People need people. Some of us more than others.  This is evident by the number of people that go to the mall this time of the year to buy nothing.  They do!  Take a look around (if you have time) to the number of people at the mall who are not holding a bag or actively looking for an item.  People want to be around people. The reason?  Some have a concern that they will miss out on something by not being there.  Some have nothing better to do.  Others just want to be around people.  The energy, the warmth, the need for stimulation, etc.  People just want to be around people.   Yes, all of us have some desire […]

It’s the one that people know you by.  Think about it, when you are describing someone to a group of people that might know who you are talking about, it’s the second sentence that connects the dots. Do you know Jim in accounting? You know, the guy that grabbed your ass at the Christmas party! Or…. Do you know Jim in accounting? You know, the guy that saved those orphans from the fire! Which Jim do you want to be? Remember that.  If you are looking to make the right name for yourself in your chosen field, or even in social circles, you need to make sure the best second sentence is what you are projecting.   Do you know […]

I am totally consumed with the tv show The Walking Dead.  I’m not usually into zombie shows or movies and I got bored quickly with the recent sergeancy in vampire stories.  The Walking Dead is a solid show and I’m hooked.  I’m catching up.   I am only on season 2.  Please no spoiler posts! The show got me thinking about what I would do if the zombie apocalypse were to occur.  What would I do?  Where would I go?  What would be my role in the group of survivors?  This is why the show is so good-it makes you think.  I went as far as to assemble my “Zombie Attack Dream Team” and let the members know that they […]

A few weekends ago I shot a 7 point buck.  Yes, I hunt.  Something that many of you probably didn’t know about me.  As far as shooting a deer, I have been on a dry streak and honestly, this was the first deer I had shot in more than 10 years.   This blog isn’t about hunting.  Those of you who might be reading and thinking about stopping before I retell the story of Bambi (the hunter in the woods played by me) can rest assured that my words will not be taking us that direction.   Minutes before I pulled the trigger my mind raced with thoughts of doubt.  As I watched the deer though the scope, I was […]

A few years ago I was teaching a radio class at Appalachian State in Boone, NC and I happen to get there early to watch the guest speaker before me. He and I had never met and I only caught the tail end of his lecture, but it was what he said at the end that really hit me.   “You can’t get into the hall of fame unless the next generation votes you in”. Brilliant! It’s essentially how I have lived my life, but crafted from someone who I had never met till that day.  Giving back is imperative.  Sure, I walk by bell ringers in front of the mall all of the time and I don’t give as […]

A friend and former employee of mine was up for a promotion and needed some advice on what to say/do during the interview process.  This person is a very talented and I am their biggest fan for sure.  My friend just struggles with balance.  Balance between self confidence and ability.  My friend has all the ability and is extremely talented, but lacks the confidence to be able to sell those talents to others. Yes, it is good to be disarming, but not to the point where you cannot gain credibility or emote confidence that people need to see in you. Many people derail their point or success by clinging to the crutch of self doubt.  If you believe in yourself, […]

I have mentioned before, in an earlier blog, that I have never been a fan of Robert Frost.  I never could get into his stuff.  I once got into an argument with a college professor about Frost and how I thought his poetry was fluff (still got an A).  His largest contribution to the literary world is “The Road Not Taken”.  (The snowy woods one wasn’t bad I guess). Sometimes in life and in business we take a left turn.  “The road not taken”.  More often than not, it was a choice made out of necessity-not always out of desire or spawned from your original goals.  Survival sometimes opens doors to new jobs, relationships and adventures.  Often, your climb in […]

Admittedly I have said those words to my wife and I am not proud it.  Her point was made and chances are I was wrong.  There is no need to keep beating a dead horse or in my case, reminding me that I am wrong.  I get it.  Shut up. My beautiful wife Christal is a 2 sentence too many person.  Go with me on this- I promise you I am not writing this to pick on her, but rather making a point about people and word economy.  She has a tendency to pile on words and it does muddy communication.  Telling  me to pick up my socks is a one statement request.  Telling me to do it with 3-4 […]

You see shirts, Facebook posts and Pinterest updates with the various versions of the “Keep Calm” theme.  I’m sitting on a plane on my way to Disney World with my family.  For some reason, I end up doing a lot of writing while flying?  Must be the change of scenery or altitude?   Anyway. I saw a “Keep Calm” shirt before I boarded the plane this morning and it inspired me to write.  I always wondered what I would do if the plane caught fire, a wing fell off, ran out of gas or we had to prepare for a water landing (God forbid, but we have all played out the scenario in our heads). They always ask, when I […]

Christal and I have been married for over 12 years.  I was recently asked to give marriage advice to someone who was about to get married.  There are no real secrets and every relationship is different.  There is however one common theme with all successful relationships and it’s a tall order to ask of anyone.  It takes patience, understanding and the ability to go beyond your mental programming.   Don’t keep score. Each person’s perception of the relationship is always skewed.  Marriage, in each person’s eyes, is 70-30 with you always feeling like you are the one putting in the 70.  Don’t feel bad if your feel this way because chances are your spouse thinks they are the 70 as […]