That’s it, folks. Germany took the Cup. Sorry to spoil it for anyone who didn’t follow the 2014 FIFA World Cup and somehow missed every news outlet on the Interwebs.

So now what? We all pack up and go home, right? That’s certainly what most of the estimated 3.7 million World Cup tourists who invaded Brazil for four weeks are doing, and they’re likely happy about it. Custo Brazil has led to, I’m sure, more than one tourist’s rainy day fund getting completely drained.

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Hi Readers,

Or do you prefer “Dear Readers”?

Last week I came across an article in the BBC that asks the question, “Should e-mails open with Dear, Hi, or Hey?” An interesting question that, it seems, is still up for debate.

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Every once in a while we get a few orders from agency clients. These agencies serve as intermediaries, taking a cut for finding clients and then sending them our way with prefilled forms that include instructions on what the client wants. It’s a great win-win, as we get to flex our brains by writing about myriad topics which we otherwise might not have encountered, the agency gets its share of the revenue, and the client gets top-notch content. But there’s one issue I keep bumping into that’s resulted in my being one the phone with the agency a few times: a demand to stick within a single narrative voice throughout an entire document that’s going to be used for marketing purposes.

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When I mention Dave’s Killer Bread, few people know what company I’m talking about, but those who do respond with an almost cult-like affection. If you’re not familiar with it, Dave’s Killer Bread is the reincarnation of a decades-old family bakery out of Portland that has seen a meteoric rise in profits, fame and opportunity, mostly thanks to the introduction of Dave Dahl.

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If you’re like me, a new year often means looking back at the previous year and comparing it to what’s about to come. For some, this can be a downright depressing process, with most of the focus on past failures. For others, however, it’s full of excitement, with much to look forward to in the coming year. To which camp do you belong?

I won’t patronize you by extolling the virtues of positive thinking and seeing mistakes and failures as simply blueprints for what success is meant to look like. Rather, I want to point out that regardless of your natural attitudinal tendencies, planning and preparation play a big role in what you reap down the line. I’m a strong believer in that, and I’ve found that if we have a blockbuster of a month, all I have to do is

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Depending on who you ask, William Shatner was perhaps the best Star Trek captain to come along. As the Enterprise’s captain, Shatner restored galactic peace on multiple occasions, prevented the destruction of Earth on several others, and even kissed a blue chick. That alone brings him up a star on a five-star rating system. The guy earned his fan base, and despite his best efforts, the original Kirk’s legend endures online, at conventions, and in the hearts of millions of fans. Shatner became Star Trek’s poster child.

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