After careful consideration, I’ve decided that I will be spending less time on Facebook and more time on my website here at www.donahue.org. I don’t have to deal with Facebook’s insane algorithm. My goal is to find someone to help me create a new skin and post photos, stories and information where if I choose, I make the revenue. I would love for people to not give their hard-earned creativity to a site that selectively doles their talent out and not freely giving it to all.
I work in a creative medium and I spend too much time on things that most people will never see.
I intend to change that. This isn’t an April Fools Joke. I’m serious. My goal is to write more and be more creative. I am happier when I allow myself to be creative… Like it, good. Don’t like it, direct your complaints to the nearest brick wall.
I’ll see you here each day with my goal, to post something original… for me and not Facebook. I’ll be bringing back my writing challenge…
Today, I got a reality check. I’ll tell you about it in a second but I need to tell you a story first.
For years I had tried to prove my worth to others I respected. I worked harder to the loss of my first marriage trying to get their approval and it never came because in all honesty, I wasn’t worth their approval.
There are people in this world who crave attention, they try their damnest to tell you why they are important and “things you need to listen to them about”. But are they truly respected or just in a circle of self-esteem needy people. Yes, I am wrong more times than I am right, but the times that I change a perspective have more meaning than the times it would be better for me to direct my concerns to a brick wall. I am not a yes man, I am a realist who looks at things with clear lenses not rose-colored glasses. I do not know everyone I should but I am a connection or two from the person who can help me. I have friends who I have talked poker, politics, sports, money and social media. I am not an expert in any of those, but my ability to communicate is my best attribute.
Some people do not understand my hatred of empty promises, of hype with no payoff. Do not tease me with “guess who’s coming” because 99 times out of 100, it is not me. I probably knew months ahead of you concerts, events and things that would blow your mind, but you will never hear me say them out loud.
I don’t have to prove that I am worth your approval. Because in all reality, you are probably seeking my approval. Stop guessing.
My dad hated guessing games. If we couldn’t tell him what we wanted him to pick up for dinner without arguing, we would end up eating fish sticks. “fuck em & feed em fish sticks,” he would tell my mom.
You want me to respect you?
Don’t tell me that you are going to tell me 12 ways to improve my social media , especially when #5 will blow my mind. It never does. 9/10 the crap you are telling me is stuff most people know. Give me deep insights and I will follow you & share/repost. Otherwise, you are just chumming the water. Some sharks will come to get caught, but most will stay away because they are smarter than that. Why is there always a story of an uncatchable fish? Because he’s smarter than his predators. He eats alone, doesn’t get caught up like the eager ones and is the patient one. Oh, so patient he is.
I have spent the last two plus years watching Twitter chats and other social media groups and it always comes down to the experts who share, the experts who want you to buy their latest book and everyone else who claims expert status.
My friends and people who couldn’t give a damn about the words from a 21+ year radio vet, it is not about chats or world-wide tweet ups. I want honest to goodness relationships with people who want to work together so we will both will succeed together.
I always tell my interns that my goal was to see them succeed and when they entered reality that they never worked a day in the lives but enjoyed their job. Today I received an ACTUAL MAILED THANK YOU CARD (they do exist) from a former intern that no one remembered but me.
It read:
Sean,
It was great to see you the other day! I’m so happy you remembered me. Maybe one day I can come spin some tunes on the air! Hope to see you again soon!
Thanks for giving me my first internship! You taught me that work is better when it’s fun!
This simple card made more of an impact than any other moment I’ve had trying my damnest to please others.
Sometimes you just have to please yourself and the rest will take care of itself.
If I can help you, please ask. If I can’t, someone you know could use my help, please give them my contact info.
When I was young, I was taught about heaven & hell. The nuns took their rulers to my knuckles many times during my formative years. But one day I asked, because I was bored and did not want to talk about the seven deadly sins, “If there a heaven for you and me, is there one for my dog or will he be in his own heaven?”
This question then turned into a fight with the cat owners telling the dog owners that all of their animals were going to hell while their animals were going to heaven.
After a large discussion and two raps on the knuckle for speaking out of turn, which wasn’t really new to me, the sister declared that it was up to us whether our animals went to heaven. Then she declared recess. I really think she did not want me to talk again as she pointed the ruler at me and I put my head down on my desk.
So many times in my life I have thought what it would be like for there to be a heaven for dogs. As my dog Keegan laid down tonight I had in my mind a conversation with him as we stared at each other.
“Is the grass green?” he asked.
“Why yes, everywhere you go the grass is green. It’s thick, like a warm set of arms that cuddle you in the night. There are no ants, pests of any kind in this grass, not even a dandelion,” I replied.
