Month: March 2020

Health care, POV - Content Creation, Thought Leadership

Hoops and heat for ‘Lockdown Prep’ NC weekend, some worries about NY people

by gshorkeyblt26 Comments on Hoops and heat for ‘Lockdown Prep’ NC weekend, some worries about NY people
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Its never a bad time to notice stylish local artwork, sunny or not.

Going into a statewide lockdown on Monday didn’t stop it from being a glorious spring weekend in Charlotte. Eighty-eight on Saturday was plenty hot, getting out to shoot for forty minutes or so brought back hoops memories from Tampa, those times mi amigo Ivan and I beat each other to death in Tampa, FL humidity and blazing heat.

This isn’t a eulogy, but yes, I’m thinking about him being vulnerable and, as far as I know, unless he’s at the Mayo Clinic again because he’s lived with prostate cancer a dozen years now, he’s right at Ground Zero.  in Bronxville, NY. He’s like ninety-odd pills a day a medical marvel, but when you hear “underlying causes” with COVID-19, he’s definitely in that category.

We never even brought Power Ade with us back then, maybe a water bottle, then game to 100 – you could make up to three free throws after a basket.  It would be 94+ degrees, we could have stroked out. Younger then of course, stupid but physically capable of recovery, maybe a little like those Spring Breakers…

I’ll mix sports and some piece of the tale about making Ivan Marquez, former commisioner of the EIVA (Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) and Concordia College Athletic Director-legend  the coach-person he became, because he DIDN’T go back to Puerto Rico when we both had to retreat to New York from Tampa in 1983.

My claim to fame was disabusing him, by raining my good jump shot on him time after time, of the idea he could fit back into his old ways of league basketball in Santurce, PR, because he recognized, “If I can’t stop THIS guy from getting to the hole or shooting 3s, that’s not an option.”

My  recently turned 86-year old Mom in a nearby senior living community in Charlotte – locked down two weeks ago, and no Sundays in packed churches in any near future – is definitely safe, my best bud from college and forever, I don’t know.

TV sports are all repeats now, so…

I watched the St. Louis Blues win the Stanley Cup, Christian Laettner still made “The Shot” in that classic 104-103 game against Kentucky, and I’m sure to see Flutie make that incredible throw again soon, but since there’s no new sports happening, I’ll offer a couple personal athletic considerations in place of TV.

Ivan and I went to the first pro beach volleyball tournament outside of the Southern Cal scene, held in Clearwater, FL. We got included in the judging for best bikini at one point, but there were a *bunch* of people sitting in on that. I’ve kept the typewritten original for ITS SPORTS! since 1982, think of it as a historical document, at least for that new sportswriter.

Yes, Karch Kiray was there, and won the Jose Cuervo-sponsored event.

Ivan’s analysis stuck with me: Unless there was a LOT of $$$ (which proved not a problem) going into beach volleyball, whether the stars of the California lifestyle would travel well was the question. He was also the guy who years later suggested scoring every point in volleyball to appropriate collegiate icons, because time-wise, long side-out games weren’t “TV friendly” like all the other NCAA championships.

Because of Ivan, I have the BEST hockey story, involving EJ McGuire – who became VP of NHL Souting, and died in 2011 of a cancer so rare, they don’t even have a slogan – but I knew as the cool as hell coach of the men’s team at Brockport State (NY). In the most generous of terms, that made us contemporaries, as I coached the Womens Hockey Club all of four games, before we ran out of bodies.

Those guys were tight, and I needed green jerseys for a game against Ithaca College – which we wound up whuppin’ 8-2, a week after they scored an empty net goal with :02 left to beat us 3-1 – so Ivan asked EJ after Friday practice, and he says, “Sure. Couple of you guys, give Glenn your jerseys for the girls.”

I chucked those jerseys in an equipment bag, and didn’t think about them again until we were in the locker room pre-game. As I started tossing them out, the girls were “Oh God, they’re cold, wet, stinking!” I said, put ’em on, we have to tape numbers on the back.”

Ithaca had 20 skaters in identical uniforms, skates, helmets with cages. The game was at Cornell’s Lynah Arena, my brother Steve brought my folks and aunt, uncle, cousin to my game before his JV basketball game. My feet didn’t touch the ice going over to shake the other coach’s hand after a HUGE victory.  There’s more, trust me, but my only win as coach.

author-sharp dressed man#1 for me and most, a championship

1981 Upstate Rugby Championship, beating arch rival Knicks in OT penalty kicks in semis. First time in 13 years!

We were the ‘B’ side entry, wound up having 6-7 guys from other teams play with us, what they call “rugby whores” (you give them a jersey, they do whatever you want). It was all about lights out defense – we didn’t give up any scores after first half game one (of three games on first day), then until last play of game against Knicks.

One of our guys punched somebody right in front of ref. They made a penalty kick, we made two in OT to win. That ‘B’ side only lost once all year. (That’s right Skip, we bad.)

Toughest opponent

Everybody needs someone to compete against (Brady-Manning, Yankees-Red Sox) and brother Dave was my toughest opponent, especially when he got lots bigger in college. Barely 6′ and could dunk.

