Author: Mike Balof

A retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Mike used to lay in bed at night and worry about what would happen if his plant closed or found himself without a job. One day his plant closed. Rather than panic and hysteria (OK, maybe a little) Mike found himself carried away on the adventure of his life. Mike started with the best job he ever had working at Home Depot. He spent 8 years working with job seekers at a local workforce center, helping them to find employment. He then started his own company developing courses, writing books and urging others to follow their own paths into the future. Mike holds a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Training and a Bachelor of Business Management, earned through the University of Phoenix and an AAS degree in Electronics Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. Mike is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society.

Donating to Others

I never knew this, but the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving (the day after Cyber Monday) is known as donation day. I think this is a great idea. Mainly, because none of us got to where we are today without someone giving us a hand. It is always good to respect the fact that we do not stand here alone.  And, sharing what we have with others is a great way to say thank you.

Many people donate money. The funds collected can bring a lot of good to people in need. I have seen such donations help people return to their family homes, keep a roof over their head, keep utilities running, put food on their table, and help those who don’t have a place to live. I have seen magnificent things happen from even a small donation.

Some people have a hard time making what they have meet their needs, yet, they still donate. Rather than giving money, they give their time. Time, as I often say, is far more precious than money. When we run low on cash, we are able to go out and earn more. Money is a renewable resource.

When we run out of time, that is all there is. This is because we each only have so many years, months, weeks, days, hours and minutes allotted to us on this earth. We never know how much time we are here for, and when it’s over, time is up. Time is a nonrenewable resource. That is why I look at time as being more precious.

I have seen people donate their precious time joyfully and with love in their heart. And because they do so, I have seen the recipients of their hard work find that spark of joy. It is more than just receiving the needed items, both the receivers and those donating the time to help them share exciting moments of mutual caring and thanks. And because of this, I also believe that those who initially provided the money to purchase the needed items, which made all this possible, are doubly blessed as well.

I believe that we each should donate in our own way. We should give respectfully, in a manner that respects those who will receive and shows respect for ourselves. You will be surprised by the blessings and the help that even a small donation can provide.

Thanks for being here with me today.  I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

The Tone in Our Tune

America’s always had a propensity towards violence. I believe it is a byproduct of how we came into being as a nation. We fought for our independence, and then we fought our way across the continent, from east to west, in the move to carve out this great nation. With little regret or remorse, we did what we had to do to make it happen.

In our youth, passions run high. We work towards the change we seek with the belief that nothing can stand in our way. As we age, we hopefully become wiser. With age comes critical thinking and the ability to look past the moment and understand the longer-term outcome of actions. And probably, we pass this ability on to our young.

When our rhetoric as a nation grows in passion without giving understanding to critical thinking and long-term effects, we find ourselves having problems as a community. We need to stop for a moment and consider what we are doing, and the outcome our actions could cause. Are we considering what we say? And, does what we say lead others to a favorable long-term result?

We do not have to live in a pressure cooker of violence. We can turn down the steam. All we need do is turn ourselves away from the heated rhetoric. It does not take everybody doing it at once, at the same time; it only takes one or two people to start. The first time you change the rhetoric from hot to cool you may not get a positive reaction. Yet the harder the response, the better the indication you’re on the right track. Maintain your Calmness and others will pick up the change in direction. As more people turn from heated rhetoric to calming clear thinking, the pressure cooker will lose steam, and worst destruction can be averted.

Think of this the next time you’re about to produce a wisecrack or a belittlement. There is always somebody watching and somebody listening no matter how private a moment you think you have. You hold the ratchet in your hand. Are you going to ratchet up or ratchet down the rhetoric?

Thank you for being with me today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday is upon us. For anyone who got caught in the late-night, early morning or mid-day scuffles at the brick-and-mortar stores, this sure feels like a better deal.

There are many positives to being able to shop from the comfort of your home. You can check for price comparisons right from your home computer. You have more stores, websites, and places to shop, with less running around. Not only do you have free shipping on many orders, but many sites will also gift wrap your order and drop ship directly to the person it was intended for. This saves you from paying for double postage, from the store to you and then from you to the gift recipient.

Of course, like any good thing, some drawbacks can be incurred. Make sure you understand the denomination of the monies used by the e-store. A good friend of mine once bought slippers from a website in Scotland. She thought the cost was in US dollars, and it turned out that she was charged in British pounds. Always check the money symbol used in the payment areas.

When purchasing online, you always want to make sure of the return and exchange policy. Most places will exchange or refund for an item that was not up to expectations or came in the wrong color. Just ensure that they say so in their advertising.

You don’t have to tell the person receiving the package what is in it, yet it would be good to let them know something is on the way. This saves a lot of concern and grief when an unexpected package that has a stores name and not yours on it shows up at somebody’s door. It also gives them a chance to keep an eye out, so that the package doesn’t end up in the back of somebody’s old car as they drive away from the front door.

