You Like Who?

Buzz of the Day

I think everyone has a right to be criticized...sometimes I question the person who has so much to say. I sometimes question their intent. I guess there are two things I'd like to get off my chest: 1.) I will not feel bad because some idiot (who happens to be black) does something...well, idiotic. 2.) I hope people criticize everyone equally. They should be equal opportunity critics. (equal opportunity...we won't go there today)

I've played sports my whole life. Things are simplified in sports. Either you can help the team or not. If you are my best friend and I have first pick in basketball, if you're not first pick material, then I'm picking someone else! No hard feelings. I couldn't care if it was a black, white, or purple person. I'm trying to win!

I know that people with differences will have conflict. But I hope that we will help people understand, and listen carefully when it's their turn to do so...And agree to disagree respectfully.

We all have a friend (or many, many friends) that have weird taste. They may eat cheese on their apple pie, put mustard/ketchup on everything, or put sugar in spaghetti. They may love super skinny girls/guys, long/short hair, or feet. Just plain feet. We look at them sometimes like, "What are you thinking?" The point is...we still love and respect them.

When people cut off their nose despite their face, it's stupid. If Barack Obama has the best interest of the U.S. in mind, he should get credit for that. If he does some things that you don't agree with, that's okay...But he's not the dumbest person in the world because he uses a teleprompter (the last president was). If Kwame Kilpatrick does something stupid (wait...I think he just did something else stupid...yup), he didn't do it because he's black. He did it because he is greedy, arrogant, and a whole bunch of other adjectives.

I don't think we should get so much pleasure out of dogging someone else. I know we have better things to do. I don't have a problem with people stating their opinion. I have a problem with people going waaay overboard to state their opinion. They had Madonna on CNN yesterday. "Is she going to adopt another African child?'" Who cares? I don't. We are going through the hardest economic time in my life. And frankly, I have better stuff to do than worry about Madonna! Or Kwame. Especially Kwame...He not only gives himself a bad name. He gives everyone who justifies his stupidity a bad name.

I'm too busy trying to make a name for myself in my new position, at my new job. The job that I'm trying to keep! When I have time to "hate" on somebody, things will have to be going much better than they are for me now...

That's my light buzz today. Maybe a little heavier than I originally thought. I got on a roll okay?

Life's Lesssons

Buzz of the Day



There are so many challenges if life. I look at my nephews and nieces and think about what I went through when I was their age. You become a teenager/young adult and you feel like nobody is in your corner. The toughest thing is when you are correct in your assessment. I spent time with 2 of my nephews a couple of weeks ago. One is 20 and about to have a baby in May; the other is 17; they both are straddling the fence of mediocrity.



How do you explain something to somebody before they've had the opportunity to experience themselves? I didn't have many people to give me advice when I was their age, and I get upset when I try to mentor and they do the opposite of what I've advised. Don't get me wrong, they are good kids. But good ain't good enough these days. I want them to be more prepared than I was going into the "real world." I am blessed to have a good head on my shoulders, but trust me: I did my share of stupid things. I think about my cousin who is in prison for "natural life" and he's less than 2 years older than me. I know that if he was around, I wouldn't have made so many mistakes, because I respected him enough to listen and if I didn't, he would have beat me up.



So I struggle with my approach when I talk to them. I know that they hear me, although many times they don't listen. There is always a learning curve. Hell, I'm still looking for a mentor; I believe we all need it. This world is tough! And getting tougher... I just want to make their path a little less stressful, because times have changed. Even the 10 years since I've been out of High School, society is much different. Couple that with this economy and the way business will be done from here on...so I'll stay in their ear and lend one if that's what they need, and pray God guides them and keeps them out of harm's way: That's what got me through my trials and tribulations when I didn't know any better.

Old Fashioned Laughter

Buzz of the Day

I blogged yesterday about being stressed and needing a vacation. Well, I had one (kinda) last night. The wife and I went out with people from work. We went to see Roz B (I think that's her name). She was one of the finalist on the last comic standing. She was super duper funny! It was the first time I laughed like that in a long time. We ate, had a couple of drinks, and enjoyed some funny comics!

