Baseball Stadium Hat Trick

About 2 months ago, one of the sales guys at Sprinklr suggested that we do a customer event on a rooftop overlooking Wrigley Field in Chicago on a Monday night. Having never been there, I , of course approved the idea

A few weeks after that, my Dad, a big baseball fan announced his desire to take his children and grandchildren to a Sunday baseball game at Nationals Stadium.

I was lined up for 2 games in 2 days.

Then, my travel plans changed and I found myself headed to NYC on the Tuesday after the Wrigley event. When I shared my plan with my pal, David Bloch, that I would go to 2 games in 2 nights in 2 cities, he said, “you should go to a Mets or Yankees game.”

And the Stadium Hat Trick plan was hatched.

My colleague, Brian and I, were planning on working late that night anyway over dinner, so instead, we went to Citi Field (where we brought our laptops and iPads, etc.-and there’s free wi-fi, which I am using right now to post this).

I’m not really a huge baseball fan, but all three of these were good, solid reasons to go and it seemed like a chance to create a life memory.

So, I did.

The Kids Are Alright…

As a parent, you want to know that your kids are learning the values you are trying to teach them.

The other day, Tonka came up to me and said, “There are four things you say all the time.”

1. “Leave it all on the field.”
2. “Never Stop Marketing”
3. “Go big or go home.”

My thought was…”If this is what they’ve learned from me, then I’m doing ok.”

I did explain that, there are times when it’s better to actually “go home.” Knowing the difference takes time and wisdom, but overall, I was pleased.

I should say that there was one more saying which she attributed to me: “I love you. Now leave.”

That’s what I say to them when they come into my office and begin talking…while I’m on the phone.

Still, overall…this works.

Flash Boys—Book Review

Not everyone with whom I have spoken loves Michael Lewis’ new book, Flash Boys: A Wall Street Revolt.

Perhaps I’m too much of a fan to think otherwise, but I really appreciate his ability to take things that are extremely difficult to comprehend and make them, well, comprehensible.

In this case, High Frequency Trading, and how the stock market is extremely challenging for the little guy (and I’m one of them).

He takes a piece of the world which is foreign to you and opens up your understanding.

I’m a fan…of this book and of his.

US-Portugal and the bonding memory of a lifetime

While the outcome of the US-Portugal game wasn’t as I would have hoped, it did provide two special moments for me.

When the US scored the go-ahead goal, Paco, Nadia and I had a huge pile on in the middle of our den to celebrate, as we emulated the players.

Then, in the last play, when we saw Cristiano Ronaldo get the ball, we all started yelling, “No! No! No!” together…and we shared in the agony of the last second heartbreaker.

It is why we watch sports and why we watch them with people we care about.

Shared emotions at its finest.

Field Trip to Finland (Sort of)

The girls (Tikkanen and Lakkanen) and I were invited as guests of the Republic of Finland to visit their Embassy and learn a little bit about the country.

The embassy was actually the first LEED certified embassy in the US and is of architectural interest because of its unique design that blends in with the surrounding landscape.

Our guide, Pauliina Paulanen, gave us a great tour and the girls asked a number of questions.

We learned about the population of Finland (5.5m), their love of ice hockey (we knew that) and “Finnish baseball” (we didn’t know that), that they love fish (no surprise) and potatoes.

There are also 2.5 million saunas in the country…and one more in the Embassy. Luckily, it was off when we went in there.

The girls learned about the social welfare state, what kind of schooling that Finnish kids get, their perception of themselves as humble, somewhat reserved people whom once you get get know are pretty funny, outgoing, and sarcastic.

During the winter, it stays dark pretty much all of the time, but from 10am-3pm, it’s sort of light outside…but not a whole lot.

The country is challenged by the Euro and immigration and prides itself on its different outlook than its other Scandinavian neighbors. Swedish is also an official language of Finland.

I tried to goad her into a Finland-Sweden rivalry statement, but she would have nothing of it!

It didn’t matter. What mattered is that the girls learned something (so did I—who knew Angry Birds was Finnish?) and we got some souvenir stickers and brochures for later reading.

(Yes, the girls wore their Finland jerseys)

Oh…and some great memories of our trip together…all because we were watching Olympic ice hockey and we have a thing for nicknames.

