Dave Glardon

When Plans Meet Reality, Keep Stirring

April 2, 2025April 1, 2025 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day is off to a nice start.

In business, each month begins a new set of books. The old month is over and what’s done is done. All we have now are projections for the new month. In most cases, it’s a shot in the dark, like a kid telling you their grades will improve, and their room will be spotless by Friday.

I was once tasked to write a business plan for a corporate expansion – one that, if projections came true, would create more than 1,000 new jobs and result in the local government giving our company a large regional airport for free. I’ll save you some time. The company did expand into the new line of business. And the airport still belongs to the county.

The numbers just didn’t work. If we had hired all those people and put our plan into motion, we would have run out of new customers in a matter of months. And that’s if every potential customer in the nation bought our new product during that time. This wasn’t like Beanie Babies™. It was a mobile data terminal for heavy trucks. Exciting, huh?

My plan showed a profit of more than $20 million in the first six months. Wow! After that, our profit would drop to zero and all those people would be unemployed. So, the boss had an idea. “What if we increase our per-unit cost, and double the time it takes to build each unit?” Well, now we’d lose $13 million in the first six months and would never recoup that loss. Back to the drawing board.

We played with those numbers for a month, and I finally told the boss I sure hope somebody a lot smarter than me would be reviewing the plan. He assured me this is how ALL business plans are written. I find that a bit disturbing. Thank God we weren’t building airplanes. Thank God we weren’t building airplanes.

It’s easy to start new endeavors with an overabundance of excitement. “Wow, I’ll be rich by next Friday! I should buy that new car now before the prices go up!” Thankfully, the practical side of our brain kicks in and brings us back to earth, maybe a little too much. Then we start to doubt the entire premise. “This can’t be that easy. Maybe the whole idea is stupid.” Sound familiar?

The truth is, nothing is ever as easy as it sounds, and nothing ever goes completely according to plan. Just ask NASA. But that shouldn’t stop us from trying. We just need to set realistic expectations and anticipate setbacks. If the idea is sound, it’ll still work. You may just need to tweak it a bit.

Fifty-six years ago, man first walked on the moon. It was a lofty goal. And we’ve all seen video of those early attempts at manned space flight. They weren’t pretty. Your dreams are no less important. You may not reach your goal as quickly as you’d hoped, but if you follow the plan and revise expectations based on experience, success is still out there waiting.

That’s all for now. Keep those dreams alive and never let anything stand in your way, especially your own imagination. Have an awesome day!

Your Dreams Won’t Chase You

January 24, 2025January 22, 2025 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning, and happy Friday! I hope your day is off to a great start.

Most of you know I’m a firm believer in dreams. We should all have dreams, and not just the kind we get when we’re asleep. Okay, some of those can be fun as well, but you can’t always talk about them in church. I’m talking about the kind of dreams you can share with anybody. Even your wife.

Several years ago, I put a picture of a motorhome on my desk. Every day as I sat at my desk, that picture was right there in front of me, reminding me of what I was working for. It took a few years, and some financial wizardry, but in March of 2020, we drove that dream off the lot and began a life of adventure that we could never have fully imagined.

We traveled through 20 states over the next few years, up to five months at a time, just enjoying the freedom of the open road. Of course, some roads are better than others. One day in Texas, we hit two waves of asphalt that would have made Evel Knievel vomit. At highway speed. That can be fun in a dune buggy, but not so much when you’re driving your house. To my credit, nothing broke.

One of our goals in all that driving was to find a place where we could retire. We didn’t know where that would be, but we knew it wasn’t in Ohio. We found it in Tucson, Arizona. Yes, I know. Tucson is hot. But it’s a dry heat. Go ahead and laugh. We love the climate, the scenery, the people, and the RV resort we returned to for the next three years. Living in Tucson became our next dream.

That dream came true last November. We now live in a place where, at 67, I’m one of the younger people in the community. And let me tell you, these old people know how to live! They dance, they walk, they play games, and when these folks ride a bicycle, they don’t mess around. Ever heard of El Tour de Tucson? Google it. We’re talking 60+ miles, and most of these people are in their 70s.