Laughter cures many things. I know sometimes it's hard to laugh, but when you do...the therapeuticness (my own word, thank you very much!) of it is evident.

I also want to say (to my 3 people who read my blog) thank you for checking in. I'm one of those people who reads a lot of stuff. But very rarely do I post any comments and I have log-in and passwords for all the sites (hopefully I know them still). Of course it would be awesome to have a ton of people checking me out daily, but I truly don't write for them. I write for myself (because of the therapeuticness) and whomever finds it interesting. Hopefully it has or will someday help someone besides me. I was thinking this morning that I could do this for a living! I'm not saying that because I'm extremely entertaining. I'm saying it because I'm really beginning to enjoy this!I have all these new ideas and I'm excited to put them in place. And if someone would pay me, hell, I'd do it everyday!

For anyone reading for the first time or the first time in a while, please read the additional posts.

I have always been a pretty private person (and I'm still pretty private), but I enjoy sharing. This way I can get things off my chest without driving my loved ones crazy... I've always been willing to share experiences with people that are interested. I just don't see enough people on a regular basis. I'm living this secret life of a person that cares about more things than where my sales are for the month. Don't get me wrong, I REALLY CARE about where my sales are, but I have an intellectual/analytical side to me that doesn't fit the "salesperson" profile.

If they only knew...I have all sorts of plans...

I Need a Vacation

Buzz of the Day

I'm completely exhausted! The stress of this freakin' economy, along with...well I guess everything is tied to the economy. Mentally, I am fried. I have done everything this week to shake this funk: I've woken up earlier than normal and later than normal, I've cleaned my entire cubicle and rearranged all of my crap on the walls. I even stopped using my headset this week and have gone back to the traditional act of picking up the phone with each call.

Nothing

I don't really want a vacation because I can't afford it. I am talking about time. I can't afford the time. There are too many things I am trying to do. I just need a mental break. Quinn told me I needed to get away from everything. Take a break from thinking. Go to the bar or something like that. Great idea, besides the fact I have no money to "hang out" and I'd be feeling guilty for spending. Somethings gotta give! I need to figure something out and soon. I am really really wearing down.

As soon as you think things maybe turning around with the economy, you read the news and IBM is laying off 5,000 people in the U.S. and sending those jobs outside of the country. WTF!
They were actually profitable last quarter! Go figure...

I don't have the answers. The only thing I do know is...things are changing. As new companies are formed and the proverbial pieces put back together, they will never be the same again.

Working it at the car wash...yeah!

Ridiculousness of the Day

I just need to get this off my chest this morning...

A man has been sentenced to 90 days in jail for performing a sex act with a car wash vacuum.

Can you really make this stuff up? I don't think so...

I'll have more later

Where's the Line?

Buzz of the Day

There is a fine line between speaking up for yourself and being obnoxious. Where do you draw the line?

I have always been a laid back person and have kicked myself repeatedly for not speaking up (Some people may think I speak up too much, but that's not the case). I'll give you a perfect example: When I was a high school senior, I played on the basketball team. I went from being in the starting lineup, to being on the bench and hardly playing. (without any explanation) I worked really hard, and figured that they'd notice and give me my just due. I figured the coach would say, "Baxter, welcome back! Get back in there and play your heart out because you have been working really hard."

I was completely wrong. On the other hand a good friend of mine (who can be borderline obnoxious) was in a similar position. He was the "squeaky wheel" and basically got his wish. He played a lot while I cheered from the sideline. I told myself then I'd never sit back and let someone take advantage of me or overlook me again. Sometimes you want to sit back, bust your tail and hope somebody recognizes. Unfortunately, that's not the case. You need to stick up for yourself and hold your ground. If you are working hard, sometimes you have to make people aware of the work you're putting in so they don't just overlook you.

Now...the potential problem comes if people think you are arrogant or pushy. I guess every one's "middle ground" is different, but if you have to be more to one side, what side do you want to be on?

AIG

Buzz of the Day

I wish there was a truth serum that we could give these people to find out their true motives. I'm talking about President Obama all the way down. Include all of these big businesses like AIG also. If we can't get a truth serum, wouldn't it be nice to have Jack Bauer (from the show 24) to interrogate them?!

