BICO
January 15, 2018
Baby it’s cold outside…(BICO)
It all started last week
Weather forecasters were calling for a…
Bomb Cyclone
That’s a new name….
Who do they pay to come up with this stuff…
El Nino, La Nina, Polar Vortex and…
Last summer they came out with Dew Points
Now it’s a Bomb Cyclone
An artic blast dipped into the south and came up the coast
It was snowing in Jacksonville and Tallahassee
It snowed in Savannah and Charleston
The storm was 800 miles out at sea
Yet it dumped from 12 – 18 inches along the NJ coast line
While the Phila area got 4-6 inches
I was out shoveling in 2-inch intervals
Easier on the back…
Winds were howling at 30- 40 miles an hour almost all day
Then….
The Bomb Cyclone was officially listed as a blizzard…
The National Weather Bureau defines a blizzard as a storm
which contains large amounts of snow OR blowing snow,
with winds in excess of 35 mph and visibilities of less than 1/4 mile
for an extended period of time (at least 3 hours)
I will say it again….
BICO
I went on retreat last weekend
While there…
I decided to venture outside for a walk
On Saturday the temperature was 8 degrees
With feels like temperature of -4 below
On Sunday…
I woke up and it was 0 degrees
Yea…You got that right…
Zero (0)
The feels like temperature was again -4 below
The rooms were having problems
Keeping up with the frigid temperatures
So…. I just threw on an extra blanket
I drove home from work on Monday
The roads, sidewalks and my driveway were…
One big sheet of ice
It may look nice and shiny from a distance
But it was a real mess
After all this
My wife has just about had it with this cold snap
She walked into our office and said…
“It’s freezing out there
I can’t take this cold anymore
When can we go to Florida”…
She didn’t have to ask me twice…
I booked a flight that afternoon
We’ll just have to tough out the cold
Till mid-February
Every Day is a Gift
Thanks for the referrals
Welcome 2018
January 5, 2018
Who knows where the time goes…..
When we were younger and in school
We had units of measure we used to live by
There was always a holiday in waiting
It helped to pass the time
Knowing that the long Thanksgiving weekend was coming….
In less than a month….
We would be on Christmas break
Now…..
Every year seems to go a little faster
We have become…… beyond teens….
Time just seems to mesh
Just like that….
2017 is in the books
Will 2018 be different
That is up to us
I will be heading to Malvern this weekend
For our annual retreat
This will be 34 years
What a great way to start each year
Taking time to reflect on what happened in my life during the last year
Praying for the wisdom to guide me thru the next year
I will also be Praying……
That time slows down
Helping me to live more in the moment….
It is easy to get caught up in the day to day hustle…
Easily distracted….
Projecting thoughts…
Always looking forward…
Not paying attention to the now…
It is in the now……That peace is found
I pray to ground myself in the now
Welcome 2018
Merry Christmas
December 19, 2017
The spirit of Christmas is in the air
The kids are home from school
Families are making plans to get together
The excitement builds
As you are buying presents
Looking for that one special gift
That will bring a smile to their face
Love is in the air
No matter how your day is going
Many find…
They are lifted by the Christmas spirit
I was speaking with a client recently
And asked how they were doing….
They responded….
“Great…. I wish it was always December.”
Let’s make a special toast….
May your everyday be a December….
Let us take time
To celebrate and give thanks
To the many things
We take for granted
May we always remember…
Every Day is a Gift
Merry Christmas to All
Happy Dance
December 6, 2017
How was your Thanksgiving…
Long weekends are great
Though… they seem to be few and far between
Over the past 39 years
My wife and I have hosted
Thanksgiving Dinner
Christmas Brunch
Christmas Dinner
Just about every year
Except for maybe 4 or 5 times
Not that I am complaining
We love hosting
It is always about getting the family together
Which is increasingly difficult to do…
Everyone has their own schedules
And sometimes it can take several months
To get everyone synced up
Just to sit down and have a meal together
That is what makes the Holiday meals so special
Everyone tries to be there
This year my wife’s brother… Collin
Moved into a new townhouse
A couple of months ago he said
I think Lindsey and I would like
To host Thanksgiving dinner this year
I’m talking…
Music to my ears
Maybe it is time to pass the torch…
That would be great Col
Can’t wait to see the new townhouse
We walk into their townhouse
And the first thing I see
Is a new roasting pan…
With a turkey in it
Janet…
I think Collin and Lindsey are in this for the long haul…
They made an investment
Look at that roasting pan
Janet starts with the compliments…
Love this townhouse…
What a great kitchen…
This meal looks great…
I can’t wait to eat…
This food is delicious…
You guys are doing a great job
Are you guys interested in doing this again….
Lindsey smiles…
I’m glad you like it…
We should make this an annual tradition
Janet starts a happy dance across the floor
Collin says wait a minute…
Do I have any say in this…
No…
I don’t think so….
It looks like you bought a new roasting pan
I would hate to see it go to waste
Love this townhouse…
There’s a big hill in the back
The kids can have a great time
Running up and down that hill
Did I tell you we had a Great Thanksgiving…
Thanks Collin and Lindsey
I heard Elizabeth and Evan are planning to do Christmas
What time should we be there…
The Competitive Advantage
November 9, 2017
Many of the people I talk to
Admit to budgeting by….
How much did we spend last year?
How do you know what you spent last year;
Was the correct amount?
It may be your comfort level amount…
Do not take what you paid last year
As the cost of doing business.
In today’s market….
The competitive advantage belongs
To businesses that find smart solutions
To the challenges they face.
One way to keep this edge is….
By taking control of your expenses.
HBS validates what you are currently spending
Identifies sources of additional revenue
That increase your company’s bottom line.
HBS leaves no stones unturned
In our search for savings.
