Surreal Feeling Of Blogging On The Job

It's a really surreal feeling to get paid to do something you love, especially when that something really doesn't feel like work! The company I work for, Incept, recently launched a social media team that I'm one of the core members of. And we've taken off..... and quick! I've been blogging for them in combination with a whole team of our staff members. But it's really surreal reading my work on a blog that isn't my own. It's awesome!

But I have to admit.... it makes me feel kind of humbled... soooo much more exposure on the Incept blog then on mine. But hey, you take what you can get right?!

I love working in collaboration with the people on my team, Rebecca, Tim, Sam, Dave, Billie, & Julia. Everyone shares thoughts and the stuff we're cooking up at Incept is growing to pave the way for the Conversational Marketing industry.

And on the front lines of everything we do is our blog.... and there I am... being published and getting paid to do something I'm really passionate about! It's awesome!

Finding The Best Fit For Your Team Members

Not every one's cut out for the top.....

That's a phrase many people would disagree with. Not me..... I think it's true.... but only if you also accept the fact that apparently you, as the leader of your team, have misplaced whoever it is that phrase is referring to! As the team leader, it's your job to make sure you've placed everyone in the right role where they can succeed, and reach not only their highest potential, but also allow you to maximize your teams goal reaching potential!

Since I work in a pretty complex, multi program/multi level team at Incept, it would be difficult to explain it in terms of how we do things at work. So instead, I'll simplify it down to the dynamics of our 'old school' sales team. There were a lot of levels to that team: Lead Generation Reps, Sales Reps, As Needed Sales Supervisors (who are also sales reps), Sales Team Supervisors, Support Staff, And Management Staff.

The pay gets better the higher up you move.... but does that mean your going to make more money?! NO! Bonuses are given for reaching goals set for you. And If you aren't the right fit for the job, you're not going to get to those goals! I've worked with sales supervisors who were HORRIBLE sales reps. And sales reps who should have stayed doing lead generation..... I was great in lead gen. but didn't reach my full potential in the sales rep position..... but I am striving to reach a support staff position! Because that's where my fit is. I lose bonus potential, at either level above or beyond a sales rep, but it's where I can be the best fit!

Bottom line. You have to identify the set of skills and personality traits that best fit every position in your team and make sure that you have the right person in the right spot! Without that fit..... your teams like a rowing team with all jocks on the left oars, and the 'math club' guys on the right oars..... you're going nowhere!

Get it!? FIND THE FIT!

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Required reading on this subject: First Break All The Rules What the world's greatest managers do differently

What Really Motivates Employees?

As of late I've been thinking..... what really motivates me to do my job at the best of my ability? I brainstormed on this for a while, and I came up with a list of things that I think might be motivating the people I work around. And the list of things (when narrowed down considerably to find the core concepts) came down to the following:

• Money- Bonuses, Raises, Commisions, Ect
• "Work Perks"- Use of company car/property, Special parking, Ect
• Promotions- More responsibility, More authority, Bigger office, Ect
• Recognition- Simply being recognized for a job well done

I know my limited business expierence means I'm probably missing things, but this is my blog.

My favorite of those four bullet points is the last one, recognition. Followed closely by promotions, money, and work perks. Give me an employee of the month parking space but don't tell me how great of a job I did on that last project and I'm likely to be not looking forward to our next assignment together.....

Maybe it's just the way I am, but I'd rather know that I'm part of a team where I'm truly appreciated than one that feels they have to give me things to keep me doing quality work. "Buying great work from great workers only works until someone comes along with a bigger bank book and buys them away from you. Inspiring great workers to do great work will inspire them to help take your team to the next level." Quote me on it. And remember that you heard it here first..... ok maybe not first. But still, work with me here, it's the truth! Learn to live by it, or fail the first time someone comes along and offers slightly greener pastures than you can.

Picture Of The Week

Wait just a second, this seems weird to me...... I don't claim to be the brightest knife in the drawer, or crayon in the box..... whatever!!!

But this puzzles me! I'll let you decide for yourself!

In case you can't see what that says...... The Header reads, "Open Until Midnight Or Later" then it says, under the drive thru close time on everyday of the week..... 11:00PM did I miss something here?! or is it now possible to be two different times at once in the same place?!

