Back for more...

Been a while, but been busy and quite frankly, sometimes you just get tired thinking about doing a post. Wrote a bit but never posted. I tend to do that, wanting to write, edit and get comfortable with it, and then post.

Anyway, let's see...Where were we?

On the iPod...well, that was stolen on my last business trip, but on iTunes right now...The Mighty Mighty Bosstones "The Impression That I Get" and Trace Adkins "You're Gonna Miss This."

Recent movie..."3:10 to Yuma" was really good. Well done Western with Russell Crowe playing the villain with a way of weedling into people's minds, and Christian Bale as the protagonist passifist trying to do right and prove himself to his son. Watch for an intense performance by Ben Foster (Dave in "The Punisher" and Angel in last "X-Men" movie) as baddie sidekick Charlie Prince, and yet another appearance by Kevin Durand (military bad guy in latest season of "Lost" and way wacko Neo Nazi assasin in "Smokin' Aces").

Cooking...well, done the Coke Can BBQ Chicken two more times (I'll have to post that up sometime soon)...and did a great Key Lime Pie with real Key Limes and fresh squeezed Key Lime juice...yeah, I go for authenticism.

Something I learned...Christian Bale is from Wales. The dude does the accents really, really well and had me convinced he was American. Anyone who knows me, knows I respect the linguistic abilities.

Something that made me smile...I keep thinking back to a moment when my son had his sisters squashed between two cushions calling it a "Sister Sandwich", one escaped running away screaming "Runaway Cheeeeeeese!" I love those moments.

Something I'm proud of...wow, my son made a Saturday meet again for butterfly. He's doing grrrreat. And one of the twins made the Saturday meet in the 8 and under group....as a 6 year old. Wow. I could never swim a straight lap. I always found the side of the pool and could never figure out that breathing thing.

Okay, something about communications...

Well, not an issue, but news...I'm helping the local chapter of IABC (Int'l Association of Business Communicators) organize the judging for this year's Silver Inkwell Awards, the local version of the IABC Gold Quill. And as a consequence have been asked to serve on the Board this next year as co-Vice President with Susan Spoto for Awards. Very honored and happy to do so. Looking forward to it but a little awed.

So the judging starts this Saturday. And going back to my experience helping judge the Gold Quill in 2005, I'm looking forward to the networking, the peek into the good work of my comm colleagues in the D.C-Balto-Annapolis area, and getting inspired again. But one thing I'm prepping myself for is seeing again the number of entries submitted that take little or no account of measurement of success beyond "People really liked it." I remember being frustrated by that in '05. You know, I realize you don't always have the time and budget to incorporate the pre-campaign and post-campaign measurement that really justify the effort and definitively illustrate success. But if that's the case, lay out for me what you did do, and what you would have done if you had the time and budget. I'll give you credit for having gone through the thought process.

There you have it. More soon.....I promise.

What If There Were No Yellow?

“There are, my dear Gus, too many colors around us.

One in particular causes too much of a fuss.

So howdy and hello, let’s make the world mellow.

What would the world be like if there were no yellow?

“Ah, that’s better, you see, not quite so busy.

The world’s duller now, not all in a tizzy.

Clothes don’t holler, signs don’t bellow

Now that the world has no yellow.

“The sun does its job as it must do dutifully

Though I must confess it doesn’t do it as beautifully

Above the clouds and the kite, it shines with all its might

But all it produces is a flat white light.

“The birds have lost their tweet; butterfly wings have lost their beat.

Your lollipop doesn’t look so sweet.

The bee’s lost its bop; stop lights say only go and stop

And the hair on your head looks like a used mop.

“Oh my, I beg your pardon. Look here in my prized flower garden.

Now there is a sight to make a soft soul harden.

Sunflowers look like ice, and daffodils have lost their spice.

And my tulips and buttercups just don’t look quite as nice.

“The food in my hand has gone simply bland.

And I’ve lost my desire for the meals that I planned

The corn lost its pop, and the butter on top

And the mustard for my hot dog looks like plain gray slop.

“All my lemons lost their zeal, the eggs no yolks reveal,

and even my bananas have lost their appeal.

I'm missing one from the menu of Jello.

The world's as sad as the sound of a cello

Now that world has no yellow.

“There’s a problem to address, and here is my guess:

How did losing one color create such a mess?

Here from my front door, the world looks quite a bore.

It lacks something special; it needs something more.

“The world is much worse, since I conjured up this curse.

I shall put this condition into full reverse.

So howdy and hello, I see now, my good fellow

The world needs all its colors. Yes, even yellow!”

A Leaf That Died In Spring

For a leaf that fell in Spring, I cried.

Far before its time, it died.

I wonder, are other leaves appalled

or is that part of life, leaves fall?

Could it be that leaf believed

by its loss the tree’s relieved?

Less encumbered, the parent thrives

instead of mourning its leaves lives.

It makes no sense, green leaf on ground.

To branch and sky it should be bound

to herald the growth of family tree,

and losing this angers me.

Why if I was made to see

my worth in time, could it not be

this leaf, too, could be made to learn

that it had colors yet to turn?

stupid leaf, pitiless God,

to waste this life, turning to sod.

For a leaf that fell in Spring and died,

for its soul, and mine, I cried.