What Do You Want On Your Tombstone?

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Death is a pretty morbid subject but I am going to try and put a positive spin on it.  Death is inevitable so almost everyone has likely had the the misfortune of losing someone close to them. I have been very fortunate to have not lost too many loved ones (knock on wood) but those I have lost definitely had an impact on me.  For instance my grandfather passed away a few years ago who is one of the most gentle and kind people I have come to know.  Seeing him in an open casket was nice in that I got to see him one last time but obviously difficult for the mind to consume.  We often take those around us for granted but during funerals we are all reminded how fragile life is and how important it is to appreciate those around us.

At work we lost an executive who was deeply loved and appreciated a few months ago that I had met at a restaurant about a year prior to his passing.  I remember hearing everyone talk about him the day everyone learned of his passing and how many people said they would miss him and how genuinely nice he was to others which leads me to the reason I am writing this post.  I recently heard a quote which basically said those we will miss upon death are people who came into the world crying when everyone around them were smiling but when they leave the world they will be smiling when everyone around them is crying.

Scottsdale, AZ and Taliesin West

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As I have discussed in previous posts, I was in Scottsdale last week for a conference which was fun.  I really liked Scottsdale, especially in October because it was 85 degrees during the day and 70 at night.  I am definitely someone who would rather be hot than cold so I always enjoy visiting Arizona when I can but the one time I went when it was 115 degrees and Gary made us talk with a Store Manager in a restaurant parking lot was a little intense (we’ll never let you live that one down Gary).  Scottsdale has a ton of money, I was driving around and found a Ferrari/Maserati dealership which I had never seen before.  On my way to my fancy smancy McDonalds lunch I was driving through a golf course community and saw a Ferrari go past me.  I saw two Bentleys driving down the road and the final day I was there I went to Starbucks before going to the airport and a lady parked her Aston Martin literally in the middle of the road in front of the building.  I also love all of the cactus all over the place and I guess they tend to grow pretty slow from what others were telling me.  I lived in Reno, NV for three years which is considered high desert and I always thought it had its own sense of beauty.

The last night I was there they had the President’s Dinner at Taliesin West (photo above) which is one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s homes and is where his foundation is located today. I had obviously heard of Frank Lloyd Wright but I didn’t really know anything about him prior to going to the event.  We got a private tour of his residence and the tour guide was really nice as she let us take our wine in and literally sit on anything we wanted and make ourselves at home.  The dinner that night was in his theater and I can’t verify what the guide told us but she said Wright was an innovator who never patented any of his works or ideas.  She said he came up with the idea of surround sound via stone walls which were not 90 degrees and theater seating which was evident in the theater.  I’m sure he came up with other innovations but those were just two things he was able to incorporate into his Taliesin West home.  If you ever get the opportunity to visit I really found it interesting and I’m not usually into architecture.

The Flipflop Generation: How Generation “Y” Will Change the Workforce

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As I have mentioned in past posts, I was at a Communications Media Managers Association (CMMA) event last week in Arizona.  Before I was a manager I always hated not getting any information about what my bosses got to learn at the events they attended so I vowed when I became a manager I would communicate everything (as much as possible anyway) that I learned.

CMMA brought a speaker in to talk about the differences of the generations in the workforce which I thought was interesting being a person from the Generation “X” era.  She said her son wears flip flops to work and she gives him a hard time for doing so but he says “oh mom people don’t care what I wear to work”.  Each generation is bringing their own style and way of thinking to the workforce.  As older genreations retire newer generations are going to greatly change the way we manage people, think, and work.

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Ed “Short Fues” Herman (UFC Fighter) Trick or Treating in Portland

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My friend and former co-worker emailed me this morning with some new trick or treater pictures.  Ed Herman must live in Lee’s neighborhood as he goes trick or treating every year to his home.  The picture on the left is of Lee and Ed this year and the picture on the right is of Ed and Lee’s wife Allison from I believe three years ago.  Lana went to school with Ed in Vancouver, WA.  To view Ed’s bio see his Wikipedia entry.