Yesterday I took a friend up for a flight and the infamous $100 hamburger. Only after we were up about 3,000 feet did he tell me that this was his FIRST flight in a small airplane. I usually try to find that out before I take someone up, believe me it does make a difference in how you do things when you have a "first timer" on board.
What I experienced yesterday was a wonderful time that I had almost forgotten myself, that thrill of breaking free of gravity and solid ground and flying like the birds do. Watching my friend taking in everything for the first time that I have started to take for granted. I was able to see thru his eyes the sights that have become so commonplace to me and experience again the thrill that started me flying years ago. Looking down on familiar places but from a totally new angle really amazes folks - seeing more and different colors from above the haze line, watching smoke rise with the wind and actually feeling that wind as it moves the airplane. All wonderful feelings that unfortunately only a small few folks get to experience in life. Many of my pilot friends have told me they long ago forgot those thrilling adventures and now just look upon flying as another method of getting somewhere fast. I hope that never happens to me - I love the flight - the trip is, to me, almost more fun than getting to the destination. In fact, sometimes when I get to my destination I will intentionally veer away just to spend a few more moments up in the sky experiencing that freedom that folks tied to the ground just don't realize.
A short 20 minute flight to the North Georgia Mountain region, then lunch with good friends, and another short flight back to Atlanta doesn't take too much time, but it certainly removes years from my life as I get to feel like a child again for a short amount of time. When I reflect and remember how great it is I am always reminded of taking a young boy up for a flight once. He was in the back seat, with headsets on his small head, just talking away but I couldn't quite hear or understand what he was saying. When I got his attention and repeated my question he told me he was just talking with his dad who had died the year before and this boy knew that he was much closer to heaven so he was having a discussion about what he missed about his dad. I had trouble finishing that flight - my eyesight seemed to develop a very wet blurry view - but believe me I did extend that flight as long as possible, for all 3 of us.
Remember to live life fully each and every day. Everyday is a gift, that is why it is called the "Present."
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Changes to 2011 TCNA Tile Handbook Summary
I'm trying something new today - I am adding a complete summary article I've written about the changes to the 2011 TCNA Tile Handbook. If you are involved in the tile business this will be of interest, if not you may not want to spend the time reading the following 4 pages of information.
Changes to the 2011 TCNA Handbook
The 2011 TCNA Handbook will be over triple the size of the current 2010 handbook with the addition of many new methods and huge improvements in usability over the current book. Below I will outline some of the changes and what they mean to USG and our customers.
• Addition of stone installation methods
o Clarify and make it obvious that stone tile is different from ceramic tile
o Highlight selection and installation considerations and precautions for marble and stone tiles.
o Substrate preparation, or flattening, is required if substrate doesn’t meet level tolerances. Self-leveling methods may be a good choice.
o Limitations on stone tile including post-tensioned concrete, L/720 deflection requirements, maximum substrate variation 1/8” in 10’, epoxy setting materials required for some stone installations.
o New backer board requirements for stone installations – two layer structural wood substrate floors required under backer board installation
o ONLY CBU backer boards are recommended under stone installations
o There will be some duplication of methods but with different requirements for stone versus ceramic tile installations.
• New concrete substrate installation methods with different recommendations for tiling on-ground versus above-ground concrete slabs.
• New optional Membranes sections added into almost all tile installation methods
o Discussion of better setting materials requirements for membrane use
o Discussion of reduced service ratings on installations with membranes
o Discussion of differences of variability of suitability with membranes
• Editorial Overhaul of entire handbook
o Bullets and language standardized
o Need for cross references eliminated by adding more info into methods
o Membrane options called out to add clarity to methods
• Floor Assembly Weights section added to allow design professionals to better calculate the dead load ratings. Mortar beds and all types of backer board unit’s weights given.
• New Improved Ceramic Tile Selection Guide
o Summary of ANSI A137.1 requirements for tile
o Defines the 5 different types of ceramic tile and the minimum performance each must meet
o Discusses breaking strength and bond strength requirements.
