A friend just sent me a link to a YouTube video this afternoon. It was amusing enough, but a link to another one caught my eye, so I had to click on it. The title is “The Mean Kitty Song,” and I’ve had cats so I know something about how crafty they can be. Moreover, the video has had close to 31 million hits! Check it out and have a good chuckle on me.
I’ll be back to more serious posts tomorrow. Or maybe the next day.
Following is the text of the Forward Day by Day meditation for December 13, 2009, the third Sunday in Advent. Forward Day by Day meditations are written anonymously, otherwise I would love to credit the author. As it is, I shall credit Forward Day by Day itself and Forward Movement Publications.
This meant even more to me by the sheer fact that it was the meditation for that particular day. My mother died on Friday, December 13, 2002, and every December 13 as well as every Friday the 13th since then, I hold her memory especially close and say a prayer for her. I know she is watching over me. I love you, Mom.
With that, the rest of this post is the author’s meditation on the Epistle reading for that day. I hope you enjoy it and find it as meaningful as I did and still do.
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Philippians 4:4-7. Rejoice in the Lord always.
Really? Always? But Lord…
“Yes, always. I’ve noticed that you’re joyful enough when the flowers bloom and the balmy breezes blow. But why no joy when you lost your job, when your wife left you, and when you had to take a second mortgage on your home? Maybe you thought I’d left you then, that I am with you only amidst the flower blossoms and the warm breezes. But when Paul wrote about rejoicing in me always, he was chained in a prison cell. He rejoiced even there. Paul knew that I lay next to him on that cold stone floor while the mice and roaches crawled over him. He rejoiced not because happy things were happening (they weren’t), but because he knew I loved him. And I love you, too. In fact, I am closest to you when you are most debilitated, fearful, despondent, and helpless. It is then that I hold you most closely to my heart.
“Feel my arms around you. After crucifixion comes resurrection. So it was with me and so it will be with you, for I am with you and you are mine. I claim you for my own. I love you and I always will, come what may. Rejoice in me. Always.”
How blessed am I! As I write this (Wednesday afternoon, December 9, 2009), I am gazing out at the Pacific Ocean, waves crashing to shore in the Bahía del Descanso—the Bay of Rest. The weather could not possibly be more perfect: crystal blue skies, warm sun, and the sounds and smells of the ocean.
Sanoviv Medical Institute, about which you can read much more at sanoviv.com, is located in Rosarito Beach, Baja California del Norte, Mexico, about an hour south of San Diego. Its founder, Dr. Myron Wentz, chose the place for a variety of reasons, one of which was simply to be in Mexico where he is much freer to practice his state-of-the-art alternative therapies than he would be in the United States, such is the state of overregulation there.
But why Rosarito Beach? Dr. Wentz was fortunate to be able to procure the former Levi Strauss estate, which is situated on a cliff noted for its positive energy frequencies. (Yes, energy medicine is one of Dr. Wentz’s alternative therapies.) It could not possibly be a more beautiful location.
Yesterday was my birthday. My friend Nick has come to Sanoviv several times before and is here now for some follow-up treatments. He invited me to be here with him as his “companion.” Sanoviv has a wonderful companion program, where people not receiving treatments are able to accompany people who are for $100 a night. This covers lodging, all meals, even clothing (more later). As Usana associates, however, we were able to take advantage of a Convention special, where companions are able to stay for free during the month of December. So, as it turns out, it was cheaper for me to come here for five nights than it would have been for me to stay at home!
How blessed am I that this just so happened to coincide with my birthday!
Sanoviv’s primary focus is detoxification. We live in such a toxic world. Of course, industrial pollution is the most obvious example, but it actually goes way deeper. From the synthetic clothes we wear to the synthetic foods we ingest, our modern life styles are anything but healthful. So during our stays at Sanoviv, we are provided 100% cotton loungewear and foot-massaging sandals. The meals are absolutely delicious—and completely devoid of the most common allergens: gluten, animal meats, starches, etc. Everything is vegetarian, with fish at lunchtime.
