The New Venture, Day Camp & Required Reading

It's (NOT) All About Me This is my focus as I go forward into my week. This is the week I push my marketing into high gear. Since this first phase of marketing involves a good bit of phone contact, I'm already feeling a case of Telemarketer's Ear Syndrome coming on. My goal is to make 350 calls in the month of July. Yeah, the ear is already bothering me. Good thing I went out and bought a good headset. One thing is certain; 350 businesses who haven't heard about me and my services, will very soon! I'm getting excited. I'm simply informing people of the problems I solve and let them know that BarryMorris.com is up and running. When they visit the site (I've put in some remote control directional issues), they'll feel like that know a good deal about me and what I'm capable of. (Man, do I hate ending that sentence with a preposition.)

Camp du Soleil Justin begins two weeks of day camp on Monday at our local community center. He's excited about the activities and sports that will charactize this camp. That will give me two week's worth solid work during the hours he's at camp. He's excited about the field trips; Great America, Raging Waters, and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. He'd admitted missing school "a little bit."

Shut Up, Stop Whining & Get A Life This is Larry Winget's new book. He's the self-termed "Pit Bull of Human Development." Somehow this book needs to be required reading for all college students. Look at some of the chaptr titles: How to live by design, not by default; Criticism Happens; Worry is a waste of time; Success is a balancing act; and of course the first three, Shut up; Stop Whining; Get a life. This book is a no-nonsense approach to (student?) success. Bottom line: stop complaining about everything and get busy living life instead of letting life happen to you.

Peace.

Barry

Old Friends, Father's Day & Solitude

Blast From The Past This week I've been in contact with several friends from days gone by. I had a great three hour lunch with Bill G. on Friday. We hadn't seen one another since the glory days of high school. With the advent of our upcoming 30 year reunion in August, it was inevitable that we two, as well as others from distant days, reinitiated contact. Bill was passing through Silicon Valley on his way to San Francisco and stopped in to see me. It was a great lunch; the restaurant actually turned out the lights on us. Talk about a subtle hint.

Others have responded via email and I couldn't be happier with the renewed relationships, albeit virtual ones.

Father's Day My father is on the road with my mother in the midst of a cross-country trek to their 55th high school reunion in August. (Did they have schools back then, Dad?) Talk about renewing relationships, Dad has spoken to and emailed his friends across the globe as this event approached. Thanks to Al Gore (he invented the Internet, you know), all this was possible.

Anyway, Happy Father's Day Dad! You're the greatest.

Solitude As I write this the house is relatively quiet. The radio is playing songs that soothe my recent trip down Memory Lane.

Solitude is an old friend. She comes in the night and early morning and at any other time I can squeeze her in. She is ever near, ever comforting.

I befriended her years ago and she has been my constant and true companion. I embrace her frequently and advise others to become acquainted with her. Some fear her opting instead for the realtive comfort they find in the bustling environment of their multitasking lifestyle.

For me, she remains a refuge; an occasional mini-vacation from the pace of life. It is in her presence that my true self resides.

Peace.

My Last Commute

The best day at work, hands down.

I brought my personal photographer with me and he had a ball snapping digital photos of my coworkers. A few were out of focus, but hey, he's nine!

The pizza lunch was a really special time. Just the girls, Justin, and me.

Rosa, Zaniah, Angie, and Priscilla...you will forever be remembered! I may already have a beautiful daughter, but I think I have room for a few more.

The actual drive home, that has never ever taken any longer than 60 minutes, was elongated to 90 due to a fatal accident on southbound 101 near the Red Barn. Nasty stuff.

Anyway, they say that life begins at 47...at least that's the way I remember it. So, with that thought firmly implanted in my cerebral cortex, I will go forward. And you are all welcome to come along with me on the journey ahead.

Until next time,

Barry

The Road Less Traveled

Saying goodbye to those you've grown to care for is a difficult thing.

I recall leaving the employment of a national company a few years back where I'd made many friends. Each promised they would keep in touch and drop me an email once in a while. Four years later I can count on one hand the number that return my email.

I guess that some of this is to be expected. After all, we all have our lives to lead, loved ones to care for, and career to which we attend.

Moving on is about moving on. Right?

Anyway, tomorrow will be one of those days for me. This time only a single year has passed but I feel closer to many of my coworkers now than I ever have before.

Justin will be coming with me to the office on my last day. He gets such a kick out of seeing what the world-of-work is really like. To a nine year-old, going with Dad to the office is like going to Disneyland.

Come to think of it, when I leave Disneyland I feel a bit nostalgic.

Perhaps it is a good thing that I leave with this feeling. Perhaps it means that these special connections will be retained instead of permanently severed.

I hope so. Well, I guess I'll see you all later.

Thanks to each of you for your contributions to my life.

Peace. Barry

Welcome To My Nightmare!

Welcome to my blog! That reminds me of a concert I attended at the L.A. Forum in 1975. Alice Cooper's (remember him?) "Welcome To My Nightmare" concert. It was pretty cool even for the 70s.

Anyway, welcome!

This blog has a two-fold purpose.

1. It's a space where readers of my business newsletter (http://BarryMorris.com) can come for a more personal conection.

2. It's a space where I can post my daily reactions to life, love, and the pursuit of happiness that don't necessarily belong on my business site.

With that in mind, I'll begin with a short introduction.

Barry's Story Let's see. What do you need to know? What do you care to know? What could you care less to know?

Writing I'm a full-time commercial writer and I love this business. It fulfills my lifelong quest to make a real living immersed in language while not requiring me to starve in the process. (That's a real plus.)

Parenting Currently I'm a singe dad to Justin Elijah, age 9. My other children are grown, or nearly so. Bethany is 21. Jeremy is 19. Benjamin is 17.

Loves Bonnie. Starbucks Coffee. Good Writing.