Facts

#BaxtersBuzz

Friends With New Benefits - The strangest thing happened as I wrote and worked through some issues inside my brain last week: I broke up with some of my friends. Well, it's more like we were dating and then I put them in the "friend zone".  Time is valuable and as our children get older, they meet friends at daycare and even more friends once they get to school. Next thing you know, you go from coordinating events with your old friends, to planning things with the parents of your children's friends! This is not a problem specific to you or me. This is happening all over the country. Parents are becoming more selective with who they invite to parties and many "old" friends are getting left out. A few Fridays ago, I was out with a few of my old friends. My one friend was having a birthday party for his child the following day and he hadn't invited any of us who he was hanging out with (potentially very awkward, right?). Indirectly, we found out that night and it got a little awkward (see, I told you). We didn't make the cut. Plain and simple. Things evolve and we need to be honest with ourselves and honest with the people that we care about. Even if they're not on the short list of invitees anymore. There's still memories to make and fun times to share. Just in a different capacity.

April at the Halls - April will be jam packed. Both Zara and Bryce will have birthdays...and somewhere in there I'll quietly celebrate a birthday too. I'm always so focused on wifey's plans for the children, that I forget that none of this would be possible had I not been born first! Facts. LOL

Areas of Improvement - Work is getting busier, which I like. My efficiency will play a huge role in whether I hit the type of sales numbers that I'm striving for. A schedule for each day, setting aside time for administrative tasks as well as more revenue generating activities. I believe God has me in this role in order for me to strengthen my weakness in organization, while helping the entire department run better. The ideas, I have. The execution is the area for improvement.

Bouncing Off The Walls - I'm such a dork. I'm listening to A Cappella versions of Michael Jackson songs. Let me just say this regarding Michael Jackson: Off The Wall is a superior album to Thriller. The songs are stronger (besides Girlfriend, which I can completely do without) and it was his most important album. Michael was now with Epic Records, and the thought was that the former child star's ship had already sailed. His last solo album with Motown Records, released in 1975 called Forever Michael, did not do well to say the least(why else do you think Motown let him go?).
Off The Wall was his first album with Epic when everyone was ready to write his career off. Can you imagine being called a "has been" at 16 years old?
Needless to say, he knocked it out the park and became an adult artist to be reckoned with his 1979 release Off The Wall. His next album, Thriller released in 1982, became the world's largest selling album of all time in just over a year after its release. Thriller was amazing, yes. But there's no Thriller without Off The Wall. And song for song, it's a better project! Facts.

Back to You - What stage are you in now? An up and coming talent, trying to find your way? A star in your own right, enjoying your success in your field? Or are you currently slumping and letting doubt settle in? It's time for you to lock in, concentrate and work on your Off The Wall. Bounce back and prove it to yourself that you belong. Whether you believe that you can be great or that you have no chance at greatness...you're right.

Read more. Write more. Love more. Pray more. Live more.

2031

#BaxtersBuzz
Every day is different with children. Just when you think you've found some sort of rhythm, a new tooth comes and ruins your good night's sleep. Already in the month of March Zara has lost two teeth and Bryce has a new molar pushing through. How do kids look with one or two adult teeth and the rest baby teeth?? I'm guessing pretty ridiculous.

Know the Difference - I've had a very interesting 12 months or when it comes to work. I've witnessed some of the most inspiring leadership and the absolute worse leadership that I've ever been a part of in my entire 20 years of being an employee. Many of us are in positions not because of some of our most glaring flaws, but in spite of them. But when folks are successful, it's difficult for them to accept they have room for improvement. Sometimes major room! Some will say, "This stubbornness is the reason I've owned my company for so many years." But maybe your stubbornness is the reason your company hasn't been more successful. They never consider that though.

Self Evaluation - Know your strengths and don't be afraid of your weaknesses. There's courage in objectivity. It takes a lot to be honest with yourself. Don't beat yourself up, but understand the areas of improvement and work on them. Maybe start with a book on the subject and go from there. And don't limit it to just a particular aspect of your life. I have work to be done at home as a husband AND as a father. I also have holes in my game at work. The key is doing your very best each day. The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz has helped me understand this concept: My best today may be different from my best yesterday. I may have a higher ceiling some days, and a lower floor some other days. Just do the best you can on that day and have peace that you gave the day your all.

Back to the Babies - Zara has her first beauty shop (beauty salon?) appointment this week. Where has the time gone? I remember when the nurse handed her to me, her eyes were wide open. She was so attentive. Those big ole eyes locked in on me. I didn't know it then, but my life would never be the same. She'll be starting kindergarten in the fall and another chapter will begin. Class of 2031. That doesn't even sound like a real number! I guess that makes Bryce class of 2034? Okay, this is too much for this daddy to handle for one night.

Read more. Write more. Love more. Pray more. Live more.

Hello, It's Me

#BaxtersBuzz

As I wind down this Sunday evening, I'm listening to The Isley Brothers, wishing I could be a fly on those walls when the songwriters were crafting these classics. I'm such a fan of words. Which is why I'm back sharing a few with you all.

Chatty Patty - This weekend was interesting because Zara was with her granny. The wife dropped her off on Friday and I picked her up Sunday just before her tennis lessons at noon. Poor Bryce is never invited over to Granny's. He's a busy boy and I don't believe she has faith that she can keep up with him. I pray that changes, because mommy and daddy could use a break from them both! 

In Due Time - As we approach Bryce's second birthday, he's adding all sorts of words to his baby vocabulary. Not the chatty Patty that Zara was/is, but he seems to have a lot to say too. He has been more of a doer than a talker so far, but over the past couple of weeks, he seems to be making huge strides in the verbal department. 

While baby girl was gone this weekend, Bryce took advantage of having mom and dad to himself. He behaved himself when we went out to dinner and he seemed to talk a TON more. He added quite a few words this weekend and has participated more when we attempt to coax him into repeating us. He enjoys doing the opposite of what we ask him to do (that's my boy!), but he's coming around. Typically Bryce says a word, we get excited and beg him to say it again. He then looks at us with zero intentions to grant our request. Wifey was worried about his two year checkup and how many words he'd have. His 18 month checkup was great besides him not having but a few words. He seems to like waiting until the last minute to take care of his business. He's a chip off the old block! I think Wifey can rest easy now. Bryce just needed a tad bit more time and maybe some more attention from us both.

Boys Will Be Boys - I feel like Bryce and I have gotten closer. I know it sounds funny when you're talking about your own kid, but the truth is the truth! He has mellowed some, but more importantly, I've spent more time just hanging and playing with him. It's important for him to let off some steam and be an aggressive little boy. He can play a little rougher with me than the kids at daycare. And even though Zara gets rough, I always make sure neither one of them are going overboard. 

Bottom line is -  All of us, big or small all want to be paid attention to. Zara is so demanding of everyone's attention that she doesn't leave much for anyone else. There are a total of four of us in this house. Bryce, Zara, Wifey and I. We ALL require a certain amount of attention and aren't happy when the others don't meet our requirements. Then there's this elephant in the room... These effin phones! Many times the wife and I want to unwind when we get home and the first thing we do is grab our phones, but the kids haven't seen us all day and they miss us and want some attention. The key is putting that damn phone down and devoting that attention to my children. I have been more intentional about it the past couple of weeks, and it has been helpful. Very helpful actually. In the grand scheme of things, there's nothing as important as spending time with those stinkers. Especially nothing on those damn phones.

Shout out to my big homie. His birthday is today. Peace and blessings, Ant.

Read more. Write more. Love more. Pray more. Live more.