Best 1-1 athletic moment, splitting tennis and late night hoops victories in a test of macho and his leg brace. I moved him all over the court to win, then he shot outrageously, *one parking lot light “over there” in the DARK, at a hoop he’d never seen before* to kill me in hoops.  I’m laughing at how he had to suck it up around wife Donna, pretend his leg wasn’t in a world of hurt for a week.

Other biggie in sports – Best guy to make a competetive bet with – pays off.  We “had a Wimbledon,” meaning if it takes five sets to have a winner, we go five sets, AND he said he’d take me in straight sets. Dave was kind of a beast to pass at net coming in behind a good bending serve, but I chipped-blocked a ton of those serves back on his feet coming in, and he didn’t put many away, so I took the first two sets.

hoopsatrama
One of regular spots to shoot, a lot of good rim action, like a home court should be.

He wants to go double or nothing, case of Mich Light and $20, “Do you want the bet or not?” Sure…and I took him out.

Case of beer and $$ was at bottom of attic stairs before I came down for breakfast. 

Much as beer drinking is glorified, at a personal level, for me, it still counts to know you’re drinking what someone else paid for because you were “better.”

***

Oh, shooting on Saturday. I tore it up in two selfie games of 21, first time in a while I haven’t gone back to 15 like three or four times because I missed my “and one.”

Between some early afternoon raking and that, I believe I got a little sun. So that’s at least a *piece* of a pretty good day, right?

Cold beer with tortolini and some of best sauce and meatballs I’ve made in a while, its a regular Saturday… kind of. Whatever we can do to stay a little more relaxed, doing it by ourselves, that’s the deal in the here and now.

Just FYI – I consider myself informed and willing to do the obvious (wash hands, stay home), I have Skype interviews scheduled Monday and Tuesday, but no, I’m not going anywhere for a while  especially “just because.”

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Glenn Shorkey – Creative eDitorial Talent Enterprises 
(704)502-9947

 

Business, Health care, Thought Leadership

Boost to best practices was time well invested for Week Two of COVID-19 “in place”

by gshorkeyblt2Leave a Comment on Boost to best practices was time well invested for Week Two of COVID-19 “in place”
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Brother Mike was originally going to be at home on two-week rotation – now kitchen is his office.

The premise of “picking against homeys” question on my landing page, with a Final Four date in April for CDTalent Enterprises to write 1,200 word Leadership Thought blogs for two readers, has been extended. If you still want to leave a comment, feel free.

As a mostly remote worker, and someone who does a number of physical, outdoor activities solo, this world-event virus hasn’t changed that level of lifestyle, nor my operational effectiveness on a contract basis. Personally and professionally, there are still any number of effective projects to go forward with. Case in point:

During Week Two of “staying in place,” I edited a 73,000 word previously self-published book onto the wattpad application over six days, and adding pictures! I pushed my favorite project, CARDS & CONSEQUENCES: Return of Marlena the Magnificent into a much better orbit.

What would jumping awareness of your corporate being 500% mean for your “operation?”

Work at home, THAT’S legit “Deal with it” bone

Saying it didn’t affect my active lifestyle or professional effectiveness, which has been primarily an electronic vs. site specific operation for several years, there’s still no doubt that COVID-19 is the overriding topic of the times. (Mulvaney who? but yes, deal with it.)

While often quoting Stephen Covey (7 Habits of Highly Effective People) about how much energy we spend on worrying about things we have no control over, I’m believing that doing what you can, worrying can’t be 24/7.

I’ve done the plan on wash, wipe down, minimal contact-no crowd events, have food in the house, gas is like a buck-eighty, but the whole country is about to be in semi-deep freeze. Speaking for myself, I’m informed and still worried. That stock market screaming in the background, I don’t have a dog in that reallllly serious fight to worry about.

Please, I have toilet paper, but those front line medical people need protective gear. Things do not work out well if there’s less personnel.

I’m generally considered very fit, a Boomer who decided to keep on right side of Nature with eating and exercise. Might not get to show that off at 45th reunion, scheduled for October, but it also means being in upper age group most effected by virus.

I’ve relied on ACA for two major events – bicycling accident, knee replacement – and am beyond satisfied with the health care I’ve received. Part Two, yes, I’m worried about whether this bringing down the curve will help as much as necessary.

Doesn’t it sound like any kind of success when all sports leagues, the NCAAs, NASCAR, (eventually) the Olympics, *CHURCHES* in Charlotte, the buckle on the Bible Belt, two of the most populous states, have said “stay put,” and have the political will to do what’s best ASAP?

How many people KNOW Cuomo is doing a helluva job, or that Trump won’t allow that Dr. Fauci to say he was wrong too many times, even when Trump spreads mis-information in the most dangerous ways. World pictures show famous places with nobody in sight – so we’re maybe doing something right?

Yeah, I know, and then there’s Spring Break. That the Spanish Flu was primarily spread by all the soldiers coming back from WWI is a fact, and another is that a LOT less concern for social distancing on the beaches by millions of relatively young, is going to be equally dramatic in terms of the communities they return to.

