ADA Is Still Fighting

Almost twenty-two years after the Americans With Disabilities Act was signed into law, we are still seeing its implementation is still fighting for full acceptance. A young friend from Virginia sent me this video and article to make pools accessible. It's an ongoing battle and probably always will be.

Check out this video and attached article from WAVY TV in Virginia Beach, Virginia:

New ADA rule for pools goes into effect: wavy.com

Click here to get to the link to read the article and view the video if it does not show up above:

I love the excuses of some of the hotel and resort representatives.

As always, I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

Basketball, Basketball, Basketball And A Little Humor

After four days of nonstop, bracket-busting excitement and mind-numbing plays, checking my standing in our annual tournament pool, I was checking my emails and saw this humorous video of Rich Little on The Late Show with David Letterman. If you are not at least forty, you many never have even heard of him, but trust me, he was one of the funniest impersonators of his time. 

His impersonations of Johnny Carson on Johnny Carson's own show, were legendary! Yes, for you younger viewers, The Tonight Show, had a host before Jay Leno!

Check out this clean, humorous routine by Rich Little:

If that does not make you laugh, I cannot imagine what would.

As always, I look forward to your comments. Now, I am going to watch the the Gophers in the NIT. I LOVE March Madness, even the NIT!

Later,

Mike

P.S. I am four points behind the leader in my NCAA Pool. How are you doing?

Education Is Changing

Once again 60 Minutes has introduced me to an incredible man who is making a huge difference in public education in America, and all over the world for that matter. With the help of teachers all over the world, thirty-five-year-old Sal Khan and the Khan Academy are teaching elementary students math.

This is just the beginning for this concept and it promises to be a major paradigm shift for the way schools go about teaching children in the future. Watch this segment and see what you think:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxJgPHM5NYI&list=FLsN32BtMd0IoByjJRNF12cw&index=2&feature=plcp

I am having trouble embedding the video, so just click on this URL and you can view the video.

I have watched it three times already, and find something new each time.There are a lot of things I would like to write about it, but I believe the video speaks for itself.

I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

It Just Keeps Coming

People often tell me I have no idea what kind of affect I, my accident, my speeches, my blog and now, my book have on people. Or, for that matter, who I have affected. I know it happens all the time because members of my audience tell me they are affected in so many ways. I get emails, letters, phone calls and I run into people when I am out in public and they tell me. Teachers tell me in emails after a visit how the students are still quoting me. Parents call me. I learn in many ways.

For instance, last night I spoke to a group of middle and high school students from several different schools at a Religion class at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Minneapolis. I also have one new Facebook friend already from my speech. Three things happened very unexpectedly and took me by surprise. When I finished laughing, I said each time, "Now, there's material for a blog post!"

Then this happened. I got a note from my very good friend, Joel Krekelberg's younger brother, Jon. Jon shared this ballad his eighth grade daughter, Maris, had written about me for a class after she read my book. May I add, she got an A for her effort!

It is already on my Facebook page and getting great comments!

Please read this: Click on the image to make it larger:

Feel free to comment. As always, I look forward to them.

Later,

Mike

P.S. You may also check out how my Facebook friends are reacting to it by going to my Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/mikepatrick1

Check Out This Letter

I know I do not usually post this close together, but I received this letter several days ago and asked Shane if he minded if I share it with you. The author, Shane Peters, and I were teammates, classmates and friends in high school. In fact, I borrowed his forearm pads to use the night of my accident. He said something like, "Sure, I won't be using them." Shane was a sophomore and as such, knew he probably would not get into the game.

I read it several times and decided to call him and thank him for this wonderful letter. The next night I looked up his phone number on the 'net and we talked for about an hour. It was great fun!

His letter touches on the book, his feelings, and most importantly, he tells me about the struggles his granddaughter was born with and is living with every day. That is what affects me the most. It always amazes me what people will tell me! He touches on it in the letter, but it happens to me every day when I speak.

Just the other day at Big Lake, after my assembly, a young student told me about how his father broke his neck riding a four-wheeler. He said he was not paralyzed, but it has affected his hands a bit and as a mechanic, it has proven to be a problem. That is just one story from Big Lake. There are more!

Anyway, back to Shane's letter. Please read it and feel free to comment.

Click on the image to make it larger:

One more thing: to order your copy of I Still Believe in Tomorrow, click here:

As always, I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

Check Out These Reviews

These three reviews are from Amazon's page from people who read I Still Believe in Tomorrow. Check them out:

I met Mike Patrick when we worked at the University of Minnesota in the late 70's. This book has been a long time in coming but is totally well worth waiting for. I have heard Mike speak many times so it was hard not to hear his voice in my head while I read it.

