....wipe that smile off your face!

Be honest...are you positive or negative? I had a boss that thought he was "keeping everyone upbeat"...when in reality...he was the problem! So ask yourself....
what am I doing to make my life better....for me?

Positive thinking in the workplace is extremely important. Positive thinking is a mental attitude. What we think affects how we behave. It is therefore important for us to begin with our thoughts.

It is a mental attitude that expects good and constructive results. However, it does not deny the existence of negative results or things beyond one’s control. It is a way of looking at things from a different perspective. For instance, one that concentrates on solutions rather than problems.

When our thinking is positive, our attitude is positive and we transfer a feeling of success to our colleagues and clients. In other words – we transfer energy and enthusiasm to those around us. People feel good towards us and are more willing to help us.

Positive thinkers know that when things go bad or unexpected result occurs, it is only momentary. That positive result is achievable. If you are new to applying positive thinking, here are 3 simple steps I suggest:

Practicing Positive Thinking in the Workplace #1

One cannot pay lip service to positive thinking. You need to practice and make positive thinking your prevailing attitude towards life. This will transfer towards positive thinking in the workplace. So, how do you make it a prevailing attitude? Entertain positive thoughts. It takes as much effort to think about the negative as it is for the positive. Concentrate on the positive and expect a positive result. Associate with colleagues with a positive attitude. Read inspiring quotes. These are simple ways to create a habit of positive thinking in the workplace.

Practicing Positive Thinking in the Workplace #2

Positive thinking in the workplace is solutions thinking. For example, when a project goes poorly and not in the desired direction…a positive thinking person concentrates on solutions instead of the problem. Ever noticed some colleagues have a natural tendency to point fingers when things do not go right? They tend to whine and complain instead of starting to work on a solution immediately? We have ALL had to suffer with idiots like that! And….what if your boss is super negative? Positive thinkers live up to the challenge of the problem and commit themselves to seeking a solution to the problem. They do not dwell in unproductive activities.

Practicing Positive Thinking in the Workplace #3

How many times have you thought – “Oh no, I am never ever able to do this.” When that happens, you end up dwelling on it and wasting precious time. Positive thinking in the work place involves thinking in these words – “I can”….”I will”…….."I am able”…….. "I am ready." It also involves taking the initiative to seek answers and solutions. And to be proactive in learning about the information needed to complete the assignment at hand. A positive thinker in the workplace concentrates on the assignment and is not distracted by negative thoughts.

Is positive thinking in the workplace easy? Well, it is as easy as you want it to be. It is also as difficult as you expect it to be. There will be times when you cannot help but feel negative. When such feelings arise, remind yourself it is as easy to look for a positive angle to things as it is for a negative angle.

Or do what I did…..turn your keys in.... and find another job! It helps to be around other "positive" people.

...my...my...how time flys....

I did the unthinkable one year ago this upcoming week.

Some people seem to think that if you’re not too busy, you’re not really crucial to the organization. These people revel in having full schedules, long working hours and too much work.

Repeat after me: Work does not give you stress. Feeling bad about work gives you stress.


This means that changing your work hours, your responsibilities, your priorities or your work environment is meaningless, unless it also changes the way you feel at work.

Those stress management courses will not do the trick either, unless they can achieve just that. If you’re stressed, you must take charge and make whatever changes are necessary to go from feeling anxious, inadequate or drained at work to feeling appreciated, proud and energetic.

In the midst of this economic turbulence we're facing, I decided to leave my job as a vice president of a company to pursue some long-neglected passions of mine: building a positive atmosphere and teamwork, not listening to someone “drone-on about his financial situation”, helping companies with commercial interiors, and something so self-indulgent I can hardly bear to utter it (getting paid).

What I'm leaving behind is admittedly a middling (but respectable) career in upper management, but one, from the point of view of the working class people, you just wouldn't throw away a big title. My parents didn't go to college, and to them "pissing away" a position as a vice president is about as stupid a move as you can make....but they won't say anything of course.

My grandmother (God rest her soul), for whom was in her teens and early twenties during the Great Depression. Those are the days of waiting in line for blocks of government-issued cheese. I wouldn’t have told my grandma what I’m doing…..leaving a job during very difficult times. She wouldn't get it.

