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Will We Remember Whitney's Voice or Her Vices?

The question so many people are asking is, “Were the hands of fate against Whitney or was she the hand that turned her fate with her many errors in judgment? Will she be remembered for her voice or her vices?” It depends on how you look at it I guess. All I know is that I can’t judge because I have my own sins, so do you. The Bible talks about that when it says things like, “Don’t judge lest you be judged,” and “Before you judge someone for the toothpick in their eye, take care of the tree branch in yours.”

I also think this is a great opportunity for the Church to show the love that God said will identify us as “different” to the world. It is a great opportunity to show that our God is real. And believe me, love does make a difference. I know how refreshing it feels to hear that lone voice of caring and prayer in the chorus of judgment. It truly does make someone’s words about God become fact. I want to be that voice of love.

Like us, celebrities are human beings: they live, they die; they eat, they sleep; and they are plagued with the same things with which we all are. Unlike us, they are attacked and tempted by fame and the mistakes they are broadcast on CNN and TMZ. Their sins are no greater, just more publicized. Most importantly of all, like us, they need God's mercy and the caring prayers of a people that scripture says will be “known by their love.”

I will never be famous like Whitney. I will never know the struggle of being both accomplice and victim of one’s own celebrity and addictions. But when it’s all said and done, Whitney was no different than me or you. She was a human being with certain talents and desires and needs. Ultimately Whitney was a child, a sister, a friend and a mother who leaves behind a family that needs our prayers and our love.

Finally, some like to say that she died alone and the party that night went on without her. That may be true but Whitney wasn’t alone for long. When she opened her eyes in heaven she was in the arms of a loving, forgiving and merciful God. She awoke in the presence of the God she always relied on, even in her struggles. That’s the God we need to tell others about. That’s the God that says, “Don’t judge.”

There are definitely lessons to be learned from Whitney's life - the same lessons I've learned: that our choices carry consequences. I am not trying to minimize the mistakes. I am simply saying that those who almost angrily say that Whitney's life was a waste are way out of bounds - especially if they say it as Christians in a judgmental spirit.

Our goal as God's people is never degradation - it is always restoration. That's the underlying truth of biblical teaching: that God is a God of second and third chances and more importantly - the God of resurrections. No one is ever too far gone for Him (and us) to show love too.

Instead of focusing on the bad, we must do as God does with us: focus on the good. There is no need to spend time judging Whitney for her mistakes. In this sad circumstance, CNN and TMZ have already judged Whitney. The church - while we certainly don't condone her choices should be a place for her memory and her family to find love, caring and restoration. The church should be a place where we celebrate her life and how God never gave up on her. That same promise - that God will never give up on us - will be there for us when we need it.

The Fork

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things 'in order,' she contacted her Pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, what scriptures she would like read, and what outfit she wanted to be buried in.
Everything was in order and the Pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her. 'There's one more thing,' she said excitedly. 'What's that?' came the Pastor's reply. 'This is very important,' the young woman continued. 'I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.'
The Pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say. That surprises you, doesn't it?' the young woman asked. 'Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request,' said the Pastor. The young woman explained. 'My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement.
In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!' So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder 'What's with the fork?' Then I want you to tell them: 'Keep your fork ..the best is yet to come.'
The Pastor's eyes welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the young woman good-bye. He knew this would be one of the last times he would see her before her death. But he also knew that the young woman had a better grasp of heaven than he did. She had a better grasp of what heaven would be like than many people twice her age, with twice as much experience and knowledge. She KNEW that something better was coming.
A few months later at the funeral, people were walking by the young woman's casket and they saw the cloak she was wearing and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over, the Pastor heard the question, 'What's with the fork?' And over and over he smiled. During his message, the Pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the young woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. He told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right.
So the next time you reach down for your fork let it remind you, ever so gently, that the best is yet to come.

Think Facebook Doesn't Matter???

