. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . imgene

...the next thing (3 of 5)...

2009-05-29T07:19:00.007-05:00

Retirement is best served early! I used question #3 almost everyday at work (and now at Good Shepherd). It's a basic management query which causes the recipient to consider possible improvements to a situation or process.

"What would I have done differently?"

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Sue and I talked a lot about how our lives would change with me not having a full time job. Here are some of the things I would do if I could get the old DeLorean DMC-12 up to 88 mph.

Define what retirement meant - This may sound obvious &/or silly, but this is a big deal. For me, retiring at 52 did not mean golfing 90 holes a week, fishing every morning or laying on a beach until my skin became shoe leather. I wish I would have spent more time, earlier, defining what I was retiring to (I started this too far along in the process)

Update my personal mission statement - I've had a personal mission statement since the 80's. It leaned heavily on the work side of my life and served as a reminder of what was important to me. I would have spent more time with the same kind of focus on the personal side, defining my "Popeye Moment", my "One Thing". It would have shifted some of the things I did the last 10 years.

Take advantage of travel - We became empty nesters about 3 years before I retired. I wish I would have taken advantage of our flexibility and brought Sue along on some of my trips. The Opera House in Australia, the world's tallest building in Kuala Lumpur, and the beaches of S ao Paulo would have been even more enjoyable with Sue by my side. I guess this just leaves more unexpected journeys ahead of us.

New routines - I wish I would have started my new routines earlier so they would have become established habits. Exercising, eating habits, Dr visits, prayer time, house repairs, Mustang dabbling are all activities that I now spend more time on, but I used the excuse of "I'm too busy because of work" to delay the change. I was shocked to find that a daily QPC and large fries may not be the best slimming formula. These changes are as big of contributors to my increased quality of life as the not going to work part.

Talk to retirees - I would have increased my circle of retiree "experts" from 4 to about 10 (usually these graying consultant can be funded for a cup of coffee). Everyone has a different perspective and you can't get too much. Every person I spoke to added to my pile of ideas even though some of them might conflict. The biggest, overarching comment was that retirement planning is much more than just having enough money...much more.

Bucket list - I wish I would have created the list of things we want to do / see before I kick the bucket. This might have made me a bit more aggressive when deciding when to take Sue along on a business trip, or learning how to type using all of my fingers or mastering Spanish. But, it is what it is and I have a few years ahead of me to start checking things off the list.

I don't plan on personally ever having to take advantage of the above observations. The next post [...the next thing (4 of 5)...] will be on "What Surprised me?" Just like they say on Big Brother... "expect the unexpected."

...the next thing (2 of 5)...

2009-05-22T16:18:00.016-05:00

Retirement...it ROCKS!! I answered "What I'm glad I did" in my previous post. The next question is

"WHAT DO I MISS MOST ABOUT HAVING A JOB?"

The Paycheck - I've been getting one from Micky D's since I was earning $1.65 per hour. There is a little rush when you're given that window envelope with your name on it. (That's explains what I didn't like about direct deposit). No matter how much you have, that paycheck always feels good.

The People - You spend over a third of your life with your work friends and there were a lot of great ones under the arches. Facebook has helped me stay current to many people. I still lunch with several of my comrades that strapped on spatulas in the burger wars. Community is probably more important than we know.

The Benefits - All jobs come with different benefits and McDs had some of the best. Things like a company car, laptop, cell phone were some of the basics I took for granted. Attending seminars, classes and benchmarking visits helped keep me from getting stale. I'm finding the real value of health insurance and do miss the company picking-up 90% of the cost. I've been able to stay connected to the McDonald's insurance as a retiree, so I won't be looking for a "second hand needle discount" any time soon.

Travel - I don't spend much time in cabins of United 777s anymore. International travel always came with some level of excitement, though that would wear off as jet lag, fatigue and bad air took it's course. Trips to Australia, Brazil, Hungary, Hong Kong, etc peppered my last year with the company. I'm glad I did it, and equally glad that now it's strictly done with Sue for pleasure (though I don't think I'll be purchasing a Business class ticket anytime soon).

The Innovation Center - My last 6 years with the company had me squirreled away at the Innovation Center in Romeoville (a 30 minute drive from our Oak Brook headquarters). The "lab" as we called it is sort of a "Skunk Works" (Lockheed Martin) for the McDonald's operating system. The facility is in a huge warehouse and brags 3 full sized, flexible kitchens that can be positioned to reflect any McDs kitchen in the world. Test equipment, time & motion studies and concepts made of Foam Core were also used to simulate early designs. Every day was an adventure!

Fun Factor - Patrick interned at the Innovation Center last summer and would comment on how many activities they would do. Nothing like a fresh pair of eyes to remind us of what we take for granted. There is a fine line between being creative and being crazy. We caused our share of raised eyebrows with some of the weird stuff we did. Ping pong, the "hot sauce in the straw" prank, BBQs, half day Fridays during the summer, omelet bar mornings and movie afternoons were just some of the things that kept things light. Oh yeah, can't forget the Thumbs-up cards with AMEX gift card drawing or raising money to build 10 water wells in Africa. We even managed to squeeze in some cutting edge innovations!!

Developing People - There is something really satisfying about leading individuals to succeed as a team. As a boss, growing the future leaders of the company is a humbling, extremely serious responsibility. It's not the same as raising kids, but carries some of the similar ups and downs. It's rewarding seeing the smiles of a group of people who are happy working for a common goal.

