RGH's Blog

Fallen Heros

2008-02-14T19:09:00.000-08:00

Pete Rose
Bob Knight
Roger Clemens
Kelvin Sampson

The list goes on regarding sports figures who one looks up to. They then let you down. Makes you wonder who you should be cheering for. Who have been your disappointments?

Where's the Buffalo?

2008-02-13T03:48:00.000-08:00

When we drove out to South Dakota, a couple of years ago, we really wanted to see some buffalo / bison! I thought for sure that they would be in abundance. After all, wasn't I where the buffalo roam? I guess I was wrong.

For the two days that it took to drive out there, we looked. Surely, we'd see some buffalo. They have to be around here somewhere. Wait was that a buffalo, I'd think. No just another prairie dog.

We finally arrived in Rapid City. No buffalo here. Maybe they went away for the weekend like we did?

We went to Mount Rushmore. No buffalo. The President's weren't talking either.

Where, oh where did the buffalo go?

Towards the end of the trip, we drove into Custer State Park. By the way, I thought driving to South Dakota was long. Finally, we get into the park and we see them! BUFFALO! They had all gone to Custer State Park for the weekend!

I was so excited. I stopped the car and got the kids out. This is so cool. Hey kids, look at the Buffalo! Hey kids, the Buffalo are so close to us. NO, I don't mind. Go out into the field with the Buffalo. Yes they look cute. Yes, feel free to ride the.... OK maybe not a good idea. Don't ride the buffalo.... Let's get back into the car.

That was fun! We got to see Buffalo. "You don't get to see that in the city, right honey?," I said to my lovely wife.

We drove into the park. Buffalo were coming up to the car. They put their head right against the window. Man this is awesome!

We went panning for gold with the kids. It's a park ranger program. You don't get to keep any gold you get. I guess the park rangers need to make some money, too. (I'm kidding.)

Anyway, I'm talking to a wonderful Park Ranger and she told me "If you see any Buffalo, let us know! We'll clear the area! They are really dangerous! Yesterday, they rammed a car!"

Hmmm...... Guess we got lucky. Didn't think about that. Not one of my brightest moves and it made me think. Be careful what you wish for! You just might get it.

Have a fruitul day!

RGH

Bob Knight on Graduating Players

2008-02-12T04:57:00.000-08:00

According to today's Indianapolis Star, Coach Bob Knight was on Jay Leno last night. This is what he said on graduating players:

On his players’ academic success: “I think we probably had the highest graduation rate of anybody,” Knight said. “I wanted (my players) to be afraid not to graduate.” He wanted his players to think, ‘Hey, he might not renew our scholarship.’ … I think that when I take your son, I want you to feel after four years that it’s been worthwhile. I want you to be able to say, ‘Hey, thanks for what you’ve done.’ I think the major responsibility that any college coach has who recruits kids is to see that those kids graduate. I mean, why else are they there?”

For all the reasons, people dislike Coach Knight, this is a big reason he is beloved.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

PS The photo is from the summer and thought it might be nice to post something that reminded me of warmer times instead of how we are all freezing up in Buffalo.

How do you see life?

2008-02-11T03:49:00.000-08:00

The question today, in The Purpose Driven Life, is "How do you see life?" They suggest you see life as a trust and a test. I understand that.

Even if I don't see life the same way, I do see Valentines Day coming up. I'd better start cracking or I'll be facing a real test to a trust! :)

Weekend campout

2008-02-10T17:45:00.001-08:00

The Y-Indian Guides Potawotomi Tribe of Oak Park had a fantastic time this weekend up at Camp MacLean. We placed first in the sled decoration and second in tribal cheer. Not to bad.

Everybody had a great time. The tobogan run was fast. Played some fierce broom ball. The boys had snowball fights and played pokemon. Some did crafts and we all listened to stories at night.

I think the best part is the one on one time that a father spends with his son at these things. It is a great opportunity to bond with each other and learn. One thing, I know is that everyone was tired.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Hillary vs MSNBC

2008-02-09T03:40:00.000-08:00

Apparently, Hillary is rightfully upset about derogatory comments that an MSNBC reporter made regarding her daughter Chelsea. I know if someone said that about my daughter I would be upset. The kicker is that she wants to pull out of the scheduled debate between her and Obama that is supposed to be on that network!

Are you kidding me? Yes, she deserves an apology. Yes, the anchor should be suspended. Yes, Mrs. Clinton you should be outraged. I don't think pulling out of the debate is the best thing to do because once again, the American people will suffer because they won't get to see how Mrs. Clinton will fare against Mr. Obama one on one against each other.

Debates are set up so that we can have an educated electorate. I think its a responsibility for those running for office to educate the American electorate so that we can make the best decision. I'm always suspicious of a politician who ducks a debate. Aren't you? Doesn't it reek of someone who is weak, afraid and wants to avoid a fight? Wouldn't the classy move be to show up at the debate, demand an apology on air from MSNBC (or simply ignore the situation) and bring the fight to Obama.

C'mon Hillary, show us how you can be above the fold, be Presidential, be strong, and kick some butt! Don't fight dirty.

Brokered Convention

2008-02-07T04:03:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd toss you a tidbit about what Howard Dean thinks of a brokered Democratic Convention.

(Click on title or Democratic Convention)

It sounds like a great idea to me. Back room politics at its best. As romantic as the West Wing. :)

Let's be fruitful today!

RGH

Happy New Year

2008-02-07T03:13:00.000-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year! 4706 begins today and it is the year of the Rat! "Chinese months are reckoned by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. In China, people may take weeks of holiday from work to prepare for and celebrate the New Year," according to Holly Smith at the website www.infoplease.com. (There should be a link in the title.)

Speaking of Rats, yes I am a proud Rat as well. According to Buddha, I have some of the characteristics. I'm hoping they are the good ones like quick-witted and charming. However, I've been noticing my nose twitches quite a bit and I love cheese.

