This is one fantastic story that will make you think about what it means to be human. I listened to it on my walk today, courtesy of Story Corps from NPR. In just two and a half minutes, this 65-year-old California guy explains why he goes out of his way to help stranded motorists.
Elton John on Fresh Air
I listened with awe and admiration to pop legend Elton John, as he revealed so much about his incredible life in an interview with Terry Gross of NPR's Fresh Air. He touched on the fact that he can't write lyrics, suffered from addiction, became isolated because of the fame and how he has come to enjoy family life with his partner.
As a 15-year-old, the first album I ever bought was Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. In fact, I still listen to it occasionally and still love it. At age 66, John is still making music, his latest, the Diving Board. Gross played multiple tracks and John's voice sounds as vibrant as ever, especially since this is a quieter, reflective John.
When I saw Elton John at the Dane County Coliseum in 1980 during my first month of college at UW Madison, I was just struck at how many adoring fans this guy had. He was in the center of the darkened venue seated at his piano, illuminated by spotlights. I just tried to imagine what it was like to be the center of such adoration.
In the interview, John describes how fame affected him, made him "self-absorbed."
"And I had no balance in my life, Terry. I was, you know, this one person onstage and this person offstage, who really didn't know much about living. I had progressed on stage as a performer, but I hadn't progressed as a human being."
He says after he got sober in 1990, he was able to get back on track, develop a healthy relationship and eventually moderate his performance schedule. Before that, he describes superficial relationships that didn't work out.
"And, you know, you take them around the world, you buy them a Versace shirt and a Cartier watch and then within six months they hate your guts because they have no life. And I did that repeatedly, time and time again. I had to learn how to share, how to take part in a proper relationship. And since that, I've been 23 years now clean and sober, and the most amazing things have happened to me. So it was just, it was a - the '90s were a great time, it was like I became alive again, I functioned and it was terrific."
But John says he needed to go through all of that to find the content place he occupies today. He loves being home so much that he will fly back to be with his kids and partner even if he is playing consecutive concerts in the same city.
The other relationship he discussed was that with Bernie Taupin, his longtime lyricist. As a non-musician, it was fascinating to hear how these two develop songs together.
"I realized at an early age - or when I tried to write songs, that I wasn't very good at it. And, you know, I enjoy the process of writing to his lyrics, and the weird process of him giving me a lyric, me going into a studio, and never writing with him in the same room. It's a magical event."
It sounds as though everything starts with Bernie, and John is fine with that. "He's a very - always been a very cinematic storyteller in his lyrics. There's a visual side. As soon as I look at the lyrics, visually, I can see what's going on. And I don't know how it works, Terry. It's kind of a bit "Twilight Zone"-ish, to say the least.
But it has worked, and it's as interesting now and as fun now as it was when I first wrote the first song to his lyric, because that excitement of writing something, say, off "The Diving Board" like "The Diving Board" or "My Quicksand," or whatever, and then seeing his reaction has never, ever dimmed. It's always been as exciting as it was in the first - when I wrote the very first song.
So it's an odd - it's a really odd relationship."
I've downloaded select songs from the net over the years but am yet to really embrace the transformation to mp3 music. I still listen to CDs. But appropriately, The Diving Board will be my first downloaded album.
Signs of Memory Decline Key To Treatment
Brace yourself, as a tidal wave of Alzheimer's disease cases are on the horizon. "It's going to overwhelm our country and the world," says Kim Petersen, MD, a geriatrics specialist and board member for the Alzheimer's & Dementia Alliance of Wisconsin.
"Thirty million U.S. baby boomers will get it," adds Dr. Petersen. The disease is strongly correlated with age, as half of those age 85 and older have either Alzheimer's or another memory disorder known as mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The earlier these problems are diagnosed, the better able doctors will be positioned to help.
Signs of Alzheimer's Disease include difficulty learning and retaining information, language problems and motor memory changes, such as the inability to dress oneself.