If you're sensible, and lived through such tough times, right now you're thinking about "How to Protect Your Job in a Recession," this is the title of a recent Harvard Business Review article. And here I am throwing mine to the wind! (It was the wind that woke me up one night after announcing to my wife that I was quitting -- is it the word "quit" or the memory of the rattling window that now sends a chill down my spine?) I've always been prone to digress from the straight path, and now I suppose I'm putting my money where my mouth is.

Speaking of money, I do have some savings, but most businesspeople reading this would probably gasp at my foolishness if I told them how much. A few months ago I almost told it to someone I know when I bumped into him at a restaurant while having lunch - he'd apparently been laid off from the banking industry. We briefly commiserated about the uncertain economy and our places in it, but I got the sense he had a pretty thick financial cushion. The tip-off was when he mentioned he had just returned from a trip to the Far East...to "clear his head about it." I thought to myself...here this guy is out of a job and he goes to Asia for several weeks. I had General Tso’s chicken last month…does that count?

Face it…job dissatisfaction is rampant and the work environment may consist of anything from bad bosses, demanding clients, unrealistic expectations. Do not discard it as a minor annoyance as it can make you despondent, cynical and negative. So don't wrap 'happiness' in a gift box and throw it in a dustbin but rather carry it on your face as wide as possible. This is the factor that is going to build your personality and your character....and set you free from bosses that are 'full of themselves.'

Wake up! Face it, even though you dislike it…..your workplace may be filled with people who wait for a chance to hurt you or pull you down or lock you in a dark cave. But equally there will be someone who cheers you up every time you fall. So find coworkers you like and enjoy working with them. Spend your maximum time with them. You can choose to be happy at work with your choices of work companions.

It’s a relatively small step from "liking your job" to loving it. It doesn’t take much and the things we need to do are relatively easy and available to all of us. But the difference in outcome is humongous. As long as you like your job, you’re only a pale reflection of what you could be if you loved it. You’re realizing only a small fraction of your full potential. You’re not having nearly as much fun as you could have.

Millions of people settle for jobs they like. The problem is that when you like your job there isn’t much pressure on you to change. Liking your job isn’t bad for you. It’s certainly much, much better than hating your job – which can make you sick or even kill you.

But when you love your job you are in a completely different league.

So I’m saying that we shouldn’t settle for any less anymore. Let’s make happiness at work the norm rather than the exception. It may take some work, but each and every one of us can get there.

First make that decision for yourself – decide that from now on, you will be happy at work. Then find out what you can do to get to love your job or what you can do to get a job you love. Then do it.

I did.

...hungry...sleepy...smelly...on level 6....

The video game gender debate has been going on for years now, fueled mainly by complaints that the video game industry continues to make games that primarily appeal to males (woo hoo for that!). Perhaps it's not the fault of the video game industry, but a result of a psychological tendency.

A new study reports that men's brains are more responsive to video games than women's.

According to MRI scans, the zones of the brain associated with reward and addiction are much more active in men's brains when they played a simple video game. Last year, there was an effort to get the American Medical Association to classify video game addiction as an official disorder -- perhaps these folks now have some more evidence to support that claim.

So why does it seem like guys like video games more than women? I'm sure there are plenty of women who like to blow stuff up and battle pixilated monsters or throw a 90-yard bomb. But, it's mainly a guy thing. So why is that?

That's what Fumiko Hoeft wanted to figure out. She's a researcher with the Stanford School of Medicine. She arranged a pretty cool experiment. She got 22 Stanford undergrads -- 11 men and 11 women -- to play a video game inside an MRI scanner, a machine that allows scientists to see what's happening inside the body.

As the young gamers were in the MRI machine happily playing away, Fumiko took a look at what was happening inside their brains. "What happened was that both men and women showed activation in regions that are related to the reward and addiction circuitry, but what was interesting was that there was significant difference in the amount of activation and the amount of coherence, how they were moving together."

Specifically, men's brains were much more active. And it wasn't because the game was particularly violent. If fact, it was pretty boring -- just clicking a bunch of balls bouncing off a wall at the middle of the screen.

Researchers designed this video game with a specific "gain-loss" component, which is a fancy way of saying that players have to nuke the red dot before it gets too close to the wall. If you nuke the dot, you gain territory; the space on the left gets bigger. That's the mission. If the ball hits the line before you nuke it, you lose territory. Researchers didn't explain this goal to the players. They wanted their natural instincts to take over. Many would argue men, by nature, are more territorial.