After I had my stroke, our daughters came to visit. Within a few days, they both said, “Now I get it.” Our oldest even said, “You have a better social life than I do!” We do. There’s always something going on, and we try to do it all. Dances, dinners, parties, tours. And at the end of the day, we take a relaxing drive in the golf cart, stopping to talk to neighbors on just about every street.

Maybe that appeals to you, maybe not. We all have our own dreams. The point I’m trying to make is, without a dream, we’d still be sitting in that same living room, never knowing what all we were missing. My tombstone would read. “Here Lies Dave – He Died.” Well, someday I will. But not until I do some more living first!

If you’re not living your best life, what are you waiting for? It all starts with a dream. Once that dream becomes a burning desire, it’s inevitable. Sure, you have to work at it, too, but once you know the outcome, the rest is just mechanics.

That’s all for now. Chase your dreams until you’re living them. You can do it! And it all starts now. Have an awesome weekend!

We All Look the Same In the Mirror

January 22, 2025January 22, 2025 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning, and happy Hump Day! I hope your day is off to a nice start.

Before we start, I’m experimenting with different days of the week to post my writings, hoping to find the best time for you folks to receive and (hopefully) enjoy them. I can read site analytics, but I’d rather hear from you. What’s your preference? Once a week? Which day? Would you like me to try some smaller pieces twice a week? This is all for you, so let me know!

We’ve seen a lot over the past few weeks, ranging from wildfires decimating Los Angeles to heavy snowfall in places like New Orleans. A cease-fire has been negotiated between Israel and its neighbors, and here in the US a new administration is taking the helm. It’s been a whirlwind year so far, and we’re only three weeks into it. I find little comfort in that.

I avoid political discussion in my posts for obvious reasons. If I could change people’s mind by simply writing a few words, I’d be really worried. You know, after I finished doing the victory dance. Still, we all bring our own brand of wisdom to the party. Okay, I’ve met a few people who challenge that notion, but they probably feel the same about me. Sometimes I think they may be right.

Lately, it seems ANY discussion can turn political right before your eyes. Car dealer gave you the shaft? Politics. Last night’s dinner made you gassy? Politics. Your kid won an award in school? Social programming! It’s all part of an evil conspiracy by the “other” side, designed to mess up your day. Yes, you. Personally. Your name is on a list somewhere. I checked. It’s right next to mine.

Something I’ve found over the years is that we all have more in common than our differences would suggest. At the end of the day, we want to feel loved, comfortable, and secure. We want to go to bed at night without waking up in a war. We want a decent job and a decent paycheck to go with it. And we want the freedom to live our life as we see fit. Is that too much to ask?

Yet, if we could focus on those similarities, setting the differences aside, think of what this world could be! And here’s the thing … we can. It’s a choice we can make, a conscious decision to focus on the good in people and situations. And yes, I have an ex-son-in-law whose goodness eludes me to this day. We all have one or two. But I’m living my best life, just to spite him. I’m allowed.

And so are you. You were born to live your best life. That begins with acceptance of the world around us instead of trying to shape it to our own mold. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” In those words lie the secret to true happiness.

That’s all for now. I’ll try to make the next one a little lighter, but this has been on my mind. Hope you don’t mind a little indulgence. Be nice to one another, be nice to yourself, and have an awesome day!

The ‘Perfect’ Time is Now!

January 6, 2025January 6, 2025 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day is off to a nice start.

It’s a brand-new week. When people ask what we did over the weekend, we can usually rattle off a short litany of things we accomplished – important stuff, like shopping, cleaning, mowing the lawn – things we couldn’t do during the week because we were just too busy. Oh well, there’s always next weekend.

If somebody were to ask the same question Saturday morning about the week just passed, what would we say? Would you be able to tell them you accomplished a personal goal, one that brings you closer to the life you want? Or would you simply say, “I worked.”

Most of us go through life waiting for that perfect moment to put our own plans into motion, but we always find time for everything else. Oh, we may enjoy a weekend getaway every now and then, or maybe even a short vacation. Then it’s back to the grind. And the boss thinks that since we came back all happy and rejuvenated, we should work that much harder for the next month or two.

