HappyUP!!! Day 246

HappyUP!!! - a beautiful morning
Why it happened - it is that time of year
Why it makes me happy - I just love the change of season. It will be a bit before the leaves turn. The chillier mornings have a freshness that is spectacular.

HappyUP!!! - weekly weigh in
Why it happened - it happens every Sunday
Why it makes me happy - I was on the road this week.....and, despite being far from perfect, I lost a pound

HappyUP!!! - hanging with my best friend
Why it happened - I popped down to his crib
Why it makes me happy - we just got to do some talking about issues and serious things....as well as fun.

HappyUP!!! Day 245

HappyUP!!! - waitress at restaraunt
Why it happened - we had a new, new waitress
Why it makes me happy - the clan switched Saturday morning breakfast venues this week. The girl that brought the coffee, the "pre-waitress", surely couldn't have been working there very long. She was also as blonde as blonde comes. It was funny but cute. One of the members of the clan was funnin on her and she surprised us all by doing a little firing back on him........so she ended up not being quite as blonde as we thought after all.

HappyUP!!! - a chill in the morning
Why it happened - the seasons have changed
Why it makes me happy - the first few days of fall can often be a continuation of summer here in Sacramento. It was interesting to wake up and say, "hmmmm.....perhaps I should have closed some of the bedroom windows last night. Brrrrrrrrr......" The morning chill then gave way to a lovely day

HappyUP!!! - taking care of Dad
Why it happened - bro and sis are out of town
Why it makes me happy - without this task required of me, I would have been doing some work on a brand new situation that came up at work. Nope. This was more important today. Bro will be back tomorrow. I can get the extra work that I need done tomorrow night......or Monday/Monday night. I got my prioritites straight today

HappyUP!!! Day 244

HappyUP!!! - HOME!
Why it happened - I was gone
Why it makes me happy - Bakersfield was a hoot (OK....perhaps a stretch) but it is just good to be HOME. It's that feeling when you walk in the door.

HappyUP!!! - Herb Urban
Why it happened - I read his blogposting for SundayScribblings
Why it makes me happy - it was just dang funny.

HappyUP!!! - the girl at the airport
Why it happened - she was a hustler
Why it makes me happy - I get to the Bakersfield airport just before 6 bells this morning. I go to the ExpressJet counter. A small young woman checks my ID and gives me a boarding pass. I go up the escalator and through security. I wait about an hour for my flight. I am now handing my boarding pass to the same gal that was all the way down at the ticket counter. No big deal, you say? Hey, she was hustling which is always good to see but read on, Ms Skeptic. I find my assigned seat. I wait for the passengers to board. The cabin door closes and the plane begins to back away from the gate. I look out the window and see the person holding the orange glow sticks directing the pilot.....it's the same girl! What? Is there only one plane out of Bakersfield that day? I make a comment about it to another passenger and he says, "yeah, I noticed the same thing.....they wouldn't let her lift my luggage down at the front counter....she's pregnant!"

HappyUP!!! Day 243....last day in Bakersfield

HappyUP!!! - solid training session
Why it happened - it's what I am paid to do
Why it makes me happy - people went out of their way to tell me that their perspectives had changed and world's have opened

HappyUP!!! - a great dinner
Why it happened - I grabbed a steak in Bakersfield
Why it makes me happy - dinner with a good friend at a great restaraunt is always a nice thing

HappyUP!!! - my co-facilitators
Why it happened - we were training together
Why it makes me happy - three people working together as a team.....and I hadn't met either of them prior to the training starting. The other two had met but not worked together. We delivered a wonderful product to the people in attendance like a well oiled unit.

HappyUP!!! Day 242....Bakersfield Day 2

HappyUP!!! - helping the regional office
Why it happened - I am conducting training down at the regional office
Why it makes me happy - I like sharing my skills and learnings with the regional staff. It helps out my boss and, when you have a job, I believe one of your duties is to help your boss.

HappyUP!!! - drinks with the group I am training
Why it happened - I went down to the bar at about 9
Why it makes me happy -I like hanging out with people when on the road. Hotel rooms are rather confining. After doing a little work early in the evening rather than going out and eating a big meal, I decided to go have an appetizer and a lemonade. I was pleasantly surprised to find the group down in the lounge. They were NOT drinking lemondade...LOL....and hadn't been.

HappyUP!!! - the regional office gave me a shirt
Why it happened - I always give them a hard time about Bakersfield
Why it makes me happy - I like free stuff! They gave me a shirt with a globe and an airplane on the front. It says, "Cairo....Paris.....London.....Bakersfield." It's pretty funny....and the presentation was the highlight of my day!

HappyUP!!! Day 241....Bakersfield Day 1

OK....I am in Bakersfield - where I work during the day and then head back to the hotel room. It's a pretty limited world to find HappyUP!!!'s, right?

Yes.....you are right! - sure, I could go out and try to "find" some or "create" some but that isn't what HappyUP!!! is all about. It is part of it sometimes but the bigger point is seeing what goes right and noticing what makes you happy

HappyUP!!! - doing a good job
Why it happened - I am doing training for new people
Why it makes me happy - I think that training is part entertaining. You want to get the information across. How do you get it across where it may be inspiring? I won't see many of these people again. I won't get to monitor their progress. All I can leave them with is "that one thing." What is that? This occurs years later when they have gone on to be successful and they say to someone, "you know, years ago there was this guy in Bakersfield....I don't even remember his name. He said.........." ".....and it made the difference."

HappyUP!!! - the people
Why it happened - they had to be here
Why it makes me happy - this is a good group of individuals. They are engaged and happy to be here. They are involved and playing along....and learning.

