The Adventures of Jim...

Michael Jordan made me go see U2

Yes...you read the title of this post correctly.  Michael Jordan made me go see U2 in concert tonight.  Not only that, but he made me go see Van Halen in concert last night.

I know, that sounds odd.  You may even wonder how it could possibly be true.  Do I have a personal relationship with MJ?  Does he even know who I am?  How could he exert that level of influence over me?

Back in the days when he was an 'active' professional athlete, I got to see Michael Jordan play ball.  Baseball.  One July 4th, I was visiting family in Birmingham, Alabama.  They have a minor league baseball team that is part of the Chicago White Sox organization, and it was during his first retirement when he was giving it a go on the diamond.  He turned out to be an unremarkable baseball player and, thankfully...for the world of basketball, returned to the hardwood a short while later.

So yes...I did get to see Michael Jordan play baseball.  But I never got to see the greatest basketball player in the history of the game lace up the sneakers and do that which captured the imagination of the world.  (You can argue that MJ wasn't the greatest basketball player ever.  You can argue that...but you would be wrong. <smile> )  Oh, there were times when the Bulls came through Dallas to play the Mavericks.  For those  games, tickets were always in high demand, which meant high cost.  Simply, I could not justify coughing up the bucks to go.

That is something that I will always regret.  At some point along the way, I made the decision that if ever I had a similar chance in the future with athletes, musicians, etc., I would not pass it up.  I guess that if I were to describe it more accurately, I would say that it was my regret over not ever seeing Michael Jordan play, rather than MJ himself, that caused me to make different choices.

When I heard that Van Halen was re-teaming with David Lee Roth, launching a North American tour and coming to Dallas, I jumped at the chance.  Van Halen is not only one of my favorite bands of all time, but their most successful album (named 1984, and released in that year) came out when I was a senior in high school.  So, in addition to having some great tunes, the album and the band have great sentimental value for me.  I did not know whether or not tour they'll ever tour again, or whether they'd come close enough for me to go see them, in the future.  So, I paid more money than I ever thought I would to go see them in concert.

Earlier this year, my youngest son Michael posted a note on Facebook that indicated he wished he had the money to go see U2 in concert.  For those of you who've been living under a rock, U2 is perhaps one of the best and most influential rock bands ever.  I'd put them after the Beatles, and before everyone else.  Not only have they seemingly been around forever, but they're still current and relevant, and producing great new music.  Will they do concert tours after this one?  Possibly.  Will they come anywhere near Dallas on subsequent tours?  Maybe; maybe not.  This could have been my best and and final chance to see them in concert.  And the fact that I could take Angie and Michael to see them sealed the deal.

As with Van Halen, I forked over more money than I ever thought I would.  If it ends up being a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I can be regret-free in the knowledge that I took advantage of it. 

How was tonight's concert?  As glad as I was to have gone, I was a bit disappointed with it.  Oh, my disappointment has nothing to do with U2 or their opening band, Muse (of whom Michael is a big fan).  Their stage, video, lighting, and other affects were amazing.  It is just that, while there were seats in the stadium where the acoustics were good and the show sounded great...the seats we were in were not among those.  The sound was muddled, at best.

So, I've learned...while JerryWorld might be a good venue at which to watch the Cowboys play, it is currently not capable of having a large rock concert sound good in every seat.  Hopefully, they'll get that fixed, and/or I'll have another opportunity to see U2 in concert.

The bottom line, however, is that I had a great time.  Not only will I be able to say that I saw U2 in concert, but I'll be able to say that I shared the experience with loved ones.  And that is something that I can at least partially attribute to never having gotten to see Michael Jordan play basketball in person.

(Sidebar:  What have you put off doing?  Whether it is going to see a particular athlete play or rock band in concert, make whatever decision that will leave you with no regrets.)

