The Debate - I Couldn't Sink Low Enough In My Seat!

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The Convention Center was elaborately decorated and befitting of the evening's event, a presidential debate.  I took my seat feeling all the excitement that was in the room waiting for the candidates to take center stage.  I caught glimpses of many Republican friends in the room as well as a number of familiar South Carolina lawmakers.  Although not a Fox News supporter or viewer, I saw the familiar faces of the Fox family and watched intently as they prepared for the evening's debate.  Everything was ready.  I was ready.  All we needed was the field of candidates.

Sure enough, they all were introduced and warmly welcomed to Myrtle Beach.  I was proud to be part of what I considered to be a historic night for my community.  Five candidates vying for their party's nomination for the President of the United States.  Pretty awesome.  The questioning out of gate was right after Mitt Romney.  No hesitation, just let's get at it.  I was impressed with Bret Baier, his questioning and moderating.  He performed admirably. 

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I knew I would have a hard time listening to the anti-Obama inflammatory rhetoric that would certainly highlight the evening's debate.  I was prepared for that.  I even expected my blood to boil every once in a while when one of the candidates would say something about our President that would turn my stomach.  That did happen on more than one occasion for sure.  However, for me it wasn't about their criticism of the President or even the Democrats that turned me off.  Quite simply, it was the rude and belligerent behavior of so many who were in attendance.

Maybe my expectation was too lofty.  Maybe I expected a more subdued experience.  Maybe I expected that each of the candidate's views would be listened to in a respectful fashion.  I listened in a respectful fashion.  I sat calmly in my seat and did not chastise any candidate's words.  I certainly didn't agree with much of what I heard but still chose to be respectful of the men who seek their party's nomination.  I also must admit that I respect each of these men for their service to this nation as well as their willingness to continue in service to our nation. 

However, I also must admit that I was embarrassed to be seated near a group of people who were disrespectful not only to the debate forum but to the candidates themselves.  Who boos or cat-caws at a Presidential Debate?  Who raised these disrespectful people?  All I could think of doing was sinking down in my chair in hopes that no one even noticed my presence.  How disappointing it was. 

My expectations were high.  I enjoyed the debate questions.  Didn't care for all of the answers but I listened and felt I learned something new of each candidate and their interest in serving as our Commander and Chief.  I feel sorry for those who must have been offended by someone else's beliefs or political views that they felt it necessary to demonstrate their disapproval by booing.  I walked out of the convention center Monday night thanking God that my mother and father raised me in such a fashion that I am respectful of other people's views and do not see it necessary or fit to admonish them with booing.

I would certainly think twice before holding another Presidential Debate in the sunny city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  Unfortunately, I have a feeling that our nation is so polarized politically and religiously that we will see more and more of this boorish behavior in the year to come.  I'm proud to be an American, just a little disappointed in my fellow Americans who chose to be disrespectful.               

T-Mobile Hot Spot - Not So Hot For Me

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One of the many things I have learned over the last three months entering as I have today's technological age, information and the knowledge of how to apply it is key.  I have made significant strides up the educational curve but if I was to be graded out, I would undoubtedly be graded kindergarten level.  Each day is a new learning experience gaining more knowledge of how to use what information is not only free but readily available.  It truly is a challenge.  I freely admit that I find myself timid as I walk through the process for fear I will do something that will harm my laptop, destroy my files or make the system crash. 

I am continually reminded that there is little I can do that can't be fixed by someone much younger and brighter than me.  That's frustrating.  It reminds me of all the athletic ability I was given and then all gone thanks to my aging and deteriorating skills. The other thing that I will acknowledge when it comes to this technological stuff, is that my mind isn't particularly wired to process it in the same fashion as others.  So, I do the best I can watching my younger counterpart's frustration at my lack of speed, understanding and knowledge. 

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As a writer, I am always thinking about what it is that I would like to share.  The whole "writer's block" thing is indeed a real issue.  It always comes at the most inopportune times when you need to finish your work.  Through my discoveries online, I am now plugged in to different media services that overwhelm me with updates, news alerts, breaking news and tons of information that I could do without.  However, what it does provide is a stimuli for thought. 

Wanting to be connected is a fairly powerful drug.  Weeks ago I decided I needed greater connectivity.  This week I chose to visit my local T-Mobile store and purchase a Hot Spot.  This is a device that allows me to be online all the time no matter where I am at.  No longer do I have to search out Wi-Fi here and there and feel obligated to purchase drinks, snacks or whatever they are selling to occupy one of their chairs or booths. 