Three kinds of medication have been found to be helpful by delaying the progression of the disease, but the drugs don't work for everybody. When they do, the medicine delays the worst of the inevitable.
"The end point is the same but function is better," explains Dr. Petersen.
It can be difficult for laypeople to figure out when memory problems are serious or just part of the aging process. Doctor Petersen says if you forget where you put your keys or where exactly you parked the car, that's not something to fret over. But if you walk home after having driven your car, then you need to make a doctor appointment.
"We become less efficient and flexible and don't multi-task as well as we age," says Dr. Petersen. Forgetting appointments or having had a conversation could be signs of MCI. And that can be a "precursor to Alzheimer's," says Dr. Petersen. While there is no treatment for MCI, doctors can monitor the patient to see if further decline occurs. Sometime it does and sometimes MCI just clears up if it's related to some other health issue like depression or a medication.
Doctor Petersen says the future will likely include baseline tests so doctors can see whether a patient's memory has indeed declined compared to an earlier period. When asked what can be done to lower one's risk of suffering memory decline, Dr. Peterson said, "Take care of your heart and blood vessels. Lower your weight and increase cardiovascular health." That includes avoiding diabetes and high blood pressure, too.
The doctor also challenged us to keep using our brains as we age. "Learn something hard, like a foreign language. Go back to school. Stimulate the neurons," Petersen suggested.
But staving off Alzheimer's disease also means remaining social in our later years. Isolation can be a serious problem, so ditch the computer more often and visit with friends, attend a Rotary meeting and volunteer at the Brat Stand!
Walk on the Wild Side
September 12, 2013 was a perfect, clear summer afternoon and a great day for a walk. It was nearly my last.
Goldie and I are on the corner of High Point and Old Sauk Roads waiting for the walk light. It flashes, the intersection is clear, and away we go. A few steps out, I notice a silver car moving quickly toward the intersection to make a left turn. But she doesn't appear to be slowing down so I did a quick back step with the dog, just in case. In a second or two the gray-haired elder sped right through the crosswalk at full speed! I stared at her as she proceeded through the crosswalk, aghast at what had just transpired. During this moment, we locked eyes. Her expression was one of bewilderment: What on earth is your problem?
Back safely at the curb, I stood there for about two minutes thinking about what just happened and how I almost bought the ranch. I wrote down her three-letter license plate number, car description and time on my phone notebook so I could accurately report what happened.
Had I not moved backward, I am certain she would have killed me at that rate of speed. You read about these elderly folks who hit pedestrians and they say they didn't notice anything was amiss until impact. That would have been my fate on this day.
My friend Jay, to whom I told this story, said, "Wouldn't you have at least been able to jump up so you would have hit the windshield?" Who knows what I might have done or been able to do instinctively, holding a leash, just prior to impact. But as a best case scenario, imagine getting smacked into the windshield by a car going 30 MPH, going airborne and landing on the asphalt. Probably better than getting run over, but not by much. Perhaps I would only suffered a broken neck or back.
I did report this incident to the police, my city council member and legislators. There is a bill pending from State Senator Fred Risser which would require more testing for drivers over age 75. There are no special rules related to age for drivers in Wisconsin now. Under Risser's bill, the elderly would have to get tested every four years instead of every eight and they'd also have to pass a skills test. This is a perfectly reasonable proposal, yet the AARP opposes it because it's discriminatory. I can't fathom what an elderly person who is clear-minded has to fear. If you're so convinced you're mentally sharp enough to drive, just prove it with a simple test.
The fact is the older we get, the greater our chances of having difficulties behind the wheel. Crashes among the elderly are on par with the unusally high rates of inexperienced teen drivers.
"Vision, hearing, motor skills, and reaction times do tend to decline as a person ages, whether because of the aging process itself or because of the increased incidence of diseases such as arthritis, glaucoma, and others during advanced age," according to Wisconsin Briefs, published by Wisconsin's Legislative Reference Bureau.
