I'm Not Done Yet

Is PayPal On Your List?

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:36:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:56:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:27:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 03:29:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 20:21:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 15:43:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:01:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 22:27:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:12:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 05:16:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 02:38:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 21:12:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:45:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:47:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 23:00:00 +0000

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!

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 22:34:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 04:12:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 01:21:00 +0000

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 ...

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 03:05:00 +0000

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

--

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

The Lasting Effects Of 9/11

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 03:45:00 +0000

Like many of you, I just finished watching 60 Minutes and it's special on September 11, 2001. The segment I found particularly intriguing was the last one when Scott Pelley interviewed several survivors. They all talked about their respiratory problems and the long-term health effects they all are experiencing as a result of breathing in all of the toxic dust during their time at Ground Zero.

If you missed it, you can view it here:

I guess the two words none of them uttered that bothered me were asbestos and mesothelioma. The reason that bothered me so much is two-fold. One: The Twin Towers were coated with asbestos and much of that dust was that pulverized asbestos.

The second word which was not spoken was mesothelioma. Asbestos poisoning has a special meaning to me because my father died of mesothelioma in 2006. His lungs were full of asbestos he received from a second job he had for close to twenty years. The frustrating thing for me is knowing the two asphalt companies he worked for never told their so-called "Associates" were slowly killing themselves every day by exposing themselves to this toxic dust they were inhaling constantly as they blew and swept up from parking lots, driveways and rooftops. The insidious thing about asbestos is it can remain in our lungs for as long as forty years before it starts to manifest itself.

I also want to introduce you to one more survivor of 9/11. That is William Rodriguez. After hearing him speak, on October 9, 2007, I wrote about one of the true heroes of the 9/11 attacks. He was a maintenance worker in the North Tower and saved many lives. His story is very compelling. To learn more about him, I have a link to his website on that post. You can read it by clicking here.

We are going to see people dying from all sorts of respiratory ailments for decades to come!

As always, I welcome your comments.

Later,

Mike

P.S. To my Facebook friends who want to see this video, just go to my blog by clicking here. While you are there, please subscribe to it, follow the directions, 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. Thank you.

They Say Life Begins At Forty

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 22:59:00 +0000

I have always felt as though I have had two lives. I lived to be sixteen in my first life. Now my second life is ended at forty. As I begin my third life, I find striking similarities between the beginnings and endings of all three.

Both Number One and Number Two ended with me being in a hospital. Both at the beginnings of Numbers Two and Three I have no idea how long the hospitalizations will be. Little did I know what was happening or how my first life would end and how the ramifications would affect not only my life but the lives of who knows how many other people. People have often told me I have no idea how many others I have inspired, educated or changed in one way or another by the way I have lived my second life.

That simply is not true. I have always known my words, actions and deeds have influenced people who I may have never met. True, I do not know the exact numbers. I just know it happens all the time because people tell me how an instant in time has affected their lives. My second life surely was not lived the way I had imagined it would be. But then who among us can say their life has gone as they had anticipated it would?

In the book I have written, one of the chapters shows a poster which reads I Still Believe In Tomorrow. I do not remember who gave me that poster. The poster is long gone, but like so many of the things I have said and done, the person who gave it to me does not know how inspiring it has been. If you are the one, or know who gave it to me, please let me know. I want to thank you personally.

I still have not decided on the title of my book, and it may very well end up being I Still Believe In Tomorrow.

I am dictating this to my mom on September 3, 2011. I do not know how long I will be in the hospital this time.

Right now, I am lying in bed with a PICC line in my right arm as two heavy-duty IV antibiotics are raging war with the bacteria currently trying to keep me down. So, I cannot use my right arm. With assistance from my cousin Susie and her husband Tom, we are getting this posted today. Coincidentally, Tom wrote an article about me which appears in today's Minneapolis StarTribune, which you can read by clicking here.

As always, I welcome your comments.

Later,

Mike

Chad is 38!

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 00:41:00 +0000

Some of you remember my baby brother, Chad, from our time in Worthington. We are the Alpha and Omega children of Arlin and Colleen. I tease him how he will always be the baby of the family and he comes right back at me with, "At least I'm not older than dirt!"