"Like A Laser Guided Gazelle"

Every office (or group, or team) has one of those inside jokes or phrases that either inspires us all or launches everyone into laughter. Today my good friend and supervisor, Adam hit me with a great one, he said, "Steve, get in there and attack like a laser guided gazelle!"

Before that incredibly awkward moment of silence after he said that, those words had no particular meaning to me. But now just thinking of it makes me smile. Adam succeeded in creating a Catalyst For Change that turned my attitude and perspective around using just five words:

-Like-A-Laser-Guided-Gazelle-

Any time Adam notices I'm feeling down, frustrated, or just seem to not have that 'happy to serve the customer' look to me, he just has to say those five magically strange words and BAM there's a smile on my face, and a new perspective and attitude in my head!

Anything can be a catalyst, a phrase, word, picture, or even a sound. For Marines it's hearing "Semper Fi." For race drag racers it's seeing that green light. And for my Drum Corps friends, it's either hearing the word, "SET" on the practice field, or hearing the announcer at a competition say, "Bluecoats, you may take the field for competition...."

The concept is basic, create a catalyst that you can activate whenever your team is looking down..... and keep it at the ready!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------~Y~

This post is dedicated to an old friend, who I wish I could have had the time to get to know better,

Kristina Smith, 11/29/88 - 4/18/10

"Life has a funny way of pulling people apart, then shoving them back together again when and where you least expect it. I hope those days in between were filled with smiles and good memories. And I hope that the days to come will be filled with happy memories of times gone past for those who loved you. And for those of us who will miss you."

I'll miss you Kris. With all my heart. ~Stephen~

"She sees a million stars like holes in the sky. All gods tears for her they cry. And I am in her rain....." The Offspring, Fix You.

Finding The Will To Press On

This is a "darker" post than my normal. But I'm in a darker mood. I found out today that an old friend, someone I knew through high school and until this week, I lived in the aprtment above of, has passed away this weekend.

I don't feel in the "motivated" mood, not enough to get excited about posting on my blog..... but I wrote this great post today on a piece of notebook paper that I think right now, is more realivant than ever before. So I'm going to put it down here on my blog. And dedicate it to someone I wish I could have known better...... the following post is what I'm talking about.....

here goes nothing.....

Fight For What You Believe In

Sometimes in life things don't come together exactly how you planned them. Sometimes the chance to take a shortcut will present itself, it might not lead to exactly where you wanted the trail to go.... but you figure, "Hey.... why not? It's close enough right?!" WRONG!

I'm a firm believer that you have to fight for what you believe in..... (and of course you have to fight, for your right to party.....) I've been quoted time and time again saying, "Find something in this life you believe in and fight for it, with everything you have!"

Your dreams are just that, your dreams, go make them reality! For me, my dream is to go back to school and get my degree, find a nice place to call home for Beth & I, and then start a family. so everyday I work hard to chip away at that mountain....

Whatever your dream is I hope you reach it. If your dream is to flip burgers, fight for it! If your dream is to fly the space shuttle, fight for it! Why not? Life's too short to not be passionate about your dreams and ambitions!

Go get whatever it is you want from the world.... get going! Now, get up, and GO! Seriously! The world isn't going to wait for you! Get to work on your future! It's in no one else's hands but your own!

Unlike Any Other Job

I'm very proud of the work I do at Incept. I hold the title of Conversational Marketing Expert. And I specialize in the field of blood donor recruiting.

Everyday I make phone calls for top level blood centers all over the country. The work we do affects lives from California to New Jersey and everywhere in between. On a daily basis I talk to hundreds of donors, and I schedule as many of them as I can to come in and donate blood at their local blood center.

Every time a donor goes through with at least a whole blood donation (we'll just call that a "normal" donation) the blood that goes onto the shelves of their donor center can save up to three lives. I ran my numbers for last week today. At a minimum (assuming everyone showed up for their appointments) I saved 213 lives in one week of work. That's 1/4 of my friends list on facebook......


My fiance is a nurse, specializing in cardiac care. She maintains between 4-7 patients health on a daily basis. But only has to "save" the lives of maybe 1 or 2 in a really bad week. (of course the goal at a hospital is to not let them get to that point)

So literally, I save more lives than she does each week, hundreds of times over! Where else do you get to do that?! What other job gives you that kind of opportunity?! I've never heard of one. I LOVE the feeling of accomplishment my job gives me at the end of a good days work.