Men got more of a "reward" feeling than their female counterparts, and when the participants played a video game that had no territorial aspect, there was no difference in men's and women's brain activation. While this is obviously a new area of research and a small sampling, researchers say the gender differences may help explain why males are more attracted to video games and more likely to become "hooked" on them than females. It's also interesting to note that the computer games that are popular with males are territory and aggression-type games.

But the object of the game was telling. By clicking the balls in a certain way, the players could gain or lose territory. And men were significantly more hyped up by this challenge.

So in the end, Fumiko's point isn't that men like video games more than women (or men are smarter). That probably depends on the game. It's about how males seem to be more hard-wired than women are to get excited about claiming and conquering territory. Maybe that's why so many video games are about war and mowing down wave after wave of enemies. They're designed to appeal to the 'cave man' conqueror in men.

I should probably call in sick tomorrow...I am only on level 6 right now....

Carving Mr. Pinocchio's nose down to size...

Many years ago, Italian children’s author Carlo Collodi wrote a story about a wooden marionette, Pinocchio. This story comes to mind when people lie repeatedly – like Pinocchio, we imagine their noses growing as the lies get bigger. But what if you actually have worked for someone like this? What if every day, every week, throughout the year… and years….you watch as your boss begins to grow a nose? At first you think of it (of course) as a mistake until it happens again…and again…as you watch this boss “start to believe his own lies that he developed over the years.”

We have all seen someone tell little “white lies,” but what should you do if you watch his nose actually grow to legendary portions?

For me, I decided I could no longer “pretend” that he cannot control his “stretch of the truth” and this will be my final closure entry about his inability to tell the truth (as I have found since leaving that company, ALL who have dealt with Mr. Pinocchio are as disgruntled as well)...a day does not go by without someone asking me, "how in the hell did you put up with Mr. Pinocchio for so long?" Ensuring the fact that (although late) I made the perfect decision to move on with my life...after several months away from having my eye 'poked' by his growing nose...I am at a place I want to be....happy...

The story of my old boss goes something like this…….

It had been some time, since Mr. Pinocchio had become a real boy. And while initially he rejoiced in finding new life, soon enough life's troubles got to him. And so it came to be - that one night as Mr. Pinocchio sat desolate and alone staring at the sky, he caved in and summoned the Blue Fairy one more time..."Star shine star bright, the first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish, I might - have the wish I wish tonight!" And sure enough, a blue star glowed all the more blue and through a sliver of light appeared the Blue Fairy! "Tell me boy" - she said "Why do you look so sad?"

"I don't like being a real boy" he said. ‘There’s too much lie and deceit in people. And I find myself hurting again and again. I wish I went back to being just a wooden puppet - and never felt anything - never knew pain.' The fair lady smiled at his appeal and waved her wand as she turned him into a wooden boy and bent down and ruffled his hair, then waved her wand again to turn him back alive. And blew a soft breeze to straighten his hair, restore them back to once they were - once again.

"Tell me boy, would you rather be a puppet - or once more be a real boy!" Mr. Pinocchio remained silent for quite a while and pondered hard in his little mind. "Sure enough, I'd felt no pain. It would be nice not to feel pain." "‘But I really want a different wish because I cannot make up my mind and move forward in the same direction." ..."I don't know what I want anymore!" said the little man.

"I want my nose to grow when I lie or do anything bad. But not just mine, I wish everyone had a nose like mine that would grow and shrink with the deeds of the man." The Blue fairy smiled again. "Strange it is, that you see a gift in what I once punished you with - This I will grant you - Pinocchio my boy. From now on your nose will grow and shrink with every lie!"

And so Mr. Pinocchio slept relieved. He thought, at least the world would be simpler. Oh! Yes - it definitely would be. He had made the new rules of the world. For once a person's face, would tell you all there is to be. He would no longer be lied to and never would have to face deceit ever again in his little mind. At last, a person would be only as beautiful as he deserves to be!!! Wake up he did next day, and went on about his little day with much confidence and perky in his step. A friend he met, “Worker” was his name, they had promised each other to buy new shoes together - and exactly the same shoes - and wear it to school on the same day! The would be partners of sort in the little village.