Here is a snapshot of Facebook.com average user figures and facts:

•Average user has 130 friends on the site

•Average user sends 8 friend requests per month

•Average user spends an average 15 hours and 33 minutes on Facebook per month

•Average user visits the site 40 times per month

•Average user spends an 23 minutes (23:20 to be precise) on each visit

•Average user is connected to 80 community pages, groups and events

•Average user creates 90 pieces of content each month

•200 million people access Facebook via a mobile device each day

•More than 30 billion pieces of content are shared each day

•Users than access Facebook on mobile devices are twice as active on Facebook compared to non-mobile users

•Facebook generates a staggering 770 billion page views per month

FULL DETAILS: Facebook’s latest statistics they just published:

People on Facebook:

•More than 500 million active users

•50% of our active users log on to Facebook in any given day

•Average user has 130 friends

•People spend over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook

Activity on Facebook

•There are over 900 million objects that people interact with (pages, groups, events and community pages)

•Average user is connected to 80 community pages, groups and events

•Average user creates 90 pieces of content each month

•More than 30 billion pieces of content (web links, news stories, blog posts, notes, photo albums, etc.) shared each month.

Global Reach

•More than 70 translations available on the site

•About 70% of Facebook users are outside the United States

•Over 300,000 users helped translate the site through the translations application

Platform

•Entrepreneurs and developers from more than 190 countries build with Facebook Platform

•People on Facebook install 20 million applications every day

•Every month, more than 250 million people engage with Facebook on external websites

•Since social plugins launched in April 2010, an average of 10,000 new websites integrate with Facebook every day

•More than 2.5 million websites have integrated with Facebook, including over 80 of comScore’s U.S. Top 100 websites and over half of comScore’s Global Top 100 websites

Mobile

•There are more than 250 million active users currently accessing Facebook through their mobile devices.

•People that use Facebook on their mobile devices are twice as active on Facebook than non-mobile users.

•There are more than 200 mobile operators in 60 countries working to deploy and promote Facebook mobile products

The New SEO

One of the questions I get asked the most is, how can I get better placement in Google searches? How can I get better SEO (search engine optimization)?

Those questions became even more important recently because Google just changed - better yet, rewrote - all the rules. Their latest algorithm update — dubbed "Panda"— demoted millions of Web pages. Content farms (sites that list info on other sites) like Demand Media took a major hit, as did sites with lots of ads, pictures and little informational content.

Simply put, the goal of the Google Panda update involves the filtering of low quality or duplicate pages that are deemed "not useful" to users.

With that in mind, to answer your questions about getting better placement for your site, there are things we need to do:

1) Evaluate your website both for duplication and for pages with low informational content or a disproportionately high number of repetitive information.

2) Focus on the continuing creation of useful, original content. THIS IS KEY!! For instance, could you include a blog that may simply be the updates and articles you post on Facebook every morning? This puts content on the site and Panda will read it much better than simply including links to staff blogs. Here's a great way to get new content - include Facebook and Twitter updates on your home page. Content is king!

3) Promote content in a way that encourages links from other sites. Maybe a page that could supply links to your congregations business sites?

4) Make it easy for readers to share your content at social networking channels, such as Twitter and Facebook.

The bottom line - with Google's Panda update now in place, there is one, singular ingredient for web sites to get better SEO and placement - content. We need to create valuable, compelling and relevant content on a consistent basis.

The Po!nt: Make it worth their while. Based on early evaluations as well as what's being said in what I'm reading, Google's Panda update appears to reward the best content—so we need to think like a publisher and give your web site readers something they really want to read.

Sorry Osama, Life Goes On

I first heard the news that a small group of highly trained American soldiers had sent Osama Bin Laden to meet his maker in a tweet sent out by MSNBC. The televison was immediately turned on and I admit I wished for a moment I could be part of the crowds at the White House or Times Square. I even thought about how awesome it would be to go to one of the local hangouts and celebrate with the growing crowds there. But then I realized my best revenge against murderers like Bin Laden was staying right here, in my home.

You see, by living my life I negate the evil men who would take it away. As the news of Bin Laden’s death spread, my daughter slept safe and sound a room away. I have a job interview this week so I organized some paperwork for that. There was laundry to be done, lunch to pack and rooms to straighten up after my 9 year lived a day in her life there. 

I chuckled when I saw the video of beer bellied Philly baseball fans adding more beer and cheesesteaks to their waistlines while they shouted their love for America. It made me proud to hear the chants of “USA, USA.” And I thought, I’m glad I live in a country where men and women can be together at a sporting event, even if they are unveiled and single, holding up signs and painting their faces and basically being foolish.

