Why Drive When You Can Walk?

Two of my kids started a new school today. Well, actually, same school, brand-new building! No longer needing to be bussed, they get walked to the school in the morning, and walked back when done.

This is a ton of walking for my wife - who has to drop both off, then walk one home at noon, the other at 2:45. So I thought we'd go pick the older one up by car. Upon arrival, my 2nd grader was down - she wanted to WALK home! So I dropped off my dear wife, and they walked while I drove.

Walking wasn't the bad choice for my daughter. She didn't care that it was cold, that it took longer, or that it required actually using muscle. She saw it as a chance to be outside, be with mom, and have fun.

Do you ever look at the oft considered bad ways to do things for their benefit? Taking the long route? Enjoying the journey, the process?

Its so easy to speed through the tasks of daily living. Before we realize, we've sped all the home.

The Spin of Perspective

Yesterday, the 15th ranked Brigham Young Cougars escaped with a win over the struggling Washington Huskies in Seattle. After Washington quarterback Jake Locker rushed into the end zone for a game-tying touchdown with 15 seconds left, he joyously threw the ball straight up into the air as he was mobbed by excited teammates.

Unfortunately, his youthful spirit violated the new anti-celebration rules, causing him to be flagged for unsportsmanship. The new rules cover everything from planned celebrations to slash-the-throat gestures to, apparently, spontaneous displays of joy.

A look at the actual NCAA rule:

Rule 9/2
2. After a score or any other play, the player in possession immediately must return the ball to an official or leave it near the dead-ball spot. This prohibits:
(a) Kicking, throwing, spinning or carrying (including off of the field) the ball any distance that requires an official to retrieve it.
(c) Throwing the ball high into the air.
been called.

This moved the ball back 15 yards for the extra point, which BYU skillfully blocked, and this wonderful college game was denied the chance of reaching legendary status in the annals of overtime.

Instead, the papers today are all talking about the rules, the officials who could have overlooked the call, the dynamics of a longer extra point, etc.

For my purposes, lets talk public relations from the standpoint of the BYU coach. After the game he said that "But I do know this: throughout the entire game, there were all kinds of [celebratory] plays on both sides," he said. "That [one] was the most visible. But celebration is a penalty. Whether it was or not, I didn't see it, but if it was, it should have been called. Even if it was on our team, it should have been called; the rules are the rules.". Fair enough - a safe stance that avoided calling the other team a bunch of celebrating whiners.

BUT - what if......

What if Coach Bronco Mendenhall had come out with some righteous anger on the side of his opponent? Said "its a shame the officials made that call" and "It takes what could have been a classic memory for both sides and turns it into yet another game severely impacted by officials".

He'd won the game. His kids did what they had to do, block a long extra point, which still should have been an easy make for the Huskies. But to show frustration for his opponent, to empathize with the plight of Jake Locker, who didn't do anything more than be happy to score, how many points would Coach Mendenhall have scored for himself and his University. He may have been fined by the NCAA for criticizing the officials - but he can afford it.

The reward would have been the ultimate in sportsmanship: showing empathy for ones opponent, and championing the spirit of college football - if the not the letter of the law.

The Day the Voiceover Died.

Voiceover master Don LaFontaine died Monday at the age of 68.

In case the name doesn't ring a bell, watch the video below:


You may have heard people suggest you watch a movie with the sound down to feel the impact a soundtrack truly makes. A voiceover artist does just as much in a preview, or in driving the plot of a commercial. Mr. LaFontaine's voice became identifiable to us without us even realizing it. He narrated both our TV and Movie lives.

His voice was his brand, just as much as Sinatra, Johnny Cash, and Pavarotti.

Is there something about you that you can brand? It doesn't have to be exclusive - there were plenty of other voices on the airwaves. It doesn't have to be complicated or catchy. Carol Burnett had the ear tug, Johnny had the golf swing, Michael Jackson had his glove. Not their only talents or IDs, but memorable nonetheless.

