Friday, May 31, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
High Schoolers' Opinions On Servant Leadership
We broke 40 high school athletes into 4 groups and asked them each the same four questions. Responses:
1. Definition "serve": Be selfless, put others ahead of yourself and help them.
- Push away selfish desires.
- Don't consider yourself to be above others.
- Even if it's
not convenient for you.
2. Skills of business leaders
- Communicate. All 4 groups mentioned this.
- Be determined, don't give up when you fail. 3 groups mentioned.
- Be selfless/caring, worry about
employees rather than self. 3 groups.
- Listen to others' ideas and look for ways to improve. 2 groups.
- Conduct group of all kinds of people, regardless of age, job level, etc.
- Give back.
- Commit.
- Be adaptable.
3. Definition servant leader.
- Lead by example/action/helping others. 4 groups.
- Put team first/serve teammates. 3 groups.
- Put in extra work, do the dirty
work.
- Only worry about making others better.
- Practice what you preach.
4. Specific ways.
- Encourage/compliment/high-five. 4 groups.
- Help teammates with school. 4 groups.
- Help teammates put in extra work after practice. 3 groups.
- Give a ride to/from school. 3 groups.
- Be friends outside the sport. Know their names. Ask how their day went. 2 groups.
- Compete to make your
teammate better. 2 groups.
- Give constructive criticism.
- Run an errand for a teammate.
Monday, May 27, 2013
Bringing The "A" Game
Another reason for a tutor to celebrate:
"Hey coach McDonald I ended up getting an A on the final which kept my B in the class thank you so much!"
"Hey coach McDonald I ended up getting an A on the final which kept my B in the class thank you so much!"
The Best Of Times
"Sometimes when things go well, we don't always have our best days as human beings. Sometimes when things go badly, we're a little more humble, an little more gracious. There may be a little bit of that going on here because we've had some success." - Nick Saban, after former assistant coach called him "the devil himself."
It's easy to slip when things are going well. Personal standards of comfort rise, small setbacks irritate more. Right now things are going well. Let's keep it that way.
It's easy to slip when things are going well. Personal standards of comfort rise, small setbacks irritate more. Right now things are going well. Let's keep it that way.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Thanks, It's Friday
"Wealth in this area is not measured by possessions or security, but by how thankful you are for what you have. These people who have very little by our standards are the most appreciative people I've ever met." - Ryan Davis, 18-year old visitor to Guatemala
The connection between gratitude and well-being proves its strength to me almost daily.
I had an opportunity to give feedback to an organization that had recently declined an offer that I'd made. I decided to provide some constructive feedback, at least a little bit out of a base of discouragement from having been declined. But by starting off the note with a paragraph of thanks for the chance to participate... I found myself perfectly content to simply stop there, instead of continuing on to less joyful content. In fact, I wrote a couple more paragraphs of thanks before pushing the "send" key.
A week ago after the Spelling Bee a bunch of us went out to our local TGI Fridays restaurant. We had such a delightful experience that we signed a hard copy of this letter:
We received back:
"Thank you for emailing to let us know about your experience at T.G.I. Friday's. We appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day to kindly recognize our restaurant operations and their staff.
Your comments regarding the enjoyable service provided by Demetrius Triplett, will be shared with our Bloomington, IL management team. We too appreciate our great employees and value their commitment to our guests. Your feedback enables us to provide excellent services to continually meet your expectations. Thank you for sharing such a gracious compliment.
We look forward to your continued patronage at our many worldwide T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants."
Sharing smiles is such a contagious exercise!
The connection between gratitude and well-being proves its strength to me almost daily.
I had an opportunity to give feedback to an organization that had recently declined an offer that I'd made. I decided to provide some constructive feedback, at least a little bit out of a base of discouragement from having been declined. But by starting off the note with a paragraph of thanks for the chance to participate... I found myself perfectly content to simply stop there, instead of continuing on to less joyful content. In fact, I wrote a couple more paragraphs of thanks before pushing the "send" key.
A week ago after the Spelling Bee a bunch of us went out to our local TGI Fridays restaurant. We had such a delightful experience that we signed a hard copy of this letter:
"Last Saturday night we were
at your restaurant and had the pleasure of being served by Demetrius Triplett.
We arrived around 10:30 p.m. and
were all pretty tired from performing a play that evening, and the light bulb
above one of our tables was burned out – the base of an old one was jammed into
the socket.
We understood that
electrician work is probably not part of the job description, and had fun
passing off the darkness as “ambient mood lighting.” But Demetrius went to the
back, returned with a pair of pliers, worked the old bulb out and replaced it
with a new one. Dinner was brighter in many ways after that!
Please give him our thanks,
and hopefully a bunch of money. It was truly fantastic service, because he made
a fan club that night."
"Thank you for emailing to let us know about your experience at T.G.I. Friday's. We appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day to kindly recognize our restaurant operations and their staff.
Your comments regarding the enjoyable service provided by Demetrius Triplett, will be shared with our Bloomington, IL management team. We too appreciate our great employees and value their commitment to our guests. Your feedback enables us to provide excellent services to continually meet your expectations. Thank you for sharing such a gracious compliment.
We look forward to your continued patronage at our many worldwide T.G.I. Friday’s restaurants."
Sharing smiles is such a contagious exercise!
Thursday, May 23, 2013
The Spelling Gang
Front row: Kallie Bundy (Olive Ostrovsky), Brian Artman (William Barfee), Kelly Slater (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre), Chris Stanford (Mitch Mahoney)
Back row: Aimee Kerber (Rona Lisa Peretti), Joe McDonald (Douglas Panch), Megan Masterman (Marcy Park), Joel Shoemaker (Chip Tolentino), Leaf Coneybear (Austin Travis)
Four performances left! www.communityplayers.org
The Last Boy
"It's a tough situation to have the skills and the talent he had, and then say, 'What am I good at?' All he was good at was destroying himself." - Lenny Wadkins, about Mickey Mantle
That was from the book The Last Boy, by Jane Leavy, which in part highlights the sorry decisions made by Mantle throughout his life.