An Impressive Founding Father (Book Recommendation)

Of course I had heard of Alexander Hamilton, but I certainly didn’t really know, understand, or sincerely appreciate the man until I finished the 731 page biography (amazon link) of him by Ron Chernow.

It reads like a novel and you can’t help but walk away impressed at his dedication to the cause of the American Revolution, his intellect, his work ethic and the fact that he (and all the rest of the founding fathers) were, when all was said and done, people with many shortcomings.

The book (amazon link) certainly ripped the veneer off of men like Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Adams. I certainly appreciate that politics was as dirty then (if not dirtier) than it is now.

The book was epic and well worth it.  It took me about 2 months to make it happen, but well worth it.

Recommended: Alexander Hamilton by Ron Cherwnow

It’s fun to talk to strangers…

A few weeks ago, my sister sent me a great TED video about the value of talking to strangers.

You have so  much to learn from them.

And, again, I’ve seen how valuable that can be. In this video, I hear from a University of Texas football legend because I asked him about his shirt while we shared an elevator ride in Dallas.

And here’s an article about the movie he was consulting on.

Field Trip to Finland…and Nicknames

You know my passion for nicknames and how I have bestowed 3 nicknames of Finnish origin on my kids.

So, I decided that with school out, it was a chance for them to connect with their “newfound” roots.

I contacted the Finnish Ambassador to the US.

From: Jeremy Epstein
Sent: 1. kesäkuuta 2014 10:28
To: WAS sanomat; Koukku-Ronde Ritva; Mäkeläinen-Buhanist Soili

Subject: How I am teaching my kids to appreciate Finland

Dear Ambassador Koukku-Ronde,

Considering that  my family and I have no connection to Finland of consequence, I think you will find this story quite amusing.

(I travelled there once about 25 years ago and have 1 friend in Finland, but that’s about it, unless you count the Nokia phone I had in 1999).

How my kids got Finnish surnames as nicknames

4 years ago, my kids and I were watching women’s ice hockey in the 2010 Olympics, as Finland played Sweden.

I have a certain fondness for creative nicknames and, for some reason, I started calling my 3 kids “Tikkanen,” “Jokinen,” and “Lakkanen” (turns out her name was Laksonen-sorry about that).

The nicknames have stuck (I blog about it often) and recently I bought them ice hockey jerseys with their nicknames on the back, which they wear proudly. (Pictures attached).

We are talking about a family trip to Finland one day.

Request

We live in the DC area and wanted to know if we could have an “official” visit to the Embassy during June (as they will be out of school).

Nothing too crazy, but we thought it might be fun for them to wear their jerseys and meet some Finns, take a few pictures, and learn a bit about the country.

I certainly realize that you have many important things to do, so anyone on the staff will be fine (even if only for 4 minutes). At a minimum, it will be good pictures for your Facebook page and Twitter feed!

Let me know if this is something we could do, as I know it will be educational and memorable for them as well…and who knows, you may create fans of Finland for life!

Have a great day. Respectfully,

Jeremy Epstein

And I got a response

Dear Sir,

Thank you for our message. We would be happy to give you and your kids a small tour of the Embassy on June xx, at 2pm. I will show you a little bit around our building and at the same time tell you about Finland. It will take an hour maximum. Please let me know if this sounds good to you.

Also, can you send me the names of everyone attending the tour by Friday June xx.

Best wishes,

Pauliina Pennanen

Cultural and Media Assistant|| Embassy of Finland
3301 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20008
The Embassy of Finland in Washington D.C. is the first LEED certified green embassy in the United States.

Passed an important marketing test…

Helped my 3rd grade son get elected to class representative.

I was nervous, but fortunately he came through.

Truly team effort as NFO and his sisters did the bulk of the work.

Still, I felt my rep was on the line!

Teaching the Value of Work and Money

There have been some proud moments in my life, but one of the proudest came the other day when Paco got his first job.

Our neighbors made him offer to do some planting in the backyard and Paco really took the responsibility seriously.

He committed to showing up on time, being prepared, and ensuring that his customers were satisfied during and after the job.

He didn’t complain about it being too hot or too hard.

He just went out there, did the job to the best of his ability, and was beaming with pride when he came back with the first earned dollars of his life.

