CoreCharacter: September 2006 Archives

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Sep15	Thumb Games Trump Gym Class John Gratton September 15, 2006 Know More: Fun, Humor, Motivation, Talent, Values Out of 55 high school students in PE class today, only nine chose to play basketball, the activity scheduled for the day. Nine of 55. I’m not mathematician, but that’s only like 16 percent. When I was in high school, PE was the highlight of the day and any chance to play basketball – unless there was a chance to play baseball – was well received. Everyone played. Nearly everyone. One kid, my friend Mark the bohemian, didn’t like sports and didn’t often participate. What these other 46 students chose to do was play thumb games, bowling on their cell phones or other electronic devices I didn’t recognize. They weren’t flirting, either. They preferred their games to company, and to sports. And to me, that’s a bad sign for the future of the world. Don't you think? Posted at 5:01 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Sep15	Hey, Don't Blame Me John Gratton September 15, 2006 Picture a pointing hand, your hand, pointing at someone else. It's so easy to blame our problems on others. We blame our friends, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, our government. We blame the guy in the car behind us,... Continue Reading Posted at 4:11 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Sep14	Look Into Your Own Heart First John Gratton September 14, 2006 From First Things First by Stephen R. Covey, A. Roger Merrill and Rebecca R. Merrill: What if you have serious doubts about the people you work with? What if you question their competency or even their character? How do you... Continue Reading Posted at 8:07 AM \| Permalink
	Does Your Company Have An Ethical Responsibility To Customers, Employees, And The Planet? John Gratton September 14, 2006 I’m impressed. I just finished The Hidden Beauty Of Everyday Life by Kent Nerburn, a decent read. This is printed inside the back cover: New World Library is dedicated to publishing books and other media that inspire and challenge us... Continue Reading Posted at 7:03 AM \| Permalink
	Phishing Attacks Targeting Myspace Users John Gratton September 14, 2006 From the FBI: The FBI has become aware of phishing attacks targeting users of the popular social networking web site, (MySpace). These attacks have come in the form of a bulletin titled "CHECK OUT these old school pictures...." When a... Continue Reading Posted at 6:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Dress For Success, Sure, But Dress For Funerals, Too John Gratton September 14, 2006 People where I live don't dress up for funerals. Is this true everywhere? Jeans and shorts and flip flops don't really seem like proper attire for a funeral. "Sorry you're dead, dad, but not sorry enough to bother cleaning up... Continue Reading Posted at 5:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Five More Strategies For Living With Full Integrity John Gratton September 14, 2006 From Inside Every Woman by Vickie L. Milazzo: Engage 100 percent. If you're an employee, put 100 percent effort into every job. As a friend, put 100 percent into your friendship. Cut back on commitments and people to whom you're... Continue Reading Posted at 4:07 AM \| Permalink
Sep13	Attitude Turns Disallowed Corporate Furniture Into Art John Gratton September 13, 2006 Gordon McKenzie, who at the time called himself the Creative Paradox at Hallmark Cards, tells of a time he bought twelve beautiful antique desks for a new division in the company. He also bought an old milk can for each... Continue Reading Posted at 8:34 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	If He Had Said Some Mighty Thing, I Would Have Done It John Gratton September 13, 2006 A valiant Syrian nobleman, Naaman, went to Elisha to be healed of leprosy. Elisha sent a messenger–a servant–to tell Naaman to go wash himself seven times and he would be healed. That's not what Naaman expected. He got mad, wanting... Continue Reading Posted at 7:01 AM \| Permalink
	It's Not All Good, I Don't Care What The Bumper Stickers Say John Gratton September 13, 2006 From The Happiness Makeover by M.J. Ryan: It's not all good. There is tremendous suffering in the world. So many of us have to bear the burden of so much. There are bombings and starvation, layoffs and abuse, intractable poverty... Continue Reading Posted at 6:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Keep It Clean: Why Positive Thoughts Are Better Than Negative Thoughts John Gratton September 13, 2006 The drain in our bathroom sink was plugged, and nothing we tried would dissolve it. We finally used a wet vac to suck it out. A huge, gross, disgusting ball of stinking slime and hair popped out. "Where did this... Continue Reading Posted at 5:04 AM \| Permalink
	Half A Dozen Strategies For Living With Full Integrity John Gratton September 13, 2006 From Inside Every Woman by Vickie L. Milazzo: Live by the Golden Rule. Be honest with yourself and make decisions as objectively as possible. If you're uncertain, seek the opinion of a trusted mentor. Surround yourself with people who glow... Continue Reading Posted at 4:00 AM \| Permalink
Sep12	Hello, I'm Mister Ed John Gratton September 12, 2006 As a joke, I programmed my secretary's computer so that when she pushed the "e" key, the phrase "Hello, I'm Mister Ed" appeared. She was surprised. For years, pushing the "e" key had produced the letter "e." She was mad... Continue Reading Posted at 8:08 AM \| Permalink