HappyUP!!! - catching up on e-mail
Why it happened - I have some time while the other's train
Why it makes me happy - I really can't use the phone that much so I can at least get on top of my in box while I am here. It is one less thing to worry about.

HappyUP!!! Day 240

HappyUP!!! - golfing
Why it happened - we sponsored a foursome in a tournament
Why it made me happy - I only got to play about 11 holes as I had to travel. Yet, I hit the ball pretty well. I was teamed with some guys with less experience. I did a decent job of holding up the team. More importantly, I do seem to be holding on to some form improvements that I have been working on.

HappyUP!!! - a direct flight
Why it happened - ExpressJet opened a route to Bakersfield
Why it makes me happy - no more 5 hr car drives....that is not a great drive

HappyUP!!! - spending time with a new hire
Why it happened - she is going to the training that I am facilitating so we ended up on the same flight
Why it makes me happy - she will work for a manager who works for me. My one on one with the salespeople is not something that I get to do. In this case, I was able to learn more about someone that just entered the organization. I am stoked...I think she will do great.

HappyUP!!! Day 239

HappyUP!!! - birthday breakfast
Why it happened - my second family celebrates these kinds of things...a sis-in-law's birthday
Why it made me happy - it was just fun being together breaking bread in the house. The food was tremendous. Oh.....was it ever! Good fellowship. Plus, the cards were pretty darn funny!

HappyUP!!! - property tax bill
Why it happened - I looked at my mail from yesterday
Why it makes me happy - I bought my house from my father. He bought the home in 1973. This was before proposition 13 was passed in California. Long story short, I get his tax base. This is pretty cool. My taxes for the year are less than most people's monthly taxes. When the bill comes in the mail, it makes me happy living in my bungalow.

HappyUP!!! - a clean desk at work
Why it happened - I am heading to Bakersfield and I needed to shape things up
Why it makes me happy - I am not a clean desk guy. When I do have one, it makes me feel good. I am really going to feel good later in the week when I return....I was happy today when I popped in and did some tidying up before leavingl

Going to Hell

This is going to be very short - on a topic that could be expounded upon for pages and pages.

There is a faction upon my Christian friends - who would say that the only way to Heaven is to accept Jesus Christ. This is the doctrine.

Many of the same ones will say - not accepting Christ will send you to hell.

What happened to not making judgement? - upon another and, most importantly, upon yourself. Doctrine is very clear that man is not to judge. Yet, here we are talking about the final judgement.

Be very careful around people - who can't reconcile this properly.

The philosophy of Jesus Christ - is very simple. He breaks it down into the two most important commandments. You are to love Him and love your neighbor. There it is. People make it so complicated. It is not. Why do we have so many books on the subject?

The rest of the Bible - is a preamble. People pick and choose from the Old Testament. They will even justify because it is in the Bible.

Yet, at the end of the day, Christ summarizes everything - to two very simple rules.

Simple.....but the most difficult, if not impossible, - tasks to master. Sure, people will say they can fulfill number one. I'll give them that. Hey, who am I to judge?

But...you know that guy at the office? - or the lady across the street? The ones that you don't like.

Oooops! - I'm out.

Warren Buffett....The Billionaire Next Door

Did anyone catch The Billionaire Next Door, CNBC's interview with the 2nd richest man in the world, Warren Buffett?

I did. While I have some investments and I find that world somewhat interesting, I have never read anything about Warren Buffett. I was well aware of who he was but I never spent any time in looking into "behind the investor."

....and that has been a mistake.

As I watched the program, I scrambled to find something to capture notes upon and began madly scribbling. The following are some pearls of quotes and my observations that I found worthy of note. This guy gets what it is all about...keeping it simple. Remember, as you read the below, this is out of the mouth or observations about the SECOND RICHEST man in the world.

-He has lived in the same modest house for 48 years - (I wonder how many times his wife has redecorated ... do you think they ever got into an argument about a budget for the projects?)

-"How do you maintain ethics and not be greedy?" he was asked. "I had a great time when I was 20. I eat the same things now that I did then. I wear the same clothes. The clothes may be more expensive but they look cheap when I put them on. I get to do what I like and work with great people. Why would I want to be greedy? I have everything that I need."

-"If I had a boat, I'd have a 16 person crew. They would probably steal. They would be sleeping with each other and getting in trouble. What do I need that for? I just need friends with boats!" (I think that I am drawn to this one because I have been saying for years, "I don't need a second home....I need friends with second homes."

-"I have no social contacts. I know what I like. If I am in a seatsuit in my chair with a bucket of popcorn watching a good Nebraska football game, I am happy."

-Every Buffett family member has gone to public school

-Buffet travels with no entourage....and likes it that way. He gets in elevators with strangers. He figures, "why should I worry? I have no enemies."

-"Ethical business is good business"

-"Stay away from credit cards. The letters that I get from people in trouble all revolve around two things...health and credit cards."

-"Invest in YOURself"

-"Trust your gut"


-"Your standard of living does not equal your cost of living"

Finally, how cool is it when someone can pledge THIRTY ONE BILLION dollars to someone else and, when asked why, says, "they are better at giving it away than I am." What a masterful piece of delegation! I am not sure I would want to be Bill and Melinda Gates and have that piece of responsibility heaped upon me!

HappyUP!!! Day 238

HappyUP!!! - Saturday breakfast
Why it happened - it's a tradition with my friend's family
Why it makes me happy - my friend has been missing the last couple of weeks. It was good to see him.

