Dave Glardon

Whose Bright Idea Was Monday???

September 28, 2026 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your Monday is off to a nice start. I know, of all the days, why did they have to put Monday first? I used to ask that same question myself.

To be fair, Mondays can be a jolt to the system in more ways than one. You’re either coming off a weekend of rest and relaxation, or one where another six weekends in a row wouldn’t be enough time to accomplish everything, and there’s not much in between. Either way, Monday is rude interruption in that brief interlude from reality.

But I guess it makes sense to get Monday out of the way first. In the book “Eat That Frog!” Brian Tracy describes the ideal way to tackle an unpleasant project in some rather unpleasant terms. Paraphrased, “If you have to eat a frog, do it first thing in the morning and the rest of the day can only get better. If you have to eat two frogs, eat the ugliest one first.”

So, get Monday out of the way. Tackle the day with a realistic list of things you need to accomplish, starting with the ugliest frogs in the bucket. Don’t let anybody keep you from getting it all done, and don’t let Monday bleed on Tuesday. You can be more accommodating tomorrow. Besides, anyone who tried to get in your way today won’t be that stupid again.

Do this every Monday and you’ll find yourself more productive and less exhausted by the end of the week. And, as a side benefit, others will learn not to mess with you on Monday. Most will avoid getting in your way the rest of the week, because anybody who works that hard on Monday must have a screw loose, right? Take the small wins.

The direct benefit to you is twofold. First, after you’ve gotten through Monday, the rest of the week should be easy by comparison. Oh, some jerk will come along and try to mess that up, but once you’ve done the hard stuff, you can handle distractions. But more importantly, you’ll come to look forward to Monday, because that’s the day you get things done.

And it doesn’t just have to be a weekly thing. Every project I’ve ever worked on had its share of Mondays. Sometimes they had two or three in a week, and other times they’d take a couple of weeks off. But every new phase, every major milestone, had Mondays of its own. And our success in each milestone rests heavily on how well we handle those Mondays.

When we take on the hard part first, the feeling of accomplishment is that much stronger. It also helps identify what needs to be done next, and any dependencies we need to consider along the way. I love woodworking and have made several intricate pieces over the years. Trust me when I say you have to do things in a certain order, or the scrap bin fills up fast.

And it’s that way no matter what the project, from building an airplane to Thanksgiving dinner. The early part isn’t so glamorous, especially the part about prepping the turkey. They stuck the gizzards where??? But there’s a feeling of accomplishment the instant it goes in the oven. And the reward builds as the day goes on. It’s a smell you never forget.

Depending on where you live, Monday may already be over. If so, celebrate! You made it! And you know what? You can do it again. Here’s why – Monday isn’t a real thing. It’s just a name somebody assigned to the same day every week. It could just as easily have been called Friday, or Someday. I like that last one. “I’ll get it to you Someday!” Bill collectors would love that.

But Monday doesn’t have it in for you. It’s just there, inanimate and continually turning seconds into history. It’s what we do with those seconds that determines how our day evolves. And if you can master Mondays, what evil can stand in your way? Make Monday your partner instead of your adversary. Monday can only treat you as well as you treat it.

That’s all for now. Enjoy the rest of your day, and if today wasn’t your day, then start tomorrow. Take on the ugliest frogs first and see if you don’t feel better as a result. Be sure to let me know how it works for you. I love hearing from you folks. Have an awesome week!

There’s Happiness in the Little Things

September 25, 2026September 25, 2026 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning, and happy Friday! I hope your day is off to a great start. I’m vertical with a cup of coffee, so life is good!

You know, sometimes it’s the little things that make us happy, or at least contented. We tend to go through life looking at the big things, thinking if we could just do this or acquire that, life would be perfect. And that’s okay. If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know I’m a strong believer in the power of dreams. If not, we need to fix that. I don’t bite!

Yes, it’s important to have dreams. They motivate us to go a step above, to put in that little bit of extra effort that somehow seems to multiply and bring us exponentially closer to our goals. They give us a glimpse of life beyond what we know today. And they have a way of elevating our spirits when life is trying its best to hold us down. We all have those days.

Our dream was to buy a motorhome and explore the country, hopefully finding a place to retire along the way. I kept a picture of a motorhome on my desk where I would see it all day as I was working. It was a constant reminder of what I was working for. Six years ago, that dream came true. We bought the coach, traveled across much of the country, and found our new home.

