What Just Happened?

As I look back at 2016 I'm not really sure what happened. Personally, I managed to job surf. I'm on my fourth job of the year. Now, I will admit I think this is going to be a great fit and work out long term. I was lucky enough to get it at the right time. I've had a few sales jobs in the last 3 years and it really comes down to fit. Can you get excited about what you are selling, and if you can, it is infectious. It draws the prospect in and they want to be part of what you have going on. That's how radio advertising sales feels to me. If you like rock music, check us out here.

My crazy year fit right in with what has happened around the globe. From Trump to Syria it feels like it's all coming apart. There were so many celebrity deaths by Labour Day that most people were already distraught. It didn't slow down.

The world is a bit chaotic. However, with chaos comes opportunity. With chaos comes creativity. With chaos comes hope.

The next big thing often comes when people aren't watching for it. It's hard to not watch these days. The Internet is gathering almost everything that happens. Things go viral. Information gets shared. However, when we are all reading and posting about celebrity deaths, and how evil everyone thinks a Trump presidency will be (to be honest, as scared as I am, it hasn't started, so we really don't know yet) and then watching cat videos to forget about everything bad, somebody we have never heard of is working on something we don't even know could be a thing, and one day boom, it will be in front of our faces.

I need to hold onto this hope. Without it I would get very angry at the world. 

I don't know if it will be a product, a philosophy, a service, or what it is. I just know that something big is coming and we won't see it coming. It's time and we are due. 

So, let's put 2016 in the past. Let's open our hearts and our minds to the possibilities that the chaos is going to bring. Let's revel in a loss of control and find a new path to something awesome. It may not look like what we expected but sometimes that's the best kind of awesome.

What We Have to Do to Prevent Another Trump

It really bothers me that Donald Trump could use a platform of fear and hate to become President of the United States of America. We can't let it happen again. However, I get how it happened.


I truly believe that most of the people who voted for him are not bigots. I truly believe they feel trapped in the current version of America. The other option spoke about continuing the good work that President Obama has started. That will not inspire someone to vote for you who wants change. The only road to improvement goes through change. We must remember this.


America, this is what you have to do.


1. Vote. For a nation that talks a lot about democracy, you really don't practice it. You only get about half of your eligible voters to vote. This changes your strategy to win. If three quarters of your population voted every time because it is important and did not need to be motivated to get out and vote, you would see different platforms and different results. If you know most people are going to vote, now you need a platform that appeals to at least half of your eligible voters.


2. Speak to the majority as well as the minority. Both sides of the aisle stopped listening to and asking about white working class voters. I truly believe most don't mind if other people do well but, if it feels like everyone but you is getting some help, eventually you are going to do something drastic to shake things up.


3. Simplify the message. There is a lot of clutter out there. People are working hard to grab your attention. People don't want to feel like they don't understand. People want to receive communication is a manner that they understand. As much as Trump's message was short on substance, it was simple and it spoke to a lot of people.


America, you have made a real mess. It didn't start when Donald Trump announced he was running for President. It didn't start this century. This has been building for a long time and finally it came to a head. Too many people who thought they were smart stopped listening to a lot of people who have just as much say in the general election as they do. They didn't break down the message into easy to understand and digestible bites. They dismissed millions of people as insignificant. Look what happened. A guy who knows how to reach people came along with a very simple message and won it all. He used the establishments perceived strengths against them. He spoke directly to the people. He used consumer data to understand what mattered to them. He went to them. He didn't ask them to come to him. He sold ball caps to people who wear ball caps and he wore one as well. He knew what he was doing and the other side didn't even notice. It was in plain sight. He didn't hide it.


So, what we have to do is, listen. We have to listen to the minorities. We have to listen to what may be perceived as the ideal. I know a lot of people think life is easy if you are a white man in America. It may be true but it really doesn't matter if you feel like things are not going well. You only know your own experiences and we have to listen to everyone's experiences. We have to acknowledge their problems because they are real to the person facing them.