• New Glass Tile selection and installation guide
o Only CBU Backer boards recommended under glass tile installations
o Setting materials take better mortars and longer to cure
o Critical need for flat substrate – self-leveling beds may be needed
o Glass tile bonding issues to membranes discussions
o 70 new glass tile installation methods
o Discussion of critical movement joint requirements for the entire assembly with glass tile being used.
• New Environmental Classifications applied to all methods. Guidance provided on both residential and commercial differences in Dry, Limited water, Wet, Steam, High Temperature, and Exterior assemblies.
o Interior walls now rated dry or limited moisture exposure.
o If materials used in Wed areas then details show wall-to-floor transition
o Clarifies what type of a membrane is needed for each application.
• New Wet area Guidelines includes differences between intermittent-wet versus saturated wet areas and how to incorporate waterproofing to contain and evacuate water and protect the building materials behind and below installation.
o Spells out important requirements for:
o Drain and waterproofing sloped to that drain
o Have open/protected weep holes
o Use of a vapor retarder behind the backer board
o Wrapping curb assembly completely with membrane
o Keeping the backer board out of the mortar bed
• New substrate flatness requirements for ceramic tile due to larger sized tiles
o Tiles with all edges shorter than 15” maximum allowable variation is ¼” in ‘ from the required plane and no more than 1/16” variation in 12” from any high points in the surface.
o Tiles with at least one edge 15” or longer in length maximum allowable variation is 1/8” in 10’ with no more than 1/16” in 24” from the high points.
• New ISO references for Grout and Mortar Specifications.
o Explanatory section for determining minimum performance.
o Explanatory section for key to ISO nomenclature and relationships to ANSI and ASTM requirements. Both ISO and ANSI specifications are provided.
o ISO testing/performance requirements listing. Different properties are measured and different tests are used to measure the properties.
• New options for membranes, mortars, grouts, and other materials with multiple options MUST BE CLEARLY SPECIFIED IN WRITING by the design professional or if not specifically indicated optional materials ARE NOT INCLUDED and choice defaults to minimum performance specification.
• Updated Tile is the Natural Choice section
o The Green side of tile
o LEED and other Green Building Rating Systems explanations
o Floor covering cost comparison
o Life Cycle cost data comparisons
o New Why Select Ceramic Tile section
• New “Dry” Wall method listing tub surrounds without a shower head
o Allows different backer board units including Glass Mat Water Resistant backer board units and standard drywall products.
• New Pool installation method
• New “soft materials” caution for ceramic tile and stone products subjected to lower breaking strengths
• New Expansion joint explanations and drawings including joints at vertical surfaces.
• New Grout guide discussing color consistency of cementitious grouts as well as epoxy emulsion grouts, and premixed Polymer Resin Grouts.
• New Steam Shower assembly revisions including CBU backings use.
As you can see this will be quite an extensive amount of change for the tile installers to absorb so please be prepared when the book is released to update your flash drive with the new information and have new printed copies to show your distributors and installers. This will require a huge educational effort on everyone in the supply side of the tile industry to insure that the message of these new changes get out into daily use to cut down on the failure rate of installed products that are not being done properly and leading to premature failures.
Changes to the 2011 TCNA Handbook
The 2011 TCNA Handbook will be over triple the size of the current 2010 handbook with the addition of many new methods and huge improvements in usability over the current book. Below I will outline some of the changes and what they mean to USG and our customers.
• Addition of stone installation methods
o Clarify and make it obvious that stone tile is different from ceramic tile
o Highlight selection and installation considerations and precautions for marble and stone tiles.
o Substrate preparation, or flattening, is required if substrate doesn’t meet level tolerances. Self-leveling methods may be a good choice.
o Limitations on stone tile including post-tensioned concrete, L/720 deflection requirements, maximum substrate variation 1/8” in 10’, epoxy setting materials required for some stone installations.
o New backer board requirements for stone installations – two layer structural wood substrate floors required under backer board installation
o ONLY CBU backer boards are recommended under stone installations
o There will be some duplication of methods but with different requirements for stone versus ceramic tile installations.
