Convenience Store Doors and Manners

I know I wrote about Wawa in the past, but there is something I have always noticed and its a piece of suburbia (and cities too) that intrigues me.   For those not from this geography, picture a 7-11 or Turkey Hill, Cumberland Farms convenience store done at the pinnacle of the craft.   www.Wawa.com . 

The newest ones are massive with amazingly great coffee - many types, great deli sandwiches of many many kinds and massive quantities of soda types.  

But I am not writing this to champion their stores (okay, so I have already), but to talk about manners around holding the door for each other going in and out of the stores.    You see, the doors are manual ones that only swing out.  A store like the one above will sell 10,000 cups of coffee in a week (maybe more - I don't know).  They sell gas, ciggies and lots of other stuff that you make a quick trip in and out AND here's the point of this blog entry - EVERYONE holds the door for everybody, or so it seems.  Our world has so few places where people are helpful to one another and polite enough to pause in their busy days to stop and hold a door.  For men or women holding the door for me or women. 

And maybe, maybe, if you project this outward beyond just  a fast food store door, you can see that there is hope for humanity.  I know that is a stretch to believe, but maybe, just maybe it tells us that in this world of suburbia and urban isolation, red:blue separation and its associated vitriol, that in the simple act of stopping in the morning for a coffee and a Shortie Hoagie (ref - zep, hero, sub, etc.) for your lunch, you make the world heal a bit by just pausing and holding a door for a fellow human.  And that, I believe, is a sign of hope for us all. 

Wondering about the future in the bosom of suburbia

When we bought our house, we were focused on getting our sons into a school district with great schools.  And that meant paying 20% more for a house versus neighbor school districts.  It was a stretch for us (and still is), but worth it for our kids education.   That investment paid off, but I wonder if it will for the parents and their kids following us.

Every parent in America wants their kids to have more, and to achieve more, than the generation before.  That is part of the American dream.  We also teach them fairness. On the soccer field, when they are 6 years old, when they are playing sports, or competing in band festivals, scholarly events and all other competitive events, we teach them fairness as a core principle.  We also emphasize it in sharing toys and turns and other things with their siblings.   Fairness is even taught in household chores, allowing for the abilities of each child by their age, their relative maturity and, in our case, their disabilities (er, read that more politically as their "differences").  This is, I think, a core American Value.  We don't have royalty, we don't have "upstairs:downstairs" perspectives.  American is an egalitarian country  where any person, who works hard enough, can move up the economic ladder.

So, as a Dad sitting here in the suburban wonderland, I wonder if the system is like described by either political party at their national Conventions.  The land of the free, the home of the brave, a melting pot, where every child can grow to be the apple of their parents eye or even president, governor, congress member, or business owner.  Or, is the game rigged?  Despite my political perspective, this isn't an easy issue to diagnose.  My suspicion, is that it is rigged. But with all my heart, I hope it isn't.

The challenge for all of us.  Tea Party, Republican Moderate, Moderate Democrat or Liberal on the far left, is that I am no longer sure that any of us have the control our country's forefathers set in motion.   Money seems to matter much more than ideas, principles or character.  I personally like President Obama, but I would also look at a Republican candidate that was true to and consistent in beliefs.  Next election, we could see a democrat who moves around to meet the desires of their base (Etch a Sketch)  the same way that I think Gov. Romney does.  Like Bernstein ( a la Woodruff and Bernstein of Watergate fame)  said.  "Follow the money".  And in all political perspectives (left - right), there are larger money interests favoring a direction that might not be the best thing for our country.  I can give a large gift (of my family's resources) to either campaign and not move the election the way a Union or a Oil interest can move things.

And at the very local suburban level,  I wonder where the money is moving things.  The local Wawa closing I mentioned last time in this blog  was a ultimately a political decision.  For the financial health of our Township, I believe it was a bad choice to not let them expand their store to a more profitable format, especially given the loss of a gas station  on that same intersection.  Now we have another empty business store front on a key intersection in our township instead of a tax revenue bonus for our kids, our safety, our community.