There is no coffee in the morning and no alcohol in the evening. Martini man that I am, I thought this might be difficult for me, but it hasn’t been. I had a slight headache the second morning I was here, which I attribute to caffeine withdrawal, but other than that it has been a breeze. I can hardly wait to weigh myself Friday morning, as I know I have dropped a few pounds. (OK, I have a few more to shed, I know. Baby steps.)
So this is how I have spent my birthday. I received many wonderful birthday greetings on my Facebook wall. Thanks to all of you who wrote. How blessed am I to have so many beautiful friends!
Thank you, Dr. Wentz, for your vision that created both Usana Health Sciences and Sanoviv Medical Institute. And thank you, Robert Allen, for introducing me, quite by accident, to Usana while I was investigating real estate investing.
I used to think that 35 was old. Now I know that 55 is young.
It has been over a month since I last posted to my blog, and I feel I owe my regular readers a bit of an explanation. I have been fully ensconced in my job search, and it has gone anything but smoothly.
This is the first time in my life that doors have not automatically opened for me, and it is extremely disconcerting. Prior to my current job search, the last time I updated my résumé was way back in 1995, and that was a mere formality as I had already been offered the job in question.
Time and again seemingly ideal positions have come up, and when I submit my credentials I get the standard reply that others more qualified are in consideration. It’s hard to believe that there are so many others out there with my unique collection of skills, but evidently there are. Either that or my résumé is absolutely not presenting me accurately.
Last month I attended a Career Relaunch Forum at Seton Hall University in South Orange, N.J. I drove down the day before to stay with my friend Nick in Passaic. The next morning I got up, took my shower, and had plenty of time to get to the event a half hour early, but when I went to open Nick’s apartment door, the handle would not work. I jiggled the handle and turned the latch for several minutes, all to no avail. I had no choice but to wake up Nick and enlist his help to get out of his apartment.
He had no more luck with his lock than I did. So he called a couple of his neighbors that had keys to his apartment, and one of them came up. We yelled back and forth through the door, but she was not able to unlock the door from the outside, either. Then Nick suggested to me, “You could always use the fire escape.”
My heart leapt up into my throat as I considered the implications of his words. I contemplated whether this was a sign that I shouldn’t attend the Forum. Just as quickly as I thought this, though, I realized that I didn’t want to have driven five hours for nothing. I decided that this was merely a speed bump on the road to my new career, and so I proceeded with the plan at hand.
Dressed in my suit and carrying a mug of coffee and my portfolio and newspaper, I opened his dining room window and crawled out onto the fire escape. I could feel my heart pounding as I looked down the 30 or so feet to the ground. Gingerly I descended the two staircases to get to the bottom level of the fire escape. From there I had to lower a ladder to make it the rest of the way to the ground.
At that point it occurred to me that there was no way I could carry everything I had brought and hold onto the ladder. So I tossed the newspaper and portfolio to the ground, determining that I could carry my coffee cup. (I have my priorities, after all.)
Now my heart was really pounding, because the ladder was absolutely vertical—no reasonable angle whatsoever. Rung by rung I descended, holding on (with one hand) for dear life. I finally reached the pavement below, my heart still pounding wildly. I shoved the ladder back up, picked up my belongings, and got in my car, hands shaking on the steering wheel, and I just sat there. After a few minutes I determined that I was able to drive, so I headed for South Orange. I arrived with no time to spare, but at least I made it.
The Career Relaunch Forum was good, and I made some connections there. (Sadly, in the month since then, none of then has panned out … but I didn’t know that at the time.) After it was over, I drove back to Nick’s place. The locksmith had been able to free him from his prison and installed a new (fully functioning) lock. Both of us decided to celebrate our respective victories by going into New York that evening for drinks and dinner.
