Thanksgiving posts are early this year because I’m planning to take the holiday off—all four days. I can’t wait. It’s not that I’m going anywhere, actually I plan to spend those four days doing stuff that I’ve put off for months and in a few cases years. If I manage to stay on plan I will really have something to celebrate come November 26.

Today’s quotes fall in two categories; the first is dedicated to those who serve on Wall Street and kindred souls who frequently forget what they have in their effort to have more; the second is just plain fun.

Just so there’s no mistake, I’m referring to the group what fits Horace’s comment, “Only a stomach that rarely feels hungry scorns common things.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon outlined the attitude perfectly when he said, “You say, ‘If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.’ You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.”

Robert Flatt seconds that in his comment, “Thanksgiving like contentment is a learned attribute. The person who hasn’t learned to be content…lives with the delusion he deserves more or something better.”

Forward these quotes to anyone you know heading down that path; I doubt they will recognize themselves, but one can always hope.

Now for some fun.

Erma Bombeck provides the real reason for the name ‘Thanksgiving’ (I always wondered, but never knew for sure.) “What we’re really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?”

If you remember your school lessons they always show Indians bringing food to the first Thanksgiving, but Dylan Brody’s insight shows why it’s a good idea to listen to your elders, “You know that just before that first Thanksgiving dinner there was one wise, old Native American woman saying, “Don’t feed them. If you feed them, they’ll never leave.”

And Irv Kupcine reminds us of the true nature of the-glass-is-half-full people, “An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day.”

And on that note I’ll leave with a Thanksgiving rhyme from our old friend Anonymous,

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
and your pies take the prize,
and may your Thanksgiving dinner
stay off your thighs!

Flickr image credit: Kevin Tostado

Are you as disgusted with political campaigning as I am?

The lies and slurs are tiresome no matter who you like, because, as we all know, the other side always lies.

Some feel the lies and attacks are far worse than ever before and long to return to a more civilized political era, such as that of our founding fathers.

The good news is that the lies and attacks aren’t worse, just more frequent.

The bad news is that our founding fathers were as bad if not worse.

And the prime mud, then as now, involved race and religion.

In 1796 and 1800 John Adams supporters accused Thomas Jefferson of being “godless” as well as sleeping with a slave.

“God and a religious president, or Jefferson and no God!” (…) Jefferson versus Adams may also have the dubious distinction of being the first time the so-called race card was played.

The information comes from a fascinating article that provides the rest of today’s quotes, along with excellent commentary and a sample of political cartoons that are markedly harsher than today’s.

As is frequently the case when it comes to politics, our perceptions about political election history are more a function of misconceptions colored by wishful thinking.

Flickr image credit: By Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Last week I shared quotes about living life; today I thought we’d check out commentary starting with what life is.

Sren Aaby Kierkegaard wrapped it up neatly when he said, “Life is not a problem to be solved but a reality to be experienced.”

Alan Bennett’s opinion is more depressing, “Life is generally something that happens elsewhere.”
Andrew Brown suggests that for many people these days ‘elsewhere’ refers to cyberspace, “The Internet is so big, so powerful and so pointless that for some people it is a complete substitute for life.”

Pearl Buck has, to my mind, a more upbeat and accurate belief, “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.”
For the many people who buy into Bennett’s attitude, while laying the blame elsewhere, I recommend they consider the words of Louis L’Amour, “There comes a time when it lies within a man’s grasp to shape the clay of his life into the sort of thing he wishes to be. Only the weak blame parents, the times, lack of good fortune, or quirks of fate.”

Shaping your life usually means change. Change is a choice; a choice that every person makes many times during their life. William James offers three things to do to make it happen. He says, “To change your life;
-Start immediately
-Do it flamboyantly
-No exceptions”

Good advice, especially when we remember Winston Churchill’s wise words, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
But how do we know if we’re doing it correctly? We don’t; we can only do our best. As Goethe tells us, “Life can only be understood backwards, but must be lived forwards.”

If you do look backwards know that you will find many things that in hindsight would be better done differently or not at all, but rather than wasting time on regrets consider Tallulah Bankhead’s attitude, “If I had my life to live over again, I’d make the same mistakes, only sooner.”
I’ll leave you to day with this thought and a ling to my favorite Rule.

Diane Ackerman said, “I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I have just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.”

I vehemently agree and expounded on that in the very first Rule I posted way back in 2006.