We all have the choice to make our lives better or worse. It begins with the way that we see ourselves. What good can our God-given talents bring, and how do we go about doing that in even the smallest of ways?
Today's a great day to get busy, just like yesterday and tomorrow.
That was from the book The Last Boy, by Jane Leavy, which in part highlights the sorry decisions made by Mantle throughout his life.
We all have the choice to make our lives better or worse. It begins with the way that we see ourselves. What good can our God-given talents bring, and how do we go about doing that in even the smallest of ways?
Today's a great day to get busy, just like yesterday and tomorrow.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Being The Light
"Every day after I leave my apartment - after I say my prayer of protection - I ask God, 'Please let your light shine through me.'" - Robin Roberts
The Face Of Trust
They say that the act of placing trust in someone or something is enough to release the substance oxytocin in the brain, creating pleasurable feelings.
To that end, some of us may have natural advantage over having pleased people around us. The following are also signs of a trustworthy face, according to surveys:
- Hair: Brunettes are regarded as more trustworthy than blondes.
- Complexion: Soft eyebrows, lack of facial hair, and a warm, bright complexion convey honesty.
- Eyes: Wide-set eyes are non-threatening.
- Mouth: A trustworthy face has a U-shaped mouth. Wearing an expression with a slight smile and eyebrows curved slightly upward conveys trustworthiness. Thin lips inspire trust.
- Jaw: Softer jawlines convey reliability more than sharper jawlines.
- Chin: Male faces with bigger chins are considered more trustworthy than those with smaller ones.
So there you have it. Armed with that information you can safely start breaking facial bones to transform your shape into a whole new, more trustworthy you!
To that end, some of us may have natural advantage over having pleased people around us. The following are also signs of a trustworthy face, according to surveys:
- Hair: Brunettes are regarded as more trustworthy than blondes.
- Complexion: Soft eyebrows, lack of facial hair, and a warm, bright complexion convey honesty.
- Eyes: Wide-set eyes are non-threatening.
- Mouth: A trustworthy face has a U-shaped mouth. Wearing an expression with a slight smile and eyebrows curved slightly upward conveys trustworthiness. Thin lips inspire trust.
- Jaw: Softer jawlines convey reliability more than sharper jawlines.
- Chin: Male faces with bigger chins are considered more trustworthy than those with smaller ones.
So there you have it. Armed with that information you can safely start breaking facial bones to transform your shape into a whole new, more trustworthy you!
Cast Off
God's pretty good at reinforcing that the truest measure of winning is having done your best, no matter what the end result.
This week I listened to my Aida audition song a hundred times over, worked with Dena for an hour on the piano to learn the notes on the written page. I hunted down a copy of the script for my character online and practiced lines, inflections, expressions, movements.
It wasn't enough.
It's simply the nature of theater. As a wise director said, at the end what matters most is how well an actor's interpretation matches up with his own vision for that particular show. In this case, mine wasn't the best fit.
God's also good at reminding me how lucky I am to have Dena in my life. Sometimes it comes in the form of clearing over a hundred hours of rehearsal time from my calendar that can be spent together. Or perhaps some of that time is destined to be spent helping with basketball coaching, summer tutoring, or condominium association service.
Whatever it is, it's the right path. A night's sleep sure helped, but this morning I'm ready to resume rehearsing my smile for the most important audiences in my life.
This week I listened to my Aida audition song a hundred times over, worked with Dena for an hour on the piano to learn the notes on the written page. I hunted down a copy of the script for my character online and practiced lines, inflections, expressions, movements.
It wasn't enough.
It's simply the nature of theater. As a wise director said, at the end what matters most is how well an actor's interpretation matches up with his own vision for that particular show. In this case, mine wasn't the best fit.
God's also good at reminding me how lucky I am to have Dena in my life. Sometimes it comes in the form of clearing over a hundred hours of rehearsal time from my calendar that can be spent together. Or perhaps some of that time is destined to be spent helping with basketball coaching, summer tutoring, or condominium association service.
Whatever it is, it's the right path. A night's sleep sure helped, but this morning I'm ready to resume rehearsing my smile for the most important audiences in my life.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Glad I Live In Illinois: Largest Python Ever Caught In Florida
A Miami man briefly wrestled with and ultimately used a knife to kill a Burmese python measuring 18 feet, 8 inches.
That sets a state record for pythons captured or killed in the wild. The previous record measured 17 feet, 7 inches.
Jason Leon was not hunting pythons but, while driving late at night recently in southeast Miami-Dade County, he and a friend spotted about 3 feet of snake protruding from the brush.
Leon applied the brakes, climbed out of the car, grabbed the visible portion of the snake, and began hauling it onto the road.
The giant constrictor responded by trying to wrap its body around one of Leon’s legs, but he was able to dispatch the reptile with a knife.
Burmese pythons are native to grassy marshes of Southeast Asia and can grow to about 23 feet and weigh up to about 200 pounds.
In Florida, where they’ve been released as pets and escaped from wildlife facilities, there are thousands of them, mostly within the Everglades ecosystem.
As such a large and voracious invasive species, they’re a threat to native wildlife. The state would like to eradicate them, if that were possible.
Leon, meanwhile, is being praised.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission issued a news release, in which exotic species specialist Kristen Sommers stated:
“The FWC is grateful to him for both safety removing such a large Burmese python and for reporting its capture…With the help of people like Mr. Leon and our ongoing partnerships with other agencies, the FWC is advancing what we know about Burmese pythons in Florida.”
Leon, who said he once owned Burmese pythons and has experience handling the nonpoisonous snakes, reported the capture via a hotline used for reporting exotic species.
The python was delivered to the University of Florida’s Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center where it was measured and a necropsy was performed.
