Post on 30-Mar-2016
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All ideas begin at the footsteps of curiosity. As children, we all flourished with
creativity and curiosity. It is the idea that ignited in me at a young age, the spirit of purpose
and passion that continues to empower me to this day. This spirit fuels my heart for making
an impact in the community. It is with hope that I pursue ideas that will ignite in people the
same spirit that was ignited in me.
Memoir
It was a cold December morning I remember all too well. I was unaware at the time
that it was about to get much colder. I awoke from my sleep to a phone filled with missed
calls and voicemails. “Where are you? Why are you not answering your phone?” were the
words I heard over and over again. After gathering my thoughts, I began the process of
returning calls. After explaining why I had not answered his earlier calls, I braced for what
was about to be said to me. “Your mom suffered a massive heart attack and is in open heart
surgery as we speak. They had to resuscitate her this morning shortly after we arrived at the
hospital”, my father informed me. As he continued on, it became apparent to me that her
survival was becoming less and less likely. As I hung up the phone, my mind began playing
through every possible scenario. What if she does die? What is she survives in a vegetative
state? What will a full recovery look like? I decided that in the moment I would go against
what my emotions were telling me and pray to the God of my Christian faith. I tried to find
the words to say, but all I found was peaceful silence. The kind of peace that goes against
logic and reason, and passes all understanding.
As the day progressed, I waited for the phone call. And then it happened. I nervously
answered the phone to hear my father advise I sit down. “Your mom is gone. There were
complications during surgery and the doctors could not save her” he wearily told me. I hung
up the phone in disbelief. How? Why? I asked God. I walked out into the hallway of the dorm
visibly shaken. The resident assistants were waiting for me as I entered their room. I
informed that my mother had passed and they immediately expressed their condolences
and told me that they would do everything they could to help. The rest of the day was a
whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. I ran from one end of campus to another talking to my
professors, informing friends of what had happened, and trying to clear all the thoughts
running through my head.
As I began making preparations to fly home, the reality of her death started to hit me.
After a sleepless night, I boarded the plane for my redeye flight home. I arrived in Detroit to
emptiness compounded with imploding emotions. The next few days were the longest days
of my entire life
The morning of the visitation services arrived, and my mind had gone numb.
Everything that was happening had become a blur to my eyes. I sat in the funeral home
weakened mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically. People were coming up to me
and sharing their thoughts, prayers, and memories they had of my mom. From co-workers to
best friends, it all sounded painful to my ears. While I appreciated the sentiments, they were
of little significance to me. All I wanted was for my mom to be alive or for me to be dead. It
was in that moment I realized how difficult the coping process was really going to be for my
family. Before I knew it, we were on our way to West Virginia to lay her to rest in the Ashby
cemetery.
Four years have passed since my mom’s death, and my memories of her are fresh in
my heart and mind. Since her death, I have gone through many new seasons of life. My most
recent season is one of reflection. In hindsight, I realize how much I have been blessed.
There was no greater blessing than that of having such an amazing woman for a mother. A
mother who not only lived life, but lived it well. Faithfulness, love, care, joy, all graced her
life. But if there was one quality that was most present in her life, it was her bold and
unwavering faith in Jesus Christ. I never remember a moment where she ever doubted God.
As I look forward to the next season of my life, I am excited to see what it holds. New
challenges, a stronger faith, renewed passion, hope, and a bold faith all await me. My
ultimate desire is to continue to strive to live a faithful life. A life that is well lived. A life that
is graced with faithfulness, selflessness, joy, peace, love, and passion. But most importantly,
a life lived in pursuit of God’s heart, passion, and will.
Priorities
Jonathan Hi dad, how are you feeling?
Gregory I am ok son. What are these?
Jonathan Oh, those are just some publications I bought for you to help pass time and ease your mind.
Gregory Thanks. So have you given what I told you any thought?
Jonathan Dad, I don’t need to give it any more thought. My answer is still no. You worked for your dream and sacrificed for it. It was your dream, not mine. You had aspirations for your life that are far different than the aspirations I have for my own. I watched you pursue a dream that never brought you true happiness or success.