• New concrete substrate installation methods with different recommendations for tiling on-ground versus above-ground concrete slabs.
• New optional Membranes sections added into almost all tile installation methods
o Discussion of better setting materials requirements for membrane use
o Discussion of reduced service ratings on installations with membranes
o Discussion of differences of variability of suitability with membranes
• Editorial Overhaul of entire handbook
o Bullets and language standardized
o Need for cross references eliminated by adding more info into methods
o Membrane options called out to add clarity to methods
• Floor Assembly Weights section added to allow design professionals to better calculate the dead load ratings. Mortar beds and all types of backer board unit’s weights given.
• New Improved Ceramic Tile Selection Guide
o Summary of ANSI A137.1 requirements for tile
o Defines the 5 different types of ceramic tile and the minimum performance each must meet
o Discusses breaking strength and bond strength requirements.
• New Glass Tile selection and installation guide
o Only CBU Backer boards recommended under glass tile installations
o Setting materials take better mortars and longer to cure
o Critical need for flat substrate – self-leveling beds may be needed
o Glass tile bonding issues to membranes discussions
o 70 new glass tile installation methods
o Discussion of critical movement joint requirements for the entire assembly with glass tile being used.
• New Environmental Classifications applied to all methods. Guidance provided on both residential and commercial differences in Dry, Limited water, Wet, Steam, High Temperature, and Exterior assemblies.
o Interior walls now rated dry or limited moisture exposure.
o If materials used in Wed areas then details show wall-to-floor transition
o Clarifies what type of a membrane is needed for each application.
• New Wet area Guidelines includes differences between intermittent-wet versus saturated wet areas and how to incorporate waterproofing to contain and evacuate water and protect the building materials behind and below installation.
o Spells out important requirements for:
o Drain and waterproofing sloped to that drain
o Have open/protected weep holes
o Use of a vapor retarder behind the backer board
o Wrapping curb assembly completely with membrane
o Keeping the backer board out of the mortar bed
• New substrate flatness requirements for ceramic tile due to larger sized tiles
o Tiles with all edges shorter than 15” maximum allowable variation is ¼” in ‘ from the required plane and no more than 1/16” variation in 12” from any high points in the surface.
o Tiles with at least one edge 15” or longer in length maximum allowable variation is 1/8” in 10’ with no more than 1/16” in 24” from the high points.
• New ISO references for Grout and Mortar Specifications.
o Explanatory section for determining minimum performance.
o Explanatory section for key to ISO nomenclature and relationships to ANSI and ASTM requirements. Both ISO and ANSI specifications are provided.
o ISO testing/performance requirements listing. Different properties are measured and different tests are used to measure the properties.
• New options for membranes, mortars, grouts, and other materials with multiple options MUST BE CLEARLY SPECIFIED IN WRITING by the design professional or if not specifically indicated optional materials ARE NOT INCLUDED and choice defaults to minimum performance specification.
• Updated Tile is the Natural Choice section
o The Green side of tile
o LEED and other Green Building Rating Systems explanations
o Floor covering cost comparison
o Life Cycle cost data comparisons
o New Why Select Ceramic Tile section
• New “Dry” Wall method listing tub surrounds without a shower head
o Allows different backer board units including Glass Mat Water Resistant backer board units and standard drywall products.
• New Pool installation method
• New “soft materials” caution for ceramic tile and stone products subjected to lower breaking strengths
• New Expansion joint explanations and drawings including joints at vertical surfaces.
• New Grout guide discussing color consistency of cementitious grouts as well as epoxy emulsion grouts, and premixed Polymer Resin Grouts.
• New Steam Shower assembly revisions including CBU backings use.
As you can see this will be quite an extensive amount of change for the tile installers to absorb so please be prepared when the book is released to update your flash drive with the new information and have new printed copies to show your distributors and installers. This will require a huge educational effort on everyone in the supply side of the tile industry to insure that the message of these new changes get out into daily use to cut down on the failure rate of installed products that are not being done properly and leading to premature failures.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Thinking "outside" the box? Why not try inside?
