Is Make America Great Again a Desire for the 1950s?

This morning, I asked Alexa to play Rock and Roll Part 2 and somehow ended up with 50 greatest rock and roll hits from the 50s. It was still good.

As I listened to it, I turned to Paco and said,

"you know, I wonder if when Trump says 'Make America Great Again,' he was actually trying to evoke an emotional connection to the 1950s?"

For many people, I explained, that image represents an era of unbridled economic prosperity and opportunity. Job growth, taking on big challenges in infrastructure like the Interstate Highway system, and upward mobility. Plus, as I hearkened back to the "Enchantment Under the Sea" scene from Back to the Future (before Marty goes all Chuck Berry, of course), for many there's a perceived nostalgia around wholesomeness, safety, and security.

Of course, I also explained to him, for many people the 1950s represent an era when women couldn't get abortions, homosexuals couldn't safely self-identify in public, segregation/Jim Crow was rampant, and miscegenation was illegal, just to name a few.  Having just visited Atlanta and the Civil Rights Museum, that resonated.

I'm probably not the first person to make this observation of MAGA=1950s and for you, it's probably obvious, but for some reason it dawned on me this morning as a possibility.

Given Trump's age (he was 4-14) during the 50s, I wonder if there's a psychological angle for him as well. Innocence before it was lost (Rosebud) or something like that...

Undoubtedly, others will have opinions on this one.

A flight from Dallas and a BIG lesson about pre-judging

On my way back to DC from Austin (via Dallas), I found myself in my preferred aisle seat, but with 2 passengers to my right.

Once the doors were closed, I noticed that the seat one row in front of me, across aisle (and still on the aisle) was open, with no one in the middle seat.

Needless to say, I immediately grabbed it.

I was doing my work and when the flight attendant came by to ask for drinks, I started chatting with the gentleman in my row, seated next to the window.

It’s probably not a big surprise to you, but I tend to be one of those “plane talkers” and have many a good friend made on various flights.

As we chatted, I learned that this guy was also in technology, his company develops some cool mapping/data software for school buses, but-and I’m a bit scared to admit this-when he told me that he had programmers/development teams in Karachi and Abu Dhabi, I did start doing the calculation of “ok, what is my Jewish/Israel strategy for this conversation?”

I’d be lying if my first thought wasn’t, “this guy probably is anti-Israel at the least and at the worst, pro-Hamas or something like that,” and well, after a really long day, I wasn’t up for a fight. (And yes, that HAS happened to me before.)

Now, I am quite embarrassed and ashamed to admit that I fell into this trap because I could not have been more wrong.

Not only was Amir ridiculously nice, engaging, smart, etc., but it turns out that he had spent a few years working for an Israeli company (which, let’s be honest, would be enough to make even some Jews anti-Israeli), and came out with not only some admiration for their approach (well, not all of it), but recognition that some of what he had learned as a child in Pakistan (he emigrated to the US when he was 18), wasn’t so accurate.

Our conversation was enhanced at one point because I demonstrated a bit of that age old Jewish gift of chutzpah by asking the flight attendant, “hey, don’t you guys have any peanuts or pretzels back there?”

Her response was “what planet are you living on honey?” (but in a humorous way.)

Amir was skeptical, but I said, “hey, if you don’t ask, you never get.”

And, wouldn’t you know it, but a few minutes later, the flight attendant, Jan, shows up with a basket of nuts which were from the First Class cabin.

Amir was pretty surprised to say the least. I was riding the high that comes from being rewarded from chutzpah (something that doesn’t always happen, that’s for sure) and feeling validated.

At that point, Jan and I struck up a deeper conversation and I got a nice chunk of her life story, as well as promised to send a note to the American Airlines customer service team (which I have).  What can I say? I was feeling chatty.

A bit later, Jan returns, bringing 2 meals from the First Class cabin and asking “what kind of wine does your wife drink?”