But when Mr. Pinocchio saw his friend's shoes, they were old. "Ah! You have broken your promise to me Worker! You did not get your shoes", he said. And Worker replied - 'No, I did go to the shop. I did not like the new shoes. No I did not!’ And sure enough as Mr. Pinocchio had wanted, Worker's nose grew larger even as he saw. "Oh! Worker boy…. Let it be, I shall go on with my day without a friend - without thee!" "I no longer need you like I had intended before...you are worthless to me now."

And so Mr. Pinocchio went on. And every person he met, he expected him to lie. And he rejoiced in joy as he saw their noses a tad too big, ‘Oh yes, a tad too large... A very good friend the Blue Fairy has been. He thought! "I will have to thank her." And so he called her again and asked from the blue star, a favor once again. Once again through a sliver of blue light, the Blue Fairy came alive. "Finally, you look happy my boy! - Tell me how was your little day?" "Oh, I called to thank you - my fair lady.....everyone’s nose has grown long," he said.

"'Really!?'" - The fairy said. "To annoy you then, I should tell you, they are really not as you think. I set them straight, not a tad too long, not a tad too large!" Downcast and with a broken heart, Mr. Pinocchio asked, "Must you lie too. Why set them straight. Why not keep them large??"

"For all is not as it seems, my boy." she said.

"Did you know Worker's mother is sick? And with no money, the shoes, he could not buy. Walked he did all the way to the shop and then kept the money to tend to his mother. Buy shoes - he did not. Though tears in his eyes, there were to be. I loved him more, for what he did. Yes, he lied to you, but out of shame and not deceit. Had you bothered to ask, a good friend you might have been…."

Awful and ashamed Mr. Pinocchio felt now. 'Oh! Such a bad friend he was!'

"You seem to have noticed everyone's nose. You did not check yours? Did you not? - The fair lady asked." 'No, my lady I did not’ he said….as he saw with shock and horror, his own nose, had grown so very long, oh so large. "My lady, I did not do any wrong. I did not know about the Worker. How could I have known he did not deceive??? Tell me - why has only my nose grown large!!"

"You should have asked about Worker, he was your friend and was loyal to you for many, many years, Mr. Pinocchio. Instead you rejoiced in everyone's misery and delighted in their fall. Vengeance is never a virtue. It shall never be. It never was!" And so Mr. Pinocchio went completely silent as he realized what he had done. He did not know what to do. "Is there no one perfect? No one good - including me??" -he asked. "No, my dear" - The lady answered.

You see Mr. Pinocchio, "Like the fingers of your hand" - she said, "No one is powerful alone. But together as a hand, they are. Each one has its own purpose. Together you can build the world as it should be!" Then with a wave of her wand, she made Pinocchio's nose shrink back. Alas! A bit relieved he felt. He wasn't a bad boy he thought, not a bad boy after all......whew! He was thankful.....

"And sure I can make you of wood again. And sure you would never feel pain. But life as you have learned is strange and you will miss out on joy as well." "You are wise my lady. You know it all. But I get fooled by people's words and promises and believe them to be virtuous as they claim to be. I have been hurt many times only because I chose to believe!" - Mr. Pinocchio exclaimed. "In that you are right my boy. You should choose your friends carefully, in your case very, very carefully. But do not judge people - just so quickly. Do not always assume the worst in people without finding the truth. You know you are an evil thinker Mr. Pinocchio. The truth is often different - do not judge them - so hastily", the fair lady replied.

Mr. Pinocchio then sat back in his borrowed chair, folded his arms over his enormous belly, rolled his eyes into the back of his head and replied, “All people in the village love me and I am the most wonderful person…I am the closest to perfect as you will ever see Fairy!” “You should be happy to be able to grant me wishes!” "I am the best friend, the best boss, and best teacher of anyone available...you should see that clearly...all others do!" "People will be on a waiting list to work for me!" As he sits alone at his desk reading his emails......

And with that the Blue Fairy began to glow even more beautifully than ever before as she realized that sometimes she cannot save the ones that are not willing to save themselves (all the wishes in the world will not help this one)…this one has no clue what loyalty, friendship, and happiness is about outside his little shop....with sawdust on the floor....

Too charming and lovely to behold she was. She kissed Pinocchio on his wooden head and turned into a star once again.

My backyard buddy...

I have a buddy that visits me each day. Hummingbirds are very small birds with a high metabolism. A great deal of energy is spent flying, so they must feed almost constantly. This little guy....and his buddies keep me busy making fresh batches for the feeders.

