Success Starts Here!

OK so maybe some of you latter 30somethings or early 40somethings have already experienced this, but do you ever feel like you're getting older? Not so much the body, that felt like it was older when I was still in my 20s. Lately I've been wondering if this disconnect I feel with popular culture and youth is a sign of things to come. For most of my career I've felt quite hip (that's a sign right there I'm old). I've worked in radio and television most of my life and found great pride in staying up with the latest music, the latest fashion trends, the latest big thing. Until recently, when I saw teenage kids on MTV or movies, I could still (insanely) imagine myself in their shoes. Today I saw a young Private (a Private is the most junior rank in the Army) and this kid looked as young as my sons. He probably wasn't far older than them. I don't see Privates everyday in my particular position so I was quite shocked and wondered if I ever looked that young.

This week a few of my good friends lost family members and good friends of their own. For one it was the expected end result of a long fight with an insidiously terrible disease, for another it was the shock of learning a close friend's life had been cut short by an unexpected accident, and for the third inconceivable news of a friend ending their life. In times like this it is always hard as a friend to have the right words to say and sometimes the only thing one can do is let those who are left behind to miss these people know that you are there for them. There really are no words to lighten their load or alleviate their pain. Only one force in our universe can do that, time. The losses got me to think about those whom I have lost over the years. Good friends, loving family, heck even beloved pets. It also got me to thinking about the angry, spiteful world we live in and how so many of us let stupid emotions or even worse, pride get in the way of telling those we love just how

They represent the very best of us at times and the flawed humanity of "us" at others. They inspire the world, and sometimes set the course for our entire civilization. They are the 43 men who have served as President of the United State of America. Yes, there have been 44 presidents in all, except President Grover Cleveland served as both the 22nd and 24th and of course others have served back-to-back presidencies. Anyway, clever useless Jeopardy factoids aside, today we celebrate Presidents Day. While very few of us will think too deeply about this day off, which happens far too commonly these days on our national holidays, it is still an important day to remember the highest office in the land, and possibly the most impacting job on the planet. What U.S. presidents have done more than anything else over time is change the course of history. Since the very first of our presidents George Washington stood up against British tyranny, to our current president Barrack Obama wh

Maybe Old Blue Eyes said it best in his song My Funny Valentine; "but don't you change one hair for me, not if you care for me, stay little valentine, stay." With Valentine's day just a few days away, I got to thinking of what that holiday means to me. It's interesting that Valentine's day is linked with new love so much these days and that's OK I guess. To me though, the true meaning of the holiday lies not in new love, but the kind that endures; the kind that lasts past all the faking we all do to attract each other and keep each others' attention during an early romance. I'm gonna be honest, I'm a mess. I've made more mistakes than most over the years, some real whoppers. I started out pretty good looking if I do say so myself (I kid), but the years are wearing on me. I am far from the perfect male model and nobody has ever confused me for Enrique Iglesias. I can be moody and stubborn, like to be pretend I'm right more than I actua