So, let me ask you a question. How many years have you been waiting for that perfect moment? You know, the time to pick up a new hobby, clean the garage, or build an income on the side? Has there ever been enough time? Will another year really change that?

Here’s the thing nobody told us when we were young – as we get older, time warps. We still get 168 hours in a week, but some of those hours blow by a lot faster than others. The 40 hours at work feel more like 60, we barely sit down and it’s bedtime, and no amount of sleep is enough. By Saturday, time kicks into overdrive and we’re so tired all we can do is watch it fly past.

This cycle continues until we do something to change it. Managing time is no different than managing your checking account. Every hour we spend doing anything reduces our available balance until it’s gone. But what if you were to invest some of that time instead of just spending it?

Investing time is no different than investing money. Some investments will pay off, and others won’t. So, we manage those investments and monitor results. How long would you watch your retirement account dwindle before making changes? A week? A month? A year? Yet we’ll do the same thing with our time, day after day, year after year, hoping for a better result.

Time is one of our most valuable resources. It’s like a retirement account – small investments, repeated every week, can make a huge difference if you invest that time in something that will generate a return. We spend 40+ hours a week generating a return for somebody else. Aren’t you worth at least a fraction of that time?

Take some time this week to consider how you can invest that same amount of time next week. An hour here, an hour there – it all adds up. Make your time work for you.

That’s all for now. Have an awesome day!

Run What You Brung!

January 1, 2025December 31, 2024 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope you’ve all had a safe and wonderful holiday season! It’s hard to believe 2025 is here. Seems like just yesterday we were waking up to check our computers and make sure they survived Y2K. And if you can remember that, don’t forget to take your Geritol.

A lot has changed over the past year – some good, and some not so good. When I look at the changes I’m not so happy about, I’ve had to accept the simple fact that I can’t change what was, or even what is. All any of us can change is what’s to be. And the first step in that is to back up and make the most of what is. Race car drivers have a phrase for that – “Run what you brung.”

It’s a simple way of saying make the most of your circumstances. We all have challenges, and we all have days when things aren’t going our way. But when the green flag drops, it’s time to throw the excuses out the window and get moving. Besides, more than once I’ve seen all the front runners take one another out in the final lap as the guy with the “junk” car motors past and wins the race.

How many times have you been in traffic and some hotshot races past you, weaving in and out of traffic in a desperate attempt to leave everyone else in his dust? And how many times have you arrived at the next traffic light right next to him? I just smile and wave. It beats giving them the finger, and makes me feel a whole lot better. Plus, it’s just fun.

As we start a new year, maybe it’s time to take stock of “what we brung.” I arrived in an old body that’s seriously overweight, broken and slow, and not firing on all eight cylinders. My brain is still feeling the effects of a stroke, and calling out to one of my grandkids is like a teacher taking roll call. But this is what I have to work with, and the green flag is out. Time to run or get run over.

How about you? What challenges are you facing today? Which of those challenges are you stuck with, and which ones can you change? It’s an important distinction. Acceptance isn’t the same as giving up. It’s an acknowledgment that maybe we could have arrived in better shape, but we’re still not out of the race. A couple of adjustments and minor tweaks can have us back to optimal speed.

All it takes now is to keep your eye on the prize and never give up. Fix what’s broken. Tape it up if you have to. It doesn’t have to look pretty – it just has to get the job done. As you fix those broken pieces, one at a time, you’ll find yourself moving closer and closer to the front. From there, it’s just a wild and exhilarating dash to the checkered flag.

That’s all for now. Have an awesome year!

Even a Violin Eventually Sounds Good

April 15, 2024April 15, 2024 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day is off to a great start.

Did you do anything fun over the weekend? I usually ask that question with no idea what response I’ll get, but some of them are well worth the effort. Which is why I don’t ask my oldest grandson, because I may get an answer I didn’t want. I have to remind him every now and then that, although we’ve always been best friends, I’m still Grandpa. We’ll just leave it at that.