Our futures and our peace of mind are in these joker's hands and I'm nervous! As the people who elect politicians, purchase goods to keep these companies in business, and pay taxes, I think we deserve the truth. Will we ever get it?

That is the 15 trillion dollar question.

A Way to a Man's Heart....

When I did become totally dependent on my wife for food? This is ridiculous and embarrassing! I was living by myself, cooking pretty much everyday. My menu wasn't extensive, but it had some variety. Once my wife (my fiance' then) started cooking for me, I became 10 years old again. The worst (and best) part of it is my wife is a very good cook. And she loves to cook! But the times she doesn't feel like it, I absolutely freak out. I spent a good portion of my Sunday (okay, not a good portion but a portion) looking at recipes that I can handle so I can start to get some of my independence back.



The other day my wife was talking about how she's sacrificed a lot for me. I don't dispute that, but hell, I've sacrificed also! It's great to have your wife cook and all that good stuff, but it is no fun when you've regressed back to Ramen Noodles when she's not home. I had a goal last year of developing some "signature dishes" that I would prepare on occasion. A little chili here, and little beef stew there, a little...well that was as far as I got but you get the point. Well, this is all I can stand and I can't stand no more! It's time for me to step my game up.



PS. If you have any good recipes or ideas, please shoot me a message. :)

Great Quote

"If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome."

Anne Bradstreet (1612–1672), British-American poet

Great quote!

I Don't Know Sometimes

Buzz of the Day

I really think I'm this rational person who has a pretty good grip on things. I am very honest with myself, consequently, very hard on myself as well. Whenever I think I have something figured out, I realize that I'm not even close. I guess the only thing I have to say is preparation is a good way to combat anxiety and stress. You can't always solve your problems right away, but if you have a plan in place you'll have some sort of peace (Peace is a relative word).

OK.....I'm pretty stressed out and I have been all week. Being a husband is tough! Have you ever tried to carry laundry without a basket? Once you think you're making progress, you realize you've dropped a sock. So you pick up the sock, then you realize you've dropped something else.

There are so many issues from day to day, even the coolest of customers (and I'll admit, I'm pretty cool) can get overwhelmed...So the only thing I have to say is preparation is key, but also work your tail off! Work hard and don't let up...Do your part and have faith that God will provide the rest.

Lucky #7

Buzz of the Day

Just a light buzz today: Did you know we are entering our 7th year in the Iraq War? My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the soldiers and their families.

Doctor's Note

Ridiculousness of the Day

There was a man who asked his doctor to diagnose him with muscular dystrophy so he could get a job that was less physically demanding. Well, wish granted...I guess the doctor diagnosed him with MD. Well, this is when karma takes over. He slips and falls. Now he wants to file a lawsuit...But because he was diagnosed with MD, they are saying the injuries were preexisting. Now he wants to have the doctor say he never had MD. What a moron! You can't have it both ways dude.

I Think I Love My Wife

Nobody Cares Kid

I'll tell you what's frustrating about being in a relationship. Any relationship...We all have issues! We have mood swings, fears, insecurities, etc. that affect our relationships with people. Some people have been in abusive situations, mental or physical. Any of these things can pop up at any time. Many times we treat those closest to us the worse when we have other issues going on. We feel most comfortable treating our loved ones like crap because...they love us and odds are they're not going anywhere. Sometimes we save all of our frustration throughout the whole day(smiling at our jerk boss) until we get home to...our wife, husband, kids, and pets. Give people their space when they need it. And if you are the person who needs some space, be conscious of your mood and...focus on solutions and not problems. I know...easier said than done. So what! Do your best. Those around you will appreciate it.

Brand Loyalty?

Back in the good ole' days (I wasn't around yet), there was a such thing as "brand loyalty".

I am an account executive for New Horizons Computer Learning Center. We are the world leader in computer training, period. Whether it's high end technical training or desktop applications. (we also have outstanding business and project management courses/instructors, but that's another story) I have a good friend who has a similar position with UPS. Top of the line right? The problem is people are sacrificing quality for price because of the economy. Quinn, who works for UPS put it simply, "When I used to walk into my customer's door, having the name UPS behind me meant many things. Stability, quality, etc. People were willing to pay a little more because of the quality of service. Now, they want whoever is the cheapest." That is interesting. He called them "price whores" who'd go with any company because of price. Funny...