I love life. If you know me at all you know that for certain. I get passionate about things and sometimes very impatient because of my passion to accomplish something. This week a friend of mine saw me working on a problem and said something to me that absolutely stopped me in my tracks - stunned me, if you will. He asked me why I was struggling so much with this and I, in my own "knowing" way started to explain to him (the unlearned, or so I thought) how all my books and acquired knowledge leads me to progressive thinking - mostly "outside" of the box. My friend listened politely to me and smiled all the time.
Now allow me to explain here that I became a convert to thinking outside the box many years ago and that skill, which I found difficult to acquire and master, has served me well for a very long time and helped me solve many issues. When I was finished talking my friend, still smiling, reminded me that looking inside the box is the best starting position and usually leads to a better, faster answer. But, as they say, here is the rest of the story. I am so very familiar and comfortable with looking outside the box for my solutions I sometimes fail to examine what is right in front of me, INSIDE the box which solves the situation easily AND better than spending all that time trying to reinvent my wheel.
I've had that same issue with the Ipad computer. I see that as a tool to looking outside my box and make huge progress, but will it actually do that for me? When I look inside my box I notice that what the Ipad does very well, I do very little of - and what I really want a small computer tool like that to do the Ipad doesn't do that so well. In fact, due to some of our company computer security issues the Ipad won't work at all as I need it to do. When I backtracked my steps and looked around inside my box I discovered that the real issues I wanted and needed to have this tool for were best served by a Netbook Windows based smaller (size wise not power wise)computer. Once I got my "head trash" cleared out then the Acer Computer seemed the answer.
But wait, was I now rushing to a decision without considering other options? I did some research and asked several users opinions and discovered that for the same size, money, and efforts I could get a MSI (unheard of brand to me) and not only EXCEED my needs but do it faster, better, cheaper, and easier than any of the other choices. So now I have a Netbook, small size, computer that for exceeds what I really need to do but costs much less (to my budget) than the Apple Ipad. I'm still struggling that I'm not "cool" and don't have that "out of the box" tool that everyone else is raving about - the Ipad, but it's ok, see this blog is actually typed on the full sized keyboard of the MSI Netbook and I can see the full width of the page, neither of which would have happened if I solved my situation outside of the box.
Now I'm wondering how many other things I've messed up due to my thinking outside the box instead of taking the tried and true route to examine all situations unemotionally and clearly by starting INSIDE the situation and working towards the outside as the need arises.
What is your take on this?
Now allow me to explain here that I became a convert to thinking outside the box many years ago and that skill, which I found difficult to acquire and master, has served me well for a very long time and helped me solve many issues. When I was finished talking my friend, still smiling, reminded me that looking inside the box is the best starting position and usually leads to a better, faster answer. But, as they say, here is the rest of the story. I am so very familiar and comfortable with looking outside the box for my solutions I sometimes fail to examine what is right in front of me, INSIDE the box which solves the situation easily AND better than spending all that time trying to reinvent my wheel.
I've had that same issue with the Ipad computer. I see that as a tool to looking outside my box and make huge progress, but will it actually do that for me? When I look inside my box I notice that what the Ipad does very well, I do very little of - and what I really want a small computer tool like that to do the Ipad doesn't do that so well. In fact, due to some of our company computer security issues the Ipad won't work at all as I need it to do. When I backtracked my steps and looked around inside my box I discovered that the real issues I wanted and needed to have this tool for were best served by a Netbook Windows based smaller (size wise not power wise)computer. Once I got my "head trash" cleared out then the Acer Computer seemed the answer.
But wait, was I now rushing to a decision without considering other options? I did some research and asked several users opinions and discovered that for the same size, money, and efforts I could get a MSI (unheard of brand to me) and not only EXCEED my needs but do it faster, better, cheaper, and easier than any of the other choices. So now I have a Netbook, small size, computer that for exceeds what I really need to do but costs much less (to my budget) than the Apple Ipad. I'm still struggling that I'm not "cool" and don't have that "out of the box" tool that everyone else is raving about - the Ipad, but it's ok, see this blog is actually typed on the full sized keyboard of the MSI Netbook and I can see the full width of the page, neither of which would have happened if I solved my situation outside of the box.
