Wow, I am so happy our 3 day weekend is here. I really needed it. Kinda like my mini vacation between jobs even though I have two more weeks before the big change....anyway.
I want to have some fun with the Tales over the next few weeks. I want to talk about some companies I really like....some I don't like at all......I want to ask some crazy WHY questions...like:
Why is it Wild Turkey can't advertise on our TV airwaves but I have to be told every 10 minutes if I experience an erection lasting more then 4 hours I should call the doctor? Why...somebody please tell me why!
And then after we have some fun I am going to start taking a look at our elected officials and their stance on issues related to individuals with Down syndrome and thier families. I am going to praise them or roast them and then make my endorsements based on my thoughts and your comments for out next elections from local school boards to the oval office...it should be fun....and will be fun to see who picks it up and I hope you all help.
So until the next post
PEACE DUDE!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
What the heck is going to college about today?
A recent article in the local news has made me wonder about the point of going to college today.
Their are so many things you learn in college in and out of the classroom. I sometimes think I learned as much if not more about life and leadership from being a member of the football team (Go Oilers) and Fraternity (TKE RULES)then I did from classes. But everyone is different.
But hey college today is a must. You must go, you must fork over all the cash you have and you must borrow, borrow and borrow some more because the cost of higher education has increased more then any other item in our economy. I have been gone awhile but I hope the quality of our educators have increased accordingly and not just thier pay...but I doubt it.
But I read with interest that one of our local State Universities had an organized police crackdown on the first weekend of school.
That first weekend over 70 students were arrested and maybe even have had the course of their futures changed forever. Well you ask...what were the arrested for?
Some for drinking beer.....oh my!
Some for smoking grass.....oh no!
Some for uhm...fornicating in public....my gosh!
Now I know we are supposed to obey the laws and and I am not endorsing anything here but nor am I judging anyone.
But I have just one damn question......if you can't go to college today and drink some beer, smoke a little reefer if you want to try it and maybe have a intimate relationship with someone...what the hell are you going for?
Now I now there are some folks out there that were angels in school and never did and never have done anything they were not supposed to but I am sure glad they did not have this raid on my first weekend on campus.
PEACE DUDE!
Their are so many things you learn in college in and out of the classroom. I sometimes think I learned as much if not more about life and leadership from being a member of the football team (Go Oilers) and Fraternity (TKE RULES)then I did from classes. But everyone is different.
But hey college today is a must. You must go, you must fork over all the cash you have and you must borrow, borrow and borrow some more because the cost of higher education has increased more then any other item in our economy. I have been gone awhile but I hope the quality of our educators have increased accordingly and not just thier pay...but I doubt it.
But I read with interest that one of our local State Universities had an organized police crackdown on the first weekend of school.
That first weekend over 70 students were arrested and maybe even have had the course of their futures changed forever. Well you ask...what were the arrested for?
Some for drinking beer.....oh my!
Some for smoking grass.....oh no!
Some for uhm...fornicating in public....my gosh!
Now I know we are supposed to obey the laws and and I am not endorsing anything here but nor am I judging anyone.
But I have just one damn question......if you can't go to college today and drink some beer, smoke a little reefer if you want to try it and maybe have a intimate relationship with someone...what the hell are you going for?
Now I now there are some folks out there that were angels in school and never did and never have done anything they were not supposed to but I am sure glad they did not have this raid on my first weekend on campus.
PEACE DUDE!
It's time for a change!
It's amazing how I can remember back to the day Nash was born with such clarity. I can still remember the first time I saw his face and then counted his fingers and toes. Everything was where it was supposed to be and he was perfect in my eyes and still is today. But just a couple of hours later the term Down syndrome became a permanent part of our lives. Not a good thing, not a bad thing just a different road then I had imagined.
At the time I was working in my dream job as VP of sales for one of the largest packaging machinery companies in the country. I has worked my way to the top of a field that I really loved. Well life has a way of throwing you curve balls. After a roller coaster ride of the economy and changes we ended up back in Indiana.
I had decided to try to make a difference and dove into the not-for-profit world with a trade association and that led me to the opportunity to be CEO of Janus Developmental Services, Inc.
