Andy Andrews

Want To Hear A Halloween Tale?

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:15:48 -0400

Several weeks ago, Polly, the boys, and I gathered with some friends for a good, old fashioned family time. As everyone arrived, the adults talked while the children, excited to see each other in a setting other than school, ran back and forth from the living room to the playroom to Austin and Adam’s bedroom. Before too long, we all settled down in the living room on the couch or the rug. From the kitchen, we brought in several more chairs until we were all seated.

We wanted to read to the kids.

What would it be like to spend an evening the way families did long before television or video games or even radio. Years ago, groups of people would get together and read aloud for entertainment.

Could this be done today? Was it possible to slow today’s child down enough to experience an evening without a television or a telephone? Would they even listen? We wanted to find out.

I was the designated “reader” and chose a couple of stories from my newest book, Return To Sawyerton Springs. Amazingly, those two stories turned into three, then four, then five—until the moms overruled the cry for more and called bedtime. Saying goodnight, we began to realize that the group ranged in ages over far broader a spectrum than one might expect to see anywhere else doing the same thing together. From seven to well over seventy, we were children, parents, and grandparents—and we had a blast!

Since Halloween is right around the corner, I thought you might want to listen in. So join us in our living room. I am sitting in the blue chair that Polly usually reserves for company, my back is to the fireplace, and I believe we begin on page 81. Are you comfortable? Okay, here we go. “Whoooooo stole my golden arm….?”

Listen to the Halloween Story below

Entertain Your Family and Friends

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:01:40 -0400

Years ago, I became convinced that the best writers in the world have not yet been published. I am certain that the best singers are not in New York or Las Vegas or on your radio. They are most likely in a local band down the street from you or in your church choir! Incidentally, that is a part of why I do what I do—to encourage those of you with talent and desire to step forward—or if you have already stepped forward, to insist that you persist without exception in your quest to enlighten or entertain us.

Meanwhile . . . don’t forget your family and friends. If you are funny, then come on! Entertain us!

Forget every comedian you ever saw . . . did you know that the funniest human on the planet is an insurance agent in Anthem, Arizona?

His name is Mike Jakubik. He will kill me for telling YOU, but believe me, it’s true.

Bonnie Latino has been writing for years, but you have not yet heard of her. You will soon . . . her latest short story, “The Rush of Butterflies” just won an international contest.

Some folks say, “If I only had a famous contact . . . someone who could help,” but I know a guy who might one day be the most famous person in his family. He is just that good. So far, however, his last name hasn’t helped much. Listen below for "Sweet" from Nathan Osmond—he is one of Alan’s sons—a nephew of Donny and Marie.

Sweet by Nathan Osmond

Not long ago, I heard twelve-year-old from Virginia named Taylor Short sing a selection from Phantom of the Opera. I was blown away. She’s twelve?

Polly, the boys, and I went to our local theater two weeks ago to see The Sound of Music, which was certainly an ambitious production for an area like ours. Dale, Mick, Bailey, and Glennellen were all friends and of course we went to support them. And they were awesome!

Speaking of Glennellen—most of us call her Glenn—she is the beautiful red haired daughter of some of our best friends, Jerry and Katrina Anderson.

Polly and I were in the hospital waiting room fourteen years ago when Glenn was born so we have watched her unique talent evolve for years. In The Sound of Music, because she appears a bit older, Glenn was able to play the part of Liesl (“I am Sixteen, Going on Seventeen” . . . remember?) Glenn is also one of my favorite laughers (she laughs at everything I do) and she is the very person who inspired this particular blog posting. You see, I harbor the belief that we all possess some hidden talent that we can exploit in order to entertain others. And that is, in fact, what I sometimes do for Glenn.

Here’s an example: Recently, I scribbled down some lyrics of my own to the tune of “My Favorite Things”—one of the songs I had heard performed in the musical. I must have worked and worked for oh . . . 20 or 30 minutes to come up with my masterpiece. When I was finished, I dialed the Anderson’s house and performed it for Glenn. What was the purpose? To entertain my fourteen-year-old buddy and her family, of course! Their laughter over the phone was the equal to any standing ovation I have ever received.