Hummingbirds can consume up to twice their body weight in nectar every day. They usually feed on nectar and insects. Hummingbirds actually lap up the nectar with their tongues. A lot of people think that hummingbirds have a hollow tongue like a straw. Their tongues do have grooves on the sides that collect nectar. When the bill constricts, the hummingbird can swallow the nectar from flowers and feeders.

Hummingbirds are able to perch and will do so at my feeders regularly. Because they fly so much, they have poorly developed feet. They can barely walk at all. The hummingbird is much more comfortable in flight.

The flight of hummingbirds is amazing to watch. They are able to fly up, down, forward, backward and sideways. They can stop in midair. Hummingbirds are famous for their aerial display. Some displays are courtship displays; other displays are aggressive. Hummingbirds fly great distances when they are migrating. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird migrates approximately 600 miles across the Gulf of Mexico.

Hummingbirds lack a true song. Instead, they vocalize chirping notes. Most calls are short buzz trills and chirps. Hummingbirds' wings 'buzz' or make a whirring sound while the birds are in flight. This sound is referred to as a "wing whistle." As a matter of fact...I think I hear him saying, "Hey mister!! Your birdfeeder's empty!!"...(gotta go)

My little Prince...

So I look across the room and his eyes catch mine. His ears perk-up a little in anticipation of what might come next....a happy and eager smile on his little face. He is my little 'Prince' Dillan.

If I could only be half of what he 'believes' I am...I would be quite a man indeed. His happiness and outgoing attitide actually raises my spirits...and he does this day-in and day-out...never complaining.

All he wants is my affection and my acceptance. Funny...all I want is the same from him.  Dillan's daily routine is simple...In the 'wee hours' of the morning it involves stretching and "pretending" like he wants to get up out of bed...followed by a strong-snuggle into mama's arms for a few more hours...but when it is time to get up...get up!..."I cannot hold all the water I drank papa"..."I am not kidding!"

Once the 'fire' has been put out with the Dillan hose...it is now time to stretch some more...."wait!"..."I am hungry."..."feed me papa....feed me." Dillan must have a custom blend of canned meat with the dry....but why? (It's so he can come back in an hour or so and finish it off.)

"Oops.....papa? Papa?..."the food is pushing on my belly papa."...(another trip to the private area.)...."Wait!....check my behind papa!!...check my backside...whew!...ok."

Now it is time to make coffee..plan out the 'parents' day....and where is Dillan? (Well, where do you think?....he did his business...got his belly full...he's ready to go back to bed!)

Honestly, I cannot wait to do it again tomorrow...

Men like quilts too!

My wife is in love with quilting. She is currently working on a project that is ‘transferring’ her hand-drawing…onto a projector on the wall…and then into a quilt…wow!

I have been around quilts all my life and absolutely love the work that she does and the passion she has for every type of quilt imaginable. Some of you might not be as ‘familiar’ with quilts…so I wanted to take a moment to‘re-investigate’ quilts for myself.

A quilt is a type of bedding, a covering composed of a quilt top, a layer of batting, and a layer of fabric for backing, generally combined using the technique of quilting, sometimes with additional decorative stitching that went through all the layers. Traditionally in most cultures quilting has been a women's craft, part of providing for household needs. In the United States in the 19th century, neighborhood women would gather in quilting parties to work on or finish quilts, which were sometimes made to be given as part of their daughter's wedding dowries of household furnishings.

The quilt top was made of geometric patches or scraps of fabrics combined into designs. Another technique for securing the quilt layers is "tying". Tying refers to the technique of using thread, yarn or ribbon to pass through all three layers of the quilt at regular intervals. These "ties" hold the layers together during use and especially when the quilt is washed. This method is easier and more forgiving if the quilt is made by hand. Tied quilts are called, depending on the regional area, "lap", "comfort" or "comforter", among other names.

Many quilts are made with decorative designs. Since the mid-20th century, some quilts are not made for bed covering at all, but are rather to be hung on a wall or otherwise displayed. In British English, duvet may be used instead of quilt, wadding is another way of saying batting, and calico refers to muslin, rather than to a fabric with a printed pattern on it.

I am excited about quilts…I absolutely love them…but not to make them or be involved in the process…I enjoy the smile on her face showing me her work. I am blessed.

a perfect day...

Ever since I was a young boy, I have wondered why on earth an older couple would want to stay in their manicured yard..and relax. I used to see 'older' people actually enjoying themselves in dialogue...in their yard.

