Resolution

It is almost a new year and time to think of any resolutions you may want.

Think about it - make it simple and then do your best to really adhere to it.

Here’s a few ideas:

I will laugh more

I will try my best to not gossip or speak badly about others

I will try to do a good deed at least once a day

I will be more appreciative of those around me

I am sure you can think of others.

Remember if you have your health, you have everything -

So don’t sweat the small stuff.

A Tell

A tell in poker is a change in a player's behavior or demeanor that is claimed by some to give clues to that player's assessment of their hand. A player gains an advantage if they observe and understand the meaning of another player's tell, particularly if the tell is unconscious and reliable. Sometimes a player may fake a tell, hoping to induce their opponents to make poor judgments in response to the false tell. More often, people try to avoid giving out a tell, by maintaining a poker face regardless of how strong or weak their hand is.

In life “ A Tell” is someone who is racist - if a person is racist toward anyone they are telling you that they think they are superior and if they think they are superior to anyone they also feel as if they are “better” then others. If they think they are superior it will also show in their work life and their personal relationships.
I despise racist and bullies and they one of the same, do not accept bullying or rasism in any form and do not allow it around you because it may not be you today but it may be you tomorrow.
Do not give “them” oxygen and do not give them any power whatsoever ever over you -
We are ALL equal.

Level playing field

No matter how much money you make you have a level playing field with the richest people in the world.
You have a level playing field because the most important thing you can give is your “time”.
Forget about what you can buy and think about what time you can give, what time you share with your kids, your parents, your grandparents and your friends.
Too many people try to justify how much time they spend working by trying to say they “need” the money so they can get what they need, but as they do that time is passing them by and you will never get it back.
You don’t need to spend money to visit and just sit and listen or hold conversations or just be there.
Your kids “need” YOU ! They need hugs and they need to learn what love truly is- being there for the people you care the most about- kids emulate what they see.
As you envy that person driving that brand new sports car or the person that constantly vacations or lives in that huge house remember you have a level playing field on what is really important- Your Time.

Choose

Why do people choose ?
Why do people choose who to show what face to ?
A person that I worked with recently passed away , I worked with this person over a decade he passed away too young , seems as many people have different memories of him. Their were different groups, the people he worked with, people that were his friends, his family, casual relationships, and those that saw his other side in management. I am sure that he wanted to be that guy that many of friends knew and celebrated but , as we all do , he struggled to be that person all the time, he had it in him so why choose ?
 The only thing I always come back to is power and money, because people need to keep their power and to climb that corporate ladder something happens to people, I have witnessed it with too many people along my business life. They become hard and in order to keep climbing they choose , they choose to put blinders on to those they may need to eliminate because they may either disagree with or hurt their chances to make more money or a bigger title- it is not pretty.
And here is the important part , what role do WE play in why these people in our lives choose the face they do ? After all remember - the only person we can ever truly change is ourselves.
The real shame is I see that other side, the inner person, the one that can be kind and light and open but they choose to only let that side out to certain people and at certain times, the real problem is they see it too but they get to a point of no return and it starts the beginning of the end for them.
It is never too late to choose the face of kindness, let go of that worry of money, titles and power and be that person with everyone, that person who smiles and wants to help.
Choose your inner child... the rest will follow.

1975

Cost of Living 1975

How Much things cost in 1975
Yearly Inflation Rate USA9.2%  
Year End Close Dow Jones Industrial Average 858 
Interest Rates Year End Federal Reserve 7.25%  
Cost of a gallon of Gas 44 cents  
Average cost new car$4,250.00
Below are some Prices for UK guides in Pounds Sterling
Average House Price  11,787
Gallon of Petrol  0.72  
Yearly Inflation Rate UK 24.2%  
Interest Rates Year End Bank of England 11.25%  
A few More Examples 
Average Cost of new house  $39,300.00 
Average Income per year $14,100.00  
Average Monthly Rent  $200.00
Foster Grant Sun Glasses $5.00
Chevrolet Caprice $4,819 
Ford Mustang II $4,105
Oldsmobile Delta 88 Royale $5,626
Pontiac Ventura Coupe $3,829 

Rules to teach your son

RULES TO TEACH YOUR SON

1. Never shake a man’s hand sitting down.
2. Don’t enter a pool by the stairs.
3. The man at the BBQ Grill is the closest thing to a king.
4. In a negotiation, never make the first offer.
5. Request the late check-out.
6. When entrusted with a secret, keep it.
7. Hold your heroes to a higher standard.
8. Return a borrowed car with a full tank of gas.
9. Play with passion or don’t play at all…
10. When shaking hands, grip firmly and look them in the eye.
11. Don’t let a wishbone grow where a backbone should be.
12. If you need music on the beach, you’re missing the point.
13. Carry two handkerchiefs. The one in your back pocket is for you. The one in your breast pocket is for her.
14. You marry the girl, you marry her family.
15. Be like a duck. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like crazy underneath.
16. Experience the serenity of traveling alone.
17. Never be afraid to ask out the best looking girl in the room.
18. Never turn down a breath mint.
19. A sport coat is worth 1000 words.
20. Try writing your own eulogy. Never stop revising.
21. Thank a veteran. Then make it up to him.
22. Eat lunch with the new kid.
23. After writing an angry email, read it carefully. Then delete it.
24. Ask your mom to play. She won’t let you win.
25. Manners maketh the man.
26. Give credit. Take the blame.
27. Stand up to Bullies. Protect those bullied.
28. Write down your dreams.
29. Take time to snuggle your pets, they love you so much and are always happy to see you.
30. Be confident and humble at the same time.
31. If ever in doubt, remember whose son you are and REFUSE to just be ordinary!
32. In all things lead by example not explanation.

