Category: Uncategorized (Page 159 of 188)

if there were a list of descriptive words about me (and i’m sure someone put one together…), no where on the list would be the word “professional.” i’m just not. i’ve been living in “professional world” for 2.5 years now and i still giggle when i hear people talk. no joke.

i think it makes me laugh because it’s so outside of my context. i’ve done more than my share of making fun of church-y words (sometimes while the guy was still praying). i’ve had an ongoing list of words i can’t stand in that context: fellowship being the top, followed up by conversation, visitors, intentional, and committee meeting. there are more, i just can’t think of them. oh, and “lock in” gives me a facial tick when i hear the word mentioned.

but now that i’ve been in the world of reporting and feedback, the vocabulary still strikes me as a hoot. today could’ve been a drinking game with the word “perspective”. i had no idea it had so many entries in the dictionary! i also find that we do a lot of circling back, or coming full circle in the business world, along with some “reaching out” “following up” and “coaching” (fakespeak for “you screwed it up again”). oh, and we “appreciate” EVERYthing.

I don’t mean to make fun of people who have such a vernacular. i’m sure it doesn’t even strike their funny bones – it’s just what it is. what else do you do to a client but “reach out” (my initial word was “call” but hey, it’s just me)? i’m sure that to people who find professional-speak normal, i’m just talking like an uncivilized galoot.

**this post sat over night. friday, nov. 20 was actually brought to you by the letter P. today was brought to you by the letter S.

one thing never ceases to amaze me: how is it possible that on a given saturday, every single person who knows all rules and correct play calling strategy to the game of football – how do they all end up in the stadium, with the loudest ones near me? how is that possible? is there a football pre-test to getting tickets? and how did i sneak in? did the runners-up end up at bw3s?

but really, while at the OSU/Iowa game this weekend, i was quite amazed at how all the folks around me were shouting out a few tips to a coach with just a *few* more years of football coaching experience. i especially loved how, when the lineman jumped offsides at the point of OSU’s near-interception, no less than 3 people informed the lineman of the bonehead move. really. i’m sure he was completely unaware, and when he was yanked from the game he probably went up and asked tressel directly “why am i not still in the game?”

I do appreciate how KLM says it… at the end of the day, they’re just a bunch of young boys. people get all over the quarterback. if memory serves me correctly, he was a true freshman last year, which makes him a sophomore (but again, i somehow squeezed out of taking the admission pre-test of football knowledge). if, indeed, he is a sophomore, the boy cannot even buy his own celebratory malt beverage after the game. but yet, he shall remain error-less, thus saith the football gods. he can’t even rent a car!

but, it was a good game, very exciting at the end. i even found myself yelling out a cheer or two and thinking to myself, “that’s funny. i’m pretty sure whatever i just said won’t be heard on the field.” but that’s what got me thinking about this post.

so, my words of encouragement weren’t heard by the young whippersnappers. but is that the point? is the point the wit and power of my words? probably not. but, by joining in the ruckus that my all-knowing football fans were already making, it did help to be that much louder. if everyone realized that their words of wisdom wouldn’t be heard and everyone was quiet, the atmosphere of the game would be pretty lame. the players would think no one cared. it’d be like tennis.

so maybe this is true in many areas of life. the point isn’t just to be heard, but rather to join in making change. i can write WalMart all the letters i want, and sam walton probably doesn’t care. however my lack of patronizing, alongside several others who make a little noise and choose meijer (or the local a&a), will change the atmosphere. others will feel empowered. i hope.

so, what a lesson from a bunch of football has-beens or never-weres. it’s not so bad to give a little hoot as long as we remember it’s not what we say but the action we intend to inspire.