And that doesn’t mean my dreaming days are over. Not by a long stretch! There are still lots of things I’d like to experience before my time is up, and I plan to check off as many of them as I can. They range in grandeur, from taking my wife on a bucket-list trip to Hawaii all the way to learning how to relocate a live rattlesnake. My wife isn’t so happy about that last one.

And I’ll do those things in a relatively short period of time, simply because at this age you don’t take time for granted. I’ve already had a heart attack and a stroke. The fact that I’m still here tells me God still has plans for me, and I believe one of them is to spread a message of optimism to anybody who’s willing to listen. Especially now, we need all the positivity we can get.

And part of that message should always be to appreciate the blessings that surround us every day. Little things, like a child’s laughter, a spring rain, the sun’s rays peeking through the clouds, chipmunks playing in the yard, birds playing in the air, or the warmth of a summer day. Yes, too much warmth isn’t always comfortable. Neither is snow. But it’s pretty … on postcards.

Beyond that, think of all the people who genuinely care about you. They may be family, friends, mere acquaintances, or even the cleaning lady who always has a kind word as she empties your trash. And it could be somebody you’ve never met. Don’t believe me? Sit down in the middle of a store clutching your chest. You’ll have lots of concerned friends.

Okay, don’t do that. But the point is that we’re surrounded by blessings we don’t always perceive. The secret to happiness lies in our ability to recognize and be grateful for them. And if we’re not finding them where we are, maybe we need to get up and go looking for them. That can be as easy as taking an evening walk or watching kids in the park. Just don’t stare.

Some people may not think they have much to smile about because of health issues, chronic pain, or personal loss. Still, off the top of my head I can think of two women I watched as cancer took its horrendous toll, and they both lived their best life to the very end. We all have challenges. But a challenge isn’t a roadblock – it’s simply daring you to step over.

That’s all for today. I hope you’ll all take time this weekend to immerse yourself in life’s many blessings. They may not make your problems disappear, but problems have a way of fading in the presence of a smile. Try it. And be sure to let me know how it works! Meanwhile, enjoy your day and have an awesome weekend!

Even Jerks Need a Hug Sometimes

September 22, 2026September 24, 2026 by Dave Glardon, posted in Motivational Humor

Good morning! I hope your day is starting off nicely. You know, we do have more control over that than we’d like to admit.

My daughter sent a video this morning of a father dropping his kids off at school, telling them, “It takes no effort to be kind, so don’t be a (jerk).” Yeah, that last word wasn’t fit for print. But you get the idea. The next second, he’s driving home, blowing the horn, yelling at other drivers, and just generally being a (jerk).

I don’t think she sent it as a message to me personally, but it still hit me between the eyes. Yes, I am generally kind. I encourage others to be kind. And I try to avoid situations that may bring out the (jerk) in me. Because let’s face it. Under the right circumstances, we all have that little demon inside, just begging to get loose.

My pastor used to read my humor columns back in the day, and he especially liked the ones where I expressed my displeasure with (jerks) on the road. I found my way into his sermons more than once, usually in a joking way, but it’s really not that funny. Trust me, I live it.

Back then, my oldest grandson wasn’t quite four, and was with me one day when the guy in front of me insisted on driving a full 2 MPH below the speed limit. Okay, it was more than that, but it’s my story. I finally said, “Would you please move?” and my grandson piped in with the “perfect” solution … “Flip ‘em off!” I wish I was making that up.

In fairness, he didn’t learn that from me. I always checked to see if he was watching first. But it was still a lesson I needed to learn. Some days, I still do. I’ve decided patience isn’t so much a virtue as a work in progress. It’s a mindset we have to adopt, embrace, and build upon every day. And about the time we start feeling smug, some idiot slams on their brakes for no reason.

I guess the first step in building patience is understanding that most inconsiderate acts are not directed at us, personally. Oh, there’s always that person who tries to mess up your day for fun, but you never know what misfortune life just dealt them. On the other hand, if they do it over and over, aim for the kneecaps. With your foot. What did you think I meant?

Believe it or not, most people don’t spend their day looking in the rearview for somebody to impede. They park their shopping cart in the middle of the aisle because something caught their eye. They walk down the middle of the parking lot because they can’t see their car. And they sit at a green light for two seconds because they’re in deep thought.