Someone else is going to try and do what Trump did, and their agenda may be much more evil than his. We need to prevent this from resulting in the next guy's success.

What Happened?

Almost a year ago I was having dinner with my colleagues and bosses. At the time, I was working for an American company and the bosses were American. At one point the conversation shifted to the recently completed election in Canada and the upcoming election in the United States of America.


The conversation shifted to Donald Trump as President. The company's group vice-president turned to me and told me not to worry, there is no way that Trump would ever be President.


We are six sleeps from the US Presidential Election and it is not out of the sphere of the possible that Donald Trump will be the next President of the United States.


How is this possible?


Despite the fact that he has made a fortune, he is not fit for President. He has said horrible things. He acts without thinking. He is rude. He lies. The list goes on. I don't need to expound on the details here, they are readily available everywhere. Yet, with everything that he has done, he may still win. It is not a slam dunk.


Last Friday on his weekly show, Bill Mahr noted that Democrats really need to ask, "Why doesn't America like us?"


With any respectable candidate seen as an outsider, the Trump strategy would have been an runaway winner. Only his deplorable character is holding him back. (This is not a bad thing, I really think he should not run that country.)


Donald Trump was able to tap into a lot of people who feel lost in America. His slogan of Make America Great Again is really just the icing on the cake. His real strategy is find and mobilize disenfranchised Americans by using Hilary's calling card against her. By agreeing with the angry American that the system is broken and letting the Democrats remind the angry voter that Hilary has been doing this for 30 years, it sets her up to be responsible for the system being broken. When you throw in a few decisions that question her judgement, no wonder she can't pull ahead in what should be a one horse race. In 2016, nobody as deplorable as Donald Trump should be this close to potential victory but it's happening. One of the reasons why is his opponent's husband has significant character flaws as well. The fact that she remained with him after it became very public, removes the moral high-ground that she should be standing on. She won't speak to it. It's like she's trying to hide something, so can she really comment on his tax returns?


Hillary Clinton has been preparing for this moment for over 30 years and if she loses, that will be her undoing.


Nobody is going to win this time around, despite their best efforts, one of them is not going to lose. American's are big on the peaceful transition of power, and in four years they can transfer power from one of these two to someone who can lead that nation.

Sitting Around

I have changed jobs and I now sit most of the day. For a couple of years I was on my feet most of my work day and it really helps with personal fitness. Now I sit. I sit at my desk. I sit when I go on appointments. I sit in my car.


I sit too much and I can feel my waistline reacting.


I really don't like being inactive. However, when I'm tired, it's hard to convince myself to go to the gym. When I don't go to the gym, I feel soft an weak. It has an impact on the rest of my life.


I know I need to put a higher priority on living healthy. I need to put exercise ahead of almost everything else. I need to keep myself in better shape.


When I'm rolling and not skipping workouts I believe I can take on anything. No challenge is too much. It's all possible. Skipping workouts eats into that. I don't like it and won't stand for it.


Or will I accept it?


As much as I want to say it won't happen, I skip workouts. Not too many but I often don't have the drive to do everything that I should. I see improvements and I let them slip away. It's a vicious circle.


So, I'm working to change it up. I'm working to make sure I hit the gym and get the sweat flowing. I'm working to hold onto my youth.


I'm not perfect but I can be more consistent. The results I see here will help me be successful elsewhere. Success breeds success and who doesn't want more success.


There will be days I slip, those are the reminders that I can and will do better. I like to be strong an the easiest way to be strong is to work at it.


I will never be an underwear model but I can work hard and be a better version of me.

It's Her Judgement

In Canada we are celebrating Thanksgiving this week-end. I am most thankful that I do not have to make a choice in the US Presidential Election.

Trump is not fit for the job, he keeps digging a deeper and deeper hole. Hillary Clinton should be running away with it but she isn't. I don't like her either but, I've never really been able to put my finger on why. She has the right education and experience. President Obama has even declared that she's the most qualified candidate ever. That's high praise from the guy currently doing the job. The thing is, a lot of people don't like her.

