"A man can't just sit around."

"A man can't just sit around."

Larry was a truck driver, but his lifelong dream was to fly. When he graduated from high school, he joined the Air Force in hopes of becoming a pilot. Unfortunately, poor eyesight disqualified him. So when he finally left the service, he had to satisfy himself with watching others fly the fighter jets that crisscrossed the skies over his backyard. As he sat there in his lawn chair, he dreamed about the magic of flying.

Then one day, Larry Walters got an idea. He went down to the local army-navy surplus store and bought a tank of helium and forty-five weather balloons. These were not your brightly colored party balloons; these were heavy-duty spheres measuring more than four feet across when fully inflated.

On July 2, 1982, back in his yard, Larry used straps to attach the balloons to his lawn chair, the kind you might have in your own back yard. He anchored the chair to the bumper of his jeep and inflated the balloons with helium. Then he packed some sandwiches and drinks and loaded a BB gun, figuring he could pop a few of those balloons when it was time to return to earth.
With his preparations complete, Larry Walters sat in his chair and cut the anchoring cord. His plan was that after he enjoyed some flying time to lazily float back down to earth. But things didn't work out that way.

When Larry cut the cord, he shot up as if fired from a cannon! He climbed and climbed until he leveled off at 11,000 feet! At that height, he could hardly risk deflating any of the balloons, lest he unbalance the load and really experience flying! So he stayed up there, sailing around for fourteen hours, totally at a loss as to how to get down.

Eventually, Larry drifted into the approach corridor for Los Angeles International Airport. A Pan Am pilot radioed the tower and told the air traffic controller that he had just passed a guy in a lawn chair at eleven thousand feet who had a gun in his lap.

Larry finally shot enough balloons to lower himself down safely. Although he was entangled in some power lines, he was uninjured. As soon as Larry hit the ground, he was arrested. But as he was being led away in handcuffs, a television reporter called out, "Mr. Walters, why'd you do it?" Larry stopped, eyed the man, then replied nonchalantly, "A man can't just sit around. Since I was 13 years old, I've dreamed of going up into the clear blue sky in a weather balloon," he said. "By the grace of God, I fulfilled my dream. But I wouldn't do this again for anything."

Larry's statement has a message for us. We need to get out of our comfort zone and follow our dreams. Larry is rumored to have won the 1997 Darwin Award, but as crazy as the stunt sounds, I would give Larry an award for the courage to act on his vision and fly!

Thankful Thoughts

Thankful Thoughts

While driving to work I heard an interesting report on the radio. It was about the one characteristic all happy people have in common. They took quite a few calls and no one guessed what it was. The key to happiness is so simple, yet it eludes most people. Billions of dollars are spent every year on antidepressant drugs and therapy trying to find happiness in life. Well, if you are or know someone who is in search of happiness, stay tuned…

There's an ancient tale of happiness that appears in many cultures, and it goes something like this: Once there was a prince who was terribly unhappy. The king dispatched messengers to find the shirt of a happy man, as his advisers told him that was the only cure. They finally encountered a poor farmer who was supremely content. Alas, the happy man owned no shirt.

We see this in every day life. Money and possessions do not equal happiness! Things can be nice, but they are not the answer. Happiness is an inside job. So how do we start to work on that job?

In recent years, many scientists have begun examining the links between religion and good health, both physical and mental. Now two psychologists are working to unlock the puzzle of how faith might promote happiness. Dr. Michael McCollough, SMU in Dallas, Texas, and Dr. Robert Emmons, of the University of California at Davis, say their initial scientific study indicates that gratitude plays a significant role in a person's sense of well-being.

Scientists discovered what many knew all along. People who describe themselves as feeling grateful tend to have higher vitality and more optimism, suffer less stress, and experience fewer episodes of clinical depression than the population as a whole. These results hold even when researchers factor out such things as age, health, and income, equalizing for the fact that the young, the well-to-do, or the hale and hearty might have "more to be grateful for." Grateful people tend to be less materialistic than the population as a whole and to suffer less anxiety about status or the accumulation of possessions. Partly because of this, they are more likely to describe themselves as happy or satisfied in life.

In an experiment with college students, those who kept a "gratitude journal," a weekly record of things they should feel grateful for, achieved better physical health, were more optimistic, exercised more regularly, and described themselves as happier than a control group of students who kept no journals but had the same overall measures of health, optimism, and exercise when the experiment began.

Gratitude gives us a perspective and focus on what we have vs. what we don’t have. This creates a sense of happiness and contentment. We all have so much to be grateful for! You probably have your basic needs met…food, clothing, shelter. Most likely you have someone who loves you and someone you love. We live in a country where there is freedom to follow our dreams and share them with others. All that is more than enough for gratitude!

