Walk Into the Future

Category: Mentoring

  • Heavy is the head that wears the crown!

    crown

    (Image by Radfotosonn from Pixabay) 

    “Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets”.

    (Luke 6:26)

    My Walk into the Future in 2020 was an interesting journey!

    I am sure everyone who just read that last sentence can highlight how 2020 was a unique year to remember—good or bad.  We all had to adjust in 2020 due to COVID-19 and these adjustments impacted our daily lives.

    One area I needed to adjust was how I lead an organization with COVID-19 work protocols–working from home, virtual meetings and having staff with preexisting conditions.  None of these things were on our radar when 2020 started but quickly became necessary talking points in early March 2020 for most of us.

    My gravitation to the Luke 6:26 verse came about because even when I am doing great work, I continue to look for an angle to motivate myself to do more.  I am not a person to rest on my laurels but look for ways to motivate myself and team to do more.  Luke 6:26 stands out to me today because I am happy to report not all men speak well of me on my current Walk into the Future.

    I do not make that claim lightly but have found a level of motivation, enjoyment, and humor in this fact.  Turns out the people who do not speak well of me are the people who are slackers in their daily work endeavors.  It is obvious I take a lot of pride in getting positive things done, correctly and on-time.  I have discovered people who do not take pride in their work, who are satisfied with the status quo or who are plain lazy are not fans of people like me. 

    I enter new organizations with the mission to make a difference daily—amazingly simple concept but one I do not take lightly.  I have discovered in my new work environment there WERE several people who were not held accountable for their daily actions.  You cannot make a difference daily without being accountable, so these people hear from me they are not meeting my expectations. 

    Please note, these folks work or worked in multiple departments, so it was not isolated to just one area. 

    “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes the wicked incur abuse.”

    (Proverbs 9:7)

    A funny thing happened when I identified we all need to be accountable in the work environment.  Some did not speak well of me!  Not saying that to be nonchalant or play it down but I heard someone say they could not thrive in a work environment with expectations.  True statement!

    I wish I were making this up, but it is true.  Imagine being in a work environment and a staff member has an issue with being accountable to the team and overall mission.  I have been on this professional journey for 30+ years now and find this a terribly sad state of mind for anyone. 

    Turns out the previous leadership did not value accountability as much as they should have.  It is amazing how much energy is needed within an organization to correct these type thoughts and actions.  There have been times new leadership has been questioned but The Energy Bus continues to move forward.  Great things are happening and staff who did not have a voice are now able to fully contribute.  The new energy is contagious!

    I hope there are other folks who do not speak well of me!  My work speaks for itself.  I was promoted to Administrative Director of Advising and Career Services on July 1, 2021.  Must be doing something right, huh? 😊

    We will continue to Walk into the Future and do great things!  Irie!

    Believe Shakespeare perfectly sums up this episode below!

    “Heavy is the head that wears the crown”.

    (Shakespeare)

  • Waxing Poetic!

    Jetty

    Really?

    Black Lives Matter you say

    Is that real or just a cliché?

    Cannot believe we have to scream this everyday

    Just to be heard, seen, and protected

    From the brutal society trying to stamp us out

    The daily body counts continue to rise

    With no end in sight, we fall

    Does not matter if it is a southern thing

    Northern thing or western thing

    Black lives continue to be extinguished

    With no end in sight

    So, I ask again, do Black Lives Matter?

    When will you step up to make this true?

    Simply saying it with no action makes it a hollow cliché

    Something woke to say?

    Time for action, some type of display

    Marching is fine but there cannot be additional delay

    Let us put more meaning to Black Lives Matter

    Do it today!

  • Cross Seminole Trail run

    Seminole Cross Trail

    “Running:  my sport is your sport’s punishment”.

    (Funny running quotes)

    Took me a little time to fully understand what being a runner truly means.  I started getting serious about running when I moved to Oviedo, Florida from Bonaire, Georgia. 