Do you get that feeling from your job? If not..... maybe you should think about making a change? If you believe in what you do everyday it makes those dreaded hours of 9am Monday morning, and 4pm Friday afternoon a lot more bearable. Think about it.

"Find something in your life worth fighting for and never let go of it!"

My Other Sides

Obviously, if you're reading my blog you have a pretty sound idea of what I do in my time at work, and at home when I'm thinking about work. I'd like to take a few minutes to share what else I do..... my "other sides."

I find inspiration in the hard work and dedication of the young men and women that march every summer in Drum Corps across the country. I have too many favorites to list, but the place I find the most inspiring is a group called the Cavaliers. "The Green Machine." These guys (they are an all male Corps) are absolute machines, they work harder and longer than anyone I've ever met. Here's a clip from one of my favorite shows of theirs, The Cavaliers, 2006-The Machine (Part 2)

I used to march snare drum at the University of Akron, and you can still find me at InfoCision Stadium on any given Saturday during the fall cheering on my Zips and proudly sporting my "Akron Zips Drum line" hat. That's something I'm proud of!

I find peace and relaxation in fishing. I spend as much time as possible Bass fishing. If I can catch a bass in a body of water, no matter what the conditions or time of day, you can bet I'll be out there with a rod & reel chasing little green fish around the lake! Yes, I'm obsessed.....

spend most of my time with my lovely fiance, Beth. Planning our wedding and watching movies, just doing whatever we can together. I've had her at my side since we were both 12 years old and I don't know anyone else I can trust to help keep my happy than her.

I found my moral code and a lot of the rules I live by from my time in Tau Beta Sigma. I am a proud alumni member of the Epsilon Iota chapter at the University of Akron. The code we live by is something I take a great deal of pride in. And I love to spend time with these people any chance I get.

If possible, I find time to just slow my life down and go back home to Canton, Ohio to see my family. But the real reason I'm there is to see my mutt, Otis. He's my West Highland White Terrier who I miss everyday. Great pup!

And besides that, I just spend time working on becoming a better person by surrounding myself with the great team of people at work. Incept! It's gotten to the point where I don't really consider it "work" anymore. It's someplace I want to spend my time constructively accomplishing great things....

So there you have it. A long post, with very little content, but more insight into how I work..... my brain is a strange thing, but it's worth looking into it once and a while. Thanks again for always reading.

The Changing Of The Guard

It's come to my attention that the tides have shifted, a new order has begun to form, and there's something just under the surface waiting to break into the spotlight at Incept. It's time for a changing of the guard, it's time for a group of talented young thinkers to make their mark.

I love the company I work for, I love it most because "it" has a personality. And Incept is growing up. Moving into the next stage of it's life. And driving that move forward is a talented group of young people, focused only on producing results beyond any ones highest expectations.

Yesterday I watched as our company held its monthly Employee Of The Month ceremony..... a veteran CME of many years was awarded the title of Most Improved. And then a young lady named Allison was honored to receive the title of Employee Of The Month & also win our "Life Saver Award." Allison has been with the company for only a fraction of her life, but she's already made a huge impact. In under a year, she's earned a place in Incept history and accomplished a first..... and I wish I could work with her more.

I look around while I'm at work, and see enough potential in such a small group of young people that I KNOW we can change not only the way that our company works, but the world. For no other reason but to give them credit, Chris, Tim, Allison, Jason, and again back to TIM!

We may be a some of the youngest employees at our company, but we are the next in line to make the difference.
The moral of the story, work hard, play harder, fight for what you believe in.
Now for the fair warning......
The Milennials are here...... and we're going to change the world. So either catch up, or move over! Because our generation won't be slowed down, much less stopped!

Break The Rules

One simple rule to live by. Break All The Rules!

If you haven't read this book, Id HIGHLY recommend it! http://ow.ly/1yF5D

It talks about how to do things differently. Why conform to the rules of days gone by? Look where those rules got us, our economy's bleeding to death..... my generation - the milennials -have one of the highest unemployment rates of any generation in recent history, health care - don't even get me started on that one. To be frank, the rules suck! They have proven time and time again to only limit our potential at the "top of the bell curve...." Once your strategy has maxed out, its time to change the rules!

So why not change them constantly, who says that just because no one else in your position at work has asked for a raise that you shouldn't!? Change the rules by proving that you are worthy of being the exception to the rule......presto, NEW RULES, NEW GAME!