HappyUP!!! - a chance tuning into a piece of talk radio
Why it happened - who knows.....no such things as coincedences
Why it makes me happy - I had flipped on the car stereo. For whatever reason, it was on A.M. which I rarely listen to. The host was talking to a gentleman who used to be a pool contractor but now goes to underprivileged parts of the world and has a way to help them create drinkable water. The ex-contractor talked about the joys of the women in little towns in the Phillipines who have a good time sweeping dirt floors. He said, "they were a lot happier than the rich folks that I was putting pools in for." The host went on to ask him if he was happier now. The man didn't hesitate, "my stress is gone dealing with those unhappy people. Now, I deal with happy people and I am helping them."

NOTE: research has clearly proven that, in a civilized situation, once people get beyond the level of about 50k in income, there is relatively no difference in the happiness level of the 50k people and the 100-150-200k people.

HappyUP!!! - playing some electric guitar
Why it happened - it was Saturday
Why it makes me happy - I don't think the neighbors can hear me during the day when I turn the amp up just a touch. I usually only run my amp at about "1" out of a possible "10." It's a pretty powerful amp. I like to be respectful to the neighborhood. The issue is that "1" doesn't "drive" the amp hard enough to give it the sound I want. When I got it to "2" today, I was playing some basic stuff but it was sounding good...better than the past. No, I am no guitar hero...but I like playing better while I am having my fun.

Hi, my name is........

(A special post for my friends at SundayScribblings)


"Have another Nutter Butter peanut butter sandwich cookie" - I would say I was first addressed that way 37 years ago.

....and I still get addressed that way occasionally today.

Imagine the torment that a young lad like myself had to go through. I was never a very large guy. I am 5'7" now and don't have short man's complex. The combination of those two things means that no one ever got their nose punched for the relentless taunting.

I learned to outwit the witless. After hearing that phrase for the millionth time, I took to acting totally surprised and would go into an astonished, "Oh my God! NOOOObody has ever said that before. You are SOOOO creative. Why aren't you on the tonight show. That's an Absolute riot!" ....and I wouldn't stop. You have to hear me go on and on. By the time I was done, the person wished that they never had been "so creative."

Beyond the Nutter Butter comes the pronunciation. Now, come on. Look at it. Nut...ter. It is pronounced just like it looks.

Think about a 15 year old boy sitting in his high school class as the teacher takes role:

"Nash"............"here"
"Nelson"........."here"
"Newter" (a way too frequent mispronunciation of my fine name)........"what the hell do you put on your toast? Boo-ter? .....here". Of course, the "here" now had to have a voice inflection up an octave from the statement that preceded it.

Even today.....I still have people pronounce "Nutter" as "Newter." I'm not being sensitive when I say, "I DON'T GET IT!" Look at the darn word.....Nut...ter

No, a young man at a delicate age does not want his name confused with having no testicles during roll call with all of his peers present.

Of course, later on, there was the jokester asking about my dating life, "hey....did ya?"
"Did I what?"...I replied
"Nutter?"
Oh my....I wouldn't have even included that but we are doing the full name thing here.
People will often ask me if I am related to a certain Nutter. I often say, "No." They reply, "I thought you would be. It's an uncommon name." I then say, "tell that to the 35 million people in the UK alone that had that name in 1996." Another snappy one is, "well Mr Brownose, it's only the 185th or 285th most popular surname in the United States."

Where does the name come from? The name means nut merchant. Some say it is a derivative of "Naughter" which was a cow farmer way back when. I only know that it appears that the first Nutters in America seemed to land back in Virginia. They leeched inward and one strain went through the top of the United States. The other strain seemed to meander through the South. The ones in the South were known for their horse thievery. While I am not sure which strain from which I hail, why do I have this suspicion that I know? I don't think it has anything do with me liking grits either.

Another thing that Nutter means is a person lacking sanity. It's a British term. "Look at that guy over there. He is such a Nutter." Why do you suppose that fact actually makes me laugh and causes me to love my name even more?

HappyUP!!! Day 237

HappyUP!!! - breakfast out
Why it happened - I had a meeting scheduled with one of my managers
Why it made me happy - my short stack and a side of sausages never fails. Plus, we had a nice chat.

HappyUP!!! - welcome packages
Why it happened - this the official weekend that a company that our company bought migrates
Why it made me happy - the staff was absolutely giddy when I brought them their welcome packages....it really meant a lot. It was neat to see people acting so happy. They were all ladies...hmmm.....would men have showed that much joy? Doubtful.

HappyUP!!! - fixing a conference call
Why it happened - I sat in on a training call...that I had already been on.
Why it made me happy - if I hadn't been on the call, some critical misinformation may have been dispensed. My input got everyone back on track.

HappyUP!!! Day 236.....a new lunch spot

HappyUP!!! - a call from a colleague in the industry
Why it happened - I left him a message yesterday
Why it made me happy - I recruited this guy long ago. I knew he had left the company that had bought the bank who's department he was running. Back when I was recruiting him to work for me and couldn't get him, I actually recruited him to apply for the job to be my boss when it was open. He is good. I found out that in these challenging times in the industry, he started up his own firm. There aren't many guys that could do that right now. He can. He'll do well. It made me happy.

HappyUP!!! - a conference call
Why it happened - I scheduled it
Why it made me happy - I gave all of my managers a piece of this area wide call to cover. It was the first time I had done that. I was happy with their performance...they came through in the clutch and did a nice job for the first time out. Yes, I still came in as the most prepared with the overlay that pulled it together but part of my job is to bring the others along.

HappyUP!!! - a likely invitation to emcee
Why it happened - I volunteered
Why it made me happy - I will probably be the Toastmaster at the Area Toastmasters contest. For a group that is supposed to be good at this kind of thing, this role is traditionally done very poorly.....and I think I know why. The Toastmaster gives no thought to the preparation. They also don't look like the duck on top of the water when things go wrong. I would go to the event anyway...at least I won't have to watch someone struggle!