    I ran in Georgia because I was still in the Air Force and needed to maintain my cardio fitness to ensure I completed our annual fitness test.  I was always in shape but focused on football, basketball and weightlifting while in the Air Force.  I signed up for an occasional 5k but never really trained for them—just showed up and ran.  I also had NO idea how important the correct shoes can be in this sport.

    Now, back to the quote above.  I played football, basketball, and baseball back in the high school days.  I transitioned to flag football, basketball, softball and weightlifting during my time in the Air Force.  Coaches in both worlds routinely assigned RUNNING as a motivational tactic or punishment depending on how they felt.  A missed assignment in football was punished by running a lap or two around the track.  A missed free throw in basketball was punished by unlimited ‘down and backs’ on the basketball court.  An error in baseball or softball got a lap around the field to regain your focus.  So, as you can see, the quote above rings true in more ways than one. 😊

    Fast forward to today and punishment from my younger days is something I routinely leave my house to accomplish, for fun! The therapeutic benefits have been amazing also.

    Running has taken on a large part of my Walk into the Future, and I do not see it diminishing anytime soon.  I got into running later in life, so I am blessed to not have run related injuries that limit my ability to get my miles in.  I also know the importance of nutrition and stretching so make sure I take care of my body before, during and after my runs.

    Another fun fact about my running program is I bring my running gear whenever I travel in case I can sneak a run in. Sometimes I never get a chance to break out my gear but want to be ready.

    My work with the Central Florida Employment Council (CFEC) back in May brought me back to the Orlando area and the large trail systems available there.  My event with CFEC was on a Friday afternoon so I decided to hang out in Oviedo after the event so I could get up on Saturday morning and run the Seminole Cross Trail while in the area.  Yes, you read that right—Inspiration Man made a point to get a run in while in town making a difference. 

    I love the Seminole Cross Trail because it has visible mile markers and most of the trail is shaded.  I made sure I got out early because I wanted to beat the Central Florida heat and still have time to enjoy time in Oviedo.

    There was a lot of activity on the trail with bikers, walkers and runners sharing the trail.  I made a point to wave and say hello to everyone I saw on the trail.  My Fort Pierce runs do not provide many opportunities to see many folks during my runs, so it was great seeing others out enjoying the morning on the trail. 

    A first for me was seeing someone riding a unicycle on the trail.  Guess I only thought people rode unicycles as part of a circus act but this guy rode by me at a good pace.  I was impressed with the ability to balance and ride a unicycle while avoiding people on a busy trail.  Started to wonder if I could ride one of those things.  Running provides time to think about stuff. 😊

    I was able to complete a quick 6 mile run on the trail before it got too hot—not bad considering I was there for an event.

    I look forward to leveraging the Seminole Cross Trail more as I ramp up my half marathon training.  I plan to get back into racing later in the year and need to start getting long runs in again. 

    My run gear bag remains packed, and I am ready to keep logging miles.  Each run brings me closer to 1,000 training miles for the year.

    How many miles have you logged this year?  Let’s get busy!

    “Running helps me maintain my ‘never killed anyone’ streak”.

    (Pinterest)

  • Mastering College to Career—the mentor returns

    Inspire

    (Image by Bryan Stewart from Pixabay)

    “A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself”.

    (Oprah Winfrey)

    My Walk into the Future allows me to explore activities that I enjoy.  This concept provides me unlimited access to find new ways to make a difference in the world.

    I understand most of my blog articles center on my adventures, travel and things that cross my mind (social justice, current events, etc.)  I continue to seek opportunities where I am making a difference and then decide how to highlight those efforts on the Walk into the Future blog.  Please note, I do not take notes when I am engaged in an activity—I try to sit down after the fact and then document my thoughts to share with my readers.

    I received an email from Daniel Botero who is one of my tree branches.  Daniel’s name should be familiar with readers since he hosts the Mastering College to Career podcast, and I have been a featured guest 4 times so far.  Daniel has added an interactive mentoring component to his program and invites national guests to speak with his mentees. 