Amir being Muslim and I being married to the NFO who is, well, the NFO, both said “my wife doesn’t drink wine,” which made Jan happy because she could then take it to her hotel room (she’d had a long day, so good for her!)

The only downside of our lengthy chat was that I neglected some of my planned work on the plane, but hey, I made it up in the cab and it was mega-worth it. In addition to our common technology-world lives, we both have 3 kids which are (sort of) the same age and we’re only 1 year apart in age.

Just a solid guy.

The conversation was fruitful, enlightening, and memorable. I learned a lot about Pakistan, Geo-location technology, and, most of all, the importance of not rushing to judgment.

For that, I feel very, very bad and mildly ashamed and I intend to carry this lesson with me for a long time.
We can call it the “Amir Principle.”

The corollary to that is the “Jan Principle.” Be nice to flight attendants and don’t be afraid of a bit of chutzpah (Amir’s newest Yiddish/Hebrew word, btw.)….You never know what might show up on your tray table.

How to be Remembered…

I’m training for a ToughMudder race on September 9th, so have been running a lot.

To help out, I’ve been experimenting with various music playlists, to keep me motivated.

This morning, right as the run was ending, the music from Chariots of Fire came on.

While it’s not the greatest motivator while you are actually running, it is a great score.

With the Olympics coming up, I was reminded of the story and it occurred to me that, if Eric Liddell hadn’t had the religious convictions preventing him from running on Sunday, there would have been no story.

In fact, without looking it up, I bet that no one reading this knows who won the Gold Medal in the 100 meters or 200 meters in the 1924 Paris Games.

The point here is that the great stories, the kind that Ken Burns talks about in this wonderful 7 minute documentary, are made by those who stand FOR something.

This is true in our personal lives, but also in our business lives.

Steve Jobs is famously quoted for having said that his objective was to “put a dent in the universe.”

Great brands, nay, the GREATEST brands are built because they create stories around their principled positions.

It’s easy to be skeptical because while most brands and most athletes start off standing for something, too often, those positions are compromised and it becomes about the money and the fame.

“So many times, it happens so fast, you trade your passion for glory.”-Eye of the Tiger, Survivor (which IS a good running song).

Money are fame are fine, but not enduring.

Nothing wrong with them, but it all comes down to what impact you want to make (or none at all).

Michael Vick and Forgiveness….

After reading the book about life at Leavenworth prison, I’ve been thinking a lot about the question of rehabilitation and debt to society.

It came up recently as the dental hygienist and I got into a debate about Michael Vick.

As a dog lover, she said there is no way she can ever forgive Vick for what he had done. He had “crossed the line” and even paying his debt to society in the form of prison time couldn’t make her look at him anew. It didn’t’ matter how much remorse he had shown.

That raised the question of “when do people deserve a 2nd chance and when are their crimes-no matter how many years before-unforgivable?”

Child sex offenders, murderers?

Robbers/Thieves?

Shoplifting?

Which are the ones where…”ok, you made a mistake, pay up and you’re back into society?”

and which are the ones where it’s “sorry, you are marked for life.”

A Glacial Perspective

“Everyone,” my host began, “has their own mythology of Alaska.”

As we drove out from Anchorage, past the town of Wasilla (yep, the hometown of Sarah Palin), I reflected on that.

Many states have images that are conjured up when you hear their names.

California. Florida. Texas. New York.

But, Alaska, probably because it’s so distant (I didn’t even know until this trip that it takes 3 hours to get there FROM SEATTLE), so big (and thus difficult to get our heads around), and somewhat the land of lore (think Klondike Gold Rush), definitely defies a unique stereotype…and that is what Steve meant, I believe.

Part of that mythology these days is Sarah Palin and, frankly, my non-scientific research says that most Alaskans could do without that.

But, part of that mythology is in the outdoors, roaming, going out and about…you vs. nature or, better yet, you AND nature.