We took the train into the city and were then on foot, going from place to place. At one point we were walking down Cornelia Street in the Village, chatting and not paying much attention to our surroundings. The next thing I knew, Nick had tripped and was falling … in super slow motion! His foot got caught on, of all things, a speed bump in the road. He completely lost his balance, and down he went, with me watching helplessly. Once time resumed to normal speed, I checked with him to be sure nothing was broken. He had scraped his elbow, but other than that and a bruised ego, he was all right. We had good laughs the rest of the evening.
This was a perfect metaphor for my job search: yet another speed bump, and this a literal one. One day at a time—that’s the only way I can live these days.
My frustration with the whole job-search process has continued, so much so that this past week I decided to stop looking. That’s right. I have pretty much given up on finding traditional employment. Certainly I will consider any offers that come along, and I plan to keep my résumé on CareerBuilder, Monster, and other popular sites. But I am done banging my head against a wall. Funny thing, the phone has started ringing with headhunters pursuing me. It’s amazing how we often find what we’re looking for once we stop looking so hard. Wish me luck.
So I’ll let them find me. I am a highly qualified professional, and any organization would benefit tremendously by hiring me. That is not narcissism, it is simply the truth.
Meanwhile, I have decided to capitalize on skills that I already possess in websites and Internet marketing. I have several opt-in pages on the ’Net, and I am polling my subscribers to learn what they would like to receive from me: training videos, downloadable PDF’s, physical products, whatever. I’m partnering with other Internet marketers, so stay tuned. As I develop the niches I’m marketing to, I’ll let all of you know.
One way or another, my skills and talents will pay off. My goal is and always has been to leave this world a better place for my having been here. Let me know how I can help you.
This is the text of my third speech at Ad Libs Toastmasters Club. By the end of the speech, you will know five things you can do today—while still employed—to facilitate your next job search.
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Gone are the days of lifelong employment with a pension and a gold watch upon retirement. My grandfather and my father both enjoyed lifetime careers; I certainly have not.
This speech came about due to my own current job search. In my last speech, titled “The Accidental Professional,” I explained how my career has developed over the years due to a series of fortuitous accidents—doors of opportunity opening up for me. For the first time in my life, I am having extreme difficulty finding my next job. Sadly, as we all know, I am far from alone.
I actually had to dust off my résumé, which I hadn’t used since 1995. Not only did I have to update it with 14 years’ worth of career developments, I had to change its language and tone, which was appropriate for 1995 but not for 2009.
So with that, allow me to offer you five steps you can take while still employed to facilitate your next job search.
Step 1. Keep your résumé current. Because I had let so much time pass since last updating my résumé, my memory of projects I worked on and responsibilities I had was quite dim. Consequently, it appears that I did very little, especially since 2001 when I was let go of my last outside employment. Nothing could be further from the truth. Under the aegis of my own corporation, I have kept current with database technology, specifically DB2 and MySQL. I have branched out into Web services—Web hosting, domain registration, and website design. I have gotten involved with network marketing, which brings with it a whole slew of side benefits in the personal development arena. And I have studied investing, mostly stocks and commodities but also some real estate.
My hope was that these latter pursuits would by now have brought in enough income to pay all the bills, but I have not been so fortunate. Hence my current job search. But I would be in the job market even if money were no issue. Having worked alone for the past eight years, I yearn for the camaraderie of the corporate world.
Back to the point at hand. When I brought out my résumé to update it, I had no idea how long a process this would be. Several résumé workshops and networking events later, I think it is finally beginning to work with the automated keyword sniffers that companies are using these days. So I encourage you to keep your résumé current on an ongoing basis. Keep a log of your various projects and assignments, including keywords that future employers will be searching for.
Step 2. Set up and actively use a LinkedIn account. LinkedIn hasn’t been around the whole time I’ve been underemployed, but I was invited to connect with a friend on LinkedIn years ago, and it’s only been this year that I’ve become a power user.
