It Is What It Is! Ha Ha!

“The days are long, and the years are short,” I don’t know who to attribute it to and it really isn’t important for this. Some people will say they had an incredible year and, yet a larger group will state that they cannot wait for the new year because it must be better than what they were presented with this year. Maybe they just needed longer days and a bit longer year. I jest, but really, is a calendar date going to magically create a clean slate and a perfect potion for your new year? Poof, it is day one so all that bad shit you did, happened to you, was caused by you is released and you can be perfect now. How incredibly naïve a thought process this is. The funny thing is millions will feel that way Monday morning, maybe Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning, and at the first sign on their yearly normal they will denounce that this is exactly like the last year. No kidding, all that grandiose joy and betterment doesn’t happen because the hour of programming is over, you actually have to work for it.

Some of us want more money, less weight, better relationships, increased productivity, better health, etc., etc., and on and on. I love all that stuff. I spent twelve years watching athletes say they wanted something more than they had and I watched the select few go do the work to make it happen. There was nothing wrong with the guys that didn’t do the work. They were awesome guys who I loved like my own kid. They stated something that they truly didn’t believe, something they thought I or others wanted to hear, or a dream that truly didn’t have a plan. Hard work is hard and most of us feel we work hard most of the time. Why in the world would we want to work harder to try something and still have the possibility that it won’t work? That is the rub. Why attempt to better an aspect of our lives, go through the necessary changes, the pain, the ridicule, and fail? I cannot answer that question. I have been on both sides. I have attempted something large, put in significant effort and failed and I have also been content fibbing to myself about what I want and putting no effort in at all.

As the words land on this page I find myself becoming more pissed with every keystroke. I used to sit in my office at Florida Southern and grill my guys on their future. We delved deep. What did they want from tennis, classes, education, career, and beyond. I prodded, poked, and at times almost harassed them to want more. I sat there and demanded excellence and then stayed mediocre in my own existence. They are all doing great. I begged them to chase their dreams and not worry if they changed mid-course. Many have done just that. Finally, I took my own advice and jumped from the comfortable perch. Crash! Like the bird that left the nest too soon I find myself flailing around. Occasionally I get a little air, but it hurts to crash so frequently. There is pain either way. Through progress there is pain and through staying put there is pain. If the bird doesn’t eventually fight through the pain of bouncing off the ground, he becomes a meal. The same fate falls to us if we let it. We bounce off the concrete of our troubles, our laziness, our ineptness, and we believe it is our fate. We become tired and flap violently but never move. If we give in, we can survive for a bit by just walking around. Eventually, the world swallows us up and we go back to what we know. Bitterness, disbelief that anything can change, and the best phrase: “that’s just how it is.”

Fight, dammit, fight. It is hard. It isn’t always fun. Your “friends” will cheer you to a point but really don’t want you to get better because you will exit the nest if you succeed. All this is true, but if your goal is truly something you want, your why is unwavering, and you know that you will be better for it once you have reached it; you must fight for it. Through the struggles, the missed moments (yes, you will miss moments), the naysayers, and whatever else is thrown your way if your why can sustain you there will be a chance you succeed. What, there is only a chance? Yep, and that is why most of us don’t try. Why would I put myself out there if I don’t know 100% that it will work? The best answer I ever came up with when discussing this with the players was this: You will be better than you were, and you can always regroup, re-strategize, and reestablish your goal with a different plan. It kind of sucks but that is the best. Was it Yoda who said, “Do or don’t do there is no try.”? That is so true, because we are going to succeed or fail. Oh shoot, I said that word, fail. Get over it. Fail, fail, fail, and keep failing. All that means is that you are doing. You cannot fail if you don’t do. You also cannot succeed.

If you are happy with it all keep plugging away. If there is an aspect that you want to change, do it. Heck, don’t wait until the champagne, hangover, hog jowls, black-eyed peas, and collard greens. Do it now. Impossible right! I guess that depends on your why. Have a great 2018 and go out and fail. You’ll be better than you were and that will be awesome to see on social media for the rest of us.

