Courage comes with practice…

I heard a great story from Theresa MacPhail and her life living with fear and finding courage. Theresa a medical anthropologist at UCal Berkley tells her story of surmounting her fears in “Courage Comes With Practice” – her brother died by when she was four years old, her mother wanted to protect her (the only child now) from every possible danger… she was locked into a “safe” prison. Now she works everyday to push herself into situations that may not be safe but allow her to live. How do we address fear and “find” courage in our lives?

Xcel Center Makeover

attention St. Paulites…ready?

Starting today, the Xcel Center will begin a six-week metamorphosis.

my favorite highlights:

“‘You could probably run one or two corporations for the equipment we are installing.’”

“…the convention podium will be close to center ice with an assortment of bells and whistles that the GOP wants to keep hush-hush so there is some element of surprise.”

“More than 20 miles of cable will be strung through the complex”

“Some members of the GOP’s arrangements committee will move into existing offices at the Xcel this week, and more temporary office space will be built out during the week.”

Total Days of the convention:  4

Total Days of construction (pre + post): 58

Go Big…or Build a System That Can!

Dear Matt H.,

I would use Twitter, if the damn thing worked.

Sincerely,

Mike B.

Go Big or Go Home…

Sam Laurence CMO of Jive Software posted “10 ROI charts you can’t live without” to his blog Go Big Always - the charts range from the obvious to the insightful but since neither Mike B. nor Dave K. use Twitter, I wonder what column they fall in?  What do you think?  Good, bad or indifferent?

 

Being an afterthought?

So here is the question… is it an insult to be an afterthought or should we consider ourselves lucky to be thought of at all?  My case in point was last night when at 5:45 pm I received a call from Dave K. asking if I wanted to attend the premier of the new Dark Night Batman movie that night at 7:00 pm – across town mind you.  I declined to spend more time with my family but got to think about it later that evening… I must have been 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or more on his list… what does that mean?  I was an afterthought!  I am still not sure how to feel about that… upset that I get the gametime call to suit-up or thrilled that I was even considered for the part of the sidekick?  Hmmm…

Too Big to Fail?

Bear Stearns reminded us that in a business based on confidence, when that confidence evaporates, so does the business.  But Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?  For millions of Americans engaging in the largest transactions of their lives – home mortgages and student loans – Fannie and Freddie were the only ones to guarantee those loans.  A noble goal, broader homeownership, but at what price?

It appears that the government (read: the American taxpayer) is going to bail out yet another financial services behemoth.  And, by bailing them out, do we mitigate the learning from these failures?  And, what happens when GM can’t get anyone to lend them money?

Jesse to decide about running for MN Sentate seat…

Jesse Ventura, Minnesota’s 38th governor from January 4, 1999 – January 6, 2003, is back at it again… he is going to announce on Monday night on CNN’s Larry King if he will run as an independent in Minnesota’s US Senate race.  Anyone want to place a bet on how this one will turn out?  If he does jump in, this should one wild ride for Norm Coleman’s US Senate seat.

Update 7/14: Whew… dodged a bullet… Jesse has announced that he will not run for the US Senate.