I'm saddened this week by the news of another friend of mine losing his teen aged son. The Dad is obviously heartbroken not only by the loss of his son but also because he never had the chance to tell him one last time how much he loved him.
STOP whatever you are doing today and reach out to all your family members and hug them, kiss them, and tell them how much you love them and how much they mean to you by being in your life. Tomorrow isn't guaranteed and you may regret the opportunity for the rest of your life.
I want to also tell each of you, reading this, how much you mean to me in my life. I write this blog as a release but I completely enjoy hearing from those of you who read it that it sometimes touches you and helps you make yourself a better person. For that I'm grateful and it makes me very happy. I fully love my life and the friends that surround me in this life. Yes, we all have sadness like this occasionally, but for the most part I don't want to change anything about my life as it stands - except to continue to try and improve on my shortcomings. Thanks for being my friends.
These are my thoughts, what are yours?
Steve
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Monday, June 4, 2012
Veterans
This week I'm on vacation but working hard because my vacation is helping our daughter and son-in-law take care of their new baby, our second grandchild and first grand boy. My son-in-law is in the Army stationed at Ft. Polk and therefore we are surrounded by soldiers and veterans. I've heard yes sir and yes mam all day long showing respect for everyone they come into contact with. It's not just verbal respect that I'm seeing either, they also hold doors open for people, give space in traffic and generally behave in a complete manner that shows their respect for other people.
What strikes me the most about how the Army has changed since I was in it (1969-1972) is how much more professional the soldiers have become. As usual my mind has wandered to business, and how great these soldiers will be as future employees in the business world. From my observations I believe this next generation of employees will be fantastic. They are disciplined, dedicated, well trained, flexible in their mission and certainly willing and able to obey orders. These young men and women are accustomed to working within a system and to helping to improve that system when and where they see the opportunity, yet they never show disrespect or disobedience.
As I observe these soldiers I feel a great sense of peace knowing that they are currently guarding our freedom in this great country of ours as well as a sense of peace knowing that our future leaders will come from within these ranks and our way of life will continue. As they rejoin the civilian population they will be productive and valuable to whatever position they end up working in back in their communities.
I feel very confident and excited about the future today. How do you feel?
These are my thoughts, what are yours?
Steve
What strikes me the most about how the Army has changed since I was in it (1969-1972) is how much more professional the soldiers have become. As usual my mind has wandered to business, and how great these soldiers will be as future employees in the business world. From my observations I believe this next generation of employees will be fantastic. They are disciplined, dedicated, well trained, flexible in their mission and certainly willing and able to obey orders. These young men and women are accustomed to working within a system and to helping to improve that system when and where they see the opportunity, yet they never show disrespect or disobedience.
As I observe these soldiers I feel a great sense of peace knowing that they are currently guarding our freedom in this great country of ours as well as a sense of peace knowing that our future leaders will come from within these ranks and our way of life will continue. As they rejoin the civilian population they will be productive and valuable to whatever position they end up working in back in their communities.
I feel very confident and excited about the future today. How do you feel?
These are my thoughts, what are yours?
Steve
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Happy Memorial Day
Are you able to unplug from work?
Many of us who are so involved in business have difficulty in unplugging from work, even for a holiday weekend. Today with everyone using smart phones and staying constantly in touch it becomes even more difficult to disconnect and enjoy the personal activities that make a holiday weekend so enjoyable.
Now my wife has already asked me if all of this is true then WHY am I writing a blog on the weekend? Well, the truth is I find this activity both enjoyable and relaxing so I don't consider this work. When I ponder that thought process further I find that what I do to earn a living I also find enjoyable and relaxing so in fact, for me, work isn't really work. Maybe that's why I find it so difficult to unplug for vacations or holiday weekends. Just a thought - enjoy yourself this weekend, no matter what you choose to do!
These are my thoughts, what are yours?
Steve
Many of us who are so involved in business have difficulty in unplugging from work, even for a holiday weekend. Today with everyone using smart phones and staying constantly in touch it becomes even more difficult to disconnect and enjoy the personal activities that make a holiday weekend so enjoyable.
Now my wife has already asked me if all of this is true then WHY am I writing a blog on the weekend? Well, the truth is I find this activity both enjoyable and relaxing so I don't consider this work. When I ponder that thought process further I find that what I do to earn a living I also find enjoyable and relaxing so in fact, for me, work isn't really work. Maybe that's why I find it so difficult to unplug for vacations or holiday weekends. Just a thought - enjoy yourself this weekend, no matter what you choose to do!