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Home for the Holidays

Oh, the Holidays are in full swing. Meals, gifts, late nights, meals, parties, a few drinks, and family. We are fortunate to live near a majority of our family and have the opportunity to see all of them multiple times a year. Still, the holidays get us all together over a few days span to laugh, eat, play, and even disagree about things. We have old, middle-aged, teens, and young’uns. Like a lot of families, we have lost a few key members and there will always be a large void that cannot be replaced. However, we continue with traditions and festivities because none of them would want it any other way. Our family is awesome, diverse, strange, funny, habitual, and like your own family, the best there is.

The group that gets to see each other regularly include Michelle, Brianna, Mom, Dad, Stella, Ken, Ruthie, GGMa, Nanny, Michelle Y, Michael, Stephanie, Tim, Tyler, McKenzie, MJ, Timmy, Addison, and Donna. This group of people are my friends, mentors, drinking partners, and full on entertainment. Each of them possess skills, passion, and love that they share in varying degrees to each of the others in the group. Between two houses about four miles apart from one another, I get the chance to socialize, pontificate, and laugh with all of them. Some prepare fantastic food, others tell delightful stories, and some just straight up make me laugh. The little ones are fun to watch grow, play, and become mesmerized with the next gift or game. Heck, sometimes they become enthralled with nothing in particular and that is even more entertaining. We can be a formal bunch but not when we are all together. It’s shorts and t-shirts and you better get your athletic shoes out because the football will be flying. Each person wants to chat, even if they are staring intently on their blue screen of life.

This group that I proudly call my family consists of current teachers, former teachers, retirees, entrepreneurs, high up managers, protectors of citizens, students, widowers, athletes, has been athletes, and want to be athletes. We love, we share, we fight, but we are always family. Since we get to see each other more frequently than the average family you would think it would be boring to get together as a unit. Actually, it is far from it. Whether it is a malfunctioning television, a collision on the field of play, bad Wi-Fi, or a disagreement about how a game is played we are still family. The collision and disagreement aren’t always synonymous with the little ones. The big kids are good at this one as well. We are a tight bunch but another cool part of being in this family is that we love bringing others who don’t share our blood into the mix. They get treated just like we treat others and if you can hang, you are welcome to stay.

Christmas is an all-day affair for this group I love with every fiber of my being. We start at our house with Michelle preparing our traditional breakfast feast. We don’t start until about 8:00 now that Brianna is older. If you have little ones, hang in there, they will age out of 5:45 stocking calls. After a wonderful time opening gifts and eating we do a quick clean up and then pack it up to move the circus to my Dad and Stella’s house. This is the second half of the day. There are always brunch items to snack on and the shenanigans begin anew with the rest of the crew. We watch as the wee one’s devour their stockings and wait impatiently for the gifts to be handed out. Tyler is the lead elf and over the past couple of years, MJ has availed himself as quite the helper elf. Packages fly around the living room like an Amazon warehouse. There are timeouts called, sorry, once a coach always a coach, so that paper and gifts on the floor don’t become one. It seems like it will never end, but then, poof, and it is over. A quick trip home to alleviate the mess that has been left and it is immediately back for the remaining festivities. There are boat rides, football of varying degrees, new toys to play with, conversations to be had, some are deeper than others, and for Dad it may mean a nap or two. A second delicious meal is served, and if there is time after there might be more outside activities.

After such an exhilarating day you would think this would be a great conclusion. Oh, how wrong you would be. For years this just meant that it was time for the Nerf wars to begin. However, this year we had game night. Young, old, and in-between commenced to battling it out for some long hours. I almost forgot, the sangria was also flowing with a smoothness that made the evening even longer. At the conclusion of the battle, the victor staggered to his feet proclaiming his effort. I hate losing, but the battle was fair, incredibly fun, and just awesome to see so many of us having fun around a table with no phones to interfere. My little brother, Tyler, defeated all his older siblings, their better halves, and even two of their kids. It was time to call it a night, even though it was early into the next day. At 12:45 I put my head on my pillow, kissed my wife good night, and slept quickly thinking about how lucky I am to have the family I have.

Many times during the year I get to see them, sit and talk with them, but rarely do I get to enjoy them just as great friends. I love each of them, even when they may be hard to love. I think they probably feel the same way because I know, with my comments, that I am often hard to love. Time will pass, we will have to adjust seating again and again, but the family will continue to move forward with passion, grace, and the desire to love fully. Thank you all for your love and thank you for making every holiday we spend as a family unit one that I will always cherish. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the crew that keeps me honest, smiling, and wanting more from life. Let’s do it again and keep chasing the dreams. Don’t let them go!