Look for things that make you who you are, instead of always looking to create new concepts. The do it everywhere for 25 years. And you will be remembered as fondly as the Master of Voiceovers.

Holy Perspective, Batman

Everytime I read an article about how great the Dark Knight is doing at the box office, it is followed by a disclaimer. Because of inflation, not nearly as many tickets are being sold. It would have to do over 900 billion to beat Titanic, and 1.2 billion to beat Star Wars.

What does nobody mention? How 'bout the fact that there were so fewer alternative forms of entertainment when both of those movies came out? Cable TV, the Internet, Video games - these didn't exist for Star Wars, and were not nearly as advanced or addictive in the late 90s. Not to mention no one thought they'd be able to see Star Wars at home on DVD within 6 months of its release. We just prayed the commercials would cut out too much with the Network Light Sabres once it came on TV.

The Dark Knight may not be the biggest movie in history. So what? It's still amazing that a 70 year old comic book hero can take over the world for a month.

Don't Wait

I waited too long to get to know Randy Pausch. I'd been forwarded links to his talk, The Last Lecture many times over the last 10 months or so, and watched the first few minutes before moving on. An hour and 16 minutes just seemed like a long time to focus.

I watched it Monday, in the wake of his death, as well as his presentation on Time Management, which is also a strong topic for a dying man to discuss.

Now, I never would have met Randy had I seen these earlier. I wouldn't have wanted to waste his time, for one thing. That's not the point. The point is, why did I wait? Hearing his lecture would have been useful 10 months ago.

Its amazing how many things we decide are more important than others. How many times did I spend 76 minutes watching a ballgame (on the internet, no less), or reading meaningless articles on Slate or Rotten Tomatoes? I decided Randy's lecture was too much to deal with - too hard to make time for - much like the unread books in the shelf by my desk.

Randy was not unique in the fact that he was dying, just in the fact that he had a better grasp of it. He could have died in a car accident 6 months ago, however, just like you or me. We are all dying, every day. What Randy says, among other things, and what I hope to remember, is that every day we are also living - if we so choose.

Dark Knight

The biggest movie of the year has started out with record setting box office numbers in its first day. In fact, it's midnight showing alone took in 18 million dollars.

Part of the appeal may be a choice made by its co-star, Heath Ledger, to overdose this winter. The interest in this film was already high, but with his James Dean-esque appeal, it has taken on a new glow.

No one, including him, I'm sure, would have made the choice he made knowing the consequences. Whether it was calculated, miscalculated, or in-the-moment - the choices Heath Ledger made have affected his legacy, the 2008 box-office, the Oscar race, and, hopefully, the conversations of parents with their teens.

It is the last of these, the conversations, that could truly represent the legacy of Ledger and even the Dark Knight, in the months to follow. Drugs are dangerous. Risky. Unpredictable. Success does not create invincibility. A posthumous Oscar brings no joy to the recipient.

Go ahead - go see the movie. Enjoy it for what it is - 2 1/2 hours of escapism. But don't let Ledger's choices go to waste. Have the conversation with your tween or teen. Don't wait until you experience your own dark night.

Broken Foot Smell

I broke my leg today.

I took a step down the hall, and it felt like I slipped on water. In truth, the lower part of my prosthetic separated from the upper part, causing it to buckle.

Luckily, I didn't fall, I wasn't crossing a busy road, I wasn't climbing a mountain, and I wasn't giving a speech!

And, luckily, in the back seat of my car was my older prosthetic, ready to substitute.

You never know what can go wrong in life. Sometimes you can plan ahead, sometimes you simply have to move forward. We can try to have a spare, but had I been out of town, I would have had to find different solutions. A wheelchair, crutches, crawling. Sitting there helpless would also be an option, but not terribly productive.

Plan for a spare, and consider your options. If something unthinkable happens, how will you handle it? Will you be left without a leg to stand on?