Thought for the Day - Seeds

"Take note of the seeds planted in your life. Some seeds grow into beautiful flowers and others weeds." Make sure you cultivate the right seeds."
JD

Thought for the Day - Tough Get Going

"When the going gets tough the tough get going"
Anonymous

In these times of uncertainty, economic decline and fear how are you going to respond? I challenge you to ignore the fear and look for opportunities. Don't follow the crowd. Be tougher and get going

Thought for the Day - Diamonds and Pressure

Each time you are under pressure, remember pressure made diamonds! And you know diamonds are forever!
BTM

Personal Ramblings - Freedom

Just watched the ABC 20/20 show about the freeing of the 3 Americans hostages from their captives the FARC terrorist/guerillas in Columbia. A story like this increases my appreciation of the freedoms we enjoy. Check it out at ABC website.....

http://abcnews.go.com/search?searchtext=columbia%20hostage&type=

Thought for the Day - Courage

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
Winston Churchill

Personal Ramblings - Mind Blowing

Check this video out. It is mind blowing. Part of me would love to do this and part of me say's you got to be crazy. Amazing what human's are capable of....

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=1778399&server=vimeo.com&sho

Thanks to Tom Hill's Eaglezine

Thought for the Day - Raise the Bar - Teach Excellence

When you teach someone something, don’t teach him to be just as good as you. Teach him to be even better!
BTM

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 2 Bob Marley

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos # 1 Love Me If You Can

Toby Keith

Personal Ramblings - Film "Blood and Bone" Picked up by Sony

Good news for a film I co-produced / line produced last year. Congratulations to everyone involved......

*The underground fighting drama "Blood and Bone," toplined by actor Michael Jai White, was picked up by Sony Picutres Worldwide Acquisitions Group on the eve of the Sundance Film Festival, reports Variety.

White plays an ex-con who takes the underground fighting world by storm in his quest to fulfill a promise to a dead friend.

Eamonn Walker, Julian Sands, Nona Gaye and Kimbo Slice round out the cast. Ben Ramsey directed the picture penned by screenwriter Michael Andrews.

Saturday's Motivational Videos - Cynthia Kersey

Book Review - "Next Stop - Growing Up Wild-Style in the Bronx"

Another post about my roots in the Bronx. "NEXT STOP" is a fascinating book that takes me back to my days in the same neighborhood of the Bronx that the author lived in. It's a penetrating look at life in the 80's and 90's in the Kingsbridge Road area of the Northwest Bronx. Ivan Sanchez takes the reader into his world of poverty, crime, drugs, despair and death. It's a brutal and sad story yet unfortunately very true. Ivan who was born in the Bronx in 1972 and was able to escape in 1993 and recreate himself and create a new life for himself and his family in Virginia.

Ivan is a couple of generation younger than me and his world of the Bronx was a darker, more violent and destructive one than my experiences in the Bronx. I also grew up with the poverty, drugs, arson and crime in the South Bronx. The two different factors in my days were guns weren't as widespread and while heroin use was epidemic it didn't compare to the destructive nature of the crack epidemic. I also took a different path than Ivan when I was a teen. I took a path that would take me down a different road.

I moved to the Kinsgsbridge Area of the Bronx in the early 70's from the South Bronx where I was born and lived all my life. I moved there to organize for a radical/revolutionary anti drug organization that was associated with the Puerto Rican Young Lords Party. I spent four years in that neighborhood organizing.

I moved back to Ivan's neighborhood in the 80's from Chicago. I worked for a period of time with a local community organization the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition. I returned to the Bronx to start over and try to find myself and create a new life for myself. I left the Bronx in 1991 after attending the funerals of ex-girlfriend of mine who died of AIDS. I left for California to start over again and recreate myself. It was the best decision I ever made. I've been back to the Bronx many times since then to connect up with old friends. I also wonder how I survived it and how I created the life I have now and I am both amazed and grateful. I will be writing more about my life growing up in the Bronx

I came across the book "Next Stop" while browsing in Barnes and Nobles. The book may be about a world that you are unfamiliar with but it is a universal experience and ultimately a hopeful story that is worth the read. Ivan Sanchez shares the stories of his life and the lessons he learned the hard way. Check it out.....

