CHFG?

Complications from Helping Freed Goats

Abilities + Attitude = Results

This post's title comes from John Maxwell's book, Attitude 101.  I liked it so much I tweeted it, but wanted to expound my elucidative commentary on the equation (Tangent 1).  The ultimate level of our success will be dictated as much (or maybe even more) by our attitude as it will be by our abilities.

I'll be 30 this year.  I looked in the mirror a few months ago and, aside from noticing how handsome my beard was, traveled the journey of self-reflection and reached a decision.  I had underachieved this decade of life.  Why is that?  I am reasonably confident in my abilities, and have a good understanding of what they are (and what they aren't), so why did I accomplish less than I'm capable of?  Attitude.  Some days I'm lazy, some I'm discouraged, some I'm negative, some I'm combative, some I'm gluttonous, etc. etc. etc.  Those days are where my abilities are shackled by my attitude.

How can I change my attitude?  Don't know.  Just started that section of the book. :)  In all seriousness, my own experience says that you change your attitude like you change your habits.  Consistent effort.  I can say without a doubt that my attitude today is exponentially better than my attitude at 20, and that has taken a lot of effort (as well as that process of life slapping us upside the head we call Experience).  Start with identifying the bad attitudes and the stuff in life that triggers them, and work like the dickens (Tangent 2) to fix them.  Pray, read books, listen to speakers, ask for advice and feedback. 

Tangent 1:  "elucidative" is flagged by spell check for not being a word.  I get great pleasure from this.  It's like I'm rebelling against the system, one made up word at a time.  Maybe I'm a Shakespeareal Ninja.  Then again, maybe not.

Tangent 2:  Euphemisms crack me up.  I can say "Like the dickens" or "Dad blame it" or "Crud Muffins" and most people don't even notice it (unless to laugh at me for saying Crud Muffins.  However, replace those with real, non-PG versions, and a lot of people would freak out and revoke my Christian credentials.  The spirit of the response is the same.  So, imhho, it makes sense to either 1) refrain from all interjectory language, or 2) not care about either one.  This argument is independent of two other arguments.  First, that of using references to God flippantly (or "in vain").  Second is the argument that we shouldn't do things that cause others to stumble.  For if in my language I cause my brother distress, my language should reflect my care for his distress.

Noise

I regularly go through my Twitter account and... well... it's like this...  I Unfollow people.  Don't look at me like that.  You know you want to do it too.  Here's the deal; you can only process so much information.  Did you know there is more information in a single issue of USA Today than the average person, hundreds of years ago, would come across in their entire lifetime (a fact I got from the Leadership 101 Series by John Maxwell.  Great books, btw)?  I don't want to put useless filler in front of my eyes.  You might have a great point of view, maybe even say things that would change my life if I were listening, but if I'm not listening/reading/watching you then there's no reason for you to be on my Twitter, or my Facebook, or my blog list, or my IM buddy list, or my cell phone, or my email, or... well, you get the idea. 

Seth Godin had a post on his blog recently concerning signal to noise ratio.  I wholeheartedly agree.  We put so much unused information into our head that what we could use and often times need is lost in the static around it. From his post:

Until you remove the noise, you're going to miss a lot of signal.

As Switchfoot so wisely said, if you're Adding To The Noise, turn off that song.

Today I Learned...

...that starting a fire is harder than I thought. No, dumping a whole box of matches onto it doesn't work, nor does numerous balls of paper when the wood isn't very dry. (the matches lighting at once was impressive, though) However, take an empty cereal box, fill it with wood, and then light that and it works out well. Then, getting to watch my boy roast hot dogs in my own backyard... Well, that was priceless, as the saying goes.

Quotable Kids

Daddy, you've got a big belly.

Yes, sweetie, I do.

Daddy, did you eat an elephant?

CHFG?

CHFG -

Confederation of Hyperactive Fighting Grenadiers

Memorial Day

For work done,
For hope given,
For love shown,
For freedom earned
by the blood of the fallen,

Thank You.

CHFG?

Come Here Ferdinand the Great
Center for the Health and Fitness of Gerbils
Calling Home For Gary
Cup Half Full Gauge
Centaurs Have Furry Goatees
Cavalry Hooves up For Grabs

Christian / Husband / Father / Geek

I am a Christian.  A believer that Jesus Christ was and is the son of God.  That he was crucified.  That he rose from the dead and ascended into heaven.  That I can follow him there. 

I am a Husband.  A giver of hugs, help, and hot coffee.  The recipient of hugs, help, and hot coffee.  A half of a whole.

I am a Father.  Thrice over a horse, a listening post, a storyteller, a cook, a money giver.  Toddling through the days retaining my sanity as the sounds of screaming children chase me.

I am a Geek.  Certified.  I can build an Exchange server, troubleshoot a PRI, code HTML, and freak my son out by remote during his PC games. 

I am Brandon / CHFG.