Gregory No happiness or success, really? Maybe you never cared to look at the balance in the checkbook growing up. Mind you it was that balance which paid for your University of Michigan education.
Jonathan I am well aware of how successful you were and how much wealth you were accumulating as a skilled general contractor. You seem to forget the fact that I worked with numbers every day in my profession.
Gregory I am not an idiot. Remember I did pay for that education. I also know how much more successful you could be in providing for my grandchildren if you were managing the family business. I worked hard to leave a legacy of hard work and faithfulness for my family.
Jonathan I provide for my family. I have provided for them in many ways you never made a priority.
Gregory I more than provided for all of you. I can’t believe how ungrateful you act. You are just like your mom.
Jonathan
Don’t tell me how mom was ungrateful. She sacrificed for your career as we all did. She supported us by actually be there physically. She provided comfort and love in ways you never cared to, or tried. She was even willing to come with me up here to visit you today.
Gregory Wait, she is here as we speak? Why did you let her come with you? I don’t care to see her or speak to her at this point.
Jonathan Yes, she is down in the waiting area. She wanted to let me have some time with you first before she visited.
Gregory Good for her. I don’t have much to speak to her about anymore.
Jonthan Maybe the best thing to do is not say a word and just listen.
Gregory If you say so. I could care less if I see her ever again.
Jonathan And you are calling me the ungrateful one. We all have consequences to the decisions and behaviors we choose.
Gregory You are right, and I am comfortable with facing the consequences of my decisions.
Jonathan Well dad, I have to go and pick up the kids from soccer. I will call later today and check up on you.
Gregory Ok son, tell them I say hi and that papa loves them.
Jonathan Ok dad, talk with you soon.
Is Competition Good?
Is competition good? Opinions vary greatly on this subject, both professional and
personal. For the purposes of this argument, I will focus on one particular form of
competition, the kind found in the business world. I will first define what competition is, and
will then transition into why I believe competition is good, and will then close with
concluding thoughts.
Before we can address the topic of competition, we must first define it. There are four
types of competition: Pure, Imperfect, Oligopoly, and Monopoly. Pure competition is defined
as a market in which there is no single buyer or seller who has influence over the products
sold in the market. Imperfect competition is a market where multiple firms offer variations
of the same product or multiple products, each with variations. An Oligopoly is a form of
competition where a limited number of companies compete for consumer purchases. The
final form of competition is a Monopoly. A monopoly is a situation in which a single
business operates in a market without any competitors.
Now that we have defined what competition is, we will discuss why competition is
good. This will be achieved by doing what in the business world is called a SWOT analysis.
A SWOT analysis is a tool that identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats within an industry. The rationale for using this tools is that they are considered to be
the standard when performing any analysis in the business world. The strengths of
competition are vast.
The existence of competition has numerous strengths. The greatest strength of
competition is the value passed on to the consumer. When companies are competitive.
Their focus is to attract customers in hopes of increasing market share. The greatest tool for
attracting customers is proper focus on the value proposition. Value proposition is defined
as “a business or marketing statement that summarizes why a consumer should buy a
product or use a service.”
The weaknesses of competition can be summed up in one word, perspective. For the
individual, competition can be viewed as detrimental or beneficial, depending on life
experience. It is no different in the business world. Corporate cultures that have a history of
stifling innovation and creative thinking tend to view competition as detrimental to the
organizations success. But for the organization whose culture is innovation, creativity, and
risk taking, competition is a welcome challenge. The difference between the two types of
culture is that the one who fears competition has a flawed view as to the purpose of
competition.
There is great opportunity for competition in the business world. One such
opportunity is the chance to collaborate with target markets, shareholders, stakeholders, and
competition. In Compete or Collaborate? An Entrepreneurs Guide to Success in the Social
Marketplace, Trey Bowles suggests that organizations “fight the conventional territorial
attitude that most visionaries have to own or control, and create solutions that use the
broader worldview of contributing to and participating in social good. Collaborate, innovate,
and develop ideas that can truly change the world.” The organizations that have this proper
perspective will be the ones to thrive now and in the future.
There are two main forces that threaten competition, cultural and governmental.
