One of my own favourite criteria includes the ability for the person to have fun in the environment and not take themselves too seriously. After all, sometimes just showing the F up isn’t enough to sustain the people you tend to interact with all day if you don’t have a sense of humour.

I’ve learned a wonderful interview checkpoint that may resonate with you and the gang as well since once upon a time our company was the #1 place inundated with applicants (and we still have quite a bit) that I have used to trim out the riffraff. Can I trust you? Do I respect you? Do I like you? My good friend and mentor Christopher Barry who is wiser and more worldly than I taught me these criteria, and they’ve proven to be the barometer for many good hires, and in some cases proof that I should have payed attention to those answers post hire.

The King is dead. Long live the King.

In my experience – sampling Starbucks in Continental US and elsewhere – Starbucks coffee is a lame replacement to a real coffee experience. Starting from a quality espresso shot that is made expertly from quality beans is a must, and Starbucks fails in that completely (The newer grinds they have been using the last couple of years are much better then what they had before, though still not enough and good baristas are still hard to find).

I haven’t been to Michigan so I can’t recommend anything there, but if you’re ever in NY then try Aroma Espresso Bar on 42nd street for a test of quality coffee, or at least as much as a franchise can do.

Hoping your Dad improves with each moment that goes by. Wishing you peace in the moments you feel helpless–unable to communicate with him. It sounds like he is tough…and the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

P.S. Don’t forget to hug your wife ever day.