Tag: #expertise

Business, Sports, Thought Leadership

Triple shots of Bugachi, Double suits on Dad made Micro-economy shine, Hoops in Charlotte sun makes Monday better than Panthers was

by gshorkeyblt21 Comment on Triple shots of Bugachi, Double suits on Dad made Micro-economy shine, Hoops in Charlotte sun makes Monday better than Panthers was

Selling *eleven* of those very good-feeling shirts ($170) Sunday was product knowledge and good service. Finding 3-size 3Xs – I didn’t know they existed until checking the computer -was a $500 difference maker. Was on sales floor 20 minutes Monday when Mr. Froelich and his son literally walked into a pair of 44L Peter Millar suits ($895). Way to start a day, and appreciate banker Dad who knew suits, shared enthusiasm about A-1 service while getting two really good ones for son’s job in CA .

Totally unexpected: $20 tip from a 40-yr. old gentleman after I ‘sized’ him, and provided 10 minutes of good intell on suit factors. ie. Fill or indent of shoulders, sleeve length (S-R-L), 6″ standard difference between jacket size and pants, ‘close’ and ‘tight’ on slim cuts. He’d never had a clue what to look for in the process.

Wore Boss Blue jacket, Nautica shirt and Nantucket Red pants, new Steve Madden shoes ($120, cognac) Sat., went full ‘Blue’ Sunday.

Alpha Dog? OK for Baker, feelin’ it a little myself with Micro-economy

— Glenn S., ‘Mr. Hugo Boss Blue,’ 9/11/22

Nobody doubted Baker Mayfield’s worth during the 4th quarter of Panthers first game of the season, especially his seven yard scamper for TD. Despite losing the first game of season at home to Browns 26-24, there are a reliable number of fans still on Panther bandwagon, most looking for more McCaffrey carries.

STATS – Mayfield https://www.pff.com/nfl/players/baker-mayfield/46518 produced a TD run, the difference (6 pts.) in 17.9 ppg for Panthers in 2021. Just sayin’.

Robby Anderson is happy with 75 yard TD catch, check. DJ Moore 3/43 receiving, tough day for new kid Ekwonu to block DE Myles Garrett (2 sacks) – check. One TD (1 yd. run) no injuries for McCaffrey, with 10 rushes/33 yards and 4 catches/24 receiving yards. Check. Panthers had 4 fumbles off snap miscues – fixing that is mandatory.

The defense wasn’t stellar most of day – Nick Chubb had 141 yards on 22 carries – but held late, so Cleveland’s York needed a 58-yard bomb for the winning FG. Browns weren’t supposed to give up 17 in the 4th, so Mayfield gets ‘almost’ credit. Sunday still goes down as a loss, BUT…I expect to buy a ticket or two, a game for $40 could be real this year.

My micro-economy – We have product, I have expertise

  • Brookes Brothers small corduroy shirts ($118), big rugby stripes and big wale pants (golden brown, green) will kill. Yes, more preppy stuff than we’ve seen, and this is a great market for it. Sales-wise, it doesn’t seem we’re losing anything to Peter Millar reopening in nearby Phillips Place.
  • Plenty of Canali suits, a wall full of Ted Baker, sports coats, and even tuxedos available now. Hugo Boss gets prime spot across front of department, with plenty of ‘Blues,’ which I (perhaps immodestly) have repped well. Talks with customers affirms they trust me as very competent, able to impart inform/opinions. Leading people to good choices 1-1 with great SERVICE counts in micro-economy.
  • All three suits Monday were Millars, a natural choice if a guy is ‘thicker.’ Gentleman with fiancée carrying a dramatically wrong size Boss (they liked the color coming in, naturally) listened-followed up well about successful change to Millar cut. Having six people in Alterations Dept. allows us to commit to tight needs, like a three day turnaround. Free hemming and a reasonable $15 expedite fee is a relief for customers, their professional opinions always a great hole card for us salespeople.
  • Finding 3X Bugachis were actually in the store, because I checked the inventory on computer, became a $500+ sale instead of sending a guy with bowling ball-type shoulders away with zero. “It feels great!” is the most common response of Bugachi ‘tryer oners,’ and its a low maintenance garment – hang dry, no wrinkles or ironing – with 8-way stretch that stays close but not tight.
  • Settling on a solid cream/striped tie (Donahue, $115) that shadowed Mom’s dress, with a classy off-white oooo! feeling Bugachi, the step-Dad in charcoal suit was a great ‘tryer oner.’ Both were happy with decision – after three calls about groom changing suit colors, they could say, “No sweat, we’ve got ours.”
  • Greatest challenge is still, “This young man needs a suit,” because they’re usually thin guys. I find a short presentation of What Abouts with designers usually moves the needle positively. Kudos to the Mom who happily got her son all in black (“Like Neo in ‘The Matrix'”) all smiling for the effort, finding a $299 Topman jacket and $129 pant separates. An $850 Baker (Size 36) looked great, but 29 waist pants wouldn’t have lasted long on growing 16 year old.

