Category: Uncategorized

Say No to the COVID “15”

The newest thing people are complaining about is putting on the COVID “15”. At first, I thought it was a typo. I asked my wife and she told me that it was a real thing. People are making terrible nutritional choices, and they are blaming the pandemic. I am both disgusted and disappointed.

The lockdown is a challenge for all of us. It is also an opportunity for us to rise above and become better. Instead, people are treating it with the same humor that we use to describe the terrible nutritional decisions we made when we were teenagers. This is a time to clean up our diets. It is time to find out more about eating well and to implement it into our lives. We have more time at home. We need to decide to use this time to learn how to prepare new foods that are good for us and fit our nutritional goals. Take the opportunity to Just Be Better.

OVer the years, I have developed some good habits that I can use to resist the COVID “15”. Here are some basic guidelines that I follow:

Get 7-8 hours a sleep per night

Eat 3 meals with no snacks over an 8-hour window

Eat at least 2-3 servings of fruits and vegetables per meal (half of my plate)

Stay away from processed food, fast food, fried food, microwaved food.

Drink ½ your body weight in water.

There are a lot of other things that one can do to be nutritionally healthy. Do not use the challenges of today as an excuse to add to the challenges of tomorrow. Resist the COVID “15” and use this time to make better decisions

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.

Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

I usually end my emails with “Thank you. Have a great day.” If it is a Friday, I may change day to weekend. Either way, Ilike it because it is not too formal and not too casual. A balance of politeness with good intentions.

These days, I didn’t feel that the my email ending was true to my feelings. I do want people to have a great day or weekend, but times are difficult. Instead, I wanted to give them a message that has been true to me over the last seven weeks of the Corona Virus Lockdown.

Since we have been on lockdown, I have worked hard to eat better and to dial in my workouts. I believe in health and I believe in strength. No matter what the circumstances, it is important that we work on both. I will continue to use “Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.” as my email ending until I find the need to better align my words to our circumstances.

Use your words well. Just because something has worked over the years does not mean that we have to keep using it. I have used “Every Day is an Interview.” for a few years and just switched to “Just Be Better.” Sometimes, something better does come along. Make sure your words are aligned with your thoughts and feelings.

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong.

What Are They Thinking?

The apex for the Spread of the Coronavirus should occur in the next week or two. We have been told to practice social distancing and to only go out for necessities. We are not supposed to gather in groups and we are not supposed to have any gatherings. Also, we cannot go to stores without wearing facemasks. But we can go outside to walk the dog.

My wife and oldest son took our dog Ellie for a walk. It was a good source of exercise for all three of them and they needed to get out of the house. When they came back, they were disgusted by the number of people in our development who were hanging out in groups. There was one group of families walking their dogs together. There was another house that had 7 or 8 kids in their backyard. We know these people and they only have three children. There was another gathering of 10 or so people on another’s front yard.

What are people thinking? Just because they do not have outward signs or symptoms does not mean that they do not have the virus. People’s selfish lack of attention is going to cost others their health. They are going to push this virus forward and it will take longer for us to return to normalcy. Many need to get to work. Few need to gather on their front lawns.

Just Be Better.

Just Be Better (JBB)

It is the start of week 5 of the “ Corona Virus-lockdown” in New Jersey and I have to take advantage of the huge opportunity of time that I have to improve myself. Thus far, I have done a decent job of getting things in order. During the first few days of the lockdown, I had the time I needed to grieve a friend and colleague who passed away on the first day of the lockdown after a long illness. I felt bad that I was not physically there at the funeral or able to be with my staff to help them through the grieving process, but there was nothing that I could do. The time away from everyone allowed me to put things in perspective and move forward, even with a heavy heart. I still think about him every day. It was a devastating process to go through. During the next two and a half weeks, I got used to working from home, setting up a virtual learning environment, having meetings when no one was in the room, having the 1-to-1 talks that I needed to have with my staff and students, and getting consistent with my workouts, my meditation, my Taekwondo, and my guitar. Last week, I spent most of the time getting my staff and students ready for spring break. My family and I had a nice Easter. My wife even put little masks on the chocolate bunny rabbits. You have to include humor no matter the situation. My family and I are in a fortunate (healthy) place.