This last week I experimented with my new Hot Spot in 15 different locations where I like to sit and write.  Now, I don't need the Hot Spot to be able to write but I do need the internet to do the research.  My experience has not been very positive.  The Hot Spot isn't so hot.  It works real well at my office where I already have an internet connection.  It doesn't work at all at my residence and is very slow at several of my favorite writing hangouts. 

I'm paying $30 a month for the service and shelled out another $135 for the device.  I have approximately 8 days left to make up my mind before I am locked in to a two-year agreement.  Truth be told, I'm hoping I can get to the T-Mobile store today without having a heart attack and being stuck for two years with it.  I actually researched the Hot Spot, spoke with several folks who have it and felt it would be a good option for me.  Not so much. 

My renaissance continues.  I will search the other providers and see if they have a hot spot that will be hot for me.

Burning Bridges - Not The Right Path

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Whatever happened to the idea of not burning a bridge when you leave your employer?  To this day, I still remember my father's advice as I considered my first professional transition from one job to another, "do not burn a bridge, work hard every day".  I have lived by that over the years and have always made a point to provide notice to my employer and maintain my strong work ethic up until I walked out the door for the last time. 

Now, I recognize in today's world that employers seldom if ever provide an employee notice when they plan to terminate or cut back.  I understand the rationale for that and have come to appreciate their position when it comes time to cut someone loose.  I have had to perform such duties over the years.  Never a fun thing to do but it comes with managerial responsibility. 

Having said all that, why has it changed for the employee.  I had a managerial employee just up and disappear in the last week.  He reported that there had been a death in his immediate family.  I offered my condolences and told him to take the time he needed but to please stay in touch.  I received one text message from him indicating that his phone signal was poor because he was in the mountains.  That was the last communication I had from him. 

Truth be told, I do not know if he fell off a cliff, is in the hospital suffering from some terrible accident or whether it was just a good time to take a new position.  Fortunately for me, I have not grown cynical over the years to the point where I believe that the death of a family member was a ruse.  I have to believe that it just happened that way.  This was a grown man with family. 

Nothing happened of consequence in the work place to make him just quit.  No arguments, no confrontations, no written or verbal warning, nothing that would have given him reason to just up and quit.  Actually, he was performing his job in a commendable fashion and working fine with others.  Why does a grown man just up and quit and not announce his intentions to his supervisor.  Did he think I would think less of him?

I am at a loss.  I just don't get it.  Clearly, I understand that there is always a better opportunity out there.  More money, better benefits, great working conditions, nicer boss, you name it and it is there for the taking.  Actually, I have always embraced the idea of wanting my employees do better for themselves.  You hate to see them go and don't look forward to the process of replacing them, but you wish them well and congratulate them on their move.  That certainly would have been the case in this instance. 

I admit that there have been times over my professional career that I would have liked to have just walked away.  Never did.  I always remembered my father's words.  Don't burn a bridge.  You never know when you just might need it.  I'm proud to say that I have never just walked away.  I have had to announce my departure numerous times over my forty plus year career. Sometimes, sharing the decision was difficult but I always mustered enough fortitude to do so.

I feel sorry for him actually.  It is too bad that he felt the need to depart without announcement.  I am not someone who holds a grudge or in this case, takes it personally.  However, I hope for his sake that he never needs to call upon my recommendation or acknowledgement of his work for our organization.  I would not hesitate to let his perspective employer know of how he departed.    

  

2012 - My Renaissance

timessquarenewyears.com

Happy New Year. 

I am confident on this celebrated holiday evening that I am one of a handful who are spending their time reflecting on the year that has gone by.  Not to say that others have not reflected on this last year.  In fact, I suspect most folks take some time to think about the year gone by.  Generally though, New Year's Eve is not so much a time for reflection as it is a time to celebrate and tonight I am confident that most folks are out and about celebrating the dawn of 2012. 

For me, I am looking forward to 2012.  I am considering it my "renaissance year".  In fact, I actually will be staying up tonight to welcome this renaissance that I am committed to.  The New Year will be a renewal of life for me.  A rebirth if you will.  I feel challenged by such a significant happening in my life and I want to remember the moment when it officially begins. 