Thought for the Day - "You Gotta Work"

"Some people dream of success... while others wake up and work hard at it." ~
Author Unknown

Personal Ramblings - Oprah's Show Today with Wounded Warriors at Walter Reed Hospital

The Oprah Winfrey show today will interview wounded warriors at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Oprah's film crew visited with the wounded warriors and family members in the Military Advanced Training Center which is a rehabilitation facility supporting amputees and others at Walter Reed.

Several Soldiers will be featured. It was filmed before a live audience and looks like a very moving show. Check it out.....

Support the Wounded Warriors Project: http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
and other programs that aided wounded soldiers.

Thought for the Day - "Just Do It"

"Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we
must do."

~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe


My daughter when she was little would answer me back when I told her I would think about it by saying, " Don't Think about it Daddy, Just Do it". Yes indeed, Just Do It....

Personal Ramblings - Letter to a Young Percussionist

My best friend from the Bronx published this on his blog. It's a good read and some good advice for anyone mastering a craft....


Message to a young percussionist.......
I'm not going to preach to anyone. It never did me much good. Rare is the individual wise enough to learn from observing and listening to others talk about their mistakes and not make the same ones. The human ego is such that we believe that we are immune and therefore must go through it ourselves to learn some of life's valuable lessons. No I will not preach, but rapidly coming up on 60 years of age, 37 years of which was spent playing my drums professionally, I can share some of my experiences which some of you may take to heart.
On the subject of talent let me say this. Our talent should be a source of humility. Some of us are born with more or less talent and Ive seen many with lots of natural talent never get where they wanted to go because of how they carried the gift around......

Read more : http://sentimientomanana.blogspot.com/2009/02/message-to-young-percussionist.html

Thanks to Willie Everich

Thought for the Day - "Little Engine that Could"

Are you the Little Engine that Could or Eeyore?

Personal Ramblings - Books, Books and more Books

As usual I'm on a reading blast. Here are the books on my table to read in the next month or two.....

Next Stop - Growing Up Wild Style in the Bronx - Ivan Sanchez
The Power Of Story - Change Your Story, Change Your Destiny in Business and Life - Jim Loeher
A Whole New mind - Why Right Brainers Will Rule the World - Daniel H. Pink
Are You Somebody - The Accidental Memoir of a Dublin Woman - Nuala O'Faolain
All Souls - A Family Story From Southie (second time I'm reading) - Michael Patrick McDonald

Of course I'm still reading my usual monthly magazines:

Success
INC
Fast Company
Wired
Movie Maker

And my list of must read books keeps growing by leaps and bounds. Now if I could only turn my reading into a income stream... Hmmmm.....

Thought for the Day - "What are you paying attention to?"

" A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest"
Paul Simon
What are you listen to and paying attention to and what are you disregarding that maybe you shouldn't.

Thought for the Day - "Healthy Skepticism"

"I don't necessarily agree with everything I say"
Marshall Mcluhan

This is a lesson I've learned a few times in my life. There were periods in my life that I believed that all my ideas were truth and I was clearly right and others wrong. I've later came to appreciate that all my dogmas were based on a lack of experience, knowledge and wisdom. I have come to develop a healthy skepticism and a openness to changing and revising my ideas. McLuhan captures it well.

Personal Ramblings - "The Wrestler" & Mickey Rourke

I recently saw the "The Wrestler". Worth seeing and Mickey Rourke deserved the Academy Award for his acting as Randy "The Ram" Robinson. I didn't watch the Oscars, too boring for me but Mickey Rourke was robbed in my opinion. The choice was clearly political. I think Mickey had a great line in an interview with Barbara Walter's before the Oscar's where he said "he would be honored to win the Oscar but ...... it wouldn't get him in to heaven".

Years ago during Mickey's worst period he was hired to work in a movie I was line producing and it didn't work out well and he was let go on his first day after much conflict with the producer. It was rather tragic but Mickey has made a great return and i wish him the best.

The movie "The Wrestler" is a film imitating life. It is the the exact opposite of the "Rocky" story. It's a hard to watch movie but worth the time spent going through the pain of the character Randy "The Ram's" life.

Go see it, it's a must see and I hope this role is a new beginning for Mickey......

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 2 - Dead and Gone

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 1 -My Next Thirty Years

Personal Ramblings - Life of Purpose

Friday morning I went to Santa Monica Pier to offer support to the Soldier's Ride of the Wounded Warriors Project. The ride is a bike ride by wounded soldiers and their supporters. I had a chance to talk to a couple of participants and was impressed by the spirit, motivation and sense of purpose of these wounded soldiers many who have lost limbs and suffered other serious injuries. I always find that whenever I volunteer I end up getting back more than i give. I came away with a renewed sense of perspective and motivation for my life. If you get a chance to support Wounded Warriors or similar projects I recommend you make the time to do it.

Saturday's Motivational Videos - Patrick Dixon

Personal Ramblings - Cha...Cha...Changes....

Life has a way sometimes of making sure you are aware of the lessons you need to learn or reminding you of the lessons you have learned already. Today was one of those times. I went to the gym for a much needed workout after fighting a flu for too many weeks. After my workout I'm standing in the locker room and there is a guy wearing a t-shirt with a communist hammer and sickle on it and I'm standing there wearing a t-shirt with a US Marine Corp emblem on it. What a contrast. Twenty five years ago our positions would have been reversed. Cha....Cha... Changes. I've lived a very interesting life and I was just reminded of one part of it.

Thought for the Day - "Fully Engage"

"If you must, then multi-task when it doesn't matter. Fully engage when it does."
Jim Loehr

Jim Loeher's book the "Power of Story" talks about the importance of going from absenteeism to presenteeism to full engagement.
Have you ever been fully engaged in any activity and think about the difference it how you felt and performed versus just being present.

Thought for the Day - "Shoot for the Moon"

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."

--Les Brown

Thought for the Day - Be a Life Long Reader and Student

"Be a lifelong reader and student"

Thought for the Day - Philosophy of Life

"Live as if you were to die tomorrow.
Learn as if you were to live forever."
— Mahatma Gandhi:

Thought for the Day - "Thank God, the Horsie didn't Poop"

"Thank God, the Horsie didn't Poop"
A cousin's daughter

I heard this story from my cousin who told me her twelve year old daughter was thrown violently from a horse she was riding and landed on her face. She had a mouth full of dirt when she was picked up. She was hurting but luckily not too bad. Her younger five year old sister put her hands on her hips and said, "Thank God, the Horsie didn't Poop". It brought a smile to my cousin.

I thought about it and it seemed like a great metaphor for life. When you land flat on your face in life it could always be worse.
Out of the mouths of babes..... "Thank God, the Horsie didn't Poop" So dust your self off, put it in perspective and maybe even chuckle at it as your think about it..... "Thank God, the Horsie didn't Poop"

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 2 - REM End of the World

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 1 Carlos Nunez

Valentine's Day - Romantic Music

Happy Valentine's Day

Saturday's Motivational Videos - Olympian

Thought for the Day - We See Things as We Are

"We don't see things as they are; we see things as we are."
Anais Nin


Think about this one. We all like to believe that what ever we think or believe are true but I would challenge you to question what assumptions and filters you have created to view the world with.

Thought for the Day - Time for some Financial Education

Here are some websites worth checking out and educating your self financially.....

Adult:

http://www. liveoutloud.com

http://www.abundancebound.com/

http://www.creativewealthintl.org/


http://www.daveramsey.com

http://www.suzeorman.com

http://www.baronseries.com

Youth:

http://www.ultimateallowancebook.com/

Debt Elimination Program:

http://www.mydebtfreeplan.com

Investing

http://www.philtown.com

http://www.fool.com

Thought for the Day - Mysteries of Life

"At times we shall simply have to admit that, one way or
another, what we can neither explain nor understand
certainly doesn't cease to exist because we cannot
see how it does or why it should."
— Dr. Mark Hyman:

I've had or observed a few of these "miracles" recently in my life and yes I have to agree.....

Thought For the Day - Hold On To Your Dreams

"Hold Fast To Dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly. "

--Langston Hughes

Thought For the Day - Maybe Yes, Maybe No

"Maybe Yes, Maybe No"
John Duffy

Over time I have developed a philosophy or attitude of "Maybe Yes, Maybe No". I wasn't even consciously aware of how often I would say it until a director I was working with on a movie in South Carolina "Who's Your Caddy?" put a sign with that quote on my office wall. He brought it to my attention and he thought it was funny. The context of it was the director would always ask me what I thought about some problem that arose and he would ask me if it was bad and I would answer maybe yes, maybe no. At one point the lead of our movie dropped out a couple of weeks before shooting and he said "this is really bad" and of course I said maybe yes, maybe no. It turned out to be a good thing as we replaced him with a better lead and the original lead got arrested a couple of weeks later.

Maybe Yes, Maybe No is my version of the Easter philosophy of Good News, Bad News.? Most of the time you don't really know the answer to that in the moment but only later. What seems good can turn into it's opposite or vice versa.

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 2 -Bruce Springsteen

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 1 -Don't Bang the Drum

Thanks to Sharon

Saturday's Motivational Videos - Doorman to Motivational Speaker

Thought For the Day - How You Do Anything is How You Do Everything

"How You Do Anything is How You Do Everything"
Unknown

Think about this one. It's pretty deep. How you play a game is how you play life. What are the patterns you run? Do they serve you or hold you back?

Thought for the Day - Power of One

“When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world.

As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country. But it, too, seemed immovable.

As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.

And now as I lie on my deathbed, I realize: If I had only changed myself first, then by example, I would have changed my family. From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country and, who knows, I may have even changed the world.”

–From the tomb of an Anglican Bishop in the Crypts of Westminster Abbey

Thanks to Tom Hill

Thought for the Day - Decide and Become

"Your life becomes the thing you have decided it shall be."
– Raymond Charles Barker

Thought for the Day - New Year - Get Financially Empowered

Now more than ever....
Get Financially Empowered

Check out these websites to get started.....

Financial Empowerment

http://www.daveramsey.com/

http://www.suzeorman.com/

http://www.abundancebound.com/

Investing

http://www.fool.com/

http://www.philtown.typepad.com/

Thought for the Day - The Blind Man

The Blind Man and the Elephant

It was six men of Indostan
To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant~(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation~Might satisfy his mind.
The First approached the Elephant,
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side, ~ At once began to bawl:
"God bless me! but the Elephant ~ Is very like a wall!"

The Second, feeling of the tusk,
Cried, "Ho! what have we here?
So very round and smooth and sharp? ~ To me 'tis mighty clear
This wonder of an Elephant ~ Is very like a spear!"

The Third approached the animal,
And happening to take
The squirming trunk within his hands, ~ Thus boldly up and spake:
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant ~ Is very like a snake!"

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,
And felt about the knee.
"What most this wondrous beast is like ~ Is mighty plain," quoth her;
"'Tis clear enough the Elephant ~ Is very like a tree!"

The Fifth who chanced to touch the ear,
Said: "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most; ~ Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant ~ Is very like a fan!"

The Sixth no sooner had begun
About the beast to grope,
Than, seizing on the swinging tail ~ That fell within his scope,
"I see," quoth he, "the Elephant ~ Is very like a rope!

And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion ~ Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right ~ And all were in the wrong!

Moral

So oft in theologic wars,
The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean,
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!

-John Godfrey Saxe

Does this remind you of anyone? Maybe someone real close? It couldn't be you? Of course not. If you could see me you would notice I'm moving my head up and down. Well I know it has been me at many times in my life. We all need the recognize the limit of our vision and be open to understand beyond our pre-conceived beliefs.....

John Duffy

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 2 - Eddi Reader

I just discovered Eddi Reader a Scottish Singer. Wow....

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 1 - My Wish

Saturday's Motivational Videos - Richard Branson

Thought for the Day - Don't Quit

DON'T QUIT!!!!

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low, and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
when he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst, that
You Must Not Quit.

- C. W. Longenecker

Thanks to Sahil Karanje - Positive Thinkers - Linkedin

Thought for the Day - Optimist or Pessimist

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Winston Churchill

Thought for the Day - It's all in How You See it

"The mark of your ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly."

Bach

Inspirational Story - Go Cardinals

I received this as an email from a good buddy. I thought it might be a hoax and did a little checking at snopes.com and it appears to be true yet the details are not factual. The real story is even more amazing . So read this internet version below and then go check out the real one at http://www.snopes.com/glurge/warner.asp

An inspirational story worth sharing....

GO CARDINALS

This is a pretty good story line if your team did not make the super bowl, and you're looking for a reason to support one of the teams.

KURTIS THE STOCK BOY AND BRENDA THE CHECKOUT GIRL

In a supermarket, Kurtis the stock boy was busily working when a new voice came over the loud speaker asking for a carry out at register 4. Kurtis was almost finished, and wanted to get some fresh air, and decided to answer the Call. As he approached the check-out stand a distant smile caught his eye, the new check-out girl was beautiful. She was an older woman (maybe 26, and he was only 22) and he fell in love.

Later that day, after his shift was over, he waited by the punch clock to find out her name. She came into the break room, smiled softly at him, took her card and punched out, then left. He looked at her card, BRENDA. He walked out only to see her start walking up the road. Next day, he waited outside as she left the supermarket, and offered her a ride home. He looked harmless enough, and she accepted. When he dropped her off, he asked if maybe he could see her again, outside of work. She simply said it wasn't possible.

He pressed and she explained she had two children and she couldn't afford a baby-sitter, so he offered to pay for the baby-sitter. Reluctantly she accepted his offer for a date for the following Saturday. That Saturday night he arrived
at her door only to have her tell him that she was unable to go with him. The baby-sitter had called and canceled. To which Kurtis simply said, "Well,let’s take the kids with us."

She tried to explain that taking the children was not an option, but again not taking no for an answer, he pressed. Finally Brenda, brought him inside to meet her children. She had an older daughter who was just as cute as a bug, Kurtis thought, then Brenda brought out her son, in a wheelchair, he was born a paraplegic with Down Syndrome.

Kurtis asked Brenda, "I still don't understand why the kids can't come with us?" Brenda was amazed. Most men would run away from a woman with two kids, especially if one had disabilities - just like her first husband and father of her children had done. Kurtis was not ordinary - - - he had a different mindset.

That evening Kurtis and Brenda loaded up the kids, went to dinner and the movies. When her son needed anything Kurtis would take care of him. When he needed to use the restroom, he picked him up out of his wheelchair, took him and brought him back. The kids loved Kurtis. At the end of the evening, Brenda knew this was the man she was going to marry and spend the rest of her life with.

A year later, they were married and Kurtis adopted both of her children. Since then they have added two more kids.

So what happened to Kurtis the stock boy and Brenda the check-out girl? Well, Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Warner now live in Arizona , where he is currently employed as the quarterback of the National Football League Arizona Cardinals and has his Cardinals in the hunt for a possible appearance in the Super Bowl. Is this a surprise ending or could you have guessed that he was not an ordinary person.

It should be noted that he also quarterbacked the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.
He has also been the NLF's Most Valuable Player twice and the Super Bowl's Most Valuable Player.

AND THE REST OF THE STORY:

When Kurt, his wife and 7 children go out to eat he has one of his children pick out a family eating at the restaurant. Kurt then tells the wait staff he is picking up the tab for that family's dinner annonimously. He remembers the days he was working nights In the grocery store and feeding his family on food stamps.

Makes it hard not to root for Kurt and the Cardinals IN THE SUPER BOWL

Thought for the Day - Life of Purpose

"The purpose of life is a life of purpose."

Robert Byrne: A leading chess player and newspaper columnist

Stedman Graham - You Can Make It Happen

Here is the outline from Stedman Graham's book. I met him a few years ago at a Mark Victor Hansen program. I read his book shortly after. It's worth a read....



Step 1: Check Your ID -- Who are you?
Step 2: Create Your Vision -- What is important to you?
Step 3: Develop Your Travel Plan -- How will you get there?
Step 4: Master the Rules of the Road -- How will you meet obstacles?
Step 5: Step Into the Outer Limits -- When should you take risks?
Step 6: Pilot the Seasons of Change -- How will you grow?
Step 7: Build Your Dream Team -- Who will you take along?
Step 8: Win by a Decision -- How will you make choices?
Step 9: Commit to Your Vision -- Where will you go?

Thought for the Day - Far in Life

How far you go in life depends

on your being tender with the young,

compassionate with the aged,

sympathetic with the striving

and tolerant of the weak and strong.

Because someday in life

you will have been all of these

George Washington Carver

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 #2 - All Good Things

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 1 - The Who - Success Story

Saturday's Motivational Video - Tony Robbins at TED

Thought for the Day - Makes You Go Hmmmm.......

"More die in the United States of too much food than of too little."
— John Kenneth Galbraith

Hmmmm.......

Obesity is a growing problem for our country and also for many other countries in the world. Things are never as simple as they seem. There's always two sides to everything....

Thought for the Day - Create Your Bucket List

I haven't seen the movie "The Bucket List" yet but I like the idea of writing up lists of things to accomplish in my life. i intend to create a list of 100 Things I want to achieve, do or become in my life.
I just created one for my eleven year old daughter of all the things she has done and accomplished already and she is filling in all the things she wants to do, be and achieve in her life. It's pretty cool to see her dreams on paper.....

Below is website that might get you started if you are interested in
stretching yourself...

http://bucketlists.wetpaint.com/

Thought for the Day - Where Are You Going?

"It doesn't matter where you are coming from.
All that matters is where you are going."
Brian Tracy

Congratulations President Obama

A historic day for President Barack Obama and a historic day for America.


Congratulations President Obama


Congratulations America

Uplifting Story - Bonnie Brae Knights March in Presidential Inauguration

Here's a an uplifting story about boys from the Bonnie Brae Residential Treatment Center in New Jersey. The boys in the home are troubled boys receiving treatment. The odds of them being picked were against them yet they were picked and will march.

Thought for the Day - Chooser or Loser

"Why do people choose to be losers instead of choosers? Answer: Because, when you make a choice, you are taking a chance. So, here we are: Choose to be a loser or choose to be a chooser—either one, it's up to you.

It is the courage to choose. You must have it. It takes a lot of nerve to make a decision. That's why many people are not choosers but losers. You make the decision either to be a chooser or a loser. "

Reverend Schuller

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 2 -Live Like You were Dying

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 1 -You Have A Friend

Saturday's Motivational Video 2009 - Steve Linder

Here is video of Steve Linder who worked as a trainer for Tony Robbins. I met and worked with him a few times on Tony Robbin programs.

Miracle on the Hudson

Everyone has heard by now of the "Miracle on the Hudson" and the heroic behaviour of the pilot. There was a lot of heroes that day and here is an interesting story /video about one of them, a passenger who is part of the Tony Robbins team/family.

http://tonyrobbinstraining.com/67/heroes/?ec=MOH

Resources - Foundation For Better Life

Just saw an excellent commercial about a group of kids in the Special Olympics crossing the finishing line together. It was made by this interesting foundation. Check them out....

http://forbetterlife.org/

Thought for the Day - The Future

"The future has several names. For the weak, it is 'impossible.' For the faint-hearted, it is the 'unknown.' For the thoughtful and valiant, it is 'ideal.' For the challenged, it is 'urgent.' The task is large. The time is now."
Victor Hugo

Martin Luther King's Birthday - I Have a Dream

MLK - A LEADER WITH A DREAM - AMERICA A COUNTRY OF DREAMS

Cutting Edge - Educational Excellence Part 2

Here are a couple of other sources to support educational improvement....

Success Foundation

http://www.successmagazine.com/Making-a-Difference/PARAMS/article/482/channel/24

The Leader in Me - Stephen R. Covey

http://www.TheLeaderInMe.org/

Thought for the Day - Challenge

Every Day is a Challenge..... Prepare for It.......

Thought for the Day - Don't Settle

'Once you say you're going to settle for second, that's what happens to you in life"
John F Kennedy

Finding Happiness - A Little Video

A little uplifting video for your day from Nightingale-Conant

http://www.ncfindingjoymovie.com/4

Thought For Day - Dreams and Anguish Bring Us Together

"Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together."

~ Eugene Ionesco

Monthly Success Stories -January 2009 - Colin Powell

I start off this ongoing post on Monthly Success Stories about someone who grew up in my neighborhood of the South Bronx a few years before I did. I know some of the more political readers will have strong opinions and either like him or dislike him, yet no matter what your political perspective Colin Powell's life is a story of great personal success. I know what his beginnings were because I grew up there and I just spent a day in my old neighborhood the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx over the holidays with friends who still live there. So it's been a long climb and there is a lot we can learn from his life....

Colin Powell is both a Bronx and an American Success Story.....



Books about Colin Powell:




Coincidentally Success Magazine has run a cover article about Colin Powell in it's upcoming February issue. Read it here.....

http://www.successmagazine.com/Power-and-Influence/PARAMS/article/511/channel/19

Thought for the Day - It's Not What You Know But What You Do

"Knowing is not enough, you must apply, willing is not enough, you must do"
Bruce Lee

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 2 - I Want It All

Sunday's Eclectic Music Videos 2009 # 1 - Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Saturday's Motivational Videos - Leadership

Bill Strickland @ TED



http://www.ted.com/

Thought for the Day - Sculpt Your Life

"Today stretches ahead of me, waiting to be shaped.
And here I am, the sculptor who gets to do the shaping. "
Contributed by Anil Gupta - Positive Thinkers Group Linkedin

Thought for the Day - You're Right...No, You're Right

"Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right!"

Hmmm. I wonder which one you will believe now......

Resource - Story Corp - Oral History

Here is an interesting resource I want to share with you.

Years ago I conducted oral history interviews for a Bronx Oral History project @ Lehman College in the Bronx. I also interviewed and was interviewed by Studs Terkel. My interview was in his book "American Dream Lost and Found".

Story Corps provides an interesting service of capturing personal histories. Check them out....

http://www.storycorps.net/

Thought for the Day - What If?

"What if I do?

What if I dont?"

Corrie Woods

Powerful questions to ask yourself to move your life forward.....

Cutting Edge - Educational Excellence

Life long learning is one of my greatest passions. I always loved reading and learning even after I dropped out of high school at the age 15. Many years later I would get my GED, attend and graduate from college. Today I have a daughter who is about to enter middle school so education remains an important issue for me.