It is a spectacular book. Well written, well thought out and worth every minute I spent reading it.

I strongly urge anyone that has ever thought they were alone in the world trying to overcome a problem to read this amazing and inspiring book.

--

Thank you Michael Patrick for writing this book. It demonstrates the 'Courage to live the life you have even if it is not the life you expected.' I found it to have resources and references that are valuable. I completed the activity at the end of the book, and conversed with my spouse who had also completed the book and exercise. As a mental health professional I will share this resource. The story demonstrates acceptance and willingness to experience life.

--

I played football against Mike Patrick in the years before his injury. I remember the day of his injury, I was playing my first varsity game in a neighboring town at the same time. When news came out about his accident, it stunned everyone in Southern Minnesota. I have followed Mike Patrick in the newspaper articles that have been written about this amazing man. This book is a great read and an uplifting story about someone who has overcome his disability. After reading the book, I realized that Mike doesn't even feel he has a disability and has an amazing view on life. I have passed this book on to my children, everyone needs to read this book, it makes you look at life in a different way. We all need to be more positive in life and this man is proof.

--

They all gave me five star reviews! I thought they were pretty cool and wanted to share them. Like Sally Field said when she received an Oscar for her leading role in Norma Rae, They like me. They really like me!

I feel the same way. I have received many positive comments from people who have read I Still Believe in Tomorrow and they are giving me the same kind of positive feedback. I just received two positive emails today telling me how much they liked it.

I also received a hand-written letter a few days ago from a friend who said he read it from cover-to-cover without stopping. He said he has never done that before! My two favorite quotes from his letter are: I was just amazed at all the people you have touched in your lifetime. And, he ended his letter with: Mike, thanks for the book. I'm sure it will touch many lives like it has mine.

I was so pumped after reading it, I had to talk to him. So, I Googled him, found his name, called him and we talked for just short of an hour. That was fun!

I also received an email today from someone else telling me he bought it for himself, liked it so much, he bought it for his seven brothers and sisters! That was VERY COOL!

If you have read it, please leave your feelings in the Comment section at the end of this post. I look forward to reading them. If you have not read it yet, please do so. You can get it by clicking here. I hope you like it.

As always, I look forward to your comments too.

Later,

Mike

I AM BACK!

I finally ended my drought of speaking yesterday at six hundred thirty-four days! The last time I spoke was on July 19, 2010 for the Virginia Youth Leadership Forum in Richmond, Virginia. 

Yesterday, I was in Big Lake High School in Big Lake, Minnesota and did a one hundred minute assembly for about one thousand nine through twelfth grade students and staff. I was a bit concerned about my strength and stamina going in; but, as usual, I fed off their energy and received a standing ovation at the end of my speech. I felt GREAT!

Then, the teacher who arranged my visit, Jessica Miller, took me for a quick, nutritious school lunch and we hustled back to their auditorium for five small group programs for about one hundred students in each program. My day was done about 2:10 PM and I was riding high, full of adrenaline and their energy! My doubts about my ability to handle a full day had vanished. Have I mentioned yet, I felt GREAT? I could have gone a few more hours.

My attendant had to drive me up there because I have not been driving for about eighteen months now; but, otherwise, it was just like I had not skipped a beat.

Ms Miller got my name from the September 3, 2011 article in the Minneapolis StarTribune article you can read by clicking here.

As a result of that article, this full page story in the Worthington Daily Globe, Facebook and LinkedIn,  I have several more speaking engagements lined up. It feels good to be back in the saddle again!

As always, I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

Definition Of Disability

I was going through some comments on my Facebook Wall today and was introduced to the following video with a definition of disabled:



If your browser does not show the whole frame of the video, click here to see it.

Her first definition came from Webster's Thesaurus 1982. I have always tried to live despite my disability, rather than regards to it. I believe Aimee Mullins has that same attitude. There are so many comments I could make on this video, but I will refrain and let you tell me what you think.

I am happy to report Dictionary.com's version is better today. It just goes to show we are making some progress in the way society looks at people with disabilities.

My favorite quote of hers is, Our language affects our thinking. I believe those five small words speak volumes. My next favorite quote is, The human ability to adapt is our greatest asset.

Here is a comment from the hundreds of comments after the video. I particularly like the way the person emphasizes the word capabilities.