The value of a hard day’s work and seeing it through to completion.  If my kids can learn these traits, I’ll feel that I’m doing a good job as a parent.

How Nest Told Me There Was Smoke in My House…

So, the other day I was cooking…

Then, as usually happens, I went down to my office and got caught up in my work.

Next thing I know, I hear a screech on my phone.

I look and it says “Nest Emergency-Smoke.”

I ran upstairs to see that my pan was burnt.

Yes, I love my Nest Protect.

What it’s like to travel with my dad…

 

Growing up, my dad would often take my family or individual children on trips. But, it wasn’t a standard vacation as in “let’s go and hang out somewhere.”

No, we had a syllabus.

That’s right.

He would give us books to read to obtain what he called the “[insert place name] of the mind.”  You go to Norway and it’s “Norway of the Mind,” “Malta of the Mind.” You get the picture.

When I was 14, he took me to the then Soviet Union, Poland, and East Germany. I read some Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and more. It was intense.

And my dad is a history-savant. Deep in knowledge and, well, always willing to share it.

So, I wasn’t so surprised when he filed a report after taking my 8 year old son to a baseball game on Memorial Day.

“Paco was, as always, a great companion.

He has a sense of humor.  When we discussed that Boston had just experienced a long losing-streak.

He said that this was the second curse of the Bambino.  I don't know if read that reference or originated it.  (The first curse of the Bambino was that for decades Boston did not win a World Series, attributed to the fact that  Boston traded Babe Ruth to the New  ork Yankees and was cursed by that transaction.)

On the ride home, we discussed Harper's Ferry, the arsenal, the role of water-powered machinery before the advent of electricity,  the fact that the Potomac is not navigable because of the falls, the role of locks in  raising and lowering boats and ships, the Panama Canal, how American became involved and that the Pacific and Atlantic are not at the same height, necessitating locks to lower and raise ships.  The transportation advantage of shipping through the Panama Canal instead of going around the tip of South America.

We briefly discussed the significance of percentages in baseball.  He seems to have a grasp on that topic though we did not explore.

Because this was Memorial Day, at 3 pm, there was a moment of silence for fallen military, apparently throughout the country. Because one of the mascots at the game is William Howard Taft and another is Theodore Roosevelt, we touched on their respective Presidencies and their eventual rivalry that led to the election of Woodrow Wilson.

A beautiful day for Baseball.   The outcome of the game was not great for the home team.”

He’ll go pretty much anywhere w/anyone if this is your style. Just let him know.

40s and the Decade of Mild Disillusionment?

People often comment about my proficiency in acknowledging birthdays.

I call about 1800 people per year and I do it because I enjoy maintaining relationships and hearing differing perspectives.

What’s been interesting to note as I (and the bulk of my cohort) age is that the good news (educational, professional achievements and personal milestones of marriage and children) is now being tempered with some of the hard realities of life.

People who have been laid off and are having difficulty finding work.

People with severe challenges on the part of their children, either disabilities (ranging from mild to major) or behavioral (addictions).

Marriages that have been dissolved or are in distressing and precarious positions.

Deaths of loved ones, both premature and of a more natural nature.

And the strain becomes a domino effect…one area (a disabled child) affecting another (marriage).

It should really be of no surprise, obviously this is what happens as you advance in the game, but still, it’s a wake up call.

You recognize, again, that life is not all Disney movies. Things never work out as you anticipate and you have to continually reassess your own position on the board.

How Posture Can Make You More Successful

Two minutes a day of stretching can make you more successful. See this video

 

Why athletes are getting faster and stronger….

Or Not.

Fantastic TED Talk

Why We Run…

This guy has captured it about as well as anyone.

As a parent, it’s difficult to ask for more than this…

Nadia has been reading a lot of books about historical figures. They are titled “Who was so-and-so?”

“Who was Elvis Presley?”

“Who was Thomas Jefferson?”

You get the picture.

The other day, she was reading the list of titles and one was: “Who was Michelangelo?”

She turned to me and said, “Is he related to Maya Angelou?”

How to Lead…and Do It Right

Long time blog readers know that I’m a huge Simon Sinek fan.

