It Was The Day After Christmas.............

And all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for Dad who had to get up bright and early and head for the office. It will be a quiet week since much of the business community in Atlanta are operating with skeleton crews. We have a total of 7 associates in the office today including myself, which makes for a very quiet day allowing me to catch-up on emails and the backlog of work that sits on my desk. It is also a great time to get organized for the New Year. Much to do in 2008and so little time left to get prepared.

So, how was Christmas for everyone? We had a relatively quiet affair although the days leading up to Christmas were rather busy. Last Friday morning I was out of bed at 5:30 a.m. and by 7'ish we were off to North Carolina. It was originally scheduled to be a solo trip, but Joe and Ellie decided on Thursday evening that they also wanted to visit Uncle Joe and while I don't really know if Uncle Joe was fully prepared for the Company, we had a great time and really regretted having to leave on Monday morning. Joe and Ellie were mostly well behaved (as much as you can expect from an 11 old lad and his 9 year old sister) and really enjoyed spending time with their Uncle Joe. Joe is of course my brother's namesake and has a strong bond with my brother. I came out of the bedroom on Monday morning just before we headed back to Atlanta and the two of them were sitting on the couch having an in-depth discussion about my brother's health. Joe had overheard my brother and I discussing his health and he decided to make a few inquiries of his own to make certain he understood what was happening with his Uncle Joe.

The trip back to Atlanta was uncomplicated, with relatively light traffic until about 35 miles outside of Atlanta and then we hit both construction and wall-to-wall traffic. It took us just over an hour to travel that last 35 miles while the rest of the journey took around five hours. The total journey is roughly 390 miles, give or take 10 miles, which means that I drove 355 miles at an average speed of 71 miles per hour before hitting the wall just outside of Atlanta. I put the cruise control on 75 miles an hour and just sat back and guided the car home. We stopped a couple of times, but speed was the priority and so we kept our breaks as brief as possible.

Once we arrived back at the house we had about three hours to rest before heading for the Christmas Vigil Mass at Holy Spirit. It was the children's mass and both Joe and Ellie were participating in the service. Ellie led the congregation in song throughout the Mass and Joe was asked to carry the wine and water to the altar just prior to the communion service. Joe looked quite proper in his new sports coat and did an admirable job considering the number of folks sitting on chairs in the middle of the aisle (the church was packed, as it almost always is for this Mass each year). Ellie was quite articulate with the exception of the word "Liturgy", which she just could not pronounce to save her life. Mom and Dad were of course most proud, as were her Grandparents, who are visiting us from the UK.

Christmas morning arrived far too quickly. I was out of bed relatively early to put on the Turkey and start the prep work for the big meal. We had a very traditional dinner with all the trimmings. I did most of the cooking and even helped with the washing-up afterwards. Everyone seemed to be content with their presents, especially Ellie's Dad, who got an Apple iTouch, which he wanted very much. Yea!

So now we are moving through the rest of the week looking forward to the weekend and the New Year. I think 2008 is going to be outstanding and I'm really looking forward to accomplishing a lot next year. A new job with a great company....a wonderful wife and kids.........and we we sold our house to a developer......can't ask for much more.

Hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year. I'll post some Christmas pictures next time around, but meantime a shot from a recent Hawks game. We are 3 games over 500 and ranked 4th in the Eastern Conference. This year is shaping up to be an exciting time for loyal Hawks fans.

Meanwhile, 50 days later........

Yea, I know. I promised not to drop off the face of the earth and then I quit posting for nearly two months. All I can say in my defense is that I've been busier than a one-armed paper hanger and that is absolutely the truth! Just take a look at this lovely photograph. Do you know where that was taken? Herzelia, that's where......and where is Herzelia? Israel.......and how long does it take to get to Israel from Atlanta? Too long if you ask me, especially since I was the guy sitting in the economy seat on Delta. Did I have a wonderful time? Well, yes, but it was work, at least it was when I wasn't swimming in the Mediterranean.

On another front, we just finished the Quality Leadership Executive Southeast Awards this week and that was a rather satisfying event. I was privileged to do the opening remarks and Richard Warner (Think Georgia Business and other PBS Shows)was the Master of Ceremonies. Tescom is a co-founding sponsor for the event and both TAG and the Atlanta Quality Assurance Association were engaged as well. The whole thing was put together by the Executive Alliance, which is led by Marci McCarthy, the CEO and Mary Lou Heastings, their President. The venue was the JW Marriott at Lenox Mall and it was a most delightful day and evening. Some really neat folks attended..........it was a smaller event with about 140 registered guests expected, but that was pretty good given I know there were at least five other events that were happening the same evening. Most of them were Christmas Parties of course. Or should I call them holiday parties? Hmmmmmmm! Do I really want to take up that discussion today? No, I'll pass. I reckon folks can call them whatever they want, but for me it will always be the Christmas Season and I'll be celebrating the birth of Christ until the day I die. Sorry. Blame it on the Christian in me!

Speaking of Christmas, hope everyone has finished their shopping and have their gifts wrapped and ready for the Christmas Tree......there we go again....what else would we call it? The Holiday Tree? Anyway, did you notice that the Christmas/Holiday decorations starting going up the day after Thanksgiving? What was that about? How can a store start putting up decorations for the next holiday when the turkey from the previous one is still sitting in the frig? It just seems that we start this season earlier and earlier and although I know it is an old and somewhat worn gripe, I think we have lost the meaning of Christmas and the holiday season. There. I said it! I feel better and now we can move on more interesting conversation.

The Hawks are still struggling with getting to .500, but I don't suppose that comes as a surprise to anyone. They have been struggling to break-even for years now and I'm beginning to think that isn't going to change this season unless they get rid of the coach and find some less selfish players. Josh Smith is a pratt and needs to go to another team while we can still have some say in the trade. Anthony Johnson is too old to run with the team and he needs to go as well. Trade Sheldon Williams and Salim Stoudamire for a more experience point guard that can act as a true mentor to Acie Law, and find a real center......please!!!!!

Okay, I'll post more soon, but in the meantime, everyone drive safely as the traffic this evening is really wicked!

Why You?

I read an article on RainToday this morning that struck a chord in me and has had me walking around ever sense trying to come up with the answer to a question posed in the article, which was......."Why, given all the competitive alternatives in the marketplace, should anyone buy from you?" Wow! What a question! Do you have an answer?

The article (which can be found on wwww.raintoday.com was written Kevin Dervin, the owner of KPD Marketing and creator of the ABCD Growth Marketing System (no, I don't have a clue either) and is one of many interesting articles that can be found on RainToday. If you're interested in lead generation and demand marketing, it is a treasure chest of information and insight.

Okay, so back to the question. I've been walking around the office asking various associates how they would answer if asked and the range of answers is pretty interesting. They include some fairly traditional responses, none of which really differentiate the firm, and one or two unique twists; e.g.: one sales person responded that he was the reason they should buy from us. Funny as it may seem, I don't think he was far off the mark with his response. Given a set of reasonably equal capabilities, what does differentiate Company A from Company B? The answer is often the people, the attention to detail, the sense of confidence that is created during the sales process and the execution of the delivery. Human beings are instrumental in all these areas and human beings relating to other human beings are most often the compelling reason for doing business with one company or another.

Allow me to give you an example. This past Monday evening I went to Phillips Arena to watch the Hawks play the Washington Wizards. I invited Traci Fenton to be my guest. You may remember that I mentioned her in an earlier post. You can find everything you need to know about Traci at www.worldblu.com. She is a very bright young woman and I thought that since she recently moved here from D.C. she would enjoy a chance to watch the Wizards play our Atlanta Hawks. Anyway, Brad Hamacher, the senior sales executive with the Atlanta Spirit who stayed on my case and got me to renew my season tickets, met us at the door and escorted us to the Club so we could grab a quick bite before the game. He later visited us just after half-time and brought a cap (Hawks of course) for Traci and explained to her that now she is living in Atlanta she needs to be a Hawks fan. Traci loved it and she certainly had a delightful time. Now, would she have had just as good a time if Brad had not met us and gone to that extra effort? Probably. But she is going to remember that he made the effort and she will have that hat hanging somewhere in her condo reminding her of how much fun she had at the game and I'm guessing she will go to another game or two or three this season on her own or with friends. Brad made the difference that night and so when my sales guy tells me that he is the difference, I think he is right. A professional services company has to live or die on its delivery and its delivery is based on the skills, attitudes and knowledge of its associates. It seems intuitive when you think about it, but he was the only one who made that point.