What drives you ?

What drives you ?
As children we only want to wake up and laugh and run around and learn more about the world around us. As we grow older we get weighed down with responsibilities and because of that we lose that free innocence of just being.
Unfortunately too many people allow “ stuff” to takeover their lives and the need to get more stuff and along the way they get buried in debt and start needing more money just to keep their nose above water and now what drives them is money. When money becomes your major goal you begin to lose that childhood innocence to just “be” and to enjoy the world around you.
Money and the need for power to obtain more money has destroyed many lives and by the time most realize it they have wasted too many years and loss too many relationships.
Free yourselves- - You have always had the power and the choice - choose life !

Want and Need

Always remember the difference between Want and Need
You may Want things but do you really Need them ?
I Need food and water and a shelter over my head , as long as I can put food on the table and I have a roof over my head and heat in the winter - and my family - I am good.
Stop and smell the roses and appreciate everything and everybody in your life, nothing is promised you, even tomorrow so don’t waste it always Wanting more.

Circle

All my life's a circle;
Sunrise and sundown;
Moon rolls through the nighttime;
'Til the daybreak comes around.

All my life's a circle;
But I can't tell you why;
Season's spinning round again;
The years keep rollin' by.

It seems like I've been here before;
I can't remember when;
But I have this funny feeling;
That we'll all be together again.
No straight lines make up my life;
And all my roads have bends;
There's no clear-cut beginnings;
And so far no dead-ends.

I found you a thousand times;
I guess you done the same;
But then we lose each other;
It's like a children's game;

As I find you here again;
A thought runs through my mind;
Our love is like a circle;
Let's go 'round one more time.

I found you a thousand times;
I guess you done the same;
But then we lose each other;
It's like a children's game;

Harry Chaplin 

Approval

We all see approval
Who are seeking approval from ?
Your boss ? Your father ? Your friends?
The one person that you should be concerned the most about - is you.
We are brought up wanting to please our parents , no matter what are parents do , and it is not until we grow older that we realize that our pRents are human too and have their struggles and baggage but we many of us still travel through life trying to seek their approval. Sometimes we substitute our parents with our bossses and do our best to obtain their approval, they too have their struggles and motives and baggage but we try to do our best because they hold our chances of promotions and raises in their hands so we chase their approval.
As you grow older we all have experiences of being hurt or let down or used and begin to understand that all those people that we fought so hard to get approval from mostly had their own agendas and their own demons to fight and we may have wasted too much time and energy trying to please them when we should have spent more time simply trying to please ourselves.
Simply your life and lessen your weight- what do YOU want in life ?
Do your best , be honest and be honest with yourself , embrace the moments in the course of a day and try to smile and make someone else smile every day.
Seek your own approval

Exhale

If you are getting that holiday stress... take a deep breath and exhale.
Try your best to remember just what we are celebrating, we should take this time to count our blessings and tell those around us how much we love them.
It is not about gifts - it should be about love.
Forget the politics and who voted for who and forget about old wounds and extend that olive branch and smile.
When you gossip or hate or seek revenge you only hurt yourself and add to the weight on your shoulders. - It just is not worth it.
Be the first to say hi to that friend you have been in contact with for a while, hug that family member that could use the support.
That is what the holiday season should be about.
Exhale

Clicks

A click can mean a group of people.
Unfortunately most clicks I know grow out of wanting be a part of a group and empower you to leave out those you do not deem worthy to be in your “click”. I have always despised groups that think they are inferior or better and hurt others by their exclusion.
I tend to look for the quiet person that feels excluded, they always have the better story and a better moral fabric.
If you need the approval from others, particularly in your “click” you are nothing but a mere puppet, a shell of a person. Do not ever fall into that trap- always have enough faith in yourself to be yourself.
Many cling to others for lots of reasons, insecurities being number one.
Being on a team can be rewarding if you all have the same unselfish goals and truly work to make each other stronger- being in a “click” will rob you have your total vision and ability to learn and grow. Big difference from TEAM  and a click.
Choose TEAM - bet on yourself .

Failure

Those that have not failed have not tried hard enough.
Learning means venturing outside our comfort zone and possible knowledge, to do that takes courage and to do that you need to be able to deal with failure and to learn from it.
In the same manner you need to respect those around you that also fail, there are teachable moments every day , teach- learn.
Do not wallow in failure or in the negative, shake it off and if you are in a toxic environment then recognize that too and if you have to readjust then do so. Staying in a unhealthy environment will bring you down and if you are not respected it just plain is not worth it.

Quiet man

“I am a quiet man but I hear the voices of other quiet people that others don’t.”
That was a quote by President George H Bush.
President Bush passed away this past weekend and he was a remarkable man who led a remarkable life. From what I have read on the President “Humble” is the one word that I come away with.
He was brought up to never brag and to always help others and that is how he lived his life, from enlisting in the military at 18 to help fight WWII to being a public serpent his entire life from CIA to Vice President to President he never lost his intentity or his moral compass.
We can all learn from him and his life’s work.
President George H Bush also always put family first and loved spending time with his kids and grandkids.
He was the last President America had that actually served in the military and though it is not mandatory I do believe it does help shape your views on war and our military members.
RIP Sir