Guess what folks? We're going to see way more of this. Way more. The Wisconsin DOT projects that by 2025, one in five Wisconsin residents will be age 65 or older. What's most alarming, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Motor vehicle crash deaths per capita among men and women begin to increase markedly starting at ages 75 to 79," according to U.S. Department of Transportation statistics from 2009."
I've experienced this elder driver problem in multiple other ways, too. An older friend gave me a ride home from downtown Madison to the west side and during that trip, he nearly went right through a stop sign, almost hit a pedestrian on a street with a lot of construction going on and a couple of other less obvious infractions. It was one scary ride!
I also recall exiting a church after a friend's wedding and heard the squealing of tires as an elderly woman backed up at a high rate of speed right into one of the parked cars. Had somebody been behind her, there would have been a funeral. She apparently jammed the accelerator instead of the brake pedal.
This issue also has affected my own family. My late father was struggling in the final years of his life and everybody in my family agreed it was not safe for him to drive any more.
"You don't think I'm a good driver?" Dad asked me sincerely. "It's not your fault," I told him. "You've got some health problems that are preventing you from driving safely." In a good moment, I was able to convince him to voluntarily surrender his license.
But we neglected to take the keys away while we figured out what to do with his car. A short time later, Dad showed up at my sister's house about eight miles away. He had forgotten all about giving up his license and just hopped in the car and drove there—without auto insurance, mind you.
From that point on, he blamed me for taking away his car and it was a small rift between us. It's not an easy conversation to have with anybody because the perceived loss of independence is paramount for an older person. Nevertheless, impaired drivers have to stay off the road.
Learn more about the problem and don't be shy about contacting the police and/or the DOT if you experience or witness something like this. Please also consider contacting your state legislators and encourage them to support Senator Risser's bill.
One day you or a family member might be the one in the crosswalk with a car barreling toward you.
Great Customer Service, even when they don't Deserve it
If anybody knows customer service, Jon Callaway does. "I work with people who generally are not happy," explains Jon.
As a Senior Local Relations representative for American Transmission Company, he understand that nobody will be pleased about power lines going through or near his or her property. Nevertheless, Jon says his goal is to hear out customers and treat them respectfully.
"My goal is always to make the customers happier or put them in a better position compared to when the call started," he said. To be good at customer service, Jon says you really need to be a "people person." Excellent training can be found in any bar or restaurant because Jon says you have to deal directly with the customer whether you are responsible for any problems that arise or not.
He recommends trying hard to listen and be empathetic. He emphasizes that it's essential to treat people respectfully, even when they don't return the favor. The customer is not always right but Jon says the "majority of bad customers have no clue that they are bad customers." They may be under great stress by the time your paths cross.
No matter what kind of work we do, with direct or indirect customer contact, Jon contends customer service always plays an important role. He says just a little effort in this area can make a big difference for the people affected by your work.
"You don't need to do that much to be above average," says Jon. In that vein, he likes to quote pro football great Roger Staubach who said, "There are no traffic jams along the extra mile."
Ann, I hardly knew ya
It came again this week. The dreaded call from a computer that has linked me to somebody I don't know and have never met.
"We are trying to reach Ann...Call this number immediately..." It's from some company supposedly named MCS. I Googled it and lots of people complain about the annoying calls it makes but nobody seems to know what the heck kind of company it is.
This has been going on for about a year or so. One of the not-so-pleasant aspects of working from home is having to screen all of the marketing calls. This one is dialed from a computer and frequently left on our answering machine. About three months ago I did call back to tell this company I have no connection to this person and don't understand why I keep getting these calls. The person tells me she will remove my name from the list, but offers no other information.
It stops, but then in no time, it resumes a couple of times per month. I called the number again yesterday, hoping to end this nuisance. Given that the calls started again after broken promises the first time, I threatened to contact the PSC and the Consumer Protection Department if the calls continue. "Do what you have to do, Sir," the rep deadpans. That was enough for me to contact the State now.
