text: At home at RIVERBEND on the beautiful Clyde: Two beers and a puppy
  "Works Well With Others"
  In his book 'Works Well With Others', Ross McCammon mentions a simple test that he developed to gain clarity of how he felt about someone. He asked himself two questions: 1. Would I have two beers with this person? 2. Would I allow this person to look after my puppy over a weekend?
  This quickly sorts people into different groups. There would be some for whom both the answers are a clear no. It's obvious that you don't trust them. Then there are people who are yes and no. Great to talkk to, but you don't really trust them when it comes to important tasks. Similarly, there'd be people who are no and yes. Maybe they're boring and uninspiring, but you know that they're there to help. Lastly, there are the ones for whom both the answers are yes. These are the sort of people you should actively seek out. Not only do they make the world a better place; they're people you can rely on with absolute trust.
  You might have thought someone was "two beers and a puppy" and it turns out they're "no beers and a puppy." (You don't really enjoy spending time with this person, but you think they're trustworthy.) Or maybe they're "two beers and no puppy." Sometimes people are "one beer and a puppy but only for, like, two hours on a Saturday." Some people are "limitless beers and an ocean of puppies." Some people are no on both counts. (If you don't drink and aren't into puppies, don't worry: it works metaphorically. You can even switch it to "two puppies and a beer", but I'm not sure it would work with cans of Coke, Des!)
  Find as many "Two beers and a puppy" friends as you can, and better yet, strive to be one yourself.
  P.S. Bored in retirement? Start your own blog OR go to a large Department store's fitting room, drop your drawers to your ankles and yell out, "There's no paper in here!"