...Until Daddy Takes The T-Bird Away

Can you name the top three funnest things you've ever done? Now, forget the once in a lifetime things like your wedding day or when your child was born and that kinda stuff. But just pure joyful fun. Got your three? Here are mine:

On our honeymoon, Marvelyne and I spent an entire afternoon going round and round the lazy river. Probably stopped to have an adult beverage along the way, but just being together and enjoying the relaxation (and laziness) one of those things provides.

Next? New Smyrna Beach. My mother in law has a condo at NSB and there is simply no other time I feel more alive than going out into the Atlantic. It engages my four remaining senses in a way that nothing else does.

And finally? Kinda a toss up between blasting brass with shooting, walking through New York City and going to concerts of any kind.

Now, I can't recreate my honeymoon. No one can do that. But, right across town there are a multitude of hotels with lazy rivers. They may not be as common as swimming pools, but they certainly aren't scarce. And New Smyrna Beach? 45 minutes from my front door. Concerts, shooting? All that can be done right in my city. Safely and legally go without saying.

Here's the question:

Why don't I do these sorts of things more often? Is there a financial investment involved? Sure, but it's not out of reach. It's not like a night or two in NYC will mean I have to go on welfare. It's not like concert tickets will mean I have to start selling my blood. I'm fully aware that times are kinda tough and we're all needing to tighten our belts a bit...but what is life without some joy in it?

I know it's kinda early to start making resolutions, but one thing I want o start incorporating into my life is simple joys. Things that truly, truly bring me happiness and excitement.

What are you going to do? Continue to think joy is out of your reach? Or look at it rationally and understand we've all got one time to go around on this big blue marble. During this 70 or so year existence I have, I want to be sure I don't lay on my death bed wishing I'd gone to the beach a little more often.

DeSales University and Marcus: Half Decade Anniversary

Again for 2010, I was honored to be a keynote presentor for DeSales University in Pennsylvania. Wonderful group of freshmen participating in the Character U. program, plus incredible clients with lots of laughs! What could be better?

Special thanks to Wendy Krisak, Dr. Gregg Amore and Chad Surface for being such good friends and great clients! Can’t wait to come back to DeSales for the sixth straight year!

One Classy Peach!

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm a bit of a diva when it comes to clothing. I love to shop for clothes, I love it when my closet is busting at the seems (no pun intended) with new clothes and stuff I really love.

Having said that, I'm no fashionista (is that really a word?) I don't spend a ton of time learning the latest trends or flipping through fashion mags or the like. And I could not possibly care less about a designer's touch and taste.

Still, because I dig clothes, I don't throw a fit when I walk in on my wife watching Project Runway. I might even pay attention for, oh, about 60 seconds.

Last night, I caught a recent episode of the show. Well, actually, about five minutes, but who's counting?

It was just at the time when the true designers are "voting people off the island." One of the wannabe designers who was at risk of being voted off was a 50 year old woman named Peach. I don't know any of her background at all, much less in fashion. But, when the ax fell and everyone learned she wouldn't be returning the next episode, I kinda wanted to know more about Peach.

See, when she got the boot, there's the obligatory response. No matter what reality show you're watching, there are a variety of responses the kickee will have; anger, sadness, contempt, jealousy, etc. For Peach? It was all about the gratitude.

She stated again and again how participating in the show had been such a treat for her, how it was the highlight of her life and how much she'd miss all the other newbie designers. Never a word was uttered about how she thought it was unfair, or how wrong the judges were. Nothing like that. Just gratitude and appreciation for being given the chance to show her stuff and to fall in with a crowd of 20-something newbie designers.

Maybe that's maturity, maybe that's intelligence...or maybe that's just Peach.