    Mastering College to Career has grown quite a bit since I last sat down with Daniel in March 2020.  He continues to add value to college students across the country by helping them understand how to make themselves attractive to recruiters. 

    The program helps colleges students LEARN how to build their online presence, resume, and mock interview skills.  Surprisingly, COVID-19 allowed Daniel to extend his program since he uses Zoom meetings to check-in with his students.

    The email Daniel sent me was a request to join him via Zoom to speak with his students.  He did not provide a specific topic but wanted this to be a free form conversation so his students could ask me questions. My roles within Career Services at multiple schools was a targeted aspect of the conversation.  Daniel wanted me to share my knowledge on the correct way for colleges students to network with employers to ensure they are visible and viable in the recruiting process. 

    I made sure to express being visible and viable is the key to transitioning from a college student to the world of employment.  This was a bit of a revelation for some of the students because they assume a degree means the transition will be easy.  This is a common thought of students everywhere I have been, but it is not true.  There are a lot of talented graduates at every college and university, the key to going to work is being visible and viable to recruiters.  Sounds simple but students without these key components are not on the radar of recruiters.  Daniel’s students were amazed by this statement and quickly wanted to know how they can gain an advantage.

    I shared a quick story of a student I worked with at UCF.  This student had a GPA that was not high.  This student was not a U.S. citizen, so this eliminated them from certain organizations that refused to sponsor students for the hiring process.  This student was a native Spanish speaker so English was the second language.  These are three huge strikes within the on-campus recruiting process and the student in this example was not feeling good about the chances of gaining employment after graduation.  I met with this student, and he explained the things he PERCEIVED to hold him back from getting a job after graduation.  I developed the visible and viable concept while working with this student.

    I told him he needed to identify organizations he wanted to work for and identify when they were on-campus.  He was advised to ensure that each time one of these organizations was on-campus, he would meet with them and expressed his interest working for them.  He was schooled on how to ensure the recruiters saw him as someone with potential and not worry about a low GPA.  Fast forward a bit and several organizations saw him as visible and viable and offered him interviews.  Not only interviews but this same student received 6 job offers prior to graduation—not bad for someone who supposedly had the deck stacked against him.

    Can you guess the name of this student?  If you guess Daniel Botero, you would be right.  The person who learned how to be visible and viable is teaching his students the same skills he learned sitting in my office a decade ago—small world! 😊

    The reaction of the students on the Zoom session was a renewed energy.  They needed to hear others have struggled with this process and overcame similar doubts.  Sharing my knowledge with the students provided a reminder they control their destiny—no one can stop a determined person.

    I received about 20 LinkedIn requests from students in this session to connect for future advice on their journey.  I gladly accepted the requests and actively help these students anyway I can.  I found a higher level of satisfaction by volunteering my time to help these students. 

    Inspiration Man continues to seek ways to make a difference in the world!

    How do you reach back to help others?  Irie!

    “We all need someone who inspires us to do better than we know how”.

    (Anonymous)

  • Inspiration Man strikes again—Central Florida Economic Council

    CFEC1

    “Surround yourself with people who are only going to lift you higher”.

    (UK Wired)

    Dictionary.com defines inspiration as a divine influence directly or immediately exerted upon the mind or soul.

    I have multiple Walk into the Future blog posts discussing superpowers and why they are important in our daily walk.  Here is one of my favorites where I introduce my readers to Inspiration Man. 😊

    My move to Fort Pierce has allowed me to make a difference but it is more of an organizational difference so far.  We have adjusted work product and flow in my first 14 months.  It almost feels like a complete overhaul of the organization based on how we revamped our services, products, and delivery methods.  I did not expect this level of adjustment when I arrived, but we have made steady progress on modernizing our services and delivery.

    The concept of Inspiration Man came up to highlight how I make an impact in the daily lives of others.  Inspiration Man has been doormat, but this all changed when I received an email from a colleague in Orlando who works with the Central Florida Economic Council (CFEC) and Christian HELP. 