Day 2 of the Purpose Driven Life. My life was not an accident. There is a plan. It's pretty humbling knowing that but it is also somewhat tough to believe. I struggle with this one because I am more of a believer of "If its going to be it's up to me." The objectivism that Ayn Rand teaches in Atlas Shrugged is more my style. Each person should be valued by the productive outputs they provide society. However, that could be the purpose, I suppose. Anyway, something to ponder.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Super Tuesday - What a week!

2008-02-06T03:40:00.000-08:00

From the Big Game on Sunday, (Sorry for not mentioning it by name but I don't want the league to go after me for trademark infringements! :D ), to Bob Knight Retiring, to Mardi Gras, and to Super Tuesday, what an entertaining week this is! It's not even over....

The Democrats are in a virtual tie. You have the old establishment versus the new and exciting way. Which will give? In Wrestling, this would be the immovable object vs the irresistible force. Lots of people are hoping this goes all the way to the convention.

On the GOP side, McCain is taking a commanding lead. Huckabee controls the South. Romney is holding on for dear life. Who knows what kind of deals are being made? Can anyone say McCain Huckabee ticket?

Mardi Gras last night! Wow! The house is cleaned up and we are planning next years party.

On to the Lenten journey that I make each year. (Some are better than others.) This year I'm going to read the Purpose Driven Life. We'll see what it's all about. First day, I've learned its all about the Big Man not about me. Hmmm. Ok. No fireworks or revelation yet. In Rotary, there's a motto that states "He who serves most, profits most." Wait a second.... Don't tell me that there's some truth and that rich business people have discovered this truth long ago...

Maybe I have to dwell on this a little more.

Anyway, it's been a long time posting. We'll see how it goes. I'm out of here.

RGH

Mardi Gras

2008-02-05T18:56:00.001-08:00

It's Fat Tuesday and the closing moments of Mardi Gras! The Jambalaya is gone, Hurricane's are drunk, and the King cake is eaten.

What are you doing for the Lenten season?

I am going to read the Purpose Driven Life.

Bob Knight Retires

2008-02-05T14:42:00.000-08:00

Coach Bob Knight retired yesterday from Texas Tech. As a proud IU alum, people have asked me what I think. First of all, I have a lot of respect for Coach Knight. He is a great coach if not the greatest coach of all time. Sure he had his issues but he also did a lot of good. He graduated his players, made them into better men, ran a clean program, gave back to the University and usually won at least 20 games a year.

He will be missed but since he left IU I haven't followed him as much. Kind of funny how that happens. I guess that's part of life after college and growing up.

Am I surprised that he quit mid-season? It seems a bit odd to me. Hopefully, there's not more to the story than what is being said. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be surprised if more comes out. I do know that he had planned on turning the reins over to his son so it's not like Texas Tech is in a lurch. It looks like he just left on his own terms.

Good luck, Coach Knight and thank you for the memories. Thank you also for signing a book for me and helping teach me a little about life. I will miss you.

Badlands

2006-08-28T16:09:00.000-07:00

Badlands, you gotta live it everyday - Bruce Springsteen

Took this picture on our vacation this year out west. The Badlands are a beautiful area of our country. I highly recommend the trip out west to see them.

The badlands remind me of the wilderness. Someplace dark and sometimes not a place you want to be. However, you have to move through them to get to your ultimate destination. At other times, the badlands can be awe inspiring.

I guess it's how you get through them is what matters. Isn't that what our parents called building character?

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Highlights

2006-03-05T08:54:00.001-08:00

Sunday morning and trying to get back into the routine. Only so many minutes in the day and only so many things can get done. Mellancamp is telling me that my life is now. At least its a good life.

Highlights of this week include:
1) Curious George and watching the youngest stare in awe as he chomps on popcorn.
2) Got inspired at a retreat and a conference.
3) Mardi Gras sin, Lent forgiveness.
4) Was able to sync the ipaq again.
5) The diploma came!

What were your highlights?

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Highlights

2006-03-05T08:54:00.000-08:00

Diploma

2006-03-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

Dad,

The diploma came today. It's official. Can't believe it myself.

Love,

RGH

Stress only fathers understand

2006-01-29T07:21:00.000-08:00

Location: A hotel located somewhere in Illinois

The stress for a father related to staying with your family in a hotel room is incomprehensible to anyone but a father. Nobody else but a father understands it.

Your child decides to pour water from a liter bottle into a cup. Before fatherhood, this would be funny. As a father, you think the hotel will jail you.

Baloons pop. Loud noise. Kids yell. A party in a hotel room? Don't people know that hotels are to sleep in, not to have fun in?

Oh no, the wife has burned herself on coffee. The kids yell attack.

I think I'm going home to relax. Dad, I'm sorry. I had no idea.

-RGH

Quick Post

2005-10-12T15:43:00.000-07:00

Close to Halloween Cheer:

Thought I would share some Halloween joy with you. It's amazing what you can find in a pumpkin patch isn't it?

Have you ever checked out the Wall Street Journal's Best of the Web? It is a good compilation of interesting tidbits. It can be a bit conservative but it does prove interesting.

Back to work for me!

Have a fruitful day!

RGH

The worst picks review!

2005-10-11T18:47:00.000-07:00

Worst Pick Greetings:

I am stunned and shocked about how bad my picks can actually be. I hope they are at least entertaining you. Perhaps you are more entertained if you do the opposite of my predictions?

Big Ten Results: 2 wins out of 6. If you don't count Michigan State, then I was 1 for 5.

NFL Results: 4 wins out of 13.

Total: 6 winning picks out of 19!

Season: 19 Right out of 40 picks!