How could this be I wondered? Why are they not out hiking or camping I thought? I wanted to scream at them over the fence..."get out and enjoy life"...wow...how boring I thought.

With the weather so perfect in Portland this Memorial week-end, I am sure that several hundred..if not thousands of people are flocking to find a piece of property to pitch and tent...and sleep on the ground.

But something special happened this weekend...I realized that "I" am that older person I saw when I was a young boy...my wife and I are that 'older couple' that enjoys listening to our huge water-feature pond, feeding the ravenous appetites of the Goldfinches, and more importantly I am not "afraid" of who I am (and have become)...I am at peace with myself! Finally!

We have worked for 15 years to get the look we have now... (we have worked longer on this yard than the number of years I was alive when I used to see old people in their yards). Well, I love my yard for the way it bombards my senses and shields me from the rat race. When I look out a window, walk out a door, or drive up in my car, I'm blinded by my own smile. After one of Portland's toughest white winters I can't get enough of its myriad shades of green and the songs of all the various birds.

The scent when I mow the grass ... wow, that fresh green fragrance ... there's no smell that brings back more Saturday morning memories than a freshly mowed lawn. The sound of the water splashing in our pond near the back patio, and the twittering of birds in the feeders in our 'bird garden' connects me to the natural world in a way that completely drowns out all other ‘stressful’ things in my life.

And to sit on the patio at the end of the day with a cool beverage, and feel the garden air play over my face, with the fragrance, and the splashing and twittering, and the scent of grass now mingled with the aroma of a perfect t-bone on the grill ... well, put it all together and it's the ultimate escape. What I did not know as that young boy (many moons ago)..is that "I deserve to sit on my ass after working all these years."

I love my yard...I love my wife....and I am not afraid to say...”I love my life."

Opening weekend: backyard barbecue!

Opening weekend: backyard barbecue. Get out the steel wool. Scrub down the grill rack, the barbecue tools. Strike up the charcoal. Add hot dogs, burgers. Bring on a big bowl of classic potato salad. Cover the table with a checkered cloth, stack up the paper napkins. It’s the first cookout of the season! Keep it simple, pure, traditional.

The key to delicious results is building the bold flavor before, during, and after barbecuing. For example, if you want your rib eye steak to have a blackened exterior and a rare interior, you need a good rub on your steak, a hot fire in proximity to your meat, and a short cooking time.

Ahhhh....Memorial Day Weekend is upon us! For many, it's three days of fun in the sun and welcoming summer. It's great to enjoy yourselves, but keep in mind that Memorial Day is also about remembering soldiers that have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

Memorial Day is a holiday set aside to remember soldiers who have lost their lives, although many people also take the opportunity to remember all loved ones who have passed away. The holiday began after the American Civil War. During the war, about 500,000 soldiers were killed on both sides of the battle, and women began decorating graves of these lost soldiers.

Although many cities created local holidays to memorialize the dead between 1864 and 1866, the first widespread celebration of the holiday was on May 30, 1868. A general ordered that flowers and decorations be placed at the graves of fallen soldiers. Special services and tributes were also created to honor the dead. The general asked the press to support the effort.

Originally, Memorial Day was called Decoration Day, and most cities passed their own resolutions making it an official holiday, usually on May 30 or 31. In 1938, congress made Memorial Day a national holiday on May 30. The date was adjusted by congress in 1968 so that it would fall on the last Monday in May.

After World War I, many women began selling poppies in honor of Memorial Day, to raise money for families affected by the war. The poppies were inspired by Canadian Colonel John McCrae's poem, "In Flanders Fields." Today, honoring soldiers on Memorial Day often takes the form of special ceremonies, speeches, and laying a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

John McCrae was a Canadian physician. He fought at the Western Front in 1914, but was later moved to the medical corps and assigned to a hospital in France. He died of pneumonia while on active duty in 1918. His "In Flanders Fields" is probably the single best-known and popular poem from the war, published in his volume of poetry, In Flanders Fields and Other Poems, 1919.

In Flanders Fields


In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.


We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.


Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.


— Lt.-Col. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)


As I enjoy this time set-aside for remembrance, I want to say thank you to all the men and women that have given me the 'right' to enjoy this weekend. Thank you for your sacrifices...PLEASE OBAMA...bring our troops home soon!!