Anyway, a great game won by the Hawks in the final seconds (102 - 99) and they are now 6 & 1 in preseason with one game remaining. Looking good! By the way, that good looking guy with the white hair in the blue shirt looking some worried (the game was real close) is none other than yours truly and this shot actually made the Hawks home page. Cool, as Ellie would say!

The Power of One

I had the pleasure of hosting a table at the Excaliber Awards on Wednesday morning at the Intercontinental Hotel. It was a wonderful event, chaired by Brian Shield, the CIO at the Weather Channel. Having chaired a couple of these events I know all too well the potential challenges that can occur during the event, especially the ones surrounding timing. Brian and his planning committee along with Frank Baia and Susan Stottlemeyer did an absolutely stunning job in this area. The event started on time and finished bang on schedule almost to the second.

The winners were Sequoyah Regional Library System in the small company category, Solid Source Realty in the mid-size company category, Southern Company in the large company space and the Georgia Aquarium in the creative category. Congratulations to all the winners, and to all the companies that did not win, but made the list of finalists.

For me, the most special part of yesterday's event was the chance to listen to Debora Wilson, the President of the Weather Channel, speak about the journey that the Weather Channel has been on for the past 25 years. The Weather Channel began as an idea hatched in the head of television weather reporter and presented to Landmark Communications, Inc., a privately held media company. Today, it is one one of the most admired firms in the United States. Debora spoke about how technology and the Weather Channel had grown together and the role that technology has played in allowing the vision to become reality. But perhaps the most striking part of Debora's presentation was her comments regarding the "power of one", the power of one person to make a difference. She was clearly very passionate about her belief in this concept because she had witnessed it in her tenure with the Weather Channel. She spoke very fondly about one individual that she believed had driven significant growth through his personal commitment to the success of the business. It is, in my humble opinion, the most important concept for every person entering any field of endeavor to grasp. Why? Because when you wake up every morning believing that you personally can make a difference, then the world has endless possibilities. More importantly, you can make a difference. I tell folks here at Tescom USA that each of us must contribute more than just our presence to make the business successful. We must commit to "being the difference that makes a difference" as my good friend Charle Gottenkieny always used to tell me. It's an incredibly powerful perspective for an individual to hold. Just imagine. Everyone associated with your business believes that they have the potential to create a positive impact on each and every day. Wow! How incredible would that be? Google operates on that principle and so should every firm in America. But it starts with you believing in you! Debora Wilson reminded me how important the "power of one" can be and that evening during our all-hands meeting I referenced her presentation during my comments to the team. In fact, I referenced her comments to introduce our Associate of the Quarter Award and talked about how the winner embraced all the tenets of self-belief and empowerment. Thanks Debora for sharing your vision with all of us.

A Rite of Passage

I sat there thinking about the young man who recently walked into his high school and shot four of his classmates before turning the handgun on himself and ending his life. How many times have we heard that news flash in this country over the past decade?

Yet, there I was with Troop 370 of the Boy Scouts of America, watching the children work towards their shotgun merit badge. We were tucked away deeply in the woods of central Georgia on a private reservation of about 7,000 acres. Our kids, ranging in age from 11 years old to about 16 years of age, were shooting clay pigeon targets using various gauges of shotguns provided by the parents, almost all Dad's, many of whom had served in the Armed Forces over the past 30 years.

Safety was the rule of the day and there was no nonsense in the approach to this exercise. Carelessness has tragic consequences when guns are involved and no one wanted a tragedy to occur during their watch. There was also a fair amount of teaching happening as well. Americans do pride themselves of how well we shoot, and no where is this more evident than in the Southeastern States. We grow up with, and around guns. We are taught to respect the potential damage guns can inflict. We own them, collect and trade them, and even sell them in a huge private market.

So why are we so fascinated with guns? Is it merely our early heritage as some would have us believe? You know.....you've heard the stories......early settlers fighting for survival......patriots fighting for freedom......the plot being essentially that guns have made us the independent nation that we are today and cannot be restricted less we restrict those freedoms so hard won.

But why do private citizens have to own guns? Shouldn't a standing Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard, not to mention the Guard and Reserve, be sufficient to to make us all sleep safe at night? And how many of us are truly required to own guns for self protection? Indeed, I know lots of folks who own guns, but I've never known anyone who ever needed to defend themselves with a gun, and that includes some fairly tough neighborhoods in D.C. So, do we purchase and own guns just because we can? Do we think of guns the same way we do fine china or rare stamps?

My Katie is British and the whole gun thing is completely beyond her. The British banned handguns years ago and while shotguns may be owned, they are almost always kept at a gun club instead of the home. Katie would argue that the UK has not gone to hell in a hand basket since the ban, and statistics would seem to support this assertion. Street crime did not rise significantly, nor did home break-in's. Folks just don't seem to be concerned that they are without the "fundamental right to own and/or bear arms".

Anyway, my Joseph took his turn, firing about 2 rounds after about ten minutes of instruction. He then decided that he did not want to continue. A combination of too much instruction/coaching coupled with the recoil from the 20 gauge banging into his shoulder. Oh well, I'm sure his Mom was pleased and since I gave up guns a long time ago (9 years in the Marines and a tour in Vietnam gave me all the experience I'll ever need (or wanted), there was no pressure from Dad to go out and shoot his quota (50 rounds per lad if they wanted to go the distance). Now, for the sake of clarity, we do own a pellet pistol for rodents and snakes and Joseph has a BB gun that he uses for target practice, but we don't own any "real" guns nor is there any likelihood that we will going forward.

I suppose there is no conclusion here. The kids all seemed to enjoy themselves. The parents also enjoyed the day and all in all, there were probably about 2,000 rounds fired. No one was hurt and a number of the lads won their shotgun badges. We had a fun evening and sped away away yesterday morning early so we could get back in time for the Hawks/Portland game.

Still, I think about that child walking into that school and spraying the place with bullets and I wonder about the gun argument and ask myself if we are having the right argument. Perhaps we should have a fundamental right to own and bear firearms. Perhaps it is a tradition that we need to hold on to to ensure a proper perspective on liberty. I can deal with that and I can agree that we don't need to spend a lot of time trying to figure out what our Founding Fathers really meant when they wrote the Bill of Rights. What I cannot abide is this total disregard for the fact that lives are being taken everyday with handguns procured by kids far too young to own guns. Perhaps it is time to re-craft the discussion to include some fundamental safeguards to go with the fundamental rights! The NRA has directed the Boy Scouts of America to no longer label guns as weapons. They are now to be labeled firearms, as if weapons hurt people and firearms don't......stupid distinction if you ask me.

Why can't we draft a set of laws that allow for gun ownership, but require some fairly heavy gun registration requirements; e.g.: having to appear personally at your local police station and having your fingerprints run against the national register.........having the serial number of the gun registered........having the police visit your home and give you some tips on protecting the security of your firearms......and finally, anyone who wants to purchase a firearm of any description must attend a mandatory firearms safety course for a least 10 to 15 hours including some range work to help one understand how to fire the weapon safely. Does any of these requirements impose a undue burden on any law abiding citizen? I don't think so and I think it is about time we got serious about sorting how the gun problem in this country.