The next few days are going to be crazy for me. This past weekend, I hopped on the RGH corporate jet (I think it was the RGH 1) and visited Kansas City. Great little city with wonderful barbecue. Have to say that I really enjoyed Oklahoma Joe's.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

The worst picks for 10/8 and 10/9

2005-10-06T18:37:00.000-07:00

Prophetic Greetings:

My picks will astound, entertain and amaze you again this week. They will leave you with the wonderment of how can someone who is usually oh so right, can be this wrong. Remember, these are for entertainment purposes only.

Big 10

Ohio State squeeks one past Penn State.
Wisconsin beats up on Northwestern.
Michigan State can't lose this week. Bank on it.
Michigan beats Minnesota.
Purdue beats Iowa.
Oh Indiana, Oh Indiana we're all for you. Big over Illinois.

NFL

Who Dey? Who Dey? Bengal's over Jacksonville.
Bears trounce the Browns.
Miami over Buffalo.
Seahawks beat the Rams.
Houton beats Tennessee.
Tampa Bay big over Vinny and the Jets. (Tough one for me.)
Falcons over the Patriots. (Tough weekend for Boston.)
Packers beat the Saints. The Saints will not fare well upon the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field.
Colts big over the 49ers.
Eagles trounce the Cowboys.
Arizona beats Carolina.
Denver beats Washington
Chargers beat the Steelers in a close one.

MLB

What do you get when you mix the Red Sox and the White Sox? The pink sox. My prediction.... The Sox win!

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

As easy as buckling up!

2005-10-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

First cool day of Autumn greetings,

Yesterday, my confidence was shaken to its core. All my life, I thought I was doing it right. It is so easy but yet I was wrong...

The police were at the safety fare with a device that stimulates a crash at 7 miles per hour. The dare devil that I am, I climb into their contraption. The officer asks me to buckle myself in and so I do.

"Is this how you always buckle yourself in?" The officer asked this in a voice in which I knew I had done something wrong.

"Yes, is something wrong officer?" I really felt like I was getting a ticket. People were staring at me.

"You buckled yourself in wrong, sir," was the officer's reply.

I was shocked. He had to be joking. How hard is it to do this. You bring the belt over and click it. Yet, I was dreadfully wrong.

The officer took the time to show me how to properly strap myself in. He then let the machine go. Boooom! Jolt went my body. I then learned that if I had the seatbelt on in my normal manner, I would really hurt myself in an accident. Thank you CPD for pointing this out to me.

Have you ever thought you were doing something right, only to find out you were wrong? Doing the basics right is sometimes the difference between winning and losing. How many times has a well drilled basketball or baseball team beaten the flashier team? These teams drill for hours on end on the basics. Good teams and good businesses are constantly training and retraining on the little things. The things that often are left for granted can mean the difference, like buckling up.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Quick updates

2005-10-04T06:53:00.000-07:00

Top of the morning greetings:

The Wizard had an interesting message for his readers yesterday. Please check it out if you want permission to be wierd. In todays world, you have to position yourself as a service just like any other product and service that is out there. Most successful products are differentiated in some manner. Truly successful people find a way to differentiate themselves from others. Determining your own differentiation is a vital step to success and one that is easy to overlook.

The worst picks in the world gave me a record of 13 right and 8 wrong. Not bad. Remember entertainment purpose only. Wait until next week. I'll try to be wrong more.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Kids shopping carts

2005-10-02T17:13:00.000-07:00

Sunday evening greetings:

A beautiful Sunday was upon me and I was thinking of the chores that needed to be done. One of them was the litter box which meant getting new kitty litter. My wife decided that this meant a trip to Walmart. That's fine but I was curious when she told me to bring a one dollar bill for the kids. I thought maybe the little kiddie rides had increased with the cost of oil or something.

Customers were flowing in and out of Walmart. I maneuvered toward the shopping carts hoping to get one that worked properly. I turned around and my family wasn't there. They were walking toward a new colorful contraption. I meander over and notice they are kiddie shopping carts. Mrs. RGH asks for my dollar bill. I obey and she puts it into a machine and ask the kids what they want.

"BARNEY!!!!"

I look confused and they pull out the BARNEY shopping cart. The kids open up the doors in the bottom and hop in. My wife locks them in. (This is kind of cool.) Then I hear music. Music is coming out of the locked kiddie compartment of the shopping cart! Mrs. RGH looks amused at me and says the kids love it, its safe because its open in the front, and the kids are quiet.

We did our shopping and the kids rocked out to Barney and the Wiggles. They didn't even get out once. I think there was some brainwashing going on (Just kidding Walmart lawyers.) All in all it was a pleasant trip.

Now let me put my business hat on. OK, it still fits. Here we go:

I JUST PAID TO USE A SHOPPING CART AND DIDN'T MIND IT! (Some do though.) Brilliant, Walmart, bloody brilliant! This is almost as good as paying for water. My hat is tipped to them and whoever thought of this deserves a raise.

Adding simple revenue streams to your business where most of the revenue falls to the bottom line is a beautiful thing. If you can achieve it go for it. It does require some thinking outside of the box. One industry that has done this, in addition to Walmart, is the airport shuttle business and taxis with advertising on their vehicles. Another area is the goooooogle advertising that you see on the side of this blog. (Go ahead and click on one. It won't hurt you and you don't need to buy anything if you click. It is perfectly safe to do it. Plus, it helps the kids since their parents are foolish enough to spoil them with singing shopping carts.)

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

The Worst Picks for 10/1 and 10/2

2005-09-30T17:07:00.000-07:00

This is for entertainment purposes only. Trust me. Do not use these. If you think that Mike Greenberg's picks are bad, try mine.

Here we go for the Big 10 and NFL football picks:

Big 10:
1) Indiana beats Wisconsin at Wisconsin for their 3rd victory in a row against the badgers.
2) Michigan State beats Michigan. Battle for the state. Who cares.
3) Penn State beats Minnesota. Joe Pa wins a close one.
4) Ohio State will not lose. This one's for you Rol.
5) Notre Dame beats Purdue. Coach Weis is a class act.
6) Iowa beats Illinois. Who can't beat Illinois?
&. Northwestern will not lose. This is a sure thing.