I've been so blessed to step into the role as Vision Coordinator at Good Shepherd Church in Naperville. It's allowed me to build new relationships, contribute toward building a High Performing Team and utilize many of the skills McDonald's spent 35 years honing. Any withdrawals from my happiness account caused by me retiring have been deposited 2 to 3 fold as I focus my efforts for a cause that I would die for.(sounds a little dramatic, doesn't it?).

My next post will be on "What would I have done differently?"

...the next thing (1 of 5)...

2009-05-19T06:01:00.021-05:00

May 2nd, 2008 was the last day I worked at McDonald's. I know many of you witty ones are thinking that day was really weeks earlier, but that's when McDonald's stopped sending me a paycheck. Retirement was a dream I had since I was a crew person, working the closing shift @ Lake Murray McDonald's in the early 70's. It went something like this..."I'm gonna get promoted to Store Manager, be a professor at Hamburger University in Oak Brook, then retire when I am 50" (hey the dream did seem big from the mind of a 17 year old).

My first year of "Life - Part Duex" included a Mexican Riviera cruise, mucking with Iowa flood victims, San Diego Charger Game, trips to Grove, Oklahoma to see parents, National Outreach Conference in San Diego, tailgating at Purdue, moving Tammy in Glendale, getting house ready for the MLS, yada yada yada...... There's actually tons more, but I think you get the idea. I'm more free to fill my days with stuff.

So, when it comes to retirement:

What am I glad I did?
What do I most miss about having a job?
What would I have done differently?
What surprised me?
What's ahead?

I'm going to address "What am I glad I did" today and the rest in subsequent blog posts (hey I got time).

WHAT AM I GLAD I DID?

Determined my purpose - I really needed to decide what I was retiring to. My trip to Uganda with World Vision & Guatemala with Hearts In Motion softened (and broke) my ticker, thus clarifying what I needed to do.

Prayed -I prayed a lot. I wanted to retire to something that would make a difference. I'm too young to golf & fish everyday (and I'm terrible at it). My role as Vision Coordinator at Good Shepherd in Naperville has allowed me to utilize my life skills to share God's love. This is important to me, especially with my new found faith.

Retirement planning survey - There are many surveys online that help you consider if you are ready to retire. They rate all categories, not just financial. I even paid for the Bronze level information that included a book and action plans. It really helped me think of all angles.

Discussed with Sue - We talked about me retiring for 2 years as we did our morning walk. There was lots of rehashing, but something new always seemed to pop up. I could not have made the leap if I didn't have her full support (she's pretty special).

Talked with others - I got perspectives from people at work and church who have retired. Gary Masden retired in his 40's and I would meet with him every couple of months. He's been my mentor, boss and friend. He doesn't pull any punches which is what I needed. Everyone needs at least one Gary!

Get liquid, remove debt - Suze Orman suggests that you decrease the risk in your portfolio the closer you get to retirement. McDonald's stock (and my others) preformed really well into 2007, but we piled our money into CDs and the safe stable value fund before I retired. We really dodged the recent financial bullets.

Personal support - I got my tech & desk stuff a couple of months before I left McDonald's (I realized that they weren't gonna let me take my computer, phone, car, etc with me). I bought my cell phone, computer and got a real stapler (not that little red one that jams if you try to attach more than 2 sheets together). I got personal business cards just in case I needed them (I actually used a couple).

Ran through the finish line -I gave 13 months notice and was determined to leave on a high...not to coast. My goal was to treat my last weeks at the Innovation Center as if they were my first. Only Ken & Cathy know for sure, but I hope my 35th year with the company was one of my best.

Asked, what am I waiting for? - I constantly asked myself this, and there was always some level of uncertainty. Do I need a bit more money? Do I wait for Pat to graduate? Do I wait till the housing market turns around? Do I wait till I'm positive I'm ready? Do I wait till I win the Powerball? I just got to the point that I was so anxious to do my next thing, that I took the step of faith. (Like Indiana Jones stepping out on the invisible path to get the Holy Grail...I love that scene).

This last year has been even more awesome than the ones before. I'm free to do the next thing, and touch the areas that satisfy me the most. WOW!! Next post "What do I most miss most about not having a job"?

...will you take a quarter...?

2009-05-02T18:55:00.004-05:00

I hate having garage sales! The thought of pricing a brand new $8 Starbucks travel mug at 75 cent (to move it) just to have some shrewd buyer say "will you take a quarter" drives me bonkers. With that as a backdrop Sue and I (with help from Bob and Pat) had our first garage sale in years. We did some serious thinning in all closets, storage areas and crawl space and produced 2 garage bays of "treasures". The stuff must be valuable since we've packed and moved much of it from our last 3 houses.
To get my mind right for the day, we decided to donate all of the money to Feed My Starving Children. FMSC now has a packing facility in Aurora, can feed 1 child for 17 cents and 94% of the donations go straight for food. They literally save lives. We put up large signs with FMSC pictures to make sure everyone knew their purchases meant something. The day turned out to be filled with unexpected adventures:

MORE STUFF - I mentioned to a few people what we were doing and if they had anything they wanted to "get rid of" we'd be glad to sell it for FMSC. Well, I'm sure my neighbors thought I was running an illegal pawn shop with droves of minivans bringing heavy boxes into my garage.

NEIGHBORS - I've never talked to so many of my neighbors in one day. The remote control garage door openers keeps me neatly tucked in my cocoon. It's like leaving the BatCave in the morning (without the flip-up, bush covered fence). My street is pretty diverse and i can't remember simple names like Dave and Kristie, you can imagine the difficulty I have with Neeraj or Mei-Yin. I found there are some great people living in Stillwater.