Conversation with the Champs

I am a fortunate man.  On many fronts, I am a fortunate man, and I know it.  One of those fronts has to do with the friendships I have developed with many of the other World Champions of Public Speaking.  At this year's Toastmasters Convention (an annual affair), I had the chance to sit down with two of these colleagues, Darren LaCroix & Ed Tate.  We had a one-hour conversation about many things relating to the speech contests.  Since Darren had the insight to have his video camera handy, that one hour conversation was recorded and we can now share that with everyone.

I think it was recorded largely as a promotional item for the World Champion's Edge, which is a great program for developing/improving speakers.  If you want more information about that you can click here.  Additionally, I've placed links to the clips on my website.

These video clips are your opportunity to sit down with the three of us, and hear our insights into speaking and the speech contests.  I hope you enjoy them.

Part 1 of 6

Part 2 of 6

Part 3 of 6

Part 4 of 6

Part 5 of 6

Part 6 of 6

Ever the student...

Since I joined Toastmasters, but specifically since I got involved in the speech contests, I have been in sponge/student mode.  By that, I mean that I'm always on the lookout for examples of speaking styles and techniques (both good & bad) from which I can learn.  I don't necessarily seek to copy those good techniques.  Rather, I seek to learn why they work, and whether or not there is any aspect of them that I can/should incorporate into my speaking style.

If being in that sponge/student mode is good for speaking, how much better is it to do that with life issues in general?  And I'm fortunate to be married to someone to whom that applies.

This past week, Angie and I were at the Toastmasters International annual convention.  On one of the days of the conference, we got pulled in to watch & evaluate the practice of Mary Cheyne, one of the finalists in this year's World Championship of Public Speaking.  Also part of the small group, was my World Champion colleague and good friend, Darren LaCroix.

Darren mentioned that since it was a very short time until the speech contest, Mary's supporters needed to shift from the mode of evaluators & coaches to that of a cheerleader.  The idea was that encouragement and love would boost her, and give her the right attitude for when she hit the stage.  He mentioned that in 2001, he told his friends that he would not be answering his phone, but he wanted to have them call it anyway, for the purpose of leaving an encouraging, uplifting message that he could listen to shortly before the contest.

Though his story had to do with something related to the speech contest, Angie recognized the application.  Without 'over-sharing', I can tell you that Angie was facing a surgery this week, and she was feeling a little anxious about it.  So she posted a note onto Facebook, asking her friends to call her phone and leave uplifting, encouraging, and/or entertaining messages that she could listen to after the surgery when she would be in recovery.

She got a good number of calls, some from long time friends, and some from friends we just met at the TI convention.  Those calls made her laugh, and that helped.  To those who called, we give a sincere 'thank you'.

To Darren, for unknowingly planting the idea of a great coping/therapy technique, a big THANKS to you, my friend.

And to you...the person reading this note...a challenge.  Be on the lookout for little hints and tips that you can pick up from other people, which will allow you to make your life just a little bit better.  In other words, join me in adopting the personal mantra of "ever the student"...

Observations from a hospital day

If you knew that you've got to get up much earlier tomorrow morning than normal, wouldn't you go to bed early tonight?  The problem with that is that it makes too much sense.  Yet, that was my plan.  Angie had to go in to the hospital for a 7:15 AM surgical procedure.  That meant we had to be at the hospital at 6, which meant we had to get up around 5.

While I had every intention of going to bed no later than 9, reality turned out to be closer to midnight.  <...yawn...>  So, I'm tired.

When they took Angie in to surgery, I went to the waiting room.  When I entered, there were only one or two people.  There was a large TV on one wall, so that would probably have done a good job in keeping my boredom at bay.  But, thanks to the age in which we live, technology gives us options.  The hospital's WiFi means that I can check my e-mail, do some web surfing, etc.  All of that is a good-good.

But...

A few weeks ago, A Slingbox came to live at my house.  For those who don't know what that is, it is a box that you connect to your cable box/DVR and to your internet connection.  Then, you can access it from anywhere in the world, such as oversease, a far-away hotel room, or...a hospital waiting room.  Once you access it, you can watch either live TV or anything you've recorded, much like you could if you were right there at home.