NFL
1) Bengals over the Titans: Who Dey, Who Dey?
2) Broncos beat the Jaguars
3) Patriots beat the Chargers
4) San Antonio Saints beat the Bills.
5) Rams beat the Giants.
6) Tampa Bay Bucs beat the Lions.
7) Colts destroy the Titans. 63-10
8) Redskins beat the Seahawks.
9) Jets over the Ravens. Close one. 3 to 0.
10) Falcons big over Vikings.
11) Chiefs in a tight one over the Eagles.
12) Cowboys beat the Raiders. (These two are for Mark.)
13) 49ers at the Cardinals. (They have to play in Mexico to get a crowd.)
14) Panthers beat the Packers.

Baseball
New York and Cleveland will be in the playoffs.

So far, in this blog, I am undefeated. Use these picks for what they are worth.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

My Name is Earl

2005-09-27T19:22:00.000-07:00

TV Show Greetings:

Karma is an amazing thing. According to the new commedy, My Name is Earl, Karma is when you do good things and good things happen. If you do bad things then they come back and haunt you. Earl is tired of bad things happening to him and is convinced that they occur because he is a bad guy. To rectify the situation, Earl has made a list of everybody he has wronged and is out to make it up to all these people.

Karma, according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, is the force generated by a person's actions held in Hinduism and Buddhism to perpetuate transmigration and in its ethical consequences to determine the nature of the person's next existence. I'm not sure if Earl has totally thought this one out but he is only a TV character.

Does a form of karma exist in this world? I tend to think that it does. I'm not saying that bad things happen to only bad people. Unfortunately, life doesn't play that way. However, if you are thinking with a positive mental attitude, you can persevere through many hardships. If you try to do good things then you often are rewarded some way in life.

It would be interesting to do a test. How many good things can you do in one month and how are you rewarded? You could also be like Earl and make a list of your wrongs and try to make them right. What could happen?

It's late and I'm beginning to ramble. Let me know what you think. I'm always interested in reading comments. If you like my writing, I would appreciate you sending this to a friend.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Increasing Productivity Marginally

2005-09-26T19:07:00.000-07:00

Time Starved Greetings:

What would you do with one extra hour per day? I constantly ask that question to myself. My answer is usually solve the world's problems or get that extra hour of sleep. Too bad, we only have 24 of them. (440 minutes)

We are all too busy. I know I am. I know you are. (By the way, thank you for taking the time to read this blog. Hopefully, you are finding value.) Increasing our productivity even takes time because you have to learn the secrets on it. (Or at least get the self help tapes to listen to in the car on the way to whatever we do.)

There are some quick ways to increase productivity. I think a lot of it lies in increasing productivity marginally. Simple, consistent and easy steps sometimes wins the race against drastic changes. (That's what an old turtle once told me. Hey, he beat the rabbit.)

In an earlier blog, we spoke of the power of making one extra phone call. What if we took that idea and expanded it to other areas of our lives? Dr. Stephen Covey often asks us to think about that one little thing that if we did it on a consistent basis would improve our lives. What is it in yours? Why aren't you doing it? (I am asking myself the same thing and it usually comes back to exercising more or watching less TV.)

It's really working the margins of our lives and time. Doing that one little thing will make a difference.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

p.s. If you are finding this blog valuable, I would be honored if you would e-mail it to a friend. You can do this by clicking on that little envelope at the bottom of the posting.

Apocalyptic Signs

2005-09-25T13:54:00.000-07:00

On top of the world greetings!

My Cincinnati Bengals and Indiana Hoosiers are now a perfect 3 and o in football. Three wins and zero losses. Usually, it's a perfect 0 and 3 at this point. I'm not saying that we should be nervous or anything but I think this is mentioned in the bible some place.

Oh, to be dreaming of the Super Bowl and the Rose Bowl at this point of the year. Who could imagine! :)

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

PS The Bengals are usually so pathetic that when I ran spell check for this posting their nickname the bungles was the number one choice.

The Complimenting Commenter

2005-09-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

Complimenting Greetings:

I thought some of my readers might be interested the link to the Complimenting Commenter. (Just click on the title.) It is a pretty cool blog with a novel concept of promoting compliments. Talk about being a positive influence!

So much of the time we are bombarded by negative influences. Especially from the media. We are conditioned to be critical and skeptical; to always look for the dark side of an issue. It is nice to promote positive influences.

On a similar note: Did anyone see Trump last night? It was the season premier and the men were pitted against the women. One of the women was very negative and complained about everything. She also tried to take credit for everything while putting others down. Everybody on her team turned against her and ofcourse she was fired. I don't like to see people get fired but it was nice to see that this form of negativity was not going to be tolerated by her team.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Have Lunch with Miss Universe

2005-09-22T17:18:00.000-07:00

Autumnal Greetings:

An american man is 33% more likely to develop prostate cancer than an american woman is to develop breast cancer. 1 in 6 men will develop prostate cancer. My father passed away from prostate cancer.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation, www.prostatecancerfoundation.org, is having a fundraiser where they are auctioning items off on e-bay. Items include lunch with Miss Universe (click on the title for the link), a signed guitar by BB King, a signed guitar from Melissa Ethridge, internships at Entertainment Weekly and deluxe hotel accomodations.

I just checked and there are some amazing deals at this auction. Please consider participating and giving to this wonderful organization.

On a lighter note, the answer to the last pop quiz is: Richie Cunningham's older brother's name on Happy Days was Chuck.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

The Endless Summer

2005-09-21T20:15:00.000-07:00

End of Summer Greetings:

The Endless Summer is a great documentary that was made in 1966 about two surfers who traverse the world searching for the perfect wave. If you click on the title you can read the reviews at Amazon. Great movie to watch on a lazy day.