These are my thoughts, what are yours?
Steve
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Mutual Mystification
What's the goal?
So many times we end up with folks either not knowing or forgetting the goal we are trying to reach. Once when our children were little we decided to drive across our great country so they could see this great country and have a lifelong love of travel. Well, somehow along the way everyone seemed to forget that goal and everyone just started going off in different directions and being unhappy about what we were doing! The kids couldn't wait for the trip to be over and my wife learned she dislikes traveling! Quite a change from our starting goal!
It happens at work sometimes when the leader believes he's clearly explained the desired goal and everyone on the team either didn't understand what was wanted or had their own thoughts/ideas of what the goal was. Either way nobody is one the same path towards the same goal! Sometimes, during the pursuit of the goal, in all the activities, we just forget what the original goal was. That's where having the goal clearly written down and posted or shared helps to remind everyone. Below are several other ideas that may help also.
So how do you solve the "Mutual Mysticification" situation? The most obvious way is to clearly state the desired goal and then have others use different words to tell you back what they believe they heard. It also helps if you go several layers deeper and explain "Why" the goal is important. Others may believe it is because you want one thing and that may not be involved at all, it may be a completely different reason for wanting the goal reached.
One thing is for certain, if mutual Mysticification takes place, for whatever reason, problems will soon follow and the goal, if ever reached at all, will be tremendously more difficult to obtain.
These are my thoughts, what are yours?
Steve
So many times we end up with folks either not knowing or forgetting the goal we are trying to reach. Once when our children were little we decided to drive across our great country so they could see this great country and have a lifelong love of travel. Well, somehow along the way everyone seemed to forget that goal and everyone just started going off in different directions and being unhappy about what we were doing! The kids couldn't wait for the trip to be over and my wife learned she dislikes traveling! Quite a change from our starting goal!
It happens at work sometimes when the leader believes he's clearly explained the desired goal and everyone on the team either didn't understand what was wanted or had their own thoughts/ideas of what the goal was. Either way nobody is one the same path towards the same goal! Sometimes, during the pursuit of the goal, in all the activities, we just forget what the original goal was. That's where having the goal clearly written down and posted or shared helps to remind everyone. Below are several other ideas that may help also.
So how do you solve the "Mutual Mysticification" situation? The most obvious way is to clearly state the desired goal and then have others use different words to tell you back what they believe they heard. It also helps if you go several layers deeper and explain "Why" the goal is important. Others may believe it is because you want one thing and that may not be involved at all, it may be a completely different reason for wanting the goal reached.
One thing is for certain, if mutual Mysticification takes place, for whatever reason, problems will soon follow and the goal, if ever reached at all, will be tremendously more difficult to obtain.
These are my thoughts, what are yours?
Steve
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Are you happy?
Are you happy today? Today I want to take some time to think about what makes someone happy. I've found that sometimes the things that make me happy are things that I had no idea would affect me at all. Other times I have to actively think about and seek out things that make me happy. Maybe I'm over thinking everything. Maybe I'm expecting too much.
Right now I feel happy, but why do I feel that way? Is it because I'm doing what I want to do (thinking and writing) and have not one but two dogs laying near me, both very content and happy, while at my lake house with part of my family around me? Or is it just something that happens cosmically and today is my time?
Are there things going wrong around me today? Yep, as they always do and will, but why allow those minor items to change your personal level of happy? I believe that "happy" is a state of mind and it can be (maybe should be) completely apart from events happening around you. Those dog's are a great example for me as to how to be happy. All it takes is - nothing - yep, nothing, for the dogs to be content and happy. I've watched my dog be happy inside or outside, with us or alone, dry or wet, etc. Somehow God made dogs happy no matter what is going on around them. My dog also never seems to worry about things either. She has nothing new to wear, and sometimes goes long periods of time without food, yet she never seems to be bothered by those circumstances. One thing for sure, when she see's me or another member of her family that she knows and loves she surely does get happy - so happy her tail is about to knock her off her feet from wagging so much! I don't ever remember beings quite so happy my tail wags - I wonder if I should consider that too?
Maybe that is the key to my being happy also. Just stop worrying and stressing about circumstances and decide that no matter what happens (or doesn't happen) according to my desires or wishes, I will still be happy with my life. WOW! I feel better already. Now to go power wash the house, cut the grass, and wait for the A/C repairman to show up and fix the problems with cooling............
