December 26, 2011

Christmas Spoken Word: Hope Baby



Merry Christmas!

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December 21, 2011

How to Make Sure You’re on the Right Career Ladder

My friend Charlie once told me, "Whenever you switch jobs, make sure you're switching to a career ladder you're excited about being on."

In short, a pay raise should not be your #1 requirement with a job move. A lateral move, even one slightly downward, might make sense if it's to a ladder you actually want to be on.

His advice clarified something I had always instinctively understood. For instance, my first high school job was at a golf store. It was intentional. I thought I was going to be a marketing major in college, and thought having golf experience on my resume would be beneficial and look more professional than my friend who worked at Chuck'E Cheese.

(Note: At the time, I was under the impression that guys in marketing golfed all day. That's largely why I chose marketing. 7 years into my marketing career, I have NEVER golfed for business.)

Does your current job look great on the career ladder you want to be climbing? If not, it's time to jump to a new one.
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December 19, 2011

Do Children Really Need a Middle Name?

We didn't give my daughter a middle name, because we couldn't think of a good reason to do so.

When explaining this to people, we actually heard the argument, "But, what will she fill in the blanks for 'middle name' on government documents?"

Yeah, that's not a good enough reason for me.

I understand the middle name if you're trying to honor someone (but not honor them TOO much by giving them the first name). I understand the middle name if you want to be able to call them something different when you're especially angry with them. I understand the middle name to prevent confusion if your child's name is John Smith.

But, in all likelihood, our daughter is the only Daylia Olsen in the world. And there was no reason to give her one.
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December 14, 2011

Some Lines Are Worth the Wait

I sat in the waiting room for 45 minutes today - and didn't mind too much.

After all, the doctor I was waiting for is one of the nation's leading pediatric urologists - and I value his opinion tremendously, because I love my daughter. There's no real alternative, so I was happy to wait.

Now, if this wait had occurred at my dentist, or for a hair-cut, I would have been furious - or just left. The commodity/alternative value of a product or service is directly proportional to my patience in waiting for it.

For instance, when my friend Jarrett and I visited Chicago's famous gourmet hot dog stop, Hot Doug's - I actually liked waiting in a line that started outside. It validated my decision to drive there - even more than the food did.

Some lines are worth the wait.
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December 13, 2011

Miracles, Reason and Tim Tebow

I like to think of myself as a man of reasonable faith. And I simply don't know what to do about this Tim Tebow thing.

The odds are simply unbelievable. 6 completely crazy come from behind wins in the past 7 games, deep in the 4th quarter, from a guy most professional analysts don't think has the talent worthy to be a backup quarterback in the NFL.

What are the odds? Well, ESPN actually ran the calculations. It's 0.0007 percent. 1 in 137,000. It's miraculous.

And that's where this gets confusing. Because one of the reasons people don't like this guy is because he talks about his faith in Christ...a lot. Like, all the time. More than preachers on Sunday

So after seeing these statistical impossibilities come out of nowhere, and happen week after week after week...how can you not wonder?

In the same way that stories of individuals who give up their lives to build wells and spread the gospel of Christ in Africa die in plane crashes on the way there makes it difficult to believe in God, this is the kind of thing you see and are convinced God is real...and really loves his boy, Tim.
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December 6, 2011

Let’s Never “Agree to Disagree” Again

Agreeing to disagree means that both sides are ok with the other person leaving the conversation a moron.

As a perpetual student of the enlightenment, I find this unacceptable.

Either I'm wrong, and if so, I truly desire to be convinced otherwise.
Or you're wrong, and I need to find the right logic that triggers your head to reason.
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December 5, 2011

I Trust You Blindly

This morning, I drove to work down a 2-way street. I was in one lane, going 50 mph. You were coming in the opposite direction, going 50 mph.

At any second, if you chose to, you could have instantly ended me. With a slight turn of the wheel.

Yet, I am not afraid of this. I trust you. And this whole thing only works because of that.


We trust that the morons aren't monsters.
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December 2, 2011

The Arrogance of Blogging

I am forever grateful to the readers and contributors of this critical-thought community.

Because when you think about it, anyone who blogs is completely arrogant. After all, here's the rough thought process one must take before deciding to blog.
"Not only are my personal thoughts interesting enough for me to want to privately journal them - possibly reflect on them at a later time - but I am so insightful/eloquent/creative, that the world MUST have access to the depths of my mind."
And while my arrogance is no different, this blog is. This blog requires debate. Questioning. Prying. Conversation. It's the only way it works.

And together, I hope we have all become smarter because of it. I know I have. And I am grateful to you all.

Thank you.
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December 1, 2011

The Most Talented Speakers Often Have Nothing Worth Saying

Vernon Smith, Nobel-Prize Winning Economist, on economist Irving Fisher; December 2011 issue of Reason Magazine
"Fisher was a very clear writer. I remember a student once asked Leontief in class why there was no school of economics built around Fisher. And Leontief said: Well, it's because he wrote so clearly - everyone could understand what he was saying." 
This is a powerful truth. Because all too often, the most brilliant people are poor communicators. And the most talented speakers have nothing to say.

But, to be both? Those are the individuals who will change the world, because they are the only ones the world can understand.

Instead, we take the "intellectual giants" and read their books over and over again, confusing their lack of brevity for brilliance.
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November 29, 2011

The Incredibly Limited Selection of Sirius Radio

With my wife's new Kia Soul came a complimentary 3-month trial to Sirius radio.

I was really excited. Planned on falling in love with it.

No longer would I be limited to the personal tastes of my local radio stations. In this world of limitless channels, I would finally be able to find ones that match my eclectic taste.

I couldn't. Sirius' channel selection is incredibly small.

2 Christian stations in total. Both worse (less hipster) than my local Chicago options.
2 Indie Rock stations in total. Both worse (less hipster) than my local Chicago options.

What's going on here? How can satellite radio be so limiting? Offer so little control and personalization?

What am I looking for that I was hoping Sirius would be?

Oh...thank you, Spotify.
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