Thanks folks at TEDtalksDirector, & amp; of course a standing ovation to Ms Aimee. To hear her articulate her points is an inspiration in itself. She has a motivation beyond anything you read, in motivational books. I thought I had a tenacious disposition but Ms Aimee blows me away!
For all who believed in the human race — Ms Aimee is a fine example of the human spirit embracing adversities as an opportunities for us to learn ( "DANCE," she said — I love that verb!) about our own capabilities.

I look forward to your comments

Later,

Mike

Josh Blue Is Funny!

Doing research for this blog often takes me places I would never find otherwise. It also reminds me of people, places and things I may have lost or forgotten. That is the case with this post on Josh Blue. I had seen YouTube videos of bits and pieces of his stand-up routines, but never posted anything on him. Today, my inspiration did not come from any research I did; it just came from dumb luck. My attendant was watching Comedy Central and I was working on my computer doing a bit of marketing for my book.

I heard this voice come on the television who obviously had some cerebral palsy involvement. He was telling stories about his disability, and he was FUNNY! I went to his website and found some very funny self-deprecating material he uses in a way I often use in my presentations.

Check out this improvisational bit he pulled off at Mystic Lake Casino in 2008 with expert deftness:



You can see more Josh Blue videos, see if he will be in your area any time soon and even play a video game to help Josh get home on his website by clicking here.

I am a strong believer in being comfortable enough with ourselves we can smile at and about who we are. I would not have made it forty years without my sense of humor! How about you? Can you laugh at yourself?

As always, I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

Let's Do The Right Thing!

When I got hurt more than forty years ago, my family became my built-in group of caregivers. In fact, one of my second cousins offered to come and be my private duty nurse. She was a new grad and wanted to do her part to help us. I often wondered what it would have been like if we would have taken June up on her offer?


Who better than one's own family is there to take care of a loved one after a traumatic injury? My parents were my primary caregivers, but my siblings also helped in more ways than I can count. We started them young too. Witness my little brother, Chad helping to feed me some of his first birthday cake:


Click on the picture to enlarge it:

We put him to work early! Both of my parents became my primary caregivers and all my siblings became secondary caregivers. 

Now, the Obama administration has proposed new rules that would allow service members' families to do the same by taking leave from their jobs to do the same for their injured family members. 

I think it is a wonderful idea! You can learn more about the plan by clicking here to read this Associated Press article from today's USA TODAY. It is a good, quick read. According to the article, The proposal expands eligibility under the Family and Medical Leave Act, which allows employees to take unpaid leave for certain medical or family reasons.

I believe it makes sense to expand it to our military as well.

As always, I welcome your comments.

Later,

Mike

Is PayPal On Your List?

Prepare yourself for a little rant on dealing with Big Business and sending American jobs overseas! This is going to be a little longer than average post.

As you know, I just published my first ebook, I Still Believe in Tomorrow. Whenever you purchase a book, the payment goes to my publisher, eBookit.com which is located in Sudbury, Massachusetts.

They run everything through PayPal, which lists their offices in California. However, I just found out their Customer Service Center is in the Philippines. Let me tell you a little story about the quality of workers PayPal employs there.

When I found my publisher, I did not know just how I would get paid; and I did not know anything about PayPal. Go back to when the book went online on November 28, 2011. I received my first payment for those few days in November, only after I called the publisher and found out I had to contact PayPal and have them forward my check to my bank. I was under the mistaken assumption it would just automatically be deposited in my bank account. I know, I know, I know what they say about assuming. So, I called PayPal and they deposited my check in my account and told me they would do that every month from now on, on or about the fifteenth of every month.

December fifteenth came and went and sure enough, my deposit was made on the seventeenth. Now, December starts and sales start to add up. It was fun to watch! I remember thinking, come the middle of January, I will get a nice sum made to my bank account. It never happened! It was not deposited on the twentieth, the twenty-fifth and not today.

I called my publisher and he gave me the number to reach their customer service department. By the way, PayPal has no Customer Service number on their website, at least I could not find one.

I called the number and only spent a few minutes on hold to get a representative who told me they did not have the ability to forward my money to my bank! I found that amusing since I had been told the month before, "It was no problem."

After a rather lengthy discussion with the misinformed young woman, guess what I did next? If you guessed me saying rather forcefully, "Let me talk to your supervisor," you are correct! The supervisor was very helpful, and walked me through a fairly complex process to get my monthly Royalty check deposited into my Patrick Communications bank account.

Of course it will take two or three days for my bank to deposit my PayPal check. Evidently, they do not trust PayPal any more than I do! Unfortunately, I am stuck in a situation now dealing with another corporation who has taken at least some of their operations off shore. I hate that and I told both of them my feelings! And, if you are a long time reader of this blog, you know I do not use that word lightly! Just click on the word HATE in the labels list below and you can read my feelings on the word.