I followed up on my threat with Wisconsin's no-call center, which we did sign up for. But I may have done exactly the wrong thing by returning the telemarketer or collection agency's call. I got a comprehensive return email from the State of Wisconsin with this advice:
"We suggest that you not answer the calls if possible, do not enter numbers they suggest to "speak to a rep" or "get removed from their calling list", as these too are scams to verify if your number is valid so that they can sell to other telemarketers. This can inundate you with more calls."
Great. But I'm not sure this is a telemarketer. I Googled my home phone number and this person's name they keep asking me about and voila! This lady, Ann, had my home phone number before I did, which is going on more than 20 years ago. She must owe some serious cash. I found out Ann's had 11 residences and is 46 years old. There is a current phone number for her, but I can't imagine she's answering it because all of her annoying calls are coming to me.
Erasing Death
Dead just ain't what it used to be. Doctor Sam Parnia describes how people deceased for as long as 90-minutes, and sometimes even a few hours, are brought back to life. Sound impossible? This truly is amazing because the patients he describes have no pulse, can't breath and are flat lined as confirmed by medical equipment. In fact, at this point they are corpses.
What's different about the survivors is that their bodies were cooled, preserving their brain cells, which die at a much slower pace. If the emergency medical team can correct the underlying issue that caused their death, i.e., a blood clot that caused the heart attack, they can sometimes bring them back to life.
This doctor is a gifted story-teller who describes complex issues in a very understandable way. In fact, it's one of the best medical interviews I've ever heard. This discussion also includes how some patients who are dead are able to recall conversations the medical team made trying to revive them.
Doctor Parnia's book, is Erasing Death, which I plan to read. Check out the interview from the People's Pharmacy, which airs on public radio.
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/09/07/916-reversing-death/
We Won!
The girls and I enjoyed an interesting experience at a local car dealership, following a contest brochure we received in the mail. We scratched the circles and matched three $25,000 symbols, proclaiming that we "won."
I explained to the girls that there was almost no chance that we won anything of value and that this was just a scam to get us into the dealership to buy a car. "But maybe it's a good scam," Olivia offered, as she and her sister continued to urge me to call the number and find out what we won.
Fine, I called, and the person who answered confirmed that we were a "winner," but that we would need to go to the dealership to claim our prize. On the inside of the glossy brochure, they featured an iPad, wads of cash, a new car, etc. I asked what was the least valuable "prize" we might have won. She declined to elaborate.
The girls insisted we go down there and find out. Maureen was out of town so I figured it would be a good learning experience to show them how marketing works, especially since the dealership was right near our house.
So we drive up and we see all these couples wandering around the lot, some with kids, carrying this brochure. Lots of winners, apparently! Shocking. I asked one gal what she won and she showed me a $2 bill. "You were right!" said Olivia. Actually, I did say we probably won two bucks.
We proceeded in nonetheless and within a few minutes a sales guy introduces himself and has us sit down by a desk. He needs some information before he can check on our prize. He was an older gentleman with a very friendly personality and not nearly as pushy as I imagined. He wants to know what cars we have now, how old they are, how many miles, my birth date (declined), etc.
Since he had no luck with convincing us to buy a car right then and there, he had to send in reinforcements. The next guy made his pitch, quite respectfully, but more insistent. While he's talking to me, Olivia, clad in dark sun glasses long past sunset, blurts out: "We're not buying a car." The guy just glared at her. Funny! In fact, the girls reenacted the scene during breakfast this morning.
Twenty minutes later, Olivia gets to put the key in the magic car door. If the door opens, we get the car. [Buzzer sound] OK, on to the prize we won. Our number matches a lottery ticket, which we must scratch. [Buzzer] Finally, the sales guy pulls out a wad of bills and places a $2 bill in Olivia's palm. Hey, this was worthwhile! I gave Serena $2 so they could each "win."