A good offense...wins!

What if you could change destiny? Would you really want to?

Along our journey we will be confronted with many situations, some will be filled with joy, and some will be filled with heartache. How we react to what we are faced will determine what kind of outcome the rest of our journey through life will be like.

When things don't always go your way, you have two choices in dealing with the situations. You can focus on the fact that things didn't go how you had hoped they would and let life pass you by or we can make the best of the situation and know that these are only temporary setbacks and "study" the lessons that are to be learned.

Time stops for no one, and if we allow ourselves to focus on the negative we might miss out on some really amazing things that life has to offer. You can't go back to the past, you can only take the lessons learned and the experiences gained from it and move on. It is because of the heartaches, as well as the hardships, that in the end help to make you a stronger person.

The people that we meet on our journey, are people that we are destined to meet. Everybody comes into our lives for some reason or another and we don't always know their purpose, until sometimes, it is too late. They all play some kind of role. Some may stay for a lifetime; others may only stay for a short while. Several years ago, at an awards banquet an employee of mine was being honored in front of all 17 offices nationwide. My wife and I were absolutely 'stunned' when he accepted the award...and said without reservation..."I would like to thank Tracy Hall for hiring me."

As you can imagine I was shocked...but the words that came from my wife were true..."you never know how you will impact someone's life."

It is often the people who stay for only a short time that ends up making a lasting impression not only in our lives, but in our hearts as well. Although we may not realize it at the time, they will make a difference and change our lives in a way we never could imagine. To think that (any) one person can have such a profound effect on your life forever is truly a blessing. It is because of these encounters that we learn some of life's best lessons and sometimes we even learn a little bit about ourselves.

People will come and go into our lives quickly, but sometimes we are lucky to meet that one or two very special people that will stay in our hearts forever no matter what. The lessons that we have learned from them and the experiences that we have gained from meeting certain people, will stay with us forever.

It is often said that what doesn't kill you will make you stronger. It all depends on how one defines the word "strong." It can have different meanings to different people. In this sense, "stronger" means looking back at the person you were and comparing it to the person you have become today.

It also means looking deep into your soul and realizing that the person you are today couldn't exist if it weren't for the things that have happened in the past or for the people that you have met. Everything that happens in our life happens for a reason and sometimes that means we must face heartaches in order to experience joy.

It is “you” that decides if you are winning in life….or not. You decide if you want to make a difference in someone's life.

a simple breakfast!....

With the winter that we had this year...it is now time to celebrate the 'true meaning' of spring. This morning I had breakfast with a visionary in my industry that gave me hope that 'I am on the right path' in my thinking about customer service. He and his wife were open, honest, and easy to talk to.

I am again excited about the future which (at times) depending on who or what you listen to....is as though the 'sky is ALWAYS falling.' This team provided 'just enough' information to keep me wanting to know more about them and I look forward to our dialogue again someday. Sometimes it makes sense to 'bounce' ideas off another person...just to make sure you are on the right track....and you know what? I am!

I am extremely good at what I do and now....after all these years...I am finally beginning to believe it myself. No matter what business you are in....every business is a "people business." Whether you are dealing with internal or external customers...being able to deal with people is the key! I tell everyone that they're in the people business, and passion makes the biggest difference. If you're going to have an impact on somebody's life, you have to be excited about what you do.

Try this…before your next shift; ask yourself how passionate you are about your work. Does it show? Get honest assessments about your level of desire from coworkers or your spouse. Many employees let life and its circumstances get them off track. If this has happened to you, think back to when you started. Remember the lives you touched, the people who will never forget you, and try to recapture your passion.

You should also associate with people who have a passion for people. It sounds corny, but birds of a feather really do flock together. If you've lost some of your fire, get around people who haven't, because passion is contagious.

The second thing you must do is control your attitude. Attitude is more important than education, appearance, skill or talent. It can make or break personal relationships, business organizations, and teams of all sorts. The good news is that you have a choice every day regarding the attitude you wear. You may not have control over things around you, but you can control how you respond to them. Focus on the way you interact with people and attend to their needs. You must consciously decide to not let external factors affect your attitude, because doing so impedes your ability to give your customers your best.

And....positively interacting with people and building successful relationships requires effective communication. This goes far beyond the verbal. You have to interpret mental states and discern true meanings behind words. You must learn to communicate at the emotional level. This involves eye contact, tone of voice, body language and facial expressions listening with your eyes as well as your ears.