	The Noble Combination Of Business And Philanthropy John Gratton September 12, 2006 From The One Minute Millionaire by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen: All wealth comes with privileges and responsibilities. The privileges are well-documented: money freedom, time freedom, relationship freedom, spiritual freedom, physical freedom, and the ultimate freedom – that... Continue Reading Posted at 7:04 AM \| Permalink
	Observe Which Way Your Heart Draws You John Gratton September 12, 2006 Would you sell the colors of your sunset and the fragrance of your flowers, and the passionate wonder of your forest for a creed that will not let you dance? Helene Johnson Getting what you go after is success; but... Continue Reading Posted at 6:08 AM \| Permalink
	Don't Judge A Man By His Childhood Nickname, Stinky John Gratton September 12, 2006 I started reading 700 Sundays because I like biographies and I like Billy Crystal. I wasn't expecting to become so emotionally involved with it, and so pleased for having read it. It is a wonderful and well-written and sad and... Continue Reading Posted at 5:05 AM \| Permalink
	The Courage Of Happiness John Gratton September 12, 2006 From The Happiness Makeover by M.J. Ryan: What being happy is about, I believe, is having a home base of contentment and well-being that you return to when the immediate crisis is over, rather than being stuck in chronic anger,... Continue Reading Posted at 4:02 AM \| Permalink
Sep11	It's About Time John Gratton September 11, 2006 I’m looking out the window of a local high school, watching students arrive for class. From where I stand, the kids and their cars look about the same as they did in 1976, the first time I came to this... Continue Reading Posted at 12:59 PM \| Permalink
	Cell Phone Service Provider From H-E-Double Toothpicks Is Gone For Good John Gratton September 11, 2006 At last the long awaited day has arrived. It came without fanfare, really, just a certain, calming, glorious sensation of peace and well-being. I finally switched cell phone service providers. What a relief. The old, awful, insensitive, unresponsive, careless company... Continue Reading Posted at 11:07 AM \| Permalink
	This Just Ain't Right, We Should Do Something John Gratton September 11, 2006 Christmas should not be in stores before school starts. It's bad enough to see it before Halloween, but the first week of September is much, much too soon. And the way I see it, some of you are to blame.... Continue Reading Posted at 10:09 AM \| Permalink
	Teaching What Counts John Gratton September 11, 2006 If you cannot teach me to fly, teach me to sing. Sir James Barrie Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best. Bob Talbert Learning is not a sit and get proposition. Mother Theresa We... Continue Reading Posted at 9:02 AM \| Permalink
	Passport Delays Expected For Cruisers John Gratton September 11, 2006 From Gene Sloan, Today: Industry watchers such as Mike Driscoll expect delays at passport offices in the weeks leading up to January 8, which is the day new government rules take effect. The rules require all cruisers to carry passports,... Continue Reading Posted at 8:07 AM \| Permalink
Sep 9	What's Nectarines Got That Ice Cream Don't Got? John Gratton September 9, 2006 Who's a good boy then? I have an hour here to write, and I want a snack. I have chocolate chip granola bars, some wonderful ice cream called Guilty Conscience, a concoction of dark chocolate ice cream with thick peanut... Continue Reading Posted at 12:02 PM \| Permalink
	A Really Big Shoe But Really Short Hair John Gratton September 9, 2006 A DVD of the entire Ed Sullivan Shows on which the Beatles appeared is available, and it is exceptionally entertaining. Of course, I'm not the only one who remembers the night the Beatles first appeared on Ed Sullivan, February 1964.... Continue Reading Posted at 11:57 AM \| Permalink
	She Thinks You May Be Too Refined (Don't Get Too Excited, It's Another Reason Why You're Still Fat) John Gratton September 9, 2006 From Liz Ward at Men's Health: Most processed breads and cereals contain little fiber*, the calorie-free component of plant foods that fills you up, not out. Plus, foods rich in fiber help control blood glucose and insulin levels. Solution: I... Continue Reading Posted at 10:51 AM \| Permalink
	Turn Your Child Into A Healthier Eater John Gratton September 9, 2006 From Mercy Health Plans HealthMATTERS: To combat the growing trend of child obesity, the U.S. government has launched the MyPyramid Blast Off Game for children ages 6 to 11. The game challenges kids to fuel a rocket ship with enough... Continue Reading Posted at 8:49 AM \| Permalink
	This Bad Habit Can Be Good For You: Video Games John Gratton September 9, 2006 By Candace Corner for CareerBuilder: After a long day at the office, keeping all of your emotions in check and your work in focus, you could use a little de-stressing to wind down. Here are some bad habits that could actually... Continue Reading Posted at 4:00 AM \| Permalink
Sep 8	Hard To Believe: The Beatles And That Old-Time Religion John Gratton September 8, 2006 I'm struggling to read The Gospel According To The Beatles by Steve Turner. The purpose of the book is "to discover exactly what it was that turned a group of rock 'n roll musicians into guiding lights for spiritually disenchanted... Continue Reading Posted at 7:01 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Every Successful Person Does These Two Things John Gratton September 8, 2006 From All You Can Do Is All You Can Do by Art Williams: I went to a sales seminar, and the speaker said, "If you haven't read Think And Grow Rich, run to the nearest bookstore and get a copy."... Continue Reading Posted at 5:01 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	A Nation Without Morality John Gratton September 8, 2006 From Our Endangered Values by Jimmy Carter: Reinhold Niebuhr, in his book Moral Man and Immoral Society, pointed out the difference between a society and people. The expectations from a person are a much higher standard. A person should have... Continue Reading Posted at 4:07 AM \| Permalink