We were there anyway, so I said I'd be willing to look at a KIA sedan. I was curious because I know absolutely nothing about that brand. The girls were not happy about this and at one point, Olivia says, "We better go because we have to pick up mom." Interesting, how she instinctively knew to tell a white lie to get out of a sales situation. Serena is too young, though. She blurted out, "No, we don't!"
Ultimately, we chose not to spend $32,000 on a whim and we came back $24,998 short of what the brochure seemed to suggest we had won. All in all, not the worst way to teach your kids about the world.
Polio Eradication in Sight
For the second straight year, Madison South Rotary claimed the number one spot in the District for per-member contributions to Rotary International. "Your club contributed more than $26,000," reported an enthusiastic District Governor Dean Ryerson.
Those contributions help fuel Rotary's main humanitarian push, which is to fight polio. "Rotary is the premiere organization in the world to eradicate polio," said Dean.
Thus far, Rotary has protected four million children from this disease, "but another billion [dollars] is needed to get the job done," adds the District Governor. The disease is still present in Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
At the current pace, though, and with matching funds from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dean says it's projected that the last reported case of polio will occur late next year. If that happens and then holds for four more years, world health officials will consider polio officially eradicated from the planet in 2018.
Dean urged the Club to use this monumental coming health achievement to tell Rotary's story and attract new members. Rotary must innovate to welcome new members who now may include homemakers and others not in the formal workforce. To grow our numbers, he suggests more of us invite our friends and colleagues to join. "We need to get our ask in gear," he joked.
See madisonsouthrotary.org to learn more.
In A World
Funny and fascinating. In A World lived up to my expectations, as I enjoyed the Fresh Air interview with the writer and star of the film, Lake Bell.
The title is the catch phrase the king of voice-overs used as he dominated the profession like nobody else. The movie wasn't so much about the late Don LaFontaine as about the industry itself.
For those of us who've earned a modest living behind a microphone, it is especially intriguing because a relative view voice actors command astronomical sums of cash. We've all heard their baritone voices on movie trailers, commercial spots and narrations of every kind. But what makes their voices so special? Unfortunately, the movie doesn't really address that very well other than to feature guys with deep, deep tones. It's a comical look at the top voice actor in the business who gets upstaged by his own daughter.
Women have not had many opportunities in this voice-over industry and even the father of one of them was loathe to have her steal one of his jobs. Lake Bell, who wrote and starred in the film, reminded me of Tina Fey. Bell has this quirkiness and self-deprecating way that made her an endearing character.
The movie is smartly written and moves along very quickly. I recommend it.
Service and Scholarship Intersect
Michelle Sharpswain, PhD, is a different kind of educator. She brings learning and community service together in a public way. The classroom doesn't necessarily always require chairs in front of a chalk board.
"Kids are capable of citizen scholarship, but are seldom called," says Sharpswain, co-founder of Madison Expeditionary Learning Academy, whose high school opens next year. She spoke to Madison South Rotary on August 26.
One example of citizen scholarship is the partnership with Lodi's Treinen Farm that annually produces a corn maze, designing it by hand and without GPS. In one of Sharpswain's week-long summer camps, each of her students learned to design a maze and get feedback from each other. Ultimately, one of the students' 12 maze designs was selected to be created in the corn field, where 20,000 visitors will eventually see it. She says nobody was disappointed when the chosen design was announced because they all had a hand in influencing it.
"The students are invested in each other's work" because they provide critiques in hopes of making it better.
"[The corn maze project] was a way of connecting math and art," she explains, giving the students a challenging task in a public environment.
Sharpswain says citizen scholarship comes down to three main principles: rigor, relevance and relationships. The students resolve to attack a challenging project that has meaning to the community and to the students and then engage with others outside the classroom to achieve their goal.
In another project, they created a Free Little Library by designing and painting it. After receiving the materials from a donor, they could hardly wait to show off their work and unveil their baby to the man who donated the supplies, as well as to the larger community. When it was completed, Sharpswain says, "the students were so proud to show him what they did with his wood."