The Right Career
"My son got his highest Trigonometry test grade of the semester after one session with Joe! Joe was a confidence-builder."
The timing of this feedback was excellent, the cap to a splendid semester.
Bloomington-Normal Math Tutoring
The timing of this feedback was excellent, the cap to a splendid semester.
Bloomington-Normal Math Tutoring
Monday, May 20, 2013
Birthday Thanks
It's been a couple of weeks since the last thankfulness post, and high time to celebrate them.
The spring semester's nearly wound all the way down, and I was blessed with tutoring over 75 hours, already exceeding last year's total and more than halfway to my goal of 150 for the year. One student passed his class with inches to spare, and another boosted her grade from the D range to the B range. This summer and fall I'll have more time on my hands to focus on building new bridges and enjoying the adventure of being my own boss.
Maybe the best measure of the small but mighty band of people who befriended me at State Farm during my career is attendance at my plays or basketball games: Tina Bell, Gloria Johnson, Hannah Esker, Landon Meece, Sheila Melzer, Rao Duvvuri, Shyam Lakshmin, Katy MacMann, Tyson Mohr, Shaun Cashmer, Mickey Wright, Kitty Coulon, Paulette Cocco (and probably another person or two slipping my mind at the moment). Or people like Kim Stephan and the Life Tax Department who celebrated my 30th birthday in style after I'd been working there for less than a year. The biggest gesture came from Rusty Schopp, who drove four hours round-trip to my dad's wake in the suburbs. The nine years that I worked with him and Life Tax were the most inspiring of my career. State Farm was a financial blessing and a source of rich personal growth too.
Meanwhile, in an ironic twist, Jack received an offer as a trainee salesman for Bankers Life Insurance Company. After 50 more hours he'll be out protecting the people of Santa Monica with life insurance and annuity products.
The Spelling Bee entertained another 700 people last weekend (a handful of them were entertained multiple times!). Three of my tutoring students showed up with their families: Brock, Jordan, and Doug. So did Troy, Dona and Lane. And Darren and Heather. On Sunday I finally felt like I performed a perfect show, free from kidney stones and...
...oh, it has been a while since I blogged thanks, hasn't it...
While I'm most decidedly NOT thankful for kidney stones, I do appreciate that God made them painless enough to enable me to muster through the show two Sundays ago, after the attack began an hour before curtain. The PromptCare doctor diagnosed me as having passed it, so for now I'll trust that. I missed Dena's mom's Mother's Day celebration, but...
...which reminds me. I'm thankful for both of my moms. The one who just assumed ownership of a business at age [deleted, for reasons that need no explanation], and the one who literally made me who I am today (and is a fabulous Domo card game player). She was my biggest cheerleader for this next phase of life. It was energizing.
I auditioned for the musical Aida on Sunday night, which went well. When you give your best effort, you put it in God's hands as to what the result will be after that. So I wait, and prepare for callbacks. Several of my Spelling Bee friends cheered me on. I'm lucky to have them.
Lastly, the daily present of Dena. She kept a stiff upper lip through a skidful fall at a charity race, kept a supportive smile throughout this last exciting week, and came to two Spelling Bees. Whatever birthday present she has for me isn't nearly as important as the memories of sitting on the couch watching an inspirational movie, munching on snacks, loving life together.
The spring semester's nearly wound all the way down, and I was blessed with tutoring over 75 hours, already exceeding last year's total and more than halfway to my goal of 150 for the year. One student passed his class with inches to spare, and another boosted her grade from the D range to the B range. This summer and fall I'll have more time on my hands to focus on building new bridges and enjoying the adventure of being my own boss.
Maybe the best measure of the small but mighty band of people who befriended me at State Farm during my career is attendance at my plays or basketball games: Tina Bell, Gloria Johnson, Hannah Esker, Landon Meece, Sheila Melzer, Rao Duvvuri, Shyam Lakshmin, Katy MacMann, Tyson Mohr, Shaun Cashmer, Mickey Wright, Kitty Coulon, Paulette Cocco (and probably another person or two slipping my mind at the moment). Or people like Kim Stephan and the Life Tax Department who celebrated my 30th birthday in style after I'd been working there for less than a year. The biggest gesture came from Rusty Schopp, who drove four hours round-trip to my dad's wake in the suburbs. The nine years that I worked with him and Life Tax were the most inspiring of my career. State Farm was a financial blessing and a source of rich personal growth too.
Meanwhile, in an ironic twist, Jack received an offer as a trainee salesman for Bankers Life Insurance Company. After 50 more hours he'll be out protecting the people of Santa Monica with life insurance and annuity products.
The Spelling Bee entertained another 700 people last weekend (a handful of them were entertained multiple times!). Three of my tutoring students showed up with their families: Brock, Jordan, and Doug. So did Troy, Dona and Lane. And Darren and Heather. On Sunday I finally felt like I performed a perfect show, free from kidney stones and...
...oh, it has been a while since I blogged thanks, hasn't it...
While I'm most decidedly NOT thankful for kidney stones, I do appreciate that God made them painless enough to enable me to muster through the show two Sundays ago, after the attack began an hour before curtain. The PromptCare doctor diagnosed me as having passed it, so for now I'll trust that. I missed Dena's mom's Mother's Day celebration, but...
...which reminds me. I'm thankful for both of my moms. The one who just assumed ownership of a business at age [deleted, for reasons that need no explanation], and the one who literally made me who I am today (and is a fabulous Domo card game player). She was my biggest cheerleader for this next phase of life. It was energizing.
I auditioned for the musical Aida on Sunday night, which went well. When you give your best effort, you put it in God's hands as to what the result will be after that. So I wait, and prepare for callbacks. Several of my Spelling Bee friends cheered me on. I'm lucky to have them.