Now I'm wondering how many other things I've messed up due to my thinking outside the box instead of taking the tried and true route to examine all situations unemotionally and clearly by starting INSIDE the situation and working towards the outside as the need arises.
What is your take on this?
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Giving or Receiving?
I spent the last entire week at Total Solutions Plus meetings which is a first time concept for the ceramic tile and stone world - 3 different industry associations, Tile Council of North America, National Tile Contractors Association and Ceramic Tile Distributors Association, all meeting together at the same time in the same location.
What became clear during this week were several items on this first time adventure: (A) We all liked the concept of getting everyone together in one group, (B) schedule overlaps need to be looked at and re-evaluated, (C) we needed more "social networking" time so everyone can visit and get maximum benefits of being together.
What I gained from that entire week of meetings cannot be explained in the small space of this blog, but I did make a very specific effort to gain information from every single group meeting or conversation that I had during that time. In evaluating the experience I started to reflect on how much information I "normally" miss by wanting to "give" my knowledge to folks I talk with as opposed to staying quiet and "receiving" information from them. I just finished a book about that subject and made a very difficult decision for me by attempting to listen at least twice as much as I spoke, and by "Fully listening" as opposed to my usual attitude of listening just to develop my answer or come back to the statement. Man that was hard for me.
I now wonder, as I evaluate this experiment just how much valuable information I've missed during my lifetime by not listening fully but rather just giving information and preparing to give more information while I had to endure what the other person had to say.
Life is funny isn't it? By the time you gain this valuable skill many of us are almost past our prime to utilize it fully. That being said, it is never too late to change old habits and learn new skills and this listening fully stuff has some merit to it.
The next time we have an opportunity for a telephone conversation, or a face-to-face talk, please call me on this shortcoming, if I start to backslide, so that I can continue to grow as I did last week. As a great friend of mine used to say: "The only difference between a rut and a grave is the length and depth." Listen your way to life today and let me know your thoughts on this subject.
Steve
What became clear during this week were several items on this first time adventure: (A) We all liked the concept of getting everyone together in one group, (B) schedule overlaps need to be looked at and re-evaluated, (C) we needed more "social networking" time so everyone can visit and get maximum benefits of being together.
What I gained from that entire week of meetings cannot be explained in the small space of this blog, but I did make a very specific effort to gain information from every single group meeting or conversation that I had during that time. In evaluating the experience I started to reflect on how much information I "normally" miss by wanting to "give" my knowledge to folks I talk with as opposed to staying quiet and "receiving" information from them. I just finished a book about that subject and made a very difficult decision for me by attempting to listen at least twice as much as I spoke, and by "Fully listening" as opposed to my usual attitude of listening just to develop my answer or come back to the statement. Man that was hard for me.
I now wonder, as I evaluate this experiment just how much valuable information I've missed during my lifetime by not listening fully but rather just giving information and preparing to give more information while I had to endure what the other person had to say.
Life is funny isn't it? By the time you gain this valuable skill many of us are almost past our prime to utilize it fully. That being said, it is never too late to change old habits and learn new skills and this listening fully stuff has some merit to it.
The next time we have an opportunity for a telephone conversation, or a face-to-face talk, please call me on this shortcoming, if I start to backslide, so that I can continue to grow as I did last week. As a great friend of mine used to say: "The only difference between a rut and a grave is the length and depth." Listen your way to life today and let me know your thoughts on this subject.
Steve
Monday, October 18, 2010
What you learn after you know it all that counts!
A great mentor and friend of mine used the statement above "It's what you learn after you know it all that really counts." His contention was that really important learning only takes place when you stop and evaluate what you already believe that you know. One of his biggest points to consider is What "Lens" are you using to look at life? There is a new book out by Alan Fine - "You Already Know How to Be Great" and he discusses applying new thinking to your life plus some suggestions on how to get out of your own way. It is an extremely interesting book that leads folks to self-evaluation and examination.