Sep 7	Roll Up Your Sleeves And Reload Receipt Paper John Gratton September 7, 2006 I resisted Wal-Mart for years, but now go nearly every day. I shop there because no one is cheaper, and someone needed to put the mom and pop shops out of business. So I'm enjoying The Wal-Mart Way by Don... Continue Reading Posted at 8:08 AM \| Permalink
	Living Next Door To The Guy Who Lives Next To The Guy Who Lives Next To The Millionaire Next Door John Gratton September 7, 2006 From Simple Living Yields Simply Millions In Savings by Janet Luhrs: “The flashy millionaires glamorized by the media actually represent only a tiny minority of America’s rich,” Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko say in the book, The Millionaire... Continue Reading Posted at 7:02 AM \| Permalink
	Are You Tired Of Working For Someone Who Doesn't Know As Much As You? John Gratton September 7, 2006 Bad bosses are the entrepreneur's raison d'être. According to Monte Enbysk, "a 2001 study involving some 20,000 exit interviews found that the No. 1 reason people leave jobs is 'poor supervisory behavior.' In other words, bad bosses." Bad bosses are... Continue Reading Posted at 6:08 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Stephen King Praises Stubborn Determination And The Hope That Things Would Get Better John Gratton September 7, 2006 I have read On Writing, Stephen King's "Memoir Of The Craft" many times. The postscript, On Living, where King describes being run down by an out of control van, is poignant. It surprises me that King, who had written hundreds... Continue Reading Posted at 6:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	FBI Reports Scam That Preys On Emotions For Deployed Soldiers John Gratton September 7, 2006 From the FBI: We have received reports concerning multiple e-mail hoaxes claiming to be from a soldier deployed to Iraq. The individual claims to possess millions of dollars and requests assistance in moving the funds. The funds allegedly came from... Continue Reading Posted at 5:05 AM \| Permalink
	A Good Boss Doesn’t Play By Sudden Death John Gratton September 7, 2006 From What Makes A Good Boss by Jeff Wuorio: Many of us have had bosses who would be right at home with a guillotine next to their desk calendars. Make one mistake on the job and feel free to slip... Continue Reading Posted at 4:09 AM \| Permalink
Sep 6	Skating On The Wrong Side Of The Ice, Again John Gratton September 6, 2006 Sometimes it just feels like I'm skating on the wrong side of the ice. Plans fall through, people let me down, known enemies attack, things break, disappointments come, and they come. I know life is hard, and I know trials... Continue Reading Posted at 11:03 AM \| Permalink
	Omit Needless Words (And Thoughts And Habits And Activities And Meetings And Television Shows And Whatever Else Is Just Clutter) John Gratton September 6, 2006 "Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer... Continue Reading Posted at 10:00 AM \| Permalink
	There Is More To Life Than Money, But… John Gratton September 6, 2006 From The One Minute Millionaire by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen: Clearly, money isn't everything. For us, it's not even in the top four – miles behind family, health, friends and spiritual values. An abundance of these four... Continue Reading Posted at 9:00 AM \| Permalink
	The Emperor's Club: Some People Never Learn, But You And I Can John Gratton September 6, 2006 One of the opening statements in The Emperor's Club is that "a man's character is his fate," a quote from Heraclitus. This idea is borne out by the end of the movie in the three main characters. One acts without character... Continue Reading Posted at 8:13 AM \| Permalink
	888 But Who Is Counting John Gratton September 6, 2006 I just noticed that I’ve done 888 posts here at CoreCharacter. I don’t count them: the software we use does that automatically. I began by noting every 100th post, taking those opportunities to express thanks for everyone around the world... Continue Reading Posted at 4:09 AM \| Permalink
Sep 5	What Would You Do For What You Want? John Gratton September 5, 2006 A favorite line from a Big Smith song is, "you know I'd walk a mile just to hear you hum." As someone who has recently begun dating again, I know exactly what that means. Years ago, when I was on... Continue Reading Posted at 12:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	How Big Of A Hurry Would You Have To Be In To Pass An Ambulance? John Gratton September 5, 2006 My daughter and her friend, both new drivers, were talking about driving too fast. They apparently had seen a speeding driver actually pass an ambulance that had its sirens on and lights flashing. The question they asked was, "how big... Continue Reading Posted at 11:21 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Overcome Procrastination And Get It Done Quickly John Gratton September 5, 2006 From Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy: Motivation requires motive. The greater the positive potential impact that an action or behavior of yours can have on your life, once you define it clearly, the more motivated you will be to... Continue Reading Posted at 10:20 AM \| Permalink
	My Dad, The Dork John Gratton September 5, 2006 I was on the front porch when one of my teenagers came home from school, riding with three of her school friends. I could read her lips. "There's my dad; what a dork." They all had a good laugh about... Continue Reading Posted at 9:20 AM \| Permalink
