Conditions
12:08 PM A new friend who I met last week has this quote at the end of her emails: “There are two conditions in life: accept things as they are, or accept responsibility for changing them.” – Dr. Denis Waitley This quote can be applied to a lot of different aspects of life. This hits home for me on many fronts, but I like it because it comes down to motivation. If we’re not satisfied with where we are, we can stay status quo, or we can take a sometimes longer, undefined path to get to where we want to be. I wish I would have posted this on a Monday as opposed to a...
Read MorePaint
Rochester, NY I’ve been helping a friend paint the house he just bought. We did some work yesterday. The previous owners may have been color blind or had a ‘different’ sense for what looks good. Needless to say, there is a lot of work to be done. Over a couple of weekends I helped finish off the living room and get started on the dining room. This is a friend of mine from way back and when you see someone that you’ve known for so long moving into a new house and essentially, taking another step on the road of life, it is pretty cool. When I paint, it helps my mind...
Read MoreEducation
Rochester, NY 5:06 PM I went to the law offices of Nixon Peabody this morning to interview their head of human resources for my next project. As I waited for him to come and get me the Rochester, NY paper was there. A headline from the front page jumped out at me. “City’s 39% grad rate is worst in NY’s big 4.” Bill came to get me before I could read it. Well, now I have. All I can say is wow. I also have a few expletives one would say when getting a staggering statistic, but I’ll write wow instead of those. The Rochester City School District’s high school graduation rate is 39%. I...
Read MoreMessenger
Canton, OH More from 4/23 My time on the Ridge was an amazing start to what would turn out to be a busy and great day. After my light sight I had breakfast, showered, and drove south to Canton, OH. I was set to meet with Michael, who I had met the day before. I had started reading his book, “The Word of God upon My Lips: A Messenger Speaks.” It was pretty deep stuff. On Earth Day, he read from his book. With an open mind, I heard him explain how he began to get feelings and sensations of something speaking through him. With some focus and prayer, this voice was a messenger, passing on...
Read MoreLight
Angel House Happened: 4/23. Posted: 4/25. I woke up earlier than normal, close to 7:00. My hope was to go on the Ridge to catch the sunrise. I should probably explain what the Ridge is. Angel House sits in front of a rise in the land. The land is a barrier, with Angel House on one side, woods and trails in the middle, and the Rocky River below on the other side. Walking out of the back of Angel House, you pass a vortex spot and then cross a meandering creek on a bridge. A few more paces on the dirt trail lead to maybe 10 wooden steps. Turning right, you walk on an incline, with the river on...
Read MoreEarth Day
Angel House – Strongsville, OH This is written from Rochester, NY on 4/25. 4/22 Earth Day at Angel House For the past few weeks I’ve been going stir crazy waiting on my book deal to happen. Waiting on something you basically have no control over is very tough. A few weeks ago I spoke with Carol Dombrose, the owner of the Angel House in Strongsville, OH. She had mailed me a DVD of the ABC news story they did when I was there in September of 2006. We caught up and she asked me to come back to Angel House for their open house, which was on Earth Day. There was going to be a lot of...
Read MoreDreams
12:36 PM In July of 2005 my mom gave me a motivational card, about the size of a playing card, titled “Don’t Let Anything Keep You from Your Dreams.” On it is a quotation from a woman named Shannon M. Lester. I don’t know who Shannon is and a Google and Amazon search haven’t really helped. She seems to be quoted on dreams a lot. I don’t really know why certain things hit us at certain times, but ever since my mom gave me the card, it’s sat in the front console of my car, just under the CD player. It’s become a staple, not necessarily in reading it, but knowing it is there. It...
Read MoreChanging Storm
1:38 PM I had started the day planning on jotting a few things down about the nor’easter that is constantly reminding me of its presence with the ping of rain on my window. Growing up on Lake Ontario, I have some memories of big storms, but this was the first time I ever remember getting a phone call from emergency response people saying to be prepared for flooding in low lying areas and 9 – 12 foot waves. I was going to talk about going outside last night in the wind and wet moving firewood up from the pile so it didn’t get swept back into the water. But as I ate my lunch...
Read MoreHyrings
Rochester, NY 11:43 PM I got a call earlier tonight from a friend I’ve known since 1st grade. He called my house phone which is normally reserved for solicitors. I had lunch with him the week prior so I knew it wasn’t time to catch up, and the tone of his voice was solemn, so my stomach fluttered. He said his dad suddenly passed away the night before Easter. That’s when your mind goes to work. It’s wild, I hadn’t seen his dad in years, but my mind flashed with all of the memories stored in there about him. He was our soccer coach with my dad from 2nd grade through 6th and I could...
Read MoreThree Years, Part Two
Rochester, NY 1:51 PM Last night I sat in the office of a well respected university professor in the field of human motivation. As I asked him questions, he responded on various topics including motivation at work, education, healthcare, and in day to day life activities, I couldn’t help but laugh. “I could sit here and talk for hours,” I told him. And it was true. Being there talking with a guy who has spent 40 years researching motivation, I was where I wanted to be. And today, on the third anniversary of me hitting the road to find my career and to find me, last night is what it is...