And he continues to deliver with this presentation. 45 minutes, but worth every one. I’m going to watch it at least 2 more times.

Leaders Eat Last - Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don't

HT to Mitch Joel for bringing it to my attention.

How Technology Keeps Relationships Warm Over 13 Years and an Ocean

I just love the power of social and digital to keep relationships alive over time and distance.

When I was in London recently, I saw my former NYC neighbor, Polar Bear club member, and running partner, Robyn Massey for the first time in 13 years.

Without technology, there's NO way we would have stayed in touch.

This is one of the reasons why I am so passionate about technology.

The Day I Discovered My Marketing Calling

I write this on a flight back from London, which provides ample opportunity for reflection.

I’ve been thinking about my career path and chosen field and why I got into it.

Certainly, hearing Todd Newfield speak when I lived in Japan was a seminal moment. One that was further catalyzed when he instructed me to read my first marketing book, Peppers and Rodgers’ The One-to-One Future.

Intellectually, I was hooked.

But, there was a moment a few years later when I was working at Snickelways and we had a client called Quantum Cycles (I’m still in touch with one of the clients from that assignment) and they instructed us to come down to Florida to observe Daytona Bike Week. They wanted us to understand the mentality of the customer to whom they were selling.

At one point, we entered a drugstore. Not a chain, kind of a five-and-dime variety.

As I walked the aisle, I found myself behind a man who fit every stereotype there was about a redneck/biker.

Dirty jeans, long, greasy hair, worn boots and a mesh baseball cap.

He also had a jean jacket where the sleeves had been cut off, showing his arms.

On his left and right triceps were tattooed-in kind of a gothic/old English style, the words “Harley” and “Davidson,” respectively.

I was mesmerized and I felt an emotional jolt that lit up the intellectual wood which had been gathering.

I distinctly remember thinking to myself, “I don’t know what it is that motivates someone to tattoo the name of a company on their body, but that’s what I want to figure out.”

So, while the tangible goal might be to have someone so passionate about Sprinklr or Never Stop Marketing or whatever company, product, service I am marketing at the time, that they will tattoo it on their bodies, the real goal is to understand the human condition on such a deep level as to understand the Why.

It’s a long run and I’m not there yet, but that’s just how I seek to make sense of Life.

A Social Limo, a Birthday Gift, and a Marketing Lesson

An unexpected text popped up on my phone on my birthday.

Jason Solomonson said “My brother Chad says that today is your birthday and that you are in Austin. He thinks we should meet.”

As you know, relationships are important to me.

The way I measure the value of the relationship is how often someone says “there’s someone you should meet.”

Even though Chad and I haven’t seen each other (or even chatted in a while), he did me the favor of making the recommendation to his brother.

I’m ALWAYS open to meeting new people. You NEVER know where good ideas come from.

The challenge in this particular case was: time was limited. I had a slate full of meetings and had to leave earlier than I would have liked for the airport because cabs were in such demand at SXSW that I knew it would be tough.

Then, as if the script had been written, Jason sends a pic of a limousine. (here’s the video)

“FYI… Brightline has @TheSXSWLimo limousine that we are sponsoring in case you have seen it.”

Lightning struck.

“Well, I do have to go to the airport at 4pm. Any chance a birthday present limo ride is in the cards?”

“Sure!!” he wrote.

BINGO. Problem solved.

Now, let me tell you why this is such smart marketing.

You see, at SXSW, cabs are at a premium, so ppl are in need of transportation.

So, the idea of renting a limo available for clients/prospects is a way that Brightline says “we care about you.”

It delivers value without asking anything in return. (Hear him in his own words.)

Naturally, when you are in the limo, you are going engage in conversation with the team and you will hear about the really (and I mean, REALLY) cool stuff that Brightline does.

It creates a talkable moment.

I took a video, pics and am blogging about it. Heck, I got a limo ride that made me feel special.

They relieved a huge concern of mine and made my afternoon stress-free. So, I am going to tell people about that. Why wouldn’t I?

Jason reached out, just wanting to connect because Chad made the recommendation. No agenda.

Then, he shared something that he thought was value.

Then, he delivered value.

Those three moments built Brightline from a company I’d never heard of to a brand that I am talking about as an advocate…in the span of 1 day.