This week I figured it out, at least for me.

Keep in mind, I have no dog in the fight. I'm Canadian.

With all her experience and education, Hillary Rodham Clinton lacks judgement. She lacks the fortitude and foresight to see how her actions can be seen. She does not make the right decision. Don't worry, I have examples.

There is that email scandal that just won't go away. At the time she was Secretary of State, there was a policy that all official email must use the government system. This is common for most organizations. It's hard to believe that she didn't know the policy. She chose to operate outside the policy and her defence has primarily consisted of stating that others were also doing it. She says it wasn't that uncommon at the time to use your own email server. This is not the judgement of a leader. A leader would use the proper system, even if it was inconvenient. A leader would also help to make the system better for everyone. She didn't take this approach. 

I recently read a profile about Secretary Clinton and it mentioned how that even before she married Bill, she knew he liked attention from women. I can't speak to why each couple decides to marry or why they choose to stay together but she married a philanderer and stayed with him after multiple instances of infidelity. She married a man that many people knew wouldn't be faithful. This begs the question as to why? I believe it's a lust for power. She is giving up a lot to try to be president. She just won't admit it publicly. I think if she said she was with Bill for the power, people would accept it. Her talking about families just comes off as fake, at least to me. She doesn't come from a place where she can talk about the sanctity of the family unit, at least to me.

Hillary Clinton lacks judgement. These are two examples but once you know what you are looking at, you can find more.

When it comes to the options out there, She is the best of a bad group. Nobody should vote for Trump. I hope she wins, not because I want her to be President but because I really don't want her opponent to hold the keys to that kingdom, even if they hate the idea of a King.

Too Bad We Can't Be Libertarian

For a long time when people ask me how I want the world to be run, I tell them that I want the government to stay out of my affairs, both business and personally. Liberals want to regulate how you do business but will give you a lot of personal freedom. Conservatives will tell you how you should behave but will let you conduct your business affairs with few checks and balances. A Libertarian wants to stay out of both.


I have come to realize that although I could function quite well in that system, most people could not, and we would end up with more problems that we would fix.


I like to see the best in people but I'm starting to think that most people need some help from the government. In the western world, our political spectrum is really about how we help and what we let go.


If I have learned anything from the current US Presidential Election is that a lot of people would not survive without some help.


No thoughtful person with a basic education should even consider voting for Donald Trump.


Don't get me wrong, I'm not a big fan of Hillary Clinton. No matter how much the media paints her to be the best in the land to lead the land, I don't see it. I don't question her experience. I don't question her drive. Even though she had the right answers during the first debate, she really didn't show she could control the room and drive the conversation. The best leaders are the ones who don't need the title to be seen as a leader and I don't get that feeling from her.


However, despite my reservations, she is light-years ahead of Donald J Trump, except in the polls. The fact that she is not going to beat him with a ratio of 9:1 makes me believe that Libertarianism won't work.


Too many people are not responsible enough to do the research and make sound decisions so we can leave everyone up to their own devices. To many people would cause too much harm to themselves or others that society would crumble. Too many people cannot be trusted to do what's just and right to get rid if most of the rules.


I'm not talking about criminal acts. We have to keep adding consumer protection laws because too many people blindly make decisions without knowing the consequences of these decisions. People are expecting to be told every detail instead of doing some research for themselves. When something goes wrong, people are distraught instead of adapting and overcoming. I honestly think it's easier to be exceptional today than it was 20 years ago. This is not an environment where a Libertarian ethos can be effective.


So, as much as I want as little governmental regulation over any of my affairs, I understand that for the greater good, they need to step in and build a structure around protecting the weakest, because the weakest makes up a much greater percentage of the population than anyone wants to admit. The level of support received by Donald Trump more than proves this.

The Petty Fight for the Biggest Office

Last night I couldn't resist and I watched the first debate between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.