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Truth be told, the beginning was months ago when I was awoken to the rather harsh reality of my life.  It was brought to my attention in a forceful and less than flattering way.  I was letting it slip away through melancholy, complacency and ineptitude.  Those are tough words when you use them to describe what you have allowed to happen in your life.  It became crystal clear for me as I started to re-design my professional resume.  First, I realized  I had achieved a great many things through work and secondly, it became clear that I was working for everyone else but myself. 

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As I wrote about my core skills and proficiencies and started to list key accomplishments, I recognized that I had achieved greatness for the organizations I worked for but accomplished very little for myself.  Some would say this smacks of selfishness and it would if I had not demonstrated time and time again, a higher priority for whom I worked for than myself and those I loved.  It was a simple exercise and it became clear that the scales were greatly imbalanced and the results were what I looked at in the mirror every morning. 

It is only fitting that I turn 60 years old in 2012.  Sixty is a good year for a renaissance, my renaissance.  Life will take center stage from here on out.  Work will continue to be important to me but it will no longer define me.  I will find fulfillment in the work that I perform but my passion for life is what will fuel my heart and soul.  This is not an easy transition and it requires incredible self-discipline from someone who's work ethic is beyond reproach.  Each morning, the first thing I do is remind myself of who I am, what I am choosing to be and how I can accomplish that for me. 

No longer do I think about the calls I have to make, the staff I have to supervise or the tasks waiting for me when I arrive at the office.  No more.  Today, it's about sharing my stories, working out at the gym, reading to my heart's content, taking care of my business and trying to extend my life.  It may all sound silly but for me, this truly is a new beginning.  A rebirth at sixty.  I have climbed aboard again but this time, it's not about work, my kids or for that matter, anyone else, it's for me.  My renaissance of sixty.  Happy New Year friends!   

Please Turn Off All Electronic Devices

 We have all heard the words from our friendly flight attendant asking us to turn off all electronic devices as we fasten our seatbelts, put our trays in the upright position and relax for an uneventful flight across this great land of ours.  Why is it that so many folks believe that this friendly message should go unheeded. 

As I am sure you have seen on television or read in the newspaper, Alec Baldwin chose to not only disregard this friendly message but took it a step farther with the flight attendant who asked him to turn off his electronic device.  Obviously, Mr. Baldwin felt that he should have special privileges with his electronic device.  But then again, that's not necessarily the case.  As I am sure you have experienced on flights, there are quite a few folks who choose to disregard the friendly message and find a way to text, use their I pad or laptop.  They try to be sneaky about it but they really aren't fooling anyone. 

What truly is amazing, the friendly message is only for the periods of take-off and landing for most flights.  It says something about us that we are unable to even briefly do without these technological gee-whiz gadgets for even a few minutes.  The insatiable need to be connected and not miss one moment of chat, connectivity or email is catastrophic for some folks.  As things go, I could care less if people want to chat away, text away or surf the web.  What I don't get is not being reasonable about the request from the flight attendant. 

Recently released information on flights and the interference from electronic devices point to a number of instances where these hand-held devices caused disruption of airliner electronics.  Fortunately, in each instance, the offender of the airline policy was found and asked to turn off their electronic device.  Each time they turned it off, the airliner's electronics came back on line and all was fine. 

It seems reasonable enough to me that if there is even a remote chance that an electronic device could disrupt the machine I am flying in, at 30,000 feet mind you, I would think I would want to be cooperative.  What don't these people get.  The rule is there for a reason.  I grow tired of all the criers pronouncing that individual liberties are being trampled on by such a small request.  There truly are serious breaches in our nation of individual rights but this is not one of them.  This is one of those regulations that you need government for.

Just get over it already.  Turn your device off for the first ten minutes of your flight.  The folks you want to text or chat with or game you want to play will still be there when you are allowed to turn your device back on.  Grow Up! 

      

Just Like I Remembered!

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It was not nearly as cold as I remembered it to be.  Of course, Myrtle Beach is not quite like Dayton, Ohio at Christmas time.  Many of those growing up years in Ohio, the ground was covered with the white stuff.  Not here in Myrtle Beach. 

I dressed for the occasion with a red sweater, jeans and my new leather jacket.  The faces were all different than what I remember as a teenager but the smiles, the voices and the enthusiasm were all the same.  My voice, although unpracticed and certainly deeper than those teenage years, enjoyed the experience all the same.