Lastly, the daily present of Dena. She kept a stiff upper lip through a skidful fall at a charity race, kept a supportive smile throughout this last exciting week, and came to two Spelling Bees. Whatever birthday present she has for me isn't nearly as important as the memories of sitting on the couch watching an inspirational movie, munching on snacks, loving life together.
My Birthday Song
Thanks to Frank for pointing out the #1 song in America on the day I was born.
"The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the end of the skies." - Roberta Flack
If I'd been born 3 hours later, it would have been Oh, Girl by the Chi-Lites
"Oh, girl, I'd be in trouble if you left me now."
I like my birthday just fine.
"The first time ever I saw your face
I thought the sun rose in your eyes
And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave
To the dark and the end of the skies." - Roberta Flack
If I'd been born 3 hours later, it would have been Oh, Girl by the Chi-Lites
"Oh, girl, I'd be in trouble if you left me now."
I like my birthday just fine.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Another Cup Of Spelling Bee Sugar
"I
recently saw this play at Community Players. Not only was it
hilarious, it had a very good message that everyone has a place to shine
in the world. The cast did a great job and the audience was able to
participate.
My wife was randomly selected, as we entered the theater,
to be a part of the cast and took part in the Spelling Bee. Three other
audience member took part in the production and they all quickly got
into their roles and were great.
Community
Players has been around a long time and is a great place for some local
entertainment. I encourage you all to take some time out and see this
play. It will be well worth your time." - Art Taylor
A Little Spelling Bee Sunshine
"Joe McDonald is a stitch to watch knowing him through church as I do,
his character in the show is nothing like he is in real life and he is
spot on!" - Wendi Lee Fleming
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Aida - Like Father Like Son
Debating whether or not to audition for the role of Zoser in Aida.
This song definitely ups the chances.
This song definitely ups the chances.
Notes On Aida
Aida the musical is auditioning at Community Players this Sunday at 7:00. There's a role for Zoser, father of the hero. Not a nice man. But hey, he's a baritone...
Scenes:
The Docks - welcomes Rameses home
Another Pyramid - song about the impending death of the Pharaoh (I'm pretty sure I poisoned him)
The Pharaoh's Private Banquet Room - pressures Rameses to marry his arranged bride
The War Room of the Palace - more pressure about the marriage
Like Father Like Son - song of debate between father/son as to Rameses' future
The Wedding - chaos
I get captured off stage. And probably beat up a little for the murder plot.
Scenes:
The Docks - welcomes Rameses home
Another Pyramid - song about the impending death of the Pharaoh (I'm pretty sure I poisoned him)
The Pharaoh's Private Banquet Room - pressures Rameses to marry his arranged bride
The War Room of the Palace - more pressure about the marriage
Like Father Like Son - song of debate between father/son as to Rameses' future
The Wedding - chaos
I get captured off stage. And probably beat up a little for the murder plot.
Monday, May 13, 2013
Mom!
Every week I count blessings and give thanks.
So many gifts of a healthy body, analytical mind, creativity, humor, musical and theatrical performance, athleticism to appreciate. From God and Mom's genes.
The patience I have to pacify the Irish temper that periodically broils within, and the open-mindedness to roll with the tide are both credits to the generous person that Mom is.
Thanks and love you Mom!
So many gifts of a healthy body, analytical mind, creativity, humor, musical and theatrical performance, athleticism to appreciate. From God and Mom's genes.
The patience I have to pacify the Irish temper that periodically broils within, and the open-mindedness to roll with the tide are both credits to the generous person that Mom is.
Thanks and love you Mom!
Quite The Way To Start The Day
A guy shows up late for work. His boss yells, "You should have been here at 8:30!"
The guy replies, "Why? What happened at 8:30?"
The guy replies, "Why? What happened at 8:30?"
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Watford Goes To Premiere League Final After Turning Certain Defeat Into Amazing Win
If the Leicester player had made the penalty kick then Watford would have been out of the playoffs. Instead, they go to the finals on an incredible rally of their own!
Photos: Spelling Bee Behind The Scenes
 |
| Chris Stanford (Mitch Mahoney) and Aimee Kerber (Rona Lisa Peretti) excited for the spelling to begin! |
 |
| 5 minutes to places - get out of the basement! Kelly Slater (Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre), Austin Travis (Leaf Coneybear), Joel Shoemaker (Chip Tolentino), Kallie Bundy (Olive Ostrovsky), Megan Masterman (Marcy Park). Behind Kelly: Brian Artman (William Barfee). Note: Austin is trying desperately to stop a gushing cheek wound from playing cards. |
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| Carol Plotkin, prop and drink maker extraordinaire. |
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| Pre-show warm-up euchre. Hannah Kerns, stage manager front left. Brett Cottone, director back left. Brian Artman back right. It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt Austin! |
 |
| Compliments of Brett Cottone and Wendy Baugh, choreographer! |
 |
| We were cautioned against eating the dark frosting to spare our sparkly white teeth. Fortunately for me, Panch never smiles. Yummm. |
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| Behind the scenes. Saying goodbye to audience speller #3. "Now go home and spell, give your squeeze some affection!" |
+-+%22I+Fell%22.JPG) |
| Coneybear: "I fell." It's a hard age for boys. |
.JPG) |
| Mitch just taking it all in, a skill honed in prison. |
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| The monitor in the green room (which, technically, is dedicated to a guy named Brown). Audience begins to trickle in! |
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| Pandemonium practice. C'mon Mitch, spin this thing in those sandals! |
.JPG) |
| 5 minutes till opening, and Rona is beautiful and ready to go! |
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| 15 minutes till opening, and the crowd's pouring in to buy tickets. "Just had to come - I heard that the song after intermission is really exuberant!" |
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| Wendy chilling in the green room, guarding her stash of Mountain Dew. |
Spelling Bee Word Of The Day: Capybara
Definition: A tailless, largely aquatic South American rodent often exceeding four feet in length.