HappyUP!!! Day 235......Wed and first rain

HappyUP!!! - thunderstorms in September
Why it happened - it really shouldn't
Why it makes me happy - it's been a while since we have seen rain here in Sacramento. We usually get a smattering toward the end of Oct, maybe a bit in November, some in December, and then we hit the rainy season. We are having thunderstorms as we speak. Thunderstorms excite me. First rain excites me. Having things happen out of sequence (that aren't disasters) and that really shouldn't excites me.

HappyUP!!! - lunch with a young friend
Why it happened - he insisted
Why it makes me happy - he is in my industry. He is a sponge. He has some good values and was looking for some advice and guidance. I contrast with some of my employees....this guy seeks the advice of people that have been successful in the business. He will take some of the things we talked about to the marketplace.

HappyUP!!! - motivational books
Why it happened - I went down into the basement looking for a different book
Why it makes me happy - I found some motivational classsics amongst my boxes of books. I drug a couple of them out to keep by my bed. These are easy reads and books you can just read a couple of lines from. In an instant, they can change your state taking you from good to great. Even when you are someone that can stay upbeat, you slip a bit sometimes. These types of readings can get you back on game....even if it is only for a few minutes. Hey, they beat the heck out of consuming OJ news!

HappyUP!!! Day 234.....Tues and a Fed Cut

HappyUP!!! - an unexpected Fed rate cut
Why it happened - Uncle Benny Bernanke threw in an extra quarter of a point
Why it makes me happy - it makes it easier for me to do my business. It puts the people around me in a better mood. It will instill a little confidence in my market place.

HappyUP!!! - a Dow jump of over 300 points
Why it happened - see HappyUP!!! 1
Why it makes me happy - I don't track the money every day. I did a little bit of counting tonight and today was a good day. While I don't let the extreme down days in the markets destroy me, they can be concerning. This is exactly why you must celebrate when things go right.

(WOW!!! - big HappyUP!!! principle in that last sentence. Celebrate when things go right is a key component of the HappyUP!!!)

HappyUP!!! - stuffed bell peppers
Why it happened - I am still harvesting
Why it makes me happy - I just threw some things together, tossed them in the bell pepper, and ran it through the microwave. Quick...somewhat healthy...delicious

HappyUP!!! - a thank you
Why it happened - I gave some advice on a call the other day
Why it makes me happy - I got an e-mail from someone that doesn't work for me but who caught my conference call the other day. He actually used one of the techniques.....5 times! He said it worked tremendously.....he called me a genius. Hey, he said it! Who am I to disagree?

HappyUP!!! Day 233

HappyUP!!! - transparency in a HappyUP!!!
Why it happened - I asked for random HappyUP!!!'s on my conference call today
Why it made me happy - one of the managers that works for me admitted that he was scared before he embarked on a project this weekend. I had prepped people that it was OK to have fear.....that they probably would have fear. He described it....described that he said to himself, "I have to do this," and said to himself, "Action!" He went onward and got a piece of business just a few minutes later. It's an issue that many pe iople have...but few will admit.

HappyUP!!! - a contestant
Why it happened - a commitment was followed through on
Why it makes me happy - we'll have a contest. It may be a one man contest...but it will be a contest and our club will send a representative to the next level

HappyUP!!! - getting gas
Why it happened - I got lucky and noticed I was on fumes
Why it makes me happy - I knew I should have got gas last night. As fate would have it, I didn't have time to stop this morning, "I can make it to my appointment." I did make it to the appointment...and then forgot about the issue. When I next noticed the gauge, I went, "oh crap!" because I knew it was close. Fortunately, I was only a mile from the refueling station.

HappyUP!!! Day 232....it's Sunday

HappyUP!!! - a quick recovery from food poisoning
Why it happened - not sure
Why it made me happy - at 4 this morning, there was no way I would be playing golf at 9. Though I was a little concerned about being out on the course "without a net," I was relieved that the illness "passed" rather quickly (...and abruptly).

HappyUP!!! - some good golf
Why it happened - I have been playing more....and I kept the driver in the fairway
Why it made me happy - I tooled around a challenging course in 78 today. That is my best score in years. I even gave a few shots away.

HappyUP!!! - Mumbo Gumbo
Why it happened - they play in the park every September to close the Music in the Park series
Why it makes me happy - the piano/accordion player is an old friend. He was also the guy that showed me how to play guitar. I always think of him fondly for that. MG plays a cajun type jazz fusion. It's unique and even got me out there moving my groove thing.....sometimes I forget I have a groove thing.

JollyJottings

Food poisoning was minor
Played some good golf
Golfing with my buddy
Meeting a new friend on the golf course
Solheim Cup
Top down driving
Gorgeous Day
Weigh in
Dinner
Mumbo Gumbo

HappyUP!!! Day 231....Saturday

HappyUP!!! - top down drive to San Francisco
Why it happened - I took a dinner invite into the city
Why it made me happy - today is why I have a convertible. 65 MPH....2 hrs....78-80 degrees...and then getting the smells off the bay at the end. Ahhhh.....

HappyUP!!! - a call from a friend
Why it happened - another friend is having some challenges
Why it made me happy - I love talking to this guy. We don't get to do it that often. I got the added bonus of getting to see him and his wife. They were out here on the coast helping another friend. While I wish the circumstances around the call were a little more uplifting, it was still good to hear from him....and get the reminder that he is one good man (and his wife is pretty great too).

HappyUP!!! - breakfast with my adopted family
Why it happened - it often does on Saturday
Why it made me happy - I hadn't ate with the clan in about three weeks. Today was particularly lively.

