There was a time when some association meetings seemed more like frat parties that had spun out of control.

A few male-dominated meetings of the past featured female dancers and strippers, body-painting sessions in hospitality suites, and program books filled with nude women.

Decency, and the emergence of female professionals, put an end to those practices.

Things do change.

Alert: Aviator sunglasses are back. You can even catch Drew Barrymore wearing them.

I wonder if buyers realize these were really popular in the 1970s.

Slowness was recently celebrated by a Newsweek book review, in the book being reviewed, on the Slow Living blog, and on the Slow Society blog.

There was even an International Day of Slowness, but some people may have been moving too fast to notice it.

People are so accustomed to scurrying from place to place and feeling guilty when their pace lags a bit.

Sometimes, though, it's best - and even more productive - to slow down for awhile.

If you park a car within earshot of a fireworks display, turn off the alarm.

My (college age) kids were supposed to treat my wife and me to a Father's Day brunch today but one of them had to work. So we rescheduled for another day (that's OK with me).

Interestingly, all of my friends celebrate Mother's Day but only a few do Father's Day (on any day). Maybe moms take the day more seriously than do dads.

Why does a pack of eight (8) 7.5 ounce cans of Coke cost almost twice as much per ounce as a pack of ten (10) 12 ounce cans?

1. If your car doesn't start, you call AAA to have it towed (for free) to a mechanic to have it fixed (not for free, unless the problem is covered by a warranty). In the meantime, you rent a car, use public transportation, or work from home.

2. If the cleaners loses your shirt, you demand reimbursement (which isn't much, since the shirt is old), buy a new shirt, and find another cleaners.

3. If water is dripping from a leak in your roof, you hire a roofer to fix the roof (definitely not free). If there is considerable inside damage, you re-plaster and repaint the ceiling. If you can't do it yourself, you pay someone else to do it.

4. If you lose your internet connection, you call your provider to have it repaired (at no cost to you). You lament not being able to surf the web, read or post to blogs, or access your bank account. You suffer social and business isolation and, if you can't wait to get back online, scurry to another location where you can use a computer until your connection is restored.

The most serious problem is #4.

Which of the following is the most serious problem?

1. Your car won't start.

2. The cleaners lost your shirt.

3. Water is dripping from a leak in your roof.

4. You lost your internet connection.

"Unless you want to do business with me, don't give me a business card," says Joe Waters, Director of Cause Marketing for a Boston MA hospital.

Check out his business card strategy.

There are no private conversations in public places.

Anything you say about a person, business, or organization, is likely to be overheard by somebody and, possibly, repeated.

Your words may even find their way to the subject of your negative remarks, and you may not like the reaction.

So, if you feel like saying something uncomplimentary about a person, business, or organization - don't. If you really, really must, be sure your interchange is truly private - unless you don't want it to be.