Sentence: Don't look now Pedro but I think that tailless, largely aquatic four and a half foot rodent swimming next to you may be a capybara.
Tickets for sale to the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at: www.communityplayers.org.
Sentence: Don't look now Pedro but I think that tailless, largely aquatic four and a half foot rodent swimming next to you may be a capybara.
Tickets for sale to the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at: www.communityplayers.org.
Saturday, May 11, 2013
A New Day To Fly
"Pain has degrees. And this, this is nothing, you little freaks!" - Mitch Mahoney
Yesterday was my worst of the year, for a few reasons the details of which aren't so important. Suffice to say that I fell into bed exhausted, was awakened by nightmares, crashed on the living room sofa, and had some trouble lifting my head off the cushions when the sun came up.
I imagine that most people's grief, and especially mine as blessedly infrequently as it comes, is a matter of degrees. And the greater blessing in those times is to have the support of my family and friends in the theater as was the case last night.
"I just want to beat them up a little bit." - Mitch Mahoney
As a kid I was once filled with such self-righteous fury at my dad's decision to coach my brother's basketball team rather than mine, that I decided to play the most aggressive defense that I possibly could. On the first possession of the game I swarmed the opponent with flying arms and literally punched the ball out of his hand. It turned out to be one of my best games.
By no provision of my own, but that of God's, I have at some of my lowest moments been able to funnel the pain of disappointment into a raging engine of ambition. Today I launched myself off the couch and into shorts and t-shirt for a 3-mile sprint in 50 degrees of swirling wind. Physical exertion's always served as a good self-slap in the face to get back on track. A healthy way to beat myself up a little bit.
Took advantage of the sunshine to get some long-needed outdoor reading time. Clouds blew over and I thought about going inside. But I needed to toughen up so I stayed. Before long, the sun re-appeared. That's how life has been. The sun is always just behind the clouds, primed to reinvigorate those who have the strength of patience to steel their jaw and wait it out.
I read inspirational words of Illinois State President Al Bowman, and others. To fill one's head with positive thoughts is one of the most powerful forces around.
I used my run to reflect, self-assess, learn, adjust, look forward. I'm attacking the personal weaknesses that led to yesterday's downfalls, returning to the scene of failure and making things right. Anger and disappointment will not rule me; fear, self-loathing and self-pity has no place. These are the possessions in the hands of the opponent. I'm punching them out.
Today's going to be a great day. It's time to fly.
Yesterday was my worst of the year, for a few reasons the details of which aren't so important. Suffice to say that I fell into bed exhausted, was awakened by nightmares, crashed on the living room sofa, and had some trouble lifting my head off the cushions when the sun came up.
I imagine that most people's grief, and especially mine as blessedly infrequently as it comes, is a matter of degrees. And the greater blessing in those times is to have the support of my family and friends in the theater as was the case last night.
"I just want to beat them up a little bit." - Mitch Mahoney
As a kid I was once filled with such self-righteous fury at my dad's decision to coach my brother's basketball team rather than mine, that I decided to play the most aggressive defense that I possibly could. On the first possession of the game I swarmed the opponent with flying arms and literally punched the ball out of his hand. It turned out to be one of my best games.
By no provision of my own, but that of God's, I have at some of my lowest moments been able to funnel the pain of disappointment into a raging engine of ambition. Today I launched myself off the couch and into shorts and t-shirt for a 3-mile sprint in 50 degrees of swirling wind. Physical exertion's always served as a good self-slap in the face to get back on track. A healthy way to beat myself up a little bit.
Took advantage of the sunshine to get some long-needed outdoor reading time. Clouds blew over and I thought about going inside. But I needed to toughen up so I stayed. Before long, the sun re-appeared. That's how life has been. The sun is always just behind the clouds, primed to reinvigorate those who have the strength of patience to steel their jaw and wait it out.
I read inspirational words of Illinois State President Al Bowman, and others. To fill one's head with positive thoughts is one of the most powerful forces around.
I used my run to reflect, self-assess, learn, adjust, look forward. I'm attacking the personal weaknesses that led to yesterday's downfalls, returning to the scene of failure and making things right. Anger and disappointment will not rule me; fear, self-loathing and self-pity has no place. These are the possessions in the hands of the opponent. I'm punching them out.
Today's going to be a great day. It's time to fly.
Friday, May 10, 2013
...And While You're At It, Do You Have Any Leeches?
Nobody wants a pain reliever that's anything less than extra-strength. "Give me the maximum-allowable dosage. Figure out what will kill me, and then back it off a little bit." - Jerry Seinfeld
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Little Gifts
I find the days to be calmer and cheerier when I'm on the lookout for little gifts from God. Like the surprisingly long green light. Or when I'm on stage and something just barely saves me from a misstep. Or a dozen other things.
25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Facebook Re-Post
How could I not re-post this one from Joe Strupek?
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I can't remember the last time I laughed until I cried. Tonight, I laughed till I cried more times than I can remember. It was hard to focus and take pictures tonight during the last dress rehearsal for community players theatre's, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Everyone has to see this show. The cast was marvelous, the choreography and direction superb. Tomorrow night is pay what you can then the show premiers on Friday. Go. Now if you can and just wait outside to get in tomorrow night. Why are you still reading this? Drive to the theatre.
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I can't remember the last time I laughed until I cried. Tonight, I laughed till I cried more times than I can remember. It was hard to focus and take pictures tonight during the last dress rehearsal for community players theatre's, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Everyone has to see this show. The cast was marvelous, the choreography and direction superb. Tomorrow night is pay what you can then the show premiers on Friday. Go. Now if you can and just wait outside to get in tomorrow night. Why are you still reading this? Drive to the theatre.