In my position, I work with businesses to provide training solutions. There is nobody who offers a better product. We have some of the world's (yes I mean world's) best instructors in our Detroit/Great Lakes market. Companies say they value training and ongoing education for their staff, but many are comfortable with being "trained" by the lowest bidder with no guarantee of satisfaction. With organizations becoming more enamored with price and less with quality, it opens the door for sub par companies to compete. Consequently, customer satisfaction is lowered.

As consumers, we don't always have the money to extra to spend on things. I think we've all been guilty of choosing quantity over quality. For example, my coworker had some Starburst Jellybeans (btw, I love jellybeans). I was thinking, "I need to go and buy some!" Well, I went to CVS to make copies of pictures...they had some jellybeans for $0.99! They didn't even have a brand name. They were like 'Jellybeans.'

The long and short of that story is I was terribly disappointed! Now I still have a taste for jellybeans, so I'm paying for them twice!

If you are a decision maker for your organization, give your people the best tools to be successful. Not the cheapest. Make your wife happy and buy the good jellybeans!

Buzz of the Day

I heard a really cool story on the radio yesterday. (I don't know the location or anything, but)...There was a woman driving on the highway. She started to feel dizzy. She was trying to pull over, but she didn't make it. She was actually having a heart attack! A man driving an 18-wheeler noticed something was wrong with the woman. He actually changed lanes, switching to the woman's lane (in front of her) so she could crash into him. Keeping her from potentially causing all sorts of damage

I think that's a great story. Not only did that man save the woman's life, he probably saved many more as well. Sometimes we don't think, and just react. Sometimes we over think and never react. Hopefully we get it right more than we get it wrong.

Buzz of the Day

Last night, my wife and I had dinner with her mom and her mom's friend. He is a dentist. (FYI- Prior to last night, I'd never spoke with a dentist outside of the dentist office.) Come to think of it, I've never had a conversation with anyone who has Dr. before their name.

My point is...the wealthy have a unique perspective on things. As they should...They see opportunity where many of us see...failure. I have wrote about being a role model/mentor, but my point today is I'm going to find me a mentor!

Have you ever been to someone's home and saw something that you've never seen before? Maybe when you were younger it was a toy. Today it may be a car, flat screen t.v., or maybe it was their decor. You went home and thought, "Man I need to get me one of those." Maybe you didn't know it existed previously or you hadn't been close enough to touch it... But once you see what is possible, it opens your eyes and destroys limitations. Your experiences in life could provide that for someone, but don't be afraid to seek those out that may open your eyes to some new things also.

FYI
I am working on formatting some things differently on my blog. I want to make it a little cooler looking (that will be a work in progress). On Wednesdays, I'll be having a more complete blog. It will have my buzz of the day, nobody cares kid, sports buzz, and my ridiculousness of the day entries. The rest of the improvements will be made as I see fit. Good ole' trial and error.

Nobody Cares Kid

When I think about all the modern tragedies. it upsets me. Every day there are vicious acts of violence. Without rhyme or reason. I think about the evil that men do...and I think about my future children. What kind of world will I be bringing them in to?



We all have some issues. Some more severe than others. These babies are having babies and we are supporting them. But what's worse than supporting them is these children growing up following the patterns of their parents, who were raised by their parents who didn't know any better. These children are the future. Many of them have no chance from day #1. They are raised in circumstances that some of us couldn't wrap our heads around. Poverty, drugs, violence. They don't know that life has more to offer than what they've seen. But if they have never been out of the confines of "the hood" how would they ever know? The age of homeless people is getting lower and lower. Mark, who works for COTS, says it's not uncommon to see 19, 22, 24 year old homeless people. We need to figure out something. We need to reach out to these children at a younger age and attempt to reverse the pattern that way. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it.

Buzz of the Day

Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow

That song by Fleetwood Mac...I hear it every single day. At least once per day. (Because of the office I work in) Since it is forced down my throat, I actually started listening to the lyrics.