Want to hear it? Of course you do! I only did one verse, but the words are below. Feel free to sing along!

My Favorite Things

By Andy Andrews

SEC football and Bugs Bunny cartoons,

Family vacations, trout fishing on full moons,

Banana pudding, chicken and dumplings—

These are a few of my favorite things.

Wrestling with Adam and bike rides with Austin,

Home made white layer cake with chocolate frosting,

Peyton and Eli and all the Mannings,

These are a few of my favorite things!

When swine flu hits, when I get zits,

When I feel unhappy . . .

I simply remember my favorite things,

And then I don’t feel . . . so crappy!

Now it is YOUR TURN to make us all laugh. In the comments section below, we’d like to read your new words to the tune of a song we have all heard. Come on . . . entertain us!

Have fun!

Andy

What You Don't Know CAN Hurt You!

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:25:36 -0400

Last week, two people drowned on Perdido Key.

Our house is not on the beach, but we do live near it and every time something tragic happens in or around our coastal community, the news spreads quickly. Unfortunately, drownings are a fairly common occurrence anywhere tourists and saltwater meet. In fact, on the same day two people from out-of-state lost their lives, eleven more were rescued by lifeguards.

Why did this happen? Why such a large number of incidences at one time? The locals knew why . . .

Riptide.

It is a scary word. It is an even scarier situation IF you don’t know what’s happening when you get caught in one.

On the way to school this morning with my two boys, we had the conversation most parents around here have several times a year with their kids.

"Do you know what a riptide is? Do you know what to do when (notice we don’t say if) you get caught in one? Do we let a riptide scare us? Have you practiced making yourself relax?"

You see, a riptide is only dangerous if you don’t understand what is happening. That is why local parents make sure that their children (who are always at the beach and occasionally without their own parents) understand the danger.

There is a difference between “knowing a thing is dangerous” and “understanding the danger”. When we understand a particular danger, we can often nullify its consequences.

For instance, many people think a riptide will “sweep you out to sea”. Actually, a riptide is a cross current that runs parallel to the beach for a relatively short distance. While a riptide may be extremely strong and impossible to swim against, it can be safely maneuvered if one understands a riptide.

Even inexperienced swimmers can dogpaddle or tread water in some way. When caught in a riptide... RELAX. Don’t panic or try to swim to shore against the current. You can’t. This is the mistake most drowning victims have made. Though they might have been excellent swimmers (and they often are), they did not possess the knowledge and understanding that if they relax and swim with the current, the riptide will either deposit them on the sand (down the beach a ways) ... or cease to flow entirely, making it easy to swim to shore.

In the conversation I had with my boys about the tragedies of last week, I took the opportunity once again to go through local riptide mantra.

When you feel the strong current, you know what to do.

Relax.
Tread water.
Relax.

Breath deeply.

Relax.
Don’t panic. It will all be over very soon.

There is no reason be scared.

All this having been said, this information is for the first person that gets caught in a riptide. Why is that? Because if someone has been in a riptide that day, this means there are riptides in the water.

And if there are riptides in the water . . .

we don’t go in the water!

I know this might seem overly simple to you, but for years, I have been trying desperately to gather wisdom for all parts of my life. Having gathered at least a small amount, I endeavor to dispense it in palatable form to readers and audiences around the world. And there is one thing I have become very sure of:

What you don’t know . . . CAN hurt you!

The second decision in Mastering the Seven Decisions and The Traveler’s Gift is: I Will Seek Wisdom. Incredibly, I have paid more attention to the word “wisdom” over the years than I have to the most important part of the principle . . . the word “seek”.

In short, our success in everything we do (and sometimes our very lives) hang in the balance between what we know and what we don’t know. Your financial success will be largely achieved by what you know, but in turn, your financial life can be devastated by what you don’t know. Our children’s lives will be happy and productive and safe according to what they know . . . or don’t know.

