on 28 June 2012
On parenting: 
Men, be humane. This is your first duty. Be humane with every station, every age, everything which is not alien to man. What wisdom is there for you but humanity?  Love childhood; promote its games, its pleasures, its amiable instinct. Who among you has not sometimes regretted that age when a laugh is always on the lips and the soul is always at peace? Why do you want to deprive these little innocents of the enjoyment of a time so short which escapes them and of a good so precious which they do not know how to abuse? Why do you want to fill with bitterness and pains these first years which go by so rapidly and can return no more for them than they can for you? Fathers, do you know the moment when death awaits your children? Do not prepare regrets for yourself in depriving them of the few instants nature gives them. As soon as they can sense the pleasure of being, arrange it so that they can enjoy it, arrange it so that at whatever hour God summons them they do not die without having tasted life.  --Jean-Jacques Rousseau 

on 16 June 2012
I just wrote to Iceland Express to let them know how great their telephone customer service is: 

Hello Friendly Icelanders, 
I was recently experiencing technical difficulties with your website--which I found out was due to my own mistakes. After a zero-minute wait to speak to an actual human, I received absolutely beautiful customer service from Elin. This happened about 9 minutes ago. 
Elin knew exactly what the problem was and told me she would correct it immediately. And then called me back instantaneously to confirm the changes. She was also extraordinarily helpful when I asked about where to go and what to see in Iceland for the week we'll be there. Based on her recommendation, my wife and I will go on a quest to see The Whales, starting in Husevik--which has a 98% success rate, as I was told. 
I don't usually write these kinds of emails to companies, but what I experience was such a stark contrast to the robotic, scripted interactions I usually come across in the US that I was just compelled to make an official record of this event. 
I think you should promote Elin, to either president or CEO. 
See you all next week, 
If you're reading this, then you might be contemplating a trip to Iceland. If so, I was told to take a look-see at Inspired by Iceland. Elin also suggested we checkout North Sailing, if we were interested in seeing The Whales. And this is where the Arctic starts: Grimsey.