There's no playing field you can level- change the game. No mountain you can't overcome- if you can't go over, tunnel under. Nothing can stop you if you chose to break the rules that hold you back from your full potential.

"The best way to see the future is to create it." well in times like today, the best way to still be a part of the future is to invent you place in it!

Short, sweet, & to the point!

Learning To Follow To Lead Series - It's Good To Be The Right Hand Man

This is the second in a series of posts that will discuss a topic that's been growing in mind for years. The idea of learning to follow, in order to lead.

-It's Good To Be The Right Hand Man-
Over the last few years I've worked with all sorts of different types of people, who each had their own leadership style. I've had the distinct pleasure to work with a few of those people where I was in a position to get to pick their brains and be there whenever they needed someone to be the "go-getter."

If there's anyone thing I learned from the best of the people I've worked with it is this, "It's good to be the right hand man to the boss." I've made it a point to align myself with people that I feel are worthy and deserving of loyalty and respect. (A trait I picked up during my years in Tau Beta Sigma) I stick to the philosophy that if you earn a place on the right hand of a strong leader and mentor, when they move to the top, they'll be happy to have you along for the ride.

And when that day comes that you're ready to venture out from under the safety of your mentors wing...... they'll be there to help you along in your own adventures. Building that relationship of trust, dependability, and strength can be the ticket to success. Prove yourself to the people who are above you, and (if you've aligned yourself with good people) they'll be likely to help you blaze your own trail when the time comes.

I'm of course not saying you should hide in someones shadow and not be a leader. But you have to learn to crawl before you can walk. And the best way to learn to walk when you're ready is with a steady, experienced, guiding hand there to help you. And as every parent knows, once they can walk, they'll run..... blazing their own trail!

So, life's good on the right hand of the boss..... network, learn, build, test ideas, and get your walking legs ready for the rest of the world. And then go, RUN and don't stop until you reach your goals, and one day you look down and find there's someone there on your right hand waiting for their turn.

My Trip To Gorge Metro Park

Today I took a trip to Gorge Metro Park here in summit county. http://ow.ly/1xd2u It was a refreshing dose of nature smack in the middle of my busy world. For those of you unfamiliar with "The Gorge" it's a deep canyon carved out by the Cuyahoga River. There's hiking, fishing in the small reservoir above the waterfall, lots of small rock formations to free climb, and some cool caves. But most of all, it was just beautiful.... for an hour or two I got to escape the city and just enjoy nature.

I started off by checking out the fishing pier above the falls, I met a nice gentleman there named Dave, who I taught a thing or two about fishing with his dads old tackle box full of goodies I was really wishing I could make a cash offer for. I talked to him for about 30mins, and I was repayed by him getting a little weird on me and giving me "Repent before the end" reading material (Side note, according to Dave, the world is going to end on..... you'd think I'd tell you the whole Nostradamus 2012 things.... but no, the world will end on May 21, 2011 exactly 1 week after me & Beth are set to get married) Weirded out a little, I just let it go, and thanked Dave for the conversation and said goodbye.

Started hiking the trail system, walked down the big wooden steps, and stared for a few minutes at the waterfall and then explored the trails along the river. Forty minutes later I turned the half way marker and decided to double my pace for a workout. I climbed rocks, I jumped ledges, I had fun! And the entire time, I never once thought about the fact that a few hundred feet above me on either side of the gorge walls was the bustling cities of Akron and Cuyahoga Falls.

It was escape! Not only is it a great place to take in the sights, but a great workout environment. I'm starting to exercise more, and today I found a few great spots. The trail is rough, but can be managed at a quick jog as long as there's minimal traffic in your way. The steps are plenty and step. And the rock formations are awesome! I can't wait to free climb them after a brisk jog later this spring. All this, in the middle of the city where you'd least expect it if you didn't know to look.

Amazing!

Turnabout: Refusal

I had a thought today. I know it's a dangerous concept, me thinking.....

As someone in the direct marketing field, I tend to view the word "refusal" brings up a gut instinct to rebuttal. But I think a kind of turnabout is in order. Refusing to do something isn't always a bad thing.

Refusing to take the easy way out. Refusing to lie to a customer. Refusing to make a quick buck. Refusing to take advantage of someone. Refusing to do the wrong kind of business. These are all good reasons to refuse.