My weekend revolved around a pair of high-school performances. My oldest granddaughter (16) was in a production of Beauty and the Beast. The sets, the music, the singing, and especially the acting, were all worthy of a lot more than the $10 admission price. The acting was so good, I didn’t really notice the part of Gaston was played by a young lady. I’m not sure she did, either.

Then yesterday I got to see my “bonus” granddaughter (also 16) in her school’s show choir final performance. To see so much talent on the same stage, especially at an age where a lot of kids are thinking of anything but school, was inspirational. And if I’m allowed to say it, our girl was amazing. She stopped hearts with her two solos. I know because mine was one of them.

I was telling a friend yesterday I insisted my daughters would do some kind of extracurricular in school. Band, choir, sports, chess club, it didn’t matter. And I made sure that any time one of them was onstage, we were in the audience. Sometimes, that takes a lot more love than we realize – band parents, especially. If you know, you know. Some things take a lot more practice than others.

But the day comes when they’re making actual, recognizable music, and the cat no longer hides behind the couch when they play. And that glow on their face at the end of a performance is worth all the hours spent silently nodding our approval while trying to hide the earplugs. It takes time and effort to master a skill. Thankfully, these kids have plenty of both.

I saw a poster once that showed a baby bird peeking out of the nest with a caption that read, “It flies because it thinks it can.” We’re all born with no sense of limitations. It’s how we learn to walk, and talk, and hold our own bottle. And we carry those skills all through adulthood, though I do still spill a little sometimes. I think I need more practice. Walking, that is.

Children’s minds are the epitome of imagination and possibility. Sadly, both start to fade through the teenage years. By adulthood, most of that magic is gone, which is why we have life coaches and motivational books to help rebuild what should never have been torn down in the first place. If only we could nurture more of what was already there, there’s no limit to what they could accomplish.

We’re no different. If we can remove the barriers that were put in place by people and events though our formative years, we can achieve any goal. And, as a good friend used to ask, what would your dreams be if you knew you couldn’t fail? Food for thought.

That’s all for now, friends. Have an awesome day!

It Ain’t Over Til the Fat Lady Sings

April 12, 2024April 12, 2024 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning, and happy Friday! I hope you’ve had an incredible week.

We got lucky here in southern Ohio and had a spectacular view of Monday’s solar eclipse. It was just like the book said it would be … a shadow from the bottom-right slowly spreading across the sun until suddenly, it got almost dark, a good bit cooler, and eerily calm. Two minutes later it was over, and the moon continued its journey. And I went back to work, so the cycle is complete.

Two things stand out that I’ll never forget. First was the naked-eyed view of the corona at the point of totality. It was a clearly visible ring of light around the moon’s shadow – just a reminder that our sun was still there. The other was how much the sun lit the earth up to the point of totality. With even a sliver of sun still showing, it was full daylight. Simply amazing.

We never did see complete darkness. It was inspirational, in the sense that if the sun can continue to provide that much light when it’s completely covered, we’re in good hands. Clouds will come and go, but nothing can block the light completely. Even when it sets in the west for an evening of darkened slumber, we know it’s just waiting to peek through again from the other side.

Which, if you think about it, is pretty much the cycle of life. You go to sleep, you wake up. You cut your finger, it heals. The light turns red, then it turns green. There are more, but you get the point. Nothing in this life is permanent, and if you miss an opportunity, odds are it’ll come back around again. If only Mrs. Kellogg had felt that way about missing homework assignments. “It’s coming!”

For more than ten years, I’ve messed around with a business that could be much more profitable with just a little effort. Several times over the years, I’ve made a declaration: “This is it! Time to get busy! I’m serious this time!” Yet, here I sit with more potential than I can ever appreciate, and a stack of bills growing faster than my excuses. If only I could sell them. The bills, not the excuses.

But here’s the thing. The factors that led me to start a business in the first place are still there. The dream hasn’t faded, and the opportunity I was so excited about is still there, quietly waiting for me to get off my keister and do something about it. And I can do that today. I can choose to pick up where I left off and start chasing that dream. Thankfully, the dream is waiting, too. It knows I’m old to keep up.