    Both organizations work to help people in Central Florida get back on their feet—job search, housing, food, etc.  My friend is the Division Director for these organizations and asked me to speak at their May 2021 Job Fair.  I did something similar 10 years ago and she remembered my positive impact on job seekers and wanted me to share my knowledge again.  She does not know about my alter ego, Inspiration Man but she was about to unleash the superhero on the Orlando area. 😊

    I quickly accepted the opportunity to move the crowd and share information with job seekers.  The topic given:  Job Searching in 2021—How to Adapt. 

    This was not a topic I had in my speaking library, but the challenge was to find a way to cover this information and engage with the audience.  They provided an article with a ton of useful information, so this was the foundation of the presentation.

    I never miss an opportunity to help, and this process was exciting; research, building and then presenting information to people who needed to hear from me.

    I made my way to Winter Garden on the day of the event.  Decided to drive over and then change at the venue prior to show time.  My friend greeted me at the door, and we took a little time to catch up on life.  She remembered the book I published in 2010 and thought I had another one ready to present to the group.  FYI—I have been working on producing an eBook on Authentic Leadership, but it is not ready for public consumption.  It should be coming later in 2021—get ready!

    Inspiration Man made a quick dash into the dressing room to change into my superhero outfit for the day.  Trying to be funny with that—it was a grey suit with a power blue tie.

    Headed off to do a quick microphone check and make a quick adjustment to my slide deck.  The event was held at Mosaic Church in Winter Garden, Florida and they have a fantastic audiovisual team.  Sound checks allow me to gauge the acoustic of the venue to understand how loud I need to speak into the microphone.  All systems go!

    https://thisismosaic.org/

    I took the stage after the host took care of some announcements and introduced me as the featured speaker of the day.  It is always weird to me when I hear someone introducing me at an event—I want to look around to see who they are talking about, and it is ME. 

    I like to start my presentations by building rapport with the audience.  One member spoke with me before the presentation and shared she was having a hard time finding employment.  She mentioned a few things she tried but was having troubles.  This quick conversation allowed me to bring a real-world situation into my presentation and highlight I was there to help.  I speak with slides, but this does not drive how I present.  Slides to me provide a foundation but I am not limited to the words on my slide show.

    I am a huge fan of Jocko and introduced this video to set the tone for the day: 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdTMDpizis8

    Diving into the presentation I covered:

    • Trends
    • Search parameters
    • Personal messages
    • Competition
    • Presentation (Elevator pitch)

    Each topic came directly from the article they provided, and I leveraged this data to highlight how the current trends favored the job seekers.  We jumped into new job search parameters and ways to gain and keep an employer’s attention.  The personal messages centered on building a WHY statement.  Of course, I shared my WHY with the group to show how it can impact a positive mindset. 

    The competition on the job search is really internal—preparing well enhances the client’s ability to connect with employers.  The presentation centered on creating an elevator pitch to helps a client standout in a positive manner.

    The audience responded well to each topic and had a lot of questions for me during my hour with them on stage.  This was the most fun I have had in a long time.  Working with motivated people who want to learn and get better brings out the best in me.  I was intent on moving the crowd during this event and happy to report mission accomplished.

    Several folks waited to speak with me after and tell me their unique stories.  I listened and shared my contact information so they can reach out to me when ready.  I am happy to help them continue to grow.

    Hoping to get additional invitation to help with CFEC/Christian HELP events again soon.  May be time for Inspiration Man to make another appearance! 😊

    “Do not let yesterday take up too much of today”.

    (Will Rogers)

  • Reading into the Future

    Books

    “Fill your house with stacks of books, in all the crannies and nooks”.

    (Dr. Seuss)

    Who knew Dr. Seuss was so wise?

    My love of reading started when I was young.  This may have come about because my hometown is so small and reading provided unlimited adventures for me.  I cannot remember a time when I did not have a book in my hand reading about things that enlightened my world.