Tip O'Neill (not my favorite politician by a long shot) did say something very true, all politics are local.  What happens in the bosom of suburbia is small and seemingly unimportant versus a presidential campaign.  I think that's an incorrect assumption.  Its more about TV and other media revenue investments.  Its about the money.  Follow the money and you can find an awful twist on the suburban America (Politicians often call us the "middle class") dream.

So - I try to vote in every election, even the small local ones.  Do I pick left or right?  Not at all the point.  I pick.  And try  to stay informed  - for the school board, Township Supervisors, County officials.  And the State government and the Federal Offices.  Its ALL important.

If you are in the bosom of suburbia, don't be more complacent than those on the far left and right.  Because that's where the money is.  They will win while we are staying home watching the TV.  And that is us, giving away our future.  And that would be a terrible tragedy.

Be involved, be concerned.  Follow your values.  Then who ever wins, will be those chose by our community and by those funding the election.

The End of the Worcester Wawa -- A lesson in local politcal short term vision

When you live in the suburbs of a major metropolitan area, you usually have local news reports from that city.  For us, its Philadelphia - birthplae of our nation, one of its oldest cities and the 5th largest media market in the country.  So evening news is filled with shootings, robberies, murders and other crimes of big cities.  All of these are removed from our lives here in the burbs which makes them oh so easy to ignore.  Or to say, I'm glad that's not my neighborhood.

But maybe it is.  We live outside of Lansdale, a smallish town with a great diversity of neighborhoods and ethnic populations from many nations.  The local patch reported this past week serious drug busts, robbery and assaults.  A local special education teacher was indicted for having alleged sexual relations with a student.  Sure, the violence level is lower, but, is it really so different as the folks in suburbia think.

Meanwhile our local politicians argue about distance from roadside, age of local buildings, paint jobs, signs and other things of what seems very important consequence, but mostly aren't of any seriousness and are often resolved with rulings that reduce the taxable income of the township and cost it money in the decision process as well.  Its reminiscent of Nero playing his lyre while Rome burns.

Here's what I wish.  Fantastic schools for our children that stretch and challenge them no matter what their ability level or grad, safe neighborhoods and roads and reliable public services including first responders able come when we really need them. Quickly and professionally.  And, most important Governments driven by the public good, not by petty issues, campaign finance or under the table business interests.

Our local Wawa closed this week and I truly believe it didn't get to grow as the Wawa firm wanted because of petty, local political wishes and control needs.  A valued part of our tax base, a local chain store offering multiple jobs and quality service and products closed because of narrow perspectives and shorter term thinking.  Our schools roads and town will lose and there will be little gained.  It will be an empty store that drove lots of traffic to the other small business in that shopping center.  Add that to the empty lot across Skippack Pike and you realize how short sited the township has become.  I hate that.

Gardening or Hunting?

I had a conversation with a colleague who said "We aren't farmers or gardeners waiting for things to grow, but go out, find, hunt and kill our prey (get business).  Some how that seemed very distinct from who I am.  i think relationships and business grow by intention and patience.  I have had the blessing of lots of voluntary plans (business opportunities) borne of efforts previously done (composting, gardening - keeping commitments, making binding agreements).

With neighbors in the burbs, there is such a transitional attitude.  People come and go, neighbors rarely talk, even with those living right next to them.  I wonder if that grows harvest as productive as those which we actively work to cultivate.  

What do you  think?

Sitting on the edge of fall

The winds were shifting.  I went out our back door and felt cooler breezes than the hot tropical ones we have had for weeks (months?) here in PA.  And with that shift, I sensed a change.  Here in the burbs of PA, the school buses are out, testing their new routes.  The stores are selling back to school stuff, there is evidence of dedicated teachers and others in the schools preparing for our kids, their students, their life's work.  And the wind blows.

