All Good Things

It was easy to see when it was Friday afternoon in my office for a long time. The boss, me, had an extra lively bounce in his step as the week approached end. And everyone knew why. It was card night.

"Playing cards with grandpa tonight?" I was asked by everyone. You bet I am. In my home, in my dining room, my grandfather, dad, two nephews, friends, neighbors, and I would gather for a night of sheepshead, the best card game ever played. My daughters watched four generations of Schroeder's sit at the same table week after week and play an old German game of cards, tell stories, and laugh. But all good things must end.

For years I deluded myself, wanting to believe it would last forever. This tax season lost that bounce as my grandfather felt the weight of the timekeeper. In mid-March he played his last game of cards at my daughter's birthday party before heading to the hospital and then nursing home. I visited often, watching a strong man yield to ninety years of life. Then, around 3:30 Good Friday afternoon, the card game ended forever. Easter Monday the family gathered one last time to honor our patriarch.

Last Friday we gathered for cards again without grandpa. It was a quiet night. It felt wrong. In honor of grandpa, we will continue on, enjoying the company of friends and family. All will remember in their own way.

I stopped writing for months as the workload of tax season and the desire to spend quality time with family left me without time to write. I'll get back in the saddle and write more. Grandpa would have wanted that. Next tax season should be happier.

I have no regrets spending time with family all these years. At times my workload left me so tired I could hardly think; I still made time for family. I do not regret one moment of it.

One his deathbed, my grandfather never once talked about money or work. He talked nonstop about family and that game of cards. He was the hardest working man I ever knew, but what he found most valuable was family and the time he spent with us. There is a lesson in there for all of us.

Tough Decisions

In business, as well as life, character is determined by the hard decisions. Anyone can make the easy calls; a leader makes the difficult ones without complaint.

This morning I worked with a business client on firing customers. It is the hardest decision you can make, but necessary if you are to survive. Customers that don't pay or pay too slow, waste your time, interrupt your business, or are rude, need to go. Your business cannot exist with many clients like these.

After speaking with my client I realized the advice I gave applies to everyday life, too. Friends and acquaintances can suck the life from you by their actions, inactions, and attitudes. It is important to build a team around yourself that supports and respects your position in life.

Live life well is a mantra to embrace. If you are taken advantage of, whether at work, in your business, by family or friends, it is time to step back, and if change doesn't take place, away. Nothing is more difficult. Nothing. And no other action will enrich your life more. There are a lot of great people in the world. Don't waste time on the leaches.

Live life with purpose, live life well, and be a good customer, client, friend, dad, mom, son, daughter, person.

Monday

What a Monday. It is normal to face higher call volume on Mondays and today is no different.

I took work home over the weekend and finished a few projects. Too bad I left my brief case on the kitchen table. I'll print them up tomorrow.

My mail carrier decided she would like my mailbox set up differently. I like extra make-work projects.

I am happy with the work I did get done today. Monday can be a day that stakes up extra work and nothing getting finished. I finished two projects on my desk today. Give me a high five.

On a sad note: I learned Charles Brown died recently. He is the editor-in-chief at Locus magazine, a trade publication for the science fiction and fantasy field. I find a lot of good reading from Locus. I never met Mr. Brown, but I respect him immensely. SF&F lost a good friend.

I set up a Twitter account and need to decide if I want to utilize the tool. I want to use the social networking tools to build my practice and help clients touch base with me. The extra time required must be effective or out it goes.

Hope your Monday went well.