We find ways to save you money…
How do we do it?
We know where to look…
Smile Away
October 26, 2017
I was going to work this week
I stopped at Starbucks
The girl behind me yelled to her friend….
She was sitting there
Staring out the window
Linda…You okay….
Linda snapped out of it and said….
Sorry…
You caught me zoning out
I was on the speedline
Heading to a client
I saw all these people
Just walking in
Blank stares on their faces
No….
Good Morning…..
Hey…How ya doing…
Have a nice day…
Not even a smile…
Caught up in their own little world
Blank Stares
Why the disconnect….
I know….
Sometimes we want to be alone
We may need to be alone
Disconnected from the buzz around you
However…
Always remember
Your smile is the window to the world
“Let us always meet each other with a smile…
For your smile is the beginning of love”
Mother Theresa
The Gift
October 16, 2017
What we are is God’s gift to us….
What we become is our gift to God. – Eleanor Powell
Just take a moment to read that once again…
Let it breath thru you
What we are is God’s gift to us….
What we become is our gift to God. – Eleanor Powell
I find that to be a very powerful statement
My life has been a true blessing
I grew up in a close-knit
Loving family atmosphere
Attended great schools
Married my best friend
We were blessed with 4 beautiful children
Who have now gone on to bless us with…
5 beautiful grandchildren
I have been able to grow a business
Doing the things that I love
While building lasting friendships
Reflecting on my life
I realize….
It is all a gift
I have heard some people say….
Nobody ever handed me anything
I worked hard for everything I have
I deserve all this
What they fail to realize is…
Everything we have is…
Just a gift
Why was I born in NJ…
Why were so many opportunities…
Made available to me…
During my lifetime
When I stop to reflect….
I am filled with gratitude
We are all blessed
Someone is praying for
The things we all take for granted
Don’t take your life for granted
Our life is our message to the world
Make sure it is inspiring
As we express our gratitude…
we must never forget
that the highest appreciation is
not to utter words…
but to live by them – John F. Kennedy
Get Your DNA Here
September 12, 2017
If you have been watching tv at night lately
You have probably seen the commercials…….
“I found out I was 20% Native American….
I thought I was Italian but I’m actually German”….
(I find myself saying……
Ya vol herr Kommandant….
For no apparent reason)…
That is for you Hogan Hero fans…
Contact Ancestry.com and get your DNA results today
I was thinking…
This might be a great gift for my wife’s birthday
So I contacted the company and ordered 2 DNA kits
Wellllllllllll……..
The results are in
When people ask
So what nationality are you….
I would normally say Irish and English
My mother was 100% Irish
My Pop….75% Irish and 25% English
My wife is 50% Italian from her father’s side
A mix of Irish and Scotch from her mother’s side
When the results came in
My wife was shown as…..
38% Italian
26% Irish
20% Great Britain
6% Western Europe
What happen to the Scotch…..
Is that filed under Great Britain….
My results came in a couple days later
I am……
Drum roll please…..
92% Irish
4% Italian / Greek
2% Western Europe
Not even a trace of English blood
Or as they say Great Britain….
Hey hun….I’m 4% Italian
You’re not Italian
It says here I am 4% Italian
That means I am only 34% less Italian than you
That got her blood pumpin….
You’re not Italian
You’re gonna deny me my 4%
Well….I have had a lot of fun knowing the results
I still can’t believe….No English
But 4% Italian….
Those Romans really gotta around
What does your DNA say….
It may makes for good conversation…
Treasure
September 12, 2017
Seems like only a few weeks ago
We were saying
Here comes summer
Where did it go…
I know I have been busy
But…..
Did I blink and miss it
There were a lot of great memories
Packed into a short period of time
Heck…
It seemed like we were just getting started and…
Poofffff….
It’s Labor Day
It’s…..Back to school
Fall football….soccer…field hockey
Don’t forget to do your Homework…
All eyes turn toward the Eagles
While the Phillies fade into the abyss
My Pop used to say
4th of July….Summer’s over
The older I get
The more I see
The wisdom in those words
Who knows where the time goes…
Just be sure to treasure the time…
We all have been given
Odds are Even
April 4, 2017
I was driving down the street the other day…
That sounds like a great opening line to a song
It is amazing how we take things for granted
You are driving down a street
Looking for an address
The even numbers are on your right
The odd numbers are on your left
Depending on which direction you are driving
This could flip…
Odd numbers on your right
Even numbers on your left
I always noticed that people were having trouble finding our house
Or any house on our street
Cars are always crawling by
Looking at house numbers
They even stop and ask
Where is 827…
Today I found out the reason for the confusion
Our block is actually a horseshoe
It starts off South EPD
With even numbers in the 600s on your right
At the 1st bend
The street turns into EPD and becomes odd numbers in the 800s
On your right
At the 2nd bend
It turns into North EPD and jumps back down to the 600s on your right
Yet it continues as odd numbers
Now…Did you get all that…
Even if it’s odd… it’s odd
Who was the town planners who designed this…..
I never noticed this before
I always wondered why people could not find our house
Or any house on our street for that matter
Was this a design flaw…
Or just someone trying to play with our minds
I actually spoke to a neighbor at the bend
Regarding this Phenomena
They tried to offer a reason for the numbering system
Yea…this is even right here
But at the bend it is no longer South EPD
It is just EPD
So it has a different name
Yes….
You are correct……
But….
You are 652
And it goes to 801 at the bend 2 houses away
The only difference in the name of the street is that…
Yours’ says South…
What happened to the 700s…
Why does it go from the 600s to the 800s
And why does it turn from even numbers into odd numbers
Well…
That’s just the way it is…..
Well…
That’s just the way it is…..
If you have trouble finding me
Just give me a call
I will be on the left or right
Depending which direction you are coming from