Take the time today to express your gratitude. Not only will it make you a more pleasant person to be around, it will help make you happier. Now, isn’t that what we really want in life?

MOM

Today would have been my Mom's 66th birthday. I wanted to share an article I wrote for my newsletter that I plan to put in the week before Mother's Day but thought that Mom's birthday would be a great place to preview it. Thanks for reading!

Mom by Renee Yousey

Mother's Day is this Sunday and as it approaches I have such a sense of gratitude and loss. In December, in the same hospital where I took my first breath, my Mom took her last. I was by her side and it was the hardest good-bye I have ever experienced. I do believe I will be with her again – but until then I will miss our daily phone conversations, vacations, and my children growing up knowing their Mimi. She kept them both their first year of life – and now at the ages of two and three they will have a hard time remembering…I will do all I can to keep her memory alive!

My Mom was an incredible person! She was one of those people who could touch your life just by knowing her. She had the ability to make instant best friends and even many 'sisters.' She was a Mother to those who didn't have that role model. She was known to give the shoes off her feet if someone admired them. She was always ready to set extra plates at the table or open up a room for someone in need. The weekend she went into the hospital we all had a house full of young adults who were traveling, thanks to Mom.

When I started my business, Mom was the first one to want to help. She did odd jobs for me around the office and loved every bit of it. She was always there to talk to when I needed an ear and always had a tissue if I needed a shoulder. I really miss her.
It has been several months of going through her things and figuring out how life will be now that she is gone. I realized that I didn't need much to remind me of her – she had already filled my house and my life with handmade blankets, and anything else I needed. Every room in my house has something she gave me during her lifetime – just because.

I find in talking with her friends that they have the same experience. Mom gave so much of herself while she was alive that we all have houses full of her memory. She also had rooms full of projects in the works for people.

I know not everyone has a Mom like I did. I was so blessed – and still am! Mom was not perfect, but she tried to do her best and did a great job of being close to perfect!

Mom did not make much money in her lifetime – she spent most of her life as a homemaker. She did not have a high level of education – she received her AA when she was in her 40s. She did not hold public office – other than serving on juries and helping with CPS. She did not hold any of the positions of power that so many of us strive for, but she impacted the world more than most people I know – one person at a time.

Thank you Mom for impacting my world and helping me be the person I am today! I hope I can leave behind a legacy my children can be as proud of as you did! I love and miss you!

Dedicated to Karen Newsom 1942 - 2007

Do you have the Mind of a Millionaire?

APT NEWS
April 21, 2008

Do you have the Mind of a Millionaire?
By James Goodrich

This is the question I've been asking myself over the last few weeks. You see I'm listening to The Millionaire Mind on tape. I didn't read Thomas Stanley’s best selling The Millionaire Next Door, but I am enjoying its sequel immensely.

I was feeling pretty good about myself: buying used cars, purchasing food at “warehouse” stores in bulk, etc. Then I heard the part about what millionaires don't do. Most of them aren't do-it-yourselfers.

While I don't do my own plumbing or mow my own lawn (any more), I still do my own taxes. My excuses are that I love working with numbers and that it gives me deep insight into my finances.

Each year it gets harder and each year I hang on. Stanley may have given me the impetus to let go next year. You see millionaires consult with tax advisors as one of their top “lifestyle” activities. Are you CPAs feeling the love yet?

Maybe loaning out this book – after you read it – to prospective clients is a good marketing move. Be careful though, if you know someone who is “Income Statement Affluent” versus “Balance Sheet Affluent”. Similar to the Rich Dad, Poor Dad series, The Millionaire Mind may not go down well for those high income earners who are also high consumers.

So what else do millionaires do? Yes, they spend time planning investments, but they also attend their children’s sporting events. Other than golf, they seem to be what Stanley calls “cheap dates”. They do things with friends. They travel internationally, combining business and/or investing with vacationing.

How else do millionaires think? They take risks, but are not foolhardy. They are often well educated, but except for doctors and lawyers, mostly did not have high SAT scores. They look for an unfilled niche. There is a great example of the junk truck parts dealer.

Millionaires value their education, but again, except for lawyers and doctors, don't consider that going to a top university is an important factor in wealth. They don't tend to send their children to private schools. However, a major factor in selecting a residence is a neighborhood with strong public schools – and they will pay for this location, location, location.

Millionaires are sensitive to life cycle costs first, and first costs second. One quirky stat is they often re-sole their shoes. I did try something like that once, but it was with a do-it-yourself product, so I must still have some ways to change.