The final way to improve the quality of life of those you interact with is sharing your sense of humor. Of course making jokes during emergency situations is improper. But in many instances, when appropriate, a moment of laughter can give any stressed-out person a change of perspective. It can break the ice and put you on the fast track to building a relationship.

And I certainly hope that I built a relationship with the two I had breakfast with this morning...sometimes...a simple breakfast meeting can put you on the right path to your personal success!

Recipe for my 50 year “Love Cake”

• 4 lbs. of pure love

• 1 lb. butter of youth
• ½ lb. of good looks
• 1 lb. sweet temper
• 1 tsp of naughty smile
• 1 lb. of ‘blindness for faults’
• 2 ½ lbs. of self-forgetfulness
• 1 lb. pure listening (refined only!)
• ½ lb. pure sweetener
• 1 lb. of good humor
• 2 tsp of sweet argument
• 1 pint of rippling laughter
• 8 cups of common sense
• 1 oz. modesty


Put the love, good looks and sweet temper into a well furnished house or apartment. Beat the butter of youth to a cream, and mix well together with the ‘blindness of faults.’ Cream the butter and pure sweetener. Stir the listening and good humor into the sweet argument—then immediately add naughty smile. Add the rippling laughter and common sense then work the whole together until everything is well mixed, and bake gently forever.


Note: Do not over process mix.


I love you JoJo!

Happiness is. . .

What does it take to be happy? Is it your performance at work? Honestly, I don't think so. If work "defines" who and what you are, what happens if work isn't going so well?

I think that too many people go through life "thinking" they are happy, but don't really know the meaning. Let me give you an example. Yesterday, I saw a grown man (seemingly very irate) behind the wheel of an enormous diesel truck...no not the 53' semi-truck...one of those: "I want to be as big and noisy as an 18 wheeler...but can't afford it...trucks."

Why in hell would you need a very, very noisy "giant" pickup truck? I thought to myself, maybe he pulls horses or travel trailers....or small houses...but no hitch. Maybe he hauls bricks or wood....or sheep....but the bed of his truck (with no tailgate) showed no signs of wear...not a scratch. Ok, maybe he likes the size..."that's it!!" He likes to intimidate other drivers by screaming-up behind them....slamming on his brakes...."banging his hands onto the steering wheel"....and actually getting pissed off that someone stopped at a traffic signal.

I watched in amazement as he weaved from lane to lane....honked at a few drivers....only to end-up at the same location as the rest of the traffic. What a way to live your life. Unhappy at everything!

Maybe if he knew that happiness is not having to listen to your boss talk about how "bad things are" all the time....happiness is the ability to "earn" your pay (not be pigeoned into what the company 'thinks' you are worth)....happiness is spending time with your family.

Happiness is "what you make it." You wake up each day with an opportunity to be in a bad mood...or be happy (insert sh*t eating grin here).

It's Spring..."a time for change"

This has been a very, very long winter for me! I was snowed-in for almost a week...and after that...it seems to rain almost every day.

As soon as the sun peeks-out, everyone seems to run to the window like they have never seen sunlight before...pathetic. And besides that....the idiots that drive with studs on all 4 tires...in the rain....don't get me started.

Thank God it is spring! It's time for a new beginning...and time for me to find a new job. My 8 years are up!

Leaving a job isn't a crime. But many workers feel incredibly guilty about it and will even put off telling their boss, which actually makes it worse if it means your boss has less notice than he or she would otherwise have. The big thing to know is that you don't owe anyone an excuse or an apology for leaving. People leave jobs all the time -- it's normal. Any boss who isn't crazy knows its part of doing business. Simply be straightforward and professional about it, and you'll likely be surprised at how smoothly it will go....more to come.

WITH TODAY'S sluggish economy, most people who are employed can't help but breathe a little sigh of relief that they have a job--even if they don't really like it. Human nature is to retreat to the trenches in times of uncertainty, and those who would like to make a job change are left wondering whether it is safe to poke their heads out and take a look around.

The good news is that, despite the economic slowdown, it's still an "employees' market" in much of the U.S., with a significant labor shortage in many parts of the country. For example, a survey by the Connecticut Business and Industry Association and Andersen Consulting found that 75% of small and midsize businesses that responded are having trouble filling vacancies because of the shortage of qualified workers.

More to come....