Refuse to do sub standard work. Refuse to give up. Refuse to be average. Refuse refuse refuse.....

Refuse to settle for anything less than your dreams. You owe it to yourself to say no!

Something Called Pride

As a former member of the University of Akron Marching Band(also known as Ohio's Pride) I remember clearly watching a video my first year member, Something Called Pride. The videos kinda lengthy and I don't want to link it here but feel free to google it. The idea, that pride is one of the most powerful tools to an organization like the marching band. But it has a new role in the world we're building from the ground up right now, as we speak, as you read my blog..... the age of social media. To steal from Set Godin, the age of social tribes.

I didn't want to focus on Ohio's Pride today, that's a subject for another time. I wanted to talk about a student organization called the AK-Rowdies. They are the official student fan section for the University of Akron Teams. They are a notoriously strong spirited bunch who's motto last year(during the opening season at their new football stadium) was, "New Stadium, New Rules, Get In, Stand Up, Cheer Loud, All Game, Every Game."

The thing that inspires me about this group, besides their obnoxious use of face paint and how loudly they scream, is their relentless loyalty to their team. They're proud of their team.... no matter what the score. Last year, my beloved Zips finished their football season with a crumby record of 3 & 9. But the Rowdies were there every game, no matter what.

These kids don't back down to larger schools, to bad weather, to a losing score, they're proud of their team and they stand by them time and time again. A saying they stick to, "I Bleed Blue & Gold." And it makes me wonder, do you stand by your team? No matter what the cost, are you proud of what you're doing? These kids are, I know I am. Pride can be viewed as a fatal flaw depending on who's telling the story. I think it works equally as a strength and a value to be smiled upon.

Are you proud of your "team?" Think about it....

My Ultimate Brainstorming Tool

I was reading Chris Brogans blog post today about what goes into redrawing, http://ow.ly/1wKhG and I realized that my most trusted tool is sitting on my desk, right next to my keyboard. Here's the thoughts that passed through my head moments later.

When ever I'm faced with a problem, I mean a real problem, something that I'm just not sure how to tackle, I reach for my trusty tool, not an IPad, not my laptop, not my smart phone(none of which I have) but a yellow legal pad and a ballpoint pen.

I've always found a legal pad is the most trusted tool in my arsenal, simply because it gives me more versatility than any "tech tool." If i want to type an outline, or a recommendation I'll jump on the computer, but if I want to brainstorm or really dig into a topic and work out a problem I reach for a piece of paper. The notepad lets me put everything down, mash all my ideas together but still keep them separate, and i can add "images" (meaning anything from stars, circles, little doodles, stick figures, anything!) that help me track my thought process, which as many of my coworkers know can be all over the place once my mental engine starts heating up.

So just humor me here, next time you need to brainstorm, or just get around to rethinking something, anything..... don't pull out your IPhone, IPad, Laptop, or anything requiring batteries. Dig into the top drawer and grab one of those legal pads you ordered with your company logo on it. The ones that seemed like such a great idea at the time, but you can't even manage to give away..... put it to good use. The trees will thank you for it and who knows, you might be able to let your brain run with a little more freedom, and a little less of the "font and format" restrictions of a word doc.

Fishing & A Reminder To Always Keep Networking!

Today was Easter, obviously. And I spent my morning in church, then at Beths moms house for a nice Easter dinner. We put together her brand new(& huge) Kingsford grill, and I helped Beths brother install cable in his room. Its was a nice, simple day. And then I decided the afternoon was too incredible to waste not being at the lake!

So I jumped into the car, drove home and hiked it down to the lake! I put the line in the water, and for almost an hour, didn't catch a thing. But, I switched spots, switched my frame of mind, and landed not only my first bass of 2010, and my first bass at my new home lake, but one of my best bass yet. 17.5 Inches & what a fight.


I enjoyed my day ALOT. And then something hit me, the urge to go exploring. Off into the woods at the end of the property I went, following a barely marked trail. It went on for a while, and then I found exactly what I was looking for, "the end of the lake." What I mean by that is the dam at the far southern end of the lake, and that's where I found two things.

1. Bass Paradise! A HUGE tree in 4-7 feet of water, with big chunks sticking out, and within casting distance from shore...... Amazing. and....

