before” was produced in 1965 as the second pilot for the seminal series. It sets the stage for all that is Captain Kirk.

Briefly, (spoiler alerts here, but if you haven’t watched it yet, that’s another issue), Captain Kirk’s good friend Gary Mitchell (played by actor Gary Lockwood), gains God-like powers when the starship Enterprise becomes the first vessel to go beyond the barrier at the edge of the galaxy (hence, “Where No Man Has Gone Before”). In a fight to the death, Kirk (with a little help) prevails. Despite his near-fatal confrontation, Kirk says Mitchell died in the line of duty because “He didn’t ask for what happened to him.”

“Where No Man Has Gone Before” stands out as a story of the bonds of friendship and its undying importance to Captain Kirk. Of all his friendships, it’s the one between Kirk and Continue Reading “‘I’ve Been Contemplating The Death Of An Old Friend…’”

Posted in Gray Matter Musings, Memoir of a Real Life Tagged 765874 - Unification, Amok Time, brother, Chris Pine, death, Dr.Tolian Soran, Edith Keeler, Frank Poole, friendship, Gary Lockwood, Gary Mitchell, Kelvin, Kenny, Kirk, Leonard Nimoy, life, Nexus, Picard, Spock, Star Trek, Star Trek II, Star Trek III, Star Trek Into Darkness, Star Trek: Generations, The City on the Edge of Forever, The Original Series, The Search for Spock, The Wrath of Khan, Where No Man Has Gone Before, Whom Gods Destroy, William Shatner

These 3 Factors Drive Your Need For More Money (And May Be The Key To Solving Budget Woes)

By Chris Carosa on November 19, 2024

The first thing you’re probably thinking is, “Man, that title’s too long.” You might be right about that. But I checked it with my headline writing tool. The tool rated it “effective,” scoring an 85 out of 100. The tool may be right. After all, you made it this far into the column. Which in all likelihood has led you to…

The second thing you’re probably thinking is, “Oh, no. An article about boring financial stuff.” You might be right about that, too. But it’s not about interest rates and inflation. If that’s all you think it’s about, you might also be missing out on the opportunity to overcome some of the greatest challenges you (and everyone else) are facing right now.

Let’s see if you can guess what I’m talking about before I reveal it after a few more paragraphs.

I was pondering how to solve the impossible the other day. I won’t tell you what it is yet because I don’t want to tilt your reading of this in any way. Instead, I’ll give you the high-Continue Reading “These 3 Factors Drive Your Need For More Money (And May Be The Key To Solving Budget Woes)”

Posted in Business Tips, Gray Matter Musings, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged budget, deficit, energy, human resources, real estate, Shelley Long, The Money Pit, Tom Hanks

‘Today I Lit A Candle With A Spoon’

By Chris Carosa on November 12, 2024

This is a true story. It has nothing to do with Uri Geller and his “ability” to bend spoons. (For more on that, see “The Stargate Folly—It’s Never About The Science, It’s Always About The Funding,” Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel, April 28, 2022).

Well, maybe it is. In a metaphorical way.

The family went to a cousin’s wedding reception this weekend. The location was phenomenal. They held the party in a custom-built barn specifically designed as a wedding venue. It looked original. Its solid timber frame (including the use of wooden pegs to connect joints) gave the appearance of a 19^th century construction. I used to work in a renovated building erected in that era. It looked similar. It wasn’t. But it could have fooled me.

What do you call something like this? Yes, the word “retro” fits. But I’m thinking of something more meaningful. It’s not quite “thinking outside of the box.” It’s more “thinkingContinue Reading “‘Today I Lit A Candle With A Spoon’”

Posted in Business Tips, Gray Matter Musings, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged 33 Variations on a waltz by Anton Diabelli, Alfred Fellheimer, All By Myself, Anton Diabelli, Beethoven, Buffalo Central Terminal, classic rock, Coke, Diet Pepsi, Eliel Saarinen, Eric Carmen, Helsinki Central Station, New Coke, Pepsi, Pepsi Mango, Pepsi Max, Pepsi Wild Cherry, Pepsi Zero Sugar, Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Rachmininoff, Steward Wagner, Uri Geller

I’ve Seen My Lifetime Disintegrate Before My Eyes

By Chris Carosa on November 5, 2024

I’ve seen my lifetime disintegrate before my eyes.