It has been an unforgettable summer and at times it did seem endless. Unfortunately, not all in a good way. Fortunately, this blog has been a good outlet for me and I thank you all for taking the time to read. I am looking forward to Autumn, the opportunities that it holds and sharing them with you.

"Sunset is an angel weeping, holding out her bloody sword" - Bruce Cockburn, Pacing the Cage. This seems appropriate as summer passes into autumn.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

A simple success secret

2005-09-20T18:36:00.000-07:00

Nearly autumnal greetings:

It works. It really does. How do you build a network? How do you get ahead?

The business world
Politics
MLM or network marketing
life
sports
academia

One of the big secrets is helping others to succeed. Assist someone in making their goals. I've seen it so many times that it's ridiculous. Most successful people will tell you that the reason they got to where they were was because they recieved help from someone else.

Do you want to know something else? They return the favor a couple of times over. They look out for the person who helped them. They also will find someone else who needs their help and help them.

It happened to me early on. A friend saw that I was going down the wrong career path and pointed me in the right direction. Not only do I try to help my friend out whenever possible but I know someday I'll help someone else who is making the same mistake I made.

It is such a simple area to expand your influence and your network. Find out what someone else wants and help them get it.

Pop quiz answer: If anybody was wondering, Gilligan's first name on Gilligan's Island is Willy! This next pop quiz question is: What was Richie Cunningham's older brother's name on Happy Days?

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

JFK was never more correct

2005-09-18T18:22:00.000-07:00

Almost autumnal greetings:

“May you live in interesting times” is an old Chinese curse I have been told. We must all be cursed because we are certainly living in interesting times. New Orleans has been blown away. The US deficit is out of control. At least two wars are being fought by our country. Oil and therefore fuel prices are out of control with winter barreling toward us. Scandals are all around us.

“Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country” stated President Kennedy during his inaugural address in 1961. This rallying cry rings true 44 years later. The country needs you and the world needs you. Yes, you. You can make a difference.

I was having lunch with a friend of mine the other day. We were talking about two successful businessmen that we know. He reminded me that one of the reasons that they are successful is that they give back to their community. They are involved. They are making a difference in the lives of people they don’t even know because they care. They take time out from their busy schedules because they feel it is important and their civic responsibility as citizens.

What are you doing to give back to the community? What organizations are important to you? Are you involved in anything? If not, I challenge you to get involved. Don’t have time? Can you spare a half hour per week? It’s only 2% of one day as we learned in an earlier message.

Remember, we live in interesting times. We need creative solutions. We need you.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Burning Observation

2005-09-18T17:39:00.000-07:00

One of my kids, doesn't like his food to be burned. He inspects his food each meal for burn. Tonight, we had burgers. He inspected. He said "Dad, this burger has burn on it." I tried to be smart. "No it doesn't, that's seasoning that you see." He looked at me and said "Dad, if it looks like burn and tastes like burn, it's burn." Smart kid.

Don't let someone elses marketing techniques fool you.

A lifetime

2005-09-15T20:27:00.000-07:00

Rainy Greetings:

77.6 years is the average life expectancy according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. That is roughly 28,324 days or 679,776 hours in which to spend your time here. (Before moving on to other things, I hope.)

One day has 1,440 minutes in it. If you spent just 1% of that thinking, planning, or studying, what could you accomplish? That's less than 15 minutes per day.

Exercising for 30 minutes a day only takes 2.1% of your day.

Just thought that I would share these with you. Also, it's sometimes interesting how coincidences happen. The life expectancy issue came up in a discussion with some friends this weekend. The minutes issue came up by reading a chapter tonight in Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude. It's funny because I had never looked at time like this before.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Pop Quiz (sorry for not putting it in the last post)

2005-09-14T19:44:00.000-07:00

Answer to the previous pop quiz: Ginger's last name was Grant on the show Gilligan's Island.

Today's pop quiz: (I promise that this will be the last one in relation to Gilligan's Island. I've run out of them.) What was Gilligan's first name on the show Gilligan's Island. (Hint: it isn't Gilligan!)

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Prodigious

2005-09-14T18:48:00.000-07:00

Greetings:

Prodigious is the word of the day according to the Merriam - Webster dictionary. I thought that I would add the Merriam - Webster website to my links because a dictionary is a great resource and is somewhat underutilized in today's world. A thesaurus is also attached to the website. These are two great tools to utilize in your business tool belt.

Isn't the internet great? It certainly is prodigious.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Two inspirations

2005-09-13T18:07:00.000-07:00

"Once you have reached the mountaintop, don't stop! Until every hungry person in the world is fed; every crying person is comforted; every depressed person has cause to smile again; every discouraged person is encouraged; and every lethargic person is motiviated-- don't stop possibilitizing...

Now you have a powerbase. Use it! Now you have influence. Wield it! Now you have success. Share it! On the peak catch a peek-- a new vision, a new dream, a loftier goal! Don't stop at the top" - Robert Schuller, Hours of Power, 2004

Positive thinking is lacking in today's society. It is easy to get down on yourself. It appears to me that successful people find ways to motivate themselves, think of possibilities instead of problems, and find positive messages. I find Schuller to be a very positive influence and a great motivator. Thought I would share one of his messages with you.

"You don't always get what you want... but if you try some time, you just might find, you get what you need!" - The Rolling Stones. This is one of the best lines ever written in a rock song and it applied today to me. I was down in the dumps this evening thinking about my father who recently passed away. Then, I got a message from someone who basically said keep your head up and keep doing what I was doing. It made my day.

Pop quiz time: Mary Ann's last name, from Gilligan's Island, is Summers. Can anyone tell me Ginger's last name?

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Making life easy for your customers!

2005-09-12T19:39:00.000-07:00

September Greetings:

Why do companies make it difficult to do business with them? Why is it sometimes difficult to pay a company for their product? Doesn't this contradict everything we know about customer service?

