10 People Who Influenced My Life

-

 

  1. My Father, who formed in me the discipline of organization. 
  2. One former boss (who shall remain unnamed), who was the text-book anti-model of leadership.
  3. John Maxwell, positive leadership influencer.
  4. John Michael Talbot. Monk, musician. Shepherd. His music calmed my soul.
  5. Dr. and Mrs. Wilson, ( my Grandparents) who showed me there’s a bigger world out there with people who need love, help. They modeled consistency.
  6. Mrs. Llewelyn, who nurtured my love for music by making me mixed tapes of music to study over summer breaks. Those pieces have become my favorites.
  7. My Step-mother. She got me to all my private lessons and rooted for my success—even when I didn’t know it.
  8. Rick, who introduced me to CrossFit. I bless him and curse him.
  9. Edgar Allan Poe. Rewarding the hours and hours of reading with questions and goosebumps. 
  10. Marcus Aurelius, by leaving himself notes and reminders to be wise, strong, just, and courageous.

Popular posts from this blog

“And so, about this tomb of mine . . . “

-
Image
  “VANITY, saith the preacher, vanity!  Draw round my bed: is Anselm keeping back?  Nephews—sons mine … ah God, I know not! Well—  She, men would have to be your mother once,  Old Gandolf envied me, so fair she was!  What’s done is done, and she is dead beside,  Dead long ago, and I am Bishop since,  And as she died so must we die ourselves,  And thence ye may perceive the world’s a dream.  Life, how and what is it?  As here I lie In this state-chamber, dying by degrees,  Hours and long hours in the dead night,  I ask “Do I live, am I dead?”  Peace, peace seems all.  Saint Praxed’s ever was the church for peace;  And so, about this tomb of mine.  I fought With tooth and nail to save my niche, ye know:  —Old Gandolf cozened me, despite my care;  Shrewd was that snatch from out the corner  South He graced his carrion with,  God curse the same!  Yet still my niche is not so cramped...
Read more

"On Keeping A Notebook" by Joan Didion

-
Image
I'm nearly finished reading Joan Didion's collection of essays, Slouching Towards Bethlehem.  The book was discovered through another book I was reading, Jon Krakauer's Eiger Dreams . If Jon felt this book was good enough to pack along on a mountain climbing expedition, then I'm interested. Took me three tries, but I finally found my copy on Amazon. One of the best book buys I've made. Joan selected the title of this book from William Butler Yeats' classic poem, Second Coming . The book title is shared with one of her larger essays, a record of encounters with people in the 1960's drug culture. Didion's book is divided into three distinct parts: "Life Styles In The Golden Land," a collection of articles capturing the California experience of the 1960's; "Personals," a few of essays of the first-hand nature; and "Seven Places Of The Mind", some thoughts about those parts of California that are now long gone. One essay...
Read more