About hoop shooting, Lifestyle, New Normal

Heading for October, #gshorkonsharonroadseam has been a stable, productive, very nice, safe to be location, a 1000% step up, being across the street from the Myers Park CC pickleball courts for 11 months, not tip-toeing with homelessness. Its a world of difference about New Normal. https://cdtalententerprises.com/2021/12/11/vaxxed-check-with-a-comma-threat-of-homeless-handled-well-a-good-suit-feel-to-end-of-2021/

Working afternoon-evening shift at Nordstrom, I’ve put $$$ in the bank, re-established my writing discipline at creative and professional content creation levels. I take pride in how affirming physical elements are with cycling, read with my Mom weekly, good days are cherished.

Two things I’ve always believed in absolutely – my jump shot, and a God-given, frequently sharpened writing ability. With two bricks, you’ve got something to build with.

Getting out for even 25 minutes of hoops regularly in gorgeous Charlotte sunshine has been a bedrock to my physical state forever. At 65, five months into my 29th year in Charlotte, I’m a Boomer with Attitude, and tagging a hoops session on after work is still a terrific habit.

What constitutes New Normal is the Social Security and Medicare that kicked in this year. Pretty sure I’m going to finally need glasses.

Growing up, even before first FICA deduction, we Boomers heard regularly about shaky finances with Social Security UNLESS things were changed, These benefits are long-term commitments, NOT ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS subject to political rhetoric or negotiated loss. It was insurance, a safety net, and we Boomers paid up every step through FICA.

Reading with Mom started with bike riding earlier to beat summer heat, a very affirming new habit.

I was glad when my first check arrived last August. Apparently there’s a COLA (cost of living adjustment) I’ll benefit from soon as well.

Millions of people getting a chunk of student debt forgiven? Not a problem by me. Graduating in Spring of 1975, when South Vietnam was overrun in track-speed time – the worst finish to a US war in history, including the documented final ‘copter out rooftop desperation – I’ve always felt WAY lucky to not have been involved in that meat grinder. My year older brother Mike, driving around the country in a 37’ RV with two beagles, actually had a valid number.

Taking ten grand or so off a couple million poor bastards debt, my Normal as Any Life since then is worth cutting somebody else extra slack. Not my $$$, really. And hey! we don’t need to hear “It’s not enough!” either.

FYI

One very New Normal was ordering a case of wine through National Geographic ($59.99++). Never let it be said I didn’t do the least I could for a good cause. Also, a personal ‘double down’ on a Democratic ‘7 seats for $7’ campaign, see what evil they can stop with my $15. (Sort of) New Normal – I’m squeezing in a four game Sunday of Little League umpiring for 13 year olds, only 2nd time out this year. American Family Baseball rocks.

Social Security benefits are long-term commitments, NOT ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS subject to political rhetoric or negotiated loss. It was insurance, a safety net, and we Boomers paid up every step through FICA.

— Me, because documented naysayers that GOP are, their reaching for the legendary ‘3rd Rail’ by talking about Social Security as a budget drag is truly, breathtakingly stupid. (Yeah, I’m looking at you, Ron Johnson.)

How I feel about life since our North Carolina COVID shutdown https://cdtalententerprises.com/2020/03/30/hoops-heat-for-lockdown-prep-weekend-worries-about-ny/ and the relative freedom of going unmasked to a stadium full of Panther fans in September, 2022? New Normal has been working out pretty good, even thumped some tennis balls against a wall in semi-celebration of ‘official’ end of pandemic. Thanks Brandon!

Caught a Knights afternoon game, a Homer Dog with beef dog, bacon bits, coleslaw.

Health care, POV - Content Creation, Sports

If Dr. Fauci was an umpire, his SAFE! call would be the end of “in place” griping

by gshorkeyblt2Leave a Comment on If Dr. Fauci was an umpire, his SAFE! call would be the end of “in place” griping

20190704_212756

Equating Dr. Fauci’s influence in so much relative to this pandemic with the ability I, as an umpire, held sway over decisions that affected how events went forward in the lives of others,  is specious.

Still, while its permissible to gripe about some calls, when the ump says, “This is how it shall be,” well, a lot of  ‘Mericans seem to count that as more factual than Fauci’s forty years of expertise gets him about Next, coronoa-wise.

