This new thing we call a blog is forcing me to become a better writer. Often times when I speak it is easy to weave one web upon another, as long as the person is still standing in front of me, at least pretending to listen to what I have to say. When it comes to the written word, I only have seconds to keep my audience before they click or turn the page.
This dynamic has caused those of us who contribute to the web to craft our message in such a way that in the end, is more precise and to the point. Having said that, I am now changing my standard format of 500 word essays to 250 words. This cutting by half is a benefit to my readers and ultimately me too. The tough part is saying what I feel needs to be said in half the space.
I have exciting news! Coming in March there will be a new venture worth telling the world about. That’s the good news, the bad news is I can’t tell you about it or what it is just yet. Can you hear the suspense in my voice? Good! A team of us are working diligently to make it so and this is surely to be a success. Who would have thought it could happen here? Until next time.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Struggle, Strife, and Hopefully Endurance
If there is one thing I want to be on this journey I’ve called Starting Over @ Forty Something it is honest. From time to time, this journey has been very difficult and challenging on this guy’s psyche. I come from a childhood where my Father was the sole provider for our family, and my Mother stayed home. This dynamic instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility and a strong work ethic, but when the terrorist hit the towers in 2001, all of my own set of control factors for my career, went right out the door.
Like me, some of you were what the industry called middle management. Doing well in the early to mid portion of our careers, making the right moves to secure the next promotion as underclassmen in the ranks of upper management - when bang, out of the blue, the world stopped as we know it.
The last seven years for me have been one series of change after another. I have been involved in several startups in quasi-consulting to management roles, and involved in selling products like screen printing and embroidery by day while delivering local papers by night. I even came home for twelve months to help offset daycare bills by being Mr. Mom to our youngest daughter, who is now six.
I sometimes laugh when I remember a mentor of mine advising me just before 9-11 to pick up a book called: “Who Moved My Cheese” and read it. I tell my wife, I’m not adverse to change, but I sure wish it would take a break for a while and let me just settle back into some semblance of a comfort zone. It’s on days like I had yesterday that sometimes make me wonder what it is that I am supposed to be doing - long term that is.
If there is one tip or bit of advice I may offer, be willing to live one day at a time. Last night I found myself on my face in our master bedroom of our new home weeping uncontrollably trying to explain to my wife how unsure I was of what it was I was supposed to be doing. Don’t get me wrong, our life for the last two years financially has been better than some when I was at the top of the corporate ladder, but that still doesn’t mean I am satisfied, or better yet fulfilled.
We men for whatever reason need to feel needed and secure in our line of work, I’m sure it goes back to when we were hunters and our wives were supposedly gatherers, if you choose to believe any of that stuff. I honestly don’t know. The things I do know are this. I love my wife, my kids, and even the dogs. I have made a commitment to change my career to become a professional writer and in the last two years, I have started to make decent enrodes. Time will tell, but I believe still to this day what my Grandfather said once: “…if you work at anything ten hours a day, you will make a living at it”. So press on regardless is my advice to you and myself.
Like me, some of you were what the industry called middle management. Doing well in the early to mid portion of our careers, making the right moves to secure the next promotion as underclassmen in the ranks of upper management - when bang, out of the blue, the world stopped as we know it.
The last seven years for me have been one series of change after another. I have been involved in several startups in quasi-consulting to management roles, and involved in selling products like screen printing and embroidery by day while delivering local papers by night. I even came home for twelve months to help offset daycare bills by being Mr. Mom to our youngest daughter, who is now six.
I sometimes laugh when I remember a mentor of mine advising me just before 9-11 to pick up a book called: “Who Moved My Cheese” and read it. I tell my wife, I’m not adverse to change, but I sure wish it would take a break for a while and let me just settle back into some semblance of a comfort zone. It’s on days like I had yesterday that sometimes make me wonder what it is that I am supposed to be doing - long term that is.
If there is one tip or bit of advice I may offer, be willing to live one day at a time. Last night I found myself on my face in our master bedroom of our new home weeping uncontrollably trying to explain to my wife how unsure I was of what it was I was supposed to be doing. Don’t get me wrong, our life for the last two years financially has been better than some when I was at the top of the corporate ladder, but that still doesn’t mean I am satisfied, or better yet fulfilled.