There, I feel better now.

Click on the cover image to make it larger:

If you have already purchased and read the book, how did you like it? If you liked it, did you forward my website on to your friends and encourage them to purchase a copy and forward it to their friends? If you did not like it, I would like to hear your comments too.

If you have not purchased it, there is no time like the present. You can order it by clicking here.

FYI: I have already booked a couple workshops from the book and the two newspapers stories written about me recently. Hopefully, it is starting to pick up speed! I need to get in front of an audience again soon! I need my fix!

 As always, I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

Real Or Fake

A friend sent me this several months ago and I think it is very impressive. After I did a little research on it and other similar sport tricks, it got me to wondering if it was real or fake. What do you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=W8SK0rk5jdE&vq=medium

After the video, they show several other videos of tricks young guys do with baseballs and basketballs and in numerous places. It makes one wonder how many takes it took to get the shots they put on the videos. They reminded me of the McDonald's Larry Bird and Magic Johnson playing HORSE in a trick shot ad campaign from several years ago.

I question the validity of the attached baseball video because of some things that have happened to me in the last four months. I have been dealing with a wolf in sheep's clothing. I will go into more of that as it plays out. It makes it hard to trust people.

I guess since they are on the Internet, they must be true; because as everyone knows, if it is online, it has to be true!

Meanwhile, I look forward to your comments on the attached batting practice video.

Later,

Mike

For My Young Friends With Disabilities

I know many of my subscribers are young students with disabilities from either the Youth Leadership Forums I have done or high school students who have sent me emails after I visited their schools. This post is especially for you. For any of my adult subscribers who know a young person with a disability who is or will be soon attending college, please forward the attached article on to them.

First of all, this article was originally published in U.S. News & World Report in early December. I received it yesterday when a young Facebook friend posted it on my Wall. According to the article, there are about one point one million undergraduate students with physical disabilities in the country.

That may not be a large number of total college students, but each one of those students has their own story on what it took to get there, just like I did almost forty years ago. And guess what? Only five schools in the country offer enough services for a student with serious physical disabilities to live on campus. One of those is U.C. Berkeley! I lived on that campus in 1974 and 1975! Now, thirty-seven years later, only four more schools are offering that luxury. That is appalling!

To read the article, just click here.

I am anxious to hear what you think about it. Please feel free to comment.

Later,

Mike

Every Male Jogger Needs A Jog Strap

I have to close out the year with a very irreverent commercial a friend just sent me. See if you agree with my somewhat sick sense of humor:

I hope everyone has a Happy and safe New Year! Oh, and happy jogging!

I know 2012 will be better than 2011. I had two Red Letter Days yesterday and today; 2011 is ending on a high note for me! Also, the book is starting to sell and starting Tuesday, my marketing plan kicks into high gear!

I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

Any Pub Is Good Pub

Beth Rickers Namanny wrote an article about me today in the Worthington Daily Globe. She is a feature writer for the paper and the younger sister of one of my classmates, Marty Rickers.

Here is a photo they used in the article: You may enlarge it by clicking on the photo:

She did a nice job and like most journalists who misquote me, Beth did not. It is always refreshing to read an article and know people are reading my exact words and not something I supposedly said or wrote.

You may read the article by clicking here.

She writes about my new book, I Still Believe in Tomorrow, and my hope is it will help inform people of the book to help sell it. If you have not ordered your copy, or you wish to buy copies to give as gifts for the holidays, simply click here.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions about ordering the book.

As always, I look forward to your comments.

Again, Happy Holidays!

Later,

Mike

Deck The Halls!

I just received this video from a fellow University of Minnesota alumnus and thought you might enjoy it:



It seems the Holiday Spirit is alive and well at the University of Minnesota.

Go Gophers!

Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Joyous Kwanzaa and all the other holidays you may celebrate this season!

I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

P.S. Remember, I Still Believe in Tomorrow makes a great gift any time of the year. It is now available at my website at: www.patcom.com.

The Book Is Available NOW!

It happened a lot quicker than I thought! I Still Believe in Tomorrow is already online and available for purchace NOW!

Click here and you can be reading it in a matter of seconds. I just ordered the first copy and it looks wonderful! You can also click on the image of the book to make it larger.

It is available on my publisher's website. They will be putting it on Amazon, but that may take a couple days. If you plan on ordering it, please order it from my publisher because I get a greater percentage.

I am pumped! I now have my first whole book published! It is not a column in a monthly newspaper, or a chapter in a book, but I have a REAL book!

