It’s so good to be sitting on the porch of a cute, cozy cabin and reflect on what is important in life. Health, family and friends top the list of most valued gifts.
Spending time in the greenery of nature is soothing to my soul and my morning walk did me good. This fun sign below caught my eye and got me thinking. What do I want and how do I plan to get it? Where should I go and why? So many questions are swirling in my mind.
The cabin I’m staying in is small and quaint. There is no Wi-Fi or Internet and uploading the photo above took over 5 minutes. During the time I waited, I thought more about what I wanted to share here with you. It slowed me down even more to reflect and creatively choose my words.
Here are some of my answers to the questions:
Who: Me
What: Calm my mind and heal my shoulder
When: Now
Where: In the woods of Arizona
Why: Life is short and I want to alleviate the pain
How: Appreciating the beauty of the verdant trees and the sounds of the birds.
Getting away from the day-to-day grind of work and chores is a wonderful treat. Strong and simple – just the way I like it!
So many of us are hurting right now, physically and emotionally, and my wish is that you can take a moment for yourself and ask- Who, What, When, Where, Why and How.
The honest answers may be your best sign post to get you moving in the right direction.
I have chosen Independence Day 2022 to write about Stranger Things Season 4 for a number of reasons.
First, the finale was big and bold, colorful and dark, intense and touching- much like our 4th of July fireworks.
Second, the themes of standing up and fighting back against bullies, tyrants and evil forces resonated with me.
Third, it reminded me of the kick-ass American spirit, strength and courage of the 1980s.
Lastly, brave heroes are important and should be recognized and respected.
I’ve written about the prior three seasons of Netflix’s popular series Stranger Things in my blog and book and I continue to enjoy the fond memories of my childhood. Being a class of 1985 graduate made me connect even more with the story and the characters of Hawkins High School class of 86. I was taken back to Friday nights spent with my girlfriends at Skateway 9 near my hometown in New Jersey. The lights, music and action of the roller rink were perfectly captured in the show and it brought back vivid memories of being bullied by the mean-girls at school who didn’t like me for some reason or another. I still had great fun with my good friends and loved the energy of disco music.
Being a fan of the band Metallica, I was especially delighted by the scene with Eddie Munson (my new favorite character) playing “Master of Puppets” on top of the trailer in the Upside Down. This character was also the Dungeon Master in the D&D games played with Dustin, Will, Lucas and Mike. In the end it was a brilliant and masterful performance by the misfit teenager who partly reminded me of Eddie Van Halen and some of the guitar-playing boys I went to high school with ( Joe Argese, Scott Janis, Craig Boschetti, John Horvath and Mike Gardner).
Speaking of music in the 1980s, I have great memories of being in the Spotswood High School Marching Band/ Color Guard. Just like in Stranger Things, we had dorky, hot and uncomfortable polyester uniforms and it didn’t stop us from having fun at the football games, local parades and other events. We even took cool bus trips to exotic places like Montreal thanks to our amazing music teachers Mr. Cohen and Mr. Milstein. I’m still in touch with many of my friends from band on Facebook and during trips back home including Ed Dougherty, Charles Kolbasowski, Steve and Carol Varga, Rose Fairchild Neliden, Stacy Remantas, and Janet Warley.
The amazing cast of strong female characters on Stranger Things continued to inspire and impress me. These women didn’t give up and gave it their all in the face of extreme pain and malevolence. I especially liked the intense powers of Eleven, the courage of Max, the ferociousness of Nancy, and the witty intelligence of Erica. These strengths and personal attributes are sorely needed in 2022. Watching Nancy expertly handle the shotgun to fight off the monsters reminded me of Linda Hamilton in Terminator 2.
Pure, unadulterated, bad-ass courage and skill by nerves of steel women- that’s what I’m talking about!
And so, these are my random, strange and independent thoughts on July 4th about Season 4 of the sci-fi hit Stranger Things.
Here are the strong and simple messages I was left with:
It’s 102 degrees today in Phoenix, Arizona and my left shoulder is still frozen. It all started six months ago when I noticed that it hurt to move or lift my left arm.