The reason I say that it "came to live at my house", is because I didn't buy it.  Instead, my sister and brother-in-law bought it.  They live in the Netherlands, and miss not being able to watch American TV.  Or, when they do see American programs, it is only after a significant delay.  (Imagine not being a able to watch the SuperBowl live...)  My guess is that they'll be the envy of all their American friends who live there.

So...I tapped into it while in the hospital waiting room.  No longer was I stuck watching Headline News...I watched ESPN, and FoxNews, and a little bit of Comedy Central...right on my laptop.

And it's a good thing that I had the option.  After I'd been there for about 30 minutes, a man decided to TRY to change the channel.  (I guess he didn't like seeing the same 6 stories being replayed every few minutes.  Hmmm...maybe that's why they named it HEADLINE News, and not IN-DEPTH REPORTING News  <smile> ).  The operative word is "try".  His did result in a change in the channel over to Nickelodeon (or, as I call it, Nickeload-o-crap).  The problem was he wasn't sure he'd done to change it, meaning he couldn't put it on a better channel.

After the lady who was with him (his daughter, I think) helped him, they finally got it turned to ABC's Good Morning America.  For  whatever reason, that channel was MUCH LOUDER THAN THE OTHER CHANNELS!!!  In case you're wondering...no...they couldn't be bothered to turn it  down.  So, I was doubly-thankful for the Slingbox.  (One, that I could watch something of my choosing, and two, that I could pop the earphones on and not have to listen the super-loud GMA.)   YEAH SLINGBOX!!!!

As time went on, the waiting room got more and more full.  By the time Angie's surgeon came in to give me the good report, there were probably more than 20 people therein.  Good time for me to bail out, methinks.  It was at that point that I learned what it must feel like to be a mouse in the proverbial maze, looking for the piece of cheese at the end.  Oh, I made it to the room where they will bring Angie easily enough, but then I had to go out to the car to retrieve our things.  This place (Medical City) is HUGE!!!  Plus it has a veritable labyrinth of hallways.  It took me about 20 minutes to find the exit for the parking building where our car was.  Sheesh!!!

Shortly after I got up to her room to wait, I began contacting various folks with the update.  I only called 3 people, and those were familiy members.  I notified the others via text and e-mail message.  (If you didn't get a call,don't feel bad.  It just means that you're not related to us.  Even then, I called much fewer family members than I did not.)

A couple of fun facts about her room:  it has a DVD player, so we aren't limited just to the small handful of channels they have.  It also has a small dorm-style refridgerator.  I'd brought a cooler with some snacks and drinks so that I wouldn't have to leave her in order to get something to nibble/drink, so I just transferred those things to our little fridge.  Does anyone care to guess what type of soft drink I brought?  That's right, it's my favorite:  Mountain Dew.  I didn't have one this morning, but around 11:30 I needed a boost, so I downed one.  Mmmm.......

Angie was in recovery longer we expected; about 3 hours.  I guess the anesthesiologist gave her an additional bump of the juice, because she was out for a solid two hours after the surgery.  That gave me additional time to chill out.  Again, thank goodness for WiFi.  Gave me plenty of things to keep me occupied.  They finally rolled her into the room around 1:00.

Now that she's here and I don't have to wait on her arrival, I've realized just how tired I am. I'm going to take advantage her the afternoon by grabbing a quick nap.  More updates, observations, and ruminations will follow, I'm sure...

2009 World Championship reflections

Watching each consecutive World Championship is an ever challenging thing for me.  I don't say that to imply in any way that there is anything wrong with the contest or any of the contestants.  Rather, there is something very right about both.

Every year brings more contestants to the ranks of those who have spoken on the big stage.  More contestants to that stage means more opportunities to coach and interact with finalists.  Every year, I make myself available to any Finalist who seeks my help.  Some seek specific coaching; others seek simply to learn about what to expect from the experience.  I'm happy to help in whatever way they need.  I let the contestants tell me the area in which they're seeking help.  In fact, I told more than one finalist who sought a consult the day before the contest that my approach was like a Spice Girls song:  "Tell me what you want, what you really, really want."  I know...it is somewhat goofy to quote that, but the message there supports the idea that I wanted my assistance to them to be focused on the area that they saw as that of their need.

