Tuesdays with Mary

Tuesday, November 19, 2024 I’ve been thinking about your DNA again - and mine too. You may recall news this past spring about a significant data breach at 23andMe, the genetic testing company known for connecting users with their ancestry and health insights. That breach, affecting over seven million individuals, raised significant questions about how such deeply personal data is stored and protected. Now, the company’s struggles, and by extension the next set of concerns for their customers, have taken another sharp turn. This week, 23andMe announced a major shift in strategy. Facing financial headwinds, they are laying off 40% [...]

Tuesday, November 12, 2024 I’ve been thinking about the fact that Mondays seem harder than they used to.  If you think so too, you’re not crazy; many Mondays are in fact harder to navigate than they used to be.  Because odds are an automatic update was applied over the weekend to at least one app that is critical to your job or personal life.  You’re rarely certain of which critical app it will be and waiting to discover the changes as you go through the day, can feel like a game of Monday Roulette. For years I traveled for work [...]

Tuesday, November 5, 2024 I’ve been thinking about the miracle that is self-governance; and how today we refresh and renew our commitment by doing the seemingly crazy and nearly impossible task of electing our representatives and then asking them to form a government in our name.  Each election day, we continue forward on our journey of an entirely revolutionary concept – one that allows citizens to actively shape their societies rather than being merely passive subjects to authority. Do you remember the famous phrase of Benjamin Franklin’s when he was asked what type of government had been formed, he replied  [...]

Tuesday, October 29, 2024 I’ve been thinking about community, and ties that bind.  During times when life is rolling along relatively smoothly, we tend to think about community less often.  While we play a role in each of our communities, we often we move through them mostly by rote.  Yet when an extra dose of life’s turbulence hits us, and we need to lean into the support of our communities, the true value of our connectedness becomes apparent.  In times like those, when our footsteps grow uncertain, we are held up and carried along by our strong and supportive communities. [...]

Friday, October 18, 2024 Join the October Research family in sending heartfelt condolences to Mary on the passing of her brother, David Gird. You can revisit Mary's loving tribute to David, and to veterans everywhere, in her blog post on Honor here.

Tuesday, October 8, 2024 Do you remember what you were doing in the fall of 1999?  Cher’s “Believe” was likely playing on your car radio.  You patiently waited for the dialup modem to cycle and miraculously load pages from AOL, Ask Jeeves or the brand-new Napster.  You were sweating the upcoming Y2K crisis.  Your work product was a blend of a few simple documents printed out from your DOS-based computer program and a plethora of forms typed in triplicate, on a thing called a typewriter. In Ohio, a new company, October Research, was born to help inform an industry. It [...]

Tuesday, October 1, 2024 I’ve been thinking about the shortage of housing supply and how deeply it impacts the quality and quantity of work in our lives. There are many facets of the kaleidoscope that make up the totality of the problem. But instead of throwing up our hands and letting cynicism take root as our default thinking system, I’m hoping we can instead use our knowledge, connections, and expertise to help influence and remedy as many elements as possible. For at least the time being and the near future, I’ve become a YIMBY. NIMBY, for those who don’t know, [...]

Tuesday, September 24, 2024 I’ve been thinking about the pantsuit, and how once again I feel compelled to defend it. Why does this symbol of power, sophistication and seriousness even need defending? I’ll confess, I truly don’t understand why the workhorse uniform of choice for the professional female continually falls into and back out of favor. Nonetheless, pantsuits are mocked mercilessly every couple of decades for being out of touch, too masculine, too cartoonish. Generations keep trying to write the pantsuit’s obituary, only to find there is no other compilation of clothing that can quite take its place. I’m glad [...]

Tuesday, September 17, 2024 I’ve been thinking about houses vs. homes and our unique role in the process of alchemy that morphs a basic financial decision to invest in real estate, into the foundational place where many of our most cherished memories are made and revisited for a lifetime.  It’s a stressful yet enchanting process buyers go through, and we’re often the first people to help a house transform into a home in the minds and hearts of the buyers we serve. Do you watch the house-buying shows?  I’ve never been bitten by that particular bug, but plenty of people [...]

Tuesday, September 10, 2024 I’ve been thinking about managing versus leading and how the two are often confused.  It’s likely you’ve had a great leader who is below average as a manager.  It’s more common to experience working under someone who is a detailed manager, but who has less strength in the realm of leadership.  If you’re trying to build up your strengths in either area, it can be good to know how to spot the difference. Simon Sinek is an author and public speaker who offers some great information that can help.  He says processes can be successfully managed, [...]