In the last two months I’ve made some progress toward healing my arm and shoulder and am happy to report that the stabbing pains are mostly gone and I can put on my shirt with relative ease. My range of motion, however, is not much better than it was four weeks ago.
I am not a patient person by nature and it’s been very hard for me to slow down and accept the fact that my left arm can’t move or function like it used to.
Five years ago this summer, I wrote an article titled Mighty Gumby and the Importance of Flexible Strength where I reiterated some great advice I received in my Austin yoga class : “Flexibility needs to be supported by strength and stability”.
As I look back on the 2017 photo of my back, shoulder and arms, I can’t help but feel a bit sad and dejected at my current state in 2022. At this point, I can barely raise my left arm to be parallel to the ground much less flex my bicep.
Me in June 2022Me in July 2017
My friend and Yoga Therapist, Nancy Martch recently asked me, “What is your arm injury telling you?”. In my mind I rephrased the question to – What have I learned from this painful and physically limiting condition?
Here are my thoughts about recovering from an illness or injury:
Be patient with your body.
Slow down and appreciate the small, micro-improvements you see or feel.
Be flexible and adaptable with what you can and cannot do.
Be accepting of the situation and have gratitude for the strong and healthy parts of your body. (I have new respect and appreciation for my legs and back).
Do not compare the injured area or side of your body to its healthy counterpart (in my case my left arm to my right arm).
Do not compare yourself to anyone else.
Let go of any expectations.
Continually observe, analysis, research and explore new possibilities for healing and recovery.
Listen closely to your body for it will tell you what it needs.
Be kind to yourself.
These past six months have been a humbling experience for me as I come to accept that my recovery could take over a year. I am doing all that I can to keep moving and positively support my body’s immune system. The systems, habits and actions I employ include:
Yoga therapy
Physical therapy and weight lifting
Swimming
Massage
Anti-Inflammatory diet
A slow healing process is never easy but I’m optimistic that I will be able to lift my left over my head some day. I have put the Mighty Gumby back on my desk so I can be reminded of the importance of flexibility and a positive attitude.
Here’s to Letting Go and healing my frozen shoulder!
Bill donated a gold nugget and came home with a treasure named Chester.
On Saturday, April 30, 2022, five members of Ahwatukee Post 64 volunteered at a local event called Coffee and Rigs in the parking lot of C2 Tactical in Tempe, AZ. Their mission was to increase awareness of the benefits of joining the American Legion and recruit new members.
Post 64 Members (l to r) Al Hunter, Brenda Smull, Pete Meier, Bill Musik and Jack Armstrong
The Coffee and Rigs event was the first of its kind and featured eight vendors/organizations including: Off Road Warehouse, Turtleback Trailers, Buff City Soap, the American Legion Post 64, Rubicon Rescue, Precision Sports Accessories, and Circle R Farm Food truck.
The Post 64 table of brochures, flyers, flags, candy and historical Legion caps also included tickets for two raffle prizes- a one year family package membership at C2 Tactical and a 2.2 gram gold nugget.
Bill Musik, a Vietnam veteran, donated the gold nugget and discovered a wonderful treasure in return and adopted an adorable dog named Chester from the Rubicon Rescue team two tables down. Chester was perfectly suited to Bill because of their compatible stages in life. Bill had wanted a more senior pet that he could care for through the rest of the dog’s life.
Bill and Chester relax at home. Photo by Steve Smull
C2 Tactical provided Post 64 with the generous one-year membership and has been extremely supportive of Phoenix area First Responders, Veterans and animal rescue organizations. C2 Tactical is generous with donations of membership packages, classes, and range time when asked and this April event was the third time to they have had Rubicon Rescue host a table at their community functions.
Rubicon Rescue dogs. Photo by Steve Smull
Rubicon Rescue, a local non-profit organization, brought eight dogs and a litter of tiny kittens to the event. It was great news to hear that four dogs, including Chester, were adopted that day. Rubicon Rescue’s Mission it to save abandoned, abused and injured shelter animals and they certainly made a positive impact toward this goal.
This event is part of a new PR and membership campaign at the Post 64 and was spearheaded and attended by Al Hunter, Jack Armstrong, Bill Musik and Brenda Smull. Our Post Commander Pete Meier also supported our efforts at the table.