My problem is that when I coach someone, when I invest in them and work with them, a degree of personal connection with that person forms.  That makes it increasingly difficult for me to remain objective, regarding contest results.  On the day of the 2009 speech contest finals, Australian Mark Hunter earned the title of 2009 World Champion of Public Speaking.  I first met Mark when I competed against him in the 2001 Championships.  I finished 2nd while he did not place in the results.  In the subsequent years, I did some coaching for Mark in multiple years, and we developed a very nice friendship.  In 2007 Mark made his 2nd appearance in the finals (after multiple competition seasons that ended at the semi-finals), where he finished 3rd.

Additionally, I did varying degrees of coaching with 3 of the other contestants: Stephen Cornwell, Maureen Zappala, and Chakisse Newton.  On top of that, though I did not coach him in this contest, I had done some coaching with Erick Rainey back when he made the finals in 2005, where he finished 3rd.  (Note: I claim only to have done SOME coaching with these folks.  I do not claim to have done a significant amount, and I do not claim any credit for their accomplishments.  They are individually great speakers.)

The contest, quite simply, was very good.  (I'm not going to detail each of the speeches.  My wife, a Distinguished Toastmaster and Past District Governor, will do that on her blog within the next few days.)  It was obvious that the contestants had each put a considerable amount of work (aka. blood, sweat, and tears) into their speeches, because they each brought excellence to the stage.  Still, it was evident that the level of excellence Mark reached stood above the others.  That is no slight to them; it is a credit to him.  Simply, they were very good; he was better.  His use of voice, language, and delivery were unrivaled.

I happened to be taking brief notes on each of the speeches as the contest went along.  As Mark progressed, and his speech was simply "hitting on all cylinders", I wrote: "OH MY GOD!!!"    Even before he finished, probably around the 6 minute mark, I wrote:  "He's got it!!!"  Believe it......he was THAT good.  (I wrote one other comment...a note to help me capture/remember my thoughts & feelings at the time.  But that comment will remain private.)  I decided to cut out that section of the notes page and give it to him as a memento.  (The entire page contained my comments about ALL of the speakers, which is for my eyes only.)

That said, I struggled with how much (or whether or not) my prediction of how Mark should fare in the results was influenced by my subjectivity, due to our friendship.  Ultimately, I don't think it was...but that is why it gets increasingly challenging for me when watching the contests.  I don't want to favor someone just because they are my friend.

During the the previous few years of the contest, several precedents have been set.  In 2007, Vikas Jhingran became the first champion of Indian descent.  In 2008, LaShunda Rundles became only the 4th woman to win, the first woman in 22 years, and the first black woman to win. And finally, Mark's victory was the first by a contestant from outside North America since 1998, the first for an Australian since their only other Champion 27 years ago, and the first for a paraplegic.

Believe it or not, Mark's victory even established precedent that includes me.  I could be entirely mistaken, and if I am please let me know, but it makes 2001 the only year in the history of the finals in which 3 future Champions competed.  Obviously, each contest contains one future Champion, and there have been several years in which two future Champs competed.  But none produced 3.  Darren LaCroix took the title in 2001, I took it in 2003, and now Mark completes that trifecta.  It is entirely possible that more future champions will have been part of the "class of 2001".  Only time will tell.

Further connecting Mark and I is the fact that we each won on our 3rd trip to the finals.  I suppose that simply goes to confirm the old adage: "the third time's the charm".

...and, my oh my...Mark certainly was charming.  He had what I call "a high likability factor".  The man simply exudes joy.  When he placed third back in 2007, my guess is that he was the happiest looking 3rd place finisher in history.  There's no other word for the impression he left: joy.  I doubt, however, that his demeanor in 2007 impacted this year's contest results; the man's speech...simply...ROCKED!!