“What about the sun?”
“It shines warm and bright like a spring day, not too hot or too short, just perfect to catch a nap.”
“Are there toys to play with?”
“You can’t turn your head without seeing at least one ball, stuffed animal or fire hydrant. As far as the eye can see you can try a toy. When you tire of it, there will be a new one just around the corner.”
“And the squeakers?”
“Oh, when you think you have squeaked the last squeak out of a toy it comes back like new.”
“What happens at night?”
“You snuggle up with loved ones and wait for the day when the door opens and your master comes home.”
“Is this heaven?”
“Why yes Keegan, didn’t you know? All dogs go to heaven!”
Keegan Patrick passed away this morning surrounded by family who loved him.
God knows how I miss Dr. J even more today. Everyone in Lubbock with a pet knew the legend of Dr J. But she is gone and I had to move to another vet. This afternoon Keegan started to bleed and we took him to the vet after Joanna all morning had called to try to talk to the vet. His first words wasn’t, “Lets fix Keegan,” or “What would you like to do?” but “Let’s me first talk about communicati…”
I shut down and walked out of the room and composed this letter.
Dear Anonymous Lubbock Area Vet,
Before you start to criticize my wife for calling you three times because she worries about our family member, I would appreciate if you would check the patient first.
Bleeding, as you told her later, “traditionally isn’t normal in a back injury” of a dachshund.
You aren’t Dr. House and I would rather burn money right in front of you than hand it over to you.
He isn’t just a dog. He isn’t just an animal. He is my family member and since you don’t treat him as such there will be consequences.
When this adventure is over I will be looking elsewhere for my family care. Because you may consider him your cash cow, but he is my son. He is my kids protector and my wife’s live heating blanket.
I left the room this morning not because of the tough truths that you were telling my weeping wife, but in the total lack of empathy you showed her. You treated my family as you do any other wallet that you can reach in and grab every dollar that you can see. My wife knew if I stayed in the room, I would have not only yelled right back at you but posted your name, address, phone number and Facebook page for the world to see.
I pray for your healing hands to help Keegan and resist the urge to take advantage of my wife as she wept.
A friend of mine I met through a startup, asked some questions on social media about creating startups companies in India.
What would you do to create a business if you had 100 INR in your pocket was the question Mitesh posed? I watched the conversation begin over several posts with ideas, thoughts and concepts being thrown out. Intrigued, watching intelligent people throw out ideas.
Why didn’t I think about that? We spend our lives wanted better things, but people who succeed go and get them.
When I started in radio, I wanted the job of a program director, running a station. I set a goal, a high one but once I accomplished it I let the goal define me instead of me redefine the goal. So once circumstances changed I redefined my goal being the best director of digital media my company has. So far so good. My goals achieved have created future goals. Instead of being happy with the goal line I had jogged in place at for years, I moved the line. It forced me to run in uncomfortable circumstances and get out of running on the circle track of life that always ended at the same goal line I had for 15 years.
We all need to move our goal lines daily. We should work to get closer to our goals each day, then move the goal further away. We will meet the short-term goals, but without a long-term goal to motivate us, we will be jogging in place at a finish line which has lost complete meaning due to time. We need to escape the circle track of life that constrains us to arbitrary boundaries forcing us to stay within the lines. We all know the limitations we have. But you will never make any goal if you do not believe you will do it.
Another friend of mine is an Ironman triathlete. Randy has achieved what many try but few carry out. He trained for a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a marathon 26.2-mile run all finishing in a 17 hour time period. I once asked him how he could do it.
“One stroke, one pedal and one step at a time.”
He didn’t try to do it all in one day, but started with a swim, a ride and a run until he could do it all at the same time .
I WANT YOU TO BE A MENTAL CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER! Keep moving forward like you always have someone chasing after you and you will succeed more than if you jog in place while reading the latest novel on your phone.
English: Snack Machine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
About the $1.50 soda… my wife couldn’t get out of her work during the recent snow storm and used her debit card to pay for a 20 ounce soda in a vending machine. With the .25 cent convenience charge tacked on, it was $1.50. She needed a drink and was willing to pay a charge that to this day drove me crazy.
It’s just a soda you cry, what’s the big deal?
Because that simple $1.50 soda, we take for granted, is the same amount of money that my friend Mitesh was using to motivate people in India to create a business from.
Perspective my friends is everything.
So my friends in India, I wish you well with your businesses and look forward to seeing success now and in the future from you. I will continue to cheer you on and cannot wait to see the victories you will make.
Every goal starts with taking one step forward. Lace up your shoes, and let’s go!