Tent Frames & The Hawks

I dropped by REI late this morning on my way back from our Georgia Technology Planning Committee Meeting to see if they could help me sort out the frame for my 2 person tent (purchased from Dick's Sporting Goods about 18 months ago and never actually used). I managed to break a pole right at the seam of a joint and was hoping the folks at REI could help. Unfortunately, it is just one of those breaks that can't be easily fixed and will most likely require my purchasing a new frame for the tent. That's a bugger because Joe and I are heading off for another venture with the Scouts this weekend and we need a two person tent. So, I purchased a new one from REI and got a really good price plus my REI membership discount and the comfort in knowing that REI stands behind all of their products for the life of the product; all of which is great, but why can't I buy a kit to repair the bloody thing? That is the key question for me and it doesn't seem to matter whether I buy it from Dick's or REI because the nature of the construction of the frame lends itself to irreparable damage and there just doesn't seem to be anything one can do to change the situation. In other words, the product has a fundamental flaw in it and no one seems to mind all that much. Andy at REI (a super young man who is most helpful and genuinely interested in helping you make the right purchase decisions) doesn't seem to be all that bothered and Dick's doesn't seem to be all that bothered even though they sold me the product. It's just disturbing and given the cost of camping equipment these days (when I was a kid we went to the army surplus store and got everything you'd ever need for under $50........and it lasted) I'm upset that there isn't a replacement plan for every tent frame and at least spares on hand for the most popular models. Hell, give me the option of buying a spare and save me from all this anguish. Please!

On another completely different note, I attended the first home preseason game last night between my Atlanta Hawks and the Charlotte Bobcats and I'm happy to report that the Hawks are now 3 & 0 with wins over the Orlando Magic, the Miami Heat and last night's victory. Dare I say anything positive about this team after all the negative observations I had last season? I suppose that given I renewed my season tickets I've demonstrated some level of confidence in this year's playoff potential Moreover, after last night's performance (Josh Smith's pouty behavior aside) I even find myself believing the drivel I used to convince myself to purchase season tickets again. It was a strong performance by a remarkably young team with Al Horford and Acie Law showing that they intend to make a difference this year. Joe Johnson was back and in great form with 25 points including a few 3 pointers from downtown. Now, if only we could get Coach Woodson to sit down for ten minutes and actually let them play an up and down game, we just might find out how good they really are...........Go Hawks!

Exceptional Selling

"Exceptional Selling, How the Best Connect and Win in High Stakes Sales" is a wonderful book by Jeff Thull, Author of "Mastering the Complex Sale". I had an opportunity to revisit his book this morning when I was trying to articulate a point to a colleague about "good enough" versus "remarkable" We all know that Seth Godin constantly stresses the importance of being "remarkable", but do we really incorporate that concept into our daily management focus? I mean, do we look at what we produce in the context of "is that remarkable", or do we just allow the pace and urgency of our daily work lives to influence us to allow "good enough" to pass us by and get released, posted on our web site, sent to our customers, printed as a brochure, etc. Why isn't "good enough" good enough? Why does everything have to be "remarkable"? After all, remarkable is darn hard and if one is pressed with a commitment to produce/release by X date, then isn't "good enough" going to get us there and we can always do "remarkable" the next time?

I guess I'm old fashioned - or perhaps new fashioned........I'm not really certain. I just know instinctively that "good enough" isn't going to win in today's market and that while being "remarkable" is indeed difficult and it is unlikely that you will achieve it every time, striving for "remarkable" should always be the target and that you should never accept less from anyone including yourself.

Okay, that was my one key thought for the day. Now go back to work and have fun!

Performance is Reality

One of my earliest "management" hero's was Harold Geneen, the CEO of International Telephone & Telegraph from 1960 to 1977. During that period, Hal led the growth of ITT and took it from a $750M dollar firm to a $16 billion dollar firm while net earnings grew from $29 million to $560 earnings, a compounded annual growth rate of more than 20%. Net earnings grew at least 11% in 15 of those 17 years and ITT acquired 350 firms and created over 200 new profit centers. When Hal retired in 1977, ITT was the ninth largest industrial company in America.

So what was his secret? In one of the books that he co-authored in the late 80's called Managing, he noted that the best way to manage a business was from back to front; i.e.: you started with the end goal in mind and then worked backwards through all the steps required to achieve that goal. In his mind, the goal wasn't a target or an objective. It was in fact a commitment and everyone in his organization worked towards that commitment because achieving anything less than the commitment was failure in his eyes. He held people accountable and he did not accept excuses. In fact, he is well know for having said that, "I think it is an immutable law of business that words are words, explanations are explanations, promises are promises-but only performance is reality." I've always remembered reading that quote and I've repeated it over the years to more folks than I can remember. I think that is one of the reasons technology got into such a rut in the late 90's and early 2000's. We stopped forgetting that performance is reality and everything else is essentially noise. Harold Geneen was a tough leader and he was relentless in his pursuit of the commitments established for the firm each year. He accepted responsibility for delivering against those commitments and he expected his management team to do the same, and if they couldn't deliver, then he found managers that could and he found them quickly.

As we begin the process of building our 2008 business plan, I am reminded of the lessons I learned from Harold Geneen all those years ago and I'm filled with an energy that comes from both optimism and resolve. Moreover, I'm filled with a sense of purpose and commitment. I think it is the only mindset that you can have if you are going to be successful. Resolve to be successful. Resolve to achieve the commitment. Resolve to be relentless in your pursuit of the commitment. Lead the team and remember that "performance is reality" and forget everything else!

Web 2.0 & Maggiano's in the Morning

So what on earth could he be talking about? Maggiano's in the morning and Web 2.0 sounds like a strange combination unless of course you were attending the panel discussion this morning sponsored by Pink Magazine, Melia Design Group, Nimbus Software and Interface Guru and wanted to understand how you could leverage Web 2.0 to create successful on-line business strategies. Moderated by Daryn Kagan (darynkagan.com), the panel discussion was interesting, fun and certainly informative. I never knew "usability" was a discipline until someone asked what characteristics they should be looking for in a potential "usability" employee. Did Cia Romano (CEO and Founder of Interface Guru) actually say to look for an anthropologist? Hmmmmmm. That's a twist I hadn't considered before, but it makes absolute sense when you think about what a "usability" expert contributes to the business. Brad Fallon, CEO of Smart Marketing, Inc. may have pulled the biggest smiles when he noted that the three great discoveries of mankind were fire, the wheel and affiliate marketing. Genevieve Bos, the co-founder and publisher of PINK magazine dazzled the audience with her iPhone and crackberry (do you really need two form factors Genevieve?)and her insights on understanding not only who your users are, but how they want to engage content and what content do they want to engage. Finally, Paul Arne from Morris, Manning and Martin gave an interesting brief on some of the liability issues that on-line media companies face in today's environment. As noted during the recent Georgia Tech Security Conference, Web 2.0 has "created numerous new attack vectors" and we all have to be vigilant in safeguarding access to our personal data.

I met some very interesting new folks this morning, which is always a treat. Traci Fento, Founder & CEO of WorldBlu, Inc. (www.worldblu.com) is a new transplant to Atlanta from Washington, D.C. Her firm helps companies to create democratic work environments and I was really intrigued with our conversation. I also met Zenobia A. Godschalk of ZAG Communications and had a delightful chat about Web 2.0 security issues as well as the lack of VC funding in Atlanta at the moment. Kevin Howarth from TechLinks and I sat together and it was fun catching-up with him this morning as well. All in all, a good solid networking event with some great content. Great location and well executed.

Finally, my sincere apologies to all for failing to post for such a long time. As some of you know, I have been working as a consultant for Tescom USA for the past several months. But what many of you may not know is that I recently accepted the position of VP of U.S. Operations for Tescom and I'm now focusing all of my efforts on building Tescom's brand and reputation in the Southeast. It is a great firm and I'm delighted to have been asked to join the global management team. I'm off to Tel Aviv shortly for my first global sales conference and I know it is going to be fun meeting the international team and learning what is working across the globe with their operations.