I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

My Book Status

Just a quick note to update you on the status of I Still Believe in Tomorrow. 

Here is the cover: I like it a lot!  I think the designer did a wonderful job! The color photo was shot by Tom Wallace and the black and white background was taken by Jim Brandenburg.

This is the note I received today from the publisher:

Hi Mike,
We have marked the proof as "approved by client" per your emails. The next step is conversion, then submission to retailers. That should happen the early part of this coming week — I would expect the book to be listed on Amazon before the end of the week.

So start looking for it on Amazon Thursday or Friday. Remember, books make great gifts, and for only $9.95, you cannot go wrong! Why, if you missed Black Friday, you can do all of your gift shopping on one site online! I am sure there is no limit on number of copies you can purchase.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

As always, feel free to comment.

Later,

Mike

I Love My Parkinsons Disease

Yes, I was shocked too. My personal care attendant and I were on the freeway yesterday and drove up behind a car with I LOVE MY PARKINSONS DISEASE on the back window in four-inch letters like you would see on the front door of a house. We followed him for a while and eventually drove up beside him. I wanted to roll down my window and ask him what he meant by it.

I did not do that, but it has bothered me ever since. I Googled the sentence and found nothing. I cannot think of a reason why anyone would love Parkinson's Disease. Can you?

On another note: I have had some requests about the status of my book. Sadly, I have nothing to report. The publisher told me it would be ready by Thanksgiving. They told me it would be ready in one to two weeks when I submitted it November eighth.

I just received a call from the the publisher and evidently they sent me the proof, but I never received it. I am very disappointed. I wanted it to be ready for people who are not into football and had their Tryptophan nap to be able to read it Thursday afternoon or evening. I trust it will be ready and online soon.

I want to wish all my readers a Happy Thanksgiving, and keep checking back to see the status of I Still Believe In Tomorrow.

As always, I look forwards to your comments.

Later,

Mike

11-11-11

Veterans Day falling on such a unique day. I just got home from watching the Gopher basketball team win another game to get their season off to a good start. It was not a good game, but a win is a win no matter how you get it.

At halftime, they honored seven former Gopher players who also served in the military. They also brought on the court seven men and one woman from a Minnesota National Guard Unit who will be deployed to Afghanistan in the spring. They all received several standing ovations. It was a nice tribute. But that is not why I am writing this post.

I want to tell you about my mom's seven brothers. Between Bill, Charlie, Clem, Bob, Ed, Terry and Tim, they served eighty-two years of military service which includes all four major branches. Bill and Ed served one and Bob served two tours in Vietnam, Terry was in Thailand during the Vietnam Era and Charlie served one in Korea. That is commitment!

Bob bought the home farm years ago and every fall at least three or four of them make an annual pilgrimage back to South Dakota to hunt pheasants. They literally come from all corners of the country. This year Terry and Tim came from Alaska, Ed came from Pennsylvania and Bob from Mississippi. The three sisters were also there. Dee and her husband came from Wisconsin and Mom and Judy from Minnesota.

Here is one of my favorite pictures of my uncles: L to R: Terry, Bob, Bill and Tim taken several years ago:

Click on the image to make it larger:

I love them all and missed my second trip in a row because of these pressure sores. I will make it next year for the Grand Opening of the Smith Family Hunting Lodge. Bob is restoring the 1901 Barn and they are making a true man cave restoring this old barn.

There are always lots of stories being told and laughter reigns supreme in the barn after the boys come in after a day's hunt. It is always great fun!

As always, I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

It Is Done!

I am not sure quite what to think, or how to feel. My editor helped me finish my Author's Biography and Book Description this afternoon; and finally clicked the button to submit my book to the publisher today! It has been at least five years in the making, countless edits and re-edits, and is finally finished.

I sent my baby off to cyberspace. I do not know what it is like to send a child off to college, but I feel a little like I know what it is like to have an empty nest.

They told me it should be on Amazon for your Kindle, iPad, iPhone, Nook and a couple other devices so you can read it on them or your computer. It should be ready by Thanksgiving! I am excited to see where it goes from here. I am anxious to see how my baby grows! It will make a great Christmas or Hanukkah gift! (He said with shameless self-promotion.)

The final title is I Still Believe in Tomorrow. I will send out another post when I know it is online. Who knows, you may be in it? Tom Wallace's photo will be on the cover.

I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

Technology And Autusm

I know this is a few days late, but if you saw the 60 Minutes homage to Steve Jobs Sunday night, you saw this piece on how the iPad is changing the way, as they put it "autistic people" are communicating with the new toy. I have two things I want to point out about it before I show you Lesley Stahl's piece.