Before each game, I went to both dugouts to discuss “the high strike” in arc pitch softball, that area at the top of arm but below the shoulder, where the tough calls are. Anybody can call ’em down the pipe, and pointing out the specific area *I* called a strike, my exit line was usually, “But you’re all hitters here, right?” meaning working walks is mehh.

A player I recall saying he didn’t LIKE my strike zone – but I called it consistently – was all anyone should ask for. For those clamoring for “freedom” from the  tyranny of being told not to congregate to improve chances of NOT getting sick, just know that I let a pitcher throw a strike to someone who stepped out of the batters box without asking permission.

‘Outside’ as helpful, not ‘bum rush to’

Umping in a medium pitch league, by the third inning I’d sent enough guys to first that the catcher was catching heat from his pitcher. I told him, again, “Tell your guy he’s this much (thumb-forefinger couple inches) off the plate.” A couple more walks in the fifth, he yells, “Hey ref! I been putting it in the same place all night!” I took one step onto the plate, pointed at him and asked, “Which of us better change what they’re doing then?”

The reality was, that strange motion he had when looking at his catcher for location, was because HE WAS LEGALLY BLIND in his left eye. Talk about flipping a cliche. The point I expected to convey was, straight up, that my opinion was the one that counted.

Frankly, Fauci has done that step up more than a couple times during truth-oriented situations, even with his political boss nearby. In the video conference he did with the Senate this week, he handled Rand Paul admirably – no, he’s not political or the “be all” on answers – but there is forty years of well-regarded expertise.

When Trump said “Maybe there’s nothing in the fall,” he came right to the mike and said, “We WILL have a wave of corona virus in the fall.” IMHO, that’s a definitive call on the second half of a double play grounder.

If anyone, my nephew included, questioned my calls (he did, in a minor league LL volunteer stint), you are two pitches from being struck out.

Umpiring and standing up for ‘right’

There was a girls league in Charlotte where they apparently worked the “run rabbit run!” style. The (obviously) better team would get people on, then, because *you can’t lead or steal until the ball crosses the plate,* they essentially went wild on the catchers throws back to the pitcher.  Inaccurate throws around the infield to stop runners quickly became a cycle of two runs and someone on second.

I see part of the umpire’s job as fairness. Following the catcher to the backstop (she really couldn’t stop much), I told her to call time out. Then throw the ball to the pitcher, after which I said, “Play ball.” After a single inning of that, the A-team manager asked what I was doing, and while I knew I’d never be coming back, letting people run wild and getting mercy-ruled by errors is a humiliating way to lose an un-fun game in three innings, that I could do something about.

Fauci as Umpire:  Check the states “re-opening” and having spikes in their infected rates about un-fun. If Dr. Fauci controls the “we’re gonna go-go-go operation” (I did), makes the call on scientific results (and expertise) vs. going to instant replay or another court case, that’s an ump who hits a righteous standard.

Rules matter

While unprepared, I volunteered to do a charity tournament game wearing topsiders, a tank top, and Ray Bans. Left field was actually unfenced, allowing outfielders to chase foul balls. With runners on 1st and 2nd, left fielder catches a long foul, and throwing to third from an angle, he clongs it off a light tower, it ricochets into center, and two runs score.

After searching for the guy with ground rules, it becomes one base on the throw, so only one run scores. Unfortunately, one person (female) wouldn’t quit “discussing” it, so I finally gave the word: Next yapping I heard, she’d be leaving.

After the game, two large players came over and asked me about singling her out. I explained that I went and found the ground rule and applied it. I had umpired plenty before, I didn’t have to put up with the sh*t, but if I left, the game was going to be in trouble. I wished them good luck and walked away..

An all time favorite was a runner interference call. Runners on 1st and 2nd, one out, with a major pop up to the shortstop. Runner from second was *right* in front of her, she dropped it, girl from first scored off two errant throws.

I couldn’t help myself – I said, “Boy, if that happened to my shortstop, I’d probably want to talk to somebody about it.”

The catcher held her hand up to stop the pitcher, turned to look at me, then walked out, and while talking to the pitcher, pointed back at me. She came back and said she wanted to make an appeal; I asked whether the runner going from 1st-2nd, or 2nd-3rd. She got the answer right, I yelled “runners out!” and both teams changed, with the manager having no idea what happened.

As for one guy cheating up in batters box, knowing the pitcher couldn’t get it in his strike zone with arc AND across (vs. land on) the plate, or, very likely have to give him a pitch he could cream, my job is still ensuring a fair game. I told the catcher, “Throw it any way you want,” which was essentially flat.

Batting box cheats and  people carrying military-style assault rifles while protesting ‘in place’ rule in Michigan, but not in NY is a valid analogy. Why? Because in NY the rule is you empty your pockets into little trays before going through a metal detector in state buildings, and pistols, AR-15s, and grenade launchers DON’T come in the building.