	The Antidote To Anger John Gratton September 5, 2006 It seems I need to read this fairly regularly. From Happily Remarried by David and Lisa Frisbie: The antidote to anger is forgiveness: the process of releasing our anger and frustration, thus restoring the inner health of our soul and... Continue Reading Posted at 8:18 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Sep 4	Just Turn Left At Every Corner John Gratton September 4, 2006 You want to be well-rounded, successful in your career, happy at home and healthy, right? For exercise, head back to your neighborhood roller rink. But, you haven't skated in 20 years, you say? No problem. The route is still the... Continue Reading Posted at 8:14 AM \| Permalink
	How Many Sundays Do You Have Left? John Gratton September 4, 2006 Billy Crystal is one of my favorites. He is one of most people's favorites. I’m reading Crystal's book, 700 Sundays, a simple and sad and sweet story of his relationship with his father: "And Dad would come in like three,... Continue Reading Posted at 7:10 AM \| Permalink
	Lights! Cameras! Attic Cleaning Time! John Gratton September 4, 2006 From Kiplinger's Retirement Report: As their parents age, baby boomers are turning to video biographies to preserve their family history. [C]ompanies intersperse newsreel footage and historical photographs with family pictures, home movies, period music and interviews. They pan and zoom... Continue Reading Posted at 6:05 AM \| Permalink
	Identity Theft Contact List John Gratton September 4, 2006 If you become a victim of identity theft, here are places to contact: Federal Trade Commission Credit Bureau ContactsEquifaxExperianTransUnion Chex Systems - If you are having trouble opening a checking account, request a copy of your consumer report. Annual Credit... Continue Reading Posted at 5:03 AM \| Permalink
	Give Blood – Again John Gratton September 4, 2006 If you can, if you are physically and medically able, giving blood is the right thing to do. Where I live, it takes 275 donations every day to meet the needs of local hospitals, and of course, the need is... Continue Reading Posted at 4:01 AM \| Permalink
Sep 2	Ich Nehme Ein Wiener Schnitzel Mit Reis Und Bohen John Gratton September 2, 2006 From 1,000 Places To See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz: With English the lingua franca of much of the world, it's easy to travel from Tahiti to Timbuktu without learning a single word of the local language. But just... Continue Reading Posted at 8:08 AM \| Permalink
	The Colorful Case Of The Antioxidants Vs. The Free Radicals John Gratton September 2, 2006 From Mercy Health Plans HealthMATTERS: If you look closely, nature's pigments can yield clues to disease prevention. Experts believe [colorful plant chemicals, such as carotenoids and flavonoids] destroy disease-causing free radicals. A group of researchers looked at how well some... Continue Reading Posted at 7:02 AM \| Permalink
	If You Think Fitness Trumps Fatness John Gratton September 2, 2006 From Eight Reasons You're Still Fat by Liz Ward at Men's Health: Exercise alone won't make you thin. A recent study of military personnel who increased their exercise during a 3-year period found that they gained weight despite their extra... Continue Reading Posted at 6:08 AM \| Permalink
	How To Check The Quality Of A Tie's Fabric, One Fashion Tip, And How Much To P John Gratton September 2, 2006 By Jane Bennett Clark in Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine: Run your fingers over the tie. A luxurious feel indicates high-quality silk; some makers try to disguise silk that's too thin by bulking up the liner. Heavy silk boasts rich colors... Continue Reading Posted at 5:04 AM \| Permalink
	Bob Dylan Makes You Glad You're Alive, In A Weird, Dark, Sort Of Discouraging Way John Gratton September 2, 2006 I made a new friend this week, David, who is a big Bob Dylan fan. We spent an hour listening to Leadbelly the other day, and that was good. We compared notes on watching Dylan live and talked about some... Continue Reading Posted at 4:00 AM \| Permalink
Sep 1	. This Is The Earth (From Very Far Away) John Gratton September 1, 2006 At some point for most of us, the biggest problem in our lives was getting a driver's license. We studied our state handbooks, we terrorized our parents as we practiced, we worried about passing the test. Those worries were a... Continue Reading Posted at 8:08 AM \| Permalink
	Bad Day Or Bad Attitude? John Gratton September 1, 2006 From The Little Red Book Of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer (which I think everyone should read regularly, because every job is selling): People always blame their attitude on the day. I'm having a bad day is baloney. What you're really... Continue Reading Posted at 7:04 AM \| Permalink
	Make Money AND Make The World A Better Place John Gratton September 1, 2006 From The Wal-Mart Way by Don Soderquist: Sam [Walton] did not begin with a vision to create the largest retail chain in the – much less found the largest company in the world. Millions of people have ambitious dreams and... Continue Reading Posted at 6:00 AM \| Permalink
	How Can I Help You Be Happy? John Gratton September 1, 2006 "It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy that makes happiness." Charles Spurgeon I try not to repeat myself too soon. If I write about attitude, for example, I wait a few days before writing about... Continue Reading Posted at 5:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	I Think Reality Is Fabulous John Gratton September 1, 2006 "Remember happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely on what you think." Dale Carnegie "What would happen to us if we really fell in love with life? How would our lives change if... Continue Reading Posted at 4:09 AM \| Permalink \| Comments

