Ahhh, it’s May, and this weekend the annual wave of commencement ceremonies begins. And yes, the inevitable Doonsbury comics, but that’s not where we’re going with this…
ANYWAY~
Unless you were Stanford ’05, chances are good to excellent you have no memory of who delivered your commencement speech, or what they spoke about.
So many other thoughts in my head those days… I know I don’t remember any of mine, but I do enjoy listening to thoughful speakers, and their messages in others’ speeches.
IMO, a good commencement speech is equal parts timeless and fresh, is both hopeful, and reality-based, and shares both retrospect, and vision.
Former speechwriter Charles Wheelan had his share of commencement speeches; writing them was his first job out of college. He’s since moved on, and in a recent WSJ essay, he wrote of things he wished someone would have shared with Class of 1988.
Adapted from his about to be published book 10-1/2 things No Commencement Speaker Has Ever Said, #3-Don’t make the world worse, and # 9-It’s all borrowed time I thought were particularly wise. Neither snarky or pessimistic, I think most are things we probably already ‘know’, but are just so well-articulated here. Click the link above to check it out, maybe get a little re-calibrated yourself.
My pal Liz sent me this clip to me over the weekend. I am not a fan of the vote-for-your-favorite-talent-on-the-telley genre, but if you are, you may already know part of the story, but stay with me til the end.
And even if you know all the story, IMO it’s worth re-visiting. This was the only embedd-able version I could find, so don’t mind the graphics. It’s about 6 minutes long, watch it all the way thru and then continue reading.
This really moved me, but it was the usually snarky Simon’s question at the end that really hit me hard…how many years has she been waiting to do this?
Because I don’t follow any of this stuff, I wanted to find out more and share it, so straight to YouTube I went, typed in Janey Cutler.
What was the first thing that popped up? Janey Cutler dies.
Yes, apparently the clip Liz sent me was from 2010, and Mrs. Cutler, after what her kids call probably the most fun year and a half of her life, passed away in her sleep earlier this year.
Which makes Simon’s question-how many years have you been waiting to do this?-all the more poignant.
We all have our own version of greatness in us, at our reach. What do we let stand in our way, and keep us in an unhappy place? Relationships, bad habits, material goods? Grudges, fears or regrets?
Talk of resolutions and sweeping changes usually reaches a fever pitch the last week of the year, but truth is, ANY day-EVERY day-can be a new beginning. Whenever your time is right, be grateful for the grace of recognizing it, and get going. Just don’t let your best song stay unsung.
POP QUIZ #4: How Well DO You Know Mark Twain and Sir WInston?
Have always been a fan of wise people and the sage words they have shared, but did you know that two of the most beloved observers of the human condition were both born on this same day? (Those rascally Saggitarians have always had a way with words!)
Yes indeed, Sammuel Langhorne Clemens-a.k.a. Mark Twain in 1835, and Sir Winston Churchill in 1874. In honor of the occasion, here are some favorites, can you match the man to the words? Scroll down to see the answers.
1. All great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope.
2. Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, take time to pause and reflect.
3. Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today.
4. Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak out; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
5. When in doubt, tell the truth.
6. Be good, and you will be lonesome.
7. I am fond of pigs. Dogs look up to us, cats look down on us, pigs treat us as equals.
8. Patiotism is supporting your country at all times, and your government when it deserves it.
9. You can’t depend on your eyes if your immagination is out of focus.
10. We shape our buildings, afterwards they shape us.
11. A fanatic is one who won’t change his mind, and can’t change the subject
12. A man with a new idea is a crank, until that idea succeeds.
13. The trouble isn’t that there are too many fools, it’s that lightning isn’t distributed correctly.
14. There are two kinds of people: those who accomplish things, and those who claim to have accomplished things. The first group is less crowded.
15. No sinner is ever saved after the first twenty minutes of a sermon.
16. Solitary trees, if they grow at all, grow strong.
Quite a week, here in Westchester; an earthquake AND a hurricane. Both were anomalies, but we’ve had A LOT of funky weather in recent memory-nor’easters… tornado activity… and hail big enough to make you wonder when the locusts would be arriving.
Good reminder that the unexpected can happen anytime, wherever you live. Remembering the panicked feeling of being unprepared could serve us all: a little planning now will save time, money and stress at the very least. Here are a few easy basics:
If the lights go out: Don’t even think about candles, but why worry about no-or old-batteries? Right now, LL Bean has great prices on crank flashlights ($15.00), and emergency radios ($25.00-40.00). They operate by cranking a handle, and have various extras like dual solar-power, emergency (red) or regular flash light, weather bands, or cell phone charger. Shop now, they make great gifts, too.
Pick up a few big jugs of bottled water, an extra half-gallon (or two) of milk now. Stow the water jugs in the garage/basement, milk goes in the freezer. (little known fact, cheese can also freeze well). And don’t forget a manual can-opener, if you are without.
Invest in a few large plastic tarps, they’ll help mitigate any damage sustained from falling or blowing debris. If you have picture windows, or sliders, get some wide tape. It won’t keep them from breaking, but if they break, it will be fewer and larger pieces.
Hit the ATM, and stash the cash. If power goes out, so will credit card processing machines, and ATMS; cash on hand is king.
Last, get you pet’s records in order. While Bella Blue is up to date, but if I had to evacuate with her, no shelter would take us if I couldn’t prove it. Keep a few days’ of food, and a plain bowl for water with it, too.
The DIfference Between Staging, and Preparing A House For Sale
Am very big on quotes lately, another one of my favorites is from Mark Twain:
“The difference between the right word, and the almost right word is the difference between lightning, and a lightning bug.”
In reality, there is no difference between Staging, and preparing a house for sale. Perception is another story.
Bless those folks at HGTV. YES they have elevated our collective recognition of the “S” word. YES most of us know the ‘de-clutter, de-personalize’ mantra.
Yet for many “Staging” is on par with Olympic Curling…we are fascinated! We watch as we try to figure it out, but we can’t…so we just watch some more.
Staging, and preparing a house for sale both look at what needs to be done, what can be done to find and demonstrate value for buyers.
Whether you say you are Staging, or preparing a house for sale, you are putting the property’s best foot forward, so that you can sell it in the shortest time, at the best price, so you can get on with your life.
Staging, and preparing your house for sale are not just about pretty visuals. Done properly, Staging-or preparing a house for sale first asks and understands more about the local market, and the agents pricing and marketing strategy. Seller needs, goals and expectations are given equal consideration.
One other thing Staging and preparing a house for sale have in common: each property, seller and agent combine to have their own unique solution.
No matter what you want to call it, look to your results. Have a property that needs to be sold? Start the conversation, and get on with your life.