We did a short break at the beach this past week - just an extended weekend, but I did notice that there was a ton of people on the beach.  More crowded than I had noticed before and I realized it was sort of a last hurrah.  There were gobs of families.  Many, like us, there with their college ages "kids" (actually young adults) before college started.  Many school age kids were done with summer camp and other activities, so it is natural that lots of folks were there now that the entire family could gather.  And yet, even in the screams of the toddlers, vague flirting of the teens, and overly patient looks from the college kids, there was a wind of change.

Each of us must find our path forward.  As Dylan and The Birds said, To Every Season, Turn, Turn, Turn.  Each of us must find out what turns are in front of us.  And maybe we need to follow our kids or, maybe, they are our canaries in a coal mine.  Telling us, warning us, to move forward..

For us adults in the bosom of suburbia, we need to move forward and follow this cycle from summer into fall and look forward.  For as much fun as our summer was, the clock moves forward and we too, like our children, must step into the grades, challenges, fun, challenges (repeat intentional) and unknowns of the fall that comes onto us all.

Go forth boldly!!  Its what we need to do and in that boldness will be opportunities, some challenges, and maybe, some fun.

Pondering modern US Politics

As I cut my lawn or weed my gardens, I wonder about things that are (I think) that are different from consideration from lots of my neighbors.  And, maybe that isn't truth.  They might be considering the same concerns.  


Like lots of suburban Dad's, I use Facebook to stay connected to friends near and far.  And the basic question to me is from what I see them post: Is the American Dream still there and as fair as it can be.  And I, am beginning to see destruction of the truth.   


There are lots of things it could be and might not be.  For a kid raised on Walter Cronkite and and overall "free press" allowed to criticize the government and driven by high quality investigative journalism, its hard for me to wonder about the impact of a "profitability driven" press.  Whether its the "liberal drive by press" (as described by Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hanity and others of the conservative media fame grouping) also known as ABC, CBS, NBC,  (and their cable outlets), or the hard wired "Faux" news of fair and balanced  right wing outrage sponsored by Rupert Murdoch, the mutually abrasive strongly aggressive demeaning of each other within the "free press"  makes me wonder what moneyed interests are really benefiting from deriding a "free" speech driven "free" press".  The current situation suggests there are parties trying to crush a true rationale debate in America about Truth, Fairness and investigative journalism in the US media.   


My Dad, a great guy, was a banker most of his life.  Not the Wall Street time, but more of the kind you and I know at our local branch or local HQ branch.   Over time he became an executive, but his values and principles that guided my work ethic stayed true:
-  A day's work for a day's pay
-  Show up - dressed and acting in a true heart correctly for the role.
-  Pay attention to the bottom line, but also not to the corrupting influences.  No "kiting" checks or blowing smoke up some ones "face" to get your way forward.


Today, I wonder if the game is still fair.  


Airlines and many other corporate interests (and government ones also) want to violate fairly negotiated contracts on pensions and insurance they promised.  State and local governments are doing the same and buying TV and radio ads claiming they are balancing the budget - see for instance the airwaves battles in NJ.


Federal government candidates call reasonable fees Taxes or Penalties depending on which side of the aisle they are working (the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) debate).  All the while, the real money is working the top of the house - giving campaign money to people that help with their agendas.  And the media, which makes lots of money on advertisements paid for by those ads, allows money to steal the from the electorate, the power of their individual mandate. 


I work in the science of marketing, communications and education.  I know that you can do powerful things with wording, linguistics, tonality, presence and frequency.  Videos, personal stories, emotive language can all make your story more emotive and powerful, but not necessarily true.  Often to the betterment of those paying for the messaging and at the expense of the truth or reality.  


I hope this post is seen as apolitically leaning.  Those who know me, know I lean a definite direction.   But I am trying to say that the entire system is being manipulated by those with out the interest of regular old, middle, lower, upper middle class Americans in mind.  


