Blog Posts

Storytelling and The Language of Flowers: Writing Content that Takes Root

By Jean Storlie / July 9, 2013 /

A few weeks ago, our book club gathered in my garden to discuss The Language of Flowers, by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Kelly arrived first carrying a plate of appetizers labeled with the herbs she’d used and their meanings (basil stands for hate and rosemary is remembrance). Rachel arrived next with her copy of the book in…

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Creativity Summer Camp: My Inaugural Experience at CSPI

By Jean Storlie / June 27, 2013 /

“If everybody is thinking alike, somebody isn’t thinking.” –George Patton’’ As I arrived on the University of Buffalo campus to attend my first Creative Problem Solving Institute (CPSI) Conference, the first person I met, Laura, approached me warmly and we struck up a conversation. She is from Monterey, Mexico, and co-owns a private school with…

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Beyond Spreadsheets: The Storied Side of Persuasive Communications

By Jean Storlie / June 20, 2013 /

A year ago, my lay-off and retirement from General Mills triggered the need for my husband and I to find a new financial planning service. The process of gathering all of our financial data, interviewing financial counselors, and grappling with the uncertainty of our future was daunting and depressing. For me, personal financial planning and…

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Sunday Night Dinner: Rituals That Build a Family Narrative

By Jean Storlie / June 12, 2013 /

“I can’t wait until I go to college so I don’t have to sit through Sunday Night Dinner,” our 18-year-old daughter whined — creating tension and drama — as we gathered for our ritual meal around the dining room table, set with linens and lit with candles. Six months later on her first weekend home…

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When Opportunity is Disguised as Loss

By Jean Storlie / June 4, 2013 /

A year ago today, I was laid off from General Mills in a major corporate restructuring. My first reaction was relief – to be free from a job that no longer energized me – and excitement – for the chance to pursue a dream I’d been imagining. Arriving home that first night, I tossed aside…

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