I will sincerely try to post more often now that I have my feet firmly planted at Tescom. Meanwhile, hope everyone has a delightful day.

Wednesday Morning

Arrived early as I normally do each morning. The drive is actually relatively pleasant given the traffic is quite light at 6:30 a.m. when I leave the house and staying in routine, I stopped at Starbucks for a coffee and quick glance at the New York Times on my way out the door. I only actually purchase the paper on Friday and Saturday and occasionally on Sunday if I can find it. There use to be a wonderful spot at the intersection of Piedmont and Peachtree called "Joe Mugg's", which carried all the major papers on a Sunday morning. We used to go there after Mass, get a coffee and pastry and sit and read the Sunday papers. It's a shame that a city like Atlanta doesn't have a decent newspaper. The Atlanta Journal Constitution is quite small town for a metro area approaching six million in population. You would think we could get attract a paper with some weight, but I guess newspapers in general are rapidly disappearing across the nation and given we only have two remaining national papers (USA Today and The Wall Street Journal), it isn't surprising that no one wants to invest in anything other than internet driven solutions. Still, I long for the comfort of a newspaper with a decent editorial section.

School is in full drive now and both Joe and Ellie are up to their usual tricks; i.e.: not wanting to keep up with their homework and class assignments. I don't know if I have the energy for middle school given how much work they are piling on Joe. Poor kid is absolutely lost at the moment and if we can't get him organized I fear he will have a very depressing year. Ellie is less absorbed at the moment, but remembering how 4th grade went for Joe I imagine it will get more intense as the year rolls on.

Weather is still quite humid although the heat has come down a few degrees over the past two weeks. Still, it is quite uncomfortable at the mid-day and will probably remain so for another month or so. I expect it to start getting cooler towards the later part of October if last year is any guide.

I'll post again soon on the political landscape.....just too tired after yesterday to rant and rave about my favorite idiot in the White House. Boy, I've come a long way in the past few years! (A long way to the left that is.........)

Have a great day folks and enjoy a photo of Kate, Joe and Ellie with the Brooks during their visit to Scotland. The Brooks were our neighbors in the Netherlands and Simon, Elizabeth, Emma, James and Timmy are all lovely folks. They live in this absolutely lovely slice of heaven that was dropped into Scotland. Our best wishes to them as always.

August

It seems like just yesterday that I posted, but when I opened my blog this evening I realized that nearly a month has passed since my last entry. August seems to have just blown past me. I guess because I've been working a fair amount of hours and school started back a couple of weeks ago, which of course means that Kate is teaching again and between her teaching, my working, the kids activities and trying to have a life I just let my blog kind of drift away from me. Sorry folks. I can't honestly say that I'll do better, but I will try to post with a bit more frequency.

After the Gaul Family Reunion things started to settle back down here in Atlanta as we prepared for the new school year. We did manage a brief visit to Nashville and had a really good time. What a fun city! We went to the Grand Ole Opry, President Jackson's home, the Opry Hotel and just walked a bit on market street. The kids both got cowboy hats (a must in Nashville) and Kate seemed to enjoy herself for the most part. There were a couple of tense moments. I think when you try to pack so much into a couple of days it is inevitable that you will find some tension rising to the surface. For me, it was the kids being the kids and for Kate is was me being me because the kids were being the kids. Oh well, we did manage to sort it all out with a family conference and got back in one piece.

I've been really struggling with the situation in Iraq and I'm so angry with things that I just don't know what to say anymore. I think I'm mostly angry with myself for voting for that jerk in the last election and for believing that he really did know what he was doing when he sent our kids to die in the Middle East. I can't help but believe there are a lot of folks just like me wondering how we could have been so wrong. I noted that the conversation at the recent family reunion was quite different than it was three years ago. We are a mixed bag when it comes to politics with Liberals, Conservatives and some Independents. But the Conservative element that was fairly vocal three years ago seemed pretty subdued this time around. With the possible exception of one or two retired military chaps joining us as Father Joe's guests the Conservatives were all of the same mind; i.e.: the guy in the White House today is not the guy we thought we were electing in 2004. I haven't made my mind about the next election, but I'm going to be significantly more open minded than I have been in the past. We need a change in direction and I'm looking for that change agent, but haven't found him/her as yet. I suppose we still have some time left for a real leader to emerge and I'm praying that one does filter to the top. We got far too many issues not to get it right next time around.

Anyway, enjoy what's left of your Saturday evening and a few snaps from the Nashville Trip.

The Gaul Family Reunion

We arrived home just over an hour ago after spending two nights in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the site of this year's Gaul Family Reunion. A fairly decent turnout although some favorites were certainly missing this year. None of Mary's kids were able to make the journey and their absence was quite noticeable. On the other hand, all of Judy's family arrived and it was great to see all of my niece's and nephew's.....the regular ones, the "great" ones and the "great, great" ones. My brother John traveled from Ohio as did Mary and Roger.....a long journey for a short weekend, but that is what being part of a family means sometimes. My brother Jim and wife Becky (Becky's celebrated a birthday on Saturday) were only able to spend one afternoon and early evening with us, but he still make the drive from northern Virginia and we all were very grateful. Judy and John drove up from Atlanta via Raleigh where they stopped to see their kids and grandchildren while Kate and I traveled from Buckhead with our kids while my oldest son Patrick made the same journey with his children and his friend Colleen after spending a week with us here in Atlanta.

We all had a delightful time and there was plenty of food, beer, wine and music. I tried to be Mr. Chef, but after not being able to keep the incredibly large grill arranged by my brother Joe (who was hosting this blast at his home) lit long enough to get anything cooked, a couple of old hands at grilling took over and I headed out with my camera and video cam.........I'm beginning to think that I make a better photographer than I do a cook; or at least an outside grill cook.

There will be more notes on this past weekend, but I guess I'd better get upstairs and make a cup of tea and relax a bit before the work week starts. I'm most relaxed however after spending a weekend with some of the finest people I know in this world. I'm truly blessed to have such a wonderful extended family and it is always great to hang out with them, even if it was for only a brief moment.

Pictures include a snap of (reading left to right) Joe, John, Mom, Jim and myself, all the grandchildren, my brother Joe and his namesake and my son Joseph and finally my brother-in-law Roger relaxing with a cold one. I fear that he and I had one too many cold ones on Saturday evening, but that's another story for the naked city.

Family Reunion

This weekend is the annual Gaul Family reunion, a nationally recognized event that brings folks in from all over the nation for a day of grilling and chewing the fat. I don't really know how many will make it this year as we are all getting a tad older and traveling has become more problematic this year. Suzanne, John's wife is recovering from an illness and probably won't make it although John is going to try to get coverage and head down from Ohio for the weekend. Mary's back is giving her fits, but she left this afternoon with her husband Roger and our Mom, who is currently staying with Mary for the summer. Jim and Becky will arrive tomorrow evening and Judy and John are either already there or won't arrive until tomorrow afternoon. We've made the the trip to Sam's Club and there are lots of burgers and hot dogs waiting to hit the grill. The beer needs to be iced as does the wine, but all in good time.

It is not a regular event in that we don't have one every year. They usually take place every two or three years. The last one was in North Carolina in 2004 and we celebrated my brother Joe's 60th birthday and Mom's 86th birthday. Both are three years older this August and although Mom keeps saying that she won't make another one she always seems to hang in there for one more. Hopefully and the good Lord willing, she make this one and a few more as well. Relatives on my Mom's side seem to live longer than the average American. 90 year old Stricklands are not that unusual these days. My uncle is 92 years old and Mom will be 89 and my cousin is also well into her 80's and they all have sharp minds given their ages. I know I'd be delighted to be 92 and still able to carry on a serious conversation about the economy and the political scene, which is exactly what my Uncle does when I visit him.