Goals have an expiration date. Dreams don’t. And whatever means you found to make those dreams come true ten years ago is probably still valid today. You just have to make the decision and stick with it. And there’s no better time than the weekend to reflect on your dreams, solidify a plan, and put it into action. Not Monday morning or next week or next month – now.

Take time this weekend to reimagine your dreams and commit to achieving them. And if you don’t mind, take a moment to share those dreams with me. You may just light a fire under my butt.

That’s all for now. Have an awesome day and an even better weekend!

Don’t Blink!

April 8, 2024April 8, 2024 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day is off to a great start.

Today is a special day for much of the United States. In a few hours, most of us will be able to see the sun and the moon at the exact same place in the sky at the exact same time. Granddaddy used to always say it’s a lazy man who can see the moon in the daytime. Well, if it blocks out the sun completely, does that still count? I think nature has to take some of the blame for this one.

And if you think a full moon brings out the best in people, imagine a dark full moon in the middle of the day. People are traveling from around the country and spending more than $1000 for a single night in a fleabag motel to find a coveted spot in the roughly 110-mile-wide path of totality, where the moon will completely block the sun … for exactly four minutes. I get to see it for free.

Of course, based on the price of these high-tech disposable viewing glasses, it may be one of the last things I’ll ever see. I take some of the best vitamins known to man to help keep me from getting sick, but apparently my eyes are only worth $1.99. For the record, I spent six times that much on lottery tickets this weekend. Hey, you’ve gotta have priorities.

My grandson was asking why it’s such a big deal. Okay, he’s 24 and will likely live long enough to see another one. Odds are, I won’t. So, at the appointed time, I’ll be standing in my front yard with my $1.99 glasses protecting my eyes from what could be my last chance to view such an amazing event. I’m sure I won’t be alone.

Between inflated gas prices, astronomical lodging rates, and all the extras (tee shirts, anyone?), some of these people are paying a lot of money to watch a cloudy sky do what it does every night. According to the Carly Simon song, an egotistical acquaintance once flew his Learjet to Nova Scotia for the same view. Hopefully he was equally dedicated to his other endeavors.

I guess the question that comes to mind is, how many of these people would be willing to invest a fraction of the time, money, and effort, to build an income that would allow them to fly their own jet to the next one? How many, while driving days to witness four minutes of darkness, will pass the time sharing dreams and discussing ways they could work to achieve them?

We all like to say we’re too busy to take on anything new, but when something like an eclipse comes along, time just seems to materialize. And that’s okay, for a once in a lifetime event. But what about when the moon moves on, and the sun comes back out? Will we find the time to chase some of our own dreams? Or will we go back to whatever we’ve been doing all these years?

Thankfully, most dreams don’t come with an expiration date. You’re never too young or too old, and plans we made ten years ago can still be put into place. We just have apply the same sense of urgency with which we’d chase an eclipse. Or a new romance. My grandson has mastered that one.

That’s all for now. If you have the chance, get outside and enjoy the view. It’s an experience you won’t forget. Meanwhile, have an awesome day!

It’s a Puddle – Step Over and Move On

March 25, 2024March 25, 2024 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day is starting off well. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, spring is almost here!

It’s been a while since my last post. I know, that happens now and then (more now than then, it seems). I’ve had lower back pain for several years and, the end of January, it paid me back for all those decades of abuse. Well, I should say it began to pay me back. The punishment lasted close to a month, and any time I tried to work around it, I found out real quick who’s boss. Here’s a hint – it’s not me.

Thanks to modern medicine, I’m about back to normal, or my interpretation of the word. I can sit and stand and walk, which is something I’ll never again take for granted. And thanks to modern insurance, I get to do it all again. Back pain can come from a lot of sources, and apparently one wildly successful pain injection doesn’t prove a thing. We have to prove it twice. Fun.

We were supposed to leave this frozen tundra a week after I went down, but it’s hard to drive 1800 miles when you can’t sit upright more than 3 minutes. And my wife refused to drive that distance with me laying across the back seat. One trip to the doctor was enough for her. Okay, so I complained about her acceleration and braking and turning and her uncanny ability to find every single bump in the road. Sue me.