Steve drove me up to the Knik River Lodge, owned by Peter, a Dutchman who has lived in Alaska for 24 years and done something quite special.

He’s combined a lodge experience with gourmet European cooking (he brings in a French chef) and a passion for the outdoors to create a unique experience that is about appreciating the state and its beauty.

With the help of Steve Richards, our pilot, we flew in a helicopter (my first time doing that) out to the Knik Glacier where I had a meeting with God.

It wasn’t on the calendar, He hadn’t sent an email, but He was there.

Ok, so I’m exaggerating, but if God is about feeling a sense of deeper connection to the earth and of giving you a better perspective into just how small you are in the grand scheme of things so you don’t get so full of yourself, then he was there.

The glacier is something like 6 miles wide, 26 miles long and no one knows how deep.

It’s intense, which I got to see for myself when Peter set up the ice climbing and I rappelled down (not too far) into a ravine…the bottom of which NO ONE has ever seen, but leads to an underground river.

Out there, on the ice, you think about your daily issues and your (relatively small) world and you are reminded..in a way to yet another city cannot do), how magnificent the world is and the awe-inspiring capabilities of nature.

Alaska is really a world unto itself in some ways. There’s no state income tax and no sales tax…of course, it’s easy to do that (and balance your state budget) when you have a $50 billion fund from oil royalties that serves as an endowment for the whole state.

In fact, EACH citizen (kids, too) gets an annual check for $2000 from the fund as a dividend.

All of this put some of Palin’s claims in perspective, by the way.

But, this isn’t about Palin and focusing on her does a disserve to the people here.

They are warm and hospitable. They have a great attidute and a beautiful climate and their state provides a unique opportunity to regain a perspective on LIFE that we all sometimes lose.

For some video of the glacier (here and here)

 

Confusing Output with Input…

A few days ago, someone asked me, “how do you have time to actually make a living or do anything for clients because it seems like all you are doing is marketing your business?

It would take me 3 hours every day to do what you do.”

Let’s leave out, for the moment, that marketing is 99% perception and 1% reality

Instead, let’s focus on the difference between input and results.

For a long time, our mind frame as workers has been based upon an industrial, assembly-line mentality.

The 8 hour day. How much do you pay for hour?

I need you to do one task, over and over, for an hour and I’m willing to pay you X for it.

Not only does the economy rely on that less and less, but when you sell your services to someone, they aren’t buying your time, they are buying your results.

I never charge by the hour because my clients don’t care how much time I spend working for them.

What they care about is: the results we hope to generate.

And, when I hire vendors, I don’t care how long it takes them. What I know is: I’m willing to pay a certain amount for this project and if you can do it for that amount, great.

Raving Fan, Jack Quarles, sent me a great post along these lines called “they bill by the hour.”

It’s worth the read and it’s worth thinking about.

What’s more, it puts you in the mind of your customer and, well, obviously that’s a good thing.

Oh, and the 3 hours that it would take that person to do what I do…it takes me about 20 minutes

But, that’s another post for another day.

Getting Old…or Responsible?

Every year on Thanksgiving Day, I play in a football game.

This year, a few days after Thanksgiving, I was slated to go to India for 5 days…for a (what I considered) pretty big business opportunity.

With the forecast of cold weather and rain, I wondered if the risk of illness or injury was worth it.

I’ve been sick on a 12 hour flight and it was a terrible experience.

I couldn’t decide if my debate about whether to play or not was being responsible or silly.

As if it never happened…

I was really moved the other day when reading Gretchen Rubin’s blog (full disclosure: client) where she challenged her readers to write about something as if it never happened.

If I had never met the NFO (that’s the codeword for my spouse), for example, I wouldn’t have 3 of the most amazing beings walking around my house teaching me how to laugh like a kid, how to cry as a parent, and how to think and behave like an adult.

I’d also be far less sensitive (that’s not to say that I am sensitive right now…just a bit more than I otherwise would have been.)