DONATIONS - As I mentioned, we priced the treasure to move. I refused to take anything back into our house, in fact, everything left was picked-up by Wayside Cross which helps those that need a hand up. Buyers were surprised when they'd lay down 8 hardbacks, 3 purses, a skateboard and a bike and we'd say.."Ah, that will be $16". After they would remind us that it was for all this stuff, they would often say "Here's $20, give the rest to the kids". It softened my heart a bit more each time it happened.

BOTTLED WATER - Our garage sale is one of many "FAITH IN ACTION" activities supported by Good Shepherd Church. They provided the signs and bottled water to give to thirsty folks in out community. We offered water and had cards with worship times and a map in case someone might want to look into a church home. I loved the expressions on peoples faces when they would spend 40 cents on a kid's game, and walk away with 2 free bottles of water.

Ok, I still hate garage sales...but love talking with my neighbors, helping feed starving children and the looks on people's faces when you give them a simple bottle of kindness. Oh, we made $503 which will give a hot meal to over 3000 kids, who might otherwise go to bed hungry. Now that's a real treasure!

...got time...?

2009-04-29T10:48:00.010-05:00

Where does my time go? Every one of us is given 168 hours a week (thanks P Glen). There are days when the time just seems to disappear (I can't imagine that Facebook, Twitter, Blogger or Stumbleupon.com have anything to do with it). Do you ever just feel too busy to THINK? The act of doing takes over. Does your team "got time" for a retreat? ! I've got to admit, the thought of an all day meeting brings a gag reflex. I've been to many that often focused on a group trying to get me over a 20 ft. wall or catching a falling team member before they slam to the ground. As entertaining as that may be, those teamwork things don't seem to make a dent in the organization's goals.
Last week the Directors at Good Shepherd had an all day retreat...just to think. Though we ate, laughed and learned a bit more about each other, we also prayed (hey, we're a church), revisited our vision, defined gaps, divided responsibilities and collaboratively dug into the 90 day calendar. Does your team or organization "got TIME"?

...dream TIME...It's great just to verbalize how things might be. If we are successful what change would we see. There's a saying that if you reach for the stars you might hit the barn, but if you reach for the barn, you'll probably land in animal fecal material.

...think TIME...Ideas can really build when you group thinking. One person's suggestion can make an average idea excellent and someone else's can make it outstanding. There is real power in rapid, untethered group think. But the group must be willing to make quick points (ever hear make a long story short) and bosses need to listen much more than they speak. They always have the floor anyway and usually their peeps know the real answers because they are closer to the real problems.

...share TIME...It's always nice to know a bit more about the folks you work with...it builds trust. It's also easier to care about people when you know more about them than what they do at work. You might even find you have something in common. I'm always surprised how many people will tell me that they once had a Mustang growing up...then the conversation just grows from there.

...laugh TIME...Take time to have a good laugh. Rumor has it that it's a great medicine. Teams that can laugh together often have a stronger foundation to make it through the tough times. Laughter is especially good to get the creative juices flowing (and to think you thought it was drool).

...plan TIME...I so dislike sessions where you end with no action items or next steps. Shouldn't people's time be valuable enough to remove some obstacles or unfreeze the blockage that's keeping the group from moving forward. Stay focused on being strategic and creating a framework. Let the folk's teams put the detail tactics together, the flesh on the bones. They are the ones that are going to execute, so they're plan always feels best anyway.

...align TIME...This is where synergy can really be nurtured. An aligned team can make 1 + 1 = 3 and avoid the friction and inefficiencies of misalignment. Don't aligned tires get much better mileage? Getting groups to "Think Horizontal" breaks down the silos and moves an organization "from ME to WE".

...prayer TIME...This really helps if you believe in a creator, and doesn't hurt at all if you don't. Working at Good Shepherd makes praying easy, since we do it before all meetings. It's always the number 1 agenda item. I've only been a Christ-follower (for some reason this makes me think of Twitter) since 2005. I didn't have years of struggles at the Golden Arches balancing political correctness at work with wanting to do right by "Almighty & Sons". Oh well, that's an entirely different blog post.

I always seem to run ouy of TIME as it always takes longer than you think. Often you can combine the TIMES (laugh/share) or (plan/align)if you are intentional and prepared. When's the last TIME your team has put itself on the rack for a tune-up? Maybe now's the TIME...?

"I'VE BEEN HURRYING AND WORRYING ALL MY DAYS" ("I've Got Time" - Bob Seger)

...iShack...

2009-04-12T07:22:00.006-05:00

Our son Patrick is in his last year at Purdue (Boiler-up!!). As we were coloring Easter eggs this weekend (Pat & I didn't even complain this time) the book "The Shack" came up in discussion. Pat commented that if I liked the book so much, why didn't I blog about it? I didn't have a good reply.

The book "The Shack" by William P. Young has created quite a buzz over the last year. There are hundreds of blogs, articles, discussion groups and Tweets about the book's theological accuracy and tons of noise for & against.

WARNING:...this is not really a review of the book. It's a review of me as I read the book. So here's my "iShack" (patent pending).

Page turner - I couldn't stop reading it, I had to fight to put it down. I'm a big fan of Grafton, Grisham, Clancy and enjoy being drawn into the tempo of a great book. The Shack starts right off with a current day mystery that just sucks you right in. More than a few times I extended my "stop reading" time by just "one more chapter".

Parts written for me - There were many times when I would feel "this is exactly what I wonder". I got the feeling the author intended the book for me. How could Willie know my issues, concerns and suspicions? ...but he did. The Shack started to become my story.

