Status

I find it refreshing when people give an honest status update. Whether through Facebook, or just when asked... "How are you?", honest and strait-forward answers are by far the most interesting.

This morning I exchanged these messages (via text) with a friend...

"How R U?"

"Hungry. You?"

"Sexy."

Also, to spice things up, you can include activities like video games, books, and movies in your status update, but be vague as to how these deeds were accomplished.

"What did you do today?"

"I went into work this morning, but things didn't pick up till this afternoon."

"Yeah? What did you do in the afternoon?"

"I started by laying siege to this castle, but that was taking too long, so I watched the police bust up a drug running cartel, and shot my friend Chris in the head since he was screwing around and not helping fight the Germans.... what an idiot."

And if you are wondering if I talk to my fiance' like this... I do.

Crash

Apparently the missing half of the slogan "Get You There" reads, "Get you (and only you) there, but you'll be hungry." Delta Airlines is now charging it's passengers for tickets, bags, and snacks... that's right... snacks. As if I didn't need one more reason not to fly Delta. So quite literally their only concern is to get your person to the destination with no regard for luggage or caring for you in the air.

When your organization is in trouble and the chips are down... every decision makes or breaks your future. And in my opinion only the bold survive.

Maybe it is lack of faith. Maybe it is fear. Maybe it is ulcers. But it is the same every time. A organization reaches an impasse. It has grown in size, it has to shift direction, it has to reevaluate, or it is in financial trouble. So the decision makers come to THE meeting to find THE answer. Whether or not the people in the room know it, they are there to only make one decision. They think they are there to talk about business models, vision, and damage control. But all of these are just HOW you are going to proceed. The question that needs answering is FORWARD or BACKWARD and there is no third direction. "Maintain" "Riding it out" are illusions. FORWARD or BACKWARD?

In this meeting, someone will make a bold suggestion. We should go after a new market. We should proceed. We should spend money to make money. We should be more active in the community. Lets bring in new blood. Of course, it is risky, but better to go out with a fight then die a slow death. This will be met with a few hesitant nods and some mixed mummers. The responsibility and sacrifice lies with the leadership of the organization... and that makes everyone uncomfortable.

Then the spineless will get their excuse to back down from the wormy guy in the corner... who, of course, was never really in favor of the things that has brought the organization to this point. You know, the guy who knew it all along. And he delivers his miracle. You know, we don't have to be responsible for the failure. We don't have to take risks that might put us in a tough spot. We can just pass the cost onto the customers. We don't need to grow, we need to start building the walls that hold out the problems and keep us safe (without considering the problems are inside the walls or even in the room). Lets charge for bags and snacks. If we make everyone else shoulder the cost, we don't have to sacrifice a thing. And even if the business, the church, or the organization fails we can milk it for at least a while longer.

FORWARD or BACKWARDS? Delta will crash. No one wants to pay $5 for a bag of chez-its. I'll fly Southwest who not only is not charging extra for bags and snacks, but is making it more comfortable to fly. And Southwest will grow and Delta will not. How do small-minded and tight-fisted men who lack vision get into positions of leadership?

Has anyone else been to this same meeting?

Service

Unbelievable.

I like to think that I have some empathy for people in the service industry. I apologetically hassled homes as a telemarketer for a short spell, cleaned up after students while washing dishes, and helped people eat fresh as a Sandwich Artist at Subway. I also was a waiter (server) at Cracker Barrel for one of the stranger portions of my life. I say strange because everyone working at the country fresh restaurant was either a Bible college student, an ex-stripper, a current stripper, or a combination of these. But never in all my years have I ever ignored a customer to the point that they would leave.

Unbelievable.

After a hard day of moving and playing video games, Tyler and I found ourselves craving a Frisco Melt and chili from Stake and Shake. Those of you that know the craving can sympathize. So we went to the local S & S, were greeted, were seated... and there we sat. We sat patiently for fifteen minutes. No one so much as looked in our direction. I guess the three servers, two cooks, and one manager were WAY too busy waiting on the other three parties that were there. The place was not busy. We were baffled. It was even more ridiculous that earlier we had left a restaurant at lunch... so we did it again. We just left and drove down the road to the other Steak and Shake by the mall.

Unbelievable.

Of course, this wouldn't be blog worthy if it didn't reach a level of ridiculous that is recognizable from space. And it did. We drove to the other Steak and Shake, were greeted, were seated... and there we sat. We sat for about five minutes... an other couple came in, were seated and their order was taken. We still sat there. Just as I was rising to go to my car to get the necessary materials to burn this place to the ground... they sent the trainee to wait on us. A crisis averted. I mean if one business's service sucks, you just go down the road, but what if all service sucks?

Foundation

The saying goes, "... it's like pizza. Even when it is bad it is still good." Pizza is just one of those things that is really hard to mess up. That doesn't mean that all pizza is made equal. Absolutely not. Some stand above the rest, each being appreciated for its superiority in its own subtle differences. For instance, I don't really enjoy Pizza Hut, however, their stuffed-crust is genius and the taco pizza is one of my favorite pies. Monicals thick crust?!? Is there such a thing?!? And if you want Chicago's deep dish you need to go to Gino's East or go home.

It seems you can put just about anything on pizza and it is tolerable. Toppings don't really make or break the pizza. It is the basics that count. Crust, spices, cheese and sauce. Make a pie with a weird topping and you can shrug it off as not great but still pizza. But, I have never in my life been more shocked than when I was duped into going to Emo's pizza. They make their pizza with provel cheese "St. Louis Style." It sucks. And anyone that says different is a dirty communist. You don't want to be a communist do you?

I just had a slice from a mom and pop pizza place someone offered me, and the sauce tastes like it was made in someone's arm pit... or Decatur. And it is always shocking to find pizza that is actually "bad" not just mediocre. But every time it happens, its not the toppings. It is the fundamentals that get lost in the quest for "interesting" dishes. So for all you up and coming pizza places... make sure you can walk before you run. And don't be a communist.

Reposition

Lord knows that by this time I should be an expert at moving. I've called hotel rooms "home" and lived by the graciousness of spare bedrooms more times then I wish to recall. My baggage is travel worn and I'm sure that post offices and DMVs all over the mid-west rue the day my name appeared on their forms. But the truth is, moving is not systematic. In fact, the art of relocation is an awkward dance that will stretch your endurance as much as it stretches your relationships.

Nothing just fits. The doors and corners aren't wide enough, and all the stuff in my life doesn't fit into this new space like it did in the old. But this is the way of change. You decide to move to the next space: a new house, a new job, a new relationship, a new marriage. Nothing just fits. It is push and pull. Some things stay. Others, even though they still work, just don't fit anymore... and they have to be stored away until their day rises again, or they simply have to go. Forcing doesn't work. I mean sometimes you have to use something until you can replace it, but you can't kid yourself... it doesn't look good with the new surroundings. And if you are combining two lives into one space... forget about simple.

Simple is overrated. Two people moving into one space is about compromise... not simple. It's no longer about what I want or what they want, but what fits best in this new location. Even though I own just enough plastic tubs to pack my life neatly into boxes, and I do, it is not just me anymore. New spaces come with new challenges and new opinions. Even your friends feel the effects. "Can you help me move?" The sounding horn of change is met with silence, resistance, and spite if it happens too often. Nothing is simple.

Some things in my life are becoming staples that will survive the move with me, but leases are temporary and change is a much inevitable as it is not permanent. Every change, every move is slightly awkward, but it is our ability to adapt that will make or break us.