Flickr image credit: Joe Wolf

There is an Indian saying that a journey of 1000 miles starts with a single step, but as Anonymous reminds us, “If you don’t start you won’t arrive.”

You will travel further if you follow Alan McGinnis’ advice, “Focus on your potential instead of your limitations.”

Life is a long journey during which it is good to remember the words of Arthur Koestler, “Courage is to never let your actions be influenced by your fears.”

Years ago Dear Abby responded to a reader in her mid thirties who had come into enough money to follow a dream and become a doctor. Friends were discouraging her because by the time she finished her residency she would be in her mid-forties and she asked what Abby thought. I’ve never forgotten the answer; Abby said that while it was true she would be in her forties when she became a doctor in ten years she would be in her forties no matter what she did. A shorter version is offered by George Eliot said, “It is never too late to be what you might have been.”

In that same vein are the inspiring words of Mary Engelbreit, “If your ship hasn’t come in—swim out to it.”

Our lives and who we are reflect our experiences. Most people believe we each have only one life to live, but you can live many lives through books as Charles Scribner reminds us, “Reading is a means of thinking with another person’s mind; it forces you to stretch your own.”

In closing I offer the sage advice of two very different people, one from the world of music and the other from the world of sports.

Ray Charles said, “Don’t go backwards, you’ve already been there,” while Will Foley reminds us, “The world is full of cactus, but you don’t have to sit on them.”

Both are ideas I work hard to adhere to.

Image credit: luke_wes

Here is the fourth installment of comments about politics; if you missed the previous ones you may find them here 1, 2, and 3. You’ll notice I named the third one “I Hate Politics 3,” which was actually an error, but one I like, so I’m going to continue using it.

Politicians come from varied backgrounds; in times past most were lawyers, but these days they are truly anything; or, as Robert Louis Stevenson so aptly puts it, Politics is perhaps the only profession for which no preparation is thought necessary.

Gore Vidal adds a telling comment to that with which I totally agree, Any American who is prepared to run for president should automatically, by definition, be disqualified from ever doing so.

As campaigns heat up the zingers always fly thicker and faster; one of the best came from Adlai Stevenson, in a 1952 campaign speech, I offer my opponents a bargain: if they will stop telling lies about us, I will stop telling the truth about them.

Some lies never die (even when they should) and some of the nastiest seem to hang around forever (BTW, nasty isn’t a new trend as some seem to think, but more on that another week.) Our old friend Anonymous made a good point when he said, Why pay money to have your family tree traced; go into politics and your opponents will do it for you.

It’s hard to argue with the wisdom of Will Rogers, especially this little gem, If we got one-tenth of what was promised to us in these  acceptance speeches there wouldn’t be any inducement to go to heaven.

Have a great rest-of-the-weekend and I’ll see you tomorrow.

Flickr image credit:

In addition to winning the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965, Richard Feynman was ranked as one of the ten greatest physicists of all time by Physics World. I find most of what he says applies easily to the business world as well as my personal world.

“Our imagination is stretched to the utmost, not, as in fiction, to imagine things which are not really there, but just to comprehend those things which ‘are’ there.” Innovators are supposed to see around corners and provide us with things we never dreamed of, but what of all that is and never even noticed as we pass through the world.

“We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress.” This is so true; I wish more scientists would admit it and stop presenting their efforts, which change so quickly, as “answers,” especially in the medical arena.

Here is another one that should be taken to heart by pharmaceutical and medical researchers, “When things are going well, something will go wrong. When things just can’t get any worse, they will. Anytime things appear to be going better, you have overlooked something.”

That statement leads us to another of Feynman’s insights, “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.”

If you buy that, then this next idea will definitely resonate with you, “The idea is to try to give all the information to help others to judge the value of your contribution; not just the information that leads to judgment in one particular direction or another.”

Is science a constantly expanding and changing body of information or, as Feynman says, “Science is the belief in the ignorance of the experts?”

I’m not sure how well Feynman would do in today’s world of personal branding and flaunted ego. A guy who says, “I’m smart enough to know that I’m dumb” is unlikely to provide sound bites on “lay” matters—especially one who publicly states, “I believe that a scientist looking at nonscientific problems is just as dumb as the next guy.”