Cultural forces from within the organization as well as from society, have potential to
influence the significance of competition. From within, competition can be destructive if
viewed as a negative force. But those organizations that have a culture built on key success
factors are the ones that will thrive. The government’s role in competition plays just as
significant a part as culture. Over-regulation, stifling tax codes, persuading the publics
image of business, and the recent events on Wall Street have all contributed to how
competition is portrayed.
In conclusion, a lot of things can be said of competition, both positive and negative.
The future of competition will be dependent on 4 key factors: 1) Collaboration as a
sustainable competitive advantage, 2) Business model innovation, 3) Cultures built on
creativity and disruption, and 4) Strategic mergers and acquisitions. It is these factors that
will allow competition to flourish and fulfilling its original purpose of being a force for good
in society.
Newsflash
This just in, the term “copyrighter” may have a new meaning if the Supreme Court
has the final say. This morning, creative writers across the nation filed to have their case
heard by the highest court in the land. They state that recent laws at the state level have
allowed copywriters to be grouped together into the same demographic as lawyers who seek
legal protection for intellectual property of individuals and businesses. We will keep you
posted as we receive word from our reporters in D.C.
In recent news, Nestled in the bricks of Kresge, you will find a secluded village by the
name of the Student Success Center. Within the confines of this small population, you will
find a group of smart, passionate, but underutilized academic artists. This village has not
had many visitors for quite some time due to rising tensions between residents and those
from surrounding communities. The conflict is over the issue of productivity. Kresge has
been long considered the epicenter of knowledge, but many people are doubtful whether or
not it is still a beneficial community partner. This story is still developing; we will keep you
up to date as we receive news from our foreign correspondents.
This next story is about the quiet abyss of floor 10. Within this floors rests an area
where no man has gone before. Many have entered, but few have returned. We sent a
reporter to this secretive area, but she came back as a clay model. Product design, the only
thing for sure is the unknown. We hope to one day uncover what lies behind the door to
floor 10. Stay tuned.
Our final story is one of significant importance to all of us. A study released today
shows that computers now outnumber humans. C-lab, a research firm based in CCS affirms
this finding. The study shows the rate of increase in computers has continually outpaced
that of their human counterparts by a margin of almost two to one. The findings also
suggest that the camps of PC and MAC have been conspiring together for years, and have
been using their marketing campaigns against each other as a cover up for their activity.
Legion
As I lay here, I look on in complete horror. My eyes tell one story, my mind another.
Mangled bodies surround me. I took refuge in the one place I thought would be safe, the
church. But forces more demonic than any man has witnessed before are terrorizing even
this place. I can faintly see the demonic powers dissecting the church and its refugees piece
by piece. Legion are here for one purpose, revenge. The last time they were seen was over
2000 years ago, when they battled God, but fell in defeat under His almighty hand. The
demons’ hunger for revenge has motivated them to increase in both strength and number.
Many in this town have suffered tremendous loss during this recent attack, myself included.
My expecting wife was at the church when the demons launched their bloody offensive. She
was among the many who were “sacrificed” at the hands of Legion. Some in the town sought
vengeance; only to lose their live’s in the attempt.
Nightfall has come, and darkness is all around me. I am probably the only one to
survive the attacks. What is that sound in the water behind me? I am slowly turning. I see a
small boat carrying survivors from a neighboring town. One of the survivors is whispering
for me to get in, trying to go unnoticed by the demons. I have begun to crawl wearily
towards the boat. Behind me, I can hear the ferocious screams coming from the hell on Earth
that is unfolding. As I crawl into the boat, I look back and see the demons raising up corpses
from the cemetery to garner larger numbers for their attacks.
After a sleepless night, we have awakened to the ruin that Legion has left behind. The
sickening smell of death fills the air. What is more disheartening is the feeling of
abandonment we are all experiencing. We see the intense carnage that the demons have left
behind in surrounding towns. The body count has been staggering. What has made it worse
was the fact that many of the corpses are small children and women. Their bodies lay burned
and tortured. We are all in silence, unable to comprehend what we are witnessing.