Emotional - OK, I admit that age has made me a bit of a sobber. The thought of Rudy going in for the last play or Marley at the vet's office will often produce a salty discharge from the corner of my eyes. Rarely does a book produce this effect, but The Shack did. I had to stop many times because the tears made me feel like I was reading through a prism. They weren't the typical "tears of sadness" or "tears of joy", they were different. To this day I still can't explain it...tears of understanding?...tears of comfort?...I don't know.

Weekend with the Trinity - I felt like I was spending the weekend with the "Father" (you'll get the humor if you read the book), Son and Holy Spirit. For a brief moment I was camping with 3 fishing buddies next to a secluded lake. There were jokes, pranks, good food and spending quiet time where inner thoughts were shared. I really felt love for the 3 of them.

Lasting Excitement - Have you ever felt sad after reading a really good book? Sad that it was over? Your feelings for the characters have stopped? You can't wait for the author's next book in the series? It was just the opposite with The Shack. The Trinity is alive, right now. I feel more intimate with them. I'm still in awe, but want to spend more time with them. Is it possible that I love them more?

The Shack is in the fiction section of the bookstore. It doesn't claim to be a textbook or 100% biblically accurate. It did increase my desire to dig into the Word. I pray differently, worship differently and feel differently about God. Only He knows what's happened in my heart, but I sense He'd give The Shack a thumbs-up for the impact it had on me.

So, there's my answer Pat!

Only God knows why
Only God....knows....why, why, why oh only God knows why
Kid Rock

...30 day fast...

2009-04-08T10:20:00.007-05:00

Can you avoid eating out for 30 days??

These are interesting times! It's safe to say that the world (even my little piece in Naperville) is undergoing serious change. My "safe" financial approach as I took the steps toward retirement really paid off last year. You can call it lucky or blessed, whichever you prefer, but we avoided most of the financial ugliness as much of my portfolio was in CDs and not the stock market.

I've always been a fan of Suze Orman and she has really been on a roll these last few months. She may not be as entertaining as that crazy screamer "mad" guy, but she often brings up good things to consider. On a recent show she suggested that everyone try not to eat out for 30 days. Sue and I were up for a challenge! Heck, it would give me a chance to better control how I fuel this body of mine, so we started right after Pat returned to Purdue after his Winter break. When you are empty nester's it's too easy to just drive-thru.

We did 30 days, did our trip to Ireland, and then did another 30 days just for fun. We learned some interesting things:

Healthy - It is easier to eat healthy at home (daa). You know what you are putting into everything. I probably don't want to know what goes into all of the dishes at restaurants. We even cut a few lbs from our frames.

Shopping - The notion of keeping fresh food in the house requires a bit more planning. It's not as simple as making sure there is plenty of Ramen and Mac & Cheese. Produce goes bad so some vision of upcoming meals sure helps.

Creativity - The food can be made to match my taste. I love pepper and Sue loves Chili oil...done. My mom carries a shaker of garlic salt in her purse allowing for customization on the road. I just don't want to have to carry a pepper mill in my back pocket (I don't even have a wallet back there).

Savings - I can't put an exact number on it, but there are certainly some real savings eating at home. You'll drop $20 to $30 minimum if you go to a place that doesn't have a drive-thru. Consider that half the world lives on less than $2 per day. You can also get some great buys on meat if you take advantage of specials. Though some of the cuts I've purchased have gotten raised brows from Sue as she tries to teach me that big, red and cheap aren't always the best criteria.

Fun - I know fun is in the eye of the beholder..and I'm having a blast Sue might have a slightly different take on the experience.

I've learned to appreciate a good home cooked meal and a good meal at a restaurant. We went to Nick's Cozy Corner (one of our favorites) and really enjoyed it. If you aren't really doing anything over the next 30 days, why not give it a try??

...desk swap...

2009-03-25T11:40:00.006-05:00

You can tell a lot about a person by their desk. It’s like in “Wife Swap” (the TV show which is one of my many guilty pleasures) when the swapped wives get to visit their new home , alone, before the swap begins. The wives always verbalize what they think the home says about the people that live there.

I wonder what people think when they walk by my desk at Good Shepherd. I’ve ended up swapping some things out from what I had on my desk at the McDonald’s Innovation Center last year. Not that I had anything bad…it’s just that an award for the fastest drive-thru, best trained crew of 1973 or Destination 10 design criteria just doesn’t seem relevant anymore.

Here’s 16 items (was shooting for 15 but had to add #16, the mug) you will find on my desk at 1310 Shepherd Drive. I wonder what it says about me today??

1. Rubber hamburger – At the McDonald’s Worldwide Operators’ Convention a few years ago, my department showcased an “automated beef patty” grill. When the Big Mac button was hit on the cash register, 2 all beef patties (you know the jingle) were cooked. We had a company make the rubber ones for display purposes and I think they ended-up costing about $100.00 per patty. How can you throw that away? Please, no jokes about rubber hamburgers.

2. Stack of “The Shack” – This fiction by William P Young paints a picture of the Trinity in an unusual, impactful way. After reading it I felt driven to buy copies at CostCo (after a quick stop for the $1.50 dog & soda) and give them to the Good Shepherd staff. I keep a few on hand and pass them out when someone might be in a place that could benefit from the experience (or if they ask for a copy). Can’t explain it!

3. Button maker – Jodi has a button maker at the Innovation Center and it was always put to good use. Heck, for 7 cents you can put anything on a button. Imagine the possibilities. So I had to have one of my very own. I might even let you use it.

4. Delegation sheet – at a recent Director meeting we discussed the 5 levels of delegation. I first heard this at McD B.O.C. (Basic Operation Course) in 1977. Effective delegation is a foundational element of any successful organization. Hey, Jesus, Ray Kroc, Moses, Jack Welch, etc…all had writings modeling delegation, so there must be something to it.