Do you have a recurring dream that you just can’t understand? No, I’m not talking about the one where you realize the final exam is today and you haven’t cracked open the textbook. Nor am I talking about the one where the giant ape is slowly chasing you, but try as you might, you just can’t run.

Those are typical anxiety dreams. They have nothing to do with final exams or giant apes. They’re more likely related to something in your daily life (usually work or some other stress-inducing environment).

Here’s the kind of dream I’m talking about: it involves a familiar landscape, maybe current, maybe from your past. It’s “familiar” in the sense that it evokes the real thing except it’sContinue Reading “I’ve Seen My Lifetime Disintegrate Before My Eyes”

Posted in Gray Matter Musings, Memoir of a Real Life, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries, Western New York State of Mind Tagged 187 Abbott Parkway, 83 Victory Avenue, Abbott Parkway, Blasdell, Blasdell Bowling Academy, Blasdell Junction, Carthage, Erie Railroad, George S. Patton, hamburg, Honeoye Falls, Ingham Avenue, Lackawanna, Lave Avenue, Lehigh Valley Railroad, Mendon, New York Central, Nickel Plate Road, Our Mother of Good Counsel, Patton, Pennsylvania Railroad, Roman Triumph, Salvator's Pizzeria, South Park, St. Anthony's, Victory Avenue, Woodlawn, Woodlawn Elementary, Woodlawn Intermediate

Halloween Memories

By Chris Carosa on October 29, 2024

There’s a certain childlike innocence about Halloween. It’s childlike because it’s best captured through the eager eyes of young children. Perhaps no holiday other than Christmas brings forth more enthusiasm than Halloween for youngsters.

Quite possibly, for a kid, it’s tough to say which yields more joy. Christmas certainly has its upside. After all, who can deny the happiness of receiving a roomful of gifts? But, for a child, these gifts come at a cost. You must wear stiff clothes, suffer through a long Mass, and put up with the boredom of even longer dinners with the extended family. All this keeps you from playing Continue Reading “Halloween Memories”

Posted in Memoir of a Real Life, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged 1964, 1967, 1968, Abbott Parkway, Christmas, costume, Dad, Dad Tax, devil, dinosaur, dragon, Halloween, home economics, Kenny, mannequin, mom, pumpkin, second grade, sewing, third grade

The Anatomy Of A Perfect Speech

By Chris Carosa on October 22, 2024

Buchel, Charles A.; Herbert Beerbohm Tree (1852-1917), as Mark Anthony in ‘Julius Caesar’ by William Shakespeare; Theatre Collection; http://www.artuk.org/artworks/herbert-beerbohm-tree-18521917-as-mark-anthony-in-julius-caesar-by-william-shakespeare-30507 Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Well, isn’t that interesting? It seems last week’s column brought forth a surge of fascination. And curiosity. Several readers requested a more complete example. They wanted to see an actual speech that most effectively employed the three cornerstones of a perfect speech: story weaving, callbacks, and self-deprecating humor.

Oh, there are so many. From Churchill to Reagan to Kennedy, modern orators have used these tools to persuade and entice listeners.

Marc Antony’s eulogy for Julius Caesar in the second scene of Act III of Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar is a classic example of a speech that uses these elements effectively (see “Story Weaving, Callbacks, and Self-Deprecating Humor,” Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel, October 17, 2024). Now, I realize it’s probably been a while since high school or since you watched Marlon Brando’s masterful performance as Marc Antony in MGM’s 1953 production of Julius Caesar. So, before we begin, here are the salient parts of Antony’s speech:Continue Reading “The Anatomy Of A Perfect Speech”

Posted in Great Speaking Tips, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Brutus, Callbacks, Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Julius Caesar, leaving a blank, Marc Antony, Marlon Brando, MGM, Persuasion, Reagan, repitition, rhetoric, self-deprecating humor, Shakespeare, speaking skills, story weaving

Story Weaving, Callbacks, And Self-Deprecating Humor

By Chris Carosa on October 15, 2024

Many years ago, a young aspiring columnist asked an established author what it takes to be a writer. “To write, you need to find your pen,” said the wordsmith. “To write well, you need to find your voice.”

“Find your voice?” What does that mean?

I never understood that expression. It seemed like a cop out. It’s what you tell a young buck when you don’t have a real answer. After all, everyone is looking for that magic bullet, that sure-fire secret that makes you a success.

Well, after years of writing, it dawned on me the answer to “How can I be a good writer?” is obvious. You need to find your voice. I can’t tell you what it means, but I can tell you it’s Continue Reading “Story Weaving, Callbacks, And Self-Deprecating Humor”

Posted in Great Speaking Tips, Great Writing Tips, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Abraham Lincoln, callback, Ferris Bueller, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Founding Fathers, Gettysburg Address, inaugural address, John F. Kennedy, public speaking, Revolutionary War, Ronald Reagan, self-deprecating humor, story weaving

We All Thrive When We Balance Between Healthy Competition and Community Harmony

By Chris Carosa on October 8, 2024

We are built to compete. It makes us better. It makes our businesses better. It makes our nation better.

Think of the progress we’ve made as a country over almost two-and-a-half centuries. A theme of constant competition weaves throughout that history. The pioneers fought against nature. Early entrepreneurs vied for the same markets. Writers, artists, and other imagineers have confronted their own personal demons to produce outstanding work.

As author Nancy Pearcey said, “Competition is always a good thing. It forces us to do our best.”

Competition works because it drives us. So why do we see some bemoan it? Comedian Continue Reading “We All Thrive When We Balance Between Healthy Competition and Community Harmony”

Posted in Business Tips, Gray Matter Musings, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged automakers, collaboration, competition, cooperation, Crew Carey, Gianni Versace, Nancy Pearcey, partners, Stephen Covey, win win

Should You Slap A Simple Single Or Swing For The Fences?

By Chris Carosa on October 1, 2024

Photo by Ulrik on Freeimages.com

This could easily become a column on successful investing, but it’s not. It does, however, reflect a Noble Prize-winning concept that has propelled successful investors for more than half a century. It’s simple. I’ll explain it quickly.

Every investment option possesses two critical factors: risk and return. Scholars credit economist Harry Markowitz as the first to identify the correlation of risk and return. In his 1952 paper “Portfolio Selection,” Markowitz, the father of “Modern Portfolio Theory,” says low-risk investments can yield low returns and high-risk investments must yield high returns. The “can” and “must” refer to the price you should reasonably pay for the investment.

But this column isn’t about successful investing, it’s about life. Specifically, your life. More precisely, the choices you face in your life. Understanding the dichotomy between “low-Continue Reading “Should You Slap A Simple Single Or Swing For The Fences?”

Posted in Business Tips, Gray Matter Musings, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Confirmation bias, Dave Kingman, entrepreneur, fear of failure, FOMO, Harry Markowitz, instant gratification, Modern Portfolio Theory, Portfolio Selection, recency, return, risk, Risk-Return Tradeoff, Rod Carew

Are You More A Marxist Or A Lennonist?

By Chris Carosa on September 24, 2024

Karl Marx (John Jabez Edwin Mayal) and Vladimir Lenin (Unknown, presumably official), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

During dinner at the recent New York Press Association Publishers’ Conference, talked turned towards the misuse of the term “click-bait.” In a strict sense, the term applies to misleading descriptions of internet links. These phrases “bait” you to “click” the link; hence, “click-bait.” Links that have nothing to do with the sentence that lured you to click makes this technique unethical. That’s why “click-bait” has such a negative connotation.

Copywriters for more than a century have searched for sentences that “sizzle.” Elmer Wheeler documented the early years of this journey in his 1937 book Tested Statements That Sell. If you don’t recall the name of this Rochester native dubbed “America’s Greatest Salesman,” you will certainly know his most famous phrase: Continue Reading “Are You More A Marxist Or A Lennonist?”

Posted in Gray Matter Musings, Great Writing Tips, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged #9 Dream, click-bait, Elmer Wheeler, Gimme Some Truth, Give Peace a Chance, God, Groucho Marx, Happy Xmas, headline, How Do You Sleep?, Imagine, Instant Karma!, John Lennon, Karl Marx, layered comedy, Mind Games, Mother, New York Press Association, Publishers Conference, pun, Tested Statements That Sell, The Beatles, The Simpsons, Title, Vladimir Lenin, You Bet Your Life