MSI Press Blog

  I’ve cooked for years, but nothing refined my culinary skills quite like cooking under the watchful eye of a cat. A cat is not merely a kitchen companion — he is a sous‑chef, a critic, a food safety inspector, and occasionally a thief. Here’s what my feline mentor taught me: Timing is everything. Cats know exactly when food is ready — often before you do. Their internal clock is flawless. I learned to trust my own timing more, and to stop overthinking the moment when a dish is “done.” Presentation matters. A cat will ignore a perfectly good meal if it’s not arranged to his liking. I started paying attention to plating, color, and texture. If it wouldn’t impress the cat, it needed work. Stay calm under pressure. Nothing tests your composure like chopping vegetables while a cat weaves between your ankles. I learned to keep my balance, my focus, and my fingers. Clean as you go. Because if you don’t, the cat will investigate every crumb, spill, and unattended ingredient. I ...

  In some organizations, trust is built through policies and performance reviews. In others, it’s built through cookies. Every Tuesday, one leader walked the halls with a plate of cookies — a different set of teams each week, sugar‑free options included for diabetics. The ritual was simple: offer a cookie, listen, and mean it. Employees shared everything from good news to frustrations to requests for guidance. The leader didn’t promise miracles; they promised attention. And when they acted on what they heard, something remarkable happened: people began to speak candidly even without the cookies. One Tuesday, a visiting executive happened to be in the area of one of the teams during cookie rounds, so he got a cookie, too! When asked the routine “How are you today?” as he was seen departing for the day, he smiled and replied, “A lot better after the cookie.” That moment said it all — candor and comfort can coexist. Food as a Cultural Connector Shared meals have always been humanity’...

    Recently,  An Afternoon's Dictation  (Greenebaum), reached #1 on the Amazon bestseller list of books in ecumenism Christian theology, #10 in faith and spirituality. and #66 in Christian Faith. The book has been on bestseller lists many times.  Book Description:  In 1999 Steven Greenebaum felt he'd hit the wall. Fifty years old, he could not make sense of his life or the world around him. For several months he angrily demanded answers from God, if God were there. One afternoon, an inner voice told him to get a pen and paper and write. Steven then took dictation - three pages, not of commandments but guidance for leading a meaningful life.   An Afternoon's Dictation  grapples with, organizes, and deeply explores the revelations Steven received and then studied for over ten years. His sharing is NOT offered as the only possible way to understand it the dictation. It is offered, rather, as a start. The book's sections include deep explorations int...