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Daily Vidette Article For Putnam County Spelling Bee
| Written by Brittany Tepper, Daily Vidette Reporter |
|
The Community Players present “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling
Bee” from May 10-26. This hysterical musical is sure to take students back to the days of juice boxes and imaginary friends. The Tony Award winning musical tells the story of six elementary school students competing for the Putnam Country Spelling Bee title. This is not your typical community theater piece. Audience members are invited to be spellers in the bee and many aspects of the show are highly improvised. Not one performance will be the same, and audience members are sure to hear a lot of hysterical pop culture references. However, what makes the show extremely fun to watch is the cast. All the characters in this musical have their own quirks and are extremely relatable. “People can relate to a character in some way. It is the kids we went to elementary school with. Each is a little quirky, but they see the best in people,” Kelly Slater, who plays Logan Schwatzandgrubenierre, said. “My character is every 8-year-old kid or teenager that has ever drank a Red Bull. He is so excited, and he finds the little happy things about life and people,” Austin Travis, who plays Leaf Coneybear, said. Both Leaf and Marcy are escorted off stage by the comfort counselor. The comfort counselor is another quirky aspect of the show that adds an extra dash of humor. Chris Stanford, who plays Mich Mahoney the comfort counselor, escorts losers off the stage with a song and a juice box. Carol Plotkin, who has done props for many Community Players shows, said that she really enjoys this show because of the extra humor. “It is the first time I had to tell people not to squeeze juices boxes so they don’t get it all over themselves. We need more fun in our society and this show is a riot,” Plotkin said. Dorothy Mundy, who has also done props for many of the Community players shows, said that this show is different from the other ones she has worked on. “It is one of the few shows that I have actually laughed out loud to. I have seen it grow, the different stages, and it keeps getting funnier. I hate being backstage,” Mundy said. The show is rated PG-13 and is perfect for college students. Tickets are available online at www.communityplayers.org. “This is a hilarious show. Anyone who comes will leave laughing. People may be hesitant if they don’t know this show, but it is definitely worth the risk,” Megan Masterman, who plays Marcy Park, said. |
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Bulls Stun Heat In Game 1 Of Playoff Series
MIAMI (AP) — Only one team has held the Miami Heat below 90 points on their home floor this season. That would be the Chicago Bulls, and for good measure, they've now done it twice.
So by now, it's obvious: If there's a team in the NBA that has Miami's number, it has to be the Bulls.
Nate Robinson scored 27 points and dominated in the final minutes — after needing 10 stitches to sew up his lip — while Jimmy Butler added 21 points and a career high-tying 14 rebounds as the Bulls pulled off a stunner by beating Miami 93-86 Monday night in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Actually, maybe it's not that much of a stunner anymore. Since LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all ignored overtures from the Bulls and decided to team up in Miami three years ago, Chicago has a 9-8 record against the Heat.
"I've played on some tough teams," Robinson said. "But this one, there's something a little different, something special about this group."
It's only one game, something plenty of Bulls players and coach Tom Thibodeau pointed out incessantly afterward. But even a 1-0 lead in a series typically leads to advancement, so for the Heat, adversity has arrived in a big way in a season where little has gone wrong.
"It's not going to be pretty but playoffs are ugly," said Bosh, who was held to nine points on 3-for-10 shooting. "That's what it's about. It's been a little bit too pretty around here, to be honest with you.
"We're in a situation where dudes are not going to be able to sleep and we're going to have to give it our all in Game 2 and figure everything out."
When it comes to facing Miami, the Bulls have plenty figured out.
They snapped Miami's 27-game winning streak in the regular season — the second-longest in NBA history — and now toppled the champs again, this time ending a run of 12 straight Heat victories overall. Miami has lost five games at home this season, two to the Bulls, who held them to 89 on Jan. 4.
James struggled through a two-point first half before finishing with 24 points, eight rebounds and seven assists. Wade added 14 for the Heat, who had no one else in double figures, shot 40 percent from the floor and were outrebounded 46-32.
"I'm not stunned," James said. "This is what the playoffs is all about. We're going against a really good team."
A seven-point deficit midway through the fourth wasn't enough to doom the Bulls, who finished the game on a 10-0 run in the final 1:59. And to think, the Bulls weren't anywhere near full strength. Kirk Hinrich was out again with a calf injury. Luol Deng isn't even expected to rejoin the team until Tuesday, after dealing with an illness apparently so severe that a spinal tap — and other tests since — were needed to rule out things like meningitis.
"So proud of my team man, this bed might be good luck after all," Deng wrote on Twitter after the game, with a photo of him in a hospital bed.
Oh, and Derrick Rose remains sidelined — as he's been since April 2012.
No problem. The Heat are 41-3 in their last 44 games — with two of those losses to the Bulls, who are now 3-2 against Miami this season.
"I think when you're facing adversity, you have to be mentally tough," Thibodeau said. "But this is just one game. We have to play a lot better in our next one."
Miami was outscored 35-24 in the fourth, something that drew the ire of Heat coach Erik Spoelstra afterward.
"There's no excuses," said Spoelstra, whose team had not played in more than a week. "We're not making any excuses for time off or anything else."
If anyone could have made excuses, it was Robinson. He cut his upper lip when he dove for a loose ball with James and struck his head on the court late in the first half.
And then not only did he play the whole second half, he scored 24 points in those 24 minutes, including the last seven points that finished the job for Chicago.
"He was born a scorer," Miami guard Mario Chalmers said.
Joakim Noah scored 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Bulls, who also got 12 points from Taj Gibson and 10 from Marco Belinelli. Game 2 is Wednesday night in Miami.
"We're not really a flashy team," Gibson said. "We like to go out and do our job."
A pair of three-point plays by James — one of them coming when he just broke through a tackle attempt by Butler and muscled the ball to the rim anyway — gave Miami a 76-69 lead midway through the fourth quarter, the biggest deficit Chicago faced all night.
The Bulls were undeterred.