Anyway, a great week with the new job. They are wonderful people. Really passionate and truly engaged. I'm enjoying working with them and hopefully the contract will be extended for a bit longer and I can continue to enjoy working with them. It is truly exhilarating to be getting up in the morning and driving to an office and hanging out with exciting, fun people. I honestly don't thing you can ask for much more in life than a good family, good health and a job that you enjoy. I am truly blessed!

Have a great weekend folks and I'll check in with you after the festivities. Meanwhile, a bit of Harry Potter and his slick sister witch!

Back To Normal

Well, the family is back home from their seven plus week adventure to Europe, assuming of course that you include the UK in the European frame of things. I suppose now that Gordon Brown is in charge you will see a rapid departure from the lap of GWB and a bit more functional autonomy being asserted, which is fine with me and about damn time! This photo however comes from Leiden, our favorite town in the Netherlands and where we lived for nearly seven years.

Joe has grown over the summer and Ellie has come back with a right proper little English accent. She even picked up a bit of the Birmingham twang just to give Mom a twinge or two. She actually does it quite well and could easily be one of "those girls" I would meet on my occasional trips in Birmingham. Of course, I never met anyone that I wanted to have a long conversation with much less anything else until I met her Mom, but that is probably a story for another day.

I saw Shelby whatever his name is on national news this evening......he has one of those YouTube questions for the candidates........an interesting guy even if he is a Democrat. I tried to find him on www.adonkeyandanelephantwalkintoabar.com, but he wasn't there unless of course he is the one who likes crack and enjoys turning down requests to be his friend.

Just got interrupted by my brother Joe who has recently discovered the joys of Windows Instant Messenger Video......we chat now just about every night and it is kind of cool that this retired 60 plus year old catholic priest is finally moving into the 21st century. He does IM, Video and we are about to introduce him to Skype once one of us visits him in North Carolina and loads it on his computer. He doesn't do these things himself you know.

Anyway, I hope Shelby's question gets asked because it is a good one. He asked what the plan is for after we leave, which means that he and perhaps lots of other folks understand that it is just as important to have a plan for leaving as it would have been to have a plan of going there in the first place. (And we all know that sure as hell didn't happen!) I still think we can stop this thing if the people of America get off their collective asses and make their voices heard. Hell, if an old Republican war-horse such as myself can see the error of his ways, then there has to be hope for the nation at large. But you can't just "rage against the night", you have to participate in the process......you know, write your elected officials and make your voice heard.

Anyway, nearly 9:30 p.m. and I must retire. These 5:30 a.m. wake-up's are kicking my ass! Have a good night folks and think about what I've said........if you don't know who to write, then take a look at the donkey/elephant website and they will help you figure it out. It is time to get active!

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

The world is a very different place at 5 a.m., which is exactly what time I've been waking up over the past two plus weeks since I started my contract. What's even more interesting is that I'm going to bed between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. and that has to be a record for the midnight kid. Heck, I almost never even thing about going to bed until at least midnight and more often than not I'm still sitting up reading at 3 a.m. I can't tell you how many times I've slipped into bed at 3 a.m. or later and just stayed there as Kate got up to get the kids ready for school. Oh well, those days are long gone and somehow I don't think I'm going to miss them. I've really enjoyed the past couple of weeks........you know, getting up, putting on a suit with bright shinny shoes and headed off for work. Makes me feel like a kid just starting the school year!

I see that our President is still defying the odds and ignoring just about everyone on just about every issue. I noted he is still quite popular in Albania however and possibly he is considering his options for after the next election. Albania could use another Dictator and boy does he fit the bill.........speaking of Bill, where is that boy? I haven't heard much from him recently and would have thought he would be center stage for the Live Earth concerts, but perhaps I just missed him because I haven't been watching that much TV the past few weeks although I have certainly been catching up on my reading, especially reading technology articles about the space I'm now occupying, but more on that later.

Just purchased a new book called "Buzzmarketing, Get People to Talk About Your Stuff". It is written by Mark Hughes, the CEO of the consulting firm Buzzmarketing and the host of the syndicated radio talk show, The Buzz Factor. An interesting read so far and I'm especially enjoying his insights into American Idol, the program that for me shows us the way towards future political elections. Come on, why not? We line them all up on Tuesday night and have them give a 2.5 minute campaign brief and you vote on the most talented lad or lass and over a period of a few months we can get to the final vote. The winner gets a makeover by the political equivalent of Clive Davis (now, who would that be I wonder) and the runner-up gets to be the VP, regardless of his or her political affiliation. In fact, that really should be the way we elect the two positions.....no more tickets........you run for the spot you want and so we could end up with a Democratic President and an Independent VP......I don't think we will end up with a Republican anything come next election.

Okay folks, have a wonder day and we will chat with you soon.

No, I Haven't Dropped Off ................

The face of the earth despite the many assertions to the contrary. I have however signed my first major contract as Patrick D. Gaul, Inc. and collected my first paycheck for that engagement, which has been deposited into my own corporate bank account. All very neat stuff for an entrepreneur and hopefully it explains my unusual absence from my blog. I was initially working to close the opportunity and now I'm working to deliver against the contract, so my days have been rather filled and getting back into the routine of getting up in the morning, putting on a suit, and driving to an office as opposed to waking up, putting on a robe, making a cup of coffee and heading to the basement, has required some adjustments. First, I'm waking up at ungodly hours..........this morning it was just after 4:00 a.m., although in fairness I did go to bed at just after 9:00 p.m., which means I had seven hours of sleep and that is probably about an hour or two longer than I normally get on some mornings. The big difference now of course is that I cannot just rollover if I stay up to some ungodly hour because I got interested in a film at midnight. Still, it is good stuff and I'm enjoying the work, which I shall have to keep relatively quiet for the moment because I have certain commitments to the client.

On the political front, I have officially changed my status to Independent and no longer refer to myself as a Republican. I'm now officially a conservative Independent, although I suppose my previous affiliation still influences some of my thinking relative to government and how it should be run. I just cannot in all good conscious continue to belong to a political party that has completely ignored the values of democracy that this country holds so dear and continues to do so everyday. Even today our "President" defied the Rule of Law by commuting the sentence of Scooter Libby, the White House Advisor who was convicted of lying to the Grand Jury about the CIA operative leak. He was convicted in a court of law by a jury of his peers and gets a "get out of jail free" card from the President. The prison term was excessive according to George, but he is still being punished because he has to pay $250K and be on probation for a bit.......like $250K is a serious fine for the likes of Libby! How much more of this can the country tolerate? When will the American people wake up and realize that we have a dysfunctional government? What will it take to motivate this country to do something about the situation? Unfortunately, I don't see a real leader emerging from the ashes to lead us out of this quagmire. It is pretty much the same old tired group of politicians vying for the top spot and pretty much the same group of tired old senators and congressmen and women holding down those spots. Where is the new blood? Why can't the same group of Americans that come together to nominate the winner of American Idol show-up for a vote on national unity?

I don't know about you folks, but I'm ready for a change, and I mean one hell of a serious change!

Interviewing & Dating: Is there really a difference?

So I've been interviewing with this one firm for the past two to three weeks and have come to the conclusion that interviewing is a lot like dating, in that at the end of the day you ultimately want to get closer and have a good relationship......or at least that's true assuming you aren't just out for a brief encounter in which case interviewing is nothing like dating because you would never put yourself through it for a one-night stand. Too much work for too little gratification if you ask me.

I actually have three opportunities that I'm currently engaging and all three have very positive aspects with some minor drawbacks just to keep things balanced. The one that I'm interviewing for is here in Atlanta and that makes it particularly attractive. One of the other positions is in NYC and while it pays very well and is with a top-notch company, the idea of moving to New York is hard to digest. Still, it's a great job and I'd be working with someone that I respect immensely.