Fine suggests we have 3 elements that we must get right to best use the knowledge that we already have:
FAITH: Our beliefs about ourselves and our beliefs about others. An absence of FAITH could be described as insecurity.
FIRE: Our energy, passion, motivation, and commitment. An absence of FIRE could be described as indifference.
FOCUS: What we pay attention to and how we pay attention it it. The absence of FOCUS could be described as inconsistency.
Now I believe that FOCUS is the lens that provides the tool for removing distractions and thus becomes the most effective way to release FAITH and FIRE in your daily life.
Fine goes on to introduce the GROW process: This process asks:
"What is my GOAL?"
"What is REALITY?"
"What are my OPTIONS?"
"What is the best WAY Forward?"
Fine suggest using the GROW process helps reduce interference, clarify thinking, identify options, and break down the challenge into doable tasks. It also unblocks and unlocks FAITH, FIRE, and FOCUS to free people to evaluate and utilize the knowledge they already have.
Now here is the problem as I see it: What I absolutely know for certain is colored by the lens that I used to see or learn that knowledge. If I think as a sales person then everything looks like a potential sale. If I think like an accountant everything becomes a question of balancing the numbers, a Lawyer, limiting the liability, a marketing specialist, reaching the largest audience, etc, you get the picture.
So how do we clarify and balance our "LENS?" Especially after the fact that we have already learned so much without thinking much about which lens we learned it under? The "R" in GROW process - REALITY - is the key here. Ask yourself are you accurately seeing reality or or are you seeing what you want or desire it to be? A simple test helps me determine this for myself - do I listen openly to the complete opposite viewpoint and unemotionally consider what is said before I make up my mind that my opinion or view of this reality is correct? Consider when you see a picture of a mountain range at sunset. As a scientist you would see the formations and geology of the mountains, as a artist you may see the shadows and colors involved. as a pilot flying you would see and consider the altitude and flight path required as well as verify your heading to make sure you are safe. All three "lens" are correct for each person looking at the exact same picture - your job may be to blend all 3 to come with the best OPTION and WAY FORWARD in your situation.
I find myself questioning my "LENS" view of almost everything every single day now since I have learned this skill. It tends to help me stay self assured and more confident of my decisions after I have done this evaluation process. The only disadvantage I have found to this process is that it does require you to stop and think before making a decision. Is that a bad thing?
These are my thoughts on this subject, what are yours?
Fine suggests we have 3 elements that we must get right to best use the knowledge that we already have:
FAITH: Our beliefs about ourselves and our beliefs about others. An absence of FAITH could be described as insecurity.
FIRE: Our energy, passion, motivation, and commitment. An absence of FIRE could be described as indifference.
FOCUS: What we pay attention to and how we pay attention it it. The absence of FOCUS could be described as inconsistency.
Now I believe that FOCUS is the lens that provides the tool for removing distractions and thus becomes the most effective way to release FAITH and FIRE in your daily life.
Fine goes on to introduce the GROW process: This process asks:
"What is my GOAL?"
"What is REALITY?"
"What are my OPTIONS?"
"What is the best WAY Forward?"
Fine suggest using the GROW process helps reduce interference, clarify thinking, identify options, and break down the challenge into doable tasks. It also unblocks and unlocks FAITH, FIRE, and FOCUS to free people to evaluate and utilize the knowledge they already have.
Now here is the problem as I see it: What I absolutely know for certain is colored by the lens that I used to see or learn that knowledge. If I think as a sales person then everything looks like a potential sale. If I think like an accountant everything becomes a question of balancing the numbers, a Lawyer, limiting the liability, a marketing specialist, reaching the largest audience, etc, you get the picture.
