December 2009
18 posts
Today I Celebrated Simply Joys
Upstate New York in late December … perfect time to go sledding with the kids! There are few things in life that deliver more pure, simple joy than zipping down a grand hill with two kids - on a slick tube!
We also had our three (yes three) dogs out with us - two labs and an even bigger mutt - and to see them playing in the snow, you’d be hard pressed to not think they experience...
“Having pried through the strata, analyzed to a hair, counsel’d with...”
– Walt Whitman
Great Newsletter Confirmation E-Mail
I found a great site/blog yesterday,The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guillebeau. I signed up for his e-mail blasts, and got the following reply (see indented text below).
You think I’m pyched to start receiving these? You bet I am!
The first thing he does is make a deal with me … that he’s gonna battle for my in-box. No one’s ever told me that before. Awesome!
Then...
“Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never - in nothing, great or...”
– Winston Churchill
Diamond in the Rough
A few months ago Esquire ran an article called “The Perfect Compliment” by Tom Chiarella. It was a cute article, fluff really, until the very end when his closing remarks captured a genuine moment that has stayed with me - very close to me heart. If you have children, it’ll probably stay with you too. Check it out:
In the end, the compliments I came up with were tailored and...
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The Best Gift I Gave This Year
Today we spent the morning moving the gifts from under the tree to their new homes - mainly the kids bedrooms and playroom. As we moved the new items in, we packed up some older toys, books and games - as well as clothes that no longer fit, and set them aside for donation. A great Christmas tradition.
An even greater Christmas tradition, according to my wife, is the gift I have been giving her...
Life Really is Good →
This blog is all about spreading the positive, and the Life is Good team does just that. With simplicity, humor and humility - they do it right.
Holiday E-mail from Executives Who Get It
Here is a holiday greeting/e-mail from an exutive who gets it:
The Holiday season is a time to share not only the gift of things, but a time to reflect upon how fortunate we all are to be able to share the love of family and friends. It is also a time to remember who you are, and more importantly, what kind of person you want to be. We have a code of ethics that all of you heard when you...
Be Less Competetive
That’s right. Take a break from being so darn competitive - and get back to the real reason we do most things … for the love of it!
Inspired by re-reading an old running journal. See below:
Got out this morning at 6:30 for a 38:45 run. Hit the gym this afternoon for a weight workout. Feeling pretty good today. I am not a morning person, but there is something about getting out...
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50 Free Tools for Color Combinations →
This is timely. Since my last post on the new logo, I stumbled upon this link. Who new there were so many sites dedicated to color!
“I am of old and young, of the foolish as much as the wise,
Regardless of...”
– Walt Whitman
What Matters Now - Seth Godin's New E-book →
We all need a little inspiration now and then. This book is it!
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When at the Crossroads - Just Point
Today many companies are at the crossroads. One direction points to failure, the other to success.
The tough economy, failed strategies and plain old bad luck have finally caught up to most everyone.
Most employees are simply standing there, staring at the two signs and feeling helpless as to which direction their ship is headed.
But all it takes is one person to stand up and point toward the...
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One Perfect Thing
One of my goals in life is to do one perfect thing. I really don’t care what it is. A handshake, a speech, a letter, a presentation, a race.
It doesn’t really matter what it is - I just want to experience Perfection on my terms.
Like Beauty and Truth, Perfection exists - in some way, shape or form for all of us.
At 42, I have yet to do one perfect thing. My life, its seems, is...
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Find A Living Legend
If you haven’t done so already, search your world for a true living legend. They are closer and more real than you think.
Here is the story of how I met mine:
I used to think I was clever when I unleashed my conversation starter on unsuspecting friends, colleagues and acquaintances. “Can you name me a living legend,” I would say – hoping to gain a little insight into the questioned –...
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Do You Remember Your Wedding Vows?
I do, because I wrote them. Fourteen years ago, my wife and I stood in front of our family and friends - and recited some of the most special words we had ever put to paper. And to each other.
I take them out every now again … to re-live the passion, the intensity, the urgency - the love.
After fourteen years of marriage, two children and many twists and turns, it sometimes is difficult...
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Can You Ever Sound Too Polished?
If you’re a news anchor/reader, the President of the United States, or a budding Toastmaster - then no. But if you’re in most any other profession or situation, then yes - you may, at times, run the risk of sounding overly polished.
Let me explain.
I’d much rather listen to someone who is totally genuine, rather than totally polished.
Take two popular sports radio...