« August 2006 | Main | November 2008 »

Sep15	Thumb Games Trump Gym Class John Gratton September 15, 2006 Know More: Fun, Humor, Motivation, Talent, Values Out of 55 high school students in PE class today, only nine chose to play basketball, the activity scheduled for the day. Nine of 55. I’m not mathematician, but that’s only like 16 percent. When I was in high school, PE was the highlight of the day and any chance to play basketball – unless there was a chance to play baseball – was well received. Everyone played. Nearly everyone. One kid, my friend Mark the bohemian, didn’t like sports and didn’t often participate. What these other 46 students chose to do was play thumb games, bowling on their cell phones or other electronic devices I didn’t recognize. They weren’t flirting, either. They preferred their games to company, and to sports. And to me, that’s a bad sign for the future of the world. Don't you think? Posted at 5:01 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Sep15	Hey, Don't Blame Me John Gratton September 15, 2006 Picture a pointing hand, your hand, pointing at someone else. It's so easy to blame our problems on others. We blame our friends, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, our government. We blame the guy in the car behind us,... Continue Reading Posted at 4:11 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Sep14	Look Into Your Own Heart First John Gratton September 14, 2006 From First Things First by Stephen R. Covey, A. Roger Merrill and Rebecca R. Merrill: What if you have serious doubts about the people you work with? What if you question their competency or even their character? How do you... Continue Reading Posted at 8:07 AM \| Permalink
	Does Your Company Have An Ethical Responsibility To Customers, Employees, And The Planet? John Gratton September 14, 2006 I’m impressed. I just finished The Hidden Beauty Of Everyday Life by Kent Nerburn, a decent read. This is printed inside the back cover: New World Library is dedicated to publishing books and other media that inspire and challenge us... Continue Reading Posted at 7:03 AM \| Permalink
	Phishing Attacks Targeting Myspace Users John Gratton September 14, 2006 From the FBI: The FBI has become aware of phishing attacks targeting users of the popular social networking web site, (MySpace). These attacks have come in the form of a bulletin titled "CHECK OUT these old school pictures...." When a... Continue Reading Posted at 6:00 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Dress For Success, Sure, But Dress For Funerals, Too John Gratton September 14, 2006 People where I live don't dress up for funerals. Is this true everywhere? Jeans and shorts and flip flops don't really seem like proper attire for a funeral. "Sorry you're dead, dad, but not sorry enough to bother cleaning up... Continue Reading Posted at 5:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Five More Strategies For Living With Full Integrity John Gratton September 14, 2006 From Inside Every Woman by Vickie L. Milazzo: Engage 100 percent. If you're an employee, put 100 percent effort into every job. As a friend, put 100 percent into your friendship. Cut back on commitments and people to whom you're... Continue Reading Posted at 4:07 AM \| Permalink
Sep13	Attitude Turns Disallowed Corporate Furniture Into Art John Gratton September 13, 2006 Gordon McKenzie, who at the time called himself the Creative Paradox at Hallmark Cards, tells of a time he bought twelve beautiful antique desks for a new division in the company. He also bought an old milk can for each... Continue Reading Posted at 8:34 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	If He Had Said Some Mighty Thing, I Would Have Done It John Gratton September 13, 2006 A valiant Syrian nobleman, Naaman, went to Elisha to be healed of leprosy. Elisha sent a messenger–a servant–to tell Naaman to go wash himself seven times and he would be healed. That's not what Naaman expected. He got mad, wanting... Continue Reading Posted at 7:01 AM \| Permalink
	It's Not All Good, I Don't Care What The Bumper Stickers Say John Gratton September 13, 2006 From The Happiness Makeover by M.J. Ryan: It's not all good. There is tremendous suffering in the world. So many of us have to bear the burden of so much. There are bombings and starvation, layoffs and abuse, intractable poverty... Continue Reading Posted at 6:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Keep It Clean: Why Positive Thoughts Are Better Than Negative Thoughts John Gratton September 13, 2006 The drain in our bathroom sink was plugged, and nothing we tried would dissolve it. We finally used a wet vac to suck it out. A huge, gross, disgusting ball of stinking slime and hair popped out. "Where did this... Continue Reading Posted at 5:04 AM \| Permalink
	Half A Dozen Strategies For Living With Full Integrity John Gratton September 13, 2006 From Inside Every Woman by Vickie L. Milazzo: Live by the Golden Rule. Be honest with yourself and make decisions as objectively as possible. If you're uncertain, seek the opinion of a trusted mentor. Surround yourself with people who glow... Continue Reading Posted at 4:00 AM \| Permalink
Sep12	Hello, I'm Mister Ed John Gratton September 12, 2006 As a joke, I programmed my secretary's computer so that when she pushed the "e" key, the phrase "Hello, I'm Mister Ed" appeared. She was surprised. For years, pushing the "e" key had produced the letter "e." She was mad... Continue Reading Posted at 8:08 AM \| Permalink
	The Noble Combination Of Business And Philanthropy John Gratton September 12, 2006 From The One Minute Millionaire by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen: All wealth comes with privileges and responsibilities. The privileges are well-documented: money freedom, time freedom, relationship freedom, spiritual freedom, physical freedom, and the ultimate freedom – that... Continue Reading Posted at 7:04 AM \| Permalink