Most of all, I realized that life has gone on since 9/11. The falling towers put a hole in New York City and a bigger one in our hearts but life still happens. Kids make messes and they sleep soundly. We ride trains and airplanes to jobs or job interviews. We go to church and the supermarket and make fools of ourselves at sporting events. We love and live and laugh and that’s what evil men like Osama Bin Laden try to steal from us. This murderer met his Maker on a Sunday night in America with everything he sought to disrupt and ruin continuing on as normal. That’s what evil men hate.

So instead of dancing and cheering, I said a silent and eternally grateful thank-you to the brave men and women in our military and intelligence services that make my freedom possible. I prayed for their safety and their families and then…I went back to living my life, a little more grateful that I can. Bin Laden died and we get to live as we have and as we wish and THAT is the best revenge.

 

How to Optimize Your Social Media Budget

A great post...

HOW TO: Optimize Your Social Media Budget

http://mashable.com/2011/02/10/optimize-social-media-budget/ 

 

Get Rid of Your Website - Move to Facebook?

Just when you think Facebook can do nothing more in its quest of world domination, there comes news from London that Facebook may make company websites obsolete.

That was the Nostradamus-like prophecy given by Stephen Haines, the commercial director of Facebook's European operation during a speech at the Technology for Marketing and Advertising conference. Haines’ premise is simple, a company’s customers would spend so much time on Facebook that traditional Web sites would literally dry up from lack of use.

As proof of his theory, Haines compared how many times per month Facebook users clicked on a company's "like" button verses how many times people visited several popular company’s Web site. For instance, at Starbucks, one of Facebook’s largest advertisers, 21.1 million clicked “like” compared to 1.8 million site visitors. For Coca-Cola, it was 20.5 million compared with 270,000 (did you get that? 20.5 million vs. 270,000!!!). Oreo's facebook page had 10.1 million "likes" compared to 290,000 site visits and for Dr. Pepper, it was 4.1 million likes compared with 325,000 site visits. Then, as the coup de grâce, Hines shared that in the U.K., millions of Facebook users spend an average of 28 minutes per day on the site.

Suddenly, Haines’ ramblings begin to make sense.

His idea isn't totally outrageous. Getting a customer to press that “like” button is easier than building a comprehensive website from scratch. More importantly, Facebook allows a company to tap into an established communication channel and a treasure chest of customer information. Plus, there's no need to ask, request or bribe a user to set up another account with another username and password.

Best of all, Facebook has a variety of tools available to marketers:

• Facebook can tell companies exactly who are the "22-year-olds in New York City who like football and espresso."
• A company can give coupons or even free samples from their page.
• "Reach block" ads that change as many as five times in a 24-hour period to send a sequence of ad messages to Facebook users.
• Surveys that let companies try to engage customers in company decisions. For example, Vitaminwater used voting and surveys to generate 1.3 million "connections" with possible customers during its "find a new flavor" marketing campaign.
• Best of all, there are now more than a few applications that let companies create custom-made interactive programs.

Regardless of the extent to which Facebook actually replaces in-house Web sites, Facebook as a marketing channel isn't for everybody. In fact, there are dangers that could make the Facebook journey a bit ominous. To start with, companies (and antitrust regulators) get nervous when one corporation holds all the cards. There's also the possibility that Facebook users might someday get cold feet. What would happen if Facebook became the next MySpace? Imagine is Facebook wasn’t cool?

Finally, Haines closed out his session with cautions for those thinking of using Facebook seriously in this way.

First, be prepared for a long-term commitment to keep a site on Facebook lively. "If it doesn't change, it's probably not worth dabbling" with a Facebook site, Haines said. For a social-networking site to be useful in marketing, it's got to "stimulate" the customers, he said.

Second, plan to respond to very public criticism. "If you ignore [criticism], it's the worst thing you can do," he said. "Be prepared for it, because it will happen."