But, when life hands you lemons, you make whatever drink takes your mind off the fact that you’re not where you want to be and way too old to throw a tantrum. Alcohol may have been involved. And in case you’re wondering how much bourbon it takes, don’t even try. I’m told there’s a limit, and it’s not nearly enough.

Since we couldn’t leave for warmer weather, we improvised. Which means we kept the blankets out a while longer. Meanwhile, my wife was able to reschedule her second hip replacement for last Thursday. With two brand-new hips, she’ll be running circles around me in no time. Actually, I’m okay with that. I can just sit there and watch. If she starts running in a straight line, it’s all over.

Life doesn’t always go the way we’d planned. I’ll wait while you pick yourself up from the floor. But following a plan is easy. It’s when the brakes go out that you prove your worth as a driver. You don’t cancel the trip. You change your pants, fix the car, and get back on the road. The destination hasn’t changed. Just your means of getting there.

We all have visions of where we’d like to be and how we’d like things to go. Call it what you want, but at its very essence, that’s a dream. It’s an imagined outcome we hope to achieve. That may be as complex as building a second income or as simple as getting to work on time. Regardless, there will be obstacles. But obstacles were made to be overcome. And with each one, you get stronger.

As you start your day and your week, expect the unexpected. Come to terms with the fact that, no matter what, the unexpected will not change your goals. The dream is still alive. You just may have to take a different path to get there.

That’s all for now. Follow your dreams, no matter what stands in your way. You’re bigger and stronger – trust me. Have an awesome day!

Want a Little Cheese With That Whine?

January 15, 2024 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day is off to a nice start.

Depending on where you are in this country, the weather outside is somewhere between freezing and words you’d rather I don’t use here. Believe me, the neighbors have heard them, probably the last time I worked on my truck. Let’s just say I don’t have a lot of patience for things that don’t go according to plan. Or split knuckles. Vehicle maintenance involves both.

We all get frustrated. And when we do, it’s easy to say things we wouldn’t say in church. Oh, we may utter God’s name, but more as a hyphenated adjective. And loud. Nothing eases frustration like announcing our displeasure to the entire neighborhood all at once. Just one more reason I no longer work on my own cars. The neighbors took up a petition. I lost.

Okay, there’s another reason. I’ve found that life is a lot more pleasant when I’m floating in a swimming pool, playing with my grandkids, or simply gazing across the desert at the beauty of nature. Besides, my cardiologist suggested I find more ways to avoid stress. He didn’t exactly prescribe the bourbon, but I’ve been running my own tests. So far, the data is leaning my way.

We’ve all met people who go through life as if every waking moment is another reason to complain. It’s too hot. It’s too cold. Gas is too expensive. The boss is too cheap. And everybody and everything in this world exists for the sole purpose of ticking them off. Do yourself a favor. If you’re around these people when the news comes on, find the nearest exit and run!

I’ve always been into motivational reading and positive thinking. I can’t say it’s always shone through in my daily life, but I try. And I used to think I could spread some of that positivity to those who seem to have been cheated at birth. But the fact is, angry people aren’t born that way – they’re miserable by choice. It’s like a menu item that nobody wants, so they swallow everybody’s share.

In our discussions about living our best life, it should be obvious that this mindset doesn’t fit. You can’t enjoy life if you’re unhappy with everybody and everything life has to offer. To live that way is more crippling than a crushed spine. There is no joy, because that would only remind them of what they’ve been missing their entire life. There’s only misery. And it’s always somebody else’s fault.

Bitterness is a poison. We all know how it affects us emotionally, but the physical effects are even more damaging. It causes headaches, high blood pressure, and all manner of illness. In fact, the National Institutes of Health noted that 75-90 percent of illness is caused by anger and stress. And the effects on the heart are even more devastating. Seems like a lot of misery for … well, you know.

None of us are immune to disappointment. That’s just a part of life. It’s what we do with that disappointment that counts. We can keep it in perspective and focus on things that offer a higher level of serenity. Or we can nurture it and allow it to grow into the cancer of resentment. Choose happiness. Our days on this planet are numbered, anyway. We might as well enjoy the ride.

That’s all for now. Have an awesome day and an even better week!