Read MoreMasters
Augusta, GA 11:44 AM The Masters is off and running. This seems to be the one tournament non golf fans take an interest in. It could be the tradition of playing the same course each year or the fact that it falls on Easter sometimes. In some families, sports bring us together. As a huge golf fan, I am pumped. This is a rite of spring. Their azaleas are pumped full of a Barry Bonds concoction and in full bloom right on cue. Tiger Woods leads the charge for the 3rd leg of a Tiger Slam. CBS coverage comes on at 4, but I’m watching Amen Corner at Masters.org. As much as the Masters is a right...
Read MoreIt’s All Over
Atlanta, GA Another college hoops season has come and gone. I’ve been glued to the tube, watching as many games as possible. The Final Four was not the most exciting as there were no buzzer beaters or last second heroics. But, it showed me why I watch college sports. On my quest to find passionate people, I have felt their energy and intensity. As I watched March Madness, I could see the same thing in some of the athletes on the court. And in the fans. I’ve also watched some of the ladies Final Four, which I normally don’t do. Again, their passion is unmistakable. I think theirs might...
Read MoreFuture
Univ. of Rochester 5:22 PM I just got back from a Symposium at the University of Rochester titled, “The Future of the Book.” Fitting for where I currently am in the process. It was great to be a part of the creative energy campuses seems to emanate. I also managed to come away without a parking ticket, which is always a bonus. There were 4 lecturers from various capacities within academia and the publishing world. The audience was more adult than student. My guess is some professors were there to learn about their future. In the university setting, it is publish or perish. Pretty...
Read MoreTommy P
11:54 AM One of my favorite singers noted: “The waiting is the hardest part, Every day you see one more card, You take it on faith, you take it to the heart, The waiting is the hardest part…” This is a weird time for me. I am still on the high of getting an agent and then having him send out my book proposal to publishers. Now I’m so close to what I see as next, the waiting to hear back from the publishers is painful. It’s hard for my mind to focus on much else. Yet, I can’t do a thing about it. Back in my sales days, I could have more of a direct impact on...
Read MoreWalk
Lake Ontario 2:38 PM It looks like Spring has finally come to upstate NY. I just came in from a walk. It is a 60 degree day with minimal clouds and light wind. Walking outside, the birds were chirping in full force. It had been many months since I’ve heard their chatter. The trees don’t have their leaves yet and the grass still is sopping wet from the melted snow. I walked on the beach, with Lake Ontario bounding onto the beach. Driftwood, remnants of the powerful winter storms and currents, was strewn about the walk. In front of our houses were a few big ones, which I dug up and lugged...
Read Moreblink
11:36 PM I just finished up the book, blink, by Malcolm Gladwell. He’s also the guy that wrote, The Tipping Point. blink is an interesting read. The focus is on our brain and how we think, even sometimes without thinking. There are numerous examples of our brain working in ways we don’t expect, including why most CEO’s are tall and why a musician loved by execs was not loved by the masses. He even gets into a doctor who can predict if a marriage will fail or last based on a few minutes of watching and listening to the couple. There are also police policies and training working on...
Read MoreIt’s Personal
Rochester, NY 10:22 AM Last night I went to hear an author talk about his recently released book. The author, Arunas Chesonis, is also the CEO of PAETEC, a billion dollar company based in Rochester. I was drawn to this talk for a couple of reasons. I wanted to see what it is like to have your book in front of you and people asking you questions about it. Of course, I imagined myself in that situation in the not so distant future. More so, I was intrigued by a guy who writes that his business succeeded because of their philosophy of focusing on their people. That motto is what I share during...
Read MoreHappy Monday
11:22 AM This is weird to say, but thank goodness it is Monday. It’s been a long weekend and I am just back to normal mental capacity. Friday was basketball watching with friends from 1 PM to midnight. We even got a taste of the coming day with 9 bagpipers making sweet music in the bar for a good hour. Saturday was the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. If you live in Rochester, then this day and this parade is known as something to be a part of. It didn’t matter that we got 6 inches of snow the night before. It didn’t matter that it was 30 degrees and windy. There were still...
Read MoreTime for Brackets
9:22 PM What a day this is. Someone in power decided we needed to move the time change up a few weeks. I think their reason was to try and save energy at night by extending the daylight. I personally don’t care what the reasoning is, but when it it is still light out at 7 PM, I ‘m all for it. And the days will keep getting longer. As a golfer, this is a day we always look forward to. As now being more of a northerner, this is a sign that snow and cold are coming to an end. Hopefully. Making this day even better is the fact they just announced the brackets for March Madness. My Tar...
Read MoreRockin’ Friday
10:22 PM Something is not right, or is it? It’s Friday night and I am not out and about having cocktails or dinner or watching a movie. I am in front of my computer, typing in this, but more so, working. My talk this morning went quite well, with a group of close to 40 professionals listening to what I’ve learned about people that are motivated and about companies who motivate. Each time I do these talks I get better at it. And I enjoy it more. I am relatively new to the speaking world, but I can see it as a fit. I used to be great at sales because of my preparation and effort. I...
