I have been writing about casino history for a long time—my entire professional career. In recent years, my pace has slowed down a bit as I have been focusing on my ombuds work, which is why I haven’t published anything since my last book, At the Sands. That is going to change in January, when […]
Why I Have a New Book On the Way (And Why I Wrote the Other Ones) Read More »
book, informed informalityTrust. I was thinking about trust, and naturally the first thing to pop into my mind was “Habanera” from Bizet’s Carmen. In particular, I was suddenly thinking of the lines translated as, “Love is a rebellious bird and it is quite in vain that one calls it, if it suits it to refuse; Nothing to
Turning the Tables on Trust Read More »
informed informalityA recent Wall Street Journal article explored several downsides of the Performance Improvement Plan (PIP), a common management tool that can be a guide for better work or a prelude to termination. The headline makes it clear that the PIP is something to be feared and avoided: “The Most Hated Way of Firing Someone Is
To PIP or Not to PIP? A Two-Step Alternative That Might Make Everyone Happy Read More »
informed informalityIf I wanted to time this post strategically, I would have released it at the start of January when people are going gaga over resolutions and plans to hit the gym, but I feel compelled to write it now, so I am sharing it now. In my Honors seminar (Jazz: An Improvisational American History)
Turning a Corner, Not Knowing What to Expect Read More »
informed informalityI was cruising along on my Peloton to Sam Yo’s Autumn Recovery Ride when he said something that made me think: “Respond, don’t react.” Sam is a great instructor who not only provides a good guide to the workout, but also some food for thought which, combined with the leisurely pace, gave me the luxury
React or Respond? The Answer That Changes the Story Read More »
informed informalityWe’ve all got stuff to work on. Things we need to be better at. Things we need to stop doing. Things we need to just get done. And most of us, every day, do a little to improve, often through a slow and painful process of trial and error. It doesn’t come easy, but since
The Helping Hand That Doesn’t Read More »
informed informalityLet me share something that recently happened to me. I was demonstrating a variant of a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu position known as side control. It is a fundamental posture that I have been doing, at this point, for years; I have also been on the receiving end more than I would care to remember. I
When You Don’t Know What Your Elbow Is Doing, But You Know Exactly Why Read More »
informed informalityHave you ever been lost? You know the feeling—not sure which way is up, which is down, whether you are moving closer or farther from your destination. Maybe it doesn’t happen as often these days thanks to GPS and turn-by-turn navigation, but if you’ve ever gotten lost, you understand how demoralizing, how confusing it is.
When Everything Looks Strange Read More »
informed informalityI feel compelled to share some thoughts about an experience I had when I worked casino security. This isn’t a tale of a foiled robbery or other heroics. It’s not a story about seeing people at their worst or making a difference in someone’s life. No, it’s something a little more mundane, and hopefully relatable.
Why I Have Negative Knowledge (A Casino Security Reminiscence) Read More »
informed informalityWhat do we need from others to feel appreciated? And can being appreciated be better than being understood? In the past I have written about the importance of Mary Rowe’s concept of “microaffirmations,” small acts that, when practiced regularly, can promote belonging and improve a culture. Last week, I led nine workshops for Rebel Ready
Who Do We Appreciate? Read More »
informed informalityI have had the story of Orpheus and Eurydice on my mind, and not just because I recently saw Hadestown. A quick summary: Orpheus’s wife, Eurydice, died of a snakebite. The grieving Orpheus journeyed to the underworld, where he moved everyone with his singing, including the big bosses Hades and Persephone. They permitted him to
The Orpheus Syndrome, or When Asking Makes It Worse Read More »
informed informalityI had one of those moments where I absolutely said the wrong thing, to great comic effect. But what does that say about how we can communicate better with each other?
Brain Battles Mouth. Mouth Wins. Hilarity Ensues. Read More »
informed informalityI’ve been asked a lot about what the legacy of The Mirage on the Las Vegas Strip is. I thought I had a good answer, but it turns out that I was wrong. Here’s why.
The Mirage’s Real Legacy Isn’t What I Thought Read More »
informed informalityReading Jared Poley’s Luck, Leisure, and the Casino in Nineteenth-Century Europe: A Cultural History of Gambling (a fine book on the subject), a 125-year old observation struck me as relevant to those of us who have questions about the future, which I guess we all do, since future events will affect us in the future.
Chance, Ignorance, and Human Behavior Read More »
informed informalityI recently saw a work of art that got me thinking quite deeply about communication. Nikita Gale’s TEMPO RUBATO (STOLEN TIME), consisting of a modified player piano, audio, and a lighting system, is currently exhibited as part of the Whitney Biennial at the Whitney Museum of American Art. Gale describes the installation as “a player
Stolen Time and Unexpectedly Friendly Cats Read More »
informed informalityHave you ever read something that just pops? Like, you are amazed that you’ve never seen this concept explained in this way, and you’re a little miffed that you haven’t done it yourself? Or is that just me? I’m asking because I recently had an experience like that, and I’d like to share it with
Seeing from Above and Below by Listening Read More »
informed informalityThe Pythia, or Oracle at Delphi, was sought out for her predictions. The high priestess of Apollo, the Greek god of music, prophecy, medicine, the sun, and assorted other odds and ends, she shared, on demand, prophecies divined from the god himself. The stories of her forecasts reveal a nearly universal human truth: we often
The Oracle, the Prophet, and Wishful Hearing Read More »
informed informalityI recently joined host Adel Aali on the History Behind News podcast to discuss the history of gambling. The podcast, which is available on several platforms, intends to make in-depth history researched and written by scholars enjoyable and accessible to everyone. It was a wide-ranging discussion, heading into places that surprised even me at time.
Interviewed on the History Behind News Podcast Read More »
interviewLet’s take a look at how emergency preparedness can help us face everyday conflicts at work or school.
What We’re Preparing For (and When) Read More »
informed informalityEarly in my ombuds career, I was told that conflict, more often than not, is driven by unmet expectations. Talking with participants in dozens, if not hundreds of large and small conflicts through, I absolutely agree. Almost always, unsatisfied expectations, whether verbalized or not, are at the root of interpersonal and even institutional issues. One
Do Expectations Push or Punish Us? Read More »
informed informality