    My love for reading kept me in my junior high school library daily looking for new books.  Books about the old west were some of my favorites back then.  Learning about warriors Sitting Bull, Geronimo and Cochise was my go-to section within the library—I read other stuff, but the wide west was an era that fascinated me.  Mrs. Wiggins, the librarian, gave me unlimited access to books and allowed me to check out as many as I wanted.  I left school on Friday afternoons with a new stack of books and read them over the weekend so I could return on Monday and get more books.  Did I mentioned I love reading! 😊

    High school saw me gravitate to a larger library with even more adventures waiting for me to discover.  I spent so much time in the library, Mrs. Chandler let me check out books to my fellow students.  I did not work there but she made me useful and took breaks while I ran the library for her.  I still see Mrs. Wiggins and Mrs. Chandler when I am back in Jasper—they still bust my chops for always being in their way.

    Fast forward to 2021 and I still have a thing for reading—guess I am a lifelong learner. 

    I write out my yearly goals each January and make sure I list a reading goal for the year.  My 2021 reading goal is to read 2 books each month.  That does not sound daunting, but my reading progress can be impacted by life (work, travel, etc.).  Work has proven to be the biggest obstacle to my reading program since we have so many new things going on at the same time.  Yes, that is an excuse so had to work my way out of my reading funk and get back on-track.

    My saving grace is one of my coworkers.  He is an avid reader, and his yearly goal was a bit more aggressive than mine.  He would come into work on Mondays and tell me about the book(s) he read over the weekend.  I am a bit competitive so knew I had to get myself in gear or he was going to leave me in his dust (reading wise).  Life inspiration is funny—positive peer pressure got me back to reading.

    Proud to say I have been in a groove and have started to crush my reading goals.  I joined Amazon Prime so I could get free shipping and 2-day delivery for my book purchases.  Sounds like a small thing but getting books delivered faster actually keeps me focused.  I routinely have two or three books on standby as I complete my current title.  Amazon provides book recommendations based on previous purchases, so I am always on the lookout for my next buy. 

    I read four books in April and three in May—this put me back on pace to meet my yearly reading goal.  My increased reading volume puts me on pace to read 40+ books this year which would be the most ever for me in a year.  Funny thing is I am still super busy at work but made reading a priority and the pages are turning now. 

    I am not limited to a single topic when selecting my books.  I do not read much fiction but try to find subjects I can learn from and apply in my daily interactions.  Some of my books are just entertainment and enjoy turning pages while sitting on the beach in between naps.

    Here are a few of my latest reads:

    • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*CK / Mark Manson
    • Ocean Prey / John Sanford
    • The Hero Code / Admiral William H. McRaven
    • Make Your Bed / Admiral William H. McRaven
    • Outliers / Malcolm Gladwell
    • Start with Why / Simon Sinek
    • Think Again / Adam Grant

    Looking to get The Bomber’s Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell soon—the reviews are great and love his writing style.  I am sure there will be other titles added to my reading journey—just need to figure out what I want to read about and put my Amazon Prime membership to work.

    What are your reading goals?  Who is your favorite author and why?

    “There is more treasure in books than all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island”.

    (Walt Disney)

  • One year in Fort Pierce

    Fort Pierce

    “Your life is a story of transition.  You are always leaving one chapter behind while moving to the next”.

    (Anonymous)

    2020 brought us a year of uncertainty and change.  Not the most prophetic thing I have ever written for the Walk into the Future blog but felt the need to drop that nugget. 

    I celebrated the one-year mark of my move to Fort Pierce on April 13th and decided to look back.  I am sure I was not the ONLY person to move to a new city during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic but have not met anyone in my current circle.  Turns out I was the last employee hired by Indian River State College before a hiring freeze was imposed due to COVID-19 uncertainty and the onset of remote work for all college employees.