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Flashback Because of the Little g in a Circle

It is funny what can bring back memories. Today, I had one of those experiences while doing a quick pit stop in Walmart with Michelle. We were doing an emergency purchase of phone cases since our hi-tech cases have caused our phones to not work properly. We just needed to get two cheapy cases and a couple pieces of protective film and be on our way. Then it happened: the moment my cheap trip became a bit more expensive. We were scouring the racks for plastic protection for our gadgets that were pricier than my first Tag Heuer. It is funny how times have changed. Especially since the piece that took me back was before that phone was even thought about.

They say you should not look back unless it is to see how far you’ve gone. Well, today I looked back to 1989 through 1993. It wasn’t on purpose. I really was focused on the task of bubble wrapping my phone for future use. I first caught a glimpse as I shifted from the middle bins of $4.88 generic phone cases. There were glitter ones, glitter ones, a few with stripes, a few solid colors, and some more glitter ones. I do appreciate my softer side, but I will not let it out that far that I am willing to carry a glitter phone case. Maybe I will rethink that; could be quite the conversation piece when meeting a customer. Nah, we will let that go. Okay, so as I was heading to the iPhone section of Walmart I popped my head up and there it was in its large grey box. The lower-case g in the circle caught my eye. The Anthology of Garth Brooks was on sale in Walmart. Geekdom kicked in.

After the first glance, I continued on my task and thought “I don’t need this. I don’t even really listen to iTunes much anymore.” I finally found my cheap ass case. A flat black, safe for 3-foot falls, and that was about it. Michelle was a little more diligent in her search, so I was drifting off and started thinking about all the songs that I haven’t heard in a long time. Easing back over to the end cap I found myself staring at the box. Oops, I made the fatal error and picked it up. I turned it over and started reading what was available. Five CD’s, a large hard backed book that chronicles his rise from 1985-1995 and all that music. I put it back down and wandered over to the center rack just to make sure I had chosen the best option. After a few minutes, Michelle glided by because she just couldn’t find a case that fit her immediate needs and had gotten frustrated and pulled up Amazon to see if there was anything she could get in pronto. As she sauntered over to the center rack I eased back to that damned end cap.

Yes, I picked it up again, spun it around, looked at the contents, and…...put it in the basket. I was going to reacquaint myself with the music of Garth Brooks. I had every CD before, even burned them onto my iTunes, but somewhere along the line they disappeared. The CD’s are gone as well. Michelle and I spoke about the music as we were finishing our search for these damned elusive, cheap cases and finally finished up that process. As I strolled towards the checkout I thought about my next few hours jamming to Garth while driving around delivering goodies for Christmas to our tenants. After a smooth, I know, a rare treat, checkout we headed to the truck to begin the reminiscing process. Open the package, slide the book out from the protector, and the phone rang. Business had stopped the going back process.

We pushed forward on deliveries and talked about things that needed to get done today, tomorrow, and this weekend. The moment had passed, just like all those years so long ago, and we were very much in the present. Really, I just liked his music. I cannot remember any important things that happened that would make me want to never forget his music. It was just good. It had some great messages, good instruments, and when there were still videos I loved watching them. There wasn’t a great love, accomplishment, or other life changing event. Just good music to me.

The flashback finally did happen around 5:15 this evening. Once we left the office we slid the first CD in the player, yes, our truck still has a CD player, and let it rip. I started singing from the first song and Michelle just stared. I looked in amazement that she didn’t know this song. She kindly reminded me that she was nine when this came out and not only did that make me realize how old this music was it also reminded me how cool my wife is that she took a chance on her old man boyfriend. During the first year I was in my senior year of high school. That sounds terrible if you say it slow but when you look forward, as we all should, it isn’t so bad. If Tomorrow Never Comes came on and she new that one. Sang every word right along with me. After some quick work at the barn we finished the first year with the classic, The Dance. Not only did Michelle sing that one but Brianna joined us as well.

We should continually move forward as we move towards our goals. We get new houses, cars, friends, dreams, and even tastes. The one thing I have a challenging time completely moving forward with is my music. The other day I was listening to a song that is almost 50 years old and it still sounds good today. Music played such a big part in so many of our lives that it is almost impossible to stay in the present with that one. Keep moving forward but let your music move you that way.

