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Fresh Ideas, Real Stories, and a Lot of Laughs

Insights on laughter, leadership, and team culture direct from our founder

April 9, 2026

Quiz: Do You Have a Sense of Humor About Yourself?

I understand that this might not be top of mind right now, what with the leader of the free world threatening to blow up civilizations. Nevertheless, here’s a fun diversion that might actually yield an insight or two! Th

April 2, 2026

Scam #2 - This Time It's Personal

Last week an e-mail came in from a comedian friend of mine, “Please join me for a special celebration dinner.” It was Thursday and the dinner was Saturday.

March 26, 2026

Women’s History: We’re Going to Need More Than a Month.

It's not too late to recognize Women’s History Month. Phew! I didn’t know it began locally in Sonoma County in 1978, first as Women’s History Week, which included International Women’s Day, March 8, 1911. Seventy six years later, Congress gave us the whole 30 days!

March 19, 2026

Getting Old on the Inside

I get the joy of Botox and the thrill of wearing clothes from college. There’s no reason to look angrier than I am, and it’s definitely cheaper to “vintage shop” from your own closet. Cosmetic intervention, try as it mig

March 12, 2026

Love is Blind…So Why Can’t Stop Watching It?

How do I defend looking forward to reality television the way other people anticipate their “5 o’clock somewhere,” glass of Chardonnay? I guess I don’t. As Sheryl Sandberg would say, just not about this, I lean in, I cla

March 5, 2026

What REALLY Makes Us Laugh?

When I was teaching stand-up at UCLA, people often said, “You can’t teach someone to be funny.” I understand the argument. Many comedians seem born that way. Their outsider status, fearless silliness, or even the sound of their voice makes us laugh more consistently than most. Think Gilda Radner, Lucille Ball, Jack Black, Abbott & Costello, Chris Rock, Atsuko Okatuka, Wanda Sykes, Maria Bamford - the list is long.

February 26, 2026

And Now...a Word About Chocolate

I’m aware there are a lot of other pressing matters right now than my recent epiphanies about chocolate. I understand that Valentine’s Day - the Super Bowl of chocolate eating - has come and gone. And Easter is not yet u

February 20, 2026

Standing O for Caregivers

Today is National Caregivers Day and I want to be sure that it doesn’t go unrecognized. Both of my parents passed from long term illnesses and there is no way my sister and I could have managed without the help of these astoundingly patient and engaged professionals.

February 19, 2026

I Cried Watching American Idol

Granted I’ve been a little sensitive lately. And yes I did just admit that I watch American Idol. I hadn’t for probably a decade but recently I was on a plane with live TV and I was hooked all over again. I can’t help myself. I love a good talent show where the mom gets choked up in the wings and Ryan Seacrest gets thinner every season.

February 12, 2026

Waymo - A Lesson in Letting Go

Maybe this hasn’t happened to you yet - getting trapped by a driverless car in the Trader Joe’s parking lot. Perhaps you’re too preoccupied with the kidnapping of a grandmother, immigration atrocities and the next batch

February 5, 2026

Making Seniors Smile

The Westminster Dog Show, the “pinnacle of canine contests,” happened this week. As you can imagine, this is where elite dogs and their owners from around the world come to preen and compete.

January 29, 2026

Art for Sanity

Last week, LOC comedian Cate Smit had the good fortune to run one of our “Leveraging Levity” workshops for The Count Basie Center for the Arts. That, my friends, is what is known as good timing. Every day the sentence we are hearing most is, “Who couldn’t use a laugh?”