"Random Somersaults" features storytelling based around themes spurred by personal and professional experiences and thoughts that represent a broad range of topics with a few random, yet relevant, detours. The blog has been described as “fun and informative” and “what fun to meander through ideas and streams of consciousness.”
You will gain insight into how Pete Fierle processes information through this less formal and creative style of writing.
Archive
Rarely are any of the blog posts time sensitive so they can be enjoyed at any time. As such, you are invited to scroll through this archive and randomly click on a post. Here's hoping you savor this break in your day by being entertained and learning something.
"The Best of 'Random Somersaults' (Part II)"
"Committed to Change"
"Marching On"
"Quality over Quantity"
"No Brevity But a Few Smiles"
"The Long and Short of It"
"It's in the Details"
"By the Numbers"
"Hey"
"May I Have Your Attention, Please?"
"The Best of 'Random Somersaults' (Part I)
"Dot, dot, dot"
"To Tweet or Not to Tweet"
"You Can Quote Me!"
"Hope for an Obstreperous World"
"Grappling with the War on Words"
"Brand is a Five-Letter Word"
"Time for no More Change"
Can't Tell
It's a Great Day for ...
The Unseen Story Behind a Logo
Why Random Somersaults?
- The evergreen nature of my blog is perfect for consuming it at any time. I invite you to scroll through this page of archived posts AND click on the link to the second edition of "The Best of..." for excerpts from the voluminous amount of content created since launching this blog in the spring of 2021.
"Committed to Change"
- On location with Bruce Smith for a "Puppy Bowl" segment ... my feature article if you missed it ... Longpath ... O Canada ... the importance of using gender-neutral language ... and kudos to the people in my life who are committed to making a sustainable impact on our future world.
"Marching On"
- I write about June and Halloween as the calendar turns to March in a post (spoiler alert) that does not connect the dots of me climbing Masada with Jim Brown, ghost writing a blog for Joe DeLamielleure, and revisiting one of my favorite posts. But, it does roll out my concept of telling intriguing stories of "non famous" people.
"Quality over Quantity"
- Quality is the true measure of success. I make my point through sharing an anecdote about Henry Kissinger along with several strong quotes and LinkedIn posts.
"No Brevity But a Few Smiles"
- The last paragraph of the blog explains it best! "If you’re looking for brevity, “Random Somersaults” is not for you! But, where else could you roll through words that connect an Albert Einstein quote to a video on unclogging a Keurig machine, to the topic of dog poop bags, B Corp companies, to some useful tips and stats about blogging."
"The Long and Short of It"
- Insight into "the long and short of it" and "farther vs. further" ... the English language isn't easy to master ... my take on Wikipedia ... and the main point of the blog that AI can't replicate "Random Somersaults!"
"It's in the Details"
- Website footers and copyright dates ... some interesting quotes ... daily journaling is a transformative habit ... and a frigid game at Soldier Field provides the image for our annual digital holiday card.
"By the Numbers"
- Numbers help reduce an abstract thought and convert it into something comprehensible like biking alone on one of Chicago's busiest streets, the wonder of the Great Lakes, and a dog stealing a car!
"Hey"
- Leading off with a word that I "stole" ... Fall colors ... Sports & politics ... but really about all of our communities and sense of belonging.
"May I Have Your Attention, Please?"
- How to make your LinkedIn post stand out ... Average attention spans of humans have not shrunk ... Pepperidge Farm Goldfish.
"The Best of 'Random Somersaults' (Part I)
- Some excerpts from the first year of "Random Somersaults" including Urban Dictionary's definition of my dog's name.
- Survey reveals top driver for employee retention ... An emotional reaction to a culture being built by an authentic leader.
- My perspective of the great city of Chicago, a must read before ever visiting! This ranks as one of my most popular posts.
- "Mission accomplished" as my blog receives high praise! ... Its vs. It's (and "Its" isn't a word) - bookmark this post to make sure you never make a common mistake ... Americans and travel ... and, a humorous beer commercial from 2000.
- Gratitude ... Civility ... Kindness ... and Thank You!