20 Ways to Grow Your Facebook Fan Page

It's no secret that Facebook has just about taken over the world.  That being the case, there isn't a company or organization in this world that wouldn't want to increase the number of fans on their Facebook page.  So with that lofty goal in mind, I've gathered some obvious and not-so-obvious suggestions for increasing your Fan base on Facebook.  But first - grab a cold one, get in a comfortable chair, relax and read some amazing Facebook facts:

1. 74% of all consumers now rely in some way on social media to guide purchasing decisions.
2. There are almost 600 million Facebook users on Facebook, spending an average of 55 minutes a day on the site.
3. Facebook builds trust and relationships. People buy from businesses or support organizations the know.
4. Facebook pages are indexed with search engines (unlike profiles). This helps with SEO and drives traffic to your site
5. Facebook is the new word of mouth. The “Like” button on a Fan page is a free endorsement.
6. Facebook positions you as an expert or authority in your industry.

The bottom line is you want a piece of that action! The question is, how do you get it?

There are many ways to promote your Facebook page. Simply put, you need to drive traffic to your page. You want to give a reason why fans will want to join your page. It will take time in the beginning to build momentum – the key is to be consistent and provide high quality content that is fun, creative, relevant and useful for your target.

Keeping that in mind, here are some ways to build your Fan page:

1. Get Fans to Join Via SMS - Your fans can join your fan page via text message just by sending a text message to 32665 (FBOOK) with the words “fan yourusername” OR “like yourusername” (without the quotes). When you’re addressing a live audience, say “Everyone pull out their mobile phones and join our fan page on the spot! This would also work well for radio or TV. (Note that this only works for Facebook users with a verified mobile device in his or her account.)

2. Displays - Put a placard on the front or welcome desk letting your customers know you’re on Facebook. Ideally, you have a simple, memorable username. On the display, incentivize customers to join right away via their mobile device and show you/your staff the confirmation for some kind of instant reward (a discount coupon is common).

3. Show your Facebook link on all printed material. You might give out physical coupons promoting your fan page. Put the Facebook logo, your username and a call to action on anything you distribute (flyers, programs, bulletins, etc.)

4. Custom Welcome (Landing Page) with a strong encouragement to click on the  “Like” button. See the Video suggestions below.

5. Create an attractive landing page with an uploaded video that explains exactly a) what your fan page is about, b) who it’s for and c) why they should become members. The result: you’ll increase your conversion rate from visitors to fans. Steve Spangler, the Science Guy has a great example at http://www.facebook.com/stevespangler

6. High quality, creative content and consistent engagement (people learn, have fun and questions are answered!)

7. Run contests or sweepstakes – Fans “Like” the page and get contest details. It is easiest to use Wildfire.com or NorthSocial.com for your contests and promotions.

8. Use your fans - Have your fans use the “suggest to friends” (old format) or the “Share” (new format) link in the left hand column. Stagger the invites to give exposure over time.

9. Cross promote Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs and Youtube. Use Twitter Select to send posts to Twitter or have tweets post to Facebook using tools like Tweetdeck.

10. Email invites with the Facebook link to your Constant Contact subscribers. Repeat regularly. Make sure you do MORE than just invite them. Give your email readers different incentives or reasons to “like” your page.

11. List your Facebook and Twitter address in your Outlook  email signatures. Check out Wisestamp.com

12. Add “Like” box to your blogs and website. Most blog hosts have this widget. Make sure you include a message that encourages your blog readers to click the “Like” button

13. Buy Facebook ads – Facebook ads are high leveraged, extremely targeted marketing. Each ad will include a “Like” button. 

14. Use the @tag feature to promote your fan page on your personal profile. When typing in a status on your personal profile, first type “@” and the first few letters of your fan page. A drop down menu will appear. Chose your page and complete your status. Your status update to link to your fan page will appear in your Friends’ Newsfeed. Use this sparingly to promote events, posted videos, etc.

15. Use Facebook’s social plugin integration on your website. Put the “Like” button on your website and more.  Select from a number of the new Facebook Social Plugins and place them on your website and blog. I would recommend adding a title above the box encouraging visitors to your site/blog to click the “Like” button (which makes them a Facebook fan). Check out: http://developers.facebook.com/plugins

You might also consider the Live Stream widget. You can download it from Facebook at: http://developers.facebook.com/docs/reference/plugins/live-stream) for more advanced uses, particularly on your fan page itself. The Live Stream widget allows Facebook users to add their comments to a live event, for example, and that activity pushes out into their stream.

16. Reward your fans – One word here: giveaways. Check out Dunkin’ Donuts Fan of the Week program – they encourage and reward.

