How do you get a middle initial of J if your middle name is Andrew?

It's really not Marty McFly I'm talking about today, it's Michael J Fox.  Michael was born born Michael Andrew Fox; June 9, 1961, in Canada, where he began his acting career as a teenager.  He was discovered by producer Ronald Shedlo and made his American television debut in the television film Letters from Frank, credited under the name "Michael Fox".   As the story goes, he intended to continue to use the name, but when he registered with the Screen Actors Guild, which requires unique registration names to avoid credit ambiguities, he discovered that Michael Fox, a veteran character actor, was already registered under the name.  As he explained in his autobiography, Lucky Man: A Memoir, and in interviews, he needed to come up with a different name. He did not like the sound of "Andrew" or "Andy" Fox, so he decided to adopt a new middle initial and settled on "J", and thus, he's Michael J. Fox, as we now know him.

That's as far as I intended to go with this version of "As the story goes...", but during my research, I found out a lot more about the actor I knew growing up... I loved him best as Marty McFly.  Michael was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 1991, but hid it until 1999 when the symptoms could no longer be hidden by drugs or acting.  Michael testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee in 1999 seeking a mere 75 million dollars to be to be used for Parkinson's research in an attempt to find a cure.  Here's a link to his testimony:

 http://www.c-spanvideo.org/clip/4271310

I look forward to writing someday, and "As the story goes, that's where it began and how we found a cure for Parkinson's.

As the story goes... Dare to Dream

First, I'd like to say I miss listening to Paul Harvey on the radio.  I especially miss listening to "the rest of the story" when he would tell a story that might be a story of awe and wonder; a story of heroism or something else that would just grasp your attention.  Recently I seem to be running across stories that took me back to the days of Paul Harvey, therefore, I found the urge to tell some of them here because they struck something in me wanting to share good things.

Hattie May Wiatt

The Reverend Russell H. Conwell, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Philadelphia delivered a sermon on December 1, 1912 that told of a little girl named Hattie May Wiatt.  She lived near a church where she wanted to attend Sunday School, but it was very crowded and often couldn't get in.  Rumors have it that around 1883, the Reverend walked Hattie into the Sunday school because she was unable to get inside, telling her one day they would have buildings big enough to allow every one to attend who wanted to.  Soon after, Hattie fell victim of diphtheria at just age 5 and died.  A small purse was found under her pillow containing 57 cents she had saved.   At her funeral, her mother gave the money to Conwell, which he took to the church and became the focus of his sermon.

Rev. Conwell had the 57 cents turned into 57 pennies, told the congregation the story of little Hattie May and sold the pennies for a return of about $250.  In addition, 54 of the original 57 pennies were returned to Rev. Conwell and he later put them up on display.  This was in 1886 when 57 cents was no small savings account for a little girl from a poor family.  Some of the members of the church formed what they called the Wiatt Mite Society which was dedicated to making Hattie May's 57 cents grow as much as possible and to buy the property for the Primary Department of the Sunday school.  

On June 28, 1886, A nearby house at the corner of Broad and Berks streets, referred to as The Temple because the property owner did not want the house to be called a church until the mortgage was fully paid, was investigated for purchase by the Wiatt Mite Society, which was organized for the purpose of taking the 57 cents and enlarging on them sufficiently to buy the property for the Primary Department of the Sunday school. In that same house, the first classes of Temple College, later Temple University, were held. The house was later sold to allow Temple College to move and The Temple (now the Temple Performing Arts Center to grow, and still more of that money went towards founding the Samaritan Hospital (now the Temple University Hospital).

As the story goes, if you dare to dream, great things can happen.

- - - - -

Note that this story is the result of research and reading of many accounts and descriptions of what happened in those times...  I just collected and replayed the facts as I found them to be, so you'd understand it, as the story goes....

The Glass "IS" Half Full

There is an age old debate of whether the glass is half full or half empty.  Optimist often think half full...  pessimist usually think it's half empty.  When you have a great day, like I'm having today, you just know it is half full.

I could argue that I have felt like life has been dealing me many glasses half empty, but, when you work hard and know you have made an impact...  even if it's "bottoms up" in celebration, stay focused on half full.

As thrilled as I am, all I can do it beat around the bush...  I just have to keep the real story inside, to myself.  I can't share the details because I need to protect the identities of those involved...  but, their lives, when faced with what seemingly was devastation, has been forever changed, in a positive way.  Think  positive.

OK, if you've made it this far, you are amazing too since I have led you down a path to nowhere, saying very little, but you're still around.  Here's the positive gist of what this is all about.  Sometimes, life just kicks you in the pants.  Throws you for a loop and you think there is no way to go...  no answers in sight...  nothing but doom and gloom.  You're okay to feel that way, but understand this, there is always a way out...  answers are available, just ask for them (by prayer or just asking for the answers to come) and there is so much more than doom and gloom.

For the third time this year, today, I saw someone thinking their glass was not only half empty, but they thought it went dry, do a complete reversal.  Talk about the tide changing in a hurry and being on an emotional roller coaster, their cup over flowed!  I'm so jazzed for them, life is good.