On the road to that position I was lucky enough to be part of the group of 7 fathers who met one night for dinner and kicked off a group that is now known as DADS. The group continues to grow and make a difference in peoples lives everyday but of late I have not been as involved as I would like.
The past couple of years have been fast and furious. The world of providing services to people with disabilities is intense and full of red tape and bureaucracy that I had never imagined. We as a team, yes Janus has the most amazing team of dedicated staff I have ever seen, have accomplished more then I thought was possible. But...
The many things I would like to see happen get bogged down by the Federal government, The State folks, and as much as I hate to say the providers themselves who have long ago forgotten that our job is to create opportunities for the people we serve. All their time seems to be spent on trying to get more money for the work and less time on actually creating success full outcomes for the work we do. As proud as I am of the things we accomplished we should have been able to do so much more but the system is not designed that way. And I truly believe that the supports and services that individuals and their families want now and in the future have little to do with what providers are offering and the system pays for. It all must change and change it will!
With all of that said I have recently made the decision to head back to the for-profit world as a partner in Conor-Patrick Insurance which is a commercial insurance agency here in Central Indiana. Ultimately it was the best decision for our family. I can't wait to get started in this new chapter of life.
It also will give me the opportunity to get back to some of the things I really love.
1. Getting back involved in DADS and actually making it to our monthly meetings.
2. Helping to fund raise for the Indiana Down syndrome Foundation, DADS and NDSS.
3. Becoming the parent/advocate/lobbyist in the disability community I want to be without having to bite my lip as the CEO of a provider that the state might punish for my words. Oh, I am going to have so much fun rattling some cages on the local, state and federal level.
4. And maybe just maybe getting involved in politics.
I will be helping the board and Janus make a successful transition in every way I can as I really love that organization but it's time for a change.
Peace Dude.
At the time I was working in my dream job as VP of sales for one of the largest packaging machinery companies in the country. I has worked my way to the top of a field that I really loved. Well life has a way of throwing you curve balls. After a roller coaster ride of the economy and changes we ended up back in Indiana.
I had decided to try to make a difference and dove into the not-for-profit world with a trade association and that led me to the opportunity to be CEO of Janus Developmental Services, Inc.
On the road to that position I was lucky enough to be part of the group of 7 fathers who met one night for dinner and kicked off a group that is now known as DADS. The group continues to grow and make a difference in peoples lives everyday but of late I have not been as involved as I would like.
The past couple of years have been fast and furious. The world of providing services to people with disabilities is intense and full of red tape and bureaucracy that I had never imagined. We as a team, yes Janus has the most amazing team of dedicated staff I have ever seen, have accomplished more then I thought was possible. But...
The many things I would like to see happen get bogged down by the Federal government, The State folks, and as much as I hate to say the providers themselves who have long ago forgotten that our job is to create opportunities for the people we serve. All their time seems to be spent on trying to get more money for the work and less time on actually creating success full outcomes for the work we do. As proud as I am of the things we accomplished we should have been able to do so much more but the system is not designed that way. And I truly believe that the supports and services that individuals and their families want now and in the future have little to do with what providers are offering and the system pays for. It all must change and change it will!
With all of that said I have recently made the decision to head back to the for-profit world as a partner in Conor-Patrick Insurance which is a commercial insurance agency here in Central Indiana. Ultimately it was the best decision for our family. I can't wait to get started in this new chapter of life.
It also will give me the opportunity to get back to some of the things I really love.
1. Getting back involved in DADS and actually making it to our monthly meetings.
2. Helping to fund raise for the Indiana Down syndrome Foundation, DADS and NDSS.
3. Becoming the parent/advocate/lobbyist in the disability community I want to be without having to bite my lip as the CEO of a provider that the state might punish for my words. Oh, I am going to have so much fun rattling some cages on the local, state and federal level.
4. And maybe just maybe getting involved in politics.
I will be helping the board and Janus make a successful transition in every way I can as I really love that organization but it's time for a change.
Peace Dude.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Sorry I have been AWOL!
Hope everyone keeps checking in from time to time as I have not stopped blogging but have just had a roadblock of late.
More to come soon...I will update the blog this week with an announcement of some changes.
Peace Dude!
More to come soon...I will update the blog this week with an announcement of some changes.
Peace Dude!
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