If this is how they treat friends of their brother’s, imagine how they treat their clients!

Wouldn’t you want people thinking that about you?

Why You Should Talk to Your Seatmates on a Plane

Had another inspiring talk on an airplane the other day.

It validated my approach.

I learned a ton about the aircraft leasing business from a guy who sells engines for a major manufacture.

So, why do I do it?

1. Sure, I like the challenge of getting people to like me. It’s part of my WOO StrengthsFinder profile
2. I like people…I like understanding what makes them tick
3. But what I really love?
   When I learn about an entirely new field that I could have guessed existed, but never thought about…I feel enriched. And empowered, it provides the fertilizer for the creative part of my brain.

Sure, sometimes people don’t want to talk, no big deal, but if you ask questions and listen, usually you win.

You’ll get ideas that make your business and your life better. I can almost guarantee it.

It will make you a better marketer…and a better person.

The Most Special Birthday Ever

I suppose what fathers want to know is that the lessons you are trying to instill in your kids have been received.

Today is my birthday (not looking for calls/congrats or anything), but as part of that, my kids really went all out in making the celebration special.

They got me gifts and made cards.

But what made this the most special birthday ever is that they not only wrote “Happy Birthday” on the cards, they covered the cards with things that they associate with me.

1. A guy running—because exercise is important
2. A computer and the word “Sprinklr” because a work ethic is important. In fact they wrote “Dedicated to Sprinklr”
3. “Go Big or Go Home”
4. “Leave it all on the field”
5. “Take chances, make mistakes, get messy” (a hat tip to Miss Frizzle of Magic School Bus there)
6. an American flag- for our patriotic pride
7. an Israeli flag-because of our love for the Jewish people and homeland
8. and, of course, the flag of Finland (reversed, but who cares) with their Finnish nicknames written on the flag. And which shows their sense of humor
9. A football, basketball, baseball and soccer ball-probably because Paco likes that
10. A dreidel with “Go Sprinklr” written on it…not sure of the connection
11. and on the back, a math equation that said “41 is 1/2 of 82. I hope that doesn’t make you feel bad.”

and all done with beautiful artistry because, as I read on Facebook the other day, the Earth without art would just be “eh”

It was really emotional for me. I felt like some of my lessons were sinking in. That made me proud…and made this the best birthday ever.

When Your Son Throws You Under the Bus…

I picked up Paco from school the other day so he didn’t have to go to ballet with the two girls.

He came home, did some reading, hung out with me in my office and was generally fine.

The NFO had left instructions for dinner, which is normally served around 5.15.

At 5.45, I realized I hadn’t fed him and was headed upstairs to get him set up. I knew that if he was hungry, he would have just told me.

On the way home, I saw a text from the NFO, basically saying “hey, why hasn’t the boy been fed yet?”

I saw Paco and said, ‘hey bud, let me ask you. Did you tell Mom that I hadn’t given you dinner yet?”

“Yes,” he said.

“But were you hungry?” I asked.

“Not really.”

“So, is it that you just enjoy getting me in trouble?”

He smiled.

“Yes.”

What books and movies have you experienced lately?

Always interested in knowing what others have enjoyed.

Here are mine.

Books

• The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom—great perspective inducing parable in classic Albom style
• Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power-a much deeper appreciation of the man…and what made him special. Any politician (and that’s all of us) will appreciate his savvy.
• Without Reservations: How a Family Root Beer Stand Grew Into a Global Hotel Company--nothing earth shattering here, but a great “back to basics” book from a guy who knows a thing or two about building a business (Bill Marriott)
• The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling - A friend of mine sold me on this hard. He claimed it changed his life. I really wanted it to change mine…but it fell flat for me.
• What Keeps Leaders Up at Night: Recognizing and Resolving Your Most Troubling Management Issues-the NFO got this for me out of the library and though I didn’t finish it, it did give me some great ideas. Managing the careers of other people is a big responsibility…and I have a lot to learn. A lot.

  Movies

• About Time-it was a late night flight back from Denver, but this one had me choked up. I need a lot of reminders about what is truly important in life. It’s an area of weakness, I am afraid.
• Flight- I’m a big Denzel fan and I found his character to be riveting. A strong movie about what it takes to look hard at ourselves…and what can happen when we don’t.