Believe me, there are enough (jerks) out there who were never taught the premise of consideration. But it’s not quite fair to blame momentary lapses in manners on intentional (jerkiness). We all make mistakes, and when we do, we’d appreciate an assumption of innocence. The question is, what do we do when the shoe is on the other foot?

The answer is simple – breathe. When traffic backs up, there’s always a reason. And the reason is usually that somebody is having a much worse day than you are. When a person isn’t moving out of your way, they may be experiencing a medical issue. And usually, when somebody is genuinely nasty, it’s typically a programmed reaction to something they experienced.

And therein lies the solution – we can’t control how other people act. All we can control is our reaction to it. We can fire back with an equally offensive remark (or gesture), or we can offer a positive response that may give them pause to think. We can try to score points or realize that the true winner is the one who walks away with a sense of inner calm.

Most of us try to be kind in person. It’s when we’re on the phone with customer service, offering an online rebuttal to comments from others, in the relative safety of our locked car, or relating a scenario to somebody else who wasn’t even there, that we find our true level of kindness. Myself? I need to work on it a bit. And I hope I never stop.

That’s all for now. The next time you find yourself on the receiving end of something you can’t control, take a breath and then control the only thing you can. You’ll live longer, and those years will be a lot more pleasant as a result. Have a fantastic day!

It’s Your Time – Have Fun with It!

September 18, 2026September 18, 2026 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning, and happy Friday! I hope your day is off to an awesome start!

Okay, first things first. Last week I challenged you all to make a list of simple things you need to get accomplished, and then make a point of checking them off as you do. And this wasn’t just a homework assignment – I did it, too. My original list of 10 items grew to 12 (my wife and I both added one), and I did a lot more that wasn’t on the list. Here’s what I learned.

First, as some of our friends have commented, it needs to be a written list. For this to work (and it does), you need the satisfaction of taking a pen and crossing items off the list as they’re completed. Also, don’t do what I did – if you tackle something that wasn’t on the list but should have been, add it. The more you can cross off each week, the better this strategy works.

The idea is to do this for a month at least. If it becomes a lifelong habit, I doubt you’ll ever regret starting it. You’ll get more done in a shorter time and, if you’re like me, that paper memory supplement works great. And along the way, you’ll build two vital habits – the habit of getting things done, and more importantly, the habit of success.

Now, what are your plans for the weekend? I told a friend today my plan is to hang around the neighborhood and avoid all those working stiffs who have to cram their weekend into two days. She still works, so she thought it was funny. But it’s true. Traffic, whether it’s on the streets, in parking lots, or in the checkout line at Costco, is always much worse on weekends.

A friend told me years ago that we’ll meet a lot of people in our lives who feel pretty financially secure. When presented a money-making opportunity, they’ll usually turn it down. People want what they don’t have, and if you already have plenty of money, you don’t always need more. Of course, some folks never learned that lesson.

But what many of these folks (and most of us) lack is time. You see, money is a renewable resource. When it’s gone, you can always make more. But time is finite. It’s even more important than money (unless you’re a bill collector), and still it seems we spend our entire lives chasing the wrong one. What good is a bunch of money if you don’t have time to enjoy it?

It’s the classic Catch-22, and we’re not left with a lot of viable alternatives. Ideally, we would do one of two things – increase our hourly pay so we don’t have to work all the time (good luck with that) or build a residual income on the side that doesn’t require our continual presence. In other words, something that can generate income even while you’re away.

There are lots of ways to do that. Robert Kiyosaki wrote a series of books on this topic, including Rich Dad Poor Dad and The Business of the 21st Century. If you can get past some of his self-aggrandizement (he’s earned it), both are excellent books to give you some ideas. But both stress the need to generate an income that works while you play.

That doesn’t mean hands-off. It means less hands-on. That’s time you can be sleeping, playing with the kids, on vacation, or whatever. It’s YOUR time to use the way YOU decide. Naturally, it has to generate enough income to allow this, and that takes time. Or a lot of money to start with. Those are your only real choices. And you have to choose now.

So, the question is pretty simple. Do you want to invest your time, or spend it? Investing time today can increase your income and lead to more free time down the road, sometimes much sooner than you’d think. But spending time is like a one-time event. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. So, make sure you spend it doing something YOU want to do.

Especially in this global economic turmoil, and with AI threatening millions of jobs across multiple industries, the time to start investing in ourselves is now. Today. In fact, if we haven’t already started, we’re late. You’ve heard this before, but you have to start digging the well before you get thirsty. And trust me, friends, it’s getting hot.

