Growing up, I’m sure you heard the term “liquid courage” or “telephone tough guy” thrown around to describe certain people. Of course, these people are those who act like they are tough when they have a few drinks in them or are on the other end of a phone and not within any immediate danger […]

Over the years, I’ve facetiously threatened my wife that I was intent on becoming a fully fledged smoker. Of course I don’t really mean it… I’m just venting my frustration about smoking in general and how a personal habit affects the many people around their “everything revolves around their single planet universe.” I understand addictions, […]

When I was a kid, I faithfully did my chores to earn my $3 allowance each week. What I chose to spend my hard earned money on was something many young boys did… baseball cards. My mom took me to the grocery store for each week’s grocery run and I promptly headed to the aisle […]

As we experienced the full tilt run-up to our Presidential election at the end of last year, everyone was hoping that anointing Obama, our country’s savior in waiting, would cure our financial market woes as far as confidence was concerned. On Obama’s first day as our newly minted President, the Dow Jones Industrial Average stood […]

It’s not what you think… I don’t watch too much television. Sure, I watch my fair share of it, but for the most part, I’m watching movies or have it on for background noise. I’ll pop on a sporting event and let it run just in case something exciting happens. Other times, I have it […]

How often do you judge others? How often do you condemn the actions of those you barely know? How often do you look down on the people you know when they fail to meet the higher standards you apply to them? How often do you judge… and not judge yourself? My faith tells me that […]

What makes you different than your competitors? What qualities about you or your product makes you stand out? How do you promote these traits, factors, or values in a manner in which you retain your integrity? How do you market yourself with a positive attitude while staying true to your ethical business standards and practices? […]

I sometimes call myself a realist. I am not an eternal optimist. There are lots of times when I am an optimist, but the facts and surrounding influences must be favorable for my “walking out on a limb.” I have hope, but I temper that with my experiences of the world and my general working […]

For anyone who knows me, they can attest to the fact that I’m an all or nothing kind of guy. I’m either all in, or all out. Rarely do I enter into anything and not give my best effort. That is my standard of commitment… what is yours? Do you place any value upon the commitments […]

What a year it has been for gas and oil. What a past few years for that matter. Corporate profit records have been shattered while the individual’s bank account has been decimated. Commodity traders have become instant millionaires and the average commuter has had to trade in their vehicle at a loss for a compact […]