    I remember when I was preparing to move from Tallahassee to Fort Pierce the thought kept coming up that maybe my opportunity to work at Indian River State College would be pulled due to the pandemic.  I called a few times to make sure I was still hired, and Human Resources kept saying yes.  Packed up the U-Haul, pointed it south and the rest is history—arrived in Fort Pierce without knowing the pandemic was about to get a whole lot worse than we expected.  It did not help the government kept telling people there was nothing to worry about—that dang U.S. government, they have never lied before, right? 😊

    I never had a remote work schedule when I arrived—being new to the area, going into the office was my only interaction with other people. The limited staff in the buildings all wore masks and practiced physical distancing but going to work was a welcomed part of my day.  I could not imagine moving to a new city and then sitting at home all day without seeing anyone. 

    True story—my entire staff was working remotely so I met my 11-person team on my laptop via a Zoom meeting.  Never thought this would be possible but 2020 made us find creative ways to get things done.  My initial staff meetings were all done via a virtual platform (Zoom, Black Board Collaborate or Microsoft Teams).  I love the functionality of Microsoft Teams and continue to conduct staff meetings with this platform. Most of the staff are fully vaccinated but we still have a few stragglers—hope to be able to get everyone together with physical distancing in the fall—fingers crossed.

    I had to find new running routes over the past year.  Discovered Fort Pierce is not as runner friendly as Tallahassee or Oviedo so finding places to run safely continues to be a challenge.  I have two good running areas but would like more routes for a change of scenery.  I love running but still get bored if I do not have variety on my routes. Will keep searching for new places to run because I need to extend my long runs with my focus on becoming a running tourist again.  I have race entries for the following:

    • 2021 Rock n Roll Virginia Beach Half Marathon / September 5, 2021
    • 2021 Orlando Utility Commission (OUC) Half Marathon / December 4, 2021
    • 2022 Rock n Roll New Orleans Half Marathon / February 6, 2022

    Would like to add more races but need to build my long runs back up to 12+ miles again. 

    My initial workouts in Fort Pierce were done strictly at home.  Most of the gyms closed due to COVID-19 protocols and I would not have ventured in even if they were open.  I stopped going to the gym before leaving Tallahassee because the gym environment is a prime place for close contact with others.  This close contact led to people spreading the virus so I invested in workout equipment so I could maintain my fitness levels from home.  Surprisingly, I stayed in great physical shape with home workouts.  I have slowly returned to the gym but only go two days a week now when I am in town.  I do body weight workouts (pushups, crunches, squats, etc.) in the mornings before I head to work.  I am happy with my results and will keep this up since it is working and a lot cheaper than having a gym membership. 😊

    The beaches on the Treasure Coast provide me with great places to sit, relax and catch up on my reading.  Funny, I live about 10 minutes from a beach but find I must schedule my beach outings.  I run close to the water and stop to enjoy the views but need to do a better job of just making beach days.  I am heading to Melbourne tomorrow for an air show and will get an early start so I can stake my claim to a prime beach location to relax and enjoy the Blue Angels as they put on their show.  I plan to get to the beach more this year and keep taking beautiful sunset shots.

    Time continues to move forward.  It feels like I just got here yesterday but it has been a year.  Most days seemed to be the same due to COVID-19 protocols but a year it has been.  Looking forward to new adventures in 2021 and you know I am going to highlight a few in the Walk into the Future blog! 😊

    Irie!

    “To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly”.

    (Henri Bergson)

  • Positive people make positive things happen!

    Positive

    “Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results”.

    (Willie Nelson)

    Positive people make positive things happen is one of my favorite quotes to live by!  This quote has been with me for years—I do not even remember when or where I started using it but incorporate this quote in life daily.

    The quote is straight forward and simple but has the power to transform.  Think of the negative people you know and their impact within the work environment.  I mention the work environment but negative people impact us whenever they are around.  I would love to say you can avoid negative people but there are times when you will come in contact with them.  Do not let this time linger as these folks can drain you.  Nothing is ever good enough or there is always a reason why something cannot be done.

    Let’s get back to the positives in this article! 😊

    Positive anything is better than the negative counterpart.  Think of the positive people in your life and how they make YOU feel.  These folks are always seeking a way to make things around them better.  It could be how they greet you in the morning or the ever present smile on their face even when things are not going their way.  It would be easy for them to complain but they do not.  They seek the positives in the situation and how to make things better.  They strive to get things done and not worry about the circumstances.