Coming off a Game 7 road win in Brooklyn two nights earlier just to get into a series with Miami, the Bulls just kept grinding. When Ray Allen made a 3-pointer to give Miami an 80-78 lead, Butler came back with one of his own to put the Bulls back on top. When the Heat went up by three after James made a free throw with 2:22 left, Belinelli connected for a 3 — on a second-effort possession — to knot the game.
Then when Robinson nailed a 20-footer with 1:18 left, the Bulls had the lead and plenty of swagger.
Wade missed a 3-pointer on the next possession, Robinson drove the lane and scored with 45.5 seconds left, and suddenly the Bulls were up 90-86. James drove against Butler and tried a 12-footer that missed everything, the Bulls got the rebound, Robinson made a free throw to stretch the lead to five and the stunner was complete.
Game 1 to the Bulls.
"It's all about being tough," said Butler, who played all 48 minutes for the third straight game. "We're always going to be the underdogs and we take pride in that. Everybody can overlook us, but we feel like we're good enough to hang with a lot of these teams."
Monday, May 6, 2013
Who Do You Want To Be Today?
I know what I want to accomplish at the office today. I know how I want to be today. I hope you do too.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Feeding The Right Wolf
There is a Native American story - often attributed to a Cherokee tradition - in which a grandfather teaches his grandchildren about life.
"It feels as if there are two wolves fighting in my heart," says the elder. "One is angry, envious, greedy, and selfish. The other is loving, compassionate, caring, and generous."
"Which wolf will win?" asks one of the children.
The elder's answer: "The one I feed."
"It feels as if there are two wolves fighting in my heart," says the elder. "One is angry, envious, greedy, and selfish. The other is loving, compassionate, caring, and generous."
"Which wolf will win?" asks one of the children.
The elder's answer: "The one I feed."
Choosing The Forecast: The Week In Thanks
In the Midwest it's that time of year when storms are a daily staple of the weather forecast. My personal favorite is the "isolated thunderstorm." The first time I really paid attention to that phrase was a few years back during a family vacation on the beaches of Cape Hatteras in North Carolina. Every single day of our week-long stay was forecast to contain "isolated thunderstorms." And every morning the sky was bright blue as far as the eye could see.
In a sense, many days carry emotional isolated t-storm predictions.
This week I was set to have more dental work done. As the anesthetic wore off from having two temporary teeth yanked, cement laid, and new teeth impressed, I found (and still find) myself unable to chew on that side painlessly. Physical pain is the best of storm metaphors, but I still have an entire side of my mouth capable of chewing all the food I could possibly want. I feel confident that with some patience, the discomfort will subside and I'll be better than normal, plus with a much greater appreciation for soft foods.
At work there was an important meeting this week to present to management. Many things can go wrong or right when pricing a product that brings in $60 million in annual revenue. The preparation was turbulent, the kind that can generate thunderclaps of sleepless worry through the night. But faith helped me sleep easily, and the meeting went better than expected, almost peacefully.
On Saturday I got to the gym under a tight timeline to get a workout in, then realized that I'd forgotten my shoes. I had sandals, but the rules prohibit open-toed shoes. My younger self, wanting to avoid reprimand, would've gotten back into the car and missed the workout (admittedly, my older self briefly did the same). But thanks to the many lessons of confrontation that God has taught me through the years, I decided to go ahead and try it anyway. It worked, and no one batted an eye.
There will be rain for weeks around here. I'm a fan of it. The blossoms on the trees are eye-catching in their fullness and color. It's a built-in shower if you're out for a jog. This is spring, a real spring, which drowns out the last whispers of winter.
As usual, the rumblings of thunder and black clouds that may be up there are so much more easily ignored by the thankful things happening down here...
... Mom's diabetes is in remission
... Dena was fired up by a good marketing meeting in Springfield
... the Spelling Bee rehearsals this week were fabulous
... two of my co-workers got engaged to be married
... my car's battery died, but was replaced without any real loss
... the Bulls won their playoff series in improbable fashion
... I get another chance to sing with the Epiphany band
... the stock market just finished another month of growth
... my students continue to fascinate me with their character
... Dena and I cashed in my Avanti's birthday-month coupon and had a rent-a-movie date night
... reunited with a former college classmate who saw my Spelling Bee promo photo in the paper
Each of these small flowers captures the eye so much more vividly than the empty threats of despair from storms. There will be some this week for sure, as with any, spewing loud thunder and clamoring for our focus and energy. The umbrella of a smile and the surety that good things will continue to grow is more than enough to glide through the week with cheerfulness.
In a sense, many days carry emotional isolated t-storm predictions.
This week I was set to have more dental work done. As the anesthetic wore off from having two temporary teeth yanked, cement laid, and new teeth impressed, I found (and still find) myself unable to chew on that side painlessly. Physical pain is the best of storm metaphors, but I still have an entire side of my mouth capable of chewing all the food I could possibly want. I feel confident that with some patience, the discomfort will subside and I'll be better than normal, plus with a much greater appreciation for soft foods.
At work there was an important meeting this week to present to management. Many things can go wrong or right when pricing a product that brings in $60 million in annual revenue. The preparation was turbulent, the kind that can generate thunderclaps of sleepless worry through the night. But faith helped me sleep easily, and the meeting went better than expected, almost peacefully.
On Saturday I got to the gym under a tight timeline to get a workout in, then realized that I'd forgotten my shoes. I had sandals, but the rules prohibit open-toed shoes. My younger self, wanting to avoid reprimand, would've gotten back into the car and missed the workout (admittedly, my older self briefly did the same). But thanks to the many lessons of confrontation that God has taught me through the years, I decided to go ahead and try it anyway. It worked, and no one batted an eye.
There will be rain for weeks around here. I'm a fan of it. The blossoms on the trees are eye-catching in their fullness and color. It's a built-in shower if you're out for a jog. This is spring, a real spring, which drowns out the last whispers of winter.
As usual, the rumblings of thunder and black clouds that may be up there are so much more easily ignored by the thankful things happening down here...