17. Make sure blogs are posted to Facebook. Facebook has an app – Networked Blogs - that can do this.

18. Use Facebook Apps – For example, you can live stream on your page with Ustream or Vpype. These app add a tab to your fan page called “Shows” and when you broadcast as your fan page, everyone can view by default. (You can also broadcast as your personal profile and selectively invite friends/friend lists. By announcing via Twitter, your personal Facebook profile, your blog and your email list, you can broadcast regular live Internet TV shows from your fan page and create much buzz.

Another example of app integration is Target’s “Bullseye Gives” campaign at http://www.facebook.com/target. Target had their fans vote on which of ten charities they most wanted to see the company donate to. By voting, a post goes out onto your Facebook wall and into the News Feeds of all your friends, thus providing Target with valuable exposure. (For custom apps, see companies like Buddy Media, FanAppz, Wildfire Apps, Involver, Virtue, and Context Optional - the creator of Target’s “Bullseye Gives” campaign.

19. Get Fans to Tag Photos -  take plenty of photos at your live events, load the photos to your fan page and encourage fans to tag themselves. This, again, pushes out into their wall and friends’ News Feeds, providing valuable (free!) exposure. And, a picture says a thousand words – we notice the thumbnails in our feed more than text.  

And I've saved the best for last:

20. Upload Videos on Your Site - Facebook’s Video feature is an underused tool that is extremely powerful. You can load video content to your Facebook fan page, then take the source code and embed on your blog/website. In the new Facebook fan format there is a “Become a Fan” button right in the video itself.

For an excellent tutorial, see Nick O’Neil’s post: How To Get Thousands of Facebook Fans With a Single Video at http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/11/how-to-get-thousands-of-facebook-fans-with-a-single-video/.  Nick suggests that at the end of each video, either use a graphic or voice prompt the viewer to become a fan and explain to them how to mouse over the top of the video. Upload and share the video and encourage others to share the video as well.

NOTE: Uploaded Facebook videos now display a white watermark hotlink of the Facebook name in the upper left corner of the video player. This is a clickable link that goes to the original video page on your fan page. If the visitor to your site clicks through to Facebook from your video, and they are logged into Facebook at the time, they will see a Like button at the top left corner of the video player. If you want to drive new fans to your Facebook Page, this feature combined with high quality content is priceless.  By the way, if you are the page administrator and/or a fan of the page, you will not see the link. The link is only displayed for non-fans and those who are not page administrators.

Let me know how you do! Good luck getting a piece of that Facebook pie!

 

 

Superbowl recap (all the posts in one place)

My Superbowl posts...

Who will reign supreme this Sunday? [infographic] http://is.gd/9fWN4K

After viewing a week of Jerry Jone's pre-game hoopla, I am shocked to see that The Cowboys aren't playing.  And where are cheerleaders??

Let the show...I mean...the game begin!

Watching Go Daddy's Bowl “Joan Rivers” commercial.  I want the name of her plastic surgeon

Packer's get an excessive celebration penalty- what a joke – lighten up refs. If I scored a TD from an interception in the Superbowl, I'd do the Moonwalk in the end zone

Big Ben - two picks lead to two scores. Ouch. Doesn't he realize I stand to lose $50??? Could someone tell him that PLEASE!

Thanks to Faith Hill’s Superbowl ad I have to explain what a "rack" is to my 8 yr old. But the commercial was funny!

Ok, the Groupon Superbowl commercial made me laugh

OMG!  The new Chevy gives Facebook status reports. Who cares what it costs - I want one!

The Black Eyes are making a case for bringing lip sync back. Where is Milli Vanilli when you need them?

This is the worst mix of any Superbowl halftime show ever.  Did they hire the sound guy from the St. Mary’s School of the Deaf?

I think Fergie is in labor. That's gotta be why she's screaming so much!

Probably the worst halftime show since God started watching the game. The whole mess was reason enough to bring back lip syncing

Tomlin's halftime pep talk at the Superbowl: "Let's not suck as bad as the Black Eye Peas!"

I hate them but I'm starting to feel better about taking the Steelers and points.

Dear Japan, Up yours! Love, Chrysler

Say what you will about Godaddy’s Superbowl commercials, 80 million people just went to GoDaddy’s site to see what those girls were wearing (or not wearing).

