Entries from September 2007 ↓

Sir Ken Robinson is brilliant. His talk demonstrates his brilliance. Enjoy!

John Maeda, author of the book, “The Law of Simplicity” spoke at TED in March. My quest for simplicity and de-cluttering is in constant search of inspiration.

I rarely give out business cards any more. In fact, I may be down to my last few dozen or so at work - with no intention of asking our advertising agency (who handles these things) to print me more. Plaxo and other services help all of us track our connections electronically. And since most of us use email more than any other connectivity method - what’s the point in a paper business card?

I get a handful of them every month though - still. Here’s my most recent collection. There was a time when I collected them, put them in binders and kept them organized. That strategy went the way of CB radio.

I still like a creative business card. If you’re going to use a business card you might as well make it something that will never be thrown away! Jeffrey Gitomer uses a custom minted coin. If you get one of his “cards” you’ll keep it forever. And tell others about it, like I just did. Few of us put as much creative thought into things as Gitomer though (to our shame).

I’ve been given cards made of wood that were unique. Of course, the person was in a wood-related business (furniture or something of that sort).

VistaPrint overwhelms us all with spam offering “for today only” a special where we can get cards for free (of course, shipping costs you $5 or something). And I suppose most of us had had some sort of card printed by them. When you get 60 email offers a month it’s hard to resist.

I honestly wonder why any of us have a card with anything other than our email address though. How often is that our first question? “What’s your email address?” And as I scan this stack of cards I find some of them have no email address listed, and many have it so small that you need a high-quality microscope to read it. Quite a few don’t list a website. Many don’t list a cell phone, yet you know that’s the only way you’ll ever really reach them. I confess that my cell phone isn’t printed on mine either. I do print labels to stick on the back of the ones I give to people who I don’t mind having my cell phone number.

I think my next cards - should I continue to use them at work - will have nothing more than my company name, my name and my email address. Is there really anything more that you need on a card today?

Randy Pausch from Carnegie Mellon University
Read his health updates here.
Sit down and spend about 90 minutes soaking it in.
Then, go live your life and make a difference!

Jack. Jack. Jack. Say it ain’t so. Say you weren’t out driving under the influence after 1am in L.A.

How can a man with superior judgment make such a foolish decision? In about 90 days you’re going to be facing a new challenge to save the country. You must be sober and in good shape for the brutal 24 hours you’ll endure next year. It’s only 3 months away, Jack. Three months! You don’t have time to go to court, much less to do any jail time. We can’t start the season with you in an American jail for drunk driving. I mean, seeing you in a Chinese prison because you’re noble is one thing - but seeing you in the drunk tank like Otis Campbell…well, that’s inconceivable. Even Otis knew when to remain alert. Jack, you should have known better.

Pill popping is the answer to all our problems. From erectile dysfunction to swollen prostates - from high cholesterol to low blood pressure. We have pills for everything. And it must be working because life expectancy is increasing. Although, to be fair, it’s been increasing for the last 100 years and is likely to keep going no matter what pills are invented. Medicine is a wonderful gift of science, but it’s hardly THE answer for improved or good health.

Good health is like most blessings - best appreciated after you’ve lost it.

I recently read a financial advisor’s column in the daily newspaper. Sometimes I glance at this particular column, but most times I ignore it. Not because I’ve got all the wisdom in financial matters, but because I get tired head hearing about various funds and insurance products. Well, this Q & A column caught my attention so I read it. A middle-aged person with reasonable financial resources was asking what he could do to better prepare for retirement. That’s a bit like hearing some moron on sports talk radio debate whether Pete Rose should ever be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Worn out! But, one of the answers given by this financial guru was to take care of yourself - do whatever you can to insure good health - because diminished health can cause financial disaster to any retirement plan. Good point, I thought.

For a flash - perhaps longer - I felt somewhat proud of myself for having gotten hooked on working out over a year ago. As I leaned hard toward middle-age I suddenly found motivation that had evaded me for decades. I joined a gym - 24 Hour Fitness - and began to go every day. Religiously. I didn’t just turn over a new leaf, I discovered an entirely new forest!

I’ve examined my life and searched for the reason why this sudden interest hit me, but alas - I have no answers. Good or otherwise. None. Perhaps it was the sight of older men I know who are now the wards of wives vexed at having to schlep them from doctor to doctor with repeated hospital stays thrown in for good measure, perhaps to offer them a brief reprieve from having to play nurse at home. Perhaps it was my own realization that as I grow older I’m behind the proverbial 8-ball with time. If I don’t do it now, it’s likely not going to get done. Perhaps it was, or is, a mid-life crisis. And it was much cheaper and more beneficial than buying a Vette. But, I don’t know. I just know I got my butt in gear and began to get myself into the best shape of my entire adult life. Odd.

With working out came the inspiration to make other changes that would affect my health and fitness. Water became a major player. I now drink four or five 34 ounce bottles of water every single day! Sometimes more. Rarely less. Working out does that for you (or to you). Muscles crave water - and hold water. Your bladder isn’t always grateful, but the rest of your body is quite pleased. The benefits of drinking sufficient amounts of water are widespread. Improved skin, increased metabolism and tons of other benefits are made possibly by water - not milk, not soft drinks, not sports drinks and certainly not alcohol.