That’s all for now. Take some time this weekend and start thinking of ways you can invest in yourself. Don’t be shocked if you come up with a whole list. Meanwhile, have an awesome day and an even better weekend!

There’s Power in Fooling Yourself

September 14, 2026 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! C’mon, it’s still morning where I live. I hope your day is off to a nice start. If not, come see me and we’ll find some trouble together.

Every week is a new beginning. Last week is gone. Whatever happened, the best you can do at this point is pick up the pieces and move on. And if something really good happened, you can build on it and continue the momentum. Regardless, every day is a new opportunity and a new beginning. It’s what we do with it that counts.

Every one of us, yourself included, has the ability to achieve great things. And, for every great idea, there are a dozen great “friends” to tell you it can’t be done. Or worse yet, that it can’t be done by you for any number of reasons they’re happy to share. Doubt sets in and we begin to fill in some of those reasons ourselves. Want to meet your worst critic? Look in a mirror.

And there’s a simple reason for it. When was the last time you attempted something big? Not like planting a tree, but like building a garage, or at least a boat. I like boats. And, believe me, I would love to build one. But you need a lot more room than I’ve got for that. Plus, until a week ago, I had another fulltime job and the company pretty much insisted I do their work first.

But the truth is, I know Dave. I would plan every detail on the boat including the color of the steering wheel, draw seventeen different versions of the deck layout, buy a set of plans, and then cut and assemble a bunch of pieces that are useless on anything but a boat, and in the end, I’d have to throw a cover on it for a year or ten. I know this because I’ve met me.

Maybe you’re more disciplined than I am. Maybe you get up in the morning, grab a cup of coffee, and start tackling your to-do list before it’s even finished. No project is too big, and you won’t rest until your list for today is complete. If so, rock on! You’re doing better than most, and maybe I can learn from you. I have the best of intentions. It’s the execution that suffers.

This is why I came up with the concept we discussed Friday – building the habit of success. If you succeed at everything you attempt, why would you think anything is beyond your capabilities? Success becomes more than a result – it’s a habit. And, as we all know, habits are fairly easy to form and ten times harder to break.

Achieving your ambitions becomes easier when you remove doubt, and a pattern of success is doubt’s greatest enemy. If you know the outcome before you even start, getting there is a lot more straightforward. And when those inevitable obstacles do pop up, you know you’ll get around them, because you already know how the story ends. It’s just a matter of getting there.

Last week, I asked you to build a simple to-do list for the next several days, and cross things off as you do them. Why? Because with each task you cross off, you reinforce in your mind that if you set out to do something, it WILL get done. Yes, it’s a mind game I play with myself. Why not? Everyone else does!

And the thing is, it works. Do it for a month. If, by the end of that month, you’ve made a reasonable list each time and crossed off every task (you have to actually DO it first), notice your mindset as you write a new list. Are you dreading the week or looking forward to it? Do you look at any item on the list and doubt it’ll get done? Of course not! Confidence is power.

That’s all for today. Put the power of confidence to work for yourself. Because when, in your mind, deciding to do something means your inevitable success in doing it, nothing can stop you!

Celebrate the Small Wins Before You Try Something Real

September 11, 2026September 12, 2026 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good afternoon, and happy Friday! Yeah, I know … I normally send these things out in the morning, but I just retired a week ago today. Gimme a break!

I won’t dwell on this, but to answer a few of the questions I’ve been asked:

How does it feel to be retired? AWESOME!!!
Do you feel different? Yeah … I’m not working every day.
Will you get a pension check? LOL. You’re kidding, right?
Has your wife accepted it yet? The jury is still out on that one.
Do you know what day it is? I’m retired, not stupid. It’s today. Duh!!!

I’ve been trying to get up early and stay active. So far, I’ve met some of those goals. I get up early. Not as early as I used to, but it still takes some effort. I just don’t want to sleep away my remaining years. There are things I wanted to do but couldn’t before, and now the only excuse is me. Can’t blame this on the boss any longer.

What are your plans for the weekend? I just built my own “To-Do” list, with ten tasks I need to complete by bedtime Tuesday. In other words, I won’t be going to sleep until sometime Thursday. But when you have too many things going on in your mind all at once, the average life span of any given thought is 2.8 seconds. I need a list before my wife starts writing one for me.