We men for whatever reason need to feel needed and secure in our line of work, I’m sure it goes back to when we were hunters and our wives were supposedly gatherers, if you choose to believe any of that stuff. I honestly don’t know. The things I do know are this. I love my wife, my kids, and even the dogs. I have made a commitment to change my career to become a professional writer and in the last two years, I have started to make decent enrodes. Time will tell, but I believe still to this day what my Grandfather said once: “…if you work at anything ten hours a day, you will make a living at it”. So press on regardless is my advice to you and myself.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Special Occasions Mean Ruth’s Chris
I believe special occasion’s sometime call for a special meal, and if you have a special occasion in the near future and are stumped where to go, may I suggest Ruth's Chris Steak House.
As always, reservations are suggested, especially on a Friday or Saturday night. Sometimes you can just show up and be seated in the bar area, but if it's truly going to be a special night, go all out and make the call for reservations. If you have been a patron of this fine establishment before, then you know the drill - if not, let me offer a tip or two.
First of all, don't be intimidated by the level of service, let these great servers do their thing. As for the dress code, don't worry. Today's fine dining can be a casual experience if you so desire, but let me clarify please. Ladies, I will leave your attire up to you, I like to call it casual smart to formal. Guys, a shirt, tie, and jacket not required, but a nice pair of pressed slacks, golf shirt, and sport coat looks great. No flip-flops or NASCAR hats allowed!
Tip of the day. All dinner items on the menu are prepared ala-carte. That simply means, there are no combo's, everything is prepared as its own dish. If you would like a salad before your meal for example do so, but may I suggest ordering one and splitting it with your date. Don't be alarmed, the salads' are somewhat large and by splitting one, that will give you plenty of salad and still have room for the entree.
They have to die for sautéed mushroom caps, steamed broccoli, garlic mashed potatoes and even creamed spinach. I always order mushrooms and a choice of vegetable too. Once again the servings are big enough to split between two or more people. Now for the "piece de resistance"...the steak! If you are not a big steak fan, that's ok. You can choose a smaller cut like a fillet or petite fillet mignon.
If you prefer a little more, may I suggest the New York Strip? The neat thing about the menu is it defines for you in detail, each level of cooking, make note. When your steak arrives, if you hear sizzling and think they mixed up your order with fajitas don't be alarmed. Ruth's Chris serves all of their steaks on a plate that has been heated to 500 degrees for your dining pleasure.
Don't worry, there are several other cuts to choose from and fresh seafood options prepared as either a special or cold-water lobster from the tank in the lobby. If it's just dinner for two, you can be in and out for as little as $65 if you choose to not order any alcoholic beverages and split a dessert. You can also plan on spending around $50 plus per person if there are a few cocktails and maybe dessert after dinner. Either way, some times special occasions deserve a special night out. On your next special night out, try Ruth's Chris Steak House and enjoy.
As always, reservations are suggested, especially on a Friday or Saturday night. Sometimes you can just show up and be seated in the bar area, but if it's truly going to be a special night, go all out and make the call for reservations. If you have been a patron of this fine establishment before, then you know the drill - if not, let me offer a tip or two.
First of all, don't be intimidated by the level of service, let these great servers do their thing. As for the dress code, don't worry. Today's fine dining can be a casual experience if you so desire, but let me clarify please. Ladies, I will leave your attire up to you, I like to call it casual smart to formal. Guys, a shirt, tie, and jacket not required, but a nice pair of pressed slacks, golf shirt, and sport coat looks great. No flip-flops or NASCAR hats allowed!
Tip of the day. All dinner items on the menu are prepared ala-carte. That simply means, there are no combo's, everything is prepared as its own dish. If you would like a salad before your meal for example do so, but may I suggest ordering one and splitting it with your date. Don't be alarmed, the salads' are somewhat large and by splitting one, that will give you plenty of salad and still have room for the entree.
They have to die for sautéed mushroom caps, steamed broccoli, garlic mashed potatoes and even creamed spinach. I always order mushrooms and a choice of vegetable too. Once again the servings are big enough to split between two or more people. Now for the "piece de resistance"...the steak! If you are not a big steak fan, that's ok. You can choose a smaller cut like a fillet or petite fillet mignon.
If you prefer a little more, may I suggest the New York Strip? The neat thing about the menu is it defines for you in detail, each level of cooking, make note. When your steak arrives, if you hear sizzling and think they mixed up your order with fajitas don't be alarmed. Ruth's Chris serves all of their steaks on a plate that has been heated to 500 degrees for your dining pleasure.
Don't worry, there are several other cuts to choose from and fresh seafood options prepared as either a special or cold-water lobster from the tank in the lobby. If it's just dinner for two, you can be in and out for as little as $65 if you choose to not order any alcoholic beverages and split a dessert. You can also plan on spending around $50 plus per person if there are a few cocktails and maybe dessert after dinner. Either way, some times special occasions deserve a special night out. On your next special night out, try Ruth's Chris Steak House and enjoy.
The Goal... World Domination
Years ago I dreamed of owning several publications and even acquiring some smaller AM Radio markets. This was about the time when names like Paxson and Clear Channel started to make the move into both AM and FM markets and barriers of entry were nearly impossible to penetrate unless you owned your own bank. Their idea was to buy one market after another, until they owned them all, creating for themselves a network, when combined were massive and full of “subscriber based” distribution for their advertisers.
Well here we are some twenty to twenty-five years later and the medium of choice is the web. Who will be the media moguls of tomorrow like those before us? Who will be able to capture the presence and one day rule this vehicle just like the days of not so old air waves and ink? Just when I think there is nothing else to be invented or I’m too old to maximize my efforts on a new venture, along comes a great idea.
As long as I have been around print, radio, and television, the secret to success has been distribution. It’s one thing to own the prime share of markets like Atlanta, Chicago, or even L.A., but what if you could own the market share of say, North America, or the Western Hemisphere? What about the world for heaven’s sake, could it be done?
World domination is probably a goal a little too broad to consider right at this moment, but if you could capture niche after niche along the way, why not? What if you could own the market share of those people who are pet owners and specifically owners of Labrador Retrievers from all over the world for starters?
What about every person who is interested in working on their own cars or completing home improvement projects? About how many readers or subscribers as we called them in the old days might you have access to then? Starting to get the picture? Let me throw out one more twist if I may. What if you were able to not only own one of these markets, but several of them? Who knows, there might even be car owners who like to work on their own cars that own Labrador Retrievers as well.
Can you imagine the cross marketing capabilities that start to happen with this scenario? I wonder if big business would like to get their hands on this group of readers and or subscribers; my answer is a definite yes. The strategy currently is not for big businesses to use their own money on the developmental or cocoon stage of these ideas, but for you and me to do so. After success in eminent, they purchase and brand it as their own.
Having said that, hold on boys and girls, buckle your seat belts, we are fixing to jump right onto the world wide web, the internet highway, the speedway of progress that runs on CAT 5 and Fiber. Forget the days of having to buy expensive license from the FCC or having to have enough cash flow to cover the first five years of postage, paper, and printing costs associated with any publication. It’s every man for himself with a good idea and a reasonable server to host him. To coin a phrase, “…to infinity and beyond” (Buzz Light-Year, Pixar)
Well here we are some twenty to twenty-five years later and the medium of choice is the web. Who will be the media moguls of tomorrow like those before us? Who will be able to capture the presence and one day rule this vehicle just like the days of not so old air waves and ink? Just when I think there is nothing else to be invented or I’m too old to maximize my efforts on a new venture, along comes a great idea.
As long as I have been around print, radio, and television, the secret to success has been distribution. It’s one thing to own the prime share of markets like Atlanta, Chicago, or even L.A., but what if you could own the market share of say, North America, or the Western Hemisphere? What about the world for heaven’s sake, could it be done?
World domination is probably a goal a little too broad to consider right at this moment, but if you could capture niche after niche along the way, why not? What if you could own the market share of those people who are pet owners and specifically owners of Labrador Retrievers from all over the world for starters?
What about every person who is interested in working on their own cars or completing home improvement projects? About how many readers or subscribers as we called them in the old days might you have access to then? Starting to get the picture? Let me throw out one more twist if I may. What if you were able to not only own one of these markets, but several of them? Who knows, there might even be car owners who like to work on their own cars that own Labrador Retrievers as well.
Can you imagine the cross marketing capabilities that start to happen with this scenario? I wonder if big business would like to get their hands on this group of readers and or subscribers; my answer is a definite yes. The strategy currently is not for big businesses to use their own money on the developmental or cocoon stage of these ideas, but for you and me to do so. After success in eminent, they purchase and brand it as their own.
Having said that, hold on boys and girls, buckle your seat belts, we are fixing to jump right onto the world wide web, the internet highway, the speedway of progress that runs on CAT 5 and Fiber. Forget the days of having to buy expensive license from the FCC or having to have enough cash flow to cover the first five years of postage, paper, and printing costs associated with any publication. It’s every man for himself with a good idea and a reasonable server to host him. To coin a phrase, “…to infinity and beyond” (Buzz Light-Year, Pixar)
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