I'll put this out there right now, Trump is nuts. Most of what he said was garbage. He lied. He went off topic. He really didn't respect the moderator. He didn't respect the time limits. He was rude at times. He didn't like it when his brand was attacked. All that being said, he controlled the room all night, for all the reasons I just stated.


Clinton had her moments. She counterpunched. She let Donald set her up and she hit him, sometimes scoring. However, she never carried the narrative. She never controlled the room. If you wanted to, you could defeat her by saying nothing and waiting for her to attack. She never had a tendency to attack and often her voice sounded unsure.


To me, even though she said the right words most of the night, it lacked confidence and conviction. Saying the right thing is important but making it believable and confident is also important, especially if you want to lead.


Now, being Canadian, I don't get to pick in this election, even though there will be spillover effects felt north of the border. Unfortunately, I can't see either of them being President of the United States of America.


I know, Hillary Clinton should be a shoo-in, but she's not. She's in a dog-fight with a buffoon. Trump clearly lost last night but it's because of his pompous arrogant slick talking ways with no regard for the truth and not because Clinton kicked his metaphorical feet out from under him, stepped on his chest, and drove a wooden stake through his bigoted heart. And, unless she does that in one of the two remaining debates, she risks losing. Donald Trump talks about winning and how he is a winner. It has been part of his narrative since he started down this path to the oval office. For me it feels like Clinton will only become President if she comes in second last in a two horse race. It feels like her only hope is Trump becomes even more horrible and people see how bad he is instead of how good she is.


I saw a meme a while back that said, "A software interface is like a joke, if you have to explain it, it isn't very good." If you are running for President and your strategy is to show how bad your opponent is, are you really very good?

Justin, You are Slipping

So I'm not sure which is worse, having a toddler rebuff your high-five or telling his parents, "Let's get this over with," as they line up for a photo. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, had both of these happen to him this weekend while meeting with Prince William and his lovely wife Kate in Victoria BC.


I can let the toddler thing slip. It's a cute, fun antic dote. It's a story they can all tell when they are old and sitting around. However, to say such a thing to the future King of Canada, after you specifically invited him and his family to visit your country is simply unacceptable.


Here's the thing, photo ops are all the Liberal government really does. It's the Prime Minister's specialty. That being said, he often likes to take his shirt off and that really would have been out of place in this instance.


I would understand that if the Prime Minister was busy passing legislation he may want to rush through this encounter however, as the Globe and Mail reported last week, since taking power, the Liberal Government has passed ten (10) bills into law. That is not a typo, ten.


This is hardly the work of an activist government.


People are starting to notice. Mr Trudeau was a media darling when he was elected and now the press is starting to ask question. They don't really know why a majority government isn't really doing anything. They aren't seeing the words and actions lining up. Why has the United States of America and China ratified the climate change accord that was agreed to in Paris last year when our Prime Minister walked in, said Canada is back and declared we would be taking a leadership position on climate change? Maybe he should have been paying attention to what was going on instead of taking selfies.


Canadians elected a party without a recent track record. It's hard to judge what someone will do when they really haven't done much. It looks like a lot of Canadians were duped.


With the Conservative Party of Canada and the New Democratic Party taking their time choosing a new leader, you would think it would be clear sailing for the Liberals to reset Canada to what they want. However, they are taking pictures and well, I'm not sure what else.


Mr Trudeau, it's only a matter of time before a majority of Canadians see how little you are doing for them. Of course this is often the result of being elected because of what you are not instead of what you are.

America, You Have a Problem

I'll save you the effort of reading my bio, I'm Canadian. I like America. I like to visit. I like your movies. I like your food. I like a lot of your people.

However, America, you have a problem.

I was originally going to title this post "Dump on Trump." The Trump phenomenon scares me. As I was building this in my head I realized that it's not Donald Trump that is the problem. Don't get me wrong, Donald Trump as President of the United States is a huge problem but it's only one of the symptoms. He's the disease that kills you when your immune system is weakened by something much more powerful.