Oh yeah, if and when The Anthology Part II comes out I will head back into the belly of the beast, Walmart, and purchase it as well.

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Good or Bad -- Interesting and Amazing

Where do we go from here? That question gets asked in many forms every day. We lose a loved one or a large sales account. We lose our first love or maybe the job we thought we couldn’t live without. Sometimes, it may be a positive question. How about hitting a large goal and wondering what to aim for next? I love phrases or words that when spoken can mean so many different things to a vast amount of people.

Many years ago, I had a friend who was a great tennis player. He was an even better person and quite the proficient salesman. One day, we were out together working on a few business dealings and he told me something that I have held on to for all the years that have followed. When in doubt, when you cannot find words to politely describe something you can never go wrong with “that was amazing,” or “that is interesting.” Think about it. We instinctively become disarmed when someone tells us that something we have poured our hearts into is amazing. We all want to be interesting. It is skillful to praise someone for their effort without personally enjoying what they deliver. Is it hurtful to let them think it is good? Actually, does it really matter if you don’t like it as long as they are satisfied with the product they have delivered? Yes, sometimes it matters when it comes to business dealings but in day to day life be polite and leave them with a smile.

So now I go back to the original question I posed in the first line: Where do we go from here? The negative tone that question has can be changed. It is up to us. If the answer is a negative start there and move up. Look at yourself each day and ask the same question. Did you answer it in the positive today? What about the day before? After a few days momentum begins, and the goals become bigger. There was a time in my life I was a highly fit, competitive, and eager athlete. Let’s just say that I am not that person as I sit here and write this. I can be honest and say that I have asked myself this question repeatedly. Some days I get a complimentary review but a majority of the time it is disappointing. A couple of weeks ago I walked a 5k. The excuse for walking was to hang with my dad since he came out. That was a reason, and a great one but the real reason I walked was because I can no longer run 3.1 miles. That is sad, humiliating, and a touch depressing. Where do I go from here? Easy, I start jogging some while continuing the walking. Add more jogging and maybe a bit of running. Run 3.1 miles and see where that takes me.

This is so simple to achieve. It is also easy not to achieve as well. Where do we go from here? When you wake up tomorrow you get to decide. I hope your choice is the one you want. You never know what interesting and amazing things are out there.

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Keep Your Time or Share it Wisely

As I was out with my wife today, playing Santa’s elves, delivering items to tenants while taking pictures of the properties I had a thought about direction and logistics. We had the addresses, a GPS, and a promising idea at the order we needed to go in to make it as smooth as possible. Time, that precious commodity that is the great equalizer was our ruler. How quickly could we accomplish the task so that we could move to the next goal of the day? This was our intention and our number one goal as the engine cranked and we headed to the first house.

When I am out in the truck I really enjoy listening to podcasts about a wide range of topics. Michelle and I will discuss the episode, the car beside us, the building going up, and for sure what is for lunch as that time approaches. We hit the first batch of houses contemplating some realty items, checking out house colors, and looking at Christmas decorations along the way. Time marched on and at this point it was on our side. As we moved to the next area of concentration a couple of scheduled side stops fit in our logistics model perfectly. By now we were listening to a podcast about the latest news in IndyCar. The guest was riveting, the conversation lively, and Michelle and I soaked it in like the warm rays through the windshield.

After another stop along the way it was time to eat lunch. After a typical husband and wife discussion the choice was made and time marched on. We felt like we were making great progress towards completion of another successful day. The clock doesn’t care about traffic, construction, little ladies walking groceries across the street, or business lines. As we aimed the truck towards the heart of downtown Winter Haven the progress slowed just a bit. Wow, what that town has become since I was a kid hauling ass around the streets, first on my bicycle, then as a stupid high schooler with my best friend. Sorry, I digress. The city appears to be going through a continual rebirth and construction and traffic issues are the main by-product. Although this was a minor glitch in our grand plan, the elves charged on from house to house. Pictures were taken, and goodies were received with smiles and hugs. It is nice when tenants are happy.