However you shop, and whatever your list of to-dos is for this holiday season, make sure that you are on that list. You need to give yourself some gifts of relaxing, recouping, sleep, and self-preparation for the holidays both now and ahead. Your psyche and your body will thank you.

Thank you for being with me today.  I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Happy Belated Thanksgiving

I have missed being with you for a couple of days. I do apologize. My Ménière’s disease seemed to get the best of me. It is not painful nor is it contagious. It just stops my balance and removes my sense of equilibrium.

I was working on a humorous blog about Thanksgiving and the excesses the holiday can lead to.  At 700 words, I realized I had a short story in the works.   That is about the time I had to stop working on the computer. I will finish the short story and try to have it to you by Monday.

For today, please stay well and warm. And please remember, all things in moderation.

A Good and Worthy Challenge

 The question before me today is how to understand the problems of those I serve. I can go around and talk to people. Or, I can sit and assume, which rarely works out. I can follow the trends of society. I canwatch the web and see what’s being looked at. What I cannot do, is just assume that because I think I see a problem,others will feel they have that problem. One thing does not equal the other.

In electronics, currents flow because there is a path. Think of the positive and negative poles of a battery. There is an overabundance of energy on one side and a lack of energy on the other side. The current flows across the circuit trying to balance or equalize the imbalance by the movement of electrons to cause an equal status on both sides of the battery. When this has been accomplished, your battery is dead, and you have to replace it.

 In the same way, peoplepurchase something because of an imbalance within their lives. It may be, thatthey are hungry, and they buy fast foodto eat to fill that hunger and balance their system. Other people will buy fruits and vegetables at a grocery store andhave some on hand to eat. Some people like to ride bicycles and buy a bike to ride to and from work. Otherpeople with the same need may purchase cars or subway tokens. Different people willsolve the same problems in different ways depending on how they define their needs.

If I built the best courses and wrote the best books that mankind had ever seen, and I did not adequately address the problems and values of those who use my products, in finding actual solutions to their needs, the work goes nowhere. And, I end up a failure. Therefore, it is important I understand the problems and needs of those who read my work and take my courses. And, even more, that I develop real and affordable solutions that will solve their problems in the most economical terms.

I’ve always believed that life is a challenge. A journey requiring great fortitude. Life needs to be shared, and that requires strength. Strength allows us to share both the good and the problematic. And with a little grit, we can do so without losing ourselves in the mix.

My goal in the months ahead is to look into how to better assist others. I do so, believing answers will be found and shared. At the same time, no one solution will ever work in 100% of situations.  And in this, I see a good and worthy challenge to better solve the problems we all face during our time in this world.

Thank you for being with me today. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Friends


Do you have old friends? I’m not talking about somebody who’s 92 unless you are. Do you have friends who have known you most of your life? 30, 40, 50 years? If so, you are a rich person.

Having friends who know who you were when you were young, the ambitions you had before the world got a hold of you, the friends who can talk to you honestly, and know the punchlines to all the jokes are the most important people in the world. Cherish your friends. Hold each tight in your mind and never let them go. For you will find them almost impossible to replace.

These are the friends who make you who you are. You also make them who they are. These friends may not be with you every day, and they may live far away. Yet these are the friends that are here to stay.

This is the week we give thanks for the crops of whatever we grow, whether it be corn and wheat, software programs and computers, books or mead, or anything else we work at and succeed. As we give our thanks, give thanks for our friends. Rough and gruff or tender and dear our friends give us more satisfaction and happiness than many of our crops this year.

These friends have grown with us for many decades. And, as we mature, we must remember that our friends came from the seeds of friendship we planted long ago. And as we enjoy the fruit of developing friendship, we need to remember to plant the seeds again and again throughout the year. For each harvest gives us new friends to join us as we go andgrow through life.

Thank you for being with me. I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Share Your Story

Have you ever considered writing a book? If you have, youshould write one. If you have not, you should think about it. Your thoughts,ideas, viewpoints, and actions are meaningful toothers. And, you should be heard.

There are well over 3 billion people on our planet, and each one has their own story to tell. More than that, I believe that each person knows something that could help someone else. It is essential to get that information out where others can see it. Each piece of information and each thought makes us stronger as inhabitants of our planet.

I hear all kinds of reasons that people don’t want to write. I was led to believe that I could not write and could not share my ideas and thoughts because of poor grammar and spelling. These days the ordinary computer assists you with your spelling and grammar. I even have a plagiarism program that checks my work to ensure I’m not writing something somebody else’s already written.

It’s important for each of us to share our knowledge and beliefs. I think nothing is worse than having to pass on from this planet without sharing those things that can genuinely help others. If, you really don’t like to write, make a video blog. I would do so, only I have a face designed explicitly for radio.

In our technically rich world, there are so many avenues to reach so many people at little or no cost, sharing thoughts and ideas has never been easier. I for one would love to hear what others think and the truths that they have found during their life. And I know there are billions more out there who would also enjoy hearing from you. Please, share.

Thank you for being with us today. I hope to be with you again soon.