But...it certainly could not have hurt.  Therein lies a lesson for all future contestants, at any/every level of the contest:  your demeanor, the way you respond to results that weren't your goal and the manner in which you carry yourself matters.  It says a lot about your true character.  Like few others, I understand the sting of disappointment in the speech contest finals.  Or, as the old "Wide World of Sports" broadcasts termed it...the agony of defeat.  "Agony" is a good word to use, because it hurts.  Deeply.

But in that moment, you create an impression in the minds of those in attendance.  If you are pleasant, if you act admirably and that impression is good, you will be well served going forward.  If it is poor, especially if it is strongly negative, you may be dooming your future contest success by acting badly.  Simply, nobody likes a sore loser.  (As a side note:  I believe my behavior in 2002...the 2nd year that I finished in 2nd place...earned a degree of respect.)

...and nobody likes it when people use the negative things that they've experienced as a crutch.  Instead, we love people like Mark Hunter.  I mentioned earlier that he is a paraplegic.  Over 30 years ago a water-skiing accident paralyzed him, leaving him wheelchair-bound.  "Well, Jim...certainly such a person would be limited in being able to move around and use the stage as part of a speech...right?"  Wrong.  You *need* to see Mark Hunter's speech.  He acknowledged it (it's not like we didn't know he was in a wheelchair <smile>) with some of the most elegant self-deprecating humor I've ever seen.  But not only was his level and mode of mobility not a detriment, he used it masterfully.  (Another side lesson:  use the tools that you have.  Don't be ashamed of them, and don't apologize for them.  Turn them into strengths, and wield them with power.)

The other thing Mark had was that special *something*; the sparkle in the eye, the energy, the confidence...the joy.  I'm not sure how to fully describe it, but I know it when I see it, and Mark had it, in abundance.

So Mark - congratulations, my friend.  You are an amazing speaker and a deserving Champion, and I simply couldn't be prouder for you.

(For those who wish to follow my microblogs:  http://twitter.com/JimKeyTX.  Also, you can follow me on FaceBook, using http://www.facebook.com/jimkeytx)

I get it...I'll blog more

Over the last several weeks, several e-mailers have...in their own words...asked me the same question:  Why don't you blog as much as you used to?

I am well aware that my blog frequency has diminished significantly over the last several months.  So, I'll try to make a concerted effort to make more frequent entries.  The remainder of this blog posting will be to catch up on a number of things.

First, I received an informal update on LaShunda Rundles at a TLI (Toastmasters Leadership Institute) at which I spoke last weekend.  The news was that she has some good days and some bad.  She isn't currently in the hospital, but she still has a ways to go on her road to recovery.  For now she is focusing on that, and taking pleasure in the simple things like being at home and cooking for her son.  Sounds like she's got her priorities straight, to me.  If you have been thinking about and praying for her...please keep it up.

Second, Angie and I flew to Connecticut for the Toastmasters convention on Wednesday.  We chose to not stay at the hotel where the convention is being held.  Instead, we are at a small hotel about 4 miles away from the site.  Part of the reason...quite honestly...is financial.  Our hotel costs less than half what the convention hotel would cost.  And given the fact that I have "an genetically acquired aggressively frugal streak" (read: I'm cheap), it makes more sense.  What we're saying will more than pay for our rental car while we're here.  The other reason is that it allows us to get away.  While I thoroughly enjoy the attention and appreciation that comes from being a World Champion of Public Speaking, it can be exhausting at times.  I feel like I always have to be "on".  No, that doesn't mean being fake; that's certainly not my style.  It means a new conversation begins every time you walk 10 feet, and it takes you 25 times as long to simply walk to the elevator.  Being in a different hotel gives us a place to unwind and recharge in relative anonymity.  If anything, that allows us to be of better value/service to the folks at the convention when we return tomorrow.