	Observe Which Way Your Heart Draws You John Gratton September 12, 2006 Would you sell the colors of your sunset and the fragrance of your flowers, and the passionate wonder of your forest for a creed that will not let you dance? Helene Johnson Getting what you go after is success; but... Continue Reading Posted at 6:08 AM \| Permalink
	Don't Judge A Man By His Childhood Nickname, Stinky John Gratton September 12, 2006 I started reading 700 Sundays because I like biographies and I like Billy Crystal. I wasn't expecting to become so emotionally involved with it, and so pleased for having read it. It is a wonderful and well-written and sad and... Continue Reading Posted at 5:05 AM \| Permalink
	The Courage Of Happiness John Gratton September 12, 2006 From The Happiness Makeover by M.J. Ryan: What being happy is about, I believe, is having a home base of contentment and well-being that you return to when the immediate crisis is over, rather than being stuck in chronic anger,... Continue Reading Posted at 4:02 AM \| Permalink
Sep11	It's About Time John Gratton September 11, 2006 I’m looking out the window of a local high school, watching students arrive for class. From where I stand, the kids and their cars look about the same as they did in 1976, the first time I came to this... Continue Reading Posted at 12:59 PM \| Permalink
	Cell Phone Service Provider From H-E-Double Toothpicks Is Gone For Good John Gratton September 11, 2006 At last the long awaited day has arrived. It came without fanfare, really, just a certain, calming, glorious sensation of peace and well-being. I finally switched cell phone service providers. What a relief. The old, awful, insensitive, unresponsive, careless company... Continue Reading Posted at 11:07 AM \| Permalink
	This Just Ain't Right, We Should Do Something John Gratton September 11, 2006 Christmas should not be in stores before school starts. It's bad enough to see it before Halloween, but the first week of September is much, much too soon. And the way I see it, some of you are to blame.... Continue Reading Posted at 10:09 AM \| Permalink
	Teaching What Counts John Gratton September 11, 2006 If you cannot teach me to fly, teach me to sing. Sir James Barrie Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best. Bob Talbert Learning is not a sit and get proposition. Mother Theresa We... Continue Reading Posted at 9:02 AM \| Permalink
	Passport Delays Expected For Cruisers John Gratton September 11, 2006 From Gene Sloan, Today: Industry watchers such as Mike Driscoll expect delays at passport offices in the weeks leading up to January 8, which is the day new government rules take effect. The rules require all cruisers to carry passports,... Continue Reading Posted at 8:07 AM \| Permalink
Sep 9	What's Nectarines Got That Ice Cream Don't Got? John Gratton September 9, 2006 Who's a good boy then? I have an hour here to write, and I want a snack. I have chocolate chip granola bars, some wonderful ice cream called Guilty Conscience, a concoction of dark chocolate ice cream with thick peanut... Continue Reading Posted at 12:02 PM \| Permalink
	A Really Big Shoe But Really Short Hair John Gratton September 9, 2006 A DVD of the entire Ed Sullivan Shows on which the Beatles appeared is available, and it is exceptionally entertaining. Of course, I'm not the only one who remembers the night the Beatles first appeared on Ed Sullivan, February 1964.... Continue Reading Posted at 11:57 AM \| Permalink
	She Thinks You May Be Too Refined (Don't Get Too Excited, It's Another Reason Why You're Still Fat) John Gratton September 9, 2006 From Liz Ward at Men's Health: Most processed breads and cereals contain little fiber*, the calorie-free component of plant foods that fills you up, not out. Plus, foods rich in fiber help control blood glucose and insulin levels. Solution: I... Continue Reading Posted at 10:51 AM \| Permalink
	Turn Your Child Into A Healthier Eater John Gratton September 9, 2006 From Mercy Health Plans HealthMATTERS: To combat the growing trend of child obesity, the U.S. government has launched the MyPyramid Blast Off Game for children ages 6 to 11. The game challenges kids to fuel a rocket ship with enough... Continue Reading Posted at 8:49 AM \| Permalink
	This Bad Habit Can Be Good For You: Video Games John Gratton September 9, 2006 By Candace Corner for CareerBuilder: After a long day at the office, keeping all of your emotions in check and your work in focus, you could use a little de-stressing to wind down. Here are some bad habits that could actually... Continue Reading Posted at 4:00 AM \| Permalink
Sep 8	Hard To Believe: The Beatles And That Old-Time Religion John Gratton September 8, 2006 I'm struggling to read The Gospel According To The Beatles by Steve Turner. The purpose of the book is "to discover exactly what it was that turned a group of rock 'n roll musicians into guiding lights for spiritually disenchanted... Continue Reading Posted at 7:01 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Every Successful Person Does These Two Things John Gratton September 8, 2006 From All You Can Do Is All You Can Do by Art Williams: I went to a sales seminar, and the speaker said, "If you haven't read Think And Grow Rich, run to the nearest bookstore and get a copy."... Continue Reading Posted at 5:01 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	A Nation Without Morality John Gratton September 8, 2006 From Our Endangered Values by Jimmy Carter: Reinhold Niebuhr, in his book Moral Man and Immoral Society, pointed out the difference between a society and people. The expectations from a person are a much higher standard. A person should have... Continue Reading Posted at 4:07 AM \| Permalink