In a Rut?

I have noticed that sometimes when I stick around the house too much, I begin to fall into a rut. I find my writing going stale, and I see myself slipping further and further behind on the things I want to or have to do. I feel the problem is needing to get out, every once in a while, and be re-generated by surroundings that are different.

I find it useful to get out whether it is a walk around the block or a day trip to someplace new. Going to new places gives me new ideas and visions that help me to find progress with the things I’m trying to do. Old haunts, not recently visited, rekindle ideas and goals that I have had in the past, and may have slipped from my somewhat porous brain.

I’m not sure if you have had experiences like this were not. It is terrific seeing old acquaintances and friends and being able to say hi and spend a minute or two talking with them. Certain smells, perfumes, and odors help remind us of the good and bad of older times. And, the change in routine or learning of new pathways helps to inspire us.

The idea of just being somewhere else, just for a day, helps us to drink in a new experience and enjoy the change. I am not saying drop everything and fly to Rio. What I am saying is do something different. If you drive every day maybe take the bus. If that is not practical, take a walk at lunch or try a new restaurant. If you have the time go to a park that’s different than the one you usually go to. Maybe check out a new library or take the night and treat yourself to a show.

We have a tendency to get trapped in our ruts. And the only way to get out is to start to move in a different direction. I am not sure if the movement gets us out of the rut or gets everyone else in there with you. I do know that without action, we stay where we are. Time to start moving again.

Thank you for being with me today, I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Professional Customer Service

I must apologize for missing our time together yesterday. I had to do laboratory tests first thing in the morning which required fasting and were accomplished at the hospital. There was nothing overly concerning about these tests, just the kind of tests we find ourselves taking as we grow older. Taking these tests though, opened my eyes to fantastic customer service.

Preparations for the test actually started the day before with drinking water and fasting from about 6 o’clock in the evening before the tests. When I arrived at the hospital and went to the laboratory to have blood drawn, there was no order in the computer for my tests. This is where professional customer service on their part took over.

First, they apologized. The lady at the intake desk told me she was going to put my number on hold and I was to go to my doctor’s clinic and have them re-enter the tests. And when I came back, I was not to draw a new number, instead go directly to the intake desk and show them my number slip from before.

I went down to my clinic thinking that this would be a long and drawn out process. I talked with people at the front desk, who look me up on the computer. They told me to please have a seat, and they would contact my doctor’s nurse and have this straightened out.

Knowing how many busy clinics and hospitals work, I was prepared to sit and wait for a few hours. After all, my hard part was over. I am the guy who drank all the water and did all the fasting. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised when within 10 minutes my name was called. The lady at the clinic desk told me everything was fixed, and I could go back to the laboratory for the blood draw.

At the laboratory intake desk, they pulled up my original number, and it only took about 90 seconds for me to be called back to have my blood sample taken. What I thought was going to be upwards of a two-hour wait turned out to be only a 12-minute side-trip.

You could say that the error should not have happened in the first place. And yet in any large organization, there are going to be a percentage of mistakes. The best customer service is not in hiding the errors, it is meeting them head-on and correcting them with the least pain or discomfort to the customer.

I’m pleased with my doctors, the nurses who support them and the entire hospital. In my 65 years, this is the best care I have ever had. I want to thank everybody in that organization because their customer service is exemplary.

Thank you all

Thank you for being with me today, I hope to be with you again tomorrow.

Twenty-Five Feet of Sidewalk

I would like to start this day by thanking my fellow veterans and all those who serve. To all those who voluntarily stand to protect our country and to serve our nation, I thank you. We know not where each of you lay your heads tonight, yet we know where you live. You live within our hearts.

It’s a cold day here. It has snowed since yesterday morning, and our temperature is about 19. They predict we will probably get to 27 today. My advice, hot chocolate with marshmallows consumed by a window while enjoying the scenery. In an hour I’m going to go out and shovel the sidewalk because it looks like the kids will go to school today with only a two-hour delay.

I could stay inside and stay warm. But there’s a sense of duty to others within our community. I live a half a block from an elementary school. Many kids in the neighborhood will be walking on my sidewalk on their way to that school this morning. And, getting little ones where they’re going safely is an obligation to all of our futures.

What we do, we do for common good. And, whatever we do, will come back to us in time. We don’t do it for some future glory, we work towards the betterment of all. And what we do, we do because we know it’s the best we have to offer.

Who knows, the sidewalk shoveled allows a second grader to get safely to school. The second grader learns and shares ideas that other students and a teacher pick up. Somebody finds an interest in math or science or art. They discover a niche that they can work with and learn from and continue to work with it as they grow and learn more. Give it 15 or 20 years, and we may have an entrepreneur, or scientist, or an architect whose new creations inspire the world, work that may save lives, or solve mysteries of the universe or does something else marvelous and moves all of us forward.

I find it amazing what a tremendous effect shoveling 25 feet of sidewalk can produce.

Thank you for being with me today, I hope to be with you again tomorrow.