i’m confused…….and angry

I’m Catholic.  But, I haven’t stepped inside a church for years, except for the obligatory wedding, baptism, or as a favor to my parents. 

Over the past few decades, the Catholic Church has propagated cover-ups that would make Richard Nixon blush. 

The rock of my youth has turned to quicksand.  Like the Wizard of Oz, it seems the people in robes have been blowing smoke in hoping we wouldn’t notice there are little people behind those big doors, telling big stories in a shell game.

The Church, once the origin of moral authority to me, can’t, no make that won’t, even police it’s own.  When it was time to come clean up their act, they lawyered up, attacking the victims, the very people The Church is supposed to protect.

Father Lawrence Murphy, from Milwaukee, sexually abused over 200 deaf boys over a period of 14 years.  Internally, the Church tried to get the Vatican to notice, but nothing happened.  What happened to calling the police! 

This church doesn’t deserve it’s tax free status.  It needs to pay a price to the people it betrayed.  It needs to apologize to every one of those boys who lost their virginity to a man in a robe.  It needs to change.

I don’t think I will be able to support The Church until it puts women in standing, until it allows priests to marry, so it doesn’t appeal to the thousands of weirdos it’s attracted.  It needs to find a moral compass to get to a place that serves its parishoners instead of itself. 

Call me crazy, but I don’t think Jesus would recognize the organization that is supposed to worship in his honor.

the cost of being cool....

A few days ago, I was on a business trip in Florida with Robert, a business associate and old friend. Anyway, as we went to the rental car area, they told us to go to the area and pick out the model we wanted, just like the TV commercial.

I started moving to the normal, four door, functional car with a trunk. Next to it, Robert is eyeing up a Mitsubishi Eclipse, sort of a mid-life crisis sports car. He points to it and says, "why not?" OK, I think, we'll give it a try.

And then, it came to me, not for one second did I consider taking the cool car, not for one second. And then I thought "am I that uncool?"

After a day in that car, I decided, I am.

small spaces

If you've got a little space, this might fill the bill.

great design….

Simple, easy to understand, and limitless in potential, Legos have been around since 1954.  The word Lego is shorthand Danish for “play well”.

As I look at future furniture design for our company, I spend a lot of time thinking of simplicity.  Brilliance in design, in my mind, comes not from how complex the design can be in a specific way, but how the design can serve the user in many ways.

So, why am I showing you this sofa?  It comes knocked down, much like those Legos shown above.  With only six bolts in the hardware pack, it only takes minutes to assemble, but offers all the comfort (it even has pocketed coil seating) and style to make that cozy nook….cozy.  And because it ships in a box that UPS will handle, you can live in any Podunk in and get it delivered right to your door.  

change at the post office

The post office is a $75 billion behemouth that is working itself to $50 billion at breakneck pace. A few weeks ago, the Postmaster General floated a plan to discontinue Saturday deliveries as a way to get the post office in the black, at least temporarily.

Change is happening everywhere at breakneck pace. In the last 20 years or so, the internet, Federal Express, UPS, and more have taken a bite out of the post office's proverbial rear end. And, it doesn't look like it's going to stop.

Since the post office isn't subsidized with tax dollars, it needs to think more proactively to deal with its future problems. It seems, at least to me, the post office is the deliverer of last resort, with less time sensitive material than ever before.

If the Postmaster General was making a real effort, the plan would include delivering mail three days a week, instead of six. Half the letter carriers would be removed from the street. Desk service could still stay at current levels, and mail could be received at the post office for off days. There might have to be additional help at the windows, but that would be dwarfed by the savings on the street.

This is the type of thinking the post office needs as it moves into more difficult waters. Or, they could go the route of Blockbuster and just wait until the decision is made for them.

good planning.....

If this is the first sign you see...

this one is sure to follow.

more than a game....

People who know me well know I love baseball. I love the sounds, the smells, the nuances that make the game different than any I know.

It's the one game that allows those with less talent and athletic ability to prevail over those with more of both through dedication, practice, patience, and desire. It's the one game that measures the person in a way that crosses over into real life.

I coached for a number of years. What I remember from those days isn't wins and losses, but the kids, their personal fears, their smiles, their triumphs, really everything about them.

One person in particular was Peter. He was kind of a fringe player, but did his best. During one game, he missed a fly ball. He broke down in the outfield and started crying. Quickly, I sent in a substitute and met him as he came off the field.

He needed a hug, and that's what he got, right in front of the whole world. I told him I was proud of him. I told him he was good. And, I sent him back in the game. Redemption, just like that.

In all my years as a professional, I've never had a moment like that.

I love this woman

Sandra Bullock showed up to accept her award for "Worst Picture" at the Razzies for "All About Steve".

How cool is that?

I'm a wuss...

A couple of weeks ago, I was waiting at a traffic light, when a frantic woman came to my window saying she and her family had broken down on the highway; Could I help? She needed money.

I dipped into my pocket and found a $20 bill and handed it to her and moved on, leaving her behind.

Did she break down? I don't know. Am I a wuss for giving her the cash? Probably.
But, something has happened to me over the past few years. I've learned from my failures that my successes are not that important, that it's important to stay in the mindset of failure, to be empathetic of those who are not as fortunate and to remember that success is often lucky.

So, as I looked at this, I wasn't going to judge. I was going to help.