When I was in college, my roommates and I lived and worked at the same place. The rent was cheap and the place was a bachelor’s dream. Four of us occupied about one-fourth of the square-footage above a print shop but still had plenty of space to stretch out. Our carpet was a mix & match of random samples, our shower was tetanus shot waiting to happen and we had no real AC in an area of the county that you definitely shouldn’t be without. We loved it.
Our landlord/boss was a small business owner who somehow came into the printing world from Big 6 accounting. His learning curve was definitely trial-by-fire but I admired him for his desire to make it work. He was there every day and save for a few flare-ups of his micro-managing style, I really felt like he had what it took to make the business succeed.
Knowing this, I was shockingly amused every time he’d remind us of the one simple rule he had for us; the tenants living above his place of business. We were warned more times than I can count on one hand that if we ever happened to catch anything in the building on fire1 our only responsibility was to, “fight the firefighters.” It’s both an entertaining statement and an insightful look into what he valued.
This all came back to me as I settled in to watch my favorite NFL team once again this evening. If it wasn’t clear before, it has been solidified tonight that it’s about time for the Dallas Cowboys to “fight the firefighters.” A team of much talent matters little if there’s no leadership or cohesiveness among them. Sadly, a firing of the head coach wouldn’t even come close to solving the problem this time. The owner – who many once believed cared about winning – has finally proven to me that his ego and desire for the spotlight matters far more.
Not often do you hope for losses but from this point out, I’m rooting for 1-15. It’s about the only chance we have at seeing big changes. Anybody else ready to fight the firefighters?
While I don’t spend huge amounts of time or money obsessing over my wardrobe, I am a fan of men’s fashion. My budget doesn’t exactly allow me to browse Armani or even Brooks Brothers much, but I am a firm believer in the fact that what I wear often directly relates slightly to how I feel about myself that day.
For the last year or so I’ve made a conscious decision to step up my game in certain settings. I now own a black tie, have embraced the sweater vest and realize the importance of having a few higher priced key pieces that I can mix and match rather than trying to load up on Kohl’s specials. I’ve been questioned a number of times by buddies on why I now regularly wear a tie and/or jacket to worship service and my answer always seems to come back to, “I’m an adult, I just figured I should probably start dressing like one.” (more…)
Happy third birthday! I’m floored every day by your wisdom, your excitement for life and for the amount of joy a little man can provide for so many people. Your first three years haven’t been without their share of bumps and bruises but you’ve been a trooper through every one and have some fascinating stories accompany each.
I wouldn’t normally position this letter in such a public forum, but this year you happen to share a birthday with a little Internet phenomenon called Blog Action Day. Each year, bloggers around the world unite on a single day to all write about a chosen topic. I’m not necessarily sure it actually spurs any action or proves any points but if it alerted even one to areas where they could help out, I can’t see the harm. Since I signed up and I’m borderline nerdy, I figured I’d join the revolution. (more…)
This has been all over the Twitters today but just finally got a chance to view it. Fantastic. @blankenship says it best, “it’s like a chronological retelling of my childhood.”
If you weren’t before, you should now be convinced that Fallon/Timberlake might be the best comedy duo of this decade. See: SNL – The Barry Gibb Talk Show
Also, sorry for the commercial but NBC has to make money I suppose.
*I’d love to credit where I stumbled across this but sadly, I just can’t remember. Apologies in advance if it was you.
I’ve never seen or heard of cooking on a salt plate but after this description and its supporting images, I’m sold. You can serve food on it both hot and cold, and as an added bonus, you can put it directly on the grill.
