The Men Behind the Curtain

Baxter's Buzz

Buzz of the Week - We live in a fast-paced, fast food, social media, ESPN/CNN ticker world.

News is pass along so quickly, it becomes difficult to stay on task.

I believe it almost encourages us to be unfocused, and ultimately keeping us off our path.

I have trouble staying focused. I always have. There is so much going on ALL the time. We have the internet, which is one of the most important things is my life. I use it constantly and work and at home. At my desk and on my phone.

How often do you take a moment to reflect on what's going on in the world? Not the latest Brad Pitt gossip, or who Kim Kardashian is currently dating. I'm talking about what your mayor is doing, what your governor is doing, what the US government is doing in different parts of the world.

How aware are you?

It's like "The Wizard of Oz." There were all of these distractions for Dorothy and her friends, keeping them away from their ultimate goal. We are so busy dealing with day-to-day problems, we aren't paying attention to the "men behind the curtain." The crooked businessmen, shady politicians, the companies behind the television shows that influence our perception are the "men behind the curtain."

Today in Michigan, legislation was passed to grant broad powers to emergency financial managers. Essentially, this allows these "emergency financial managers," appointed by Michigan Governor, Rick Snyder, to eliminate and toss out union contracts, fire officials, and dissolve elected councils and boards (As stated in today's Detroit News online). This would effect communities and schools districts that are operating at a deficit. They can actually disolve local governments, and actually merge these local governments with others if they deem it necessary.

We must all wake up and pay attention. Don't let all of these not important issues, distract you from the major moves that are being made on a daily basis. Pick up a newspaper or look at your world news channels. The events that are going on are shaping our future. Directly and indirectly. Are you even awake? Are any of us?

Maybe Charlie Has It Right

Baxter's Buzz of the Week

Buzz of the Day - Do you think there's an amount of money that will give you the freedom to say whatever you feel?

I am very careful of the things I say, for many reasons. I think the main reason is to not offend anyone. I am also very mindful of the power of words and the power of perception.

Most of the extremely successful people that you know or heard about are pretty different than you. Why is that? They push limits and bend rules to the point that these limits and rules are redefined after the fact.

Most of us save our true feelings about work for when we get home amongst our friends. Then we turn around and talk about our friends and family with other friends and family and/or talk about them at work.

How would you feel if your boss REALLY knew how you felt? You'd probably not have a job. Could you handle what people really felt about you? Probably not. So we deal with people and we are extremely disingenuous while doing so.

What would it take for you to go "Charlie Sheen"? Not the drugs and that, but the honesty that he's portraying? To say how he truly feels about things, not caring how others perceive him? The freedom of knowing that you're different, and instead of trying to hide it, embracing it?

I believe that there are many reasons Sheen has done what he's done lately. Drug use (past and possible present use), arrogance, and more money than he knows to do with. I also believes that he's been itching to say these things for years, and now he's letting it all hang out.

There are people who have much more money, and much more sense that Charlie Sheen does. And for the record, I don't agree with how he's conducting himself. But I do think we can learn about embracing what makes us different like Sheen is doing. Whether its our feelings about war, the type of music we like, or our sexual orientation, we shouldn't be forced to conform to other's expectations. We all should enjoy being different.

There will always be political correctness that folks will call fake or phony. That's life. I'm not condoning call people out by name, being childish, and alienating people who care about you. I guess a part of me wishes that I was as comfortable in my own skin as Sheen appears to be. And I know there are people who are a lot less comfortable than me, who are dying inside.

It's hard enough being a human, not to mention living a life that you don't feel good about because you're hiding your real self.

Maybe we need to embracing what makes us different in order to truly excel. While we talk and write about these successful people, they are not worried about us. They are living their lives, giving us more to discuss.

Career Fair

Baxter's Buzz

(Editor's note: This was originally written on November 20, 2010, but never published)


I've been to two career fairs and one other unemployment type of event in the past three weeks. Although I've attended in a non job seeker capacity, it gets me buzzing. I am so humbled by the quality of people who are out of work. Many times I think, "This person is more qualified than me." With the available job pool being so small, and the unemployment pool so large, there will be tons of people unable to find jobs, who would otherwise flourish in a stable economy.



It keeps me humble, and it serves as a reminder for me to expand my portfolio and never get too comfortable in any role, unless I'm working for myself.

Create Your Own Luck

Baxter's Buzz

Buzz of the Day - Create your own momentum. Don't wait for some outside influence to swoop in and change your "luck."

I have faith in God, and that helps me come to peace with things that are out of my control. I use the word "help" loosely. For someone such as myself that wants to solve every problem, and help everyone else solve theirs, I struggle with what I can and can't control. Well, I understand what I can't control.

My struggle comes with what I should be doing while I'm letting God do his thing. I don't sit still very well. I get so frustrated with people who complain about their situation, but take no action to improve it.

This blog is dedicated to Mark Pheeney