Nightfall has come and while many in the group attempt to sleep, I cannot close my
eyes. It is in this moment that I see images of my wife. I hear her screams for help as the
demons ripped the flesh from her body. I witnessed it all, but could do nothing, for the
demons held me down as I was forced to watch her be tortured. I have tried to close my eyes
to sleep, only to be awakened by screams and cries for help in the next town. My restlessness
has now spread throughout the group and we are now gathering to cautiously make our way
toward the town, hoping the terror we are hearing is not true. As I write this, we are
approaching the small town, and it is much worse than we could have imagined. The dark
forces of Legion are engulfing the town and all those in it. We stand in the distance
watching terror rip through the streets and bodies of all those living there.
Something mysterious is happening. Legion are pulling back and seem to be leaving
the small town. Why are they leaving? I look past the small town and I see an army of
demons, innumerable in size, surrounding the perimeter. It seems as if they are taunting the
remaining survivors. A couple of hours have passed, and the demons still have the town
surrounded. It seems as if they are preparing to launch another offensive on the survivors.
But wait, I hear something. There is a great sound echoing in the countryside. It is the
thunderous sound of horse’s hooves coming toward us. I look in the distance and cannot
believe my eyes. There is a great army of heavenly portions moving towards the town. I
continue to watch on in suspense, unsure as to the purpose of this army’s arrival. As I study
this army from a distance, I notice this is no regular army. This army is comprised of angels
from heaven, being led by the Archangel Gabriel. At the direct order of Gabriel, this
supernatural force has begun to surround the entire countryside. I see the archangel lift his
trumpet to sound the battle cry. I hope and pray this heavenly host has come prepared.
Big Red
Wednesday, September 5, 1945
The day started as every other, wake up at 0500, followed by drill at 0600 on deck.
But even with all the routine, this morning was different. The feeling in the Tokyo Bay is one
of tranquility. I can’t explain to you how relieved we all are on the Missouri. After a hard
fought battle, it is finally over. The Japanese formally signed the Japanese Instrument of
Surrender this past Sunday. We are all both relieved and excited to be coming home soon. It
was an honor to have served my country and witness the signing of the Japanese
Instrument of Surrender. I will vividly remember the emotions surrounding the ceremony
the rest of my life. For me, it was an even greater personal honor to attend the ceremony.
When my commanding officer approached me on Saturday, I never expected the honor that
was about to be given to me. As he walked toward me, I immediately came to attention. After
recognizing me, he began to tell me that I had been selected to be the soldier to distribute
pens to the government officials during the signing process.
I barely slept Saturday night due to the anxious feeling inside of me. My adrenaline
was racing. Images played back in my mind of what the experience was going to be like. The
image that is most vivid to me is the fact that General MacArthur, one of the most decorated
and respected military leaders in history, will be in attendance. I just hoped I would not
falter in my duties in front of this great man.
Sunday morning came all too quick. Before I knew it, I was standing at attention on
the deck of the beloved USS Missouri. As the time slowly went by, I began to get
increasingly nervous. It was then that my focus was shifted. As I peered out over Tokyo Bay,
I could see ships approaching our location. Within a couple of minutes, the ships were
docked next to the Missouri. As people began walking aboard, the cameras began flashing
and reporters started delivering their dialogues. I remained in my position where the
instrument laid on the table next to me. Assistants to the generals approached me first,
saluted me, stepped to my side and then came to attention. General of the Army Douglas
MacArthur approached me first, accepted the pen known as “Big Red” from my hands,
proceeded to the table and sign the document. As he stepped aside, Mamoru Shigemitsu,
the Japanese Foreign Minister, approached me and accepted the Parker 51 pen from me and
then proceeded to the table and signed the document. With this final signature, the war was
officially over. General MacArthur and Foreign Minister Shigemitsu turned toward each
other, shook hands and then turned towards the crowd of reporters for photos. After
delivering their respective speeches, the men acknowledged each other one last time.
Shigemitsu’s aides approached his location where they handed him his jacket and followed
him back to the ship where the Japanese officials boarded and pulled away from the deck of
the Missouri. With this, the deck erupted in cheering and celebration as the war was
officially over.