First of all, most people in the people with disabilities community prefer "person first" language. Another words, Instead of referring to "autistic people," why not refer to them as "people with autism"? It may seem like a small thing to many of you, but a movement has been growing for many years to try and change the culture and that begins with language.

The other thing I had a problem with was the way they chose to jump from a laminated piece of paper with letters and phrases right to the wonderful new iPad. There have been many devices that have helped to bridge that gap for many years. Ms. Stahl failed to mention them.

That being said, please look at this piece and see what you think:



She starts out using person-first language, but quickly changes to using "autistic people." I find that interesting. When you finish watching the segment, read some of the comments. I found many of them fascinating.

The other two segments on Steve Jobs were enlightening to those of us who did not know much about his personality and life story. I know I could not have worked for him, but I certainly like using his computers!

I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

I Need To Clarify Something

Recently, I have heard from a few subscribers and Facebook Friends that it is not clear on how to make a comment on this blog. For those of you who know how, you can save your time and just delete this post now.

For those of you who do not know how to post a comment: There is a line of text at the end of every post that reads:

"You are subscribed to email updates from I'm Not Done Yet"

Just click on the blue, underlined I'm Not Done Yet, and it will take you to the blog. Once you are on the blog, go to the end of the post and you will see the word COMMENTS with the number of comments already made in front of it.

Click on COMMENTS, and it will take you to the cell where you can leave your comment. Once you leave your comment, please identify yourself in one of the Categories below your comment that reads Choose an identity in orange letters. If you already have a Blog, you can just click your Blogspot account.

Please click on the Name/URL button and enter your name. If you wish to remain Anonymous, you can click on that button. I hope you choose to identify yourself. If you just want your first name showing, so be it.

These next two paragraphs are for my Facebook Friends. Please go to my blog and subscribe. Be sure you reply to the Feedburner Confirmation email you will receive to complete your subscription.

I am trying to build up my blog membership at the suggestion of a marketing person I talked to about marketing the book. FYI: The book is almost ready to go to epublication. I have some interest with a couple publishing companies. It is moving along, but the process is slow.

I look forward to getting new subscribers and your comments.

Thank you.

Later,

Mike

Learning Can Happen At Any Time

I was watching the Tigers and Rangers baseball game tonight when this Volkswagen Passat commericial came on:

You can view it by clicking here.

The reason I like it so much is it shows us how we are all lifelong learners. We never know when it is we can learn something new and we never know what we are going to learn. That is the fun part. This commercial shows us we can learn a new language in a road trip, albeit maybe a bit of a stretch to go 795 miles non-stop on a road trip. The commercial stands out as my new favorite commercial. Mikey and the Life cereal was my favorite one.

I always tell my audiences one of my goals is to learn at least one new thing every day. I have already achieved that goal for today. I was talking with my nurse as she changed my dressings today and I asked her where she got her nursing degree? She told me she only has an Associates Degree in Nursing, but she has a Bachelor's Degree in Biology. 

She told me her three favorite areas of biologic studies were ornithology, ichthyology and mammalogy. I know what ornithology and mammalogy are, but I had never heard the term ichthyology. She told me what it was and I learned a new word before I had even gotten out of bed. I love it!

I know Ruona knows what all three words mean, but I am challenging the rest of my readers to be the first to give me the definition. The contest starts now! There is no material prize, just learners and winners.

To my Facebook friends, please click on my blog and give your answer in the Comments section at the end of the post. Simply click on this URL:

http://iamnotdoneyet.blogspot.com

While you are there, please subscribe in the upper, right corner, follow the directions, and reply to the Feedburner Subscription email. I am trying to build up my blog subscription numbers so we can keep the word spreading about the book. As I write this, it is being formatted into the appropriate ebook format for publication soon. The cover is being designed and it is getting exciting!

My editor is here now and this two-day post must come to an end.

I look forward to your answers.

Later,

Mike

I Am Sad Today

I believe it was a sad day yesterday when we found out $202,689,028 could not buy you another World Championship. It was a sad day for Yankee fans when their $264,416,252 third baseman struck out to end another futile attempt at buying a championship. When one considers nine out of the top fifteen single season highest salaries of all time have been paid to one man, when combined with his teammates earn more than some small, third world country's entire budget, it truly is sad they cannot buy a championship every year.

Numbers five and ten on the list did not do their job last night either. Granted, their salaries on this chart were for 2010, but I believe the reason is their 2011 salaries were not included in the chart. If they included 2011 salaries, Alex Rodriguez would have the Top Five Annual Baseball Salaries of All Time!