Have you ever been running and hit a wall? Have you ever needed to turn left but could only go right? The adage of my old fire chief was the fall isn’t what hurts, it’s the sudden stop at the end. Progress is amazing, but the ability to pivot when necessary is also a blessing. We had just delivered to one house and were rounding the corner for another when our day took a right instead of a left and we just stopped suddenly. The phone call was important and directive. The candy was put away, so were the smiles, and support became the objective. It is funny how crucial time is to you when you have something important to do. Well, it is important to you. The schedule was put aside, and others became the focus. Before I move further, all is okay, and we are all going to have more time.

We shifted our path and headed the opposite direction we were intending. Time was still moving and for those involved it was moving quicker. It doesn’t, but we cannot process the data streaming through our conscious quickly enough to slow it down. Processes become regimented, focused, and completely goal oriented. Wait, that is how my day started but this wasn’t for us, this was for someone else. My time was to be shared with someone else. They needed it more than I did. I needed to get to them so that they could utilize my time the best way they saw fit because their time was going too quickly.

Destinations are funny. We all have them. Some we want to get to, others the trip is the fun part, but then there are times when the trip and the destination isn’t that much fun. It is not until you arrive and look inside the destination that you find out if the trip was good or bad. This trip was good. I mean, it was terrible, but it was good in the end. Getting to support someone else during their trip, aiding in their comfort, and easing burdens was simply our destination. A smile and common face made the trip worthwhile. The time can never be replaced, and let me tell you, I cherish my time, but I am honored that I was asked to give up my time so that someone else could utilize it today.

Tomorrow is another day and my time will start over. I am excited that I get to use part of that time to get my daughter to another barn so that she can continue to chase her dream that she so diligently pursues. I also get to watch one of my former players achieve his goal of walking across the stage to accept his diploma. The journey was not smooth, the sacrifices were many for a lot of people involved in his life, and I know that he will continue to pursue his greatness. Time was not our friend while we were together, the clock ran out before the ultimate goal was achieved but we both have pivoted to the next chapter to try again. As the hours pass and the days become nights the contemplation of achievement is inevitable. How many of us really appreciate the time we have, maximize the use, and truly enjoy the moments we get?

Time doesn’t care about what you want. It continues to tick away, and it is up to us how we use it. We control our time and we also control who we want to share our time with. Pick wisely, some people will accept it with gratitude, but others will steal your time for themselves. Enjoy your weekend and the time it allows you use.

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How Did You See Your Day?

Man, the weather currently is amazing. Cool in the late evening and early mornings, or cold if that’s your perspective, and just gorgeous in the afternoons. From what I have seen we could get the opportunity to enjoy this for a bit longer which is nice as we approach deep into the holiday season. It is time for bowl games, college and pro basketball, parades, and lots of food. This weather makes it appear more like winter than late summer. I have just written a positive thought about my perception of the weather around me and what it makes me think of when it this way. There is another group that will tell me I am crazy because it is too cold, too sunny, and will find something to fuss about with regards to the events that feel wintery.

There isn’t much going on tonight inside my brain. Well, that’s a lie, there is a lot running around but the pounding of my sinuses, constant blowing of the nose, and overall lethargy from a slight cold his sidelined though thoughts. It’s okay though because I am just plodding through letting it run its course. I still got up early to stay consistent but instead of going through the morning routine I took a little nap to get a little more rest. I cannot remember the last time I had a cold and I cannot remember a time I didn’t feel like doing anything. That thought led me down the path of others sharing their maladies. Even though I feel rough, there is one group that will say men can’t handle being sick, I still will just get done what needs to be done. When I scroll through the plethora of social media channels and speak to people I interact with daily, I feel quite fortunate to be able to get through my life with so few problems. As much as I am entertained, I ache, well not really, for the people that seem to have non-stop sickness, personal strife, and a series of drama-laden television shows that are happening in real life.

It is funny, if you see things good for the most part people will tell you that you have a mind like Pollyanna. I truly disagree. There are days that I am pissed, pained, and just generally not in a good mood. The difference is, I still can see the beauty in a sunrise or sunset, can hold the door for the next patron at Subway, speak to people in a manner that is respectful, and just ignore the dipshits that dot the landscape. Over the past few weeks we have had a rash of shootings in our area. There has also been a rapid uptick in the use of horns by over zealous drivers. Why, what is the issue? What happened to a good old fist fight, a flick of the finger, or a Polk County cuss out berating? Does the horn really get it done? Are you really in that big of a hurry? The social media, instant media, always on platforms we are now accustomed to have made us think that everyone wants to hear about are woes.