Never give up hope... look adversity in the face...  and your glass can be seen, always half full.

Accused and Abused... but Forging Ahead

I must first apologize if this post is gauge in any way, I expect it to be in many ways.  Last week ended a week that was.  Accused and abused on many fronts.  Doors slammed in my face and the recipient of many opinions passed along from people I don't, and won't, follow.  Yet, I will forge ahead.

Maybe I am just coming to the realization that the world seems to be in trouble.  The world is so full of people who feel entitled; people who's way of thinking feels so far out in left field, it is no wonder anymore why the world is headed in the direction it is going in.  Heaven help us.

Let's get positive and find a better way and move in the right direction.

As the graphic I've included indicates, a good leader is just someone that has a vision, finds the correct resources and points the way.  The staff is where all the heavy lifting comes from.  They do the work, they make it happen.  They are critical.  However, when they lack the ability to see the vision; are resistant to change and can't get on board and move in the right direction...  work stops.  No where in "Made to Stick" or "Switch", both by Chip and Dan Heath do they talk about great companies or companies that were able to make the switch doing so with people that were no on board or capable of being on board.

Time to start looking at who's on the bench and get the right people on the bus.  When those on the team stop playing or create too much hate and discontent, it's time to look for replacements.  When the team as a whole starts to go south, it's time to look for a new team.

We Really Do Have All We Need

Some of us feel we are in a fast paced world today....  faster than it was when we were younger.  Today's generation doesn't know any different, they probably think we've always had smartphones, Facebook and YouTube...  they were born with technology and need it now breed into them.  I'm wondering if we have gotten so fast paced and materialistic, we have forgotten about all we already have.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Beamer, it's the best car I have ever owned, at least in the best ride category...  okay, it is close to the most powerful too .... but I bought it used (that's my excuse anyway to justify this story).  I drive a ton of miles and wanted comfort.  I want the best in the things I buy, not low quality.  I'm telling you this because I am just as bad as the next in wanting it all.  I want my kids to have the best of the best.  To have more than I had.  To have better opportunities than I had.  To be more successful than I was ... or think I am.  Did I miss the target?  Did I focus on the wrong things?  Today, I'm wondering.

Is it all really needed?  Maybe many of us were brainwashed into thinking we needed it all,  I was.  Maybe our desires are misguided.  Life is more than "stuff"... sometimes we learn too late.  Life should be so much more.  Life should be happy without the stuff.  I'm hoping those younger than I will give it some thought.

The video that follows puts the focus on the important stuff we already have, and likely take for granted.  Things we should all be more thankful for.  I suggest after watching, we all might be a touch more thankful .... then consider what's really important and share some of our stuff with others.

... and if I haven't said it enough .... thanks for who you are, you are a special person and you are loved

Are our kids paying the price for our mistakes?

Is the difference between the "have's" and the "have nots" partially a result of our mistakes?  Quite honestly, I really don't care about the "have's", but I am quite concerned about our kids who end up limited because of our short coming.  At least in my case, my short comings.

We all make mistakes, misjudgments, errors in our ways....  call it what you may.  If you haven't made any, I made them for you.  What is important is that most of us don't make mistakes on purpose.  Nevertheless, we make them.  What is really bothering me, is that my kids, as they step into adulthood, have been forced into difficult situations, because of me.

Life is not fair, I get that.  I'd just like to see some situations changed so our youngsters don't start out in the hole.  Why should financial aid for students, or college loans, including FAFSA, be based on the income of the parents?  I just don't get why the kids are penalized because the choices I made as a parent, that may not have worked out as planned, thus, the kids pay the price for college because they are not eligible...  and they pay right through the nose.

Kudos to those parents whose plans worked out as they hoped and have been able to help their kids move into adulthood.  A lesson I learned, too late, is that this is all a game, my kids ended up on the losing team without choice, now they have no choice, dig deep and pay up, yourself, dad screwed up.

Sorry, just feeling a little frustrated.

After thought....
I posted the previous words earlier (or later last night).  Kirk Weisler looks into my soul like only he and one other person can...  and write on his T4D blog just for me...  not really, but it seems like it.  He is such a positive inspiration to me.  Thanks Kirk for your post today that inspires me to move on...

http://kirkweisler.com/t4d/2013/08/21/let-it-go-stop-sinking-like-a-stone/

I encourage to sign up for Kirk's blog post...  mind too if you want both sides of the story...

Change your Thoughts, Change your World

My dad passed away 5 years ago today.  My mental world was rocked.  I've laughed, I've cried, had many successes, many mental failings I try to hide.  I grown to a point where I know I don't hide very well.  I've been in limbo...  I've felt frozen...  knowing what to do, unable to act.  Without action, vision and moving forward is just like failing.  I at the starting line again.

Change that action.  If you can't act, and know it, then you have to force a change...  Change your thoughts.  If you think differently, perhaps you can act differently.  My mental twelve step program, one step at a time.

Today I faced a major hurdle that has been in my face for more than 3 years.  There is a long way to go, but by changing your thoughts, maybe our world can change.

What do you do when you face a challenge that you just can't move on?