For what it’s worth, I’ve already completed the first three. Okay, in fairness, the first one was “Make a To-Do List.” This is all part of a concept I wrote about several years ago – achieving at little things to build the habit of success. When you repeatedly succeed at small things, it builds confidence as you try something a little harder. You know, like mopping the kitchen floor.

Here’s something I’d like you to try over the next few days. As you drink your morning coffee tomorrow, make a list of the things you plan to accomplish over the next few days. Simple stuff you know you can do, like getting the kids dressed (or keeping them dressed), taking out the trash, checking tire pressure on the car, or cleaning the grill. Oops! That’s one more for my list.

The idea is, write this stuff down, and then cross it off as you do it. Will it feel stupid at first? Absolutely! If not, you can join my chapter of the Procrastinator’s Club. I’ll even sponsor you. But the point is to give yourself a set of small, easily attainable goals and make a point of crossing them off as they’re completed. Then give yourself a small treat at the end of the day.

The treat is to get you do actually do it. Ice cream and bourbon work for me. But in doing these seemingly frivolous things each day, you begin building confidence in your ability to execute. When you promise your wife you’ll fix that slow leak under the kitchen sink, you know you’ll actually do it because YOU accomplish everything YOU set out to do. You’ve proven it.

And when, sometime down the road, you decide to take on a bigger project, you’ll know you can accomplish whatever you set out to do. Unless your goal is to sprout wings and fly. Even positivity has limits. You may need help. You may need funding or special training. You may need a stroke of luck. But you’ll always know you can make every one of those things happen.

That’s all for now. Have an awesome evening and an even better weekend. Before you go to bed, put that pen and paper where you can find it in the morning. And let me know how it’s working for you!t that pen and paper where you can find it in the morning. And let me know how it’s working for you!

No More Work Days, No More Clocks …

September 4, 2026September 4, 2026 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning, and happy Friday! I hope your day is off to a great start, and your week is sliding into a fantastic end.

This is a special day for me. Today I will turn on my work computer for the last time. At the end of the day, it’ll be shut down, packed up, and shipped back to my employer. My desk will be rearranged to accommodate a single computer, a new keyboard, and dedicated space for a cocktail glass. Yes, I’m allowed. I asked my wife.

While I have no plans of sitting around all day, it will be a change waking up Monday morning to my own schedule. I intend to get up the same time I do now, no later than 5:30 AM. I’ve found over the years that my creativity peaks very early in the morning, and writing is something I plan to do. That, and walking. I can’t just sit around. I have to do something.

I once read that if you ask a woman to tell you about herself, she usually begins by telling you about her family. How long she’s been married, how many kids, how many grandchildren … you get the idea. Ask a man the same question and we’ll invariably start by telling you what we do for a living. That’s just how we’re wired. It’s how we identify with ourselves.

And when you take away that portion of our identity, we lose our sense of worth. It’s like, for the very first time in our adult lives, nobody has to rely on us for income. In fact, the money would go further with us out of the way. (I sure hope my wife isn’t reading this. She watches too many crime shows anyway. I’m not sure if it’s entertainment or apprenticeship training.)

I’ve been through some of these emotions during previous layoffs. “Oh, Dave, you were great! It’s just business. Now call your wife and tell her you’re unemployed.” Of course, back then I had to find a job as quickly as possible, and every day I didn’t, I became more and more discouraged. This time is different. My resume has seen its final edit.

Oh, I’ll continue to work. I don’t think there’s enough bourbon in the county to let me sit around the house all day. Besides, she prefers rum. My brother-in-law told her, “You’re getting twice the husband at half the pay!” Thanks for having my back, bro! Already she’s dreaming up projects to get me out of the house. So far, none have a thing to do with the pool.

But that can all wait until next week. Right now, I’m working through my final day on the job, and hoping to leave on a high note. My goal was always simple – pass on some of what I’ve learned over the years and leave the place a little better than I found it. To the extent I had any influence, I think I’ve succeeded at both.

So, with that, a very long and satisfying career comes to an end. It’s not the end, but a beginning. As I make my own place in my new world, I’m leaving behind a place for someone else to fill in the old. Okay, three or four someone elses. It’s my blog.

Finally, as this day begins, I’d be remiss in not thanking my wife for her support over the years. I stuck my neck out a lot and took some calculated risks others may have advised against, and she was there every step of the way. In fact, the only thing we’ve really disagreed about is today – retirement. I think it just reminds her she married an old man.