2. A constant reminder to network with people!

As I approached this new super secret fishing spot. I saw it wasn't so secret..... there was a young man fishing there. I introduced myself, turns out the young man, Vance, lives one the first floor of my 12 unit apartment building. In a complex of over 40 buildings, and two large towers with a few hundred apartments (not to mention the three smaller complexes on the lake) this guy lived in my building! And here he was, fishing in this new spot I'd found! Turns out, it was his second day fishing (ever) and he was delighted to have someone like me to keep him from cutting his hand open on the bluegill he kept catching.

Just a reminder to open up and talk to people no matter what the occasion, you never know who you'll run into, or how you're already connected to them. If I would have left him alone to his fishing, not said anything, or just walked away, I never would have made a new friend in my building.

Have you networked with anyone today?

If you ask me, it isn't difficult to connect with someone daily. Whether it be a customer at work, a coworker you haven't talked to before, or just the guy next to you on the train/bus ride to work. Just say hello, strike up a gentle conversation. Whats the worst that can happen, they either ignore you, or ask you to leave them alone. No harm done! The pay off, you never know what you'll get out of the interaction you might start!

This Knot Feels Like It'll Never Get Tied!

So over the past few weeks I've been busy helping my fiance Beth plan our wedding. Now here's where it gets interesting. The wedding isn't until May 2011. Everyone keeps saying to me, "....but you have more than 12 months! Stop worrying, stop stressing! It's plenty of time!"

Well, here's the truth to the tale. Beth is a RN (Nurse) at the Cleveland Clinic. And she works one month of day shift, then one month on nights. The night shift months, we barely get to talk for more than an hour.

Here's a typical day during one of those months:

8:00- I wake up & get ready for work, Beth leaves work and starts the drive home

8:45- I leave for work and pass Beth on the way out the door

9:30- I get to work, Beth goes to bed

6:00- I get off work and call Beth to wake her up

6:45- I get home, and cook dinner for the two of us while Beth takes a bath

7:45- Beth goes back to bed after dinner, I do whatever....

9:00- Beth wakes up and leaves for work

12:00- I go to bed, Beth calls when she can to say good night

So, needless to say, we don't get anything done during those months.

But in the last two weeks, Ive checked the following things off:

Bought my tux, Secured a Photographer(& talked down the price!), Secured a DJ, Secured a Pianist, Semi-secured a Chapel, (as of ten mins ago) Secured a wedding Coordinator, Started the first batch of mock ups for the wedding invitations, Restructured my guest list. We've had the reception hall locked up for a while now.

Tomorrow we have a meeting with the cake people..... and hopefully the invitations will be mocked up by Sunday.

It feels like it will never get done! AH!

So truth be told, we have about 6 months left because every other month will be the chaos I listed above! Wish us luck!

Sharks Find A Way To Catch Their Prey

I had a conversation with Sam Falletta, the President and Chief Results Officer for Incept, the company I work for sometime last week. (Having productive conversations is what we do best ;-) at Incept) The basis of the conversation was me asking for help with a communication problem I was having. Long story made short, I had a problem with how to approach someone above me in the company with a problem I foresaw and how I felt to best approach it. (I'm a firm believer in always having an idea of how to fix something before you start complaining about it.)

I told Sam something along the lines of how I'm a "Shark personality type." Meaning if you put me in a situation where I can get things done, be sure to get out of my way, or I'll work straight around you to get to the best results possible! I thrive on clearing things off of my to do list at work. Put simply, I attack things in front of me to get to the best results I can. (I should note that this isn't always the best way to do things. Often times I need Sam, or someone else above me to wrangle me a little and make sure I'm doing things the best way possible, logistically that is.)

What Sam told me took a few days to really sink all the way in. But I absorbed the bulk of it pretty quickly. He looked me square in the eyes and said, "Sharks always find a way to catch their prey Steve."

Think about it for the next ten seconds as I did standing there in his office, mute & blinking at him. [count to 10 slowly then continue!] He smiled a wide grin and I walked out of his office. A few days latter I dove straight into the fish tank, attacked my prey head on, and the results were WAY more than I ever could have wished for.

So I ask you this, do you dive straight into the tank when life throws prey faster than you are into your path? Or do you give up, and go in search of an easier meal? I know which one I'd do.... (I don't like giving up.....)

And by the way, TGIF!

Signing off for the work week....

~Stephen~