My wife tells me that I am evil because I enjoy the social media circus. Our President pokes the bear daily and the people go crazy. If you watch one network or follow a particular person on social media, you lean one way and can never see the other side from the opposing channel or a different personality. First, when did television channels become one sided? I thought news was news. My naivety is coming out. What is wrong with an opposing view? We used to disagree with people but that was it. We disagreed. We didn’t belittle them, vilify them, or try to dismantle their lives. The same thing happens on social media. Instead of just ignoring people we disagree with on social media we engage them, try to destroy them, and find joy in attempting to humiliate them. Maybe, we should try to ignore them again. If we look at what gets media attention the same tactic would work as well. Why do certain news items get traction and then get their own cycle until the next grandiose thing comes along? I don’t want to go that direction but think about the past year and what has garnered the media spotlight. Why did it get the spotlight and then what took it off? It was the next story, then the next, and next. Some of these big stories grab our attention and really don’t affect 2% of the population, heck that maybe generous. If we did the same thing with the sad sap storytellers on social media, they might lose their platforms as well. Don’t engage and don’t feel sorry for them. Do this instead. Tell them something positive.

Oops, there goes that Pollyanna again. It was a beautiful day today but there is a group of people that will complain because it was a bit too breezy. Dammit, it was too breezy, so I couldn’t fly my drone but instead of fussing about it I took a nap and packed up goody bags for Full Service. It’s getting cold so I’ve got to go out to the barn and blanket the horses but that is not a bad trade off since Brianna is editing my video for me. Dang kids these days. Three negative statements that all have a positive thought attached to them. Enjoy your night, or don’t, it will pass in a few hours anyway.

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Yes, I Wrote About my iRobot Roomba

What a cool experience this morning! Watching the dream become a reality was cool. Yes, it was rainy, cold, and breezy but people showed up and ran or walked the 5k in the Inaugural Shop with a Cop 5k Run. It was fun to walk with my brother, his girlfriend Christa, Dad, and a nice lady that was smoking us before the hills got to her. She had just had hip replacement surgery and was still walking faster than we were for the first mile and a half. This was her training walk before her 10k in January. It was great to see the Yodonis’ family effort pay off with an excellent group of people.

After the “race” we went and had a great breakfast to restore all those calories we lost on our excruciating exercise so early in the morning. That’s where the excitement ended and the idea for tonight’s blog started. You know the expression, “Watching paint dry”, well I did that today but with my iRobot Roomba. I got enthralled and realized that this silly robot that cleans my floors daily attacks the house much like I and others have attacked are own lives.

There was the noise signaling the beginning of the journey. Loud, fierce, and quick to begin. A quick change of direction and off it went. Sound familiar? We are determined we are going to do something and we have an initial burst of energy. After a couple of minutes, it was banging off the wall and spinning around the living room. Then, suddenly there was an alert. “Please spin the side wheels to adjust.” I did the mandated fix and off Roomba went again. Just like our own lives. We bounce around trying to find direction and then there are problems. We either stop or we get them fixed and move on. Roomba continued to work around but I noticed some other things that just reminded me that I have often looked like this silly robot.

After about 35 minutes it appeared it was cleaning in the same area over and over. Comfort in surroundings or loss of direction. This resonated with me in the terms of how we attack some of the things we say we want. We get comfortable doing the same thing over and over but not really knowing if it is moving us towards completion of our ultimate goal. We stay in a little corner of comfort and at times we try to get out, but we bump up against something and get turned back around. There are times we even get out of the spot only to be brought right back in by one wrong turn. Roomba seems to do this repetitively. I watched as the robot would attempt to leave the office area, bounce off something, and then, turn right around and head back into the corner of the little room.

After an hour, most of the house was clean and the small light of energy was showing it was time to start looking for home. There are times in our own lives that we are so close to completing the task, but we still must have enough energy to complete the goal. We wear ourselves down, bouncing off our proverbial walls, aiming to get to the finish line for that particular goal. As I watched Roomba attempt to get over the final carpet I found myself cheering for it to end. The excitement was welling up inside like it was my own goal. Then, it bounced off the carpet and turned around heading back towards the family room. All the way back to the family room and a few more bounces the damn thing was back in the office. Why not just go home, get your goal, and feed yourself the energy you need for the next task?