Now it is time to move forward. I actually have off this Monday and I plan to get two major work-projects completed by the end of this week. Now that I have everything in order, it is time to focus on taking things to the next level. My goal, to “Just Be Better”, whether as a father, a husband, a musician, a school administrator, an athlete, a writer, a reader, a sleeper, a gardener, a martial artist, a weight lifter, a folder of laundry, a bathroom cleaner, a coach, a mentor, a friend, and most importantly, as a person.

Whatever your situation, good luck, stay healthy, and “Just Be Better” (JBB)

Be Like Josh

I am a huge John Frusciante fan. He is one of my all time favorite guitarists. Even though I am not the biggest Red Hot Chili Peppers (RHCP) fan, I love his playing and the songs he created with the band. I went to see them once. He had left the band a month or so beforehand, but I had already bought the tickets. I went to the show as there were a few other bands playing that night that I wanted to see. The RHCP were talented and entertaining, but something was missing without John F. There is indescribable energy emanating from their music when he is a member of the band.

I was so excited when he came back to the band the first time and I was sad to see him leave a  second time. I followed his solo career. Some of it was amazing and some of it was ok. I liked his music better when he was a member of the RHCP. A few of his songs with the RHCP,  such as Higher Ground, I Could Have Lied, and Don’t Forget Me are on constant play in my car and in my offices. 

I was really excited to hear that he was coming back to the Red Hot Chili Peppers for a second time. I am not familiar with his replacement’s, Josh Klinghoffer, work with the band. I started to read the interviews Josh gave after he was released from the band. He was absolutely gracious in his disappointment. He had nothing but praise for the other members of the band and for John’s playing. Clearly, he wanted to still be in the band, but he knew why he wasn’t. His greatest statement to the band was “I wish I did something that would make your [the Red Hot Chili Peppers’] decision impossible.” He knew that there was better chemistry between John and the band. He knew that John was an amazing master and had a bigger impact on the Red Hot Chili Peppers. He did not blame anyone else. He knew that the band was better with John. He took the news that his dreams were shattered with class and dignity. 

I want to be more like Josh in everything that I do. He may not be one of my favorite guitar players, but he is an amazing example of how I want to live my life, with great dignity and character. Talent is good, but character is more important. Now I have two RHCP guitarists to look up to.

Be Better

Clapping for What?

What is with the clapping on Social Media? 

Do people actually think it is meaningful?

Skip the posturing, do something useful.

My wife told me this morning that there are people on Facebook who film themselves clapping for others. Why? I don’t know? (Before I posted, I found out that they were clapping for doctors, nurses, first responders, etc.). Don’t these clappers realize that their clapping isn’t helping anyone? If you want to clap for, give our first responders the supplies they need. Just as good, stay inside and socially distance yourself from everyone so that this virus cannot travel around and infect more people. When you successfully perform social distancing, you can clap all you want… for yourself.

This clap sounds like a combination of a disease and those stupid “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” commercials. Are they clapping so others can make them feel important about doing nothing? If you want others to see your greatness, do something useful. If you need everyone’s reassurance that you are living a good life, post a picture of yourself staying away from everyone else. In this crisis, this is the most useful action you can do. 

An additional question for the clappers. Do you post your “clappings” online to make yourself feel better about yourself or is it the belief that your clapping is making a difference?

And one more. If a person claps in a forest, does anyone hear it?

Don’t posture on social media by doing something meaningless, like clapping. Posture by doing the right thing, like staying home during the pandemic.  Would clapping in private make you feel as good as clapping on social media so you can get all of those likes, hearts, and emoticons? Why not? 

Staying home be the most heroic action that you can take that could potentially save scores of others, including your love ones? I’d clap for that, but I won’t post it on Social Media.

Be Better.

Pepper Lady

On Saturday, we, my wife and youngest son included went to Wegmans to get resources for the week. We needed to shore up a few supplies that have a short “shelf-life” (seafood and produce). Luckily, the meat and paper towels were also plentiful that day. Towards the end of the trip, my wife asked me to wait with our son while she picked up one the last thing. As my son and I were waiting by the produce section, i scanned to see if there was anything we missed. While I was looking through the fruits, I saw an older lady “man-handling” every green pepper in the pepper bin with her bare hands.