So how do we clarify and balance our "LENS?" Especially after the fact that we have already learned so much without thinking much about which lens we learned it under? The "R" in GROW process - REALITY - is the key here. Ask yourself are you accurately seeing reality or or are you seeing what you want or desire it to be? A simple test helps me determine this for myself - do I listen openly to the complete opposite viewpoint and unemotionally consider what is said before I make up my mind that my opinion or view of this reality is correct? Consider when you see a picture of a mountain range at sunset. As a scientist you would see the formations and geology of the mountains, as a artist you may see the shadows and colors involved. as a pilot flying you would see and consider the altitude and flight path required as well as verify your heading to make sure you are safe. All three "lens" are correct for each person looking at the exact same picture - your job may be to blend all 3 to come with the best OPTION and WAY FORWARD in your situation.
I find myself questioning my "LENS" view of almost everything every single day now since I have learned this skill. It tends to help me stay self assured and more confident of my decisions after I have done this evaluation process. The only disadvantage I have found to this process is that it does require you to stop and think before making a decision. Is that a bad thing?
These are my thoughts on this subject, what are yours?
Monday, October 11, 2010
Lost friends
Early this morning we lost a great American man - Dr. William J. (Bill) Pharris who had been the band director at Norcross High School for many years. Bill retired the last year that any of my kids were in High School (MANY years ago now) but we have kept in touch just because Bill was such a special person. He was charged in his job description to train students in music but that was not enough for Mr P. He REQUIRED his students to be good students FIRST and then take care of band. Nobody knows for sure how many lives Bill touched, but when past students from as far back as 20+ years stay in touch with him, you know it was a huge number.
Teaching today is difficult at best, but when someone special like Bill makes a committment to teach and work with young people they must have a passion or it just doesn't last. Kids are smart, they can tell the difference in a teacher who just has a job and the "special" teacher who really cares about them and their futures.
None of my 3 children were what you would call "star" students, and because of Mr P (as they all called him) was one of the toughest teachers they all had - and all 3 love him today because of his methods of pulling the best out of them. I can remember at band camp on year Mr P yelling out in his subtle way "Rausch - you aren't in step" and all 3 yelled back, "Sorry sir but which Rausch?" - smiling Bill just said - "You know who was out of step - correct it NOW!", then he turned to me and said "I'm going to have to label them 1,2, & 3 so I don't get the wrong one anymore" - that was pure Mr P - even my wife called him Mr P - I was the only "Rausch" who was not afraid of him and felt comfortable calling him Bill.
There are many Mr P's out in the world today, thank God, and they go quietly about their passion helping improve the world one student at a time. Bill once told my son Tim and his best friend Jason, when they both said they wanted to become high school band directors, "Only do it if you want to make a difference, and then never compromise your standards". Bill NEVER compromised his standards and many young people today are much better because of his passion. Tim didn't go on to become that band director, yet he uses what Bill taught him every day of his life. Jason starts this very week as a high school band director and I absolutely KNOW he had the best training anyone could have ever had for the job ahead of him. Mr P will be watching Jason so don't compromise the standards.
Thank you Mr Pharris and I know God has you in a very special place today enjoying the rest of eternity basking in the glory and honor that you deserve. We back here on earth will miss you greatly and can't wait to catch up some day and hear your voice calling out again with encouragement to young folks. You left this world a better place than you found it and THAT is a very rich estate to leave behind.
Teaching today is difficult at best, but when someone special like Bill makes a committment to teach and work with young people they must have a passion or it just doesn't last. Kids are smart, they can tell the difference in a teacher who just has a job and the "special" teacher who really cares about them and their futures.
None of my 3 children were what you would call "star" students, and because of Mr P (as they all called him) was one of the toughest teachers they all had - and all 3 love him today because of his methods of pulling the best out of them. I can remember at band camp on year Mr P yelling out in his subtle way "Rausch - you aren't in step" and all 3 yelled back, "Sorry sir but which Rausch?" - smiling Bill just said - "You know who was out of step - correct it NOW!", then he turned to me and said "I'm going to have to label them 1,2, & 3 so I don't get the wrong one anymore" - that was pure Mr P - even my wife called him Mr P - I was the only "Rausch" who was not afraid of him and felt comfortable calling him Bill.