Working through…

• Thinking, Fast and Slowby Daniel Kahneman. Deep stuff. Makes you think fast, but reading is slow because there’s so much involved.

What books and movies have you experienced lately?

Always interested in knowing what others have enjoyed.

Here are mine.

Books

• The Time Keeperby Mitch Albom—great perspective inducing parable in classic Albom style
• Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power-a much deeper appreciation of the man…and what made him special. Any politician (and that’s all of us) will appreciate his savvy.
• Without Reservations: How a Family Root Beer Stand Grew Into a Global Hotel Company--nothing earth shattering here, but a great “back to basics” book from a guy who knows a thing or two about building a business (Bill Marriott)
• The Great Work of Your Life: A Guide for the Journey to Your True Calling - A friend of mine sold me on this hard. He claimed it changed his life. I really wanted it to change mine…but it fell flat for me.
• What Keeps Leaders Up at Night: Recognizing and Resolving Your Most Troubling Management Issues-the NFO got this for me out of the library and though I didn’t finish it, it did give me some great ideas. Managing the careers of other people is a big responsibility…and I have a lot to learn. A lot.

  Movies

• About Time-it was a late night flight back from Denver, but this one had me choked up. I need a lot of reminders about what is truly important in life. It’s an area of weakness, I am afraid.
• Flight- I’m a big Denzel fan and I found his character to be riveting. A strong movie about what it takes to look hard at ourselves…and what can happen when we don’t.

Working through…

• Thinking, Fast and Slowby Daniel Kahneman. Deep stuff. Makes you think fast, but reading is slow because there’s so much involved.

End of an Era: No more nanny

In reality, we probably waited 1 year too long in deciding that we didn’t need a nanny for our kids, but that’s beside the point.

The other day was the last day where she worked for us and she had been working for us for about 7 years.

We’d had our moments, as any employer-employee relationship would, and certainly toward the end, when I started to question the value in my mind, the emotions changed, but when she left for the last time, I got nostalgic and even a bit choked up.

Now, I’m not the most sentimental or emotional person around, but when she left, I had two realizations.

The first-the kids are growing up. You know that, of course, but sometimes the reminders are jarring.

Second-and more powerful-was a profound sense of appreciation for her efforts. For many years, she was an instrumental force in caring and nurturing these babies into the children they have become. She had reinforced the NFO and my values and served as our proxy.

When they look back on their lives, they may not remember her, but it’s pretty powerful to think about how important she was to their lives.

I am feeling a true sense of gratitude for her efforts…and, yes, I wrote her a note to tell her so.

The End of College as we know it…

I’ve been talking about this for a while and one of my favorite thinkers, Clay Shirky, has summarized it beautifully.

“As long as you don’t give it to Hamas”

In one of the more surreal conversations I’ve had recently with a cab driver (here’s how I do it), it ended with my saying, “promise me you won’t give your tip to Hamas.”

Getting into the cab in San Francisco, I began a chat with the driver.  Eventually, I asked him his country of origin, to which he responded, “Palestine.”

“Here we go,” I thought.

You never know exactly how to handle this situation.  You don’t want things to get uncomfortable, but you don’t want to back down either.

Of course, at this point, I hadn’t tipped my hand so I had to wait for the right moment…if at all.

He told me that he was actually born in Jordan and lived his entire life in Amman. 

Then he asks me if I’ve ever been to Jordan and I told him that I had been to Petra. He replies that he might go there in a few weeks when he takes his son to visit his family in Palestine, but they live in Jerusalem.

“Have you ever been there?”

“I have, but I would call it Israel.”

He smiles knowingly.

“So, before we get into a long discussion, let me ask you this: Do you think it is possible to have peace with a two states? One that is Palestinian and one that is Jewish.”

His answer. “Since you put it that way, I would say no.”

“And I would agree with you,” I said.

So, from there, the conversation moved toward mutual understanding and respect.

I understood that the Arabs who left Jaffa, Haifa, etc. will never give up.

And he, I think, understands that Israel isn’t the same as the middle of Montana for Jews.

And we both realize that no solution is possible.

So, I said, “I guess it comes down to….can the Arabs kill the Jews or can the Jews prevent the Arabs from killing them?”