The school endeavors to remain small, serving anywhere from 10-40 students the first year and building from there. Next year, it opens with just a freshman class, and will likely be located in downtown Madison.
For more information, visit madisonelacademy.org.
Svelte Peace Corps Volunteer Returns from Togo an Enlightened Man
His adventure started in a tiny, impoverished village
seven miles off the main road in Togo, West Africa, where constant
drumming and random screams are the norm. David Gooze is 25 pounds
lighter since becoming a Peace Corps volunteer in Kemeni, a two-thousand
person community. Despite Togo's small population, they speak 40 different
languages! French, however, is the official language.
"I wanted to try something that's completely different," explained
David, son of Madison South Rotary member Rob Gooze, regarding his
interest in serving in Togo. The food certainly qualifies as unusual for
an American. He's eaten monkey, bush rats, a breakfast of beans and
rice every day, but meat just once per month.
"They treat their animals like children," explains David, allowing
them to roam freely. Dogs, however, are another matter. If you visit,
leave Bowzer at home. The villagers have no affinity for canines and are
happy to eat them.
David describes these "subsistence farmers" as warm and accepting,
hardly allowing him to do any work there, despite the great amount of
labor necessary to farm. As a white, male guest, David is very high on
the social order, always seated next to the village chief.
David tries to promote gender equality in this patriarchal society
where girls and women eat last and are expected to devote their lives to
raising children, washing dishes and cleaning. To promote a better
quality of life for girls, he spearheaded a soccer tournament just for
them, and surprisingly, the people accepted it. And the girls loved
participating. '"Girls shouldn't be playing soccer, but okay,"' David
recalls the chief telling him. Soccer has been a high point for him.
"It's my favorite part of being there," he says.
Besides promoting gender equity in sports, David has also been
involved in educating males about the use of condoms. He says girls can
sometimes have ten or more children.
The African experience has made him appreciate America and the great
abundance we enjoy. He's also met a "best friend" who happens to be a
60-year-old Muslim African. "How else could I have met somebody like
him?" David ponders.
His visit back home in Oregon is drawing to a close. David begins
his journey back to Togo on Sunday and will remain there until September
of next year, when his Peace Corps commitment concludes.
White Coat Wisdom Now an E-book
White Coat Wisdom, now in its second printing, is available beginning today as an e-book:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/348899
1776 by David McCullough
How in the world the American rebels beat the strongest military power on Earth is still hard to fathom, especially after reading the wonderful 1776 by David McCullough. Somehow, they managed to repel an enemy that came in waves on a great many ships. The Americans had no ships!
McCullough, a Pulitzer Prize winner, is also that magnificent voice who narrated the Ken Burns classic, The Civil War on PBS.
His book, as its title suggests, focuses on this momentous year where the great Declaration was signed. But it was a mostly horrific time in the fledgling country's history. General Washington and his troops were getting their asses kicked in battle after battle. Almost all of 1776 details how tremendously ill-equipped the colonialists were to wage war, especially against a power like Great Britain. But McCullough does it with style, wonderful narratives and quotations from those laboring on the battlefields.
First off, the colonies had no real army, per se. They were not trained fighters. George Washington had never commanded an army in war before. And, all of the fighters were volunteers! In one chapter, the author describes a long path of blood in the snow left behind by American soldiers who no longer had shoes.
Contrast this to the Redcoats, who were well-equipped, battle experienced and wealthy enough to hire mercenaries from Germany to fight along with them. The Hessians were fierce soldiers who proved to be incredibly cruel, raping and pillaging when having successfully bested the rebels, to the embarrassment and disgust of their British generals and the Crown. Their behavior was so odious the British generals didn't know how to control them.
This is one aspect of the book I especially liked--McCullough's portrayal of events from the British perspective. General Howe had a dual role in the war as both the soldier in charge of bringing these insolent colonialists back in line but also to negotiate peace, if possible. Howe tried on multiple occasions to talk sense to General Washington, but he would hear none of it.