JollyJottings

Golf tomorrow
One Root Festival
Sleeping
Call from a friend...and an invitation
A top down drive to SF
Whole Foods
Seeing some friends I rarely see

HappyUP!!! Day 230

HappyUP!!! - wonderful breakfast
Why it happened - I had a recruiting appointment
Why it made me happy - I enjoyed letting someone know that there is a place for them where their careers can flourish....especially when they are already there.

HappyUP!!! - dinner
Why it happened - we had a get together after work...which led to dinner
Why it made me happy - I ate with a couple who is dear to me. My contact with them isn't as day to day as it once was with the gentleman of the couple but they are still important to me...as are so many others that I have been blessed with as friends.

HappyUP!!! - recovery from a boo boo
Why it happened - I was scheduled to present on a conference call
Why it made me happy - because of my focus on the breakfast, I thought the call I was supposed to be on started at 10. It was 9:30. I knew that I wasn't first up so as I joined the call at 10:05, I thought I would be fine. Nope....I was already late for the stage. Yet, I was prepared and delivered .

HappyUP!!! Day 229

HappyUP!!! - an evening with Kevin Johnson
Why it happened - he spoke to our group
Why it makes me happy - Kevin spearheaded a movement to take the struggling high school, Sac High, and make it into a charter school. In the space of four years, the kids that were accepted to go to a four year college went from 20% to 80%. In the process, he has helped make the local community to the high school a better place to live. He went to school there, his parents went to school there, and so did his grandparents. Through St Hope, it was neat to see and hear how much an NBA star has given back.

HappyUP!!! - getting through what could have been a tough meeting
Why it happened - it was my monthly meeting with my direct reports
Why it makes me happy - I recently inherited 3 managers. My world may be overcrowded...it may be the right size for the future. It's my job to get them to give it their all so the latter ends up being the case. We made some progress today.

HappyUP!!! - excellent appetizers
Why it happened - I was at the event Kevin Johnson was at
Why it makes me happy - tasty and well prepared hours de oeuvres are always a treat. Wait...are they appetizers if they ended up being dinner?

HappyUP!!! Day 228

HappyUP!!! - great night's sleep
Why it happened - I'm not sure
Why it made me happy - it was difficult for me to get out of bed! I know, many go, "hey, that's my everyday existence." It's not for me....not because I sleep poorly. I could just tell that I was sleeping really well last night. I was having more dreams (which, of course, I can't remember at the moment).

HappyUP!!! - an invite to have breakfast with the governor of California
Why it happened - I am part of an initiative that he backs
Why it made me happy - I had to say, "no, I have something scheduled that is more important." It's the truth. I would be at that breakfast but I really have a more pressing engagement.

HappyUP!!! - traffic court
Why it happened - I was accused of driving at an unsafe speed
Why it made me happy - I was found guilty of 50 in a 35 (that should be a 40...no question). It doesn't mean that I was. So, because it is the first ticket I have received in years, I will be signing up for traffic school. The HappyUP!!! was that I had as fair a day in court that you could have. I probably could have represented myself a little better...but it would have required lying. No can do. Personally, I think that Lidar guns give a policeman the option to lie to. I'll be doing my research on that...another HappyUP!!!....something to research. Though I didn't get the outcome I wanted, it was a HappyUP!!! because of the system our country has.

HappyUP!!! Day 227

HappyUP!!! - an In-N-Out Burger with a chocolate shake
Why it happened - I worked late and was starving
Why it made me happy - I hadn't had a fast burger in a long time. Yes, it was not a good ending to a fairly light eating day but I really did enjoy that burger. Just can't make it a habit.

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - it's Tuesday
Why it made me happy - our oldest member is 90 years old. He was doing a Table Topics and just cracked us up.

HappyUP!!! - return call and appointment with a BIG recruit
Why it happened - I made the call
Why it made me happy - she wants to meet with me. It doesn't bring her on board yet but it is a step closer. This would be a huge hire!

JollyJottings

Toastmasters
Set up recruiting meeting
Got 4 reviews done
Triumphing over what looked like disaster
Another commitment from a recruit to get together

HappyUP!!! Day 226

HappyUP!!! - Warren Buffett Interview
Why it happened - I flipped on the tube
Why it made me happy - here is the 2nd richest guy in the world.....and he has lived in the same old house for 48 years. He drives modest cars. No entourage. This will be a seperate blog entry. His message was pretty easy....keep it simple

HappyUP!!! - fixed financials
Why it happened - I asked for them to be fixed
Why it made me happy - I asked on Friday and they got fixed today....that does not happen very often

HappyUP!!! - got my car into the shop
Why it happened - it was scheduled but my ride bailed
Why it made me happy - I was able to call on my brother to come and pick me up. Now, I don't need to think about it in the morning.

HappyUP!!! - set up some golf on Sunday
Why it happened - I called a guy about something else...and laid a guilt trip on him
Why it made me happy - he called me out. "You want to play golf? This Sunday. 9 a.m. Whitney Oaks". I have a great tee time just waiting for me and 6 days to look forward to it....I better get to the range!

JollyJottings

Monday meeting
Warren Buffett interview
Brother picked me up
Conference call
Fixed financials
People got paid

HappyUP!!! Day 225

HappyUP!!! - concert for dad
Why it happened - the Randies were in town
Why it made me happy - the girls went into my ailing father's room and did an acoustic performance of an old REO Speedwagon tune. I stayed in the living room because I would have been a distraction for him. He would have felt like he had to act a certain way to maintain his demeanor. I understand that he was waving his hands like a conductor. He really enjoyed the show. At this point in his life, anything that makes him happy makes me happy.

HappyUP!!! - dinner and the rotisserie
Why it happened - sis in law was making the big dinner for the brood
Why it made me happy - when you have a Sunday dinner for about 12 people who are all family-like connected, it can't be anything but a good time. Well, I guess it can if your family has a penchant for that. No issues on this occasion.