And he basically nodded.

It was really a great conversation and, on the other side of the world, it would have gotten heated (possibly) or not, but when we pulled up to the airport, I said.

“I’ve really enjoyed the conversation and I think you’ve earned a nice tip, but promise me you won’t send it to Hamas.”

“I will give it to my son. And promise me that you won’t send money to buy tanks to shoot Arabs.”

“Well, if the Arabs stopped trying to shoot Israelis, we wouldn’t need tanks.”

He gave me my suitcase and we shook hands and then moved into the hug. (we really need a word for that)

One of those only in America moments, I suppose.

On Nicknames and Call Signs for Naval Aviators

Long time readers of my blog will know that I take nicknames very seriously. I consider it a high art form. 

A non-negotiable for me is that you should not be able to figure out what the name of the person is from their nickname.

A perfect example would be “Magic” Johnson. You have NO idea what his name is from his nickname.

For more on that policy and how it has impacted my kids, see here and here respectively.

So, it is easy for me to say that I was in heaven when I learned about the call signs of each of the pilots on the USS Vinson during my recent embark (for more posts, see here and here. Background here).

While none of them were named “Maverick” or “Iceman,” we did run into “Big Tuna” (he’s really tall) and “Beast Mode” (he’s form Seattle). Even the Captain of the ship, named for his red hair, was called “Torch”.

Commander Lee, who I gathered is a pretty devout Mormon was called “Dud” because of his relatively clean-cut lifestyle (compared to most naval aviators) as in “Dudley Do-Right.”

And all of these call signs are embroidered on their flight suits and, in many cases, written on the planes themselves.

One that made me wonder was a plane for Capt. P.J. Singh whose call sign was “Schwarma.”  I have no idea but I would guess that because of his surname, he is of Indian origin and, consequently, he might be a vegetarian…which would make it a great one.  Either that, or he really likes Schwarma.

Twice I saw two different Capt. Hermans with the call sign “Pee Wee,” which were probably the weakest of the bunch.

No matter what, I was glad to see the high art form of creative names applied with such diligence in the Navy.

And one thing, which I’ve long advocated, you can’t give yourself a nickname. It is chosen for you by the group…and you accept it with grace.

Now the question is: Why do you think call signs/nicknames are such an important part of naval aviator culture?

Add a comment below.

Life on the Carrier: Big and Small

We heard on more than one occasion that the USS Carl Vinson represents “4.5 acres of sovereign US” that can go pretty much anywhere in the world.

I think I heard someone also say that it’s “4.5 acres of ‘second thought,’” meaning if there’s a US carrier in the neighborhood, a foreign government or non-state actor will think twice before doing something.

The ship is immense, holding 5,000 people (or more) when the Air Wing is aboard and hundreds of aircraft.

From the outside, you see just how large it is, the flight deck being the obvious reason.

And, when you are on the inside, you spend a huge amount of time doing two things. Walking…and climbing. There are combination stairs/ladders (just steep) and I have no idea how many decks (but a lot of them). You are moving in and out of the sections, lifting your legs over the so-called “knee knockers” which I believe are there for watertight/security reasons.

I didn’t work out on the ship, but frankly, I didn’t have to. We just spend so much time walking around, it was a workout in and of itself. Though, if I had, I would have gone to the best workout room I’ve ever seen…the one that was open air wall in front and looking out over the ocean.

It’s Also Really Small

At the same time, though, it is really small. Imagine being in one of these things with 5,000 other people for 6 months. Every day, you are eating in a large mess hall (unless you’re an officer-and yes, there are privileges). It’s not glamorous.

Add to that, the berths for the enlisted men/women are 3 beds high and anywhere from 20 to 150 people in the same area.

And it’s not like you have a ton of space for your stuff. You get a locker and then your bed lifts up to reveal a few compartments where you keep all of your worldly possessions on the ship.

These guys do not have it easy.

Throw in one other angle…you’re put into a true melting pot (possibly literally if you are stationed in the Persian Gulf) of people from all walks of life and culture.

Things are bound to get heated. They do, of course, but the Navy has a way of dealing with it and, we’re told, most of the time, they get resolved.

Still, it gives you pause.

