Category Archives: Uncategorized

In several of my posts I’ve mentioned valuable ideas I’ve learned from reading How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. It helps me understand people. Rule number one in the book is do not criticize, condemn or complain. He understood it only brings resentment and bad will. I’ve also learned much fromContinue reading “Rule Number One”

I mentioned in another post that my dad was an orthodontist. He was also a rancher. That seems like a strange combination, but he made it work beautifully. I was helping him work cattle one day when I was about ten. Working cattle isn’t easy, in case you’ve never done it. I made a mistakeContinue reading “The World is Going to Keep Right on Turning”

The 60s and 70s was an interesting time to grow up. The music being created was one of the best parts of that era. So many bands/singers were at the crest of their careers. The top selling album of all time in the United States is The Eagles Greatest Hits 1971-1975. It is packed fullContinue reading “Eagle Wisdom”

I had the honor of speaking at my Dad’s funeral. I said having him for a Dad was like having the answers in the back of the book. He was known for his wisdom and being able to figure out just about anything. Being an orthodontist in a small town, lots of people called himContinue reading “Why Take a Chance?”

Being a cowboy when I was a kid was hard work. We were often moving heavy things. Thank goodness we always had a strong helper. My dad called him Archimedes. It was a strong iron bar we kept in the back of the pickup. Archimedes was the great Greek mathematician who said, “Give me aContinue reading “Leverage”

In 2011 my good friend Ed told me about TED talks. I soon got hooked and would watch them while eating lunch at my desk. I didn’t know a couple of them would alter the course of my life. In March of 2011 Kathryn Schulz gave a talk about being wrong. It changed the wayContinue reading “Being Wrong”

I spent most of my adult life selling insurance and coaching basketball. It was important for me to be a good communicator. I learned quickly that my choice of words mattered. One of the most effective word choices I make is replacing but with and. I do that when someone is giving me information andContinue reading “No Buts”

Many years ago I read a story about a young couple who just got married. The wife wanted to cook a nice meal for her husband. She made a delicious ham dinner. After they finished eating the husband complimented his wife on the food. Then he asked a question. “I noticed you cut the twoContinue reading “CYA”

“Throw me a pop up.” Those were my last words of my very first pee-wee league baseball practice. My friend Michael Taylor obliged, but the ball came down out of the blinding sun and hit me right in the mouth. It busted my lip and broke off one of my front teeth. I was sevenContinue reading “Investing”

My aerobic exercise of choice for over a decade has been cycling. It’s easy on my back and joints. However, because I live in Texas I often cycle on windy days. Sometimes the wind is in my face. I like it better when it’s at my back. That makes cycling much more pleasant, even ifContinue reading “Setting Sail”