HappyUP!!! - easy truck repair
Why it happened - I needed a new battery
Why it made me happy - I know....it was just a battery. However, when I get under the hood, something else usually breaks. It was more of a pain to take it somewhere, wait, and get it done than just to head down to the Kragen and get it done. While I even made one bonehead move, no serious damage caused and I am rolling again!

JollyJottings

Rotissirie
Work info
Show tomorrow night
Concert for Dad
Football up and running
Weather...sleeping upstairs
Info for home improvement
Easy truck repair
Time with Joel and the Randies

HappyUP!!! Day 224

HappyUP!!! - I met the Randies
Why it happened - they are staying at my brother ans sis-in-laws house
Why it makes me happy -they seem, at first blush, like as nice enough of a group of young people as you are going to find. I was going to throw in "for band types" but no classification was needed. The Randies now feature my sis-in-laws son on drums (not pictured on the last album cover). It also made me happy to be around musicians out chasing the dream and doing what they want to do....keeping those peculiar hours...staying in weird places. It's an adventure and, from what I can tell, they are kicking some tail. The Randies






HappyUP!!! - trail riding on the mountain bike
Why it happened - I got an invitation
Why it makes me happy - what a hoot! It was actually a touch scary...especially putting my head into a tree. I knew there was a reason I wore that helmet. "Hey, you want to go for a trail ride. What? No...no...it's not technical at all." It was like riding my bike when I was a kid....except I don't recall thinking about eating it and how long the healing time would be when I was a lad.







HappyUP!!! - seeing Folsom Lake/Pond
Why it happened - I went on that trail ride
Why it makes me happy - it was an interesting site. Granted, it's not pretty. It's how it gets this time of year. This is where we get our drinking water from. During the winter, all that beach will cover over with water....well, at least that is the plan. I hadn't been out to the lake this year so it was good to see what was there.

On Writing

(A special post for my friends over at SundayScribblings )

What is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of writing? Pain. OK, that's not it. The first thing that comes to mind is that I really could be a writer. The second thing that comes to mind is pain.

My blog and my journal are mostly thoughts that I put down on paper or on-line. When I think of writing, I think of the craft of writing. You must create a flow that engages the reader and do it in a flat medium. The closest that I come to writing is when I am crafting a speech. Even there, I am working in vocal inflection, gestures, and facial changes that embellish the communication. The thought of working those things into written form of any length makes me think of the old "1% inspiration, 99% perspiration," and, to be honest, it is not something that I have ever been able to sit down and do.

Yet, in the back of my mind, I feel like it really is something that I should do. If the should becomes a must, the sweating will begin.

52 Answers

You can probably - figure out the questions from my answers. In the event that you can't, go here to my friend McNair's page. I'll give you the first few questions so you can get in the groove