I’d also be less concerned with how my words affected the feelings of others. (Again, not a ninja master here with a long way to go, so you can imagine the impact that she’s had on me.)

And I’d be a far more poor communicator. (Do I still need all of these disclaimers? I think the point was I was like a neanderthal and now may be a Cro-Magnon or whatever the accurate move up the evolutionary chain is.)

Sometimes when we look at our lives, it’s easy to think that “this isn’t how I thought it would play out.” Or, “I’m stuck in a situation that isn’t what I want” and when we do that, we focus on the downsides, the challenging, the part that is unrewarding and we take for granted and ignore the wonderful elements that are part of the equation.

Not easy at all, but thanks to Gretchen’s suggestion, we have one step in the right direction.

BTW, her blog and forthcoming book (shameless plug) are called The Happiness Project and you can pre-order your copy here.

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The gravestone of the future...

Image via Wikipedia

Somehow the NFO and I got on the subject of what should be listed on my gravestone. It was my idea, I'm sure, and clearly something I've thought about before.

It was Father's Day and maybe I was thinking about my legacy, I don't know.

We were laughing about it and Tonka asked us what we were discussing.

We are very upfront with our kids about death and dying...we don't want to scare them, of course, but we want them to know that it's a part of life. After all, parenting is really planned obsolescence, right?

Eventually, the kids got into it...yes, this sounds crazy, I know.

We used to have a contest where I would say "Tonka (or Paco)..." , they would respond "Yes?" and I'd say "I love you!!" and then "I won."

Soon, it evolved into them saying "I love you!" instead of "Yes?"

Eventually, we agreed that no matter who said it first, it was a tie.

So, we said, "hey, what if the gravestone said, 'I love you! Tie!'

That got a big laugh.

Of course, we realized that gravestones of the future would be very different than those of today.

A few items on the wish list

1. GPS chip, so people can easily find it and not have to wander around a cemetery looking at old maps
2. a digital, ticker like sign so you can have multiple messages "Father, Husband, 'I love you! Tie!', etc.
3. maybe even sports, weather, and stock information
4. personalized messages based on the RFID tags in the phones of those visiting you "hey Tonka, good to see you." or "Paco...please call your mother."

When I suggested a webcam, however, the NFO shut down the conversation.

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Overcoming Life's Disappointments...

Cover of Overcoming Life's Disappointments

The NFO recommended that I read Harold Kushner's book, "Overcoming Life's Disappointments." She's got an uncanny ability to identify how to gently "course correct" me when I am slightly off balanced.

The book is about many things, but uses Moses as the model for the way in which we need to recognize that the stuff that happens to us, as my cousin LAE says, 'everyone has their shit,' is not about us.  It happens to all of us, so get over it.

But, he's not crass or rude about it. He's sensitive about it in the sense that in our individual suffering we have the ability to connect with others who have similar experiences and that enriches all of us.

He also challenges us to come to terms with the fact that as we hit mid-life, we have to recognize that many of the dreams of our youth were simply unrealistic or not destined to happen.  And, that's ok, but how you react is critical.

He talks about this in the realm of marriage as well. Everyone thinks that they will "live happily ever after," like in a Fairy Tale or as my ex-cousin Marla once said to me, "no one gets married thinkiing they will get divorced." Sometimes, obviiously that doesn't happen.

But there was one line in that section which really stuck out for me. He quoted Freud saying,

"in every marriage, there are 4 people. The woman, the man she thought she was marrying, the man, and the woman he thought he was marrying."

 Kushner speaks well to me. I really enjoyed and learned a lot from "When Bad Things Happen to Good People" and :"Living a Life That Matters," (which the NFO also recommended.)

Towards the end, he talks about commitment. We achieve a degree of enlightenment in our ability to live up to the commitments we have made to others.

A powerful concept indeed.

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Lives of Quiet Desperation…

Image via Wikipedia

One of the biggest anvils I know is my buddy, Josh Rogers.