With the energy light brightly on red, the dock light flashing, and myself losing patience with this little time killing journey I started taking odds that Roomba was just going to die right here on the family room floor. It wouldn’t be the first time a goal went uncompleted. We all have those dreams and goals that fall short. Whether we lose our way, hit the wrong wall, take a different direction, or just like where we are there are times it just doesn’t work out. As I pondered the likely conclusion of a dead battery, cleaning out the pod, cleaning out the brushes, and then cussing Roomba for not getting the job done, the darned thing hit a wall, turned toward the kitchen, and aimed for the living room. Within two minutes the little vacuum that could was headed towards home base. Like many of the journeys we take throughout life, there are times it appears there is no hope and we are just going to fall a bit short, and then we make one move a bit more to the right or left and the direction becomes perfect. Roomba crawled closer and closer to the base sizing up the finish line and the energy it sorely needed. Just as it was about to hit home and achieve the goal it was stuck. Yes, it had made it to the finish line but couldn’t cross it. Sound familiar to life at all? After watching for about 30 seconds, probably more like about 5 seconds, I tapped it with my foot, and bingo, it was home. Completion, success, cheering all around. Just like us, we get so close but even when we can see the finish line we might need a bit more encouragement to finish what we started.

Yes, I wasted a lot of time watching a stupid robot clean my floors. Or did I? Seeing a goal achieved through progress made turn by turn and through a little bit of assistance by others is how we do things in our own lives. It really is funny though; this little robot runs around my house cleaning the floor, so I don’t have to, and I still judged how it was doing its job. So judgmental and it wasn’t even my battle. We need to fight our battles to completion, hit our obstacles head on, bounce off and readjust, and at times get a little assistance. The same people who are saying we can’t get it done will be the same people that cheer when the job get done. Do it your way but let people assist if they are willing.

Photo by Nadine Shaabana on Unsplash
Photo by Talgat Baizrahmanov on Unsplash
Photo by pan xiaozhen on Unsplash

Dancing in the Rain

It appears we are in for a change of weather over the next few days. It is almost winter, so a bit of a cool spell isn’t a terrible thing. I am positive that I am ready for a change in seasons. We do live in Florida and are spoiled by splendid falls and winters, but it is nice to have a cool spell to give us a bit of a break from our normal. The whole point of that is if you really listen to people they are positive in their thoughts.

People will tell you to surround yourself with positive people, think positive thoughts, and to be the positive that others see. This has been construed to be positive. You know, in the sense of happy, joy, nice, and the other words that are to bring a smile to your face. There is an amazing peace when a person can make something that appears to be so negative seem like there is a silver lining of joy attached to it. We search for the rainbow during the storm, we search for the positive story during an hour of news, and we love watching the powerful fall then giving them a second chance after atonement. We love the underdog, the underserved, and the underprivileged. We are positive about that and we share it with anyone that will listen.

Why does the positive have to be good to be positive? It is positively going to rain, be miserable, and cold. I am positive about that. Guess what, it’s okay. It will pass. Positive can be a noun or an adjective. If it is good it is positive but if we know it exists, then it is also positive. When the rain occurs, we can be positive that it is happening, or we can positive that it will end. Why do we begrudge something that will end? We allow the negative to persist and fail to see the positive. Yes, sometimes it rains too much. Hell, sometimes you eat too much but you don’t stop living your life. Why do we see the negative in one thing but easily see the positive in others?

Being positive doesn’t necessarily mean sunshine and rainbows. Sorry, I stole that from Rocky. I am positive that I hate people that want to do dreadful things. I am positive that there are things I want to do. The cool thing about that is that by being positive I want to do them, when I do them they make me positive. Follow along, it really isn’t that complicated. I am positive that there are times I do things that I hate doing. The opposing side of that is that by doing those things I make other people feel positive about me. See, being positive doesn’t mean I am always happy. When the alarm goes off at 4:45am so that I can journal my calendar, read my book, do my yoga, and go feed the horses, I am positive that I would rather sleep until 7am. However, the positive feeling I get from accomplishing those things for myself, well, minus the horse feeding, makes my day start on an accomplished positive.