Donald Trump is a very good carnival barker. He really is. He doesn't need cue cards. He interacts with the crowd and feeds off them while they feed off him. Next thing you know, you are inside the tent. Step right up America, I'm going to build a wall. Admit it, you are curious if he can build the wall and get Mexico to pay for it. I know I am. I also know that deep down I don't want him to run America.

America is a big country with big country problems. They do a lot of things well but when they mess up, it is a disaster.

America has not and is not doing such a good job of promoting diversity. This is a problem. If you don't see how a different point of view can make you stronger, you are losing an opportunity to get smarter. Trump is tapping into this and doing a good job at it too. He is making people angry that their version of America is being limited. He is giving them an outlet. He is giving a disenfranchised group hope. That build momentum.

America has an unhealthy attitude about guns. I have no problem with guns. I have shot guns and may do so again in the future. If private citizens are using guns for sport shooting or for hunting, these are good reasons to use guns. If you feel you need a gun to protect your self or your family, you are hanging around the wrong people. I know that guns don't kill people, but people kill people. I agree. However, if you think carrying a gun will protect you when a convenience store is being robbed, you woefully misunderstand what guns do. Guns shoot bullets. Guns do not stop bullets. If you think that someone so desperate that they are willing to hold up a gas bar is not going to pull the trigger first because you have a gun, you are sadly mistaken. I suppose if you sneak up behind him and shoot him in the back, you won't get shot but if he is pointing a gun at you there is a good chance you will be shot before you are pointing your gun at him. Guns are not designed to protect you, they are designed to project force. They are designed to harm others which is why they are so popular with militaries, who's whole existence is to fight and win wars for their country. Using a gun for protection is the using the wrong tool but so is building a wall to stop immigration. Donald Trump taps into that. It's not the right tool for the job, but it rings well with the people.

I know what you are thinking, it's and election, they won't pick him. Well, herein lies the problem. At the time of writing this post, seventy percent of Americans don't trust Hillary Clinton. I find that she comes off as phoney. She is the ultimate insider. Her husband cheated on her and she stayed with him for the opportunity for power. She flip-flops. She's a politician to the core and Americans are fed up with that as well. If Trump is the really bad candidate, she is the bad candidate. One candidate can whip the crowd into a frenzy about everything you don't want the president talking about the other can barely get anyone excited about anything at all.

This is a prime situation for an independent to come right up the middle and take it all. Someone moderate to appeal to the big clump in the middle. I'm not sure who this would be. The problem is these days Americans don't do anything half way. If it's going to be big, it has to be the biggest. If it's going to be loud, it has to be the loudest. If it's going to be hot, it has to be the hottest. 

America, you have a problem but the good news is you have time to fix it. You are a big country, I'm sure one of you has the courage to do the right thing, after all you say you are the land of the brave.

Elbowgate

On  May 18, 2016 the Prime Minister of Canada briskly walked across the house of commons to grab the arm of the Opposition Whip and in the process, elbowed another opposition Member of Parliament in the chest. She was surprised and he didn't mean to hit her. He has since issued the requisite apology. 

The New Democrats have gone on a big rampage about how this is workplace violence against women. It isn't. He didn't mean to hit her. She was not targeted because she was a woman. It was an unfortunate incident. He meant no harm. This is the hoopla surrounding the incident however the real issue is deeper.

There were ten votes scheduled for that evening. It was going to take a while to get through them all. Votes do not normally start until both the Government and Opposition Whips are in their seats. (That being said, you can start a vote when only the Government Whip is seated.)  There were a few New Democratic Party Members of Parliament impeding the progress of the Conservative Party of Canada Member of Parliament who acts at the Opposition Whip. This delayed the start of voting. 

This is political gamesmanship. Every party does it. Using procedure to make a point happens in every government around the world.

The House of Commons is a stage. It is a scripted pageant. Most of the real work happens behind the scenes. Members stand up and say things that result in clapping and booing. The opposition uses procedure to make their point, knowing that the government has the votes to do what they want. They do their best to hold the government to account. Some of it seems petty like slowing someone from getting to their seat. It can be frustrating but, it is known to be part of the game. These things happen and you move on.

