Brian Miller (in photo, on left) is my oldest friend. That is, my friendship with him is the longest and most sustained such relationship of my entire life. We’ve been friends since the end of junior high school; as we both realized recently, we first met thirty years ago this spring.

Being friends with Brian was, and is, effortless. He was a good kid, and is a good man. Optimistic, steadfast, easy-going and unflappable, he was the perfect complement to the overly serious, moody introvert I was always in danger of becoming.

One of the best, most uplifting days of my recent roadtrip was being able to visit Brian and his family in northern Maryland for the better part of an afternoon and evening. We hadn’t seen each other in a few years but, within minutes, it was as if only a few days had passed.

We sat in his family room, and reconstructed the beginnings of our friendship, why we’ve been able to sustain it, and what we’d do differently if we were seventeen years old again (um…not quite as pathetic as it sounds. Really).

The conversation, below, is in .mp3 format.

A Conversation With My Friend Brian Miller (2.6 MB)

“Humor gives you the faith to carry on…”

Steve Rizzo is a sought-after speaker and author on the subject of humor and its role in success and happiness. I had the honor of meeting and working with him a few years ago when I asked him to speak to a group of managers I work with. He’s very, very funny. Smart, too.

Beyond that, however, he is an exceptionally humble, caring, encouraging and accessible person. And very, very funny.

A former stand-up comedian, Steve has appeared nationally on Showtime, the Comedy Channel, Fox television, Evening at the Improv, and many other cable and network television programs.

In recent years, Steve has devoted himself and his talents to coaching organizations like American Express, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and the Central Intelligence Agency on how to embrace change and boost human performance with laughter.

He is the author of the book, Becoming a Humor Being.

He and I had a chance to talk recently about why he does what he does, what he sees as people’s biggest challenges, and what he’s working on for 2008.

“When you stifle laughter, you stifle your spirit, the very essence of who you are,” he says. The complete conversation, in mp3 format, is below:

A Conversation With Steve Rizzo (3.3 MB)

Impressions of Japan

In late-June, my son Andrew travelled to Ishidoriya, Japan with four other students and a chaperone as part of a sister-city cultural exhange. It was a significant honor for him, and the source of over six months of excitement and anticipation; among other things, Andrew loves to travel and has a deep interest in learning about, and experiencing, other cultures.

(from left; Tsuneaki, Yuta, Cory and Andrew)

He calls his two week stay with a host family in Japan “one of the best experiences of my life.” He and I sat down recently to recount that experience. Below, in .mp3 format, are excerpts of that conversation:

Andrew Talks About Japan (1.75MB)

Sophisticated Lady…

My ten year-old daughter, Katie, and I sat down for a few minutes to discuss her summer plans, her friends, her messy room and what it’s like being an only child (for a few weeks, at least, before big brother returns from the Far East).

The interview, below, is in .mp3 format:

Interview with Katie (1.2 MB)

Unleashed on Vermont’s Roads

My son, Andrew, turned 15 this weekend and, in the wisdom of the State of Vermont, he is eligible for his driving learner’s permit. Tomorrow morning, I will take him to the Department of Motor Vehicles and, with any luck, he will be annointed as another member of the gas-guzzling public. How will we ever make any headway against global warming?

In reality, he is a very sensible young man who will make a skilled and responsible driver. He and I sat down today and talked about what he’s looking forward to, and what he’s nervous about, once he gets his learner’s permit.

The interview, below, is in .mp3 format:

Interview with Andrew (3.7MB)