Here are some interesting examples of what I believe are programs, institutions, administrators, and teachers who are at the cutting edge of excellence in education. If you are interested in education check them out....




http://www.ronclarkacademy.com/

http://www.kipp.org/?gclid=CIexv_CK85cCFREeDQodLQhJDQ

http://www.hcz.org/

http://www.hobartshakespeareans.org/

http://www.cristorey.net/

http://www.manchesterguild.org/About_mcg.htm

http://www.ichoosetostay.com/

Thought for the Day - Responsibility

"The only person responsible for your present reality and your future opportunities is you".
Darren Hardy

Real American Stories

I find myself visiting this site regularly to check out the new American stories. It's a great site that reminds me of the diversity and strength that makes up the American Experience.... Check out the site and some of the stories....

http://www.realamericanstories.com/

http://www.realamericanstories.com/giuliana-rancic/?curpage=0

http://www.realamericanstories.com/mathew-knowles/

Thought for the Day - Do You Keep a Journal?

Keeping a personal journal is a great way to begin recording your life-your own story, dreams, goals, victories, ideas, thoughts! Start recording your life as you ring in a New Year.

"A Life Worth Living is a Life Worth Recording! If you're serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured and unique individual, keep a journal." — Jim Rohn

I have been keeping a journal since the late 1980's. I have also kept a few journals for my daughter. I recommend you start a journal for the New Year........

Cutting Edge - MacWorld

Here's a link with a little preview of the upcoming Macworld event for all you Mac users.....

http://www.enduserblog.com/2009/01/bites-from-the.html

Sunday's Eclectic Music Video 2009 # 2 - A Moment Like This

Sunday's Eclectic Music Video 2009 # 1 - One Moment in Time

Saturday's Motivational Videos - Leadership

"Make the Impossible Possible" - Bill Strickland



http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/17/genius.html

http://www.manchesterguild.org/bio.htm

Personal Ramblings - Commitments and No TV Viewing

I made a decision in mid November to stop watching TV. I felt I could better use the time to push my projects forward and use the time for more productive pursuits. So i have achieved my goal of not watching TV until the new year. Now I am going to extend my no TV viewing until April. I'm using the time to read and write. I might make the practise of eliminating TV viewing a more permanent habit.

Thought for the Day - Know Your Direction

“If you board the wrong train, it is no use running along the corridor in the opposite direction.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer

New Year - New Goals - JD's Fifteen Rules to Master Your Life

To start off the New Year. My Fifteen Rules to Master Your Life

1. Solutions, Solutions, Solutions. Okay, I heard the problem
now what’s the solution? There’s always a way and an answer.
Your job is to find it.

2. Daily Improvement (DI) - Decide – Resolve – Act. Everyday do
just 1 more thing to improve.
What if you improved 1 thing every day?

3. Take Action and then takes some more. Get in the game.

4. Never Quit. - Promise yourself you will never give up.

5. Be A Leader. Step Up. Life needs more leaders not followers.

6. It’s all about Choices. You always have choices, make the right ones.

7. Gratitude, Gratitude, Gratitude and then some more Gratitude.
We all have so much to be thankful for.

8. You can either get Results or make Excuses. You can’t do both. Your choice.

9. Put everything in Perspective. Things can always get better and
they can always get worse. So no whining, just make it better.

10. Laugh at life, laugh at yourself. Life ain’t all that serious until it is.

11. Celebrate Success. Don’t follow the culture and knock the successful.

12. You are responsible for your life, so take responsibility.

13. Go for your Dreams. No, I mean REALLY go for them.

14. Understand Life is not Fair. So what, just more challenges
to overcome. The stronger the wind the stronger the trees.
Be Strong

15. Master the 3 F’s (Family, Fitness & Finances) and the 1 C (Career)
and you”ll get an A at Life. And life will reward your effort.
So, Just Do It!!!!!!

Happy New Year

A Happy New Year to all my family in Ireland, England, Australia, Canada, Germany and the United States, and to all my friends, colleagues and to everyone who reads my blog. Best wishes for a happy, successful, productive and prosperous New Year.....


U2 - New Year's Day



El Condor Pasa