World Traveler

As I mentioned before, we are heading down to my sister-in-law, JoAnn's, house for Thanksgiving. I'm writing this from the Dallas-Fort Worth airport where we are on layover.

This airport isn't too bad, but I think my favorite airport so far has been the one up in Boise, Idaho, where we went this summer. A friend of my wife's family had gotten married and we were invited to the celebration reception. The Boise airport is much like any other, with one key difference, at the time of our visit, it had free wi-fi. That one little feature immediately propelled it to the top of the list.

I'll admit that I really like to be connected. It's not like I'm a captain of business (yet) and millions of dollars ride on my being able to receive a crucial email (yet), but I just like to have that access. I want to be able to read my mail, to check the blogs that I read, to get a little work done, or even just to relax with a little online music. I wouldn't say I'm addicted. In fact, I do enjoy the rare occasion when I take a vacation where I have *no* connection at all -- no Internet, no phone, no television, no newspaper. Right now, though, with me starting up the business, I've got so much I want to do that it would be really nice to have access.

Well, since I don't, I do get to enjoy the one thing in my life that I enjoy above all others -- chatting with my lovely wife.

So, when was the last time you were completely disconnected?

39 days.

Oh, The Pain!

For over a year now I've been having trouble with my shoulder. Most days it's just uncomfortable, but if I try to exert it by doing some sort of repetitive motion like painting, or just push it to the limit with push-ups in Karate, it can be painful enough that I have problems tying my shoes. At my most recent physical, I told my doctor about it and she recommended (cue dark foreboding music) physical therapy.

Now everyone has heard the horror stories of going in for physical therapy and the agony perpetuated upon the poor unfortunate souls who take part. The therapist are all sadists and devise ever more elaborate plans to inflict unspeakable pain upon their charges. It's almost enough to make even the bravest among us blanch in fear.

OK, I'm here to tell you that it's just not true.

I started working with my physical therapist, Michelle (pictured) about a month ago. The first day was all about where I was right now. What moves could I make? What were my limitations? How much pain did I experience? What was I trying to achieve with the therapy? Then we did a few easy exercises and that was it. No pain and very little discomfort. I discovered that my shoulders were slightly out of alignment which was causing stress and inflammation throughout the whole area.

In the following weeks, Michelle gave me a regimen of exercises and stretches to remedy the problems in my shoulder. Each time I came in we would work on new techniques to strengthen the shoulder. In all that time, not one scream of pain escaped my lips nor tear of agony fell from my eyes. In fact, I didn't see a single patient weeping while I was there.

Was it always easy? No. But, really, it was no worse than a good workout at the gym. The therapists very carefully chart your progress and if you follow their instructions, you will end up feeling better and stronger. I just recently had my one month evaluation. I was amazed at how little pain I was still experiencing and how much freer my movements had become.

So, if you have been experiencing pain, whether from an accident or simple overuse, and your doctor recommends that you go in for a little PT, don't worry. You will survive and it's very unlikely that there will be any screaming involved!

So, what experiences have you gone through that have been blown out of proportion in the minds of the public?

41 days.

100 Percent!

I've been reading a pretty good book lately called "The Success Principles", by Jack Canfield (one of the guys who brought us the "Chicken Soup..." books). I just read one of the section last night called "99% is a Bitch; 100% is a Breeze". The basic concept here is that, if you set a rule for your life, it is easier to follow it 100% of the time rather than allowing yourself to break it "occasionally".

I've found this to be true in my own life. For the last two years, during Lent, I've given up television. That meant no watching DVDs, no live programs, no taped programs, no channel surfing. Nothing. The only difference was that the first year I allowed myself to watch on Sundays.

Ask me which one was harder.

That first year was a real drag. I would tape all of my programs and starting at 12:01 am on Sunday morning, I would spend a good portion of my day in front of the idiot box. I would watch that evening and then at midnight, I would turn it off for another week. I'm rather ashamed to say that hitting that "Off" switch at midnight was truly difficult, especially if I was in the middle of a program. I was always tempted to just finish up that show, or just watch "until the next commercial". Boy, was I glad when Easter arrived!