First shot at tracking

One company tracked the location of cell phones in use from ONE beach during that period, and how those blips redistributed across most of the East was enlightening. Somewhere along the lines, you’re always taking a chance. Early scourges for my generation were herpes and AIDS, and certain behaviors mattered. Right now, almost nothing does. Not apocalyptic, but LOTS to think about, right?

Will that invalidate the safety factor I tried for by staying close to home for over three weeks, or how much longer beyond 6-8 weeks? Puts a dent in the idea for sure. A certain poll shows 81% to 8% NO WAY people go back to work “just because.”

Back to the idea of The ONE Thing

Recognizing that I accomplished the rejuvenation of a major project, elevating ‘Cards’ from bargain bin status to a platform with a terrific array of potential outlets – links with publishers, movies! – is still only two-thirds of an actual achievement. Admitting the look and feel of the online product surpasses even having first 60 copies in hand a while ago, is easy though.

Its also important to me, because the days after I put everything right on that site as a “creative,” the What’s Next? marketing persona took over. A number of options have been uncovered, one of which requires having a second 50,000 word book completed on the site. Long-form informational blogging and time on creative all put Writing back in prime slots of my schedule.

Which is an essential part of ONE Things – While you do an array of tasks in pursuit of the overall plan, your effort is on the result, not just movement. Putting minimal spin on the idea of “in place,” sending request for proposals information is part of the remote worker process, and time on task (creative) moves the overall project as well.

I don’t actually need to get out of the house for food, and I just picked up another video interview. Cap’n America slugging it out with Iron Man, “I can do this all day”? Might have to.

There’s been an immediate, dramatic change in these United States. We’re going to find out about having flattened any curves pretty soon, and no, not everyone is going to make it safely to “the end of this.” Realistically, the Spanish Flu was even more deadly when it came back around the winter of 1918-19.

But, just in case you haven’t got anything great to read socked away, come on back here, or check out that link. For now, my ONE Thing can be good for both of us.

   
Glenn Shorkey – Creative eDitorial Talent Enterprises 
(704)502-9947
Health care, POV - Content Creation, Thought Leadership

Agape -The taking care of those we love, Mom still loves pretty flowers

by gshorkeyblt2Leave a Comment on Agape -The taking care of those we love, Mom still loves pretty flowers

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Mom isn’t a Leap Baby, she’s a March 1-ster, but we called her 86th on Sunday “birthday,” and celebrated in common with Steve’s (62!!) at dinner the week before.

Having often opined that other three bros can fight for the wood-working title, handling the creative aspect of flower arrangements turned into some extra Mom joy getting spread around.

Mom’s favorite is daffodils, so that’s finally available for thoughtfulness, and there always has to be a rose.

Dad was great with flowers, and Mom still knows she likes them, so its a little agape, a Greek word I learned from a commercial, about being of service,”the highest form of love, charity.” 

Mom was a little weak with holding on today, commented about how far she’d walked, was half-stepping slower than usual, and that glass of wine probably contributed to being so tired mid-afternoon, but the flowers, ahhh, the flowers. 

Gotta give a shout out to the younger nurse at Carmel Hills who found a nice clean vase while I rummaged for a second one for Mom, and put a bucket worth on display at the nurses station. She was cool on knowing-telling anyone who wanted a pretty flower was welcome to it.

Personally, my Dad is thought of while taking care of his girl. Simple stuff still counts, like flowers anytime, as far as Mom’s concerned. Agape, you can look it up.

Mom’s been on assisted living side a year and a half now, and its good to know our elders are being treated right. Elder care will continue to be part of any national picture, including us Boomers, OK? but the day to day living, that isn’t political. Mothers birthdays, being the good son with flowers, that stuff is still personally important.

At church and having a donut with people afterwards, the promise of spring in Carolina blue sky, sunshine, and faked out trees already bloomed, she’s a happy camper.

We didn’t shake most hands or have the chalice available this week, that seems a reasonable precaution healthcare-wise, a word to the wise. We’ll see how often is seems reasonable to put Mom in what has become a very popular time (10:45) and crowded situation. She is the most vulnerable, apparently not the ton of kids she watches while having a juice-donut.

Our groups annual Fish Fry (#33?) is still on for the 13th. We usually serve over 600, we’ll see how things work out.

I might be doing a lot more take-out serving, the success of our late-January pierogi dinner in that area was an indication of how  people feel about supporting our popular community events. Our Men’s Club has an excellent reputation for food and friendship, and yes, a full cafeteria of people, often with a line waiting for seating, is something to consider at this point in healthcare.

I’m already a part of the remote work force, and deaths or not, there simply isn’t going to be a lock down of 100 million Americans.  Strap it on America, and lets not be stupid or outrageously afraid of this.

We didn’t shake or use chalice in church, that seems reasonable.

“Locking down” 100 million ain’t happening, but wash your hands, use YOUR sanitizer, even if that doesn’t appear to be strong enough to matter.

And to-go service, I’m not kidding, that might be an option people really buy into. You won’t be able to hear the band at home though, and Don’t forget the clam chowder.