The British soldiers were amazed at these American towns with their bountiful orchards, nice homes, impressive furnishings, etc. They couldn't imagine why they would want to give up this idyllic existence and pick a fight with the nation that made it all possible.
The book also made me wonder what our country would be had there not been such a drive for independence. Would it have been so bad? There were plenty of Loyalists who did not want to engage in this fight, and for good reason. Many were wealthy, established land-owners who had no taste for war and the inevitable bloodshed. Their homes were ransacked and they were forced to flee into the wilds.
McCullough describes the horrific use of bayonets, muskets and canon balls in what often was hand-to-hand combat. Almost unimaginable. The desire to be free was so strong, these volunteer militias were willing to suffer and die in agonizing fashion rather than continue on under British rule.
So how did the rebels win? Only at the very end does the author address the question, with precious little detail. He credits the persistence of the army and General Washington's ability to learn from his mistakes.
Washington also was a revered, charismatic figure who could inspire men to fight, no matter the insurmountable challenges. The rebels knew the country better than the Redcoats and that made it more challenging for Britain to attack. Help from France and the Netherlands also helped, but it sounds like the Americans just stuck it out long enough, outsmarting the Brits with decisive surprise attacks.
In the end, the colonies demonstrated that America was theirs now, and they were willing to lay down their lives to repel invaders.
Great interview
I loved this scene from the cable TV show, the Newsroom, played on Fresh Air. Terry Gross interviews John Gallagher, Jr. who describes what it's like to memorize lines for this Aaron Sorkin program that I've never seen.
I've always been a huge fan of Sorkin's writing, having loved almost every episode of the West Wing and the movies he's written.
Give this five minutes or so and you won't be sorry. The scene deals with a reporter on the bus with the Romney Campaign. Hysterical!
The whole interview is at this link:
http://www.npr.org/2013/07/29/205865333/john-gallagher-jr-on-newsroom-dialogue-and-staging-green-day
A Website that Rocks
It's time to whip your website into shape. "Your top three products and services need to be on the front page," advises Tara Ingalls, founder of Tingalls Graphic Design. She also recommends the appropriate use of key words, which will help lead potential customers to your digital door. Think of what words customers might use if they were trying to find you.
"But don't use acronyms," says Tara. "They're easy to spell but they don't tell you anything." Instead, on the home page, using the H1 title tag, us a more comprehensive explanation of what your company is and does. Something like, "Welcome to Robert Johnson's luxury watch repair company, located on University Avenue in Middleton, Wisconsin."
Your contact information, including a physical address, should be clearly displayed, lending credibility to your company. Tara also suggests using photos, but making sure they are also titled with key words so Google can find you. Google doesn't know what a picture is unless you label it. Tara says embedded video, properly tagged, also will help draw people to your website, given that Google owns YouTube, the second largest search engine in the world.
The web designs that are hot now feature horizontal navigation, rotating graphics and long, skinny pages for mobile devices, according to Tara. Most importantly, she urges companies to use their logos on all of their communications so there is consistency on the web, on brochures, business cards, ads, etc. "People remember logos," says Tara.
If you choose to hire a pro to make your site easier to find on the Web, Tara recommends asking three critical questions: 1. What methods will you use?; 2. How will you benchmark progress?; 3 What will this cost?
For more information see Tingalls Graphic Design.
Making Giving Easy
You don't have to be a billionaire to make a significant and lasting contribution to the causes you deeply believe in. Enter the Madison Community Foundation (MCF), led by President Bob Sorge.
"We want to connect people to the things they love," Rotarian Sorge told Madison South Rotary. Sorge, whose organization manages endowments large and small, says it takes just $15,000 to become a permanent endowment. But funds can be established with less and will simply grow to that level over the years via asset appreciation and new contributions.