5. McD Japan 25 anniversary clock – Narumi san, worked on one of my teams when I was in Operations Development. He gave me a 25^th anniversary clock that was distributed to the Japanese company’s employees. Narumi often talked about the “Eye of the Tiger”. Glancing at it reminds me that it may be “time” to be courageous.

6. Food supply – Ok…it should be of no surprise that I like a good meal. Working at McDonald’s meant never being far from a warm snack. In fact at the Lab, you couldn’t walk the floor without being confronted with a giant pile of cooked foods that were being served from many corners of the world. Now, oatmeal and soup seem to agree a bit more with my waistline.

7. Vision pens – I love a good customized pen…and yes I do take my fair share of abuse over it. I can’t help myself. I love to put a reusable item with an important message in the hands of the teams I’m on. The 3 most recent ads were for CRHP, Becoming a Contagious Christian, and Good Shepherd Vision. Has anyone seen my misplaced “Fastest Drive-thru” pen?

8. Horizontal thinking button - (related to # 3) – The staff is really focusing on the overall vision of Good Shepherd (Reach and transform spiritually distracted families in our local community so they come to know and love God). The button “THINK HORIZONTAL” reminds us to think past our own ministries (vertical silos) and act for the benefit of the whole. This might explain why most of my shirts have 2 pin holes in them.

9. Killing Cockroaches - is a great book I’ve read recently by Tony Morgan which shows how we often get hung-up in the mundane instead of moving toward significance. It’s filled with top 10 lists, humor, stories and even a picture or 2. Quick read!!

10. Drawer of cookbooks – these cookbooks found the bottom drawer of the desk as temporary storage a few years ago (I think). They are slowly disappearing (not exactly sure how) and at the current rate should be gone by 2012.

11. SPARKS manuals – My Men’s CRHP (Christ Renews His Perish) group wanted to look for a way to support our youth. So we volunteered to lead a SPARKS (Sunday School) large group class. Every Sunday at 11am we have an opportunity to impart our “wisdom” to the eager minds of 9 & 10 year olds. Thank goodness we have a well scripted series of lesson plans to make sure our “wisdom” is focused and succinct.

12. Contagious Christian PINK container – Sue & I have been facilitating a “Becoming a Contagious Christian” class for the last couple of years with Pat Gillis. It’s a DVD series by Mark Mittelberg & Lee Strobel that pretty much runs itself. The pink container was half price at Wal-Mart. Since I’m comfortable with my masculinity, I opted for the savings versus buying a dark blue one at full price.

13. Old records – 35 years at Mickey Ds instilled in me the importance of doing travel paths. That’s when you do a complete walk around the facility and “note” things that might be displeasing to a customer. Well on a few of my travel paths at Good Shepherd I noticed a couple of unattractive long term storage boxes at Sue’s desk that were visible from the guest at the reception desk. I offered to put them in my office for a couple of weeks about a year ago. (are you sensing a bit of sarcasm?)

14. Thumbs-up Jar – At the Innovation Center we had “Thumbs-Up” cards. The idea was to have these small cards that you would complete when you wanted to recognize someone for doing something especially positive toward bringing the vision to life. At the end of the month we throw them into a jar and have a raffle for some small, semi-fabulous prize (the gift is really just receiving them) At Good Shepherd they are titled “Matthew 25:21” card…hey, might make a good button.

15. Wireless mouse – Don’t you just love a mouse that doesn’t use wires. My wireless mouse waits for my Dell ever morning. I can’t help myself! I did buy it at Ecost for half the going price and it’s been pointing strong for the last year.

16. Mugs (CRHP Bros) – The late entry. My Men’s group gets together every 2 weeks just to talk about stuff. We do manly things (and that’s the story I’m sticking to) and are always looking for ways to impact our community (see #11). There was a dodge ball tournament in January (Dodgn’ 4 Dough) raising money to send kids on a work trip to Iowa to help the flood victims. Our team got killed. This coffee mug reminds me of the need to be humble. Note that the picture of me “holding” the ball was the only time that I didn’t drop it the entire weekend.

Just going through this list put my mind in a strange place. The thought “what a freak” bubbled-up more than a couple of times. And to think I didn’t even mention the weird stuff. Psychologist’s (only) remarks to geneserveshim@gmail.com

...Almighty & Sons...

2009-03-18T11:09:00.011-05:00

I've mentioned before that I retired from McDonald's in May '08, after 35 years of learning, growing and leading some great teams. My last 6 years I was the Operations Director at the Innovation Center. It may not be as "out there" as the Google headquarters, but it's pretty close. Since I left McDonald's I've been working (volunteer) half-time at Good Shepherd as the Vision Coordinator. Actually, Pastor Greg & I kinda made-up the position based on what I might be good at and what the church might need. I guess you could say that I work for "Almighty & Sons".

There's an old joke that goes "the pay is bad, but the benefits are out of this world". That says it all. Once you get past the point that the vision is placed on our hearts from the Highest source (instead of your Mcdepartment VP...Ken Koziol in my case) I find the organizations function in very similar ways. Both organizations are staffed with real people, with real needs and real issues and real strengths. Though the outcome or design criteria or balanced scorecard might be different, creating and growing a strong team with a shared vision is the same. Same relationships, same budgets, same goals setting, same change management, same.........