The last opportunity is also here in Atlanta, but a contract position that would only last about 6 to 9 months. Again, it pays very well and I'd be working with an old trusted friend and there could be some collateral benefits from working the contract in that I would get serious exposure to a firm that I would like to work for in North Carolina should the opportunity arise. This gig could provide that opportunity.

So, all good opportunities and I'm just going through the process of determining which one is best for me and in which one I'd deliver the most value. I like to think that the two most important issues in any situation are as follows: one, you have to be having fun and two, you got to make a contribution. The absence of either is sufficient to make me want to run away. Does that make sense?

Okay, so back to work. I need to prepare for my next interview. Yep, it's a lot like dating!

The Man in the Moon

I remember the first time I saw the film, primarily because Reese Witherspoon was so young. I looked it up and it was released in 1991, which is sixteen years ago and that would have made her 15 years old playing the part of a 14 year old. Good casting if you ask me. She was great and the film took me back to 1957 when things were so much simpler and life was in so many ways easier; or at least upon reflection it seems today that 1957 was an easier time.........I don't know, perhaps not for my parents who had a 3 year old, a 5+ year old, a 7 year old and a 9 year old plus Joe and Judy, who were 6 years older and 9 years older than me respectively. Judy was would marry that year at the age of 16.......different times indeed!

So why bring this movie to your attention? Well, I suppose because it reminded me of my first love. Her name was Sandra Wood and she lived across the street and she was the first girl I ever kissed........there's a first kiss in this movie as well. They are special you know and you never forget your first kiss. Plus there was tragedy and heartache and we had plenty of that in '57 as well. My Mom had cancer and Dad was lost. I broke my foot that year and had my appendix removed as well.......We moved several times and I remember being constantly frightened......funny how memories come back to you.

Anyway, good movie. You should watch it!

Lazy Saturday

I've been absolutely doing nothing today except for a bit of reading and a few minutes of exercise. Nothing wrong with me except perhaps I'm all alone and feeling a bit sad with Kate and the children in Europe for the next six or seven weeks. I need to get up early tomorrow and get some things done including visiting Mom, who is also leaving for the summer to visit my sister Mary in Ohio. Everyone wants to get of Atlanta during the summer, but we are in fact having a fairly nice summer with the exception of the smoke and smog and pollen and screwed-up traffic. We could also use a bit of rain as the grass is turning brown and we dare not water it given the restrictions on watering at the moment.

Watched "The Queen" a short while ago. Great film! Kate and I were living in England when Diana was killed in the auto accident in Paris. We had just woken up and were laying in bed having a cup of tea watching the morning news, except there was no morning news, only a running commentary on Diana. I had just remarked that they should leave the poor girl alone when it dawned on us that something was horribly wrong with the way they were speaking about her; i.e.: in the past tense. The screen then flashed two dates (born and died) and we realized that we were witnessing history. I always liked her even though I knew she was a bit of a drama queen and enjoyed the press whenever it could be used to her advantage. She was hounded however and I suspect that somehow the press did have a hand in the accident. Ten years she has been gone and her lads seem to be growing up to be decent chaps. I think Harry has actually matured since he entered the forces and he seems to be growing into his role in life on his terms. I don't know if they should have kept him out of Iraq, but I'm glad they did even though as a former U.S. Marine I can understand his disappointment at not being given a chance to serve. Wars are where soldiers learn their trade first hand and it is a bitter pill for Harry to swallow. I think he would have created a very high risk for his comrades and for that reason I think it was probably the best decision.

Still reading Al Gore's new book. I'm very impressed and warming more and more to the idea that he just might be the right guy to put in office in 2008. I even spoke with a fairly well heeled Venture Capitalist today at a local bookstore who noted that even though he is a Republican he thinks Al is growing more popular and that no one has really taken off in either party as a national leader. I could not agree more. My thoughts on Hillary are well known. I don't dislike her, but I think she presents far too many problems for the Democrats and that Bill's potential role makes things even more complicated. I don't really like any of the Republicans that are running and I'm getting less and less enamoured with Newt. Too much baggage from my point of view although I do like a lot of his conservative thinking.

Okay, nothing more worth noting this evening.........except our neighbors mentioned that they are having a baby this afternoon. I don't think it was planned, but they seem happy and I guess that is all that matters.

On Individual Human Nature

"The poet E.E. Cummings wrote, 'To be nobody but yourself when the world is trying its best night and day to make you somebody else is to fight the hardest battle any human being will fight.' No matter how many forces try to make you be like everybody else, the scientific truth is that in all of the earth's history there has never been another person exactly like you, and there never will be again! (Quoted from page 289 of "Get Out Of Your Own Way" but Dr. Robert K. Cooper.)

A good solid read filled with wonderful ideas and thoughts for the soul. This note goes out to my son Joe who is in Europe with his Mom. Remember everyday how special you are and how much you are loved!

On-Line Again

I just realized (with the help of my sister Mary and brother Joe) that I have not posted in over two weeks. I guess that birthday just kicked the heck out of me; what with me being so much older and getting more feeble!

Anyway, sorry for drifting away. I have actually been having a relatively good time since my last note to you folks. I am in the process of examining three job opportunities while they are in the process of examining me. Fair enough I suppose...........we all want to get it right and we all want to make a good decision.

Joe got his first stripe on his green belt just before he took off to Europe with his Mom and Ellie. (See photo above.) He also graduated from elementary school and is off to middle school next term..........(look up again for the photo's). Smart kid, that son of mine! I guess he takes after his Mom.....you know, good looking and smart too.

Reading Al Gore's new book, "The Assault On Reason". Never thought I'd say this, but he makes a lot of sense and I think I actually regret not voting for him in 2000. I guess a lot of conservatives are feeling the same way at this moment if they would be honest with themselves, which is why I'd like to see the guy put his hat in the ring. I would vote for him because I've gotten to know him over the past eight years and I realize that he was the perfect example of a book being judged by its cover.........it was a tragic mistake for the whole country and given what I've learned about the Florida results, it was an election that should have been clarified by the real voter count and not a Supreme Court decision to hand the election to Bush. I know this will come as a shock to a lot of my family and friends, but while still a conservative I am tired of this administration and I'm tired of hearing the American body count on television every evening. We need to stop this bloody war and I am so disappointed in the Democratic Party for backing down to Bush..............okay.....I admit I've been on the fence for far too long..........but I've seen the light and I realize that we can't win this thing given our current approach. We need to change and we need a leader to has the credibility to lead change............Gore has the credibility unlike most of the folks who have entered the race thus far. I think we have had enough of the Clinton's and Bush's and need some new blood. I like Gore because he seems genuinely not interested in running and the good Lord knows we need someone with just a bit of humility at the moment.

Anyway, I've now posted and will try to resume doing so regularly. Life is too short to do otherwise.

Goodnite Folks.

May 18, 1950

It doesn't seem like it was 57 years ago when I arrived in this great big wonderful world, but time sure does have a way of sneeking up on us. 12:35 a.m. and I've received three e-cards, one from my sister Mary and her family, one from Raj, and one from the Web Hosting Forum (thanks guys).

You see, the problem is that if I could have my way I would never celebrate another birthday.....actually, I dont celebrate them. My wife and kids do and I guess I'd be a real jerk if I did not at least pretend to be enjoying the fuss and bother. The strangest part is that I have felt this way since I was old enough to know what a birthday was about....I've just never like them and have on many occasions completely ignored the fact that it was occuring. That's an option when you are single, but not when you are married with young kids.

A pivotal year for sure.........don't know what the next year holds for me, but I'm healthy and feel great. I have so many blessings and I just can't complain about any of the challenges because I know in my heart the good Lord is watching over me and that makes everything else relatively unimportant. Under His watchful care and protection my future is going to be just fine.

Happy Friday everyone!