In fact, there are currently 56 such "Acorn" funds, meaning they "turn into oaks over time," explains Sorge. "They have a legacy going forward." That means the issues you care about continue to receive support into the future because the well, in a very real sense, never runs dry. "There's permanency to this fund," says Sorge.
MCF, founded almost seven decades ago, manages more than $140 million and distributes $8-$10 million annually. Once a fund is established, it's easy to recommend a grant, one's charitable interests are matched with many available options and donors benefit from economies of scale with respect to investment strategy. Moreover, MCF functions in perpetuity, creating the legacy many donors desire.
For more information, see madisoncommunityfoundation.org.
Dog Psychology
Our mutt Goldie, AKA Goldman, Golden Boy, etc., loves our daily walk. We take pretty much the same route and he reacts pretty much the same way when other dogs are around. If they're on a leash, he goes absolutely berserk, barking, pulling and generally being obnoxious. I need to cross to the other side of the street. But here's the funny part: If the other dog is not on a leash, Goldie's docile as can be.
Case in point: There's this beautiful chocolate lab who's always loose in his yard, thanks to the electronic fence his owners installed. When we come down the sidewalk directly through his yard, the chocolate stands to attention, barks a few low hellos, wagging his tail the whole time. Goldman, on the other hand, neither barks nor looks in the chocolate's direction as he saunters by. Never. Goldie acts as if there is nothing there at all.
So what is going on here? Why berserk one minute and indifferent the next? He never deviates from this behavior. I would love to hear some theories.
Before You Go
Grief counselor Cheri Milton speaks the power of gratitude. In her presentation before Madison South Rotary, Milton discussed why she chose to write,Before You Go: Lessons for a better life from those facing death.
"I never imagined how much they would give back to me," she said of her interactions with terminal patients.
Milton spoke of a patient named "Joyce" who suffered from ALS. Even though this horrific disease systematically stole Joyce's ability to eat, speak, or move in any substantial way, she remained steadfast in her determination to be grateful for what she did have. "At least I can see my grand-kids when they come home from school. At least my hair still looks nice."
Milton said this kind of determination was inspirational beyond measure, and she began changing things in her own life because of it. "How grateful am I?" Milton pondered. "I try to be grateful for the things we take for granted," Milton said.
Another terminal patient named "Harold" still had unopened Christmas presents under his artificial tree four years after his wife died. He told Milton he hadn't gotten around to opening the gifts she had given him for her last Christmas. Whatever the actual reason, Milton says this patient inspired her to stop procrastinating when it came to certain goals. "What am I waiting for? she asked. As a result, Milton says she forgave a friend, took a foreign vacation and started singing again for the first time since college.
We don't need death at our door to make positive changes in our lives. The patients in Before You Go certainly teach us that much.
Navigating Stormy Financial Waters
Every investment carries risk, but Rotarian Kevin Pachucki says the wrong
financial advisor could cost you much more. If you're not careful, he warns, an
investor can get eaten alive by the very person he or she goes to for help.
Kevin recommends asking a potential advisor, "Are you willing to sign
off as a fiduciary?" That, according to Kevin, essentially puts in writing that
the advisor will work in your best interest, a higher standard than the more
typical "suitable" standard.
Kevin, who has worked as a financial
advisor for both Smith Barney and Robert W. Baird handling accounts from
$400-$40 million, says he personally has witnessed brokers and advisors who've
acted unethically. The result was a fatter return for the advisors and big costs
for the investors.
To avoid getting ripped off by an advisor, Kevin
suggests asking pointed questions:
In addition,
he says run for the hills if there's any mention of a "secret investment tip,"
the necessity to invest "today" or instructions to "just write the check to
me." Kevin currently works in sales, but foresees a day when he will
return to the financial industry as an educator.
- How are you paid? (If it's by the insurance company, there may be a conflict of interest).
- Are you paid less if you don't hit a commission target?
- How are you licensed?
- For more information about Kevin Pachucki, see his LinkedIn profile.