So, my focus at Good Shepherd is pretty much what it was when I was at the Innovation Center

Seat the VISION - communicate, remind, restate, state a different way, relevant examples, vision casting.
Create a ROADMAP - know next steps, unfreeze the team, build on existing momentum, stop doing non-value added activities, redirect as needed, deal with unplanned, Faith in Action.
Align MINISTRIES - Establish director team, director mtgs, create "horizontal" thinking, 1 + 1 = 3, ministry objectives, shared initiatives.
Celebrate SUCCESSES - Matthew 25 cards (church version of thumbs-up), fast / little recognitions, build on successes.

The last year at Good Shepherd has been awesome. At times I wonder if God had me in training at the Golden Arches for this exact moment in time. Don't know why I waited so long. My Great Lakes Division President, Kevin Dunn, used to say. "If not now ...when? If not me...who?"

...face it...

2009-03-10T17:31:00.014-05:00

I couldn't stand on the sidelines any longer, so I got on Facebook in January. Too many of my friends were getting pages and it's a great connection point for a newly retired, old guy. I try not to have worlds collide with the younger generation since it was their's first.

I was recently "tagged" and was asked to write "25 random things about me". It's harder than you think. Here's mine

1. My legal name is Gene (my mom didn't like Eugene). It was tough growing up with a "girls" name. I've been assigned to girls' gym classes more than once and I won't go into one of my assigned room mates at a McDs convention..

2. My daughter Tammy , got her Masters in Occupational Therapy from USC (GO Trojans) and is currently an OT at a private clinic in Pasadena.

3. I was an atheist until May, 2005. I'm pumped to be a Christ-follower and try not to weird people out.

4. I lived in Hawaii twice and was a resident of Oahu when it became a state.

5. I have a 1965 Red Mustang convertible with an 8 track player with a collection of over 400 tapes (yes..there is a Barry Manilow somewhere in there.

6. Sue and I lived on the same street (about 7 houses away) in high school. We started dating when she was 15 & I was 17. We got engaged at her Senior prom and were married when I was 20.

7. I was the 1972 All-American bun champion for San Diego McDonald's...now that's a skill that really pops on a resume.

8. Patrick (our son) played 4 years of lacrosse at Neuqua HS and played at Purdue where he will graduate this year. He did go to the University of Arizona his freshman year.

9. I attended 3 different 3rd grade classes in 3 cities during the same year. I went to 13 schools before 10th grade (I was a Navy brat and my dad was always being transferred)

10. I bought my first car, a 1971 new VW bug when I was 18. I totaled it when I feel asleep at the wheel driving home from a closing shift.

11. I am a closet Monkees fan...I know the words to most of the songs on their 4 albums

12. I suffer from over-confidence (ask Sue). I don't care if I make mistakes (whatever) and love taking risks (not reckless). I share Henry Ford's belief - "If you think you can, or think you can't, you're right."

13. I've visited 6 of the 7 continents (still have to do Antarctica).

14. Sue and I have been on 12 cruises. We save money through the year to make a vacation happen every year (don't ask me for a loan).

15. I went to San Diego State University for 3 months and left before the first semester ended. I did attend Hamburger University twice and was on the Dean's list.

16. I am an avid reader...usually do 2 books a week. I mark them up with pens and folded pages instead of a highlighter.

17. Ray Kroc fired me when I was the manager of the Clairemont Mesa McDonald's in 1981 (my Regional Manager said not to worry about it). I retired from McDonald's after 35 years last year.

18. I've been on a safari in Africa and have a picture of me straddling Tanzania & Uganda

19. I've watched every episode of Seinfeld and King of Queens at least 10 times. I can't stop and I still laugh every single time.

20. I was the 3rd grade chess champion for Virginia Beach

21. I was a catcher in Little League. I strapped on the "tools of ignorance" for 6 years

22. I laugh every day! I was a class clown in school (to help me meet people as the new kid). Work is so much more enjoyable if you have a good time while you do it. I find it difficult to be nice to negative people (I'm working on it)

23. I've been either going on or going off a diet most of my adult life. I'm on my last one right now! I'm gonna be the biggest loser (Sue is my Jillian)

24. I just got a new ASUS 1000HE netbook. Less than 3 lbs, 9 hour battery life and 160 GB hard drive. My heart skipped a beat when I opened the box!! I know it's sad...I can't help it!

25. I haven't worn a watch for 3 years...I just refuse to conform any longer!

Hope I don't get tagged with "101 jokes I've told that aren't funny".

...on purpose...

2009-03-02T10:01:00.009-06:00

I've said many times "I did it on purpose". Usually it's a defensive mechanism used to deflect an action that seems strange or odd to others. I often think of Paul Reuben's famous line in Pee Wee's Big Adventure when he blurts..."I meant to do that"! One of my desires when I retired in May '08 was to live the second half of my life..."on purpose". I've been blessed with so much, flat-out abundance, that I get embarrassed just thinking about it. To think that over 1 BILLION (as I place my little finger to the corner of my mouth) people in the world live on less than $1 a day just floors me. So, here are some of my favorite organizations that do a really amazing job focusing on improving the lives of the under-resourced. I've seen the results first hand and feel they are great stewards.

FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN - They send nutritional food bags (like a high powered oatmeal) to those in need across the world. They take donations and you can bring a group to their warehouse to fill the bags (they are currently located in Minn. & Ill.). They literally save lives in places where parents are forced to feed their kids dirt clods to fill their stomachs with something so they can get to sleep at night.

WORLD VISION - Is a well structured organization that does lots of child sponsorship programs. For a dollar a day you can help a child (and their family) live healthy, productive lives. Our church sponsors close to 300 kids in Uganda and I had a chance to visit Buhimba a couple of years ago. WOW! The village is becoming self-sufficient, building their own infrastructures and not sitting around with their hands out.

