I just read a blog…well part of it.  The writer said she got a request from a WRITER who said, “I’ve wrote a book.”  ARE YOU KIDDING ME???  I’ve WROTE a book????  Was I the only one present when grammar was taught in school?  I was, wasn’t I?

Good grammar is still important!   If you send me an email saying, “I’ve wrote a book”…well, that’s as far as I’M going to read.

Negotiating.  The word means vastly different things, depending on one’s approach to life. I find that many people view negotiating as ‘a fight’, a win-lose opportunty, a chance to play bully.  But the word negotiate implies that both…or even all…parties participate; it’s not a dictatorship.  If it was a dictatorship, it wouldn’t be called negotiating.   If all parties participate, and it’s not a dictatorship, then a mutual approach to a mutual problem exists and the best approach is consensus.  Win-win.  And yes, that is possible.  I’ve seen too many cases where a push to beat another down, results in the pushing party ‘losing’.  So the upshot is this: If you push for win-lose, prepare to lose.  Because you just might.

Now that Steve Jobs has left us, it seems some of the financial talking heads are trying their level best to INSINUATE Apple into trouble.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard them “wonder” “how much longer” the company can be great.  I’ve heard them “wonder” whether they can still be creative, market leaders.  I’ve heard them wonder whether restricted supplies might turn people away from them.  ARE YOU KIDDING?  Restricted supply has been a giant marketing strategy of Apple, hasn’t it?  Has it made you dislike them?  I didn’t think so.  I’ve heard “What if” enough times to call it a trend. These boneheads would actually like to see Apple stumble.  Don’t think so?  Test the hypothesis then.  Listen for yourself, and make no mistake about the ‘power’ of the media.  Tune in to the stock analysis networks and just listen to the Apple banter.  Sometimes the guests who are being interviewed get that “are you on crack?” look on their face as they try to answer the host’s question without showing their incredulousness.  It’s kind of funny, except that this kind of yammering on about a POSSIBLE DOWNFALL can lead to one…and they know it.

For example…lately, there was a report on housing prices based on “ten selected cities”, most of which were in the very hardest hit areas of the United States.  Others were in areas where you either have to love boiling or freezing to live there.  I admit it: I yelled at my TV.  If I wanted to show housing prices dropping, those are the cities I would have chosen.  Remember you can spin statistics to say whatever you WANT them to say, primarily by carefully choosing your population.  Had they included the Triangle in the ‘selected cities’, the numbers would have been better.  What do you think would have happened if they had chosen other “up” areas in the data population, maybe only a few just for kicks and giggles?  Well…less gloom and doom! But good news doesn’t sell, does it?

So watch what these people do to Apple.  They are planting seeds.  Let’s hope Apple investors are too smart for the ridiculous game that most people bite, hook, line sinker.  And by the way, remember that the economy IS showing signs of health…all but the housing market.  Don’t you think the cur

So…I went to see the movie, not because I wanted to re-live 9-11; far from it.  I went to see it because if it has Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock in it, it must be good. The movie was incredibly entertaining, even though it brought back sad, sad memories.  It didn’t focus so much on the act of horror on that day, even though, without a doubt, you are reminded; rather, it focused on a young boy’s journey through grief and his attempts to rationalize what happened to his beloved father, played by Tom Hanks.  You’ll fall in love with the boy, played by Thomas Horn.  He’s intelligent, funny even when he’s not trying to be, and absolutely endearing.  And what can you say about Sandra Bullock?  She’s always great, and she is this time, too, but you won’t get that right away.  If you can handle being reminded of that terrible day, you’ll be rewarded with a young kid’s life-changing performance.  He’ll never be an unknown again.  This kid’s going places.  I loved the movie..

I’ve talked to a lot of people who don’t want to see it because because they can’t bear the thought of being reminded of that horrible day. To them, I say, go.  This story isn’t written to remind you of the news reels.  Far from it.  It’s full of psychological alleyways and partially opened doors you must go through.  What is revealed warms your heart.  Go, because you’ll see some incredible acting, you’ll get a different perspective…which is always good…and there will be some plot twists you’ll truly enjoy.  I’m going to see it again, and I don’t usually do that.  This one’s worth a second…and maybe even a third look.

If you haven’t heard an amazing study of Daniel, you really need to come join us at Richland Creek Community Church this Sunday.  We’re in the middle of a study of Daniel, and Pastor Sims is doing a wonderful job of teaching this book.  He makes so much sense, you can’t help but learn and he injects humor into his lesson…so you remember it.

I go to the 9 o’clock service (there are three others from which to choose), which is a blended service.  The music is wonderful (almost as good as the sermon) and the people are welcoming and genuinely nice people.  Dress casually if you like, or dress up.  Your choice.  And you can get a cup of Starbucks coffee, on the house, on your way in.

If you can’t make it, catch the sermon online, at www.Richlandcreek.com .  You can listen to our Wednesday night Bible study here, too.  Would love to have you join me.  You’ll love it!

There are all kinds of mothers out there.  I wonder how many of us feel like we did things right.  I’d be willing to bet the thinking moms wonder…could I have done things better?

I realized one day that no baby is born with an instruction book.  I realized this when I was analyzing, maybe criticizing, my mother’s way of doing things.  Don’t we all think we’ll do things differently?  Don’t we all think we’ll make up for all of the shortcomings when we have our own children?  After a lot of prayer and meditation, I realized that my parents were raised by THEIR parents, and so on and so on, and none of my family records or stories say ANYTHING about instruction books popping out with the babies!  Parenting is largely trial and error, or going on what someone else’s mother tells us we ought to do.

In other words, our parents did the best they could, even if we don’t always approve.  And oh, by the way, OUR children have logged OUR shortcomings too.  In other words, it’s time to chill out and realize that there are NO perfect mothers, but I can pretty much guarantee that you’ll never find truer love than that of a mother toward her children…even if she’s not perfect in the expression of it.

So happy Mother’s Day, moms of the world.  I think you did a great job of being a mom…in fact, I’m pretty sure you did!

I attended a Passover Seder last night; it was my first time experiencing this event.  I loved it!  Great fellowship with brand new friends.  And I learned something else about Jewish tradition.  Just a beautiful event, and a great way to get my mind and spirit in the right place for Easter.  If you haven’t attended a Passover Seder, come join us at Richland Creek Community Church next year.  You will love it.  It’s beautiful.

Did you know that there is a thing called “Age Cohort Influence”, which has a HUGE impact on how well your interaction, project, marketing or presentation goes?  If you haven’t studied, it’s worth doing, particularly if you sell, teach, present, market, interact!  People in their twenties sometimes have to interact with people in their fifties, wouldn’t you say?  Guess what: If you’re twenty and you want to communicate effectively, you should know what makes a fifty year old tick, and vise versa.  In other words: Know your audience’s CORE VALUES.  They change pretty closely with each decade of age, partly because of the changes in our psychological makeup as we mature, and partly because of what we’re physically able to do with each decade of age…like bear children or power lift for exercise.  Thirty something…you probably are very into your career and full of vim and vigor about it.  You probably believe that most of what you say is extremely important and should be broadcast to the world AND that everyone is supremely interested in your dissertation.  In your forties?  You’re probably rethinking your spirituality and getting into exercise again.  When you’re sixty…you know what’s important and what’s not…or THINK you do… and furthermore, you kind of pick and choose what you think you need to say out loud.   For marketing purposes, this is of extreme importance, because you may make assumptions about a particular group that can lose your ability to sell to them… before you even tell them what it is you’re selling!   If you’re selling to a seventy year old person, you might want to slow down and visit a while.  If you’re selling to a fifty year old, don’t assume they aren’t tech savvy; they are.  They probably made it possible for the younger generation to enjoy their gadgets. Reference Steve Jobs or even Corning, Incorporated. Corning invented optical fiber, enabling the internet scream into our homes.  The ones who were there when the first fiber was drawn?  Fifty something, or maybe even sixty something by now.  If you’re talking to a twenty year old or a thirty year old, don’t worry about five or ten years down the road.  They typically don’t want to plan that far ahead.  They still love the unknown and want to be flexible and nimble with their lives!  Now obviously there’s more to it than just age cohort. But you get my drift.  Communication goes both ways, or should.  Be aware of your audience.  Core values are called CORE because they are deeply embedded.  Remember that, and use that knowledge to be even better at what you do than you are right now.