Note:  This week I shared a letter to the editor in support of the new pool here in Blue Hill.  Here is the complete version of the letter.

Memories

When you think of your summer childhood memories with your friends, what do you think about?  For some of you, it may have been hauling pipe, irrigating, working cattle, and any other job you did and got yelled at by your dad.  For others, it may have been fishing or the county fair.  For me, after chores (and mowing), it was summer baseball and going to the swimming pool.  Shark.  The high diving board.  The smell of chlorine.  Marco Polo.  Wendy Peffercorn.  While baseball is America’s favorite pastime and the other is filled (no pun intended) with memories of friends playing while learning the valuable life skill of swimming.

Families

I can personally say that when my wife and I moved to town we had certain items we wanted in order to move our family to Blue Hill.  I can imagine the same can be said for families wanting to move to a more rural area away from Hastings.  We wanted a grocery store, a pharmacy, a medical clinic, and a pool.  What do these things have in common?  The answer is families with children.  With ample choices of small towns to choose from, why be the town that gets left behind by more ambitious communities?  It takes a village (and your tax dollars) to raise our kids.  When kids from other towns come to your pool, you would be surprised.  They join your baseball teams, they spend money in your grocery store, and they might even come to your school.  I’m not here today to talk about school.  I interact with students on a daily basis (it’s all online now…).

The Future

I went to elementary school in Edgar, Nebraska.  When I was in high school, our elementary school was shut down and a new K-12 building was added to the current site of Sandy Creek Schools.  My dad was opposed to the shutting down of our elementary school (for tax and sentimental reasons).  Looking back, the old dilapidated school had served its purpose.  It wasn’t ADA compliant, it wasn’t energy efficient, and it was under constant repair (partly from me breaking its windows with my boomerang and high powered slingshot).  Just like a pool I drive by on Highway 281 every morning.  My dad was the mayor during most of my childhood and would go on to explain to me (years later) that pools don’t make money and oftentimes cost the city money.  His saying always was, “We can’t afford a pool, but can we afford not to have one?”

What Now?

Our town is full of people that own businesses both small and large.  Most of these people are committed, focused, and planners.  Business owners understand the commitment it takes to survive in a small town and understand that people can take their business elsewhere.  As a resident, I cannot help but root for all of our local businesses to succeed.  Likewise, there have been many people committed over the years to make a new swimming pool a reality. Keeping families coming to Blue Hill is important for our businesses today and tomorrow.

Why should we vote for a new pool?

Safety…for our kids.

Security…for our town.

Swimming…for us all.

As you approach the ballot box in the next few weeks (or fill it out at home), I want you to think of swimming lessons, birthday parties, midnight swims, family reunions, and warm Saturday afternoons in the summer.  Like a high diving board, sometimes it is our fear of heights; sometimes it is the fall into the water.  All it takes is the first step off. Just like we can build confidence in swimming skills, we can build confidence in a strong future for Blue Hill. I encourage you to vote for the pool.

Have you ever been in a situation where you had no idea how to do something and you were just “flying by the seat of your pants?”  Enter COVID-19.

I’ve heard this phrase my entire life, and I didn’t really put it into perspective until this past week.  Little did I know, the phrase originated during the early days of aviation before navigation aids and radio were readily available.  You literally were flying on your instinct, initiative, and perspective.  Talk about being brave and/or crazy.

Last week I shared with our teachers the idea of steering a rocket after launch.  The mental model of a rocket in flight, receiving feedback, and adjusting course just made the most sense to me with the onslaught of decisions that were being made in our country and state.  If you spend all your time aiming the rocket from the ground, you will never launch.  The suspending of shool provided the impetus to go forward 100% with online learning…

But first…Parents.  I grew up with the great fortune of going to my grandma Meredith and grandpa Pat’s home for daycare on most days.  Mr. Rodgers and Bob Ross were two great people to watch on television and brought me into their world.  They had a conversation with me as a kid.  They shared stories.  They taught lessons.  Bob painted those “happy little trees…”  I legitimately remember the couch, the carpet, the tv, and the room where it was just me and them.  Throw in Sesame Street on a few days and I was in heaven.  What I’m getting at is that my parents had someone to lean on that was always home and only just 5 blocks away.