Concerning the convention, I served as a flag carrier in the opening ceremony.  For those who don't know, Toastmasters opens their conventions with a parade of flags from each of the countries in which Toastmasters operates.  Since not every country is represented by one of its citizens, volunteers carry those  flags.  I carried the Haitian flag.  It felt odd to not be carrying the U.S. flag, or even one of the flags of a country I have visited.  But maybe I'll have the chance to do that in future years.  It was interesting to see the faces of people.  I'm not sure they knew quite what to make of a WCPS carrying a flag.  Honestly, I hope it sends the message that there are many ways in which the World Champs volunteer and serve.

After the opening ceremony, we went to get something to eat. The only place we found open was Mystic Pizza II, which was only a couple of miles from our hotel.  Yeah, there was a movie about the place back in the 80's, but I didn't care.  We were starving!!!  Not only was it good...it was REALLY good, and it really hit the spot.

I've already had the chance to reconnect with many friends and acquaintences, after only being at the convention less than a day.  I really look forward to doing more of that in the next few days.  (Including a host of present and past leaders, I reconnected with WCPS colleagues Lance Miller, Darren  LaCroix, and Mark Brown.)  One of my focuses now when it comes to the conventions is leadership development.  Obviously, educational session on the topic of leadership are available.  It is also interesting what you can learn by watching leaders at various levels of the organization.  That is especially true when there are controversial issues to be dealt with.  This year's convention will have plenty of those things, ranging from candidates running from the floor to proposals that would  fundamentally change the way the organization is structured and operates.  Simply, there are plenty of examples of leadership, some good...and some...well, not so much.

One of my other focuses, obviously, is to be available for the contestants.  I don't chase anybody or push myself on them, but if any of the contestants seek my assistance, advice, or guidance, I will readily give it to them.  Simply, I am here for them.  I already have tentative appointments to meet with multiple contestants, and am really looking forward to it.  Having been through the process multiple times, I know how beneficial a calm, encouraging, and experienced voice can be. 

Sadly, I am also here to console contestants who did not advance past the interdistrict contest.  I am very proud of Mark Hunter.  He is a friend from Australia who competed with me in the WCPS in 2001, and made it to the finals again in 2007.  He won his interdistrict contest on Tuesday night, and has advanced to the Championship again.  He is a really good person, and I look forward to seeing his speech on Saturday.  Unfortunately, two other friends did not make it past the other interdistrict contest.  Doug Kruger and Donald Yee took 2nd and 3rd place respectively in the other contest.  They, too, are great people, and I hope they compete again in subsequent years.  I would like to see either or both of them join the ranks of my colleagues.

I will try to make a decent number of blog entries while I'm here at the convention.  I am certain that my entries won't be nearly as prolific or detailed as Angie's.  Since she has an iPhone and I won't get mine until February (yeah, I could get one right away...but I have chosen to practice discipline and delayed gratification), she will be Tweeting, Facebooking, and blogging throughout the convention as things happen.

Then again, my primary focus isn't on keeping the entire world abreast of the proceedings.  If you want to be completely in the know...COME TO THE NEXT CONVENTION!!!

An update from LaShunda

Today, I received an e-mail from LaShunda Rundles, in response to a note I sent her last week.  I did not ask for permission to share her note verbatim, so I'm going to summarize what she told me in my words.

Since LaShunda has returned home from the hospital, things have been very hectic and challenging for her.  While she is still weak, she is, getting better and stronger with each day.  She's had some trips back to the ER, but has not had to be re-admitted to the hospital.

Her progress is slow, but....progress is progress.  LaShunda feels blessed and happy, and is hoping that she will improve enough by the Toastmasters International convention, so that she is able to attend.

In addition to their amazement, her doctors are all optimistic for her continuing improvement.  YEAH!!!  Furthermore, they've told her that when she is able to speak in the local area, they expect to be invited!!  :-)

She isn't taking phone calls, because the outpouring of love from people became overwhelming.  She knows that everyone has only the best of intentions, but too much is too much.  (I guessed that this would be the case; that's why I have reluctantly refrained from calling her.)
 
As you can imagine, she is enjoying being at home is MUCH better than being in the hospital.  At the top of the list of reasons why is that she is able to be with her son.  No further explanation is needed.