We were chatting the other day and he said, “Look, I’ve got to live my life to the fullest. I refuse to lead a life of ‘quiet desperation.’”

From there, the conversation progressed.

I wondered, “since, as Dr. Seuss would say in “The Places You’ll Go,” that ‘Life’s A Great Balancing Act,’ won’t there by nature be some parts of your life that are, at least temporarily unfulfilled?  Won’t you have some “quiet desperation” somewhere?”

You may be focusing on work and have ‘quiet desperation in your personal life.”

Or you may be in an unsatisfying job, but with the economy the way it is, you prefer to ‘suffer’ through it since you, at least, have a job?

In other words, will there always be some part of your life that is ‘desperate?’

Understanding Sacrifice...

Took the kids to the Armored Corps memorial at Latrun and while they climbed up and down the tanks and ran around the amphitheater, I thought about a larger question.
How do I explain to them the nature of the sacrifice made by the fallen soldiers whose names are engraved on the wall in front of which they were playing?
How do you help them understand that many of these names are of people who were 19 or 20 years old when they were killed and never "grew up" to have families of their own?
Or, had families with young children the age of Tonka and Paco and to which they never returned?
In societies like America and Israel where freedom from persecution can carry the highest "tax" possible, how do you help those who benefit so many years down the road actually appreciate that "freedom isn't free" and what was done for them before?
It's a daunting responsibility.
(And, on a humbling note, I was saddened by how many names had been added to the wall at Latrun since I last visited in 1991. Too many.)

Customer Service Sighting in Israel...

It's been 30 years since my first visit to Israel. This is my 8th trip here.

On my first visit, Israel was a rough place. Basic amenities were clearly 2nd class.

No longer.

Anyone who has seen the new Tel Aviv airport knows that.

But, even that is old news.

Where I have noticed a bigger than expected change is in customer service.

Yes, customer service.

For those of you unfamiliar with Israel, let's just say this...Israel and customer service have, historically, complemented each other as well as peanut butter and anchovies.

You're with me, right?

Well, and I realize it's still early in the trip (and yes, maybe I am in more 'tourist-y' places), but I have to say, I am impressed.

• I am seeing smiles.
• Unsolicited offers of help.
• Patience (ok, some)

I don't know how widespread this is yet (will certainly investigate), but it did catch me off guard.

Update: had another moment in a less 'touristy' place. We had used our credit card to enter a parking garage at a mall and when we left, the machine wasn't working. After waiting for 8-10 minutes for them to reboot the computer or whatever, I finally said to the attendant, "hey, I've got 3 kids in the car here. We've been waiting for a while, can you just let me out?"

And he did.

We'll Be Liked Again...

Image via WikipediaOne of the phrases I hear often from Obama supporters is that, "at least, the rest of the world will like us again."

Notwithstanding the fact that I'm not sure that all 6 billion people around the world hated the US for the past 8 years, I wonder, "why is that something that should be important to us as a country?"

Sure, you need friends and you don't want to go around making enemies.

get that, but thinking about my kids, for example, do I want them to do something because 'other people will like them?" Or because it will "make them popular?"

Or do I want them to do "the right thing?"

Sure, it's not fun when people are angry with you, don't understand you, or disagree with you, but don't we teach people to trust in themselves and persevere?

Now, I'm not saying the Pres. Bush has always done the right thing. He hasn't. Not nearly.

I'm just asking the question of:

Why does it seem that people place such a high value on 'being liked" as the goal.

Shouldn't the goal be that we should do what's best for the US and accept that, some times, people won't agree with that?

(Note: this is for Obama as well, not just Bush. Since I know the anti-Bush people will say that he did the wrong thing and we were disliked. )

What am I missing? Bring it!

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The Blogger Ego...

Image via WikipediaIn the last few weeks, I've seen 3 examples of bloggers whom, in my humble opinion, got a bit "too big for their britches."