The second year? Well, it was tough for a week or so, but, you know? It gave me a completely different mindset. I knew that I wouldn't be watching TV again until Easter, so I started doing other things with my time. I read. I chatted with my lovely wife. I worked a few extra hours. I listened to some good inspirational and educational audio programs. After that first weekend was passed, I didn't even really miss it. To tell you the truth, I think I even lost some weight (since I tend to get snacky when I sit in front of the babblebox).

Now that I'm going to be working on my business full-time, I'm going to remember this lesson. What sort of things could I accomplish if I commit 100% to reading for an hour a day? To taking one business course a semester? To writing for 30 minutes every day?

Kind of exciting thoughts, right?

So, tell me, what one thing would you commit to 100%?

41 days.

A List by Any Other Name

I have come recently into the use of lists.

My wife, Lisa and I have often joked that, while women seem to have the ability to keep ten things in their heads at once, we men are lucky if we can keep two. When the two of us are at the grocery store, all I am thinking about is getting to the checkout aisle and getting home. Lisa has meanwhile stopped at the greeting card display to get the month's birthday cards (for both our families), two graduation cards (one for a cousin and another for a young friend) and a sympathy card. Not once do I see her hesitate trying to remember for whom she is buying.

Personally, I would love to emulate this level of attention to detail. In starting my business, I know that the details can make me or break me. Still, every time I have tried to just use my memory (as good as it is), I seemingly inevitably forget someone or something, So, the solution?

Lists.

If I can only remember two things, I'm going to make one of them a list. For several weeks now, I've maintained a prioritized list of daily tasks. Wow! What a difference in my productivity. Fewer things are slipping through the cracks, too, which makes everyone happier.

That's the little stuff. Now I'm going for something bigger. One of my heroes, Scott Ginsberg, recommends the practice of making a list of 101 goals that you will accomplish in the upcoming year. I decided to give it a shot. I'll tell you. 101 goals is a long list. The first twenty were pretty easy. Since then, though, it's gotten harder and harder to come up with new stuff. Not so amazingly, I'm having to really examine what I want in all parts of my life.

I think this year is going to be a good one!

So, what is on your New Year's list?

42 days.

It's That Time of Year

I love Thanksgiving.

I have deeply cherished memories from my childhood of going to my grandparents house for the big Peters' Thanksgiving celebration. Both my grandmother and grandfather had large families and they all still pretty much lived in the same area of western New York, so the gatherings always included a ton of aunts and uncles and cousins. My immediate family lived in Michigan, so we always drove in the night before and got there late. We would get up the next morning and watch the parade on television while Grandma and Mom prepared for the feast to come. In later years, after my grandparents moved to a smaller house, we would all get dressed up and hop in the car to go to whichever relative's house who was hosting that year.

We always watched the Lions play football (no matter how bad they lost) and at sometime during the day/evening, we'd get the cards out for rousing games of 31, euchre, fantan, or (for the more skilled group) pinochle or bridge. Depending on the actual venue, we had video games or a pool table to keep the kids amused. Sometimes there'd even be a ping-pong table.

Of course, given the nature of the holiday, we always had a ton of food. Just walking into the house, you were overwhelmed by the savory aromas of turkey and stuffing, gravy and potatoes, fresh bread, and that odd cranberry sauce that was in the shape of the can in which it came. Of course, before the actual mealtime came, most of us kids had already spoiled our appetites gorging on cheese and crackers and the myriad other snacks which had been positioned throughout the house.

It's been years since we've all gotten together. My grandparents have passed on and we've mostly lost touch with the relatives from New York. Still, the holiday warms my heart. This year we're heading down to Austin, Texas where my sister-in-law, JoAnn, will be hosting the holiday for the first time. The outer trappings may be different -- the warm Austin climate is a far cry from the blustery weather of western New York -- but this is still family getting together to celebrate.

And I'm sure I'll spoil my appetite on the cheese and crackers.

So, what is your most cherished memory of the Thanksgiving season?

44 days.