    This ability to seek the positives directly translates to making positive things happen.  This is not a coincidence—focusing on positives allows these folks to generate positive outcomes.  They use their time and energy to find solutions to make a difference on projects they work on. 

    These are the folks I gravitate towards because they are solution focused—not looking for excuses why things cannot get done.  I pride myself as a positive person and wake up daily to make a difference in the world.  This mindset has helped guide me towards successful outcomes in whatever venture I seek to conquer. Please note, there are days when negative thoughts creep in but I quickly shake them off so I can continue to move forward.

    That negative friend, coworker or family member drains energy by identifying why something cannot be done.  These negative folks spend more time taking away from finding a solution—there are times where I see this negative mindset attract like minded folks and they feed off each other.  Do not fall into this trap—avoid these people at all costs.  Better yet, be so positive they want to avoid you or at least want to emulate the positivity you put on display daily.  I find joy frustrating negative people by not allowing their issues to come into my world. 

    My goal is for them to join in on the positive things happening. 

    What do you do to ensure a positive mindset?  How do you avoid the negative noise from others?

    As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another

    (Proverbs 27:17)

  • Turning the corner on COVID-19

    smiley-4836178_1920

    (Image by Sergei Tokmakov, Esq. from Pixabay) 

    “Choose to be optimistic.  It feels better”.

    (Dalai Lama)

    I do not know if we have truly turned the corner on COVID-19 but it does feel like we have made some progress.

    The rollout of the vaccine has been moving forward the past three months and my excitement is firmly rooted in the fact I have family and friends who are fully vaccinated.  Happy to report I got my first dose of the Moderna vaccine on Friday and should be fully vaccinated by the time you read this article.

    I realize there is more work to be done before we get to herd immunity but there are positive signs daily.  We need to maintain a level of caution and not get too far ahead to ensure these positive vibes remains.

    My excitement for turning the corner is because I was able to visit my family in northern Florida and did not feel like I was putting them at risk.  My mom, aunts and uncles are completely vaccinated and this was the first visit where I did not have the same concerns about possibly bringing the virus into their homes.  Please note, we still maintained physcial distancing and masks wearing but mentally it felt like we were safe again.  I have not hugged my mom in months so a simple side hug this time was a welcomed aspect of the visit.

    My goal is to have my second shot completed before I head back up to visit with family and friends again.  The peace of mind knowing everyone has been vaccinated will allow us to spend a bit more time together and not worry about passing a virus on to a family member. 

    The concept of physical distancing and how we fellowship will probably be changed forever.  Simple things we did around the holidays will most likely change—I do not know if I will ever be comfortable again with our large Thanksgiving gatherings again.  We set up tables and chairs outside for Thanksgiving 2020 and this process went better than I expected.  The weather was great and family was able to spend time together but not in a closed environment. I see this being the new tradition as long as the weather cooperates.

    I hope the Walk into the Future blog readers are in the process of getting vaccinated. 

    I questioned the rapid pace of the vaccine creation and deployment but put those concerns aside in order to ensure I was protected.  This protection extends to my family, friends and coworkers—getting the vaccine is my way to get closer to normal again.  I would like to get back to being a running tourist again in 2021.  This will only happen when more and more people get the vaccine—here’s hoping herd immunity is a real thing!

    Note:  I got sent home from work the day after I wrote this article due to contact tracing.  COVID-19 is still alive and well—stay safe!

    When are you getting the vaccine?  What are you looking forward to once herd immunity is gained?

    “The nearer a man comes to a calm mind, the closer he is to strength”.

    (Marcus Aurelius)

  • Black History is 365!

    (Image by Greg Montani from Pixabay)

    “He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life”.

    (Muhammad Ali)

    Another Black History month has come and gone. 

    What did you do to commemorate the great things you learned during past Black History months?  How did your community or work organization celebrate the one month out of the year set aside to highlight Black History?