Read MoreSpeaking
Rochester, NY 2:27 PM I’m back in NY. There is still snow on the ground and it is cold, but I’m not too worried about it. My focus is on what is next. My book proposal is now in play, with publishers checking the journey out. What is in the here and now are two talks, one tomorrow and one next Thursday. Tomorrow I’ll be speaking to members of the Rochester Business Alliance (the city’s version of the Chamber). From what I’m told the group will be predominantly HR professionals. I love passing on the stories of the individual motivation I have experienced, but in this case, the focus...
Read MoreMassage
Goodyear, AZ 9:23 PHX The weekend has flown by. The sun has been out the whole time, with higher than average wind. Temps have been in the 70’s, which made for a perfect day at the ballpark. This was my first Spring Training experience and we went to Peoria for the Mariners – Padres game. We had lawn seats. The game was a 1:05 start and we got there during the second. Spreading out our blankets and unwrapping our sandwiches, we had Jacob’s first picnic. I knew Ichiro and a few of the other players, but we didn’t pay 100% attention to the game. We mainly sat amongst the other families...
Read MoreGodfather
Goodyear, AZ 8:22 PHX I have hit the stage in life when most of the weddings are completed and now it is baby time. It’s been a busy few weeks for my friends and the stork. There are King’s twin girls in Asheville. Big Rob in Charlotte had a girl. Jim in Rochester just had a girl. And my peeps in AZ who I’m visiting had a boy just before Christmas. It is incredible to see the looks on the new mom’s faces in the pictures and to hear the happiness in the voices of the new dad’s when they’ve called me. But being here is a little different. Jacob is my first Godson. What an honor it...
Read MoreSunshine
9:12 AM A short notice trip to Phoenix came into the works Tuesday. I’m out to see my main man’s new baby boy, Jacob. Can’t wait. The sunshine will be nice too. It sounds like I’m also interviewing a couple of people. A long day of travel…
Read MoreTravel
Phoenix, AZ 11:58 PM PHX Since Phoenix does not recognize Daylight Savings, how do you determine what the time notation would be? I realize it is two hours behind Eastern, but in a few weeks it will be three. For my purposes, it is PHX. My brain is fried. Driving hour after wears you out differently than flying does, but they both take a toll. I was dropped off at the Rochester airport at 9:45 AM EST. I arrived in Phoenix at 12:05 AM EST. That is a long day no matter how break it down. But I am glad to be here. I am looking forward to meeting the little man, he was asleep when we got here....
Read MoreBook
Rochester, NY 3:40 PM I just got back from the post office where I taped up and sent a box loaded with 15 sets of book proposals, DVD’s, CD’s, and post cards. The To on the address was my agent in NYC. He’ll get the package and start doing his thing. It seems like it’s taken forever to see this day, but I’m psyched. I can’t stop smiling at the thought of sharing my experiences on the road in a book. The book process is slow, so I don’t know when the next update will be. But the next update should be a good one: a publisher. More to come… I put a...
Read MoreInvincible
Philadelphia, PA 9:22 PM My desire to be out and about has slowed down some and this was a weekend for movies. I saw Deja Vu with Denzel Washington. Not bad, entertaining. Kind of like a longer CSI with some Hollywood fact bending. That was Friday afternoon after lunch. Friday night was Thank You for Smoking. It was a spoof on the industry of lobbyists, in this case highlighting the tobacco business. The actor talked with glee how his client killed hundreds of people a day versus his counterparts in alcohol and the other in firearms. The movie was decent, but I’m sure it has more truth...
Read MoreAnna
Everywhere 1:05 PM I’ve been back in my office for two and a half days. As is my customary lunch procedure, I park in front of the TV, flipping between CNN, Headline News, and ESPN. Yesterday and today I’ve been continually peppered with updates and coverage of the Anna Nicole Smith story and trial. Now, I like a story about attractive girls with technologically advanced features as much as the next guy, but c’mon already. The only time Anna Nicole Smith had relevance is when I was going through puberty. Her qualities make her far from worthy of being on a News channel. If I watched E!,...
Read MoreBack
9:22 AM I’m back in NY. It’s cold. My final day down south was 60 degrees. Not bad considering we are excited for 30′s. My travel day was long and had some quirks. My 2 1/2 hour drive from Memphis to the Little Rock airport was uneventful. I said goodbye to my G6 and was happy to see they had charged me less than I expected. Lunch was an overpriced turkey sandwich, chips, and water from the Starbuck’s in the airport. What a rip. $11 for all of it. The turkey covered 1/2 of the bread. I was in the A group on my Southwest flight and looked forward to sitting on the...
Read MoreKids
Memphis, TN 9:53 PM My five days in Memphis have flown by. It’s been a lot of house time, but when you are spending it with your family, it makes it all the better. My nieces are awesome. I’ve said it before, but being a parent wears you out. Two kids with a boundless supply of energy, going full bore from the time they wake up to the time they pass out, it doesn’t leave a lot of time for much else. And I’ve been caught up in the kid whirlwind reading books, watching movies, coloring, playing, and eating. Kids’ houses have great snacks. Sometimes those of us...
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