Except Prime Minister Trudeau didn't just let it happen.

He got out of his seat and headed over to physically help the Whip get to his seat. This is where he messed up. 

Only six months into a four year mandate the Prime Minister has been tripped up by gamesmanship. He has sent out a notice that he can be rattled in a public forum. He can let his frustration boil over and react to the games that inherently come with his job. 

What is even more damaging is he ran on a platform which included a more inclusive House of Commons and better decorum.

Because he let his emotions get the better of him he inadvertently struck a woman on the floor of the House of Commons. This is not very good optics for a man who makes claims to being a feminist.

By acting without thinking, the Prime Minister has put a target on his back. He can't afford another incident like this. This opens the door to ramping up the games in the House of Commons. He can't react. He has to behave above reproach. He's given away a lot of power. His ability to get things done has taken a big step back. 

The discreet act of hiking across the floor wasn't so bad but all the fallout he is going to suffer because of it may severely hamper his ability to deliver on an ambition mandate. He didn't rave much of a record when he came into office but he is building one now, even if it isn't the one he wants.

Getting Fit

There are bad things to say about social media and there are good things to say about it as well. You see a lot of complaining, bragging, vaguebooking, and venting. You also see when good things happen.

Back in September I wrote this:

There were a bunch of likes, as you would expect. There were a bunch of congratulatory messages, as you would expect.

There was also one friend who messaged me and asked how I stayed motivated. I let her know how I plan and set my priorities. We chatted back and forth a bit about it. 

Today she put a post on Facebook saying that I was an inspiration and how although her weight had not changed her body composition did. I won't share the post, it's not my content to share, that's her story.

This all once again got me thinking about why I exercise. 

I exercise to make every day a bit better. I want to have the strength and endurance to take on the unusual. I want to feel young. I want to control stress. I want to be able to move and adapt. 

I exercise so I sleep better at night and wake up rested in the morning. When I'm active my body has a purpose for sleep.

I exercise to compete with myself. I'm not going to lie, I'm competitive, sometime too competitive. I know this. I can focus some of my energy on bettering my results. I think it makes me a bit more tolerable the rest of the time.

I exercise for that feeling. You may know that feeling after a good honest workout. your lungs feel cleaned out. Your muscles feel used. Your body if full of endorphins. You can take on the world. You stand a little taller. You put your chest out a little further, you believe in who you are. I love that feeling.

I exercise to be healthy. It's no secret that it helps ward off obesity, diabetes, intestinal problems, depression, high blood pressure, and a whole lot else. Exercise is not the only answer but it sure makes it easier to be healthy. I'd rather deal with injury than illness.

For all the reasons I exercise, there are a few reasons I don't exercise.

I don't exercise to weigh a certain weight. I do have to watch what I weigh so I can continue to fly in the glider but I don't chase a number and I don't let the BMI chart define me. I'm not an offensive lineman and have to keep my weight up and I'm not a race car driver and have to keep my weight down. I just don't want a bunch of unnecessary body fat, that doesn't make life easier.

I don't exercise to look a certain way. Don't get me wrong, looking fit is not a bad thing and I appreciate every compliment I get. I look at myself in the mirror and think it's good and also think it would be great if I could improve this or that area. However, that doesn't drive me and doesn't change how I approach fitness. I would rather be able to lift more or run faster than see my abs. (If I could do both that would be great but I'm creeping up on 40, so I won't be disappointed if it doesn't happen.)

Exercising is my happy time. When I go to the gym, I leave the phone in the locker, put in the earbuds, and get at it. Sometimes I get a bit lost in my own thoughts when I'm working out. Sometimes the world around me becomes very evident and I notice everything. I look at my week and plan out my workouts. I don't go everyday. I shoot for three times a week. I usually hit the target. If I don't, I try again next week.

Everyone should have some fitness in their life. It's an investment in yourself. Find the reasons to exercise for you and enjoy the ride.