Positivity is feeling good about things as they happen to you or being able to find the good in an event. Being positive is understanding what you are doing and the consequences for the actions. My nephew had an idea for helping an organization with it’s Christmas goals. He created a 5k and decided that he would donate the proceeds to the Shop with a Cop program in Lake Wales. He was positive it would be a great project. Through frustration, determination, and challenging work he and his family have pulled it off. His positivity created an event that is going to happen this weekend. I am going to participate in this event. I am positive that I am going to suck and that it is going to be cold. My excitement is that I am going to get to see this kid’s dream become a reality. As slow and as cold as I am going to be I am positive that there is no other place I could see myself on Saturday morning. Sure, I am doing something good for my health by exercising, I am pushing myself through uncomfortable elements, and I will watch others do the same. We could bitch and moan about the weather, the course, or a million other things but we all had the same thought; by doing this we will be helping others and maybe they too will be able to have a more positive experience.

One last thing, the Florida Southern women’s volleyball program is playing in the national tournament tomorrow in Pensacola. Go to www.fscmoc.com and check them out. They have had an incredibly positive season and could use some positive vibes in their next step.

JULIAN ALEXANDER
Mohammad Metri

Living Life with a Full Heartt -- Greg Heartt a Former Player at FSC

Being a native Floridian, we enjoy our warm weather, beaches, and predominantly blue skies. All that is great, but the weather the past few weeks has been splendid. Lows in the upper 50’s and highs in the low 80’s. It really is quite nice. We are in for a bit of a cold snap later this week, but that too is a pleasant change. Weather and training go hand in hand. The long bike rides, swimming in the open pool or seas that surround us, multiple hours on a tennis court, or logging hours on a training session with your equine. This beauty and normal heat we deal with leads me to my thoughts for this evening regarding another former player from FSC, Greg Heartt.

Greg was already a player when I arrived at Florida Southern. He was a diminutive guy with passion and heart that were way bigger. Being fit was his second nature and he was super clean with his diet, as he knew what he wanted and how he was going to go about doing it. We didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of his habits, mostly due to my naivety with nutrition, but we never disagreed about his desire to play.

During his first season with me there wasn’t much singles play during matches. He was an integral part of our success at number three doubles. He was the free swinging, go for broke guy on the team and his partner was the French-Canadian volley machine. The two of them battled most of the year against the best teams in the country and helped us make it to the Regional finals. The emotions and excitement of that match set a tone and expectation that as hard as we tried, for multiple years, could not be duplicated. The part of his game I loved was his no holds barred approach. If he was in perfect position or on the dead run, he was going to go for it. It worked a lot but to say he never affected my nerves would be a lie.

His senior season was a year of change for him. He lost two of his mates as Knoedler and Laflamme both graduated. Laflamme was his doubles partner with who he had some remarkable success. I knew he was going to play in the doubles line-up, but I just wasn’t sure with whom or in what position. He even had some success in singles but doubles was his forte. During his senior year he ended up having three doubles partners and won with all three. He was the base and just worked with whomever I threw at him. Again, we made it to Regionals but didn’t have the best run when we got there. Greg graduated and moved on to the next step of life.

Alright, that is the tennis side of Greg. The side of him that kept me entertained was his spirit, love of life, and zest for an enjoyable time. It was easy to see where he got it from. His parents were ardent supporters of the program before I came and continued even when I joined. They would come down for matches and loved when we played near where they lived. His dad loved tennis, got to play with a few former pros, and was a great resource when it came to guys on the team. His mom was often there and made sure Greg and the other guys were properly nourished for the busy tournaments and matches. Greg, himself, had an effervescent personality. He had a smile on his face 99% of the time. He was always game for a night out, a run around the lake, or a party at Club Love with the boys from the team.

Once Greg graduated I wasn’t sure where he would end up. He had such passion for the outdoors I just didn’t think a job inside would suit him. He got into doing triathlons to continue his never-ending passion for competition. He got really good, qualifying for some of the higher-level events. Of course he did, I would not have expected anything else from someone with his drive. The job indoors never panned out and he went into the coaching profession at high end tennis clubs. He has busted his butt and moved up the pecking order while continuing his passion for this beautiful game. It has been a pleasure watching him move up, promote the game, and have fun like he did while he was at FSC.
Again, the story is the same. I had great guys who challenged me, made me better, and proved how good they were when they head out into the real world. If you ever need a good tennis coach look Greg up. If you ever want great competition against a guy that will give you everything he has, give him a call as well.