Update from Philips Arena

I was invited to join Mike Woodson and Bernie Mullen this morning for breakfast and a chat, along with about 15 other Hawks season ticket holders. It was a very nice gathering although I don't think most of us walked away with a stronger sense of where the team is going this summer. We know that Management thinks the team is headed in the right direction and that they want us to continue to support their efforts by renewing our season tickets. I spoke with probably five or six of the attendees after the breakfast and they all said essentially the same thing; i.e.: that they would not renew until after the draft and if it meant losing their seats then that was okay with them. I guess that is where I'm at as well although I have the added strain of figuring out how to justify them from a financial perspective given the past several months. Still, it's great entertainment and with the right team on the floor it could be an exciting year. Go Hawks!

But think about it from a business perspective for a minute. I have a product and at the end of the day it really is entertainment, or at least that is what I think of professional sports. I go to NBA games to be entertained and that "entertainment factor" is raised significantly when my team wins the game. I can deal with losing to better teams as long as my team played with heart, but the "entertainment factor" is dramatically reduced when my team loses over and over again and often through what you could only term as stupidity; i.e.: they play badly, make amateur mistakes and lose close games that should have been won except for these inconsistencies.

So now I want to take that product and market it to the community. How do you convince people to pay thousands of dollars each season to watch a losing team? Mike Woodson may very be a teaching coach, but his win/loss record is horrible and I'm amazed that the has been retained for another year. I can't say that I'm an expert on the game of basketball. I like to watch the game, up close and personal if possible. But I do have a fairly good sense of the value of a product that does not perform in the market and that is certainly the Atlanta Hawks today. I don't know, but I think that I might have made a stronger effort to convince my core customers to hang with me that Mike and Bernie did this morning. We all left with an NBA basketball having had some bacon and eggs (the basketballs were not signed.....I think that would have been a nice touch) and the eggs were a tad runny. I don't think anyone left with a burning desire to go home and write a check and that is what I would have been pushing for were I the sales guy running the show.

On a another note, Patrick D. Gaul, Inc. is fairly close to signing it's first contract as a company. Can't say much about it due to Non-disclosure, but suffice it to say that I'm excited about the opportunity and I think it could be the start of a very nice relationship for my company.

Anyway, more later from the streets of Atlanta.........

Has It Really Been Eight Days?

Gosh, I thought I had posted something over the last week, but obviously not since the last post was 29 April. Oh well, can I please plead an insane schedule and the weekend from hell? It all started on April 28th when I travelled to my sister's home just outside of Atlanta to spend some time with my Mom while my sister and her husband attended their daughter's college graduation ceremony. Their daughter is a late starter, or finisher, depending upon your perspective.......but finish she did and my hat is off to her given she is also a Mom and working part-time. That takes a lot of commitment and Rachel (that's my niece) has demonstrated that she can do just about anything when she sets her mind to the task.

I was relieved on Wednesday, the 2nd of May in the late afternoon by my brother Joe and my sister Mary. Yes, it is true, it takes two to replace me. Of course, my sister Judy would argue that it takes three to replace her and the good Lord knows she is absolutely right.

This past weekend Ellie performed in both the Wizard of Oz (Toto again by popular demand) and Annie where she had three or four roles including playing Rooster, the brother of the evil woman who runs the orphanage. What was her name? Ellie was quite entertaining and had moments of brilliance along with a few seconds of silliness. Oh well, what would be the point of being nine years old if you can not be silly now and again?

After Annie on Saturday morning we rushed to Centennial High so we could support Kate in her year-end ballet recital. I did a bit of parking management, handed out programs, coached some late arrivals and basically did whatever Kate needed me to do. That is what husbands are for from time to time. Joe worked the concession stand and was very helpful. You know, he turned eleven on the 27th of April and is growing so fast........it won't be long before he'll not want to spend time with Dad, but until then I want to cherish all these special times together because it makes me aware of just how special a lad he has become in the past few years.

We then rushed home, showered, and put on our formal attire for the Digital Ball, which was held at the Georgia Congress Center. What an amazing evening! The entertainment was spectacular. I saw so many folks that my headed actually started to spin at one point. Anyway, more of this event in a later post because I really want to do it justice.

Sunday morning was about church and then a short visit with my Mom and by brother Joe before heading for the Buckhead Garden Club's Annual Spring Party. It was a blast (some pictures above for your viewing pleasure)and before you could say "Bob is your Uncle", Monday had arrived and another week is on its way. By the way, I ran into Phil Kent, who I had met at last year's Christmas Party. He is an incredibly interesting chap and has a new book coming out very soon, which you can find on his web site......www.philkent.com. Please do take a look and whatever you do, don't buy it on his site because I'll have it on offer on my site very shortly. Sorry Phil, I need the Amazon Affiliate Points.

Busy, busy, busy. I promise to write a more sane missive tomorrow, but just wanted to update everyone and share some photo's from this past week.

Cheers and Goodnight!

PBS Special Today

Okay, so I get it. Essentially, we were led down a path by the Bush Administration that could only end up in our invading Iraq. The majority of the media, politicians and military leadership all allowed President Bush to convince them that he was right and that for various reasons (another 9/11, stability in the Middle East, oil revenue, weapons of mass destruction)it was this country's responsibility to sort things out over there. George Tenet said absolutely nothing that I'm aware of that would would have led anyone to believe his intelligence community was being used by the White House although others clearly questioned the reports, especially in Europe where I was living at the time.

All in all it was a very interesting report, but entirely based on a lens looking through the rear view window. I don't think that I learned anything new and while it was historically relative, it didn't show me how we are going to fix this situation. Where's the solution? I got it that Bush manipulated things and I got it that most everyone was unwilling to stand up and argue the toss, but what I don't get is how we are going to address the realities facing this country. Saying we have had enough and don't want to play anymore isn't a solution anymore than believing that the situation can be reversed with more troops. Neither Party is looking at this problem with a solution oriented lens.

Reality 1: Iran, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Turkey and Israel are all participants in one fashion or the other and all have to be involved in securing a settlement.

Reality 2: George Bush and his administration have no international credibility and cannot lead the region to a negotiated settlement. This is a lame duck President, nationally and internationally.

Reality 3: We cannot, as a nation, continue to incur the costs of this conflict, either in terms of the lives that are being lost or the financial burden it is placing on us in the years to come.

Reality 4: While the politicians pose and position themselves for 2008 our troops are dying and more will die if we don't end this thing.

Reality 5: We can't just pull out of the region and leave the Kurds and Sunni's to fend for themselves. I don't want that much blood on this country's hands. Do you? Plus, what do you think Iran and Syria are going to do once we pull out?

I read a comment that Hilary made with respect to Bill's role in her administration should she be elected. Well, I don't think this country will elect her (that is not to say that I don't think she is qualified to be President....I just don't believe she will get elected), but I do think that her plan for Bill is intriguing. In fact, I think it is exactly what we need right now along with Jimmy and George Sr.

Hear me out here folks. Bill and George Sr. have formed quite a comfortable working relationship through their efforts on Katrina. Jimmy would have immediate credibility with the Arab world based on his balanced view towards Israel. Put the three together and ask them to help the nation find a way out of the crisis. Give them global standing to at least negotiate for the country and send them on a mission to get us out of there. I know it sounds a lot like that film with the old astronauts who traveled to the asteroid to save the world by blowing it up before it entered our atmosphere, but don't completely dismiss the analogy. Perhaps some elder statesmen without an immediate political agenda is exactly what we need to find a solution. And while Bill is obviously connected to 2008 through Hilary I don't think he would refuse to participate and be part of the team that negotiates our future in the Middle East. Moreover, I think he may be the brightest of the three and perhaps the most intelligent President we have seen in a very long time. He has national credibility (no one really thinks his personal affairs are especially important anymore given the current administration....do they?)and certainly global credibility!

Worth a thought anyway because I haven't seen a single plan without serious drawbacks on one level or the other and time is getting short folks. We need to find a solution that works for all the parties engaged in this conflict.

Finally, I have to apologize for not staying the course and moving away from politics. I just believe that sometimes you have to say what you feel even if there aren't that many folks listening. Thinking out loud is good for the soul.