LinkedIn is your online professional résumé. Keeping it current will help you keep your offline résumé current. Join LinkedIn groups that might be helpful—certainly professional groups (I’ve joined several DB2‑, database‑, and mainframe-related groups) but also alumni groups. Keep in mind, though, that LinkedIn is for professional networking; leave the social and cultural and political associations for Facebook. Which leads me to my third recommendation:
Step 3. Clean up your Facebook account. A prospective employer is going to google your name and see what comes up. I encourage you to do the same. Just because you’ve only listed your LinkedIn profile on your résumé doesn’t mean he or she won’t find your Facebook page or, for that matter, MySpace, YouTube, blogs, and what have you. Clean up references to you that might cause an employer to bypass you for someone else.
Step 4. Get recommendations from current colleagues. Have them write you recommendations on your LinkedIn account. I learned this step only because it has been so hard ten, fifteen, twenty years later to get recommendations from colleagues that used to think quite highly of my work. I’ve gotten some, just not all that I would have liked.
Step 5. Keep current within your industry. I have a friend who is a PeopleSoft developer, and she is having a terrible time finding a new job, because her former employer kept her using an out-of-date version of PeopleSoft. Participate in LinkedIn group discussions. Purchase and read technical books. Take adult-ed classes at night. Do whatever it takes to hone your skills.
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I hope this has been helpful. I’ve given you five concrete steps you can take to make your next job search much easier. If you are employed, thank your lucky stars—even if you dislike your current job. It’s a whole lot better than not having a job, especially in this market. And don’t think your current job will last forever. I made that mistake once; I’ll never make it again.
Lately I’ve been a-singin’ the Job Search Blues.
As my regular readers know, I am in the market to get back into IT. The bulk of my technical background is in IBM’s database, called DB2. I’ve been working with DB2 since 1987. Prior to that I was a mainframe programmer/analyst and consultant, with copious experience in COBOL and CICS that I have been able to draw on to this day. (For those of you whose eyes just glazed over reading all of this alphabet soup, buckle your seatbelts. It gets worse. But stick with me; the overall story is worth it and may still apply to you.)
Now, I haven’t been in a job search since 1995, and at that time my résumé was a mere formality, since the company that hired me had a business relationship with my former employer. Everyone knew and respected me, so the transition was a breeze.
In 2001 I was downsized, but since I was pursuing other income avenues I felt no compelling need to get back into another IT position right away.
Little did I know that I would actually miss the day-to-day challenges, the water-cooler camaraderie, and the satisfaction of a job well done. So earlier this year I dusted off my résumé and started pounding the virtual pavement. (Did I pick a great time to look for a job, or what?)
Instead of being a breeze, my current job search has been incredibly frustrating. I have no doubt that my skills and expertise would be a great asset to any potential employer. The jobs I am applying for are all great fits. Were the economic reality different than it is today, I am certain that I would have been hired months ago.
But the rules have changed, and I can’t blame everything on the economy. Evidently, no human being reads résumés any more. Instead, they all go through a keyword extractor, and if you don’t happen to use exactly the right combination of keywords, your résumé doesn’t get chosen for further consideration … this time perhaps by an actual human being.
Case in point. I applied at one company for a position ideally suited to my technical background: “Mainframe DB2 Domain Technologist.” I mean, really, could a job title more perfectly describe my background? Having submitted my résumé online for various other positions with this particular company—and gotten nowhere—I opted to apply for this “perfect” position through a friend of mine who actually works there. I emailed him my résumé and he forwarded it on through the appropriate channels.
Later that morning I received an email from him indicating that there was some concern that I did not in fact possess enough mainframe background for the position. I was astonished. I wrote back emphasizing that it was precisely because of the mainframe requirements that this particular position was a perfect fit for me. He passed that back on. I have heard nothing, and it has been several weeks.