H.I.M. (HEARTS IN MOTION) - If you ever doubt the change 1 person can make, just talk to the founder, Karen of H.I.M. (love the acronym) is the 2007 Kiwanis World Service Medal winner. She makes things happen in Guatemala and the surrounding countries with an infectious smile, willingness to make the "big asks" and a can do attitude. Her organization focuses on those living in dumps, orphans and the really poor. She has just started a child sponsorship program. There's nothing more touching than passing out sandwiches, shoes and clothing to those that call the dump their home.

KIVA - This "microfinance" group allows common people, like you and me, to partner with each other making loans to those that just need a stake to get started. And get this, you get paid back. I've made several loans and each one was reimbursed. The company was started by a few folks on the west coast and it uses a Facebook-type approach (sorry for the over-simplification)

I'm trying more and more to do it "on purpose" with a purpose. I refuse to let those that say "yeah, but how do you know it really gets to the intended people?" get in the way of what my heart says is right. I guess I'll just say..."I MEANT TO DO THAT...?

...I can't stop thinking about it...

2009-02-17T11:26:00.004-06:00

Sue (my lovely wife) had this thought on her mind, and she just couldn't shake it. She shared it with me, now I've got it! So...tag, you're it.....

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At our small group meeting last Friday we were talking about unconditional love (Fireproof the Movie), caring as much (or maybe even more?) for others than we do for ourselves. You’ve heard the drill: humbling ourselves, sacrificing, being intentional. But hearing and doing are two different things.

Anyway, back to the story that I can’t get out of my head. One member of our gathering told us about her brother and his small group. A young dad in her brother’s group has lost his job (and health insurance) and learned he’s facing a life threatening illness all within the last couple months. Everyone is feeling the pinch of these tough economic times, but these circumstances have put this young family into a tailspin. Now they’re facing losing their home. So, the rest of the group has gotten together and decided to pay the monthly mortgage payments for their friends while they go through this challenging time. Wow, what a great example of following the golden rule.

So why does this act of kindness keep entering my thoughts? Maybe it’s because I think about the groups that I’m involved in and wonder if we would be willing to make such a sacrifice for each other. And if one of us was in that situation, would we accept the help? But I sense the main reason the story caught my attention is that I want to be like that group of caring people. I want to be able to put someone else first and maybe even sacrifice a little in doing so. I’m sure there is no shortage of people I interact with everyday whose burdens could be lightened by some of my time, talent, or resources. But in the activity and routine of each day do I ever pause to really consider the needs of others? Hearing and doing are not the same. Am I really looking?

I can’t stop thinking about it.

…less is more…

2009-02-07T09:42:00.007-06:00

Simplicity. Less is more. I am always amazed how the simple solution is often the best. My old boss, Mr. Kroc, had a plaque in his office that shouted K.I.S.S (Keep It Simple, Stupid) on which he based his business strategy for his little hamburger joint. Hey, if $23 billion in sales doesn’t impress you, then you only have to watch the movie “Contact” and the reference to Occam’s Razor to feel really confident that it must be true….hey, it’s in a movie!

Here are a few ways “less is more” seems to win out in my life:

· Play-Doh – it starts out in those nice, vibrant colors. Then it happens…(as it did right before my eyes as I did my “shift” at childcare at Good Shepherd) Someone gets the idea to mix the blue with the yellow…da daaaa, you have green. Next thing ya know colors are added, and added and then you end up with everything looking brownish, kind of ugly and boring. In fact, kids stop using it far before it begins to dry-out. Less is more!

· Food – the natural flavors are so much better when they are simple. Doesn’t pepperoni pizza really taste better than the combo. Sure, the combo might fill you up, but you’re dealing with quantity over quality. I find myself craving the taste of a good old Quarter Pounder with Cheese…before lettuce, tomatoes, bacon, guacamole, peppers, partridge & pear tree were additional options. The sloppiness factor itself is enough to make you want to stop the madness. Less is more!

· Mission Statements – every good organization has a clear mission statement…Ken (who was my incredibly talented boss at the McDs Innovation Center) drove our team to agree and verbalize our mission “We innovate, design and integrate systems that deliver a Forever Young Experience in all our restaurants” (I don’t think I’m revealing any major secret, if so…sorry Ken). It drove everything we did. In fact, each Director was charged with owning either Innovate, Design or Integrate. A day didn’t go by when someone would ask if what we were doing was getting us closer to our mission. It was easy to remember, easy to recall, easy to explain…so it was easy to use as an alignment screen. Less is more!

· Jesus did it (I saved the best for last) - yeah, lately, you might call me a Jesus freak (but hopefully in a good way). After people messed up the 10 commandments for centuries, Jesus came to make it easier for us flawed humans to understand, to focus, to get it righter. He boiled it down to two (2). Love the Lord and love your neighbor. If these 2 things were done, really done…the world would be in a much better place (this was a topic of discussion at my small group Friday night). Hey, does this mean Jesus was the first to use the 80 / 20 rule. . Less is more!

Hope I will act on this life lesson instead of seemingly being anxious to relearn it over and over. Maybe writing about it will keep it in the front of my mind. I need to keep telling myself “Keep it simple, stupid”, “Keep it simple, stupid”…“less is more”.

In the words of Albert Einstein "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler."

...unknown caller...

2009-01-30T14:35:00.008-06:00

In his recent post "Best Phone Call Ever", Mark Borgetti refers to taking a call from a number he didn't recognize. It turned out to be an unexpected surprise. My phone lists them as "unknown caller" which usually causes a reaction similar to a gag reflex. The timing of Mark's blog couldn't be more perfect as I was asked (and accepted somewhat nervously) to lead a devotion at the women's Growth Group this Tuesday on "the Woman at the Well".