Here was his first birthday cake:

So I sign all my emails to him "Dirt." We have a great relationship. He was just in town for several days around his twenty-year Class Reunion. That's right, he has been out of Mayo High School in Rochester for twenty years already! I have a hard time believing it. We got to spend a lot of time together and had a great time. I miss him and have a hard time believing he has been living in Southern California for thirteen years already.

For my longtime readers, you may remember the post I did on him in January 2010. If you are a new reader to this blog, you may see the post by clicking here or click his name at the end of this post.

His website has been updated and his first invention, The Drum Wallet is starting to sell. You can see it with new videos, photos and many new testimonials. Just click here. If you are a drummer, or know a drummer, you need The Drum Wallet. They make great gifts!

He is a budding entrepreneur with other ideas, and starts bursting at the seams when he starts talking about his ideas. The Drum Wallet is in the final stage of getting patented, and he has a couple other products in various stages of development.

Here is a shot of him in action these days:

I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

Gospel For Teens

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 02:36:00 +0000

Once again, my favorite TV Show, 60 Minutes, came through with another piece I feel compelled to share because of the lessons I learned from their expert journalism. Vy Higgenson is running a program in Harlem that is changing young lives through teaching them to not only sing Gospel, but the history of the music and how it can change their lives. I have always contended education is about opportunity, and good material taught by good teachers. Gospel for Teens fits that bill.

It is such a good piece with so much to learn, they took two segments of the show to tell the story. Granted, this is the Summer rerun season and this story originally ran this Spring, but it was new to me. If you have already seen it, just delete this post. But, if you missed it this Spring, check out these two video segments from tonight's show:

Segment Two:

I often say how my post material comes to me. I do not have to go looking for it. It has happened again tonight.

I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

P.S. 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, follow the directions, 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. Thank you.

"Beautiful, your butt looks beautiful!"

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 22:21:00 +0000

Those were the words my nurse exclaimed as she took the bandages off two of the bedsores on my backside. I wish I had a dime for every time a nurse has told me how good my derriere has looked over these last almost forty years!

There have been far too many times when nurses and doctors have not been so positive in her/his assessment of the condition of my posterior. When she turned me over to change the dressing on my left trochanter, (the top part of the femur) her excitement was not so great. It is still getting better, just not as fast as the other two sores. In all fairness to her, she had not seen me in about a month.

I told her, "You just gave me material for my next blog post." I am anxious to show her how I kept my word.

Since 1972 when I developed my first bedsore, I have had eight surgeries on my left side and two more on my right side. I have spent at least a year in hospitals and many more months recovering at home. Each recovery takes a long time to get my strength and stamina back to the point where I can handle sitting up all day. As I get older, I am noticing recovery time is taking longer and longer. I am sure some of my chronically challenged readers can relate!

I am closing now since Mom just called me for dinner. Then, it is off to bed again as I will be pushing seven hours of being semi-vertical. I will watch the Twins game again and see if they can finally beat the best team money can buy. I really do not like what George Steinbrenner did when he bought the Yankees. But that is an editorial for another post.

As always, I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike

Please Give Me Your Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (I'm Not Done Yet) — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 18:36:00 +0000

I am in the final editing stages of a book I have been working on for several years. It is indeed the inspiration for this blog. Some of your comments are even in the book.

The working title is I'm Not Done Yet, And Neither Are You. My editor has come across some concerns with that title because of a possible copyright infringement. I have received opinions on both sides of that issue. I have been told it is okay to use it, while others are telling me I need to change it. It is still my preferred title, and I may end up using it.

Here is where I would like your thoughts on a title. I am listing several possible titles and I would like you to tell me which one you like. Also, please write any new title ideas you may have.

Thank you in advance.

I'm Not Done Yet

I Still Believe In Tomorrow

An Instant In Time May Change Everything

I Know Why I Broke My Neck

Don't Ever Break Your Neck ...
It's Not Worth The Good Parking Spots

When Your Pride Goes Out The Window

If you are reading this on my Facebook page, please go to my blog and enter your thoughts as a comment. You may go to the blog by clicking here. While you are there, feel free to check out some of my old posts. You may find them educational, inspirational, entertaining and possibly even humorous. Also, please subscribe to it. If you do, you will get an email every time I post. That will allow you to get videos and other attachments that do not show up on Facebook.

I look forward to your comments.

Later,

Mike