Anyway, that’s it for now. Have an awesome day and an even better weekend. And sometime this evening, let’s hoist a drink together in honor of my retirement. Any time zone works. As a wise old sailor once said, it’s five o-clock somewhere!

Predictability in Life – There’s More Integrity in Politics

August 31, 2026August 31, 2026 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! It’s been a while since my last post. I’d like to say I just got lazy again, but life demanded my attention in other areas. It happens.

We said goodbye to a dear friend at the start of summer. She was only 56 and had so much more life ahead of her. But it was her choice to forego treatment this time around, and I know she’s at rest now. That’s the downside to living in a community for older folks. We’re all at that end of life, and saying goodbye gets harder each time.

After a trip to Ohio to watch two of our granddaughters graduate high school, we came home for a couple of weeks before my wife underwent intense abdominal surgery. She spent 26 of the next 28 days in three different hospitals. Two months later, we’re still not there. Anything you’d like to know about the Tucson medical scene? My advice is to stay healthy.

With over $500k in bills starting to come in and a wife needing nearly constant care, I got to navigate the Family Medical Leave Act. I can tell you two things. Caregivers and form filler-outers don’t get paid enough. Those forms are as confusing as they could possibly be, all with the goal of denying your request. Mine was denied four times before they finally gave in a little.

Meanwhile, half of my team at work was laid off. I was likely on that list until my FMLA was approved. Watching 15 people, all younger than me, lose their job while I’m this close to retirement has been hard. They’re all solid professionals and I know they’ll somehow rise to the top. Life is full of detours, but sometimes that’s how we reach the best destinations.

So, how does this all wrap up? Well, one of my granddaughters just had her first day at Ohio State University, and the other just started a new job. My wife has been home for close to six weeks, and she’s still on oxygen 24/7, but she’s getting better week by week. Since my department was dissolved in the layoff, I got moved to another department. For exactly three weeks.

Today is my last Monday in the traditional workforce. I’m officially retiring the end of this week. This is what I’ve worked for the past 54 years, and I’m ready for it. There will be no big celebration at work, no gold watch, likely nothing more than a few emails from coworkers with the requisite “it’s been nice” sentiment. But that’s okay. A week from today, they’ll move forward without me.

As I go through a week of “lasts” at work, I hope I’ll hear from some of the many dear friends I made over the past 10 years. I’ve been reaching out to those I worked most closely with, but some of the best are people I only worked with once or just met in passing. I know I’ll overlook several, because there are too many to list. But I’ll try to catch ‘em all.

Anyway, as of next Monday, this will be my fulltime job. Well, not necessarily a weekly blog, but writing in general. I’ve got a couple of books started, and I’m planning to find my way into some motivational speaking. That’s been my dream for years and, as I’ve said many times in the past, we’re never too old to chase our dreams. A new chapter of life can always begin.

That’s all for now. This has been a little longer than some, and I’ll try to tighten up in the coming weeks. I’ll send you another update Friday as I begin my final day of work. Until then, have an awesome day and an even better week!

Tears or Cheers – They All Count the Same

May 15, 2026May 15, 2026 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning, and happy Friday! I hope you’ve all had an awesome week!

This has been a special week for me. Our granddaughter is graduating high school, and I couldn’t be more proud. I won’t share her life’s details except to say she overcame a mountain of adversity to reach this exciting accomplishment, but she would never have accepted anything less than complete success. I told her the other night she is who I want to be if I ever grow up.

She attended a county career center for the past two years, in a veterinary science program. That means two graduation ceremonies – one for the career center and one for her home school. I don’t mind. It’s not like they’re charging admission. Honestly, I think they missed a huge opportunity there because grandparents would absolutely pay it. I know. I’ve done it.

Her career center ceremony was this past Tuesday. The room was buzzing with anticipation. And then they started playing that song. You know the song. And I was instantly reduced to a blubbering old man who couldn’t form a word if his life depended on it. I haven’t cried that much in a long time, and I’m not ashamed to say it.

So, tonight is her actual high school graduation. Different venue, different participants, different speeches. But one thing won’t change – they’ll start the whole thing off with that song. I’m crying just thinking about it. Ladies, do we get extra “sensitivity” points for crying at the mere thought of crying? There has to be some kind of scale there.