While teachers were frantically coming up with plans for online learning, many parents were doing the same thing at home.  Only they weren’t planning lessons.  They were trying to see where their kids would go for daycare.  They were trying to figure out what the day would look like for their kids.  They were wondering how in the heck they would help teach their kids.  In a nutshell, they were flying by the seat of their pants.  I know, because I am one.  Our kids are 7, 5, and 2 and shall I say it, “full of energy?”

We have had two full days of online learning and I have nothing but great things to say of the teachers that are trying new and creative ways to connect to kids, mine especially.  Jessica and I split duty between all subjects.  She does 90% of the work and I teach 10% (PE and Shop).  I’m not joking.  For those teachers that have kids of their own, we understand what you are going through. Here are the boys below last Thursday when we had soccer practice (hey, we had already bought shoes for the season).

Everyone at school has been doing an amazing job being problem solvers.  Lunches are being served, backpacks are being delivered, and students are getting their first taste of what education has become for some colleges.  The shift that we could all see happening years ago with the advent of Chromebooks and computers has come upon us like a, no pun intended, “bat out of hell…”

I know that as the days go by we will all get better, learn, and adjust.  Feedback is the driving force for improvement.  We may not like it, but like the great Winston Churchill said, “The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.”

Pictured above (L-R) School Representatives Patrick Moore, Christine Brown, Maddie Fritz, Treasure Trove Volunteers Sara Macklin, Marilyn Alber

Part 2 – The Treasure Trove

Schools.  Who or what makes them tick?

Teachers teach history, math, science, reading, music, and a whole host of other subjects.  Support staff greets you when you come into the building and help out with all aspects of keeping a school open and running smoothly.  What is one thing that makes them tick and why do they do it?

We all have a special gene or trait that we bring to the table in our jobs.  If you are reading this, so do you.  At school, there is one common denominator in what we do on a daily basis.  Students.  Our most important asset.

One thing I have learned being a teacher and administrator in a small town is that small-town morals and values are strongly embedded in our schools.  Our job as role-models is to make sure students have the opportunity to be successful within our school walls and out in our communities.  I once heard the saying, “Work.  It ain’t gonna do itself…”  Likewise, schools are staffed with people from all different backgrounds that interact with children and help them learn and grow on a daily basis.

In our community of Blue Hill, we have a sense of pride and duty to ensure our students have access to the tools necessary for them to learn and be productive citizens.  A little over two years ago our teachers sought out our local businesses to help us get started with a Backpack Program.  In the two years since, multiple businesses, patrons, and churches from our community and beyond have stepped up to lend a hand to help the kids of the Blue Hill School District.  The Backpack Program.  It ain’t gonna do itself…

Over the last two years, we have been fortunate to have one business, in particular, take a keen interest not in food, but in clothing and hygiene.  Mandy Ockinga, owner of Main Street Styles in Blue Hill, began by organizing local parents and friends.  Mandy convinced our community that we had another need not only in our school but in our community.  Mandy convinced everyone to donate all types of household items for our students in need at school, but particularly clothing.  Another idea was born.  Did the idea have community support?

The idea that started as a one-time thing to have students come uptown to get clothing and hygiene products has blossomed into a community affair.  The Treasure Trove is now a business on main street that provides not only for kids in our town but for all of the town.  The Treasure Trove is run by many volunteers (Sara Macklin and Marilyn Alber are pictured in the photo) and sustained by community support and donations.

I have always viewed schools and community as a three legged stool.  One leg represents the school.  One represents the community.  And the other leg represents purpose and support.  Community support and partnerships rock.  School and communities ain’t gonna work themselves…without support.

#​LookGoodFeelGoodBeGood

Question #1:  How do you get the little bits of broken eggshell out of the bowl when you crack an egg?  I’m convinced that if someone came up with a tool to get the broken bits out that they would be a millionaire and as the comedian Ron White says, “I’d be drinking on a beach with my…new friends!” #asSEENonTV

Question #2:  Do you wrap random presents with things such as old Lego’s or rocks and then take the presents away when your kids are misbehaving?  LOL!  Side Note:  I had wrapped a present for my dad for Christmas, only to find out from my mom that he already bought what I bought him.  So…I left the present under the tree and just took it away this morning.  You would have thought it was the end of the world when I took the present away.  I know it was wrong, but it was hilarious on so many levels.  #NOTparentOFtheYear2019

Question #3:  We got the boys an Original Atari 2600 for Christmas (they won’t open it until Christmas morning, so if you see them before then, be quiet).  How much time do you let your kids play on electronics?  To this point, all they have ever been able to play are Pac Man and Temple Run.  If you say 1 hour, then will you share with me a screenshot of your screen time per day on your iPhone?  Hahahahahaha!!!  #ATARIrules

Side Note:  We went to Star Wars:  The Rise of Skywalker yesterday and it was fantastic.  When the opening started, I felt transformed back to the 1980s when I was a kid.  Chills.  I’m hoping the Huskers can give me the same chills sometime in the next few years.  All I get for chills now with the Huskers is the excitement from the papers every year.  #HUSKERSkoolAID2020

This is Breck.  Breck is fun.  Breck is friendly.  Breck is energetic.  Breck is kind.  Breck is athletic.  Breck is shy.  Breck is outgoing.  Breck listens.  Matter of fact…
Breck.  Remembers.  Everything.

Do you ever wonder why your memory works the way that it does?  Some events in life are etched eternally in our minds like the wedding vows say, “for better, or for worse…”

As many students eagerly anticipate Christmas Break, there are others that have been dreading it since coming back from Thanksgiving Break.  Here is what I have learned over the course of my lifetime.  Kids sometimes come to us with baggage that they need help with.

This point has never hit home more than it has this past week.  Our school is 1:1 with Chromebooks and we have a few different platforms that monitor what students are looking at and typing on their school computers.  In the past few weeks, I have had multiple notifications about students and concerns with what they were typing.  It turns out that many of these students have been working on a personal memoir.  Reading through the alerts made me realize one thing.  Kids listen.  Kids.  Remember.  Everything.

Writing is therapeutic for me and helps me collect my thoughts.  Abe Lincoln wrote to vent to his political opponents (and didn’t send the letters).  Some people write to give advice (I’m currently reading The Dichotomy of Leadership and Dare to Lead).  Others write with the goal of immersing you in their alternate world (Harry Potter).   I should write more often, but I often make excuses.  After reading many of these memoirs, I have reflected on our students and their childhood, my own, and more importantly, my own children and their childhood thus far.

For some reason, our brain remembers good and bad times very vividly.  For me, I remember listening to Paul Harvey and Alan Jackson as my dad and mom drove down Highway 6 on the way to Wheeler’s in Hastings.  I would stare out at the mounds of dirt and think, “Way down yonder on the Chattahoochee, does it really get hotter than a hoochie coochie?”  And then, when Paul Harvey was over, I would always mouth, “This is Paul Harvey, Good Day!” and “And now you know, the rest of the story…”

Which brings me back to Breck.  Our kids go to daycare a few miles outside of town and Breck oftentimes rides with me in the morning.  We talk, sing, and ponder many of the wonders in life.  Mind you, Breck has also been introduced to everything from Alice in Chains to Queen and in between.  I love music and the thoughts and feelings it brings to the forefront of my mind and the particular mood that I am in at that particular moment.  One of my favorite artists is Eric Church.

A few months ago Breck walked into the living room and shrugged his shoulders in his signature way (like my great uncle Mike) and said, “Dad!  Drank a little drank!  Smoke a little smoke!”  He saw me chuckle initially and then kept doing it the rest of the day.  My wife looked at me like only a wife can do with the look of, “what are you teaching him?”  To which I replied, “Turn the quiet up, turn the noise down…”  She was not amused.

The moral of the story today is for parents, myself included.  Kids are only young once and they are malleable, impressionable, and innocent.  They remember everything in their life, good and bad.  They keep on keeping on.  They are easily influenced and all want attention.  Kids are quick learners and will manipulate situations to better help them survive.  As adults, I challenge all of us to be cognizant of what we are doing, what we are listening to, and what we are teaching our kids.  Chances are, they will remember it.

“There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.”
    Denis Waitley (author and speaker)

When I began my teaching career I taught World History.  History teaches us about ancient civilizations and how advanced, brilliant, and influential these civilizations were to all people then and even now.  Many civilizations built upon the advancements of previous civilizations in regards to technology, cleanliness, medicine, etc.  In fact, many times civilizations are faced with the choice to stay the same, advance, or decline.  The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said, “nothing is permanent except change.”

One thing I have learned being a teacher and administrator in a small town is that small town morals and values are strongly embedded in our schools, for better or worse.  Our job as role-models and teachers is to make sure students have the opportunity to be successful within our school walls and out in our communities.  Throughout my years in education, the old adage of, it takes a village to raise a child, has never been truer.  Schools are staffed with people from all different backgrounds that interact with children and help them learn and grow on a daily basis.

I have a friend that I speak with from time to time and we discuss the role of schools, technology, parents, and other trivial issues in society. A common theme that resonates with our discussions is the fact that schools provide more and more to students on a yearly basis.  At Blue Hill, we strive to provide for students, but at the same time realize that students’ wants and needs are changing (students used to be on Facebook, and now are on Instagram and Snapchat).  When thinking about changing, I always think back to a quote by Denis Waitley.  He says it best when he said, “there are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.”

In our community of Blue Hill, we have a sense of pride and duty to ensure our students have access to the tools necessary for them to learn and be productive citizens.  You may have heard that during this past holiday season our students, staff, and parents raised an unbelievable number of food items and money for the Webster County Food Bank.  In reflecting on what went well, multiple teachers had the idea to begin our own Backpack Program through school to provide meals to students in need over the weekends.  To the teachers, they had a choice…accept conditions as they existed, or accept the responsibility for changing them.

Over the course of the last month and a half, teachers formulated a plan for feeding students in need that attend Blue Hill.  Teachers drafted letters, met with business owners and local churches, and came up with a plan to support our local grocery store, Thramer’s, in the process.  As of this writing, our teachers have raised over $4,000 and began feeding over 25 students the last few weeks.  This will help feed students for almost an entire school year.  Simply amazing!

A question I ask at the end of the day is, “are we, as a small town, doing everything we can to help our students?”  I like to think that we are on the right track.  As we move forward, it is important to keep in mind that our goal as a school is to “Engage and Empower students every day!”  Before students can learn, their physiological needs must be met.  As our town exists today, it is easy to see why people are proud.  Small town people build their business on relationships, honesty, and support.  Remember, all it takes is “The Power of an Idea and Community Support.”

Note:  The Backpack Program wouldn’t be possible without the support of the following (in no particular order):

Bobcat Backpack Committee:  Christine Brown, Melissa Bonifas, Ben Jones, Joe Hubl, Krista Karr, Dani Schwinn, Cheri Garwood, Jim Brown, Emily Kohmetscher, Maddie Fritz, Summer Lukasiewicz, Lori Toepfer

Donors:
Glenwood Communications
Blue Hill Furniture
South Central State Bank
Gottsch Enterprises
Norder Supply
B3 Dirt
Century Lumber
The Corner Nook
Gary Thomson Insurance
Main Street Styles
CB’s Electric
CEI Electronics
RP’s Body Shop
Barton’s Pipe and Rod
Mary Lanning Healthcare
Trinity Lutheran – Campbell
Trinity Lutheran – Blue Hill
United Methodist Church – Bladen
United Methodist Church – Blue Hill
United Methodist Church – Pauline
Lifehouse Church – Hastings

Today was an emotional day for many.  Dr. Travis beck passed away after a battle with nodular melanoma.  People from a few states came to Edgar, NE to celebrate the life of a man that touched their hearts.  Former classmates from high school and college came.  Colleagues from the University of Nebraska and the University of Oklahoma came.  I was a childhood friend of Travis as were many in attendance today at the memorial service.  What I found was that Travis crossed the paths of many and had a positive impact on everyone he came into contact with during his time on earth.

On the short drive from Blue Hill to Edgar, I reminisced about memories of growing up in a small town.  It is funny how a person remembers so many things from their childhood, but often have a hard time remembering what happened yesterday.

• I remember the dunking rim that Wayne welded together for anyone that stopped by Wayne and Maria’s.  I remember the acrobatic dunks off the mini trampoline that Travis, Brent, Kevin, Chris, and a whole host of others would attempt.  Sorry, Josh, we weren’t that good at dunking.  After chatting with Wayne, I found out that even though the backboard is broken and gone, the pieces that were welded together are still out at his farm by the bins and have a star on top with lights during the holidays.
• I remember the first time Travis took me to the basement to show me his weight set.  I couldn’t even lift the bar.  He was patient and encouraging with showing me.  I imagine he shared this lifting passion with some of you reading this.
• I remember coming in from outside and sitting down with Maria at the counter for snacks and drinks, and I remember the giggle of Travis when he tore apart a microwave popcorn bag and licked the butter off.  I think we were upstairs in Carrie’s room for some reason.  Regardless, it was so unhealthy, yet so delicious at the same time.
• I remember failing my first Biology test in college (Disclaimer:  my mom and dad still don’t know this) and going to his apartment a block north of Fuhrer’s fieldhouse to get help.  I remember speaking with Travis on a daily basis in the basement of the Perry Campus center where he would sit and study.  One day he explained to me all the nerves and muscles in the human hand and how he was having a test over it in his Kinesiology class.  I asked him to spell Kinesiology and then made a mental note not to take that class!
• I remember my grandpa Pat going to football games.  I remember him coming up to Doane to attend many of my band concerts (see above picture – this was a picture from one of Travis’ photo albums at the memorial).  I don’t remember it specifically, but grandpa and I must have gone over to see Travis after a game.  I remember Travis coming to my grandma and grandpa’s house when my grandpa died.