My point is that our preferences and political choices, even here in the bosom of suburbia are being distorted by larger, heavily moneyed interest not representative of our local, state, national or worldwide interests.  Only their own narrow parochial interests are being served by very large $ investments with high quality communications firms skilled at manipulating the truth into fallacy and biased facts into singular perspectives.    And the larger media outlets - Fox, CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, are allow complices in this this because they two can make tons of money  playing both sides of the aisle and not taking care of you and me down in here in the upper, middle and lower middle class.  And those in the lower class are getting the worst edge of all of this (and their voting rights are getting tightly contained at the same time).  


We are Americans and we get the government we chose.  But, if we don't pay better attention, that government will represent those that only  a few chose.  Get active, go vote.  engage.  Its out patriotic duty as Americans.  

Ideas needed! Got one?

Over the last 10-12 years, I have become a "go to" person for those working on their career plans, connections to decision makers, job openings, mentor connections, etc.  I (mostly) don't go out trolling for folks to help, but something in my work nature, knowledge, personal style and experience lands up causing me to be many types of career development conversations with folks from the executive office to entry level, from pharma to a local police officer to a member of the clergy.  

It's extraordinarily rewarding to help people in this way.  Helping many of you solve a career question in your life gives me strength, especially when I have been able to see your path grow and expand more than it might have with out my small bit of help.  Having moved over to the "entrepreneur's" side of the business, I expected I would be doing less career support, and that is the case, but its still a very present part of my weekly activities and something I hope I never stop doing. 

But now, I feel like the great plumber who's sink has a leaky faucet that needs to be fixed, but just doesn't get fixed.  Or the mechanic who fixes their own car when and if they find the time and money to do it (and chooses instead to nurse along a bad clutch).  The bottom line is that I need to get restarted earning a living again doing work that energizes and challenges my brain, heart and soul. 

I am blessed with financial and personal resources that have been able to provide for our bills during my transition at the beginning of 2012, but now my wallet and my need to be more productive (actually the latter is the stronger problem at the moment - a fact for which I am extremely grateful) are strongly calling me to move forward.  To fix the faucet, to repair the clutch, so to speak and get moving.  

So, if you are someone who I had worked with in the past on your career planning, or some one I have connected to a cool job that you love(d), I could use your help.  I'm not at all at the applying to McDonald's or Wawa stage of things, and I have learned that I need to do meaningful work with collegial people in an environment of integrity that involves helping build people and organizational capability building.  And, it needs to be fair to me in compensation - not luxurious, but fair. 

If I have helped you, you already know some of what I do well.  Send me any ideas or connections or postings you think I should consider.  Some of you already have been doing this and I am very grateful. 

I can't relocate because of family stuff (most of you know what I mean), but I can travel and am ready to jump back in to the right situation.  No ideas are dumb ones.  Some might not be the right ones for me, but all (ALLLLLL) will be seen as gifts from a great circle of people that I am blessed to have in my life as I continue my journey in the bosom of suburbia. 

Any ideas?

Been pondering the US Income Tax Code from the perspective of an entrepreneur who works from his home in the bosom of suburbia.  We just visited the tax accountant and of course, despite having a wonderfully organized (seriously) packet, we still were missing some forms and documents. 

How does one become a success as a start up entrepreneur (some also would call us "job creator") when the whole system really favors those who work in large companies with all tax and insurance withdrawals done automatically, medical coverage, and bonus payouts taxed and documented correctly.    Makes my head hurt just trying to figure out how much I need to earn per year to get to a target income needed to pay our bills, son's tuition, maybe a simple vacation, and save for retirement.  I want to focus on building a business, not the wallet of the tax accountant (even though she is a really highly competent and likable person).

When they get around to putting me in charge of the world, I will find a way to fix this.  But for now, I will just find the correct papers, go to the correct web sites and meander my way back to giving away large amounts of my hard earned $ to a system not really understandable, stacked against those who earn their income (vs capital gains such as in venture capitalist wallets) and more likely to more complex than to get easier and more transparent.