    Yes, I am happy we get a month to showcase the great things black people have done and celebrate things we are currently doing.  This year just seems a bit subdued—it could be because of COVID-19 but it seems the month flew by and not much was celebrated.  I saw a few spots on TV discussing Black History month and the importance of remembering the past but nothing really jumped out at me as a highlight.  I hope the country did not go into a shell because of the insurrection that occurred on January 6, 2021.  Just a thought!

    My Black History month moment came as a complete surprise to me.  I saw an Instagram story from my niece Jayla that read:  So sad, none of this is taught in school.

    Look at the list below and tell me how many of these things you knew were invented by a black person:

    Product

    Inventor

    Date

    Air Conditioning Unit

    Frederick M. Jones

    1949

    Almanac

    Benjamin Banneker

    1791

    Auto Cut off switch

    Granville T. Woods

    1839

    Auto Fishing Device

    George Cook

    1899

    Baby Buggy

    William H. Richardson

    1889

    Biscuit Cutter

    Alexander P. Ashbourne

    1875

    Blood Plasma Bag

    Charles Drew

    1945

    Clothes Dryer

    George T. Sampson

    1971

    Curtain Rod Support

    William S. Grant

    1896

    Door Knob

    Osbourn Dorsey

    1878

    Door Stop

    Osbourn Dorsey

    1878

    Elevator

    Alexander Miles

    1867

    Fire Escape Ladder

    Joseph W. Winters

    1878

    Fire Extinguisher

    Thomas Marshall

    1872

    Folding Chair

    Nathaniel Alexander

    1911

    Gas Mask

    Garrett Morgan

    1914

    Golf Tee

    George T. Grant

    1899

    Ice Cream Scoop

    Alfred L. Cralle

    1897

    Ironing Board

    Sarah Boone

    1887

    Lantern

    Michael C. Harvey

    1884

    Mail Box

    Paul L. Downing

    1891

    Peanut Butter

    George W. Carver

    1896

    Pencil Sharpener

    John L. Love

    1897

    Spark Plug

    Edmond Berger

    1839

    Stethoscope

    Thomas A. Carrington

    1876

    Straightening Comb

    Madam C. J. Walker

    1905

    Street Sweeper

    Charles B. Brooks

    1890

    Thermostat Control

    Frederick M. Jones

    1960

    Traffic Light

    Garrett Morgan

    1923

    Tricycle

    Matthew A. Cherry

    1886

    I pride myself in knowing history but could only match three inventions to inventors:

    • Traffic light (Garret Morgan)
    • Straightening comb (Madame C. J. Walker)
    • Peanut butter (George Washington Carver)

    Everything else on this list was brand new to me.  How can this be?  We are taught a modified version of history in school.  It is completely one sided and it appears we are supposed to learn as much as possible in February so we can get back to the regularly scheduled history program.  Imagine growing up in a country that shares tidbits of your history—how would you feel when you finally discover great things were being kept from you?

    I waited for February to end before diving into Black History to extend the conversation.  Yes, I am happy to have a month dedicated to my history but as you can see from the list above, we need more time.  How can someone invent the elevator in 1867 and we have no knowledge of this fact?  I apologize, maybe it is just me with no knowledge of this fact, but my point is this was a MAJOR invention, but we do not pay homage to Alexander Miles.  Truth be told, I never heard his name before.  How is that possible?  Thanks to Sarah Boone I can iron my clothes daily, so I have a pressed look at work.  Imagine how we would look if she did not invent the ironing board?  How would the mailman deliver your mail without Paul L. Downing?  I am sure most people in the world still use some version of the mailbox.

    So, Black History Month is over, but your lessons do not have to stop.  I encourage you to continue to seek out Black History and share with others.  We all have a lot to learn—let’s get to it! 😊

    What did you learn during Black History month?  How do you plan to keep the conversation going?  Thanks!

    “If you know whence you came, there is really no limit to where you can go”.(James Baldwin)