Mister Steinbrenner is gone now, but I believe his ownership of the Yankees and the way he poured so much money into his team was one of the worst things ever to happen to Major League Baseball.

I truly believe Curt Flood had no idea what he was doing when he challenged Baseball's Reserve Clause and the resulting free agency that brought about today. I agree with his reasoning for challenging the status quo, but free agency today has gotten way too far out of hand.

Bill Russell, the famous Hall of Fame Center from the Boston Celtics basketball team says they went so far in the playoffs every year because they did not want to get real jobs in the off season to make enough money to live until the following season started. I do not think today's multi-millionaire athletes have that worry.

Oh, there was at least one more sad thing happen yesterday. Steve Jobs died. I would not be listening to my talk radio or typing this blog post if he had not done the things he did either.

I look for your comments.

Later,

Mike

P.S. If you happened to watch that sad game last night, did you notice how one of the heroes for the Detroit Tigers was Delmon Young? I believe he played for the Twins until August. That is sad too.

I Am Pumped!

Okay, I am doing it again and breaking my own rule about posting more than roughly once a week. But, this is VERY important to me and I want to share this review my editor gave me yesterday! After all, my book is the reason for this blog.

I have left off her last name and the name of the publisher in the last sentence. Whether or not I go with this company, this is an extraordinary review for me to show to other publishers. Have I said yet how excited I am about this?

Check out this review:

Title: I Still Believe In Tomorrow

Author: Mike Patrick

Date: 9/16/11

Type: Memoir

Reviewer: Hanna K

Recommendation: Accept

In this moving story, Mike Patrick turns tragedy into triumph and the death of a dream into inspiration. Mike was a junior in high school when he became a quadriplegic after breaking his neck at the first football game. His life was changed forever because of a single instant in time, but by sharing his experience and spreading his positive attitude he has been able to affect the lives of many, and will continue to do so with this book.

This manuscript employs a very comfortable vernacular that is conversational but gripping. The narrative voice is extremely personal, and makes readers truly empathize with Mike’s situation as if they had an intimate relationship with him. The lessons act as a launching pad, not only instructing readers, but motivating them to apply them to their personal lives.

In the introduction, Mike mentioned his vision for the book to be marketed primarily towards members of the medical profession in hopes that they will treat the whole person instead of the illness. He wants the professionals working with patients, especially those with extensive problems, to recognize the emotional status, physical and social needs of every patient in the context of his/her life and environment. While I agree that every medical professional could benefit from reading this book, I believe that there is a more eager audience to be found elsewhere. I would suggest widening the marketing strategy to include (or even focus on) people dealing with serious health issues and those struggling with compromised mental and emotional health; this will allow the author to plant “seeds of capability” in those that can benefit from his inspirational story the most.

I frequently experienced chills while reading this book, and was personally touched by the message. I believe that Mike will find a receptive audience for this book, whether with members of the medical community, those who are struggling with personal difficulties, or even those reading for pleasure — everyone could benefit from hearing his story. I believe that this book would be an excellent addition to our shelves.

I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

Dumbing Down Of America

Last Sunday I was watching the Vikings game, feeling pretty good at halftime with a 20-0 lead when a commercial came on advertising the show Glee. The teacher asked the question, "Name the Capital of Ohio."

Whereupon the stereotypical blond girl wearing a cheerleading outfit quickly raisers her hand and answers, "O."

They then show a male student give her a look that asks, "What color is the sky in your world?"

The thing that bothers me is not she did not answer, "Columbus." The thing that bothers me is the fact they picked that particular part to advertise their show. I have been annoyed for many years by the way many of us speak and our horrible use of grammar.

One day I was in a middle school classroom and a boy said, "Me and him were going to the store."

I stopped him and asked, "Who?"

He quickly replied, "Me and him."

So I asked again, "Who?"

He said again, "Me and him."

Whereupon his buddy quickly stated, "No, it's him and me."

That is just one example of how we have forgotten basic grammar. We have not only used verbs like lie and lay or can and may incorrectly, but we are not able to form proper sentences any more.

For years I have been listening to people and wondering why this is happening. When I ask someone why they do not use proper grammar, adults tell me it is just not important. When I ask students, many reply with something like, "I'm not in English class now."

My response to that is then, "So if you are not in Math class and you buy a bottle of water at a store with a dollar bill, and the water is seventy-five cents, but the clerk only gives you a dime change, that's okay?"

When he or she says "No, that's not okay."

I come back with, "Why not, you're not in Math class now? Why is it okay to remember and use Math but not English?"

