Resiliency requires adaptation, finding patterns that others might not see. I don’t know about you, but my crazy brain is frequently finding patterns and putting words into the Universe that are mysteries to me until I stop to dissect the meanings. I walked into the bank some time ago and announced to the teller, “I want to check my cash. I need some funny.” As we both stood there in bewilderment, I broke out laughing. I wanted to cash my check because I needed dollars. Funds plus money equaled “funny”. The teller and I agreed that sometimes, handling money does require a sense of humor! On a television talk show, I announced before a live audience that it was “very important we assess our skillents”. After a quick heart beat, I coined a new, efficient word: skills and talents became “skillents”. After all, these are two very different words. Skill is the ability to do something well through practice. Talent is an innate ability, an aptitude that seems to flow naturally without effort. For example, I have a talent for singing. However, it I were to be hired as a professional singer, I would need coaching to acquire the SKILL of a professional. To grow one’s career requires an awareness of skiilents! Yesterday, I heard my voice utter yet another word: Youggle. I realized it was the combination of YouTube and Goggle. In the time since Google purchased YouTube, the latter has become increasingly powerful as a media source. Youggle could well be a new name in blended marketing and advertising! Of course, over the holidays, there was consternation about delivery issues with FedEx. I bet some folks merged the words FedEx with UPS and called it FedUp. And then, there is our dysfunctional Congress which if merged could be either Republicrats or Demoblicans. The first eats your cheese (not theirs) and the other demos problems not solutions. Here’s to a happy NewEar…. May we listen anew to our spirits and to the diversity of voices around us.