No Clear Winner........

All the pundits have declared that there wasn't a clear winner. I liked Joe Biden, John Edwards, and that mean old man, whoever the hell he was. They all seem to have found religion and are absolutely certain that they were either: a. Right to oppose the invasion, but equally right to vote to fund it, or b; They were wrong to vote for it and it is a mistake that they will take to their graves, or c; She was misinformed and therefore has nothing to apologize for and is not going to apologize.

I suppose the reality is that one of them is probably going to be in the White House in 2008 and that he or she can't do a whole lot worse than the guy currently in charge. Still, I can't abide the way they are attempting to manage the Iraq debate and I can't believe that we are going to walk away once again from a situation just because it is politically expedient to do so. There will be countless lives lost if we withdraw suddenly just as there were countless lives lost in Vietnam after we left as well as Cambodia.

Okay, enough said on this issue. I never intended this blog to be politically focused and I'm not going to take it down that path now. I've said my piece and starting tomorrow I'll get back to writing about things that don't cause my blood pressure to jump off the meter.

Sleep tight folks.

Today, Again.............

Watching Bill Maher at the moment (remember that you need balance to ensure you have perspective)and also just thinking about the fact that the House passed the "We Have Declared Defeat in Iraq" bill today. Sorry. I'm a former Marine as many folks know and I find it difficult to accept a group of politicians that think the way to build their political fortune is to participate in the downfall of this country. Shall we go ahead and line up the aircraft carriers so that we can heave the helicopters off the sides once they have evacuated the flag and few remaining politicians?

I'm a pretty reasonable guy most of the time and I'm also a very practical person who isn't afraid of reality. No, it isn't going well in Iraq and I have serious doubts about the current administration's ability to lead us out of this horrible situation. But I can't abide sacrificing our country's honor for the sake of political expediency. Can we just stop the shit politics and have a reasonable discussion about what to do about this situation that most of the politicians in office today voted to engage? I'm not siding with Bush here folks. I siding with America! It's not personal and it is certainly not meant to offend anyone.

If you had a company in trouble then you would want to consider all the possibilities and make the most prudent decisions about the future based on what is best for the whole company, not just the shareholders or the employees or the Board. It's the same way in this situation. It isn't just what's best for the troops or what is best for either political party. What is best for America folks? Have we really had a decent debate about "What's Best For America"?

Sunday Afternoon

It's been one of those funny weekends where you sit back on Sunday afternoon and wonder what you accomplished. We went to Sarah and Glen's last night for their first Bar-B-Que of the year and to celebrate Glen's birthday. Glen is the CEO of a major division of a Fortune 500, but you would never know it by the way he behaves; i.e.: he is unassuming, seems to put his ego aside at these gatherings (I suspect he is a tad different at work) and is just a genuinely nice guy. I always manage to have a delightful time, drink far too much and wake up wishing I'd been a bit more careful. I also wish I had taken my camera as it would have been nice to get a few pictures for my diary.

Anyway, after a late breakfast I sat down at desk and I'm still here. I've been working on finding a job as it appears that Patrick D. Gaul, Inc. is not going to be as financially rewarding as I had first hoped, at least not the short run. After reviewing the bank balances I recognize that I am going to have to jump back into the market, which is really okay since I've had a good break and I'm really rested and ready for another opportunity. I'm leaning towards a senior sales position as opposed to finding another CEO opportunity because at the end of the day it is what I really enjoy; it is what I'm talented at doing; and it is a role that has always provided enormous satisfaction. Finally, and probably most important, I like selling. I just created a Squidoo Lens, which you can find by going to www.squidoo.com/successfulselling. It is is my sidebar of links. Take a look and be sure to leave a message about what you think. I'm really interested in any feedback.

Tough week with the Virginia Tech coverage dominating the airwaves. I think sometimes you just have to give folks some space, and this is one of those times. I pray for the families and hope the good Lord gives them comfort, and I pray that no one makes any assumptions about Asians because the kid who did this evil thing was born in South Korea. He was obviously a very sick person and it is so unfortunate that no one was able to do something to help him. I do believe however that we need to think seriously about how guns are purchased in this country and make a concerted effort to create a rigid set of standards that are applied on a national basis. We should require a license to own a gun and that license should be no different from a drivers license in that certain criteria must be met before the license is issued. You know, having to go to a "Department of Firearms Safety" and register for a course in gun safety before being allowed to purchase the weapon would be an interesting approach. It might slow a lot of people down and cause a bit of grief with the gun lobby, but it might also give us an opportunity to observe someone before they are handed a weapon capable of destroying human lives.

Nothing on the political front worth discussing this week. I'm learning more about John Edwards and liking what I'm learning, especially some of the things he has written recently about the environment. I saw Tom Friedman on this morning's talk shows........I think he is coming out with The World Is Flat, Version 3.0. He had some very interesting things to say about the environment and has a documentary coming out this week on the Discovery Channel. I need to record it assuming I get the Discovery Channel.

Hope all is well with everyone and that your weekend was not as unproductive as mine, or Joe's for that matter. Poor guy just couldn't keep his eyes open.

Ellie's Nine

Happy Birthday to Ellie, who turned nine today. She and I enjoyed the last Hawks game of the season together and we had a delightful time, which was made all the better by the fact that the Hawks actually won the game. They beat the Pacers 118 to 102 and had four players with over 20 points. Wow! Now if only that had happened about 10 or 15 times more during this past season we would be headed for the playoffs instead of the showers. In fairness to the Hawks management, they did answer my email and we agreed I would wait awhile before finalizing my decision about not renewing my season tickets. They indicated that there would be some changes made and asked me to wait a few months. I guess they are holding my seats until that time, but given where I've been sitting I suppose they reckon they can always sell them to someone else if required to do so.

Anyway, Ellie had a fun time and managed to get a Hawks sweat shirt to go with her Hawks bear. It was after all her birthday and sometimes it's okay to spoil them a little bit.

Could not watch anymore coverage on the Virginia Tech tragedy........so many angles being played out with the gun control lobby using it as a platform for pushing their agenda while the NRA pushes back and reminds us that "people kill people, not guns". I think we we ought to be focused on the victims and not the lobbyist in DC pushing political agendas. But as long as it is on the burner, my position remains the same. We need very strong national standards for registration and a wait period during which there is an actual background check conducted. I might even go as far as to say that there should be an interview conducted by someone from the local authority to ensure a person wanting to purchase a handgun is eyeballed by someone other than the guy trying to collect his cash. How someone can walk into a store and walk out with a 9mm and 50 rounds of ammunition is beyond me. "He didn't say why he wanted the gun" is what the store owner said when interviewed. I don't know folks, sometimes don't ask, don't tell isn't the best strategy. Bear with me here. I'm not saying we should ban handguns, but we should be very prudent about the acquisition process and do our best to understand who is buying them and why. Finally, I think the "people kill people" thinking is probably right, but giving those people easy access to guns just facilitates the act and doesn't make sense.

Well, just after midnight and I promised myself I would start going to bed a tad earlier than I have over the past few weeks. I often find myself reading at 3:00 a.m. and wonder why I'm tired in the morning. I need to find a more engaging role for myself so that my days are more fully occupied; i.e.: I need to find a job. It has been interesting working on my own, but not very satisfying financially.

Mom had a good visit with the Doctor yesterday and seemed to be somewhat more alert and cheerful today. I think it will take her awhile to recover and they need to get her meds sorted as well. We have a family reunion planned for early August and everyone is hoping that she will be well enough to attend. These family gatherings have become a tradition over the past decade or so and Mom enjoys seeing her grandchildren, great grandchildren and her great-great grandchildren. It's a treat when we have five generations sitting around the garden enjoying the feeling of belonging to the clan. I know we won't have her around forever, but we pray that she will be with us as long as possible.

Hope everyone has a wonderday day tomorrow.