No need to call them out (as that would prove the point, right?), but I wonder if blogging (and, to some extent, all of the craze around social media/user-generated-content) leads us to a heightened sense of self-importance.

I mean, if there is more than 1 person reading this blog (after me, that is), well then, I must have something important to say...

As we move into an era where everyone is a reporter, broadcaster, etc., it's something to remember.

"With great power, comes great responsiblity...."

[and on that topic, please...no matter what, if you are eligible, go vote]

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30,000 Haircuts...

Image by carf via FlickrWent to the Hair Cuttery the other day and was asked, "would you like a specific stylist?"

"Whoever is available now," I replied.

I met Patricia, who dutifully asked me what I wanted with my hair.

"Make it look good and keep it low maintenance."

She was very friendly, but she kept asking questions about whether I liked X or Y.

"Patricia," I asked, "how long have you been cutting hair?"

"14 years."

"and how many hair cuts do you give a week?"

"About 40 or 50," she replied.

"So, you've given close to 30,000 haircuts in your life. I've probably had, I don't know, 100 or so. You are the expert. I trust you!"

She laughed and I thought about how often we don't let experts just do their jobs without interfering.

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Security vs.Volatility...

Image via WikipediaLet me start off by saying this is not a 'gloating' post of any kind. Like all of you, my portfolio has taken a big beating over the past few weeks.

But, something did dawn on me as I watched the number shrink.

Back in May when I left MSFT, the NFO's concerns around going the entrepreneurial route were around 'security.' (of a paycheck, at least).

Partly in response to that, I began to build up cash reserves since the nature of working for yourself is that you are more likely to have feast/famine periods. 

The responsible thing was to have cash on hand.

So, here's the ironic twist. In a move to address the perceived volatility of my new career, I started saving and not investing in 401k, etc.

Which means that, had I been employed in a full-time salaried position, we would have lost MORE because I wouldn't have had as much cash on hand (as I would have been investing all along)

Makes me think about security and volatility in a whole new way. What seems 'secure' or 'volatile' may not always be that way...

Twitter won the VP debate...

I couldn't agree more with my friend David Almacy's assertion below.

here's the link cited above

Here's why...

I enjoyed watching the debate, but I really enjoyed listening to the 'tweets' put out by my friends and network regarding the debate.

Sure, there were some stupid comments out there, but most of the people were making fun and insightful remarks.

Between Twitter and Facebook Status Updates, it is like I was in a room with 50 people, sharing comments and observations. I attended a debate party and didn't even have to leave my living room.

The end of political discourse?

The most commented on post in Jer979 blog history (2466 posts) has created some casualties.

And I am concerned that it is symbolic of a larger issue going on.
Star commenter Tjada says she is on a “blog hiatus” until after the election.
Jdub says he won’t comment on political related posts anymore b/c it gets him too worked up.
Others have sent me notes about their reactions.
I’ve got two thoughts on this.
On a macro scale,  I wonder  if blogs are just not good for political discourse. Are we really conversing the way a blog is supposed to?
Or are we shouting at  each other? Just getting angrier and angrier.
And as a blogger/marketer, I hate to lose readers (or get them to the point where they don’t want to add their $.02, which you know I love.)
On the other hand, the blog is about what I am thinking about, so in theory, even if no one reads it still has value, right?
Wrong.
When I first started, it was way for me to “vent.”
Now, though, I love using it to communicate. To get conversations started. To give folks a frame of reference. To build bonds and bridges.
So, I am not sure what to do?
Create controversy is part of my mantra, yes. But, I want conversation more than anything else.
Maybe it’s time to change the tagline? (aka the mission).

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  Image by vasta via Flickr

Polite Efficiency

Image via Wikipedia You know who my favorite people are?

People who respect your time and are efficient, but polite in the way they do it.

There are abrupt and efficient.

There are polite and inefficient.

Let's get to the point, but be nice about it.

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