Recently, I had to purchase clothes for an unexpected presentation that I had to make. My friends told me where to shop and told me that I would love this particular department store. It was going to be simple! All I had to do was buy a dress shirt, dress pants, and shoes.

Pretending to be the professional retail shopper, I proceed into the store. (No salesperson to be found.) Quickly, I locate the men's department and decide upon a shirt and pants. The shoe department is next. Studying the poor selection of dress shoes, I find a pair that would suffice. (I'm feeling pretty good about this since I was shopping by myself.)

I then proceed to wait in line to pay for all of my items in the shoe department. I wait. I wait some more. Finally, it's my turn! I plop my goods on the counter and whip out the credit card. I am then told that I can only pay for my shoes at that counter. The rest of my purchases would have to be done with the front cashiers. I ask if I can pay for the shoes up front and the woman says no.

I argue. I lose. I go to the front. Again, I wait. Again, I wait some more.

Finally, once again, it's my turn! The woman asks if I found everything. I ask her if they have handkerchiefs. She replies that they do but I would have to go to the back of the store to get them. I reply that they aren't necessary. I then make my second transaction at the store and leave.

Guess what? I didn't enjoy the store because they made it too complicated for me to buy anything. I'm not going back there. Ever.

No matter what your line of business, whether you are in retail, mlm, professional services or any other business, please make it easy for your customers to purchase from you. It will keep them happy and coming back which means more revenue for you!

Pop Quiz Time: As we follow the Gilligan's Island theme, what was Mary Ann's last name on the show? The answer to the last pop quiz is: Roy Hinkley! By the way, someone actually knew the Skipper's name.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

How I spent 9/11/2005

2005-09-11T19:49:00.000-07:00

Greetings on this day of remembrance:

Last night, I fell asleep underneath the September sky. The stars in heaven were twinkling as I drifted off to sleep. This morning I awoke, my family near me and safe. I knew what day it was though. We went to the lodge for breakfast with some friends. My friend commented that camping had relaxed him so much that he had forgotten that it was September 11.

Four years ago was the day of terror that so many American's will never forget. I can't forget being at the airport trying to figure out what was going on. Running around getting people out. Trying to decipher fact from fiction. Trying to save a business. My family wanting me to be home with them while I was just trying to do my job. Finally, coming home and getting a chance to watch the horrific things that transpired that day.

Today, all was calm. We were on canoes and kayaks this morning without a care in the world. Tonight, I will fall asleep in my own bed. Safe.

It was a scary day four years ago. Confusion and Chaos reigned. Today, I sense that America is better and stronger than it was four years ago. We will not let our freedoms disappear and I know that we will not let those who try to terrorize have the upper hand.

Work your businesses extra hard this week. Love your friends and family even harder. Let's show those sob terrorists that they will not and can not win.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

What's new? Evolving Guerrila Marketing

2005-09-08T17:07:00.000-07:00

Greetings:

One of the first business books that totally inspired me was Gurrilla Marketing completely revised and updated for the '90s by Jay Conrad Levinson. (Thank you Bill Schoolman!) I was just flipping through the pages of it and a statistic struck me. According to the book, which was published in 1993, VCR penetration was nearing 80%. He concluded that this adds to the attractiveness of video brochures. I think in 1993 that was a pretty big deal.

Guess what? Internet access in 2004 according to website optimization, www.websiteoptimization.com/bw/0403/, is at nearly 75%. Broadband access is considered to be around 50% with market saturation at 75% according to John Dvorak's column in CBS Marketwatch that was posted today.

A little over ten years, we were recording TV shows and watching movies through the VCR. Today, 1/2 of us can watch streaming video on our computers. Most of us are getting digital cable with the DVR function. Forget the video brochure, we are sending video over the internet to the person's workstation.

It's amazing what can change in just 10 years. If you think about it, in just 5 years technology changes.

How will your marketing and business evolve?

Pop quiz time: The answer to the last trivia question is Jonas Grumby was the name of the Skipper on Gilligan's Island. (It was in the New York Times article that I posted.) Does anyone know the Professor's name? Feel free to post your answer.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Customer Service snafus

2005-09-06T17:36:00.000-07:00

Potentially stormy greetings:

Four great stories that I have heard in the last few days:

1) A consultant told me that he was given a notepad by a printer promoting themselves. The problem was that the printer's phone number and address were missing from the notepad.

2) An ad was placed with the wrong toll free number. (The company had to go out and get the toll free number that they erroneously printed.)

3) A friend refinanced their mortgage with the same company but different divisions of the company. It took him five phone calls, one hour on hold, two people saying that it wasn't their problem, and two battles with automated voices before finally resolving the issue.

4) A company invented the perfect dog food. Rich in nutrients and cheaper then the competitors. The problem: Dogs didn't like it.

Just thought I'd share these with you. Mistakes can sometimes happen. Even the best do it. It's how you recover that is important.

POP QUIZ TIME: What was the character Skipper's (From Gilligan's Island) first and last name on the show? We are looking for the character's first and last name not the actor's.

Anwer will be posted in a future blog! Hint: It can be found in a prior blog as well!

Have a fruitful day!

RGH

Sad entertainment news

2005-09-06T17:19:00.000-07:00

Sad tropical greetings tonight:

Bob Denver, best known as Gilligan, passed away on Friday.

Rest in peace, little buddy.

www.bobdenver.com

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/07/arts/television/07denver.html

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Can't wear white anymore!

2005-09-06T04:20:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder, it's after Labor Day so you can't wear white anymore! It's time to put away your white shoes and belts. White hats should go to. I guess Mother Nature will be covering everything in white soon enough anyway.

Seriously though, I'm a firm believer that people still pay attention to how the product looks. This goes for how you look as well when you are presenting yourself. If you want a million dollars, you'd better look like a million bucks. Little things make a difference and someone will buy from someone who looks the part.