There are many Mr P's out in the world today, thank God, and they go quietly about their passion helping improve the world one student at a time. Bill once told my son Tim and his best friend Jason, when they both said they wanted to become high school band directors, "Only do it if you want to make a difference, and then never compromise your standards". Bill NEVER compromised his standards and many young people today are much better because of his passion. Tim didn't go on to become that band director, yet he uses what Bill taught him every day of his life. Jason starts this very week as a high school band director and I absolutely KNOW he had the best training anyone could have ever had for the job ahead of him. Mr P will be watching Jason so don't compromise the standards.
Thank you Mr Pharris and I know God has you in a very special place today enjoying the rest of eternity basking in the glory and honor that you deserve. We back here on earth will miss you greatly and can't wait to catch up some day and hear your voice calling out again with encouragement to young folks. You left this world a better place than you found it and THAT is a very rich estate to leave behind.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Ever had a Nile Perch?
In our new Global economy everyone should know about the Nile Perch!
It's a huge freshwater fish, easy to catch and eat, and tempting to introduce into non-native waters. found interestingly enough in the Nile river basin and region.
And when it shows up? The Nile perch grows huge in size and it will eat everything it can and probably drive competitive smaller fish extinct. Good intentions are rewarded with plenty of Nile perch (for now) but a degraded ecosystem in the long run. Everyone in the South should be able to relate this with Kudzu, different product but same results.
Does that sound like anything else we hear about on a regular basis? Wal-Mart? Mega brand car dealerships? Big Box building supply stores? Grocery stores? The list is long and well known. Sometimes we all are dazzled by the short term lure of choosing from hundreds of items to buy, and very low prices to make it all seem right. But what about all of those smaller companies and the hundreds of folks, plus thousands of family members that the huge stores lead to extinction?
We seem to place plenty of value on instant gratification for the wants and desires of our lives and sometimes that is very nice, but what about the long term consequences of always having that available? Do we get fat and happy? Sloppy in our business or purchasing habits? I certainly remember just a few years ago when anyone could open a new business, not have much of a plan or capital, and become a big success in a short amount of time. The dot com empires came and went bust all relatively quickly from just that process. In the flooring and tile industry we saw many examples of companies, at all levels, who in spite of their poor decisions and seemly total lack of a marketing plan, made money and grew their businesses, but at the first sign of real competition and downturn of economy they withered and died quickly.
I suppose that the Nile Perch has it's advantages, but I certainly see many disadvantages also and it makes me wonder if the benefits outweigh the problems it creates.
Just my thoughts, what are yours?
Steve
It's a huge freshwater fish, easy to catch and eat, and tempting to introduce into non-native waters. found interestingly enough in the Nile river basin and region.
And when it shows up? The Nile perch grows huge in size and it will eat everything it can and probably drive competitive smaller fish extinct. Good intentions are rewarded with plenty of Nile perch (for now) but a degraded ecosystem in the long run. Everyone in the South should be able to relate this with Kudzu, different product but same results.
Does that sound like anything else we hear about on a regular basis? Wal-Mart? Mega brand car dealerships? Big Box building supply stores? Grocery stores? The list is long and well known. Sometimes we all are dazzled by the short term lure of choosing from hundreds of items to buy, and very low prices to make it all seem right. But what about all of those smaller companies and the hundreds of folks, plus thousands of family members that the huge stores lead to extinction?
We seem to place plenty of value on instant gratification for the wants and desires of our lives and sometimes that is very nice, but what about the long term consequences of always having that available? Do we get fat and happy? Sloppy in our business or purchasing habits? I certainly remember just a few years ago when anyone could open a new business, not have much of a plan or capital, and become a big success in a short amount of time. The dot com empires came and went bust all relatively quickly from just that process. In the flooring and tile industry we saw many examples of companies, at all levels, who in spite of their poor decisions and seemly total lack of a marketing plan, made money and grew their businesses, but at the first sign of real competition and downturn of economy they withered and died quickly.
I suppose that the Nile Perch has it's advantages, but I certainly see many disadvantages also and it makes me wonder if the benefits outweigh the problems it creates.
Just my thoughts, what are yours?
Steve
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