11/11/11......

What's in a number? There is no question that today is a once in a century occurrence. Today will bring many planned events-weddings and special "11/11/11" parties. More people are likely to play the lottery today. I would also be curious to find out if there is an increase in gambling at any Blackjack table around the country...11 being a very favorable dealt hand in this table game. I have even got caught up in the celebration of this numerical day by blogging about it and changing the post time to 11:11 AM.

When all the hoopla and hype of 11/11/11 are over, every November 11th hereafter will still be a special day for me, for two very important reasons.

Veteran's Day is a day that we say "Thanks" to all the men and women who have served unselfishly in the ongoing fight for our Freedom. Many individuals paid the ultimate sacrifice, losing their lives providing the security and way of life that each of us enjoy. Remember the families also; the sacrifices that spouses make, the Moms and Dads missing their sons and daughters, and the kids growing up while their Mom or Dad are away.

A special day to say THANK YOU - to these very courageous individuals.

Today is also important to me because a very special niece of mine was born on this day. She is quite an incredible young woman. Her creativity continues to amaze me. I have been very fortunate & blessed to watch her grow from a little girl to a wonderful Wife and Mother. These years included the benefits of getting my feet tickled for a "shining quarter", the tears that come with tumultuous teen trials, the fun & games of the Holidays, and the warmth of a hug!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MO!!! I hope you have a "one"-derful day. I LOVE YOU!!!

What is YOUR Greatest Fear...

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. ...Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightening about shrinking, so that other people won't feel insecure around you... As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others"

How many times have any of us been less than perfect at something, knowing full well that success would bring ridicule?

Tolstoy's Life Lessons

I recently finished reading Calendar of Wisdom by Leo Tolstoy. I feel that he points out and outlines many of life's lessons and wanted to share them.

In Tolstoy's diary he wrote, " I became more & more astonished by the ignorance, and especially the cultural moral ignorance of our society....All our education should be directed to the accumulation of the cultural heritage of our ancestors, the best thinkers in the world"

Too often today we experience just the opposite. The media bombards us daily with heartbreak, misery and cynicism. Much of what we read is depressing, even rattling. I tire of hearing about wild-eyed terrorists, drug-addled celebrities, ethically challenged businessmen, and crooked politicians.

The theme of Tolstoy's book, Calendar of Wisdom: We are here for a short time. Knowledge is limitless. Therefore, the most critical knowledge is not a particular skill or discipline but rather wisdom about "How to Live"

A summary of Tolstoy's thoughts....

*There are only two ways to live: Either without thinking of death or with the thought that you approach death with every hour of your life.

*Don't compare yourself with others. Compare yourself with only perfection.

*It is not the place we occupy that is important, but the direction in which we move.

*When you want to escape from rage; do not walk, do not move, do not speak. Your rage cannot be justified by anything. The reason for your rage is always inside you.

*Speak only when your words are better than silence. For every time you regret that you did not say something, you will regret a hundred times that you did not keep your silence.

*You do not have the right to be unhappy with your life. If you are not satisfied, see this as a reason to be unsatisfied with yourself.

*The more strictly and mercilessly you judge yourself, the more just and kind you will be in the judgment of others.

*Strive for goodness without any expectations for rapid or noticeable success. For the further you progress, the higher your ideal of perfection will rise. Yet, it is the process itself, this striving, that justifies our lives.

I hope you find the wisdom and refreshing spirit that I did. I feel that it all boils down to the basics. Love Life!!! Live Life!!! The challenges that come our way are only opportunities for us to grow & become better. Life is about family, friends, and the experiences that we all have with each other. When things go wrong, it is our family and friends that we can always rely on.

My Vise....

Many of us struggle with some sort of "addiction". My addiction or vise is Mountain Dew. I didn't think that this drink could get an better, but when the Pepsi Corporation put the throwback drinks back into production, my addiction grew. There is something about the taste of Mountain Dew "brewed" with sugar vs high fructose corn syrup, that makes it even more palatable.

"Give me a Mountain, give me a Dew"

A Poem For My Dad...

I wrote this poem for my Dad 17 years ago.

DAD

I remember fishing when I was six years old;
the snow had just melted, the water still so cold
I sat upon your knee and watched you tie my hook;
the pictures now so very clear, like pages in a book
you pointed to a place in the river and said, "Cast it right in there"
you promised me that there were fish in that river;
and you always knew just where.

You have always amazed me, the things that you have done.
I just want to tell you,
that I'm proud to be your son
If I didn't thank you then,
I want to thank you now.
If it takes all my life, I'm going to pay you back somehow

It is a sad but natural thing,
Father and son drift apart.
Through all of these years,
Dad, I have loved you with all my heart.

I remember the Christmas when I was only eight
I woke you bright and early, when I knew you were up late;
assembling that race track in the middle of the floor
It really didn't matter what relatives walked through the door

We played with it all morning,
racing side by side;
Who won never mattered,
There was never such a tiling as pride.
It brings back a memory,
a gift I should have sent;
to let you know just how much it really meant.