Current Resume Briefs

ACCOUNTING CLERK ~ SEEKS $30K
Friendly, bilingual in Spanish candidate has over five years experience handling A/P and A/R duties for a large hotel and a small construction company. Responsible for accrual of all invoices paid monthly and weekly payee accrual of invoices for jobs and pro-rations; managed operation and loan accounts; posted daily checks and bank deposits; entered and paid all invoices on time; reconciled G/L. Versed in Timberline, Peoplesoft, and Great Plains.

BOOKKEEPER/OFFICE MGR. ~ SEEKS $32K
Self-motivated bookkeeper has experience in all phases of accounting and office functions at small companies. Responsible for A/P, A/R, payroll (including ADP), related payroll taxes and sales tax for multiple states, auditing, and reconciled bank statements. Reviewed the G/L accounts and made necessary journal entries at the end of each month. Versed in QuickBooks Pro and Certiflex. Enjoys a busy workload and variety of duties!

FULL CHARGE BOOKKEEPER ~ SEEKS $40K
Motivated, performance-oriented candidate has ten years' experience with CPA firms. Prepared compilations for clients including entering check data, AJE's, bank recs, A/P, payroll, sales, tax, 940, 941, 1099, W-2, and TWC forms. Installed, set up, and supported clients on QuickBooks. Great with client service.

SR. AUDITOR/ASST. CONTROLLER ~ SEEKS $72K
CPA, MBA. Smart, talented professional with 5+ years Big Four audit and tax experience is seeking a position in industry or audit. Responsible in Audit for working with audit teams to perform the year-end audit of financial reports for both public and non-public companies as well as performing quarterly reviews and SOX testing for public companies. Reviewed and analyzed 10Qs including trends of balances, balance sheets, income and cash flow statements. SOX testing included benchmarking, walkthroughs, operating effectiveness for revenue, expenses, payroll, and HR. Proven performer!

CONTROLLER ~ SEEKS $80K
CPA, BBA Accounting. Seasoned, proactive contributor started 15+ year career with Arthur Andersen in audit and tax and then progressed to Controller positions in manufacturing, distribution, and healthcare companies. Responsible for all accounting functions including financial statements, cash management, cost, credit and collections, tax, strategic planning, production/inventory management, banking relations, and business valuations. Versed in Peachtree, QuickBooks, Oracle, and SAP. Recognizes and executes income enhancement strategies and cost control actions.

Friendships

4-21-2008

Today I wanted to share this article I wrote for our newsletter in February.

Friendships

I know so many people that don’t know the first step in making life-long friends. This is critical! It is not only important from a business perspective to have friends from past jobs that can recommend you but also from a quality of life! The support you gain from a group of trusted friends is priceless. If you don’t have anyone you call a good friend and want one…here’s how!

1. Find a group of people with similar interests – such as a church group, sports group, art group, work group, networking group.


2. Do some large group activities and find people within the group that you enjoy being around.


3. Make sure you do more listening than talking. Ask questions about your potential friends that are non-controversial such as where they grew up or what they do for a living. Find out others’ hobbies and interests. Get them talking about themselves and find common ground. Don’t spend too much time in monologue. Make sure it is conversation and that it is not all about you.


4. Ask the people with whom you want to develop a friendship to do something on a smaller level – such as go out to lunch or a cup of coffee together.


5. Plan an event! This can be for as few as one other person or a small group. Find something that you would all enjoy doing – such as going to a game, the spa, art show, car show or movie. Make sure you plan time for interaction with your new friends! Start out with smaller events and then build up to major events – like a weeklong trip. Here are some ideas to get you started:
   * Keep up with what is happening in your area. – Research the news and online sites such as cityguide.aol.com, local.yahoo.com, http://www.weather.com/, http://www.ticketmaster.com/.
   * Is there something you have been wanting to learn? – Find a fun-ed type class to take with friends!
   * Is there something you have never tried that you think may be interesting – skydiving, SCUBA, Greek food, Sushi, scrap booking, flea markets –try it with a friend!


6. Make yourself available. Friends want to be able to call you up to talk or have someone go to go with on an outing. If you already have plans make sure they know that you do want to get together with them and try to plan another time.


7. The old saying is true – in order to have a friend you must be a friend. Make sure you treat your friends with respect and kindness. Do not take friendship for granted.


8. Any relationship in life that is successful involves give and take. Try to find ways to encourage and do nice things for your friends.


9. Make sure that you make a positive vs. negative addition to a friend’s life.
   

In no time you will find yourself surrounded by friends!