"Dot, dot, dot"
- My favorite punctuation mark is the ellipsis ... Using dart scoring as way to track workflow.
- Exhorting advice from a Hall of Fame football coach who also earned a master's degree in English Literature from Harvard ... Apple logo on back of your phone can be set as a shortcut.
- A halcyon escape from the noise of your day ... Fake, but inspirational, quote from John Lennon ... "Once in a Lifetime" by the Talking Heads ... I was there when Crosby, Stills & Nash performed "Ohio" for the first time at Kent State University.
- Remembering typing class and pangrams ... 31.7 million bloggers in the U.S. ... Approximately 6 million blog post published around the globe each day ... The world's oldest blogger at age 109.
- Origin of the April 1 tradition is unknown but can be traced to the 1500s ... Centuries later, the term isn't standardized so don't sweat the placement of the apostrophe ... GIF has only one pronunciation so respect the way it was said by the programmer who developed the format.
- Compelling storytelling instilled a love for hockey in me ... Whinge, old maintenance worker, and Camel a longtime sponsor of Formula 1 teams.
"To Tweet or Not to Tweet"
- The silent majority of those who don't tweet gives us hope beyond the nuttiness ... Best to avoid shortening St. Patrick's Day as it is considered objectionable by onomasticians.
"You Can Quote Me!"
- My love of writing and learning came from my mother ... The staggering difference between a million and a billion ... Octothorpe (#) has gained new meanings over time.
- I "starred" in a commercial promoting Buffalo ... Fun facts about the commercial featuring Terry Bradshaw & Dick Butkus ... Symbolism behind the Chicago city flag ... 11 million bits per second are sent to our brain but we can only process 50 of them!
"Hope for an Obstreperous World"
- Avoid using the word "biweekly" because it's confusing and means both every two weeks and twice a week ... The importance of hope is a key driver behind a changing work culture.
- I'm among a very small percentage of Americans who watched on live television as the 1980 U.S. Hockey team defeated the Soviet Union team in arguably the greatest upset in the history of sports ... Quote from Joseph Pilates, "if your spine is inflexibly stiff at 30, you are old. If it is completely flexible at 60, you are young."
- This famous slogan, "inspired" by a murderer moments before his execution, served as motivation for me on the morning of my first and only marathon when I woke up to 8 inches of snow on May 7!
"Grappling with the War on Words"
- I learned a new weather word ... took a reader's suggestion and tossed in a cute photo of my dog ... a 15-minute "Ted Talk" on brevity.
- If you believe in fate, then a sticker on the headboard of my childhood bed led me to my career and marriage ... Stepping in as Doug Flutie against Merlin Olsen during an NFL broadcast.
"Brand is a Five-Letter Word"
- The importance of your personal brand ... Popularity of Wordle ... And the greatest way to combat spoiler alerts!
- Open your mind, remain curious ... True meaning of the holiday season ... The past should only be utilized as a source to make for a better present and future.
"Time for no More Change"
- Most Americans agree that we need to stop changing our clocks twice a year ... Stop using "D" and "S" incorrectly when listing times during Daylight or Standard Saving Time.
Can't Tell
- An informal survey of readers of my blog ... A memorable event in Seattle made better because agenda wasn't shared.
- One my favorite posts weaves together chicken wings, Beef on Weck, a video of my dog playing in the woods, and the wonderful advice and logical theory about the seasons by author Kurt Vonnegut.
- Humans are drawn to storytelling in its many forms.
It's a Great Day for ...
- A famous hockey coach's quote is a terrific motto for anyone ... The moderate annoyance caused by people ignoring the clearly marked bike and pedestrian lanes along Chicago's waterfront trail ... A Danish PSA on helmet safety.
The Unseen Story Behind a Logo
- My company's font type and colors are much more involved than meets the eye ... Hoping my end-of-life experience is far different than the founder of the country's Arts & Crafts movement that began in my hometown in the late 1800s.
Why Random Somersaults?
- A shoutout to my daughter whose habit as a toddler serves as the impetus for the name and, more importantly, the purpose of this blog.