We have discussed a lot of matters,
over sausage, eggs, and toast.
Advice and words of wisdom
are what I remember the most.
I can say that I'm a man now,
and you have raised me well.
One day I will have a son too,
and I can't wait to tell him that his grandpa
is the finest man that I ever knew.
If I had my choice, my son would be just like you

I'm thanking you now for the things that you have done;
I have to say that I'm very proud to be your son

College Football Gameday

Being an avid sports fan, I really look forward to the Fall of the year. I love college football. While most professional sports have become institutes filled with over compensated greedy individuals (owners & players alike), college athletics still has the feel of pure sport.

Editors Note: I know that collegiate athletics have been overshadowed by the recruiting tactics and alumni payments to players for years, but the percentage of hardworking clean cut athletes is much greater than those at any professional level. Many of the college athletes compete for the love of the sport…period. (This topic can actually be debated in a follow-up post)

Today provides a rare opportunity to watch the two top rated teams in the BCS (another three letter acronym that has brought much dispute) battle for supremacy during “primetime”; #1 LSU Tigers vs. #2 Alabama Crimson Tide. It is rare that the top two teams compete this “early” in the year before the championship game at the conclusion of the season in January. It is arguably the biggest college football game since the 1991 Miami / Florida State game. What makes it even more critical is that both teams are part of the SEC Western Division…meaning a loss today would likely end the championship title hunt for that team. I would bet that the winner of this game will go on and become the 2011 NCAA BCS National Champion.

I love the build up and hype before these types of games. The statisticians are working overtime pouring data into a computer that runs constant algorithms trying to predict the outcome. While in reality, one would only need to call up my bookie Vinny in Vegas and he’d have the odds perfected to the point!!

I have no ties to this game, so it will be easy for me to watch for the entertainment value only. It is much more difficult to watch a competition when I have any type of emotional or physical connection over one team from the other.

Prediction…LSU 27 - ‘Bama 24

Fast and Furious

Those that know me understand my love of speed & some have even experienced the "thrill". There is no question that I enjoy the adrenaline rush of driving fast, sometimes with very negative impacts to my wallet. While the days of receiving letters from my insurance company indicating my rates will go up or from the State of Wyoming Department of Transportation telling me that "one more violation will result in the suspension of my license" are over, I still enjoy speed. As stated in an earlier post, I doubt I will ever grow out of this….for better or worse I suppose.

The adrenaline rush is almost indescribable. One series of movies best describes my passion for speed and vehicle accessorizing…..The Fast and The Furious - - speed, street racing, NOS, in dash DVD, outrageous paint schemes, and lifestyle. No matter the plot of each individual movie, the main focus revolves around speed and precision driving.

I guess that’s just how I roll. ;-)

The Lizard Brain...

During my years of education, I focused my studies mainly on the biological sciences. Part of my study included learning about the amygdala or the lizard brain. The amygdala is an almond shaped mass located deep within the temporal lobe of the brain. Its’ main function is the processing of emotions such as fear, anger, and pleasure. The amygdala is particularly concerned with processing these emotions and formulating a plan of action to increase survival. The whole flight or fight response.

I’ve been reading a book by Seth Godin entitled, “Linchpin: Are You Indispensable”. A portion of the book explains that to be great, we need to overcome the power of the lizard brain. The lizard brain or resistance is the voice in the back of our head that tells us to slow down, back off, be careful, or worst of all…compromise.

The contradictions of human behavior are never ending. We say we want to meet more people, but stay home when invited to go out. We say we want to lose weight, but we eat too much. We say we want to be successful, but are fearful of rejection. Remember fear is simply an acronym for: false evidence appearing real.

As we get closer to an insight or as we get closer to the truth of what each one of us truly wants, the resistance amplifies and grows stronger. Why, because the lizard brain hates change and risk. We’ve all heard the cliché…great reward requires great risk. The lizard brain wants each of us to conform and blend in. Who decided what the boundaries of conformity are? Who decided that a 9-5 job was the norm? Fortunately, the boundaries are being broken and expanded daily.

I’m not promoting a revolt or an “occupy Wall Street” type demonstration; I am simply trying to explain that each of us has the power to be great…indispensable. For each of us, the risk is different. It may be speaking our mind in a meeting of our peers. It may be playing an impromptu musical number at a town talent show. Each of us has the opportunity to quiet the lizard brain…ignore it and let the art in each of us come out.

The "SCOWL"

It has been a long day and I'm going to post something everyday this month if it kills me. So I'm going to "cheat" and post something easy that I've stolen from my niece. I love this picture....no matter what, it ALWAYS brings a smile to my face!!! Thanks Mo!! Love you all!!!

NaBloPoMo

So thanks to a niece in Arizona, I found out that November is "National Blog Posting Month". What a better way to more than double my blog output than by blogging each day this month....well, I guess we will see how it goes. First blog down!!