The Princess Bride
“The Princess Bride” is a 1987 romantic comedy film based on the 1973 William Goldman
book by the same name. It is considered by many, myself included, as a classic. The story
begins with a grandfather (Peter Faulk) coming to visit his ill grandson (Fred Savage) at
home. As he enters the bedroom, the grandfather tells the young boy that he has a surprise
for him. The boy grabs the present excitedly, only to find another boring book. As the
grandfather begins, the boy is introduced to a story that is all but boring.
The story begins in the Renaissance era town of Florin. A young Westley (Carrie
Elwes) is conversing with Buttercup (Robin Wright), the love of his life. Soon after their time
together, Wesley leaves for the countryside, his return unknown. Buttercup is left in
emotional turmoil, to the point of contemplating suicide. Years go by, and Buttercup is
preparing to marry Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon). It is then that she receives word
that Dread Pirate Roberts had captured the ship on which Wesley traveled. It had been years
since she last saw Westley. Hopeless, Buttercup figures that the only logical option she has
is to marry Prince Humperdinck. Distraught by this, Buttercup heads out into the
countryside on her horse. A short time into her ride, she is kidnapped by Vizzini the Sicilian
(Wallace Shawn), Fezzik (Andre the Giant), and Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin). The
kidnappers take her by boat to the Cliffs of Insanity, where a mysterious man in black
follows them. After reaching the top of the cliffs, a short sword fight occurs between the man
in black and Inigo. After the battle, the men set chase across the countryside, where the man
in black meets Vizzani, who has the captive Buttercup at his side, for a different kind of
battle, one of wit. Vizzini loses and falls over dead after drinking from the poisoned cup
(consequence of losing the battle of wits). The man in back reveals himself to Buttercup, and
to her joy she finds Westley. As the story continues, we encounter a series of events that all
lead to Westley and Buttercup being reunited in love.
“The Princess Bride” is a timeless movie filled with emotion. From the beginning, the
movie arouses nostalgic feelings of a time when family was more simple and connected. The
bond the grandfather carries with his grandson resembles the one found between Westley
and Buttercup, a bond of love. This movie is a timeless tale that will continue to entertain
minds and warm hearts for generations to come.
Lost
My name is Scott Riley, former member of the British SAS. The time is 0500 Tuesday
October 14, 2014. As I record this message, I am preparing to go out on my last exploration
before I head back to Rogue 7 later today. Codenamed R7, Rogue 7 is a planet that was
knocked into our solar system due to the catastrophic damage resulting from the final battle
of Lotus. This battle was the final battle in the War of the Worlds, a display of force by the
nations of Earth against the extraterrestrial invasion that occurred six months ago. We may
have won the war, but the planet was nearly destroyed.
I was sent back to Earth to extract what survival resources remained. Upon my return,
I have been reminded that Earth as we know it is a memory. What were once great nations
are now rubble. The scale and scope of nuclear radiation damage is sickening. Those who
did survive have been evacuated, nothing human remains. If we won the war, how is it that
we were the ones who had to leave?
As I speak, I am making final preparations to launch my final search campaign for
resources. I hope and pray I do not encounter any more creatures on this search. I
encountered an extraterrestrial creature unlike any I have ever seen in my other
explorations. His strength was immense, able to move cars heavy debris with ease. He was
nimble and moved with great speed, similar to a cheetah. His focus was astounding, though
he was aware of my presence, not once did he pay any mind to me. What made me fearful is
the possibility of there being even larger and stronger creatures than the civilized one I
encountered.
With this, it is time to leave for the final expedition. I am beginning the descent down
from my refuge and into the open. At first glance, it appears all has already been lost. I am
walking down what appears to be the main road through the village. The carnage is
numbing. Blood stained streets, jet fighter wreckage, human and animal remains. What in
the world were we fighting against? I am now pressing forward into the business district.
Wait, I believe I see what appears to be a survival manual that was contained inside one of
the jets. I am still alone with no creatures in my proximity…but wait.
Rebirth
Breeze of hope swirling.
Ideas hatching far and wide.
Rebirth has now bloomed.
The Man
Once lived a self-confident man
When he walked in the bar, girls ran
He though he had skill,
But they ran with a shrill.
So he left for home in moms van.