Another beaver commercial...and I still laughed

Great ad for Verizon's iPhone.  In your face ATT! If you have an ATT iPhone you get the point - maybe Verizon's model won't drop calls!

Great Volkswagen ad. Darth Vader and mean parents live!!!

Ok - I am on my way to buy Sketchers!

"Rio" SuperBowl ad, a great use of web and social media, features "Angry Birds" with hidden level clues.

Pugs rule.

My school did NOT have teachers like Miss Evelyn. And that Camaro…wow!

Take that Favre!

Chrysler kicked Japan's butt in front of God, Greenbay and everybody.

Did I say I am on my way to buy Sketchers?

Motorola's Xoom tablet gave Apple’s Ipad  a slight taste of its own Orwellian medicine

Pepsi commercial reminded 100 million of us of that first date.

Somewhere in America, Brett Favre watched the morning news and threw his remote at a TV...and it was intercepted.

Laughing at the Bridgestone tire ad. Who among us hasn’t frantically tried to prevent one of those dreaded, accidental "reply all" e-mail responses?

Chevy / Transformer commercial after the Superbowl got me - I thought it really was just a local auto dealer…until the Camaro threw the announcer over a building. Awesome

My forecast: Ward scores on a 45 yard pass. Pittsburgh wins in last minute.

Oops…bad forecast

Dear Vegas, Can I change my bet? I meant to say Packers...

Listen!!!! That sound you hear is 100 million people changing the channel before Glee comes on!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coffee Is My Cup Of Tea

 

My favorite time of the day is anytime I take the first gulp of a cup of coffee.  Admittedly those first heaveny sips happen right after I wake up.  For me, there is NO life before coffee. There is only life AFTER coffee!!

The morning can’t officially start without that first sip of caffeine.  I can’t think, talk or walk until I’ve had my first, second and, on those tough days, third cup of coffee!  No one can understand truth, justice or the American way until he drinks of the day’s first few cups of caffeine. That’s why my mom is my hero. Actually all mom’s are heroes. Why? Because mothers are those wonderful people who can get up in the morning before the smell of coffee.

In my opinion, sleep is a symptom of caffeine deprivation so it follows that I need caffeine to wake up.  Simply put, I need coffee to get the day started.  I must have coffee and because of that some of you who will say I’m addicted. 

NO!  

I don’t have a problem with caffeine; I have a problem without caffeine. I can’t be addicted because caffeine isn’t a drug, it’s a vitamin.  Actually it’s much more.  Coffee is a part of me.  My blood type is coffee.  God made us in His image and I like to think of Him having a cup of caffeine before that long work week where He created the earth, animals and life in general. Caffeine is God’s gift to me and I thank Him for his creation with every sip!

When it comes to preparing my java just right, I like my coffee like it was meant to be – hot and black. On the days when life is easy or I’m on vacation I may add cream.  Don’t talk to me about other options.  In my world, “blended coffee” is today's and yesterday's mixed and “latte” is Italian for "you paid too much."

Coffee has been a staple in my family for generations.  T.S. Eliot said it best, “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.”  Coffee has helped us celebrate the happy times, comforted us in the sad times and coffee was our friend when we needed to make important decisions. I remember my sister making a decision on a marriage proposal by saying, “Chocolate, men, coffee - some things are better rich.”  Coffee was always a part of our life.

Now I know there are some of you who still aren’t convinced that coffee is worth its weight in gold.  Well how about this next argument?

I say that coffee makes the workday more productive.

Coffee makes us creative. Coffee gives energy and it encourages cooperation. There has never been a better office communication system than the coffee break. A cup of coffee shared with a coworker is happiness tasted and time well spent. And someday when my work is done, I will retire.  And that’s when live will get even better because for me, retirement will be one great big giant coffee break.

So until then I will dream of drinking coffee in far off places. I will fantasize about sipping the black brew on a beach and I will continue to start each day with multiple sips of caffeine.  Actually, if you’ll excuse me a minute, I’m going to have a cup of coffee right now.  And as I leave you’ll see me walking firm and proud, shouting it out for all to hear, “Coffee is my cup of tea!”

 

 

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~Dr Seuss

Tony Dungy's greatest leadership advice http://t.co/5sEub1e