These are my thoughts on Happiness, what are yours?
Steve
Right now I feel happy, but why do I feel that way? Is it because I'm doing what I want to do (thinking and writing) and have not one but two dogs laying near me, both very content and happy, while at my lake house with part of my family around me? Or is it just something that happens cosmically and today is my time?
Are there things going wrong around me today? Yep, as they always do and will, but why allow those minor items to change your personal level of happy? I believe that "happy" is a state of mind and it can be (maybe should be) completely apart from events happening around you. Those dog's are a great example for me as to how to be happy. All it takes is - nothing - yep, nothing, for the dogs to be content and happy. I've watched my dog be happy inside or outside, with us or alone, dry or wet, etc. Somehow God made dogs happy no matter what is going on around them. My dog also never seems to worry about things either. She has nothing new to wear, and sometimes goes long periods of time without food, yet she never seems to be bothered by those circumstances. One thing for sure, when she see's me or another member of her family that she knows and loves she surely does get happy - so happy her tail is about to knock her off her feet from wagging so much! I don't ever remember beings quite so happy my tail wags - I wonder if I should consider that too?
Maybe that is the key to my being happy also. Just stop worrying and stressing about circumstances and decide that no matter what happens (or doesn't happen) according to my desires or wishes, I will still be happy with my life. WOW! I feel better already. Now to go power wash the house, cut the grass, and wait for the A/C repairman to show up and fix the problems with cooling............
These are my thoughts on Happiness, what are yours?
Steve
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Never Stop Learning
Lately I've spent more time learning than teaching. It is a different role for me, but one that I very much enjoy. I thought I knew everything I needed to know about cement but have discovered (once again) just how little I really know about yet another subject. Besides the fact that the cement business, like every other business, keeps growing and changing so you MUST keep on learning, I've also discovered that also like many other things, even the word "CEMENT" means something different than I thought it did!
A "Cement" is a binder - a substance that sets and hardens independently and binds other materials together. This is not to be confused with "Concrete", which is made of cement and aggregates.
On top of that, there are different types of "CEMENT" - Hydraulic and Non-Hydraulic. The first cures and hardens because of hydration - that is a chemical reaction with the mixing water. The Non-Hydraulic cement must be kept dry to develop their strength.
There is even an organization devoted entirely to cement - http://www.cement.org/
Wow! I had no idea how little I knew (and still don't know) about cement. I suppose I better go back to working and start learning more so I can share more about my newly found knowledge.
As most of you already know, I like quotes and several pop into my mind today:
It's what you don't know, that you don't know, that will hurt you! and:
It's what you learn after you know it all that really counts! I'm heading back to school now!
Steve
A "Cement" is a binder - a substance that sets and hardens independently and binds other materials together. This is not to be confused with "Concrete", which is made of cement and aggregates.
On top of that, there are different types of "CEMENT" - Hydraulic and Non-Hydraulic. The first cures and hardens because of hydration - that is a chemical reaction with the mixing water. The Non-Hydraulic cement must be kept dry to develop their strength.
There is even an organization devoted entirely to cement - http://www.cement.org/
Wow! I had no idea how little I knew (and still don't know) about cement. I suppose I better go back to working and start learning more so I can share more about my newly found knowledge.
As most of you already know, I like quotes and several pop into my mind today:
It's what you don't know, that you don't know, that will hurt you! and:
It's what you learn after you know it all that really counts! I'm heading back to school now!
Steve
Sunday, May 13, 2012
3 Things for sure!
There are certain absolutes in life, Death, paying taxes, and having some gas engine powered time saving device that won't start as advertised! Yea, I know, push the priming bulb 3 times, set the throttle/choke to start and then pull the starting cord. 900 times! Again and Again until you're ready to cuss and kick or throw the thing, then it finally starts. By then I'm too worn out to do whatever job it was I needed!
Remember the communists always have said they will take over our country by not firing a shot, well in spite of certain actions by groups involved in running our government, I'm now convinced it will happen when everyone in the country gets a gas powered tool and try's to start them on the same day!
Yesterday it was the lawn mower, but could just as easily have been the trimmer or blower. We are doomed!
These are my thoughts, what are your?
Happy Mothers Day to all the Moms out there.
Steve
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