Yes, It is ALWAYS Creditworthy

Amazingly, I have made it through another Monday.  I am always encouraged when I find myself at home and breathing on a Monday evening.  It means that I, in fact, lived to see another Tuesday (or at least a Monday evening).  However, this day did not come without a couple of 'moments.'

Close your eyes.  Well, figuratively close your eyes, or you can't continue reading this and then the whole idea is kind of lost in an endless black space (aka the backs of your eyelids).  Continuing on...  Anyway, imagine with me, if you will, with your eyes OPEN; going to the post office and finding a weekly periodical with your picture in it.  Not only is it your picture, but one that you do not like AT ALL!!  In fact, you feel it makes you look 1) fat (seriously?!) and 2) not a happy person (can you say forced smile?  I NEVER have a forced smile, outside of the dentist's chair).  Ugh.  What a way to start out the day!  Oh well.  At least the writer didn't make you sound super self-centered.  In the future though, I am going to begin all things pertaining to my person as "We are..."  For example:  We are going to make a difference today.  We are going to do some work.  We are going to the bathroom.  Well...the last one might be a little odd...it's a work in progress.

No, in all seriousness, the writer for the Springfield Business Journal did an excellent job and I was very pleased with the article.  The picture...not so great (but the photographer can only take the picture...not MAKE the picture).  lol.

In any case, that is not exactly what this blog is about.  In fact, it pretty much has nothing to do with what this blog is about, come to think of it.  I just randomly rambled on about my morning, like anyone gives a flip.  But, then again, this IS my blog.  If I want to talk about the fact that I clipped my toenails this morning...I guess I will, and unfortunately, as a reader, you must make a quick-handed judgment on whether this might get better.  Then, you can go back to mindlessly wandering around the interweb, or continue on, hoping that I do not linger on my random facts about my toe nails and the stories that my toes might bring to my mind (i.e. How my parents bathroom in my childhood home led me to play the piano at church and how that is why my big toe on my right foot is not as smooth as all the others).  Fortunately, today, I shall not linger.  So...hopefully you decided to continue on reading.  If not, I am sure there is something on TMZ that is much more entertaining!

So, here is the meat and potatoes (figuratively...not literally).

I read something today that was appalling to me.  Not because of the actual overall piece of work, but because of the premise behind it.  (Note:  I do read A LOT of political stuff on-line, not that this was one of those pieces...but it could have been...now, you are wondering, eh?!)  In any case, I was reading this piece and, due to my extensive knowledge on the area of focus, I knew that the author was 1) citing things completely incorrectly and 2) was taking credit for a humongous amount of things that they should not be taking credit for.  I was immediately taken back to 2000, the year that Al Gore famously inferred that he invented the Internet.  Seriously?  Well, I guess I don't even know who invented the Internet, but believe it had something to do with the military.  I digress (as usual).

So, I sat there, staring at this piece of work.  I believe that it was intended to be a work of non-fiction, yet, because of what I knew, it was totally, 100% fiction.  It is kind of like the as-of-yesterday former Yahoo CEO:  If you lie about something on your resume and someone checks up on it...you WILL be found out.  Yes, I just rolled my eyes.  What a schmuck!  If you are going to apply for a job at the hot dog wagon, I can kind of see where you figure they might not check up on you, or if you applied at Enron, but Yahoo?  One word: Schmuck.  Therefore, if, in material you are trying to pass on as non-fiction you take credit for 1) inventing the Internet (or something kind of like that), 2) take credit for someone else's work (in writing this is called plagiarism and I believe in real-life is called low morals...kind of as low as the amoeba that lives on the bottom of the scum that clings to the bottom of my yard shoes after I have stepped in a pile of dog pooh) and 3) do not give any credit to the correct people (or in some instances, anyone at all), then you might be a bad person (or at the very least a delusional self-centered liar).  Then again, I hate it when people don't cite things at all.  I don't even like it when grammar is incorrect; and Lord knows I have no room to talk!  :)

So, with all of that said I think I CAN actually bring this around to the first part of my blog (which, in itself, is a miracle).  I got worried that I did not give credit to those who have helped me in my journey in life which allowed me to be selected as one of the 40 Under 40 (which is still a little unreal).  There have been TOO many people to give personal credit to.  However, EVERYWHERE I have worked, volunteered, shopped, eaten, traveled, etc. I have been able to succeed in whatever it is because of the wonderful people who have shared in my life's journey.  I am only one person and limited in my abilities.  Yet, with the love and support of so many people, I have been lifted up and have been able to help others as well.  We all know that it is not the power of one person that changes the world...it is we the people who work together to make positive change.

That song "We are the World" would have REALLY sucked if it was "I am the World."  I mean come on.  First of all, the two capital W's in the title help give it a little umph.  Secondly, who would we have sing it?  Oprah wasn't that great at that time, and Stevie Wonder does a great job...but a solo song?  Yep.  It takes a whole village to make a difference.  I am so proud to be a part of YOUR phenomenal village!!

Thank you to everyone who helps make this world an AWESOME place to be!  I appreciate you!!

Peace.