Food is still a big player for me. I love to eat. Eating smaller “meals” more frequently is almost impossible for me, but I found a great solution for my schedule and lifestyle. Food bars. Quality food bars are perfect for me. My current preference are the Lean Body bars by Labrada. They taste good, have quality ingredients and are filling. They’re also high in protein. They have a few different ones so you don’t get bored eating the exact same bar over and over. Instead of eating no breakfast, I start each day with a Lean Body bar. And 34 ounces of water.

I still watch the fat in my diet. And I’ve always been somewhat mindful of sodium, but working out as often (and as hard) as I do - it’s not so vital for me now. I never use table salt. Except on a baked potato - and sometimes not even then. I eat sensibly except one day a week - when I’ll eat whatever I want and not worry about it. Ironically, after I’d been working out a few months I didn’t want to “go wild” even on my off days. I felt better staying on my routine and watching my food intake.

I’ve lost weight (although I’ve never focused on weight). I’ve lost countless inches - only because I haven’t been counting. Greatly improved muscle tone. Greatly improved breathing and stamina. A few aches and pains caused by working out are the only downside, but even that pain is a good kind. It feels good to be sore. Okay, I admit that when I first did lunges and couldn’t even sit down without hurting - it wasn’t much fun. But that was a long time ago now. And I can do lunges with weights and now only be moderately sore.

I may not have a pit to pee in, but after drinking all this water I could fill a pit. Whatever I lack in dollars I’m more than making up for in improved health. So now my dilemma is different from others looking toward retirement. The question is still valid, “Will I outlive my money?” The more I improve my health the more I lower the odds of having my money live as long as I do. So, one retirement course few pursue is to live large and in charge - forget about your health or safety - because you’ve only got enough money to live for about 10 years. So plan your lifestyle to make sure that within 10 years you’re dead! Not my idea of a good plan, but it is an alternative.

The gift - if you can call it that - of good health (or even improved health) is worthwhile. If we gave our health as much attention as we give our investments, we might be in better shape. And we might be able to contribute more - and earn more - longer. Having enough money isn’t nearly as daunting as it should be. If we’re healthy and able, we can work well into our 70’s and 80’s. Earning something. Being of value to somebody. Somewhere.

For me, the key to retirement - which isn’t something I ever plan to do, but let’s call it my “plan for older age” - is twofold. Improve my health and keep it, as much as that’s within my control. That’s one fold. The second is, be debt free. Debt and failing health are two demons that sabotage retirement or older age for countless people. And to a large degree we can all do something to improve our position with both.

Ron Mueck - For more of the funniest videos, click here

Jerry Van Amerongen is the genius that is Ballard Street. Ballard Street is among the most creative, laugh-out-loud cartoon panels of all time. Most impressive is that Jerry came to cartooning late in life - 40. Before that he had an entire career in sales, marketing and other mundane business pursuits that plague most of us. He gives me hope that escape is possible. Even in middle age.

Why am I writing about Jerry today?

Two reasons. One, he’s got a new book. His first in over 9 years. I just got my copy in the mail last week. It’s entitled, “Practicing People Skills on Ballard Street.” I lost track of how many times I’ve laughed out loud. Or how many times I’ve laughed ’til I cried. Many. You should buy it. Now. And you’ll get a copy that Jerry has signed (while they last).

The second reason I’m telling you about Ballard Street is because after saving my pennies, I’ve invested in some of Jerry’s prints. I’d buy them all if I could afford them, but I’m at least starting my Ballard Street collection. Hopefully, in time I can complete the collection. I’m buying one of my all-time favorite panels.

You can read about the prints on Jerry’s website, Ballard Street. Snoop around and enjoy the people and creatures of Ballard Street. Your day will be better if you do.

Jim Westergren is 25 and lives in southern Sweden. He started an SEO company (search engine optimization). The business grew to a reasonably successful level - then he quit. To write. Read the story in his own words here.

He concludes, “The company was never meant to go that far.”

That sentiment echoes throughout many circles today. Time was when you never heard such a comment. Tom Peters has long argued that great companies are not necessarily built to last, but to make a difference, then go away - perhaps resurrected in a different form, perhaps to never rise again. He may have it right.

Pick up any copy of Fast Company, Inc. or one of the other business magazines that fosters small business or entrepreneurship and you’ll read about some character who started a business that rose from modesty to wild success! Many of these businesses are quite young - often less than 5 years old. Some measure their maturity in months, not years. Often they grow from start-up to millions FAST, thanks to this Internet age.

In a world full of strategy and planning it’s refreshing to know a company can achieve wild success even though it was never the plan. Sort of makes fools of the strategists who spend countless hours/days and millions of dollars trying to figure out how to have lasting power.

I think I’m going to start working on a new strategy. I’ll call it “Phlash-In-The-Pan.” My mantra will be, “We’re like lightning. One brilliant flash, and we’re GONE.”