1. Both of my brothers were older so I was named after they were. (Were you named after anyone?)
2. I cried last weekend visiting my terminally ill father (When was the last time you cried?)
3. I am fine with my handwriting...if I need something better, I do calligraphy (Do you like your handwriting?)
4. If a hot dog is a lunch meat....hot diggity dog me up! (What is your favorite lunch meat?)
5. I'd be a purple crayon (What color crayon would you be?)
6. Darn right I would be friends with me...I think I am...though we do get in tiffs on occasion. We are good right now. Thanks for asking. (Would you be friends with you?)
7. My sarcasm has been dialed back...sarcasm is a veiled way to say something you would never say to someone. (Do you use sarcasm alot?)
8. Yes, I have my tonsils...and, now that I told you, don't try to come steal them when I am sleeping (Do you still have your tonsils?)
9. I would bungee jump...but I don't feel compelled to. (Would you bungee jump?)
10. Captain Crunch with Crunchberries...why haven't I had it in decades? Ahoy, mates!
11. No, I do not untie my shoes when I take them off. I untie them BEFORE I take them off or I leave them untied AFTER I take them off. Untying them while taking them off sounds like a magic trick to me.
12. Physically, I am not that strong.
13. Coffee Blast from Double Rainbow...Trader Joes has my favorite ice cream
14. The first thing I notice about people is if they are HOT! Oh...wait...men are people too, aren't they?
15. Red or Pink? Fuscia
16. Least favorite thing - being indecisive in my personal life....well, I think that's it but I am not sure. I'll get back to you. (What is your least favorite thing about yourself?)
17. I miss my late mother the most
18. I want no one to send this back to me....I wouldn't torture my friends.
19. Camouflage shorts are adorning my legs and some black Birkenstocks have captured my feet.
20. I just ate some tortellini that my sis-in-law made......DEEEELICIOUS.
21. I am listening to the feint sound of my air conditioner in the background
22. I have no kids...no lambs...no piglets...or any other barnyard animals. (Do you have kids?)
23. Basil in my garden is a favorite smell. Fresh coffee is another.
24. I spoke with my friend Adrienne on the phone. I am going to hook him up with a deal.
25. I love McNair....despite him REQUIRING me to fill this out.
26. Hot shower is best for me...I prefer not to lay in my filth only to get up and have to towel soap off of me.
27. My hair color is a light brown. As long as I have hair, I will love whatever color it is.
28. I have Hazel eyes....that turn green...ooooh..spooky.
29. I wear no contact...I had Lasik surgery 8 years ago. What a miracle!
30. My favorite food is pizza. Ice cream. Peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream melting over it would take the cake though...wait...it would take the cobbler, I think. If it takes the cobbler, who makes the shoes? I digress
31. I am not a big enough movie person to have a favorite ending.
32. Last movie I watched? I am not a big enough movie person to remember.
33. I am wearing a maroon T-shirt from Territory Ahead
34. Winter over summer....but I prefer Fall...then Spring.
35. Kisses over hugs...and I mean that EXACTLY how I said it
36. My favorite sport to watch is GOLF...the major events.
37. Most likely to respond? I am not sending this anywhere
38. Least likely? See #37
39. I just finished "Happier" by Tal Ben-Shahar and am reading "The Three Signs of a Miserable Job" by Patrick Lencioni and "How to Have Kick Ass Ideas" by Chris Barez-Brown
40. What is on my mouse pad? Are you saying I have a small house? I use a laptop so I don't have a mouse pad but, if I did, I suppose the thing that would be on my mouse pad would be my mouse. Duh!
41. I didn't watch TV last night....I am sorry. I went to some friends house to give them some advice and help they needed. I'll try not to do that again. I should have been home watching TV so I could answer this question better. I think I just failed this test, didn't I?
42. My favorite sound is running water...but not those fountains that sound like a man taking a whiz! I don't suppose I would care for one that sounded like a female taking a whiz either but I have not encountered such a fountain. If you come across one of those, send it to me so I can validate my suspicion of aversion.
43. I'll take the Beatles over the Stones....but can I listen to The Who instead?
44. Which is farther from Sacramento? Florida, North Carolina, Jamaica, Cancun, or Maui. Dang it...where is my wall map and my ruler?
45. My special talent is being a smart ass....which is better than the alternative talent that I see many gravitate towards. I also can make spit hang out of my mouth down past my knee and suck the entire string back into my mouth. I shall not demonstrate this talent in public anymore because I have found the public lacks the social skills to appreciate my virtuosity in this area.
46. I was born in Roseville, California
47. I am not going to get any answers back! Would you please see #37...again. Didn't I tell you that already? How many times must I tell you? Off to your room!
48. My middle name is Andrew. It would have been my first name but my older brothers rebelled. There was no way they were going to be embarrassed by having to drag around Andy Pandy. Wow...I just realized I was named in order to pander to my brother's egos. It seems like I should have figured that out sooner. Hey, I guess that is why I go 48 deep in a questionairre.
49. I am not changing my name until the government says that I have to! When I do become famous, however, I am sure my agent will make me drop Nutter. Scott Andrew it will be....but I suppose I will need to add an "s" so it become Scott Andrews. Then, everyone will say, "are you related to Julie Andrews?" while they burst into a round of "doe, a deer, a female deer...." Yikes! I think I will leave the name alone despite the "have another Nutter Butter peanut butter sandwich cookie" that I still have to endure.
50. Shawshank Redemption is my favorite movie.
51. My favorite drink is lemonade. Back in my drinking day, "Tangueray...chilled...straight up...the vermouth is only allowed to look. No swimming."
52. Besides staring at that guys goiter, what do you do while waiting in a doctor's waiting room?

HappyUP!!! Day 223

OK, you home gamers - who think this HappyUP!!! is a bunch of nonsense. Today, you get your time in court. I had a steady drip of crap come to me...all day long.

...and I mean - all day long. By the end of the day, I decided to list out some CrappyDown!!!s.

...and I did - and then I was done with it. Nope, HappyUP!!! doesn't make you immune to the "stuff" because today would be a fine example. But, now that I am done with those, it's time to...you guessed it....

HappyUP!!! - an invitation
Why it happened - someone called me
Why it makes me happy - I get to do something new tomorrow

HappyUP!!! - being named in a friend's blog
Why it happened - who knows?
Why it makes me happy - it's always nice to know someone is thinking about you. Plus, though it took me forever to get through his 52 questions, it was an interesting self learning

HappyUP!!! - call from my boss at the end of the day
Why it happened - I think he saw I had tried to call him
Why it makes me happy - I got to voice a couple of my concerns and get some perspective.

HappyUP!!! Day 222

HappyUP!!! - my mechanic
Why it happened - I made the call
Why it makes me happy - they can take my car in Monday night. I have to go to a specialty place so it's not a "just drive it over there" kind of deal. I also know they will take care of the issue. Plus...it's probably not going to be as expensive as I thought.

HappyUP!!! - delicious tortellini
Why it happened - I stopped by my bro's to see my dad
Why it makes me happy - my sis-in-law and her son's girlfriend were there cooking together. The son's girlfriend seemed very nice....and the two of them turned out a delicious pasta! Wait...did I say it was delicious? It was delicious.

HappyUP!!! - appointment with a recruit
Why it happened - I made the call
Why it makes me happy - my job is to be picking up new people. This guy may be a good one! We'll see tomorrow.

HappyUP!!! Day 221

HappyUP!!! - my car got me through another day
Why it happened - I have developed a problem with the ignition....no, not under the hood...the place where you actually put the key in and take it out
Why it makes me happy - I didn't get stranded! I very easily could have. The problem first surfaced a couple of days ago. I now know I am pushing my luck. I'll be driving the truck until a remedy is found.

HappyUP!!! - business opportunity
Why it happened - it was referred to me
Why it makes me happy - while I don't know if we will move on it, I now know of something going on in the country that few do. It's always good to know what is going on.

HappyUP!!! - after hours appointment
Why it happened - I offered a favor
Why it makes me happy - there was no money in it for me. These weren't clients. They were people I knew that just needed some advice. I took the evening and just gave them the cogent steps they need to take to work out of a bit of a sticky situation.

HappyUP!!! Day 220

HappyUP!!! - Toastmasters
Why it happened - come on...it's Tuesday
Why it made me happy - we were short on members first day back from a 3 day holiday but long on enthusiasm and quality. I found out that we got 5 officers trained in recent trainings (4 were required). We had a lively meeting. I picked up a sunshine award.

