Tag: life

The Postal Service needs help, now.

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Our United States Postal Service is in a jam, and we all need to help them. I read recently (and should have remembered it) that Benjamin Franklin was our first Postmaster; he was an innovator and revived the then-Colonial Postal Service to increase efficiency and profitability. We need you, Ben, right now. Nearly every resident of The United States is involved with the USPS and with their carriers, and station staff. People in small towns, large metro areas, every state, and US Territories depend on them. Military and government personnel worldwide rely on the USPS to facilitate the delivery of their mail. We all need their services.

I’ve am a life-long user of “real mail.” Even before the pandemic, and despite the emergence of new ways to communicate, my respect for the USPS remains solid. Nearly everyone I know in business, family, and social circles is aware of (and has received) real mail from me. I prefer hand-written notes and actual postage stamps; each envelope I drop into a USPS mailbox is a personal message from me to another. Today, I read an article about the USPS financial dilemma; people using 1st Class mail is way down, which creates a huge revenue problem for the organization. In my view, now, more than ever, people need to be in touch with family and friends.

Buying and using a postage stamp to send a greeting is a super investment in our USPS. Just imagine this: if 1% of the Nation’s population started buying and using stamps to aid communications, the USPS might be out of their downward spiral. I’ll send a few notes out today, so count me in. I’m happy to help.

The 3 most powerful words used in the South are: “Bless Your Heart.”

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If you live in any Southern State, you’re probably familiar with hearing this phrase almost every day. People of all ages and genders in the South often use it, and it’s seen as a classic example of social commentary—something that can be personalized in many ways.

For instance, you might say: ‘Bless her, his, their, and your hearts.’ This phrase is a way of expressing your thoughts, which could be anything from: “That’s the ugliest dress I’ve ever seen” to “That house is painted the worst color, ever.” The key is to quickly add the “Bless” word, which gently softens your comment and keeps everyone feeling good.

Living and learning in the south is a challenge, especially for a boy born and raised in San Francisco. However, after 20 years here, I have been able to blend in quite well.

This encore took 30+years to happen.

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More than 30 years ago, I walked my daughter down the aisle on her wedding day. Not long ago, I walked the same aisle of this church to honor my eldest granddaughter on her own wedding day. It was an immediate flashback to many years ago; many of my daughter’s friends, bridesmaids, and guests who participated in her wedding were back for her daughter’s. I’ve known several of her friends since they were in 2nd grade through high school.

I must confess, more than one of her friends recognized me before I clicked on who they were. Seeing them was so much fun: little girls at first glance, beautiful moms with grown children of their own a moment later. As I watched my granddaughter and her now-husband go through their ceremony, I couldn’t help but smile at what they will experience in years to come. They have a wonderful daughter now; I know, one day Olivia will walk down that very aisle in her own beautiful wedding gown. I love that thought.

Stuff changes over time.

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When I was a kid in San Francisco, we got through life without being concerned with the things that are around today. Now, every day I read about people’s current concerns that were unheard of when I was growing up. I didn’t know a single person then who was a vegan, lactose-intolerant, concerned about GMO issues, or allergic to gluten products.

We weren’t concerned with bottled water (or the bottles). At home, we had tap water in the kitchen and bathroom, and best of all, we drank from a hose. It all seemed fine to me. There were plenty of drinking fountains at school and in public places, and not a single person I knew died from contaminated water. Or, by the way, ever had their “eye put out” by a pencil? No one had a car seat; seat belts were for future airplanes. Cars had metal bumpers that did a superb job of protecting them. They actually protected passengers and prevented significant damage to the vehicle. I recall one car (I think it was a Buick) that had huge, torpedo-shaped, pointed bumpers. Now that was classy.

My mom shopped nearly every day, as did my grandmother. Like it or not, we ate everything served; if you didn’t like it, too bad. We’d sit there until the offending item was gone. While my mom’s cooking wasn’t restaurant-quality, it included fresh vegetables long before boutique Fresh Market stores emerged. Our corner grocery store was the equivalent of a modern-day Kroger. It was about half a block from our house, and my mom dispatched me regularly for whatever we needed. My favorite thing to watch was a gas flame resembling a large Bunsen Burner. It was used to singe pin feathers off the skin of fresh chickens. We had never heard of packaged chicken.

We used to have this amazing social media platform—imagine a 4-party telephone line! It was just wonderful; four families sharing one phone line, each with their own distinct ring. It’s funny to think that everyone was listening in on each other sometimes. That was like instant social media, way before the 5G speeds people are eager for today. I could go on and on about thoughts like this. I know many others have similar childhood memories, and it warms my heart to see how small things can create such meaningful connections. To everyone who has supported me along the way, I truly appreciate you!