Big, albeit late, THANKS

When Angie and I bought our TV, we got a *very* temporary stand to put it on.  It was one that could be put to another use later.  Yeah, I've got a ridiculously strong practical streak.  One of the reasons for doing that is that my father-in-law offered to build a nice TV stand for us.

There are probably a lot of whose similar offer you would have to seriously weigh about before accepting.  Not so in this case.  Jim (yeah, my father-in-law's name is Jim; so is my brother-in-law's) has a TV that is approximately the same size as mine, and he built a stand for his TV a while back.  If American Idol judge Randy Jackson would summarize it this way:  "yo, look here dawg.  When it comes to building things, the man has mad, crazy SKILZ!!  Good lookin' out, baby!!"

The evidence to support that claim:

The top is covered with some seriously sweet ceramic tile.  I'm not a designer or someone who is know as a decorating snob, but this looks very classy to me.

Lots of internal shelving, doors with grey plexiglass.  Very, very nice.

And sturdy?  I could probably jump up and down on top of this thing, and it wouldn't even flinch.  It is one seriously solid piece of furniture!

So, I'm way, WAY behind in posting about this, but I wanted to give a big KUDOS to my father-in-law.  Thanks, Jim!!

And then there was just Eddie...

When I was a child, I couldn't wait to be "grown up".  I wanted to be able to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.  I wanted to be able to make money and buy nice things, and all of the other benefits that came with being an adult.  My guess is that most people had those kind of thoughts when we were children.

The downside to being an adult, of course, is going through heartbreak and having to make tough decisions.  Angie and I had to make just such a decision this week.  After anguishing about it for a while, we decided that we had to give up Jake.  For those who don't know, we got a playmate for our dog, an 11-lb Yorkie, a little while back.  Actually "playmate" might not be the right word, because we got a very large Lab.  (The papers we received when we got him listed his weight as 100 lbs.)  Perhaps "big brother" or "guardian goon" would be a better fit.  The bottom line is that they got along extremely well.

The problem is that we did not anticipate the amount of attention that Jake would need.  In many respects, Eddie (the Yorkid) has the partial personality of a cat.  He just wants to be near us; he doesn't require constant interaction.  Jake, on the other hand, wanted and needed more of that attention and interaction than we could give.  Add to that his size and a VERY insistent streak, and we began to be very frustrated with him.

Not that it was fault; he is what he is, and he needs what he needs.  We simply are not able to meet those needs.  So...with much regret and sadness, we made the extremely hard decision to give him up yesterday.  It was the right decision, because he will now have a chance to be in a home that will hopefully have two or more young children who can play with him and give him the attention that he needs.  (He was great with children, and with other pets.)  Still, we will miss him.  I loved having a "man dog" that would fetch until he dropped from exhaustion.

Though the time we had with him was brief, it was richly rewarding.  So as not to forget too quickly, I put his name tag on my key ring.  I'll probably keep it there for a month or so.  And everytime I look at it, I'll be reminded of the good times we had.

And, of course, now Eddie will get 100% of our pet-directed attention.  We will probably look to get him another companion in a month or two, but we're now much better equipped to chose a dog whose needs we'll be able to meet.

The latest news I have...

It has been quite a while since I posted an update about my friend and WCPS colleague, LaShunda Rundles.  Actually, I haven't heard directly from her in quite a while.  I sent her a few e-mails that went unanswered.

BUT...I am very pleased to report that LaShunda has been released from the hospital.  After approximately 6 months in the hospital, most of which was spent in the ICU, she has recovered to the point of no longer needing to stay there.  I am sure that she is delighted to be back at home in more comfortable surroundings.  And I'm looking forward to the time when she is recovered enough to get out to some Toastmasters conferences.  She's walked a very difficult road, and she deserves to receive the accolades, support, and encouragement that she has earned.

If you are the praying type, please continue to keep her in your prayers.  She still has a significant amount of recovery to achieve, so all your prayers are welcomed.