There are things YOU want to do, that might be good for you, but that aren’t fair to others. If it was simply a matter of rights, and it might trim the herd appropriately by doing something uncool like exposing themselves to unseeable but deadly viruses, fine, but the fact is, that behavior might affect me, and that’s not the best way to run a pandemic.

I’m still willing to look for the SAFE! sign from Dr. Fauci instead of listening to the bench saying, “Looked good from here, ump.”

 

Political, POV - Content Creation

What JFK Meant with “Instead, ask what you can do for your country”

by gshorkeyblt2Leave a Comment on What JFK Meant with “Instead, ask what you can do for your country”

20190802_195836

When Rep. Adam Schiff gaveled the impeachment proceedings into recess last Thursday while invoking the late Elijah Cummings, “We’re better than this,” its my humble opinion that plenty of Americans would want a family member to conduct themselves as honorably, in such high pressure moments, as the US diplomatic personnel proved they could.

Many regarded President John F. Kennedy’s election as the second coming of Camelot, a time of exceptional promise. That cold, cold day of his Inauguration in 1961 couldn’t be more clearly juxtaposed to the shameless conduct described in the testimony about the Trump-Ukraine scandal, with tentacles that seem to have ensnared everyone it touched.

Kennedy’s January 16, 1961 speech was 14 minutes long, and that was the only part where he spoke about public service. The rest was primarily international, the Cold War. Vietnam was nowhere near a US problem – the French had that domino held steady, right?

They did their jobs, to the T

And yes, dammit, if the Lt. Colonel respectfully asks to be addressed by his rank, that shouldn’t be a three minute exercise in linguistics. A Ukranian immigrant at the age of four, he happens to have an identical twin, also a Lt. Colonel, who also serves in the White House.

That officer was on the call because of his expertise, including and especially, language. At NO point does that invite negative questioning,  any quibbling about loyalty from those pursuing nefarious political ends.

Should we be more in awe of Dr. Hill for stating that, having grown up poor, her working class accent – what most probably think most Brits sound like – would have limited her options dramatically in the UK, or should we salute her concise flaying of a GOP talking point (Ukraine, not Russian interference in 2016 elections) as repeatedly giving credence to such a false narrative and something Russia loves to hear?

Oh, third one – You do know that her expertise, literally, is because she wrote the book on it, right? “It” being Vladimir Putin. What, they didn’t mention that on FOX?

Powerful a witness as Sondhold became, was the Saturday Night Live! skit even better?

These people knew their words, and having them answer to counsel’s, “Right?” sure wasn’t automatic. As Dr. Hill and Ambassador Taylor stated, they were ‘fact witnesses,’ what they heard or knew about a situation, nothing about guilt regarding impeachment. Even if it was clarification of the timing tag of an e-mail as being sent local or Ukranian time, it was brought into agreement with known facts being discussed before saying, “Correct.”

If David Nolan wasn’t precise in showing how Amb. Sondland held a cell phone away from his ear while Trump was talking EXTRA loudly, is the operative word still, “Get over it?” When *every*single*one* of them takes notes constantly, documents situations with time and attendees, that is what a paper trail that’s meant to be followed looks like.

Oh, State Department has all the notes, because its government property? Sorry Amb. Sondland… Oh, you actually have e-mails that show everyone was in the loop? Good to know. Without taking anything away from Amb. Sondhold’s ability to both nurse a cold cup of coffee and deliver A-B-C, 1-2-3 points about whom “everyone” was, it was legitimate for Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney to note that his markedly different testimony was a third try at better describing things he recalled.

For those who think former NSC advisor John Bolton should  be as courageous as those who already testified, yep.

JFK and a character moment

Kennedy called out to a generation, and despite the tear United States down the middle issue of Vietnam, we – that would be the Boomers, ok – also made major strides in civil rights, and both put people on, and got them back from the moon.

Its not cherry-picking to use that event, it was a biggie.

Maybe ask someone about their time in the Peace Corp. Was there world respect for all those idealistic young Americans, striving to change the world somehow? You betcha. Those kids from Stoneman-Douglas are turning eighteen, ready to vote. Who wants them besides Beto, anti-gun marches and a huge percentage of America agreeing about it?

Yes, for sure, ask a young person what they think about the last three weeks over a fire pit on Thanksgiving. Learn what other people think – question authority (especially if it doesn’t pass the sniff test). Those diplomatic personnel who put their careers on the line, you KNOW you’d want them in the foxhole when doing whatever was necessary and right had to happen.

Some call it heroic,  but you certainly can’t ignore it. Nor should you disparage it.