One of my "learnings" from this John 4 story is how Jesus stopped for an unknown caller, the Samaritan woman, when most would not even consider such an action.

Who are the unknown callers in your life? Is it the co-worker that you know in name only and exchange a nod the first time (and only the first time) you approach them in the hall. Or is it the neighbor who's husband is out of town when 4 inches of snow (that heavy wet stuff) is deposited on the driveway. Or maybe the person at the Redbox that is having trouble getting the machine to spit out a $1 DVD.

Are these some of your "unknown callers" ? Why are they on the end of the line at that exact moment? Is HE trying to make a connection?

Rrrrrriiiiiiiinnnnnnggggggg!

...a degree in grocery...

2009-01-27T14:33:00.014-06:00

Since I retired in May, I find myself with more time on my hands to broaden my horizons. That coupled with an urge (guilt) to contribute more around the house drove me to the decision to take over the grocery shopping. Heck, how hard can it be to swing by Jewel for food, drink and other supplies. Boy, do I have a lot to learn. My first few months have exposed me to some interesting learnings:

1. Shopping begins at home – I have to have a list. Your mind works great when you are looking at the fridge or cupboards, then freezes-up like a Naperville January when you’re rolling down the aisles. Oh, I regain my steel trap memory the minute I set foot in the house.

2. Getting a basket – Come on, a baskets a basket. They all seem to have some interesting thing going on with one of the wheels. I’ve learned to be ok with any type of noise as long as they can steer in the general direction I point them. I initially enjoyed using the little “shelf” to place my wallet, list, pen (which I often hold in my mouth) and of course my tender vegetables. Then I saw a TV special that did a swab test and found my little shelf had as much bacteria growing as a toilet lid. I never would have thought parents might put their diapered kids there. Care for a carrot?

3. Pricing – I’m sure Jewel has a cross promotion going on with the Neuqua High School math department. Every stop is like a different question on the SAT test. They usually list the standard price and cost per oz (good idea), but then they add these different twists just to entertain you.
- There is often a Jewel preferred card price (which they will usually give you if you look lost which I usually qualify for).
- then you have the “fers” 2 fer $5.55, 3 fer $8.88 or 4 fer $11.00. These all require some ciphering. They’ll even post a special “1 free if you buy 4” offer just to add a layer for you. Oh, you don’t have to buy any certain quantity; the discount is good if you buy just one.
- Buy one get one free is an old school approach. Don’t make the mistake of buying just one and expecting the discount, you got to take 2
- coupons, I’m not even going to go there
I’m sure the employees take their breaks in front of the security cameras watching their patrons doing math equations with calculators, fingers and toes.

4. Aisle chaos – It’s worse out there than Rome at rush hour. It chaos. It’s out of control! There are no rules, so anything is fair. I’ve had to learn the hard way that the center of the aisle is only the passing lane and leaving the cart in the middle as you grab something will gain you a few stares and “accidental” cart bumps. Be careful leaving an aisle and making the turn to the next one, it’s like making a left hand turn onto Naper/Plainfield from Bailey road. You’ve got to peek out, then floor it.

5. Check out – This is when I realize that I left my “green” reusable shopping bags in my trunk. Drat, foiled again. You always want to give them your Preferred Card to scan as I found out the hard way that the store’ / employee’s version doesn’t give you all of the discounts and you would probably never know. They always seem to have the gum, candy, mags and assorted stuff that I forgot while shopping. What a coincidence.

I’m going to get my degree. As Henry Ford said “if you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing…you’re right”.

...why do I use my body for advertising...?

2009-01-20T09:02:00.011-06:00

…people use their bodies to advertise. I'm not talking like the guy on the corner in the "King" or "Hamburglar" costume. I'm talking about the average Joe, you and me.

…a glance at my closet reads like a series of 30 second commercials. Between my shirts, hoodies and hats, I cover the wares of many of the stores on Route 59 (a street I avoid at all cost because of my dislike for traffic lights.) I'm willing to give free shout-outs to the Chargers, Padres, Aztecs, USC, Purdue, McDonald's, Guinness, the MMA, Xyience, Habitat for Humanity, Kiva and Feed My Starving Children. There is proof (if a piece of clothing suffices) that I've been to Hawaii, London, Oklahoma (don't ask), Israel, Los Angeles, Greece, and Orlando to name a few.

…in the last couple of years I've added Jesus, the cross, Iron Sharpens Iron, Good Shepherd Church, Mens CRHP 21 (pronounce "chirp") and Dodgin' 4 Dough...but it does feel kinda weird. Why? Certainly Jesus is as important to me as the Padres (they came in last place.) God means more to me than Guinness beer (I'm required to go the light route as my metabolism slows to a near stop.) The cross and what it represents is so much more powerful than the Oklahoma Electric Company.

...but I feel a bit leery when I decide to wear any of my Christian garb. What if people think I'm some kind of Jesus freak (I know I am.) What if someone asks me a tough question like "Is Gandhi going to Hell"? What if a non-Christian feels offended (like wearing a Sox cap to a Cub’s game.)

…i want to be bold. I want to share the joy I've gotten from my relationship with Jesus. I want to be asked the tough questions, and believe listening to the question is just as valuable (if not more) then having a great answer. I want to be a willing lump of clay in the Master’s hands...and advertise to that effect.

...I'm not going to get rid of all my other 30 second spots...it's nice to relate to other "fans". I do want friends to know that I am a fan of Christ, His grace and how cool the "fish" looks on a baseball cap.

…thank goodness we don't give free press on cups, mugs and car bumpers...