So here is what I think happened in this age of keyword-sniffing software. But first some terminology background. DB2 has been around on the mainframe since the 1980’s. (Remember, I started in 1987—that was Version 1.2.) Then IBM developed a version for its PC operating system OS/2. Since OS/2 never caught on commercially, IBM decided in the mid-1990’s to open it up to Windows. It was at that time that I started learning DB2 on these lower-end platforms, which IBM began calling DB2 UDB. UDB stood for Universal Database, their moniker for that version of DB2 that supported advanced features such as user-defined distinct types, user-defined functions, and large objects. (Again, my apologies to my glazed-eyed friends. Please bear with me.)
Well, the term UDB began to supplant DB2, meaning DB2 that runs on Linux, UNIX, and Windows, as opposed to DB2 that runs on the mainframe. This, despite the fact that mainframe DB2 became DB2 UDB once it also started supporting user-defined distinct types, user-defined functions, and large objects. In other words, the term UDB was being misused and misunderstood. That is why now in Version 9 on all platforms, IBM has stopped using the term UDB entirely.
In my résumé and in my cover letter, I used the term UDB correctly, meaning as IBM used it. To me it included mainframe DB2. Sadly for me, to most hiring departments it only indicates the Linux/UNIX/Windows (LUW) platforms of DB2. Hence the keyword sniffer’s concern that I did not have enough mainframe experience.
How frustrating is that.
The saddest thing about the current state of affairs is that most companies must be bypassing exceptional talent due to poorly programmed keyword-sniffing software, not to mention nontechnical eyes perusing technical résumés. In their favor, the current economic reality is leading to a lot of applicants for the same position, so even discarding some highly qualified talent, there remain a lot of applicants to choose from.
As I said, didn’t I pick a great time to look for a job!
Anyway, wish me luck, everyone. Whoever ends up hiring me is sure to be very pleasantly surprised. That’s not arrogance. That’s simply the reality of thirty years of experience in this industry.
To be sure, I’ll keep you posted.
Most of the year I attend St. John’s Episcopal Church in Portsmouth. During the summer months, however, I prefer to go to St. Andrew’s-by-the-Sea right here in Rye Beach. It is a charming summer chapel, just steps from my beloved Atlantic Ocean. Often, after church, I’ll treat myself to a walk along the shore.
Today I had other commitments, though, so I opted at least to take the long way home and drive along Ocean Boulevard for a few miles before heading back inland. To my surprise, it was very slow going. The good news is that that allowed me plenty of opportunity to see what all the commotion was about.
The road was packed both northbound and southbound, and cars were parked wherever they could find space, legal or otherwise. You see, Hurricane Bill was paying a visit. Now, you’d never know it, because the skies were bright blue with white puffy clouds, and the air temperature was a comfortable 81°F, the high humidity made tolerable by the ocean breezes.
What was causing all the commotion, however, was the ocean itself. Hurricane Bill had created very large waves—the sort I’m more accustomed to seeing in photos of surfers along the California coast than the generally lower waves that are more common here on the Eastern Seaboard.
And the surfers were out on droves. It was fun watching one catch a wave while dozens of others were still paddling out, waiting for a yet more perfect ride back to shore.
I love anything having to do with the ocean, and especially when it causes me to contemplate on the larger issues of life. Herewith my Sunday afternoon musings … before I need to step away from my keyboard and tend to some chores outside, which is my own way of making the best use of the day I’ve been given.
Hurricanes are scary, and they do come as far north as New England from time to time. Fortunately, Hurricane Bill mostly knocked himself out, leaving high seas as the only indication that he was anywhere near. So instead of hunkering down to sideways rain and howling winds, the surfers among us (and New Hampshire’s beaches attract surfers year-round) took their cue and made the most of the situation.
And this is my take-home thought of the day. It’s fine to make plans—in fact, it’s essential if you ever want to get ahead in your life—but you also have to take things as they come. Go with the flow. Roll with the punches. Choose your preferred metaphor, they all mean the same thing. We need to be flexible with our plans.
