March 1st, 2011
Long ago, in a galaxy far far away, I was about to step to the platform to address an energetic audience. I was talking with a friend about the content of my presentation when the event coordinator interrupted our conversation. He dismissed my friend with a demeaning comment and asked, “Are you going to wear “THAT” outfit to the platform? His eyebrows were raised in obvious disgusted annoyance. I was wearing new jeans, a shirt and a sport coat. It was the jeans that incurred his wrath.
His condescending tone flipped a switch deep inside my soul. My response was instantaneous, clever, profoundly logical, and……… totally inappropriate, but my lips were already moving and I spit the words out with vengeance.
January 31st, 2011
There is a mistake that kills time, progress, and sometimes people. It causes confusion and hesitation in moments where confidence and clear thinking is essential.
Here are a couple of illustrations of the insidious affect this mistake has on behavior. See if you can identify what the mistake is.
March 16th, 2010
Today I began scouting out hiding places for the annual Easter egg hunt we hold at our home. I plan this carefully. My objective is to find hiding places that have never been used before. Evidently, my memory is becoming severely degraded. I put a little red flag in each new place I think will make a unique hiding place for this year. I poked a flag in four rotten eggs left from last year.
How could I forget a place where I stuck a flag and hid an egg only a year ago? Here is the worst part. I put out 30 flags, then I go to get the eggs. In the span of time it takes to go inside the house, get the eggs and begin placing them, I usually forget where at least five of the flags are. Just a few more years and I will be able to hide my own Easter eggs. Every egg will be a surprise!
When the starting gun goes off at the beginning of the hunt, (yes, we do have a shotgun start) the children immediately dash for the places they found eggs hidden the previous year. They have memories like elephants.
March 9th, 2010
I finally bought a GPS. I fought the idea because I already had a wife. Didn’t need a GPS. Diane was my GPS. “Turn left in 500 ft – Stay on this road for three miles – Stop! – We’re here!”
Diane was always right and she didn’t need batteries. I travel alone now and I’m not very good at getting to my destination. On several occasions I’ve found myself in the middle of a corn field, fifty miles from where I wanted to be. So I bought a GPS. Named it Lulu. Lulu has my destination locked in her memory and shows me the perfect way to get there. It’s kind of nice. Lulu doesn’t make me stop to go to the bathroom, she never asks me what I am thinking and she too is always right. But sometimes I deliberately, or by accident, turn right when Lulu says left…or left when she says right. In those moments Lulu gently instructs me to make a U turn and get back on track. More often she simply says “recalculating.” Then she comes up with a whole new perfect plan for me. A new beginning from my current position. How cool is that! The destination remains the same… the journey getting there has been adjusted taking into account my diversion.
February 15th, 2010
On Valentines day we gave each of our grandchildren little notebooks to be used as journals. We also gave them brief instructions on how to use them. The older children immediately sat down and began recording their thoughts for the day. Since my youngest granddaughter, four year old Jadyn, cannot yet write, I was worried that she might feel left out. My fears were put to rest when she sat down, took out her pencil, and whispered as she began to write, “Dear diarrhea!” The entire house erupted in laughter, including the uncontrollable giggles of Jadyn. But when the laughter dies, I hope that each of my grandchildren experience the many benefits of keeping a regular journal.
Here are just a few of those benefits:
