“Call me a relic, call me what you will.  Say I’m old fashioned, say I’m over the hill” but I believe a lot of people are loosing the art of personal and one and one communication.  This is where you understand more of what others are saying by what’s in their eyes and via their body language than through passive agressive emails or text messages.   There is no way that you can really get to know someone via email or test messages or even through calls on a cellphone as compared to talking with them facet to face.

I am a geek and have every kind of gadget you can imagine but I also leave them alone during certain times of the day.  I very rarely take my cell phone with me when I am running errands unless I am expecting a call from a client or finishing an important project and I don’t check my email every 10 minutes because I actually have a life outside of technology.

I know that smartphones can help people, mostly woman, better manage their lives but I also know that it can be a distraction and you can feel naked without your cellphone.

I still believe that there is going to be eventually a time when people say “enough is enough”.  Keep technology out of the bedroom and my personal time is just that my personal time where I can and will do things that don’t involve gadgets or wi-fi.    Thank God for peace and quiet….

My Mom was Jewish and my Dad was a Lutheran and I was allowed to choose the faith I wanted to follow.  My Dad use to give guest sermons at his church and his message was always religion is not something that is practiced on Sundays while in church.  It is how you treat other people and your fellow man/woman.  I always believed that.

I read recently where more and more Americans are choosing not to follow organized religions and as a result the number of people going to church has declined.  While there has been a lof of negative news about the Catholic Church in the media I believe that as human beings we are all subject to human faults.

Most of my friends do not follow specific religions but they are spiritual.  They believe that all the beauty in this world is not just pur chance and that the way we treat others is a direct reflection on who we are as people.   I believe in the power of prayer but I also believe that at times I forget to count my blessings.  I have a wonderful loving wife, a great house here in California, and the means to eat well and BLOG whenever I want to.   I try an give back in every way I can by lending a hand when I can, and doing the little things to strangers that most people don’t seem to do anymore.   When someone who worked for me stuck a knife in my back I chose to turn the other cheek rather than let the negative karma of her actions drag me down.

We are all really busy today with our smart phones, tablets, computers and work but maybe if we all took a little bit more time to look out for one another and say thank you we could make a difference.  What goes around around comes around and in the morning when I see a beautiful sunrise I thank God for giving me this life and try and ask that I get smarter and to be a better person.  That is what love is really about…

I have had my time in the spotlight and one thing I learned from the experience is that it doesn’t last and it isn’t long lasting.  There are a lot of people in the business and entertainment world that need to be in the spotlight. Some don’t deserve the attention they get, i.e. Paris Hilton among others, but some will do anything and crawl over anybody to see their names in print.  These are the people you need to avoid at all costs.

When I was recognized for launching some new products while working at Sony in the 90′s I always made sure that everyone knew it was a team effort and the real breakthrough wasn’t the successful introduction of these products it was the fact that we could work so closely together to get them launched successfully.

It’s very hard for someone to go from top of the hill with the press or fans cheering your every word to obscurity.  Many people don’t handle it well and today I believe there are too many people who need to be stroked and praised, even for doing little things.   The toughest person we have to answer to is ourselves; the press, the people who cheer us on, the don’t last and can turn on you at a moments notice.

To find that inner peace that so many of us look for look no further than the mirror and your own heart.  Do what you love and love what you do.  When you do get the spotlight remember it doesn’t last long so enjoy the moment and never forget that your success is often the result of a lot of people behind the scenes.

God rest Junior Seau.  May he find the spotlight in the next world…

Life is about learning and the best way to learn is to do something or not do something but above all you should never look back.  What you first have to understand is that you’re going to make mistakes because we are all human and nobody goes through life without making a lot of mistakes.  What you need to do is learn from your mistakes and concentrate on the good not the bad.

I know there is a lot of anger out there today.  People are angry at a government that chooses to put politics above people’s needs.   People are angry at corporate America who seems to be raking in tons of profits while calling for their tax rates to be lowered.  You can change things if you decide to use the power of your vote but when people you work with or have a relationship screw you over the rule seems to be “don’t get mad, get even”.  Take from someone who has been there that is a destructive way to approach to life.  Just know that eventually people like that will get what they deserve and move on to take in the new day because life is too short to think about things like that.

We are in control of our happiness if we only have the courage to choose the path that is not paved and lined with trees.  Nobody is going to tap you on the shoulder and say I have an opportunity for you.  You have to go out and make your own opportunities.  Also be aware that your path in life probably does not lead to the next big Internet startup with a company buying you out for a billion dollars.  For every successful Internet company there are probably hundreds more that had the courage to at least try to do something.

When I look at what I have and where I am in life I realize how blessed I really am.  I have a wonderful wife whom I love very much, live in a great part of the country, I am able to bike ride almost everyday and working from home I have clients who love what I do and really value my input.  The path I chose is the right one for me regardless of where it leads and I only look forward and remember where I have been to make me stronger.

Related articles

• If you’re not making mistakes you’re not trying hard enough (what the hell does that mean ?) (richsthoughtsonlife.com)
• Should You Be Changing The Way You Lead? (managebetternow.com)
• Compassion (alternateeconomy.wordpress.com)
• Mind Article – Courage to Change (mindbeingfit.wordpress.com)

The biggest misconception when it comes to bike riding is that you have to spend a lot of money and that just isn’t true today.  There are many brands to choose from and you can spend as little a $800 for a good bike.   As you go up in price you’ll find that bike frames get lighter and other components add more performance but unless you’re planning to race don’t waste your money.

Hidden Valley, here in California, is a great place to ride.  Zoning laws say that every property has to have at least 20 acres and there are beautiful ranches with wonderful horses everywhere.  I had to stop many time to both take pictures and just take in the view.  It’s days like these that make me count my blessings one of which is the ability to ride a great bike.

I love to see more people get out and ride their bikes because the more people that ride the more people who are doing their bodies good.   If you are thinking of riding and want some advice on where to start just leave a comment and I’ll be glad to answer any and all of your questions

Related articles

• Do You Drive to Ride? (fairhavenbike.wordpress.com)
• I need a new bike (writeontheworld.wordpress.com)
• Believing in yourself (theheidihoffman.wordpress.com)

We are all far from perfect.  Even Steve Jobs made his share of mistakes (remember the Apple boom box?) but he was able to learn from his mistakes and become a stronger and better manager of products and people.  When I make mistakes I try and look back to understand exactly where and how I mad a mistake and why.  I have continued to learn from everything I do and everything I do does make me both a better person and manager but as a human being I also realize that I probably will make more mistakes in life and work.  I do know that I can’t be afraid to move forward and do what I feel is right under the guise of trying not to make any mistakes.

So forgive me for making a mistake and let me learn from it.  Don’t think any less of what I do or how I do it just stand behind me and help me become a better person and learn.   If you can’t look beyond that it’s you that have the problem not me.  I am willing to swallow my pride and admit I was wrong are you willing to also say that ?

1. Women who carry dogs around in shoulder bags.  What you couldn’t leave your dog at home you have to carry it around with you to annoy everyone around you ?
2. People who use their cell phones right when they get in their cars. Hey idiot you just left home, what you couldn’t make a few calls when you were home you have to do them when you drive so you can endanger us all.
3. People who wait until the cashier has rung up the last item before taking out their checkbooks and starting to write a check.  No, it’s OK I love waiting on line go ahead and draw a doodle on your check as well.
4. Fat people who eat at McDonalds.  Hey idiot you’re not only killing yourself but you’re making me pay more for YOUR healthcare as you go down.
5. People who use their cell phones at a restaurant.  God forbid you should eat a meal without missing a Facebook update !
6. Parents who let their children scream and run crazy in stores or on airplanes. I’m glad that Jet Blue people asked a couple do get off of a flight because their kids were throwing tantrums.
7. Anyone who is dumb enough to wait in line for Apple products.  You are in desperate need of a life my friend.
8. Anyone who drives a Hummer of has oversized tires on their pickup truck (usually to compensate for a shortfall in their anatomy).
9. Couples who bring their smartphones in the bedroom.
10. Republicans who are uptight about sex but then usually get busted later on for being gay or with a hooker.
11. People who dance waving their arms above their heads.  Do you know how stupid you look ?
12. Executive recruiters who tell you that you’re perfect for a job and then drop you like a bad habit when their client is not interested in you anymore.
13. Commercials that run over and over again on TV.  Guess what Progressive I hate FLO and I am never going to purchase insurance from you because of her.
14. Over priced CEO’s who get rewarded for failure and tell us how painful it is to lay people off while they take home another $10 million is salary.
15. A boss who is a wimp and won’t stick up for you.
16. Women who are too damn quiet in bed.
17. Madonna, Paris Hilton, and Lindsay Lohan.  Between the 3 of them there is not one grain of talent.
18. People with teeth so white they look like freaks.
19. Celebrities who tell us we should be concerned about global warming while they ride around in their big limos and fly in private jets.
20. Old aging rock stars who look like walking death or pudged out like balloons.

Stop that the lot of you  !!

I recently read a press release that a PR firm had hired someone from a company as their VP of PR for health. Now I’m happy that this person is moving up but when you look at his credentials he has never worked on or launched a brand and left his company just as they were getting ready to launch a new product against some heavy competition.  In other words no experience in results that matter.

With the explosive growth of social media comes the bottom feeder experts who get their ego stroked by trade magazines.  When you ask them to provide how they actually helped drive business needs and meet business objectives they’ll try and confuse you with vanity metrics or double talk.  But this is what they do because they get money from it and money drives too many damn decisions.

Recently the head of Apple’s retail stores went to JC Penny who is in the middle of a new branding campaign that I believe is going to fail miserably because he hasn’t realized that it’s not about stores themselves it’s about giving people a reason to shop AT the stores.  Everyone loves to go to Apple stores to see what’s new but how many people really want to go to a JC Penny store and what is your girlfriend or wife going to think when you give her a gift from JC Penny ?

Then there is the CIO who recently left Starbucks to take over as the digital President for Best Buy.  Again we have a great iconic brand, Starbucks, that has great brand equity and people lining up for their morning beverages vs.a retailer who cannot give people a reason to shop at their stores vs. purchasing products at Amazon.com or online from Wal*Mart to say nothing of the way Best Buy screwed a lot of customers over the holiday by not being able to ship an advertised product.   When I need electronics I either shop online or go to Costco. I can’t remember the last time I was in a Best Buy because frankly there is no reason to go there.

So where am I going with this ?  Good question !  I guess what I am trying to say is that don’t view people by past successes alone.  You need to view the whole person and ask “are they a good fit and do they have both the business and personal skills to bring value to our organization?”   There have been too many people who have had success not because of what THEY did alone but because they were part of a great brand or product and they were able to do what they needed to do to make it happen.  What they are going probably going to find more often than not is that that doesn’t happen a lot because you can’t play football on a field made for baseball.

One thing that Gordon Gekko said that sticks with me from the movie Wall Street “Give me people who are hungry and know how to get things done”.  He was a greedy SOB but he was right about that !