And next week I get to do it all again with our next granddaughter. Different venue, different participants, different speeches … and that song. I’ve come to realize that’s what turns on the waterworks for me, much like a bridal march brings out the macho in women. It’s not the song itself, but the meaning behind it. A beginning and an end. A day they’ll never forget.

You may find this hard to believe, but I used to be fairly critical of the younger generation. Please tell me you find that hard to believe. I don’t know why, and that’s something about my past I wish I could change. For the record, I was equally critical of politicians and CEOs, if that counts for anything.

But when I look at these young people proudly walking across that stage to receive the written proof of their accomplishment, I see diversity and intelligence and passion and, above all, hope for the future. Not so much my future, because I’m closer to the other end than I care to acknowledge. But their future, and their kids’ future. And I think it’s in very capable hands.

There comes a time for all of us when we have to step back and hand over the reins. It’s like the first time sitting in the passenger seat of your car as your teenager adjusts the mirrors. It takes trust, and a lot of love, not to mention a really tight seatbelt. And they won’t get it right every time. But they will get better. And, with very few exceptions, none of their mistakes can’t be fixed.

So, to all the young folks graduating and moving on into the world this week, congratulations! To their parents, woohoo!!! And to their should’ve-retired-at-least-a-year-ago grandfathers, don’t forget to pack some tissues. (I had to write the retirement thing in case my wife reads this.)

That’s all for now, folks. I’ll be back next week with … well, something. Enjoy your day and do something kind for yourself or somebody else. And have an awesome weekend!

Your Future Started Yesterday – Catch Up!

March 16, 2026 by Dave Glardon, posted in Uncategorized

Good morning! I hope your day is off to a nice start. It’s a brand-new week. Let’s see what kind of good trouble we can stir up!

We talked last week about income and retirement and the whole concept of waiting until your body is so old and broken you can’t do much of anything to enjoy what you’ve spent a lifetime building. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t interest me in the least.

The whole retirement system is based on life expectancy, which is a nice way of saying the system can’t survive if we live too long. Comforting, isn’t it? According to Social Security’s actuarial tables, if you’re 40 today, your life is half over. And you still have another 27 years to work. How’s that for a dose of reality?

But here’s some good news – the younger you are, the more you can influence not only the time you spend on this earth, but the quality of that time as well. And the key is planning, doing something now so you don’t have to do it later. Anticipate the inevitable, and work now to mitigate any negative consequences it may bring.

The “inevitable,” obviously, is getting old and still needing money. “Oh, she can’t afford to live there – she’s on a fixed income.” You hear it all the time. And all too often, that becomes, “She can’t afford food – she’s on a fixed income.” Well, dammit, maybe we need to ditch the fixed income! Who says you can’t keep up the cash flow in retirement? People do it every day.

But they did something most people haven’t done, and that’s recognizing and taking advantage of opportunity. If we only open our eyes and ears, and maybe use our imagination just a little, opportunity is all around us. It’s knocking on your door right every day. But, unlike an armed assailant, it won’t kick the door down. I’ll knock once or twice, and then quietly move on.

All opportunity asks is that you take the time to open the door and open your mind. Sure, sometimes it’s a scam, engineered specifically to part you from your hard-earned money. Other times, it may be a solid premise without the planning and insight to bring it to fruition. But if your mind is clouded by those expectations, you’re gonna miss something big.

And sometimes, the simplest of opportunities are the big ones. I read years ago about a group of elderly women who started a business cleaning up gravesites for family members who didn’t have time do it on their own. They’d pull weeds, polish the headstone, and even leave flowers for an extra fee. And they got rich doing it. All because they saw a need and filled it.

That’s just one of many examples I could share. And the thing is, none of these require any special skills or equipment. They don’t require any specific education, and most can be started for less than most of us spend on snacks and gourmet coffee in a week. That may be hard to comprehend, but it’s true. All you have to do is open your mind and see what’s possible.

It’s been said that the mind is like a parachute – it only works when it’s open. It’s easy to come up with reasons something can’t work. But it’s even easier to imagine why it can. Not every opportunity will appeal to you, and some may not work for you, personally. But opportunity is like a puppy – if you keep pushing it away, it’ll eventually stop trying.

That’s all for today. Give opportunity a chance. Find one that looks right for you and then give it everything you’ve got. If it doesn’t work, you’re that much closer to finding something that will. Give it some thought this week. Meanwhile, have an awesome day!