It was a positive and supportive showing at the Post’s table and the happy, spirited, and appreciative rescue dogs warmed everyone’s hearts.
A precious face waiting to be adopted. Photo by Steve Smull
I’ve begun working on a keynote speech and thought I’d share with you my idea and the process I’m using to craft it.
The working title is of my presentation is The Power of Small: Sys-bits for Big Results. The initial speech will be 20 minutes in length and is the main deliverable for a Toastmasters Pathway project (Level 5 in the Presentation Mastery path).
The concept for this keynote has been swirling around in my mind for many months and features ideas and tales about systems, habits and methodologies that I have used in the past 40 years to accomplish my goals. My personal experiences as a unicycle rider, a Toastmaster, and a published author will be highlighted as I weave together the stories and points in support of my Power of Small approach.
My first story will describe my experience of learning to ride a unicycle when I was ten years old and how I, without knowledge or formal training, employed the principles of Agile and experimentation to achieve my lofty goal.
The second story of my keynote speech will chronicle the techniques and visualize tools I used to compile and publish my first book in five months. Leveraging my Project Manager and Scrum Master skills allowed me to know which systems and habits to use to get the job done on time and under budget. I also think that my “Power of Small” method of book writing improved my creativity and increased my quality.
The final story of my big speech about small steps will feature an analysis of the Toastmaster educational program called Pathways. This proven system is an incremental learning experience designed to help members build the skills they need to be better communicator and leaders.
Another big step I’ve taken in my speech creation in hiring a professional Coach to assist me in refining, shaping and optimizing my words and my delivery. More to come on this endeavor.
So that’s what I have to share with you thus far.
The small steps of my journey to an amazing Keynote have begun and I’m excited to report my progress along the way to you.
On November 4, 2021, I hosted a book launch party for Strong Words and Simple Truths in Phoenix, Arizona. The venue was a fun, independent coffee shop called The Buzzed Goat and Ernie the hedgehog fit right in.
Our spirited gathering included over 30 friends, coworkers, toastmasters and veterans. The energy in the room was electric and I was thrilled to be able to speak in front of a live audience.
Below is a video of my short presentation and tribute to military veterans.
Ernie and me at the book signing table
For more information on my book Strong Words and Simple Truths click here.
Earlier this year I embarked on a journey to write and publish my first book, Strong Words and Simple Truths. After eight years of writing this blog, I knew I had enough content (102 Posts with over 50,000 words). The trick was figuring out how to knit together so many seemingly disparate topics into a cohesive and interesting story.
I had a mountain of ideas and knew I had to focus, organize and categorize.
The first thing I did was put on my Scrum Master hat and break out the pink and yellow sticky notes! For a definition of what a Scrum Master is click here.
With an Agile mindset, I set about the task of visualizing every blog post. I did this by writing the title of every blog with a black marker on square sticky notes. The pink notes covered the majority of the wall in my home office. For more information on Agile click here.
The next step involved organizing and grouping the blog titles into themes or categories. I ended up with eight themes that I wrote on larger, rectangular sticky notes. I moved the smaller titles around on the wall so they were under the appropriate theme. I let this display sit on my wall for many weeks and I spent hours staring at them to see how they looked together. I moved some titles around and I removed over 20 blogs entirely. This editing process was difficult but very important to the integrity and flow of the book.
The beginning stage of my blog grouping wall
The eight themes became the chapters of the book which are: Communication, Toastmasters, Creativity, Veterans, the 1980s, Gratitude, Science and Health, and Agile.
I built a storyboard of the eight chapters to help visualize the order and flow of the themes. I evolved and iterated on this multiple times and landed on this display which includes the custom drawn illustrations by Alex Delit Garcia.
The Final Story board
The creation of the Table of Contents was quite simple as I ordered the blog titles chronologically under each chapter/theme.
To tie all of the chapters together, I chose a fun and symbolic circus theme. Each chapter was represented by a character or element from the circus and I spun a tale about a curious girl named Elizabeth and her hedgehog friend, Ernie. The story took us on a “run away and join the circus” journey and wove together all of the chapters’ topics with the Ringleader kicking things off.
