There Are Many Ways to Create. Our Aging Workforce. Riders on the Storm. 30 Days of Bliss. It is the Last Day of May. “Gimmie Shelter”
- Quote of the Week: “I’m always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning … Every day I find something creative to do with my life.” – Miles Davis
I wonder how Miles Davis defined the word creative. The former trumpeter, bandleader, and composer went on to become one of the most innovative and influential figures in the music world. He helped define the jazz genre, successfully combining bebop, funk, and fusion – in most creative ways.
Creating goes way beyond music. Art and design yield paintings, writing, sculptures, and of course all types of music. The world of digital media produces content, including videos, podcasts, blogs, and social media for various online audiences. The business world creates innovation by launching a new business, new products, and new services. “I am always thinking about creating” is a powerful statement for the young and old to use their imagination and skills to unlock personal fulfillment and reach your goals and objectives.
There is no doubt that Miles Davis was all about creating. This video was from the 1991 Montreux Music Festival featuring Miles Davis and Quincy Jones.
Thoughts for the last day of May, 2026
- I understand that background checks do not always reveal everything about a candidate. With that said, how did a CIA senior official mislead his superiors with his military and educational background? Along with the deception, this ex-CIA officer stashed over three hundred bars of gold, $2 million in cash, and 35 luxury watches in his Virginia home. Huh?
- It will be interesting to find out what caused the explosion of the Blue Origin rocket at Cape Canaveral last Thursday night.
- Have you used the Michelin restaurant guide to select a restaurant? I never have.
- Tomorrow is already June 1st. Five months of 2026 already gone.
- According to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the chances of a widespread Ebola outbreak in the U.S. are extremely low…though isolated cases carried by travelers are possible. What?
- A high school reunion touches many emotions. Just saying.
- Last Thursday, a Russian drone hit an apartment building in Romania. To: NATO, the European Union, and Eurocorps, have you not had enough of Vladimir Putin and Russia? Seriously, enough is enough with this tyrant and rogue nation.
- Have you wondered why golf balls have dimples? Here is one explanation:
- Regarding wind and turbulence, there seems to be consensus by many authorities that the future of weather forecasting, specifically forecasting the strength and path of hurricanes, should have a higher level of efficacy in the near future. Meteorologists now can analyze massive amounts of information generated by artificial intelligence (AI) based on historical data. This historical data could recognize patterns with ocean temperatures, wind structures, and atmospheric pressure giving meteorologists a path to quickly recognize and predict storm movement and strength.
As a comparison, existing weather models rely on time-consuming physics-based models to simulate the atmosphere and predict storm movement. The power and speed of AI driven models with historical data should allow meteorologists the ability to accurately predict the path and strength of a storm up to ten days out. Let us hope so.
- Would it concern you if half your workforce were age forty-five or older? That is the reality facing Florida’s $86 billion manufacturing sector. An aging workforce, combined with too few young people entering the skilled trades, is making it difficult for companies to transfer specialized knowledge to the next generation. Manufacturing is not alone in facing this challenge. In the utilities sector, the share of employment at firms where at least one-quarter of workers are age 55 or older rose from 35% in 2006 to 80% in 2022.
One way to solve these workforce issues is to provide younger workers with a positive path with discovering skilled trades. Forbes reports that “The highest-paid trade skills now offer a compelling alternative for professionals seeking a recession-proof pivot or alternative from a traditional career path: competitive six-figure salaries, faster entry into the workforce and robust demand. The modern landscape of skilled trades has also expanded significantly, encompassing sectors like renewable energy, aviation, healthcare and advanced manufacturing.“
Last year, “there were 650,000 open-skilled labor positions and only 150,000 workers entering the field,” reports Symone Graham of the Charlotte Business Journal. “For HVAC work alone, there’s a need for 400,000 technicians to be hired over the next decade.” That is a pace Carrier Global Corp. Chairman and CEO Dave Gitlin said exceeds anything the sector has seen.
The good news is that enrollment in trade schools and trade programs will increase six percent per year by 2030. Demand for skilled trades continues to rise with the desired outcome of a high income, high growth career both feasible and possible. A few skilled trades with their average salaries:
- Ultrasonographer (operators of imaging equipment): $90,000 – $105,000
- HVAC technician: $60,000 – $95,000
- Elevator installer/technician: $85,000 – $130,000
- Aircraft mechanic: $75,000 – $115,000
- Electrician: $65,000 – $105,000
- Plumber: $60,000 – $105,000
At some level, all of us have had this level of skilled labor show up at our homes:
Here are some answers to the last Question of the Week: If you took or were given a fully-paid, guilt-free sabbatical for an entire month starting tomorrow, how would you spend that time?
- Beach house in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. It gave us an opportunity to discover what the next step in life is.
- I would take 2 weeks in Italy and then the other two weeks visiting family and friends.
- I would live in a Spanish speaking country learning to speak Spanish daily.
- Hmmm. My current life is one big sabbatical! I strive to learn something new or re-learn something daily. Its amazing to re-use a skill or remember a favorite recipe and enjoy the discovery all over again! 😉
- I’d split it between time with my family and travel.
- Amelia Island or the Amalfi Coast.
- La Dolce Vita all the way! Start in Sicily, primarily Palermo. Then up the Amalfi coast, basking in Positano, then hitting the enormous lemons in Sorrento. Definitely skip Naples and go to the eternal city which never gets old. From Rome up to the hilltop of Orvieto and their signature green ceramics. On to Tuscany to relish in its beauty and excellent wines, hitting Montalcino, Florence, Siena, Volterra, San Gemignani while sneaking in a side trip to Portofino. Then Perugia, the university town undisturbed by today’s world. Continue on to Bologna with an errand to run over in Parma. Hitting Verona, then the ever magnetic Venice.
- I’d split it between time with my family and travel.
- I can think of too many naughty things but since I just got back from California, I would spend a month visiting wineries and tasting California wines.
This week’s Question of the Week has no pretense regarding President Trump and politics. This question relates to his age and health: Will President Trump, who turns eighty-years-old next month, stay in office through his second term as President, which will end on January 20, 2029? If your answer is no, please give a reason.
Notes: 1. as part of my 2026 predictions, I did predict that President Trump would not stay in his role through his second term. 2. Half of US adults do not believe that Trump now possesses the mental acuity or physical health to be an effective president, according to a Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll from last month.
- Pure Talent. Shaped by the dynamics of the late 1960’s, with the reality of social unrest, violence, and war, The Rolling Stones’, on their 1969 Let It Bleed album, released the iconic song “Gimmie Shelter.” Mick Jagger was joined on vocals by Merry Clayton with Keith Richards delivering a guitar performance bar none. Richards’ guitar opening has been and is still used in films and television to this day. The Rolling Stones and the song “Gimmie Shelter” always give us Pure Talent.