Not only are these sailors doing their jobs for 12-14-16 hours a day, but it’s not like they have that much space to call their own. Yet, they do it.

That’s the kind of thing that makes you really appreciate the idea of “doing your duty.”

To get a sense of what it’s like walking through the carrier, here’s one video for you.

Life on the Carrier-“It’s about the sailors”

One of the refrains we heard often from the commanders on the USS Carl Vinson was “it’s about the sailors.” (here’s the XO-Executive Officer, Capt. Slaughter saying as much in his welcoming remarks)

After 24 hours on the ship, you start to see what they mean.

Here are 19 and 20 year olds with REAL responsibility and REAL accountability.

I asked the CO, Capt. Whalen if the Navy was different today than 30 years ago. You know, with all of the talk about Millenials and lack of responsibility. Also about Facebook/Social Media.

He said that when he first took command, he was against permitting Facebook access on the ship, but was persuaded otherwise and changed his mind. He believes it has been good for morale.

Overall, though, he finds that those who do join the Navy-the overwhelming majority, at least-do respond-to the challenge and own up to the demands and expectations of them.

I found this to be both true and inspiring.

I met one Gunner’s Mate, G2 (I think) from East Los Angeles who grew up in a gang-ridden area. He had been kicked out of high school. Friends back in the ‘hood who are “on the wrong path.”

Somehow, through a bit of luck (he had an intervening aunt) and some strength of character, he ends up in the Navy and decides to take control of his life.

Now, he’s in charge of keeping the machine guns on the ship operational, he’s well-spoken, confident, and optimistic about his future.

I found this to be the case over and over and over again.

Whether it was the Culinary Specialists who served us dinner, the chef who went to the same high school as my dad in San Antonio, TX, the medical personnel…the stories and the sailors made the ship special.

You often hear the Armed Forces promote themselves as a pathway for people to raise their standing in life and, being the marketer I am, you know there’s some truth but that there may be a bit too much polish at times.

Obviously, it’s not always the case and there are people who decide after a while that “they don’t want to be in the Navy,” but I couldn’t help feel pride and excitement about how these young people are doing something about their station in life.

It makes you think about things like welfare and the meme that is making its way around many circles of “the challenges of managing millenials.”

From what I saw on the Vinson, with some structure, guidance, training, and commanders who genuinely care (more on that later), there is at least some group of people who are taking ownership and pride in their work (notice the guy whose job it is to repaint the seal of the ship).

Are they perfect? Of course not. They’re human, after all.

However, the commanders were right:

It’s about the sailors.

And if you’d like to hear Capt. Slaughter for yourself, here’s the video

Why does it make sense that civilians go on an aircraft carrier overnight?

One of the questions I get asked (and which I asked) is:

Why does it make sense for the Navy to have a Distinguished Visitor’s program?

If you think about it, the Navy is really concentrated in only a few areas and most of the work that the Navy does is out of sight (literally).

So, the Navy believes that it is worth it for them to invest in relationships with unbiased observers.

I’m not a Naval officer nor am I a congressman with a Navy base in my district. Just a taxpayer (too much, but that’s a different story ) I don’t really have a dog in the proverbial fight.

So, like any organization, it makes sense to attempt to cultivate ambassadors who can effectively and in an unbiased fashion speak about the efforts of the Navy.

Companies do this and the Navy does the same. I’m fine with it.

Plus, when I think about the cost, it’s really not that much. I paid for myself to get to San Diego. We also each paid $50 on board the ship to cover the cost of our food. So, after that, you’re looking at our flights to/from the ship (but my understanding is that these flights go anyway, bringing supplies, mail, etc. so we just took a few seats).

Once on the ship, there are some marginal costs I suppose (the opportunity cost of the sailors we met perhaps, but judging how efficiently they run their jobs, it’s not like we really slowed them down), but they are pretty marginal.

Now, to be clear, I’m under no obligation to do anything for the Navy. Not even this blog post. They just believe that the program is worth it.

Frankly, it’s difficult for me to see how one can go through the DV program and not be impressed, so it’s not accidental, but they believe that if you have the opportunity to experience life on a US Navy vessel, you will ultimately have a deeper appreciation for their work and that will only pay positive dividends. 

Here they are moving an F18 inside the hangar bay.