"Why not think about times to come,
And not about the things that you've done,
If your life was bad to you,
Just think what tomorrow will do"

Ahh yes, the power of positive thinking! People talk about putting goods in the atmosphere, good karma, good vibes, etc. I agree with all of those things. And, of course, faith in God.

There has to be a balance when you're thinking about tomorrow. I am just starting to really appreciate today. I want to make the most of things today, taking care of my short term goals. But dreaming about tomorrow and further is awesome! That's whats gives you the motivation to do what you have to today. If you are so caught up in today, to dream about tomorrow, you're not living!

You are just existing...

Yesterday is gone. True. Here's my rule (for today anyway). If you had a bad day yesterday, forget about it. Work on making today better but...If you had a great day yesterday...you can spend a lil time thinking about it. Maybe it will give you momentum for today.

Buzz of the Day

I am so sick of hearing about Kwame Kilpatrick and the text message scandal. I think it's a waste of time. I wish we could just move on and focus on solutions. Detroit, Metro Detroit, and Michigan in general (along with the rest of the world) is in bad shape. We need to spend more time promoting our positive people in the world and less time talking about people that have led us astray. I hope that if there are some things they can pull to solve the Tamara Greene case, great. But they don't need to release those texts to everyone to conduct their investigation.

Kwame did some positive things for the city in my humble opinion. He did a lot of bad things also. Let his a** move to Texas and let's move on with our lives.

Spilled milk...

Buzz of the Day

You ain't missing nothing...



Last night I had a dream about my cousin. My cousin who was my closest friend and helped raise me during some of the toughest times in my life. Although he is not even 2 years older than me, he provided leadership to a person who was looking for answers. (Me)



BTW, My cousin who has been in jail almost half his life...



My mother died when I was 8 and he was there. He beat me up and made me tougher, he listened to my dreams of being in the NBA, and he did all the things a big brother would do.



He has always been wiser than his years. He consistently did things that were the exact opposite of the things he was telling me to do. He would tell me later that he had a feeling that he'd end up in jail, but he wanted better for me. More about that another day.



I think the more people are on your mind, the more real the dream seems. Whenever he is in a dream, he plays the same role he always has. Leading me and giving me all sorts of confidence that I couldn't otherwise imagine. I am frustrated sometimes when I think about decisions I've made. Decisions that were pretty stupid. And I think, "Man if he was here, he wouldn't have let me do that." I didn't have many people in my life that I respected enough to follow their lead.

I was listening to T.I.'s song "You aint missin' nothin". He was talking to those people who were in prison, basically telling them that things would be here when they come home. My cousin has a sentence of "Natural Life" which means if he doesnt get releaseed through appeal, He will die in prison.

He's missing a whole hell of a lot. What are you missing?

Buzz of the Day

Sometimes I have so much on my mind that I don't know what to write. This whole blog thing has been new to me and I love it. It helps me organize my thoughts. Lately, there has been so much going on, I didn't know what to blog about. Once I started to think about it, I realized that I could blog about whatever! Even if it's this gibberish about not knowing what to blog about.

I have been working later and later lately. I have been so locked in at work, that...I have been even more out of the loop than usual. The stress is definitely real. Being in sales, we are the only revenue generating position. People were laid off in other departments and the message was, "The onus is on you guys (salespeople). When you pick your sales up, we'll be able to call some of the people back." But if we don't pick up sales, maybe we're the next to go?

This by far is the best job I've ever had. Some of these people have never had another job and I think they take it for granted (I'll get into that another day). We are salespeople/consultants for training solutions. I am going to continue to work hard and once things turn around, I want to be one of the top performers. I understand the whole working hard thing. I get it. We offer a wonderful product and things will be great again. For everyone. I just hope we can hang on until then...