According to the book Swim with the Sharks by Harvey Mackay, Lou Holtz pays a lot of attention to how his team dresses on game day. He says the players will line up in front of the bus before loading. They are all wearing coats and ties as directed. They wait and wait. Finally, Holtz walks up. Inspects his players, doesn't say a thing. If everything looks excellent, he nods to the bus driver who opens up the door and lets the players in. Why does he do this? It's because the players represent the school!

Who do you represent? Be proud of it and look your best. Your customers will thank you for it.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

First Hand Katrina Accounts

2005-09-05T19:12:00.000-07:00

I was surfing and found this blog. It is amazing.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Your cat ate my hermit crab!

2005-09-05T15:56:00.000-07:00

End of Summer Greetings:

The internet is very similar to nature with the hunters and the hunted. Predators lurk around every corner and the terrible thing is that your customers know this. Consumers don't want to put their computers at risk yet they crave the simplicity that online shopping allows. Consumer skepticism is naturally high though due to the risk of becoming prey to a big bad predator!

If you have a website that sells products or services it's vital that you provide consumers with the confidence to shop on your website. The book Call to Action: Secret Formulas to Improve Online Results by Bryan Eisenberg and Jeffrey Eisenberg suggests that we "add 3rd party reinforcement messages. VeriSign, BBB or logos of credit cards have either greatly boosted conversion rates or keeps them neutral. In other words, they never hurt."

One company, ScanAlert ( www.scanalert.com ), will audit your website daily and certify that it is safe from hackers. They then provide you with a certificate that you insert onto your home page. It is claimed that this certificate has increased online purchasing by over 10% for companies that have gotten this certification. You can check out this certificate at www.airportexpress.com , www.berries.com , and www.primetimeshuttle.com . (By the way, both Airport Express and PrimeTime Shuttle are members of a cool organization called GroundNet (www.groundnet.com))

Providing your customers with a safe environment for their transactions is vital in today's world. Predators are out there and consumers are wary. It's important for the survival of our businesses that we protect them. It's kind of like trying to protect your kids hermit crab from the neighbor's cat. (Another story for another time!)

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Big in Japan!

2005-09-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

Greetings:

This little adventure into the power of blogging is an interesting journey. I am back from a quick vacation and found that it was difficult to write when I was away. I thought it would be the exact opposite. At least I have some stories to tell and hopefully I will be able to get them all down on paper.

An important aspect in life is to continue learning. I am a very curious person and am always trying to find new information. I'm often a news junkie with a bent towards business and politics. However, I love little bits of trivial information.

For instance, I was looking at some statistics from people who have visited my blog. Yes, there are a few of you out there. I discovered that one person from a Japanese search engine found my blog! They were doing a search on grizzly bears... Isn't that awesome?

What does this mean? I have reached someone across Mother Earth! If you are this person, thank you for making my day!

It also means that by putting yourself out there and networking, you will reach people you never thought possible. Opportunities can open up that were not there before! Keep telling your story and someone will hear it. Even if it was an accident.

On another note, this has been a tough couple of days for many of us. It is tough to be optimisitic when there is so much suffering. Try to keep a positive mental attitude though. Keep looking and we will find opportunities.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Katrina

2005-08-31T19:12:00.000-07:00

Sad Greetings tonight:

Again, we are called to assist our brothers and sisters who are in need. It is time to rise up and do what's right.

www.nola.com is a new site that I found that seems like a local source for news regarding the New Orleans area.

It appears that donations can be made to the following:

www.redcross.org

http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/

http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/

Times like these remind us of the importance to continue giving back to communities. One area that is often overlooked are the service organizations. I'm a member of Rotary and am looking forward to seeing how local Rotary clubs respond to the relief efforts. www.rotary.org I am always amazed at how small groups can change the world.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

The Exponential Power of Networking

2005-08-11T18:03:00.000-07:00

Unusually Wet Greetings:

Sometimes during your life, you stumble upon a tidbit of knowledge that just amazes you. One of these was taught to me during an Information Technology course at DePaul. According to the textbook Information Management Practice by Barbara C. McNurlin and Ralph H. Sprague, Jr. and New Rules for the New Economy by Kevin Kelly:

The value of a network increases exponentially with each new connection! This happens because for every connection made so many new connections are created. If you have a network of 3 people, there is a possibility of 6 one-on-one connections. A network of 4 creates 12 one-to-one connections, 5 creates 20 one-to-one connections.
My friends, I'm going to leave you tonight to ponder this rule and how it applies to your personal network and relationships. How much more valuable will your personal network be by developing one new contact? It's pretty staggering isn't it?
Have a fruitful day,
RGH

A shout out to the Wizard

2005-08-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

My friend Dan and I have a morning ritual. We call each other and check in. It could be just a good morning or it could be a long conversation on business philosophy. We touch it all from finance, marketing, management, etc. It's always a joy and always useful.

Dan called me this morning and asked "Have you looked at Roy's website lately and checked out his blogs?"

"No, I haven't checked on him lately," I replied.

He knows how I've been disappointed in the writings of one of our favorite marketers. Dan urged me to check it out again. So I did.

All I can say is "Wow! He's back!"

Let me fill you in on "The Wizard of Ads!" aka Roy Williams. Roy writes the Monday Morning Memo. This might qualify as one of the original blogs. It is so original that you used to get it on your fax machine every monday morning. (Yes, the good old days before everyone had the internet!) He still does the Monday Morning Memo over e-mail and the internet. I highly recommend it.

Each monday, Roy educates you, free of charge, on the finest aspects of marketing. Not just on cpm and other marketing terms. Roy takes you deep into recesses of the consumers brain and shows you how the consumer makes decisions. He shows you how the consumer responds to each of his senses. Where else can you learn about Broca's area of the brain?

Ofcourse, Roy offers much more. He offers marketing courses, advertising consulting, seminars and other fine services. He also makes it fun.