Normally, this would not bother me as I wash my produce before I store it and before I use it in a meal. However, we are in the beginning stages of a pandemic. WTF is she doing? What was she thinking? Doesn’t she know that the Corona Virus is going around and her demographic is not doing well when they get it? Maybe she missed all of the signs that said please use a plastic bag to keep your hands from sharing germs with the produce and, just as importantly, to keep the produce from sharing the germs of everyone else who decided to also touch it with their bare hands from latching on to you. Maybe she thought that she would not get the virus if she touched every pepper in the store. Maybe she thought that sharing her germs via the green peppers would make everyone feel better about the pandemic.

People are selfish.

Don’t touch the food that you are not going to buy it. Don’t share your germs with others. If you touch it, buy it, and eat it. My family’s safety depends on it. 

To the pepper lady, you may be the most selfish person in Wegmans and you might not even realize it. We are in the middle of a pandemic. You might not get the perfect pepper every time you go shopping. That is ok. The not-so-perfect ones taste just as good. Here is to you living a long life, especially after you find out that the pepper you picked was no different than the other 32, yes I counted, you put back in the rack.

Be Better.

Be Better

This is a trying time for evryone around the world. No matter how hard it is, strive to be better. Be better in your thoughts, in your actions, in yur words, and in the way you spend your time.

I am here to help. Please reach out if you need any support

Every day is an interview.

Leadership

Now, more than ever, we need leaders. We need leaders who will help others to survive in difficult situations. Surround yourself with these leaders. Stay away from Facebook (Captain Facecrook) Instagram (Instasham), Snapchat (Snapchump). These sites are not going to provide you with the leadership and the guidance you need. Stick to The Center for Disease Control (CDC), The World Health Organization (WHO), and Johns Hopkins University. They have earned my respect as a leader based on their previous performances.

Stay Calm. I heard a leader speak in one of my buildings the other day. There was fear in his voice. Instead of his encouraging words helping others, they added to the fear that his team already had. Though he tried to do a good deed, he did not help all of those who listened to his message

My wife and I are scared of what might happen. We are especially scared because there is nothing else that we can do to protect ourselves, our family, or our dog. We are appropriately, and ethically (I did not hoard toilet paper, cereal, bleach, frozen food, or paper towels… I still do not get the toilet paper scare) stocked with supplies. We have been doing a good job of staying calm in front of our kids. This is helping them to stay calm as well.

We have all been through trying and challenging times before. We have all experienced new challenges without precedent. Based on the fact that you are here today reading this blog, you survived them. Stay calm and be a leader. Do the right thing. Use this as an opportunity to improve yourself, your leadership, and those around you.

Stay safe and stay healthy.

Every day is an Interview.

Don’t Wait

The other day, the forecast was for snow and ice. The roads were going to be impossible to travel across. It was the end of a long holiday weekend, and luckily, my schedule was clear and I did not have to go on the road for the next two days. I could get work done at home and spend time with my family.

As I was driving to the store to get some last-minute “needs” before the storm, one of my clients texted me. We usually have a Sunday session to prepare my client for the week. Our sessions are always in person. When I received the text, I did not want to look at it. I did not want to drive to their house if the weather was going to be bad and the roads were going to be dangerous. However, my conscience told me if the client calls and my schedule is clear, I need to meet with the client.

I did not want to answer the text when I got to the food store because I was focusing on what would happen if I drove in dangerous conditions. It was evident that my mind was not where it needed to be, which was responding to the client. 

After a few minutes of sitting in my car thinking of the impending doom that may not happen (The storm was not that bad and the roads were safe), I realized that I had to stop thinking about all of the what-ifs and answer the text. I had already made the decision that I was not going to travel. However, it’s the 21st century and I could meet the client through Facetime, Skype, etc.

In the end, I was proven to be the fool. I got my phone and checked the text message. The text read ”I am contacting you to make sure that we did not schedule a meeting for today. I do not want you to drive out in the bad weather. Thank you for your efforts and enjoy the weekend.”

All of my worries would have been avoided if I faced my reality right away. I do not know who said it first, but the worry is just a waste of my time.

Every day is an interview.