Sep 7	Roll Up Your Sleeves And Reload Receipt Paper John Gratton September 7, 2006 I resisted Wal-Mart for years, but now go nearly every day. I shop there because no one is cheaper, and someone needed to put the mom and pop shops out of business. So I'm enjoying The Wal-Mart Way by Don... Continue Reading Posted at 8:08 AM \| Permalink
	Living Next Door To The Guy Who Lives Next To The Guy Who Lives Next To The Millionaire Next Door John Gratton September 7, 2006 From Simple Living Yields Simply Millions In Savings by Janet Luhrs: “The flashy millionaires glamorized by the media actually represent only a tiny minority of America’s rich,” Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko say in the book, The Millionaire... Continue Reading Posted at 7:02 AM \| Permalink
	Are You Tired Of Working For Someone Who Doesn't Know As Much As You? John Gratton September 7, 2006 Bad bosses are the entrepreneur's raison d'être. According to Monte Enbysk, "a 2001 study involving some 20,000 exit interviews found that the No. 1 reason people leave jobs is 'poor supervisory behavior.' In other words, bad bosses." Bad bosses are... Continue Reading Posted at 6:08 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Stephen King Praises Stubborn Determination And The Hope That Things Would Get Better John Gratton September 7, 2006 I have read On Writing, Stephen King's "Memoir Of The Craft" many times. The postscript, On Living, where King describes being run down by an out of control van, is poignant. It surprises me that King, who had written hundreds... Continue Reading Posted at 6:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	FBI Reports Scam That Preys On Emotions For Deployed Soldiers John Gratton September 7, 2006 From the FBI: We have received reports concerning multiple e-mail hoaxes claiming to be from a soldier deployed to Iraq. The individual claims to possess millions of dollars and requests assistance in moving the funds. The funds allegedly came from... Continue Reading Posted at 5:05 AM \| Permalink
	A Good Boss Doesn’t Play By Sudden Death John Gratton September 7, 2006 From What Makes A Good Boss by Jeff Wuorio: Many of us have had bosses who would be right at home with a guillotine next to their desk calendars. Make one mistake on the job and feel free to slip... Continue Reading Posted at 4:09 AM \| Permalink
Sep 6	Skating On The Wrong Side Of The Ice, Again John Gratton September 6, 2006 Sometimes it just feels like I'm skating on the wrong side of the ice. Plans fall through, people let me down, known enemies attack, things break, disappointments come, and they come. I know life is hard, and I know trials... Continue Reading Posted at 11:03 AM \| Permalink
	Omit Needless Words (And Thoughts And Habits And Activities And Meetings And Television Shows And Whatever Else Is Just Clutter) John Gratton September 6, 2006 "Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer... Continue Reading Posted at 10:00 AM \| Permalink
	There Is More To Life Than Money, But… John Gratton September 6, 2006 From The One Minute Millionaire by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert G. Allen: Clearly, money isn't everything. For us, it's not even in the top four – miles behind family, health, friends and spiritual values. An abundance of these four... Continue Reading Posted at 9:00 AM \| Permalink
	The Emperor's Club: Some People Never Learn, But You And I Can John Gratton September 6, 2006 One of the opening statements in The Emperor's Club is that "a man's character is his fate," a quote from Heraclitus. This idea is borne out by the end of the movie in the three main characters. One acts without character... Continue Reading Posted at 8:13 AM \| Permalink
	888 But Who Is Counting John Gratton September 6, 2006 I just noticed that I’ve done 888 posts here at CoreCharacter. I don’t count them: the software we use does that automatically. I began by noting every 100th post, taking those opportunities to express thanks for everyone around the world... Continue Reading Posted at 4:09 AM \| Permalink
Sep 5	What Would You Do For What You Want? John Gratton September 5, 2006 A favorite line from a Big Smith song is, "you know I'd walk a mile just to hear you hum." As someone who has recently begun dating again, I know exactly what that means. Years ago, when I was on... Continue Reading Posted at 12:25 PM \| Permalink \| Comments
	How Big Of A Hurry Would You Have To Be In To Pass An Ambulance? John Gratton September 5, 2006 My daughter and her friend, both new drivers, were talking about driving too fast. They apparently had seen a speeding driver actually pass an ambulance that had its sirens on and lights flashing. The question they asked was, "how big... Continue Reading Posted at 11:21 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	Overcome Procrastination And Get It Done Quickly John Gratton September 5, 2006 From Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy: Motivation requires motive. The greater the positive potential impact that an action or behavior of yours can have on your life, once you define it clearly, the more motivated you will be to... Continue Reading Posted at 10:20 AM \| Permalink
	My Dad, The Dork John Gratton September 5, 2006 I was on the front porch when one of my teenagers came home from school, riding with three of her school friends. I could read her lips. "There's my dad; what a dork." They all had a good laugh about... Continue Reading Posted at 9:20 AM \| Permalink