Roy, I'm glad Dan had me visit your website again. I have re-subscribed to the MMM and am eagerly anticipating each issue. Keep up the good work! Thanks for being a pioneer.

If you are interested in the Monday Morning Memo, please check out http://www.wizardacademy.com/memo.asp . It'll make you think.

Enough of the commercial.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

The Bears Sleepover - A Fable

2005-08-05T17:46:00.000-07:00

The other night, the Brown Bear family and The Grizzly Bear family decide to go to the river to play. The kids had a grand time and the adult bears enjoyed talking. At one point in the evening, Mr. Brown turns to Mrs. Brown and says that he can't wait for their date tomorrow night.

Mrs. Brown said "Oh dear, Little Red Hen hasn't said if she can babysit or not. In fact, she hasn't even called."

Mr. Bear growled "But I've been planning this date all week, now what!"

"Don't worry Honey, I'll figure it out," claimed Mrs. Bear.

Mr. Grizzly felt very bad for his friends. On the walk back to their cave he mentioned it to Mrs. Grizzly. She said that she felt the same way and also needed a baby sitter during the day. She knew that Little Red Hen, who is the best babysitter around, was going with her friends to scare campers. She felt that Little Red probably didn't call back because she felt bad about letting everyone down. Mrs. Grizzly said that she would call Mrs. Brown in the morning to see if Mrs. Brown could watch the Grizzly boys in the afternoon and the Grizzly's would watch the Brown's boys in the evening.

The next afternoon, Mrs. Grizzly called Mr. Grizzly and said that that an even better solution was found. Mrs. Brown would watch the Grizzly boys in the afternoon and then the Brown's boys were going to sleep over! Mr. Grizzly wasn't crazy about this idea and growled all the way home but there was nothing he could do. (He didn't want to wake up in the middle of the night to calm all the little bears down.)

It turned out to be a great idea! The boys were great! Everyone slept soundly. No one had to pay Little Red Riding Hood for babysitting. The Brown Bears had a fantastic time without little bears around. (All parents can relate.) Both sets also realized that a new and better solution was found "The Sleepover!"

Moral: If you are a supplier and your customer needs something that you can't supply, don't be afraid to call them and try to work out a solution together. Don't be left out in the cold like Little Red Hen. You never know what kind of solution your customer might find on their own. Who knows? They may find a solution that leaves you without a customer.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

The Power of One Extra Phone Call

2005-08-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

Warm summer greetings!

A great book to read is Don't Fire Them, Fire Them Up by Frank Pacetta. (Thank you Dick Canada for suggesting it!) It's one of those fantastic chearleading books with great ideas on how to manage your sales team. If this book can't get you motivated, I'm not sure what can!

The other day, I was reflecting on the thought of making one extra phone call each day. Pacetta lays out the concept pretty good in his book. According to Pacetta, "Excellence is not easy to achieve... in the end you simply have to grind it out." It takes dedication but you never know what will happen with that extra phone call.

1 extra phone call per day = 365 extra phone calls. If you make an appointment with 10% of your phone calls, you've made 36.5 extra appointments. 3 extra per month.

I was discussing this concept with a small group of motivated women who sell Discovery Toys. We were all blown away by that simple statistic. 3 extra parties per month with one simple phone call per day.

It's time to grind it out. Make that extra phone call. It will pay dividends.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Oil Market and Emotion

2005-08-01T17:09:00.000-07:00

Warm Greetings,

Today, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia passed away. Oil futures closed above $61.00. King Fahd will be succeeded by King Abdullah. Wait a second, King Fahd had a stroke several years ago and King Abdullah has been basically a figurehead since then. Abdullah has been ruling the kingdom since the stroke. Riyadh is saying that oil policy is not changing.

What am I missing here? This is a prime example of either markets acting on emotion or prices being controlled. If the news is correct, then nothing else makes sense.

On another note, I am trying to start a running program for myself to get back into decent shape. Trying to complete my MBA and having a family caused my fitness to lapse. Anyway, no excuses now. Ran and walked 1.5 miles today.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Baseball radio announcers

2005-07-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

Growing up in Dayton, OH, I spent many an evening listening to the sounds of Red's Baseball. The sweet sound of a Johnny Bench home run as told to me by the voices of Marty Brennemen and Joe Knuxhall. They fed the soul of a young kid who wanted to grow up and play in the big leagues. Once I realized playing was not going to be possible, I wanted to be an announcer. Dreams they fade, I guess.

USA Today rated the best announcers in baseball. http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2005-07-26-announcers-overview_x.htm Joe Knuxhall may have retired but the current Red's announcers ranked number 4 in the National League. Marty Brennemen and Steve Stewart are calling the games. If you don't live near Cincy, you can listen to them on www.mlb.com . In fact, you can listen to any team's games for a small cost per season. The wonders of the Internet.

Marty Brennemen is in the Baseball Hall of Fame for his skill as an announcer. Does anyone know why Joe Knuxhall isn't in? I don't see how one can be in but not the other.

Have a fruitful day,

RGH

Today's inspiration

2005-07-27T19:20:00.000-07:00

I probably shouldn't pick up inspirational books. At least that's what my wife and another friend are saying. After reading two chapters in Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude by Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone on the train from work, the inspiration struck. It went like this:
Inspiration: "START A WEBSITE!"
Me: "What?"
Inspiration: "START A WEBSITE!"
Me: "Me?"
Inspiration: "YES, START A WEBSITE!"
Me: "What will I write about?"
Inspiration: "You are a smart guy. Just finished your MBA classes, didn't you? You'll figure it out."
Me: "How about I start with a blog?"
Inspiration: "Fine, do something, go with it. Figure it out!!!!!"

So, here I am. Inspired? Yes. Crazy? Possibly? I feel like I'm departing on a walkabout. Being called by the wind on a journey to find something that is out there. Care to join me on this journey?

Have a fruitful day,

RGH