As my regular readers know, I generally write in my blog maybe once a week or so. This, however, is the third entry in as many days. And that’s because I’m going with the flow. This is the third day in a row that I have observed something that I wanted to share with you. So I’m making time in my busy day (whose days aren’t busy?) to sit for a few moments at my computer and get my thoughts down on (virtual) paper.
My family is coming for a visit over Labor Day weekend. That is another very pleasant “interruption” in my plans, and I’ll need to set aside time to do some serious housecleaning, as I haven’t had houseguests in quite some time. (I remember my grandmother often saying, “Company is good for the home.”) And between now and then I have an out-of-town trip that will occupy six of those precious days.
Of course, these interruptions are all blessings in disguise. So when the seas are rough, there’s just one thing to do. Go surfing!
My brothers and sisters and I grew up in a prejudice-free home.
That’s not entirely accurate, so let me explain. When we were growing up, it was my father’s influence that governed how we spoke about other people. I don’t know for sure, but I suspect that Dad experienced his own share of discrimination, having grown up in a poor Swedish immigrant family in the New Jersey suburbs of New York City. My mother had her share of prejudices, which we were all aware of, and yet my Dad would never allow us to voice similar opinions without challenging them. I thank him for that, as it has given me a unique way of dealing with people whose opinions and beliefs differ from my own.
Earlier today a friend of mine added a comment to my Facebook status. His comment included language that condemned an entire religion. I added my own comment in reply, seeking to soften his language. Next thing I knew, he had posted a second comment that justified (in his mind) his prejudice. So I decided instead to delete all three comments—his two and my one—and I wrote him an e-mail explaining why I took this action. Needless to say, his e-mail reply to me contained further justification for his negativity and hatred. Sigh.
One thing I have learned is the power of the law of attraction. By filling our lives with negativity, we attract more negativity. When we choose instead to focus on the positive, we attract more of the positive. Even with people who disagree with me on issues that are important to me, I choose to find common ground … and there is always common ground to be found.
I am not being a Pollyanna in choosing to focus on the positive. I do it because it actually works. In so many ways, my life has been one blessing after another. Yes, there have been hard times. Those who know me personally, know that I am going through one of them right now. And yet even with all that is going on in my life right now, God’s blessings are palpably present. I have a family that loves me just as I am. I have friends with hearts of gold. I have met an entirely new class of folks since I got involved with network marketing seven years ago—people that want nothing more than to see me succeed, and I them.
At the end of his e-mail to me, my disaffected friend commented on my decision to clean up my Facebook page, because I use it for “self-promotion, recruitment, and networking for profit.” He continued, “I learn little about my friend Carl, and too much about ‘Carl as a business.’ Where did my friend go? I miss him.” Well, my friend, I’m still here. In fact, I’m still the man you knew ten years ago. However, I have grown. Maybe once upon a time you and I would have sat around bitching and moaning about some issue or other. I won’t do that any more. I’ve seen how it poisons people; I’ve seen how it has poisoned you.
Over the years, as I have made new friends, I have also had to let some old friends go. I hope this is not one of those times, but if it is, so be it. I can do more good in the world by minimizing the negative influences in my life. And I want the world to be a better place for my having been here.
The bottom line is this: There is absolutely no room in my life for bigotry, prejudice, narrow-mindedness, and other poisons—even if I agree with you on the issue at hand!
Thanks, Dad!
Lately I have adopted the discipline of reading 10–20 pages of a technical or inspirational book each day. I’ve enjoyed several current titles since the beginning of the year, and everything I’ve read is sure to serve me well. Some of the books are quick reads and others drag along ploddingly. Still, I force myself to read each day.
Right now, however, I am absolutely devouring a book that has been on my To Read list for years. I can’t remember how long ago I bought the book, but it had been gathering dust on my bookshelf ever since. In retrospect, I can’t imagine what took me so long to pick it up and start reading. It is absolutely magnificent.