Although I had the provided songbook, the words all came back to me.  I had sung them thousands of times as a young man.  More so than most as my mother was a piano teacher and church organist.  Christmas carols were standard fare around my house from Thanksgiving to Christmas.  All those young students of mom's learning how to play Joy To The World, Silent Night and Jingle Bells. 

Joining the church youth group for their annual Christmas caroling was a blast from the past.  Piling in cars and a van, we visited half a dozen homes and sang to several shut-in seniors.  It was an enjoyable evening bringing just a little bit of Christmas to friends.  We actually sounded pretty good too, given the only practice afforded us was on the drive to the various homes.   

I was somewhat disappointed that no one offered up hot chocolate.  Of course, the outdoor temperature was in the 60's so I probably was the only one of our group that even thought of hot chocolate on such a night.  We did enjoy a plateful of cookies, brownies and a few other Christmas delights.  It was a good time and not all that different than 40 years ago when I participated as a teenager. 

Singing Christmas carols with a group of young people and bringing just a little "good cheer" to those less fortunate was meaningful for me.  Actually, one of the most meaningful experiences I have had in years.  I have always held Christmas close and I have always celebrated Christ's birth.  This Christmas year is more difficult than most and I was glad to have the opportunity to find some joy.  Merry Christmas to you and yours!      

Who does that?

It was a good night.  Earlier in the evening I had successfully completed my first experience back in the classroom.  Unlike so many years before, I didn't even skip a class, fall asleep or leave early.  I was a dedicated student soaking up every bit of information that my teacher shared.  Joining two of my classmates, we stopped nearby for a pizza and to recap our shared experience of learning. 

It was a good time as we learned more about each other and the work we each do.  Saying good night and walking toward our vehicles, I was approached by a maintenance worker who pointed toward my car and asked, "Is that your car?".  I responded affirmatively and he quickly announced that I was victimized by a hit and run.

As I drew nearer to my vehicle it became clear that I had sustained significant damage to the rear end on the driver's side.  My first reaction was disbelief as it had only been six weeks earlier when I was rear-ended on the passenger's side coming out of a grocery store parking lot.  It took two weeks for them to repair the damage of that collision.  My second reaction was the thought of my tentative deal made two days earlier with the local Honda dealership.  That was history now.  No one wants a vehicle that has been in two accidents, let alone one. 

The maintenance man retrieved his supervisor and they both shared the story of the SUV that backed into my vehicle.  As they approached the man driving the SUV,  he floored it and sped away before they could get a good look at his license plate number.  I shared with them my thanks for their diligence and effort on my behalf.  As I spoke with these two gentlemen, I called the police. 

I happen to be one of those folks who have the police number memorized.  It's funny, don't know my own cell phone number but I have memorized the non-emergency police number.  Just one of the many benefits of being a hospitality manager is the frequency with which you call the police.  The traffic officer arrived shortly and took all of our statements.  Looking at my vehicle, he indicated that the SUV evidently had a trailer hitch as he said the hole in my bumper was caused by one. 

The officer indicated he had patrolled the parking lot just thirty minutes earlier and that he was going to look through his tape to see if he would notice the SUV.  He had the cruiser that has the cameras mounted on the trunk which is used to identify stolen vehicles.  As he reviewed the tape in his cruiser, it became evident that he had not driven the row where my car was parked.  Unfortunate but I appreciated his effort.

Why does someone hit your car and leave without informing you or calling the police?  What's that about?  I'm sure the individual had insurance.  South Carolina requires it and most drivers have it.  His risk in leaving the scene of an accident if apprehended would have been far greater resulting in fines and perhaps suspension of his license.  More to the point, why victimize someone.  Me, in this case. 
I have yet to have the car repaired.  I am sulking about it.  It is such a great inconvenience.  I have to arrange to rent a car.  I have to give up my car for probably two weeks.  I have to pay my deductible.  It just doesn't seem fair.  This is the second time I have been a victim of a hit and run.  The last time I was actually in the car when the truck sped away. 

I feel sorry for the man who hit me.  Maybe he thinks he got away with it and it doesn't bother him.  On the other hand, he may have panicked and now regrets his action.  Either way, he will have to live with the fact that he damaged my car and failed to report it.  For me, it's just a matter of having my car fixed.  For him, who knows - maybe regret.