The problem is not limited to this particular commercial. Listen to newscasters on TV, radio personalities, watch TV shows or other commercials. I would think journalists would learn how to speak properly somewhere in school.

I believe the rest of us need to check ourselves when we speak or write something and remember what we learned in that grammar class back in the day. I am not going to ask you to become the Grammar Police, but I become one on occasion. If you start to listen to yourself speak, I believe you will start to feel better about being part of the solution instead of part of the dumbing down of America. If you have children, definitely correct them and get them headed in the right direction.

I did a little research and Googled Dumbing down when several clairvoyant listings came up and I had not even finished my queue yet. So, I clicked on Dumbing Down of America. It was an incredible list!

I did not need to go far. I clicked on the first listing and got more information than I could possibly use. The book titled the deliberate dumbing down of america came up right away and is an incredible source of information about the history of what is, and has been going on for a long time!

Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt was working in the Department of Education during the early years of the Reagan Administration and saw what was beginning to happen. The bottom line is: she blew the whistle and like many whistleblowers, was summarily relieved of her duties. Her book is out of print now, but you can get it for free in pdf format by clicking here.

I realize this is a very long post, and appreciate it if you have read this far. I want to leave you with this quote and put the ball in your court.

The human brain should be used for processing, not storage.

Thomas A. Kelly, Ph.D.

The Effective School Report

As always, I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

Some Boys Never Grow Up

I have always said I get some of my inspiration for my posts from friends who send me material. Their material may be serious and educational, or so funny I cannot stop laughing, like this one. He sent me three videos. Two of them were with Tim Conway. I made one of my first posts of him and Harvey Korman in a scene from The Carol Burnett Show. Very few words were spoken and they did not need to say anything. The physical comedy of Tim Conway remains some of the funniest comedy I have ever seen. 

Very few of you were subscribers to this blog and can see the dentist sketch I wrote about on October 23, 2007 by clicking here.

This piece is from The Tonight Show back in the 1960's. I have seen it before and yet had to watch it several times again before I could stop laughing long enough to type. I like Johnny Carson's scarf and Bob Hope's golf club. Just watch what Dean Martin does repeatedly to George Gobel's drink, apparently, without him having any knowledge of what was happening. Bob Hope is laughing so hard, he is crying. You see him wipe away tears a couple of times. Thanks, Lew!



I have always contended humor can be funny and clean at the same time. Like most jokes, someone has to be the butt of the joke, and Dean Martin definitely gets George Gobel in this skit. They are all gone now, but I will bet their spirits are often smiling over the fact well more than one million people continue to enjoy a laugh with them every so often.

I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

P.S. Once again to my Facebook friends who want to see the videos, just go to my blog by clicking here. While you are there, please subscribe to it in the upper right hand corner, follow the directions, and make sure you reply to the Feedburner Subscriber Verification email you will receive right after you subscribe to get you fully subscribed. You will receive an email every time I post, and you can check out some of my old posts. You will find some of them educational, entertaining and occasionally even humorous, like this one. Thank you.

You Never Know ...

I do not usually post this close together, but this email just came across my cyberdesk and I need to share it:

Hello Mike,

I just read about you in the Star Tribune and realized you came to speak to my class back in the Fall of 1982. I can still remember to this date how you described the tackle that lead to your injury. It is something that will always stay with me. Back then I didn't take a lot of stock in what you were saying, but as the years go on I realize how lucky I have been not to face the challenges you have over the years. 

What I find interesting is I saw your address on your website. I must have lived right next door to you back in 1994-95. I lived in a duplex at 3231 Emerson Avenue. If this is true, we live in such a small world. Two years ago our family left Minnesota for Connecticut for my wife to pursue a new career. It was a great opportunity to really try something new and expand our horizons.

However, I now find myself in a very difficult position in my life as I am looking at getting a divorce.  Today just happens to be our 11th wedding anniversary. I know this cannot even remotely compare to your situation, but it is something I was not prepared for. I have two young children ages 9 and 8 and they mean the world to me. For the first time in my life, I am feeling as if the world I live in is being torn apart and I am "paralyzed" with fear for what the future holds. Maybe happening across your story was divine intervention to get me to look inward and understand I cannot just give in or give up. You are an inspiration and I applaud you for the beautiful life you have made. 

Thank you and God Bless You!

David Johnson

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Wow! It just shows us how our lives can intersect and not even realize how we affect each other. I have no idea how he happened across my story in the paper or why it took him this long to write to me. Our paths first crossed almost thirty years ago and now here we cross again. I am going to give this to my editor and see how it might fit in the book.

And the beat goes on ...

I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike