Hugh MacLeod

I will experience Joy at least once a day. I don't care what it costs me.

This is a personal mantra of mine that I've had for many years. I try to live it at least once a day, even if it's just for a fleeting moment. If I can do that, then the day will not have been wasted.

You can do it if you decide to. It takes practice and yes, sometimes it cost you a lot of time and effort, but the older I get, the more grateful I am that I invested the time and energy teaching myself how to do it, even if sometimes it seemed silly and idealistic.

This is one of my favorite emails every day. His book Ignore Everybody is a must read. Check out his blog at www.gapingvoidgallery.com

The Constitution

I continue to hear a steady drum beat from people today, a refrain of concern for the future. More and more people seem to feel challenged by the long reach of the government and what it will mean to them and their children.

I have been involved in a discussion about the constitution and I think that there is a basic question we all have to answer; is the Constitution a limiting document or a living document?

That basic question can resolve many of our concerns and questions.

I think that the Constitution is a limiting document. I believe that the framers of Constitution want ed to limit the governments ability to control our lives.

You must remember that we were rejecting the monarchy of Europe and specifically England. Each State wanted to insure that they would have rights that were clearly defined by Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Any one who has been a parent has known how children try to constantly stretch the boundaries of their lives and test the rules we put in force for them.

As citizens we have done the same thing, we have constantly tried to expand the role government.

Well now we have allowed ourselves to grant over 50% of the population the right to decisions about how the government spends money with out having to contribute a penny.

10% of the population pays 70% of the taxes. the majority seems to want that 10% to pay more.

My question is how much more and when is enough enough?

When will the 10% say it isn't worth the extra effort anymore and the tax revenues actually begin going down?

What happens then?

I hear the beaches in Costa Rica are white and beautiful .... hmmmm.

I've been a Travelling man

Well I am feeling a wee bit guilty. I want to write every day, kind of like practicing a music instrument or a sport. Just 5 minutes a day is the goal.

Unfortunately I didn't write while traveling last week.

Pretty amazing week, started with a great Strategic Coach session in Chicago. The I attended the Barron's Top Financial Advisor conference, recognizing the top 500 Independent Financial Advisors in the country. Got to meet some great folks and picked up some great ideas.

Then Donna and I celebrated our birthdays in Disney. I just love the parks. I know Donna puts up with me, I am her big kid, she smiles indulgently at my antics.

Life has been good Baboo.

So there is 5 minutes, I'll write again tomorrow! Now to the staff meeting.

Today is my birthday!!!

Been a wonderful day today, full of love. Everybody needs a day like this and I am grateful to everyone for taking the time to wish me a happy birthday.

The birthday cards seemed to have a theme that was rather disturbing though. Lot's of butts! All old, fat or saggy .... what's with that. I am doing all can to not take it personally.

I was talking about turning 58 with one of my clients who is 85. I told her I can't believe I'm already 58, she said she said the same thing, she can't believe she is 85. Guess it doesn't matter what the age. At some point the years just keep coming at you faster and faster.

I really to resemble that old saying, if I had known I would live so long I would have taken better care of myself!

Thanks again everybody, have a fabulous weekend. JD

The Small Cage

The United States has an intricate system of checks and balances, and a government structure based on a separation of powers, and a Bill of Rights that safeguards the rights of states and the rights of the people precisely because the greatest collection of political talent and philosophical insight ever assembled on this continent -- and maybe anywhere on this planet -- looked at the concept of government and said, "We need to make a really small cage for this thing, then be careful not to overfeed it."

We seem to have lost the care-and- feeding instructions about a century ago. We let government out of its little cage and it has been consuming everything it can lay its paws on ever since. In the last 45 years, it has been on a real binge, and in the last year and a half, it has taken bigger bites than a lot of people thought possible.

Whine, whine, whine .... would you like some cheese with that whine?

I feel the need to write, even though I don't have anything on my mind. I guess this is a little bit of writers block or maybe it's just the end of the day.

I am feeling a wee bit tense lately. I think it is the combination of stress and fatigue. I get grumpy and my mind just doesn't seem as productive.

It's almost 7 PM and the day seems to have flown by yet I feel like I have accomplished nothing. Actually I have felt like I haven't accomplished anything for a few days, maybe weeks. Even when I do a Positive Focus I seem to be struggling to fill it up.

Whine, whine, whine .... would you like some cheese with that whine?

Blogging

So why am I doing this?

A couple of reasons; Seth Godin the author of one of my favorite books "The Purple Cow" challenged me to blog 5 minutes a day.

That got me thinking, some would say a dangerous thing, about how much I enjoy writing and reading.

So I asked another friend who is an accomplished teacher and writer, "if I want to start writing where do I begin"

His response was "at the beginning". Yes he's also an accomplished smart ass.

So this challenge to blog 5 minutes a day is my "beginning".

I'm going to send it to my friend the teacher and author to see what he has to say. He said he wants to comment on my QR letters so this will warn him that I expect some "free" help becoming an accomplished author!

gapingvoid cartoon #55 - 'CDF' April 5, 2010.

gapingvoid cartoon #55 - 'CDF' April 5, 2010.

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That had to be the laziest blog post of all time! That JAD is a bum!!!

Ouch, this getting weird, criticizing myself now.

Easter on Hogtowne Creek

What a beautiful day to live in Gainesville.

The sky is blue and the sun is orange.

We like to think that means God is a Gator.

For Christians the world over today is the special day recognizing the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

I got to attend mass this morning with Rachel and Donna, followed by a wonderful breakfast at Ivey's.

Donna and I took the dog's thru for a walk thru Ring Park, the 30 acre nature preserve that Hogtwone Creek runs thru.

Amazing.

For those who haven't been to our home, it's our back yard.

Not going to work on work today! A real free day.

Doing a little writing, reading and then some time on the drums.

Have a wonderful day, for those celebrating Easter, embrace the renewal and opportunity for forgiveness.

More questions than answers

Today starts with more questions than and answers ... Donna's fault!

Can I work a few hours a couple of days a week from home and my office still run efficiently?

Can I get 8 hours (well maybe 9) sleep and still be as productive as I was 15 years ago?

when can I start eating pasta and bread and those delicious baked potatoes with all the add ons again?

Do we still get to have sex (yea I know it's a guy question) as we head toward 60?

Why are all those glorious muscles of my 20's hanging down around my waist?

Will the Health thingy (I still don't know what to call it) really save all of us money?

How do you increase expenses with out increasing your income?

Is this global warming (brrrrr)?

When is Hammel taking us out on his new boat!