When I coached, I always said that there were two things a player could control.  Their effort and their attitude.  Travis did both.  The eulogy’s today were great a reminder that Travis had grand goals and his effort and attitude were going to help him reach those goals and touch as many people as he could.

Today also taught me about how people grow and find their niche and place in life.  It also taught me to never forget where you came from and the lessons you learned from those you grew up with.  Today also reminded me that Travis was one good dude.  He will be missed.

Sidebar:  This is a political post.  I am registered Republican, but what the heck does that have to do with anything nowadays?  I have never been too political with my posts, but now seems like the right time.  Politics is blowing up my Twitter feed.  I don’t have Snapchat.  I am 35.  If you are over 35 and have Snapchat, sorry I offended you.  Grow up.  This post will not start political, but it will end political.  If you want to know my thoughts about a few things, keep reading.  If you want to keep your views to yourself and not think outside the box, then stop reading now.

End Sidebar:

I read a blog by a gentleman name Seth Godin on a daily basis.  While always insightful, I found one of his posts especially interesting.  In his post he talks about “things that are done to us,” versus “things we do,” and how over the years we have had to withstand change in a variety of factors.  When thinking about change and what to do with it, Godin writes about changes we have to withstand vs. changes we can choose to make.

Changes we have had to withstand

Godin speaks about over the course of history there have been changes that people have had to deal with.  Rising taxes, the effects of world wars, the implementation of No Child Left Behind, state tests, and so on.  I would like to add that many times the government steps in and forces states and schools to adhere to federal law because states cannot, or will not, give the same rights to everyone.  For me, open-mindedness comes natural.  For others…not so much.   Godin goes on to say that for those of us that have lived through some of these changes, it is often uncomfortable and we have no choice but to accept change, alter our lifestyle, and move on to the next change that is forced upon us.

Changes we can choose to make

Godin goes on to make the point that over the course of history we have been met with changes we can choose to make or adopt.  You can choose to get an email account, you can choose what computer to buy, and you can choose to do online banking or not.  The point driven home is that over the past fifty years there are many opportunities to adopt and move on or to stay just the way you are.  Changes are available to us, not forced upon us.  To this end, you can drive your same old car and have your flip phone in your pocket.  Nobody is forcing you to change, except Apple and their new operating system.

Moving Forward

A few days ago there was a debate.  I finally had the chance to watch the debate and here are three thoughts I have about dealing with changes that we are going to have to withstand for the next four years.  I say four years in the firmest sense possible.

First Thought:  Hillary did well.  She was prepared and had zinger after zinger ready in reply to Donald Trump.

If you watch Fox News, you will think that Trump won.  If you watch CNN, you will think that Hillary won.  I watch Fox News 80% of the time, and I can honestly tell you that Hillary won, didn’t have a coughing fit, was polished, and spoke like a career politician.

If you like her tax plan, economic plan, foreign policy plan, red pantsuit, etc.  Vote for her.

Second Thought:  When Lester Holt asked about Trump paying taxes, I looked at the gentleman next to me and said, “Lester is going to have to ask one tough question about emails or the Clinton Foundation in order for the debate to look ‘fair’ in the eyes of people watching.”

Funny Side Story:  The people I was watching the debate with agreed that Hillary was doing better.  This was coming from men who do not like her.  I asked one gentleman if he was going to vote for her, and he replied, “I’m not voting for Donald, he is crazy.”  This reminded me of a 60 Minutes episode on Jack Barsky (former KGB spy).

The narrator asked Jack Barsky why they were afraid of the United States.