The use of a creative and symbolic fiction story to tie together 80 non-fiction articles was a fun and effective way to compile and build a book in a short amount of time. From the start of my sticky note wall display to the publication of the book was five months (including the creation of the chapter illustrations and the editing/formatting).
I often call my book a patchwork quilt of lifelong learnings, dreams and ideas and I hope you enjoyed my sharing of the stitching process!
For more information on Strong Words and Simple Truths: The Courage to Communicate, click here.
I was pleasantly surprised when I saw the headline and photo on the front page of my local newspaper the Ahwatukee Foothills News yesterday. There I was, standing in front of The Buzzed Goat Cafe wearing my Post 64 American Legion hat. The picture was taken after a speech I gave at my book launch party. One of the main focuses of my short talk was to share my experience in the US military and pay tribute to the veterans and honor their service and sacrifice.
I read aloud the excerpt below from my book Strong Words and Simple Truths: The Courage to Communicate.
Here is the introduction summary of Chapter 6: Veterans and Remembrance.
“Heroes are people who put themselves at risk for the benefit of others.”
-Oliver North
The first veterans I admired were my father, uncles, and cousins that served in the U.S. Military. Most of them, my dad included, were deployed across the globe to fight for freedoms during World War II. Their strength and resolve inspired me to become a leader and a servant to others. They were my Strong Man role models.
The idea of selfless service was instilled in me at an early age as I watched my parents and my dear cousins Joey, Patty, and Richie, volunteer for countless events at the local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). Although my small hometown was only a few square miles, it was home to not one but two veteran organizations—The American Legion and the VFW. Every year when I was growing up, our town would have a Memorial Day parade that concluded at one of these two posts. In my family, Memorial Day was a special day marked by a solemn remembrance ceremony in the local cemetery.
My time on active duty in the U.S. Army in the early 1990s was relatively short and painless, but it left a lasting imprint on my perspective, leadership style, and values.
After college, I learned of the “Duty, Honor, Country” mantra of the U.S. Military Academy. I never forgot the crucial importance of remembrance and respect for those who have sacrificed in service to their nation.
The veterans I have encountered have a strong sense of integrity and commitment to their families, friends, and community. They are a tough and resilient lot who are some of the most kind, generous, and boisterous people I know.
The Strong Man is my tribute to all people who have served their countries and communities. Please join me as I share some of my thoughts on this important topic.
I published my first book, Strong Words and Simple Truths: The Courage to Communicate, on Amazon today.
To those who have been following and reading my blog over the past 8 years, I thank you for your interest and support of my thoughts, ideas and stories.
Words can not express the joy and elation I am feeling today. This is my baby. My legacy. My tribute to my family, friends, fellow veterans, and Toastmasters.
Over the last few months I have created new content and stories to weave the last 8 years of articles together. The book has 8 Chapters (Epics/Themes) where I grouped the over 80 blogs.
The chapters are: Communications, Toastmasters, Creativity, Veterans, Gratitude, the 1980s, Agile, and Science/Health.
What is the book about?
Courage, Communication and the American Spirit
Strength, Tolerance and Respect
Balance, Perspective and Change
Science, Health and History
Gratitude, Remembrance and Joy
Truth and Common Sense
Heroes, Adventure and Fun
Veterans, Poppies and Honor
Creativity, Toastmasters and the 1980s
An amazingly talented young woman illustrated the book with a fun circus theme that my mascot Ernie the Hedgehog endorses. Kudos to Alex Delit Garcia for her great work.
I don’t know what is next but boy am I excited and energized to share this news with you.
If you would like to purchase this fun compilation with a new, creative adventure throughout, please click on the image below for your very own copy. Here’s the book’s website.
Since 2013, I’ve been sharing my thoughts, ideas and stories on this blog. I enjoy writing and will continue to post here with fun and interesting photos that are harder to share in a printed book.
As I have stated in my last post, I am about to publish my first book on Amazon and have been mentally preparing for the inevitable question- What is the book about?
Since Strong Words and Simple Truths is a compilation of nine years of articles on a wide range of subjects, the answer to that query is not fitting into my normally pithy response box.
During my bike ride this morning, I came up with the following bullets to describe what the book is about.
Strong Words & Simple Truths 