HappyUP!!! - stuffed bell peppers
Why it happened - I made them yesterday
Why it made me happy - I had never made them before. I had no recipe. I just went off a hunch. I took the innards from some zucchini and sauteed them with garlic, basil, onions, black olives, and a some 5 minute brown rice. I baked them yesterday for about 13 minutes at 350. I pulled them out of the oven, removed the innards, mixed in some cheese and the leftover half of a steak, and stuck them in the fridge. I nuked one for lunch and one for dinner. WOW!!! INCREDIBLE! I do have to come clean. I bought the bell peppers. My ones from the garden just weren't big enough for proper stuffing. I'll be having this dish again....FOR SURE.

HappyUP!!! - solutions
Why it happened - I have been digesting a situation
Why it made me happy - I am taking my time before I move to solution on a persnickety little opportunity/issue that came up last week. Everyone would like answers. Sometimes a little time is exactly what you need to let the problem ferment. I smell a new answer starting to brew.

HappyUP!!! Day 219

HappyUP!!! - a lazy morning
Why it happened - it was Labor Day
Why it made me happy - I splurged on the diet and had a mocha. I just enjoyed the morning. I like the third day of a three day weekend. Some people fill them with activity. I look at it as a day to just enjoy as a day...to do whatever you want even if it isn't important

HappyUP!!! - a delicious steak and salad
Why it happened - I had time....and I hadn't had a real dinner for a bit
Why it made me happy - I picked up some Worchester Sauce. Pour it over a steak with a little garlic salt and fork/knife it in and you got what I got.....an absolutely delicious piece of beef

HappyUP!!! - new growth
Why it happened - I planted a pepper in a weird spot. Plus, I did some weeding
Why it made me happy - I got in late (planted late) with one pepper plant. I planted it in a spot that gets morning shade. Today, I saw the first evidence of peppers. YES! It was a test area this year. Next year, it will be fully developed for planting. Now, over on the melon front, I needed to do some weeding. The vine was getting choked. As I looked under the foliage, I found at least 4 cantaloupes developing. This would equate to the entire plants production for the year. I hadn't even seen these gems. Who knows? Maybe it is going to bust out here in the fall. There is a lot of vine there. Now, if that darn watermelon vine would get the same idea....

QuoteUP!!! 5...Thoreau on hurry

"Life is too short to be in too much
of a hurry" -Thoreau

Where do you want me to go with this? - or do I really even need to?

Is it advancing age - that makes me gravitate to this gem? I know there are a lot of speed freaks out there.

At the same time - I have always held to the fable about the tortoise and the hair. "Measure twice, cut once," also comes to mind.

Where would you take this?

HappyUP!!! Day 218

A lot to choose from today....hmmm...could knowing that I don't have to put in a full day tomorrow leaed to that. We have fun and getting things done all in the mix

HappyUP!!! - golf with my brother
Why it happened - he invited me
Why it made me happy - the score wasn't there but a lot of very properly struck shots were. It means I am on the right track. I also played with some good players...one guy shot 69! In a weird stroke of fate, I also one some money in a big pot we had going with a few other groups out there.....66 bucks worth!

HappyUP!!! - 23 miles of bike riding
Why it happened - I needed to do it
Why it made me happy - the old man still has some legs in him. Average about 17 mph. While far from my younger days, it is kind of a start. I am also digging the totally spent feeling in my legs this evening. It is a good exhaustion when you know you haven't injured yourself but your legs are pretty much thrashed.

HappyUP!!! - the weigh in
Why it happened - it's Sunday!
Why it made me happy - 2 pounds off since last week! I am now the lowest I have been in a year when the weight started going up. This is a good intersection to cross. 165 by Thanksgiving is very doable. What? Did you say, "go for 160?" Hmmmm....let's get to the 165 first and do a reassessment.


Jolly Jottings

Golf with brother
Perfect wedge shot
Perfect 9 iron off the hard pan
7-iron closest to the pin
3 birdies
Playing with good players
Starting to pick up a new tune on the guitar
23 mile bike ride
The good exhausted feeling after the bike ride
Sunday weigh in

HappyUP!!! Day 217

HappyUP!!! - falling back asleep
Why it happened - I NEEDED sleep
Why it made me happy - it made me peppy today! I caught a little insomnia around 1 a.m. I got up, did some stuff, and went back to work at 4. I woke up at 8:30 so I ended up getting the usual amount of sleep in. The other thing I am happy about is that it happened on a Friday night so I didn't have to worry about work and getting up early.

HappyUP!!! - trip to the bike store with my friend
Why it happened - he called me up and got me
Why it made me happy - this is my best friend's little brother. It's great that we can call each other up. I heard someone say that a man is lucky to have one good, really good, friend as he gets older. This is another guy that will be on my list.

HappyUP!!! - guitar course showed up
Why it happened - I ordered it
Why it made me happy - it gives me Labor Day weekend to mess around with it!

The End

(A special post for my friends at SundayScribblings )

"The End"

Once it's over, it's over. You look forward. There are factors that lead to endings. Sometimes we forget what they are and were over time. But there was usually a good reason to make the turns that we did. It may escape us but it is something to honor. We may retain some fond memories. We may be scared of looking forward but this is the direction that we will live. We have to spend our time there. We are better for the experience we gained so there is no need or room for regret. Everything really does happen for a reason. If we are lucky, very lucky, we are left with an honorable friendship.

People ask me, "Nutster, do you have any regrets?"

I say that there are some things that I wish may have turned out differently. The events that have happened have led me to be the person that I have become. I am the one that I must love today. I do. Who can have regrets for endings that lead to that?

The End