As the title of this post suggests, I am talking about Dale Carnegie’s classic How to Win Friends and Influence People. It is geared mainly towards a sales audience, but its hints and tips apply to much of day-to-day living. Just yesterday I put some of its tactics to the test while dealing with an especially rude and negative person. If you haven’t yet treated yourself to this book, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Don’t do what I did and wait years and years before finally picking it up.
Of course, if you’re not in sales, you might think it will be of limited benefit to you. Well, think again. As I’ve always been quick to point out, we are all in sales whether we like it or not. If you’re married, then you successfully sold yourself to your spouse. If you’re employed, then you clearly sold yourself to your interviewers. So if you think you’re not in sales, think again.
My book, Demystifying Prosperity™: Why You Should Take a Serious Look at Network Marketing, is directed primarily towards an audience that is leery of network marketing, multilevel marketing, MLM, or whatever term is used to describe this part of the direct sales industry. One of the statements I hear all the time is, “I’m not interested in sales,” or, “I’m bad at sales.” Well, if you’re bad at sales, get good at it whether or not you become a network marketer.
How to Win Friends and Influence People can play a key role in improving your sales skills, however you end up using them. Go out and get this book today! Then add your Comment below and let me know what you think.
This is the fourth and final post in my series reflecting on my journey from Maundy Thursday evening to Easter morning.
In recent decades it has been my custom to grow a winter beard—I call it my Thanksgiving-to-Easter beard. This means that I generally shave it off on Holy Saturday. This year was no exception. Saturday morning I decided to spend some me-time reading The Wall Street Journal online. I came across an article about tying 
bow ties. I’ve always been a fan of bow ties. My dad always looked so dapper in his. I have such happy memories of the day I was confirmed in the Episcopal Church, when he helped me tie my bow tie for the first time. I was a man now—no more clip-ons.
Anyway, in that same article there was mention of a blog site called SocialPrimer.com written by K. Cooper Ray (pictured at right). I knew I was going to like it when I read its tagline:
Manners, Conversation, Style & Handling Your Liquor
I had a rather pretentious childhood, myself, and have always suffered from delusions of grandeur, eliciting much ribbing from my older brothers. My mother’s mother, my Gram, was a very elegant woman, and I always resonated with her. So it was quite natural for me to find myself resonating with SP, as Mr. Ray refers to himself in his blog.
Several hours later I awake from my reverie and extricated myself from the mesmerizing glare of my computer screen, newly invigorated for the task at hand: the annual shaving of the beard. I also decided to class-up my act from now on. That evening for the Easter Vigil and again Easter morning, I wore a suit and tie (never could get the bow tie to work, despite my dad’s tender coaching so many years before) to the shock and delight of my fellow choristers and congregants. It was fun.
Moreover, it felt good. It reminded me of my mother’s father, my Gramp, who was also quite dapper. He would have approved. This has carried forward into this week as well, with several opportunities to dress up nicer than has been my custom.
Resurrection. Time to put away the old and embrace the new. I have a new outlook on how to carry myself in public. Perhaps the Miraculous Medal that I now find myself wearing has something to do with this, and perhaps not. I just know that exceedingly good things are on the horizon. Can’t you feel it? I certainly can.
Happy Easter, everybody! And yes, it is still Easter—will be for a total of fifty days. 
P.S. I also like SocialPrimer.com from a technical standpoint. It is a very well designed blog. I intend to use it in my technical trainings. So what’s so good about it? It’s rather plain, after all. Well, in my opinion, it’s not plain as much as clean and crisp. Also, Mr. Ray offers useful information for free and does not clutter his blog up with offers for whatever he is hawking at the moment, like so many blogs do. I’m all for generating income with a blog, but let’s do it subtly, and only after providing solid content for free. His blog wins on all accounts.