... Mom's diabetes is in remission
... Dena was fired up by a good marketing meeting in Springfield
... the Spelling Bee rehearsals this week were fabulous
... two of my co-workers got engaged to be married
... my car's battery died, but was replaced without any real loss
... the Bulls won their playoff series in improbable fashion
... I get another chance to sing with the Epiphany band
... the stock market just finished another month of growth
... my students continue to fascinate me with their character
... Dena and I cashed in my Avanti's birthday-month coupon and had a rent-a-movie date night
... reunited with a former college classmate who saw my Spelling Bee promo photo in the paper
Each of these small flowers captures the eye so much more vividly than the empty threats of despair from storms. There will be some this week for sure, as with any, spewing loud thunder and clamoring for our focus and energy. The umbrella of a smile and the surety that good things will continue to grow is more than enough to glide through the week with cheerfulness.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
A Job Worth Shoving
"I've found that prophesy is one of life's less profitable professions." - Abraham Lincoln
The future gives comfort when spiced with hope; sorrow when laced with worry; humility when described with certainty.
Today is what we have; what we celebrate; what we shape; the thing for which we give every gratitude.
The future gives comfort when spiced with hope; sorrow when laced with worry; humility when described with certainty.
Today is what we have; what we celebrate; what we shape; the thing for which we give every gratitude.
Self-Governance
"Well if no one among us is capable of governing himself, then who among us has the capacity to govern someone else?" - Ronald Reagan
Govern: Control, influence, or regulate (a person, action, or course of events).
We control our attitude. Not much else, but that.
Our influence is by the grace of God.
Govern: Control, influence, or regulate (a person, action, or course of events).
We control our attitude. Not much else, but that.
Our influence is by the grace of God.
Kingly Quote
"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Yes, hate's a sticky swamp. I've soiled too many clothes in it. And found it best to step out and wash off.
Yes, hate's a sticky swamp. I've soiled too many clothes in it. And found it best to step out and wash off.
Stump Speech Stuff
I thought of possible stump speech material.
I believe that people change when they're ready, and want to be accepted for who they are always.
I believe that life's short, and is meant to be enjoyed to the fullest.
I believe that I am responsible for the consequences of my actions.
I believe that God's in control, and I'm blessed.
I believe that life is better when we think positively and surround ourselves with others who do the same.
I believe that people change when they're ready, and want to be accepted for who they are always.
I believe that life's short, and is meant to be enjoyed to the fullest.
I believe that I am responsible for the consequences of my actions.
I believe that God's in control, and I'm blessed.
I believe that life is better when we think positively and surround ourselves with others who do the same.
Stump Speeches
"In fact, that's one of my theories about political speechmaking. You have to keep pounding away with your message, year after year, because that's the only way it will sink into their collective consciousness. I'm a big believer in stump speeches - speeches you can give over and over again with slight variations. Because if you have something you believe in deeply, it's worth repeating time and again until you achieve it." - Ronald Reagan
"Something you believe in deeply." Hmm. Still waiting.
"Something you believe in deeply." Hmm. Still waiting.
My Job, Described To A Six Year Old
"If you can't explain it to a six-year old, you don't understand it yourself." - Albert Einstein
Dena and I have known each other for 18 years and if you add up all of the minutes I've spent talking about my current day job, it might cover an hour. If I had a six-year old, what might I say?
"If daddy dies, then mommy needs money to help raise you. So daddy works with people who make sure that mommy would get enough money."
"Now every year, Mr. President also needs money to help run the country so we give him some of ours. But he says that if daddy died, then we wouldn't have to give him any of the money that mommy would get. That's because he knows that mommy needs it more than him. He's a nice man."
"But there are some bad people who take advantage of how nice Mr. President is. So Mr. President made rules to make sure those bad people give him some of the money. And daddy helps make sure that people follow those rules."
Dena and I have known each other for 18 years and if you add up all of the minutes I've spent talking about my current day job, it might cover an hour. If I had a six-year old, what might I say?
"If daddy dies, then mommy needs money to help raise you. So daddy works with people who make sure that mommy would get enough money."
"Now every year, Mr. President also needs money to help run the country so we give him some of ours. But he says that if daddy died, then we wouldn't have to give him any of the money that mommy would get. That's because he knows that mommy needs it more than him. He's a nice man."
"But there are some bad people who take advantage of how nice Mr. President is. So Mr. President made rules to make sure those bad people give him some of the money. And daddy helps make sure that people follow those rules."
Winning The Race Without Rats
"The trouble with being in the rat race is that even if you win, you're still a rat." - Lily Tomlin
I'm lucky to work in a place where I honestly never feel as if my peers are trying to self-promote him or herself at the expense of co-workers, or just to get ahead. It's a collection of humble, funny, smart people trying to get the job done.
I'm lucky to work in a place where I honestly never feel as if my peers are trying to self-promote him or herself at the expense of co-workers, or just to get ahead. It's a collection of humble, funny, smart people trying to get the job done.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Empowerevolution
"My attitude had always been - let the people flourish." - Ronald Reagan
Most people I know enjoy their freedom. Whether in politics, professional, or personal, a sense of freedom is a powerful force for good in the hands of people who treasure it.
What's keeping you down? And what small step can you take to start to get out from under it - or to throw it off altogether?
Most people I know enjoy their freedom. Whether in politics, professional, or personal, a sense of freedom is a powerful force for good in the hands of people who treasure it.
What's keeping you down? And what small step can you take to start to get out from under it - or to throw it off altogether?
Celebrate May!
May is the best!
It's green, it's sunny, it's warm, it's long. As far as I'm concerned, it's the best month for birthdays.
Welcome to May! Enjoy every deep, fresh breath of it.
It's green, it's sunny, it's warm, it's long. As far as I'm concerned, it's the best month for birthdays.
Welcome to May! Enjoy every deep, fresh breath of it.
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