I was talking to a new customer and she is in the technology field. She comes from a accounting background (go figure). She is trying to learn a little more tech to be more efficient in her role, however that's not her only ambition. She is married with two kids and she's a writer. She just finished her first book last year and is three weeks away from her second book being complete. I was so happy and excited because there is no rule that says you can't do both! Both, meaning work for someone and also work for yourself. Shoot, I have plans on completing an autobiographical book of poetry this year (Shout out to Kari!), but maybe I'll step it up and do a short story as well...or put them together! I was just very motivated after hearing her story and passion for writing, but also keeping it in perspective...This job pays my bills so I have to learn more about the technology field.

Just take some time to invest in yourself. Your family, friends, business ventures...Don't let work overwhelm or consume you.

I really need to take my own advice.

Buzz of the Day

Are you rich?

Money is and has always been a concern of many. These days even more. I think people's dreams have changed when it comes to money. I think when we're young, we want to be pro athletes, entertainers, doctors, lawyers, etc. Now people just want to be comfortable.

I was talking to a friend of mine who is single. We were talking about work, sports....the usual sort of stuff. He asked me about my job and...are they laying people off and...are you safe? Well, I don't think anybody is "safe", but that's just my thought.

Then he told me, "Baxter, you're rich." I kinda knew where he was going but not really. He said, "You have a wife that cares about you and friends that you can count on. You're rich!" It would seem rude to argue....so I shut up. Once I realized what he was saying, it made all the sense in the world. You could be in the worst situation of your life and someone would give their leg to trade places with you because their best cant compete with your worse...in their opinion.

You have to determine your opinion of success and failure, but be appreciative of what you have. Even if it's just your health or loved ones. Things could always be better....but they could always be worse. They say God never gives you more than you can handle. So the more obstacles you are dealt, don't give up. God has a plan.

Buzz of the Day

This past Friday was a busy day for me. First there was work...the last "selling day" of the month means everyone is scrambling trying to add revenue at the last minute. There was a man who was fired Friday. It was based on performance so not considered a lay off. This is all info I've heard through the grapevine so take it for what it's worth. Performance or not, it eliminated some overhead. Just my humble opinion...My blog, my opinions!



If you have ever been around those folks that speak of "back in the day" with fond memories, one of the things they loved was the ability to get a job and stay there until they retired.30, 40+ years.



NOT ANYMORE! It's just not the norm these days. We all respect loyalty. That's what our friends, family, and employers want. Do our employers deserve our loyalty? They have chosen us out of the other candidates when we applied. Took a chance on us...we owe them something don't we?

But what about when they decide it's time for us to go? When our number has been called for whatever reason? Do they owe us anything?



As employees, we are in a lose-lose situation. If we decide to leave after we've found another job, employers are upset because they want people that are gonna be here for the "long haul." If they decide it's time for us to go, then they wish us the best of luck in our next endeavor.



Hmmm....Well, let me get back to my busy day on Friday



So after work, we had our Greenmen Group meeting. That is our networking group meeting that we have once a month. Trying to share resources and encourage each other to reach for their goals: whatever they may be. It's not recreating the wheel... I believe it's essential that we surround ourselves with positive people.
We had a very spirited meeting and we got off track slightly. We all had our ideas of how to invest in ourselves as we worked for "the man" everyday. Nobody wants to be told when their last day is going to be, so that motivates some to try and have their own business ventures and develop alternative options for revenue. Everyone can feel the pinch, and we all are in different industries so plan B should be more like B,C,D these days.

Moving on, I went home to pick up the wife and head to Lansing where a good friend of mine was having his "soft opening" of his new nightclub "The Venue." It was a goal he shared with me over a year ago and last Friday was his dream coming true. I am very happy for him. Many people have lofty goals, but many of them die prior to completion. He had a smile ear-to-ear and he should because, with the problems he was faced with, many would have threw in the towel.

So the point I'm trying to make is this: There are people who are victims of this economic crisis; those who are trying to come up with a plan of action to combat it; and those who are still being productive; because they established plans and were diligent in carrying them out.

Nobody has to do it alone. It's okay to play Scottie Pippen to some one's Michael Jordan or Watson to some one's Sherlock Holmes, or Larry/Curly to some one's Moe. (I think you get my point). Network. Share ideas. You don't have to do it all alone. Just make sure you share the vision of the people that are leading this movement. Because basically, we're all carrying out the execution of some one's dream. You have to decide if it is your or not.