Jack Barsky  replied, “there’s three things I tell people that the Russians were afraid of: AIDS, Jewish people and Ronald Reagan.”

Question: “In that order?”

Reply: “I think Ronald Reagan took the top spot. They thought he would push the button.”

Hence, many people think Trump is crazy and will push the button as fast as he tweets out stupid things.

End of Story

Third Thought:  Donald didn’t have idea how to respond to some of the questions.

For example…

Lester:  Why not release your taxes?  Donald:  I sent them to Hillary via email.  She must have deleted them.

Lester:  You were for the war, weren’t you?  Donald:  Do you want to know about me as a private citizen, or about how Hillary voted when she was a senator?

Hillary:  I have traveled around the world for years, testified for eleven hours, and have the stamina to be president.  Donald:  Hmm…I think I remember your husband testifying before an independent council as the subject of a grand-jury investigation.  Must run in the family, you know, lying about things and having to testify.

Now obviously, many people sit on extreme sides of the poltical spectrum with these two wacko’s as our candidates.  I had a professor in college that always said, “where you stand depends on where you sit.”  Personally, I don’t care about tax returns, emails, the Iraq War, TPP, or a wall.  I care about common sense politics.  I want a president to be able to work with Congress and not against them.  I want someone who cares about the rights of all people, and not just the people that agree with them and their narrow point of view.  I want a president that gets the Olympics and World Cup to come to the United States EVERY four years!  Is that too much to ask?  America is a great place!  Especially Nebraska.

I haven’t decided who I am going to vote for, but I am beginning to think the right person for the job is my tremendous self.  What do you think?  I’m not trying to be braggadocious, just real.  I am 35 ya know.

Confidence

You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’

~ Eleanor Roosevelt

When I was a young lad growing up there were many times I lacked confidence.  Whether it be reading scripture in front of the church before the sermon, or playing my trumpet for the first time.  As the years went by I gained confidence speaking in front of people and playing my trumpet.  What I have found over the years is that when people gain confidence it is oftentimes contagious and many times builds momentum with those around you.

During my adolescence I learned from my pastor how to speak in front of crowds.  Thanks Al Parr.  In college, I sat near a trumpet player (like five trumpets away) who was/is an amazing player.  Because of speaking with my pastor and sitting close to Jeremy, my confidence raised astronomically in my ability to perform both tasks better.  My PK-College friend Missy is still better than me though.

In life, it is easy to feel confident when things are going right and you have done the same thing over and over with success.  What oftentimes is hard is building confidence when tasks seem difficult to accomplish or impossible to attain.

Over the course of my lifetime I have witnessed students experience great success in many endeavors because of their confidence as an individual and as a team member.  When younger students see older students leading by example it usually leads to something better.  When confidence and success go together oftentimes momentum comes and people speak like their pastor and play like the best trumpet player ever (kinda).  Over the course of many years this confidence can be passed down to successive generations of people.  It can, of course, be negative influences as well.

The question I have for all of you is, “where do you want to go, what do you want to accomplish, and how are you going to do it?”  A good place to start is to gain the confidence to put your best foot forward and take a leap of faith.

Time well spent is a wise investment.

Quotes inspire others.  Quotes make you remember something important.  Quotes are what I remember from my days in high school and college and what I now call “life.”  Chances are you can remember a quote of your favorite teacher that inspires you still today.  As I finished high school I had a teacher always say, “If it is to be, it is up to me.”  As life happens, I repeat this quote daily.  When speaking with students, I remind them that they need to be responsible for their choices, their behavior, and their schoolwork.

I have a document on my computer called “Quotes.”  It is an eclectic treasure trove of quotes from all types of people.  What I have learned over the years is that when someone says something or you read something that speaks to you, you should write it down.

By my desk I have a quote that a teacher gave me that says, “Time well spent is a wise investment.”  I read this quote every morning and it drives me each day.  Investors always tell people to pay themselves first.  The same can be said about life.  Meaningful conversations are worth investing in.  Conversations that are not meaningful are not a wise investment.  How are you choosing to go about your day?

One of my college teachers always said that we have the same amount of hours in the day that Helen Keller had and we could spend it however we deemed necessary.  Do you spend too much time on Facebook and Twitter?  Start a blog and start contributing to those that need your expertise.  I will read what you write and if you are inspiring I will tell others about the great gifts you possess.  Remember, “Time well spent is a wise investment.