	The Antidote To Anger John Gratton September 5, 2006 It seems I need to read this fairly regularly. From Happily Remarried by David and Lisa Frisbie: The antidote to anger is forgiveness: the process of releasing our anger and frustration, thus restoring the inner health of our soul and... Continue Reading Posted at 8:18 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
Sep 4	Just Turn Left At Every Corner John Gratton September 4, 2006 You want to be well-rounded, successful in your career, happy at home and healthy, right? For exercise, head back to your neighborhood roller rink. But, you haven't skated in 20 years, you say? No problem. The route is still the... Continue Reading Posted at 8:14 AM \| Permalink
	How Many Sundays Do You Have Left? John Gratton September 4, 2006 Billy Crystal is one of my favorites. He is one of most people's favorites. I’m reading Crystal's book, 700 Sundays, a simple and sad and sweet story of his relationship with his father: "And Dad would come in like three,... Continue Reading Posted at 7:10 AM \| Permalink
	Lights! Cameras! Attic Cleaning Time! John Gratton September 4, 2006 From Kiplinger's Retirement Report: As their parents age, baby boomers are turning to video biographies to preserve their family history. [C]ompanies intersperse newsreel footage and historical photographs with family pictures, home movies, period music and interviews. They pan and zoom... Continue Reading Posted at 6:05 AM \| Permalink
	Identity Theft Contact List John Gratton September 4, 2006 If you become a victim of identity theft, here are places to contact: Federal Trade Commission Credit Bureau ContactsEquifaxExperianTransUnion Chex Systems - If you are having trouble opening a checking account, request a copy of your consumer report. Annual Credit... Continue Reading Posted at 5:03 AM \| Permalink
	Give Blood – Again John Gratton September 4, 2006 If you can, if you are physically and medically able, giving blood is the right thing to do. Where I live, it takes 275 donations every day to meet the needs of local hospitals, and of course, the need is... Continue Reading Posted at 4:01 AM \| Permalink
Sep 2	Ich Nehme Ein Wiener Schnitzel Mit Reis Und Bohen John Gratton September 2, 2006 From 1,000 Places To See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz: With English the lingua franca of much of the world, it's easy to travel from Tahiti to Timbuktu without learning a single word of the local language. But just... Continue Reading Posted at 8:08 AM \| Permalink
	The Colorful Case Of The Antioxidants Vs. The Free Radicals John Gratton September 2, 2006 From Mercy Health Plans HealthMATTERS: If you look closely, nature's pigments can yield clues to disease prevention. Experts believe [colorful plant chemicals, such as carotenoids and flavonoids] destroy disease-causing free radicals. A group of researchers looked at how well some... Continue Reading Posted at 7:02 AM \| Permalink
	If You Think Fitness Trumps Fatness John Gratton September 2, 2006 From Eight Reasons You're Still Fat by Liz Ward at Men's Health: Exercise alone won't make you thin. A recent study of military personnel who increased their exercise during a 3-year period found that they gained weight despite their extra... Continue Reading Posted at 6:08 AM \| Permalink
	How To Check The Quality Of A Tie's Fabric, One Fashion Tip, And How Much To P John Gratton September 2, 2006 By Jane Bennett Clark in Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine: Run your fingers over the tie. A luxurious feel indicates high-quality silk; some makers try to disguise silk that's too thin by bulking up the liner. Heavy silk boasts rich colors... Continue Reading Posted at 5:04 AM \| Permalink
	Bob Dylan Makes You Glad You're Alive, In A Weird, Dark, Sort Of Discouraging Way John Gratton September 2, 2006 I made a new friend this week, David, who is a big Bob Dylan fan. We spent an hour listening to Leadbelly the other day, and that was good. We compared notes on watching Dylan live and talked about some... Continue Reading Posted at 4:00 AM \| Permalink
Sep 1	. This Is The Earth (From Very Far Away) John Gratton September 1, 2006 At some point for most of us, the biggest problem in our lives was getting a driver's license. We studied our state handbooks, we terrorized our parents as we practiced, we worried about passing the test. Those worries were a... Continue Reading Posted at 8:08 AM \| Permalink
	Bad Day Or Bad Attitude? John Gratton September 1, 2006 From The Little Red Book Of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer (which I think everyone should read regularly, because every job is selling): People always blame their attitude on the day. I'm having a bad day is baloney. What you're really... Continue Reading Posted at 7:04 AM \| Permalink
	Make Money AND Make The World A Better Place John Gratton September 1, 2006 From The Wal-Mart Way by Don Soderquist: Sam [Walton] did not begin with a vision to create the largest retail chain in the – much less found the largest company in the world. Millions of people have ambitious dreams and... Continue Reading Posted at 6:00 AM \| Permalink
	How Can I Help You Be Happy? John Gratton September 1, 2006 "It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy that makes happiness." Charles Spurgeon I try not to repeat myself too soon. If I write about attitude, for example, I wait a few days before writing about... Continue Reading Posted at 5:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments
	I Think Reality Is Fabulous John Gratton September 1, 2006 "Remember happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely on what you think." Dale Carnegie "What would happen to us if we really fell in love with life? How would our lives change if... Continue Reading Posted at 4:09 AM \| Permalink \| Comments

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