Hat tip to Wally Bock for introducing me to Richard Freynman

Image credit: Wikipedia

The conventions may be over, but the rhetoric is still going strong. Did you know it’s a requirement for politicians to have a PhD—which stands for ‘piled higher and deeper’—and that’s no bull. Adams and Lincoln never qualified as politicians, but both made it as statesmen.

Ambrose Bierce starts us out with a wonderful definition of politics, just so we’re all on the same page. “Politics: A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.”

Over the years I’ve read many descriptions of politicians and Congress, but John Adams provided my favorite when he said, “In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm and three or more is a congress”

The next quote is from Lincoln, “Republicans are for both the man and the dollar, but in case of conflict the man before the dollar,” but times have changed and it would be more accurate to say, “Republicans are for both the man and the dollar, but in case of conflict the dollar before the man.” Of course, it applies just as easily to Democrats.

Andy Borowitz offers our final insight today. I don’t know for sure when he said it, but it’s been applicable since before I could vote, “It would be nice to spend billions on schools and roads, but right now that money is desperately needed for political ads.”

(Did you miss the first two I Hate Politics? You can see them here and here.)

Image credit: Jack

Excellence. People talk about it all the time; kids are told to strive for excellence; companies claim excellence for their people, culture, work environment and, of course, their products. But what is excellence really?

John W. Gardner says, “Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.” As opposed to half-assed, which seems to be more the norm these days.

While Rick Pitino believes, “Excellence is the unlimited ability to improve the quality of what you have to offer.” Too bad more companies don’t take this to heart.

Excellence isn’t an accident and it rarely makes its appearance early in any process. As Aristotle said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Is there a way to claim excellence through other than our own actions? According to Voltaire there is, “By appreciation, we make excellence in others our own property.”

Thomas Boswell tells us, “There is no substitute for excellence – not even success” Obviously Wall Street wouldn’t agree!

Finally, here’s an anonymous bit that explains excellence in a most excellent fashion.

“Excellence can be obtained if you:
…care more than others think is wise;
…risk more than others think is safe;
…dream more than others think is practical;
…expect more than others think is possible.”

Flickr image credit: Micah Taylor

The other day I was looking for something that I thought was from Aristotle. I’ve quoted Aristotle before on various subjects, but some of what I came across could just as easily be specific commentary on today’s technology and workplace instead of thoughts from more than 2000 years ago.

On hiring: “Personal beauty is a greater recommendation than any letter of introduction”

On managing: “No one loves the man whom he fears.”

On entrepreneurism: “First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end.”

On Facebook: “He who hath many friends hath none.” and “A friend to all is a friend to none.”

On Social in general: “Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow-ripening fruit.”

On unwiring vs. 24/7 connectedness: “He is his own best friend, and takes delight in privacy whereas the man of no virtue or ability is his own worst enemy and is afraid of solitude.”

So, what do you think? Am I nuts?

Flickr image credit: Tilemahos

Remember the line “these are a few of my favorite things” from Sound of Music? I have favorite words. They have varied meanings, but all have one thing in common; they are fun to say and feel good in your mouth. So without more ado, here are seven of my favorite words along with what they mean and some irreverent commentary from moi.

Bumbershoot = umbrella. I learned this word when I was really young and just like to say it; try it, it will cheer you right up.

Humongous = extraordinarily large. This one is fun to say and useful, too.

Utterly = completely; absolutely. I use this mostly in response to something about which I feel strongly.

Adamant = utterly unyielding in attitude or opinion in spite of all appeals, urgings, etc. A good description of most public figures (especially politicians) these days.

Boondoggle = work of little or no value done merely to keep or look busy. This is actually the secondary definition, although the one people are most familiar with. The primary definition is “a product of simple manual skill, as a plaited leather cord for the neck or a knife sheath, made typically by a camper or a scout.” That’s not nearly as much use as the other, but either way it’s a word that’s fun to say.

Scallywag = a scamp or rascal, but that’s the informal definition. The formal definition was news to me: “(after the US Civil War) a White Southerner who supported the Republican Party and its policy of Black emancipation. Scallywags were viewed as traitors by their fellow Southerners.” Take your pick or just say it fast three times for fun.

Scrumptious = very pleasing, especially to the senses; delectable; splendid. Great meaning and tastes great as it rolls off your tongue.

Elan = dash; impetuous ardor. The perfect way to live your life.

What are some of your favorite words?

Flickr image credit: ercwttmn