Therefore, I propose that you and I lead lives of permanent purpose. Knowing that your family and career is of the highest importance to you, I strongly suggest that we pay very close attention to what we read or watch and the things to which we listen.

At every moment, we are gaining knowledge and wisdom that can make the difference in our lives . . . or we are reading, watching, and listening to things that (in the long term) mean absolutely nothing.

Question: What small period of your day will you begin to use in a more purposeful manner? How? Thanks in advance for your answer. It will direct and inspire us all.

Your friend,

Andy

Like To Laugh?

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:32:48 -0400

It was soon after The Traveler's Gif t was released that I began hearing what I now consider to be my most asked question . . .

As the book took on a life of it's own, "the question" seemed to do the same. Through the publication of subsequent books, DVD's, and CD packages, "the question" took on new forms, but it's essence was the same. But when The Noticer came out last May, I was deluged with "the question" and knew it was time to provide a decent answer.

It was never that I didn't have any answer—I just never had a good one.

"The question" was flattering and humbling at the same time. It let me know that folks somehow appreciated the fact that I continue working hard to learn and understand principles that, if applied, can create the lives we desire for our families. But again, as honored as I was every time I was asked, I never knew the answer.

"How can I get my teenager to read your books?"

That's how it started.

Then, "What do I say to encourage my husband to read these books?"; Or "My wife needs this, but there is not a chance she'll read it. Why? Because she doesn't like 'this kind of stuff'."

There is not a day that goes by in my life now that I don't hear some version of this refrain. Often, personal information is quietly added. I hear quick, desperate little stories about depression or addictions or unforgiving spirits or fears or infidelities or financial disasters or ... well, you name it. To be quite honest, I often hear these stories and cry inside. I know for a fact—

these people might not need my books,
but they need somebody's books!

But even knowing that ... now we're back to the same old question: How do you get someone to read something—that they refuse to read—even though we know they'd actually like it if they ever started reading?

Enter Return to Sawyerton Springs.

I started writing funny stories about my childhood and hometown years ago. At one point, I even self-published a few of them in a volume that sold . . . oohhhh, about seventeen copies!

Though very few people knew the book existed, those who read the stories were enthusiastic about them.

Even my wife, Polly, said, "This is some of your best writing—definitely the funniest—don't worry, God is not through with this idea yet!"

About a year ago, Mark Victor Hansen (creator of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series) asked me to produce something different for them. "Can you create an easy to read novel," he asked, "that contains your trademark lessons, but is laugh-out-loud funny?"

My reply? "Mark, I've already begun!"

So, I took some of my old stories, wrote a lot more stories, and fashioned transitions and connections in order to create a novel about my hometown. In this book, I believe you will laugh remembering the confusion of being a kid in a world run by adults, you'll relive the experiences you had with crazy neighbors, and feel an appreciation for simpler times. I've also included a running report on what's happening in Sawyerton Springs today.

I am proud of this book. Without a doubt, it is the funniest thing I have ever written. And for those of you who enjoy "significant content", you will spot the principles and messages scattered throughout.

But here's the deal . . . the lessons are subtle. Intentionally. My hope is that you will enjoy this new book as much as any of my others, but Return To Sawyerton Springs was written with a larger picture in my mind . . . I want this book to be a bridge people can use to connect friends and family to principles that can change their lives.

What if, I wondered, I could create a book that was laugh-out-loud funny right from the first chapter? What if the average reader didn't recognize this book as "self-help" or "inspirational"? If the average person loves Return To Sawyerton Springs, will they then read The Noticer or The Traveler's Gift?

That is my "agenda"—certainly not a hidden one, because I just told you all about it!

Look, if you just want to read one of my books, I sincerely appreciate that! This new one has just been released and is already in bookstores or you can link to Amazon from here . But if you really want a person you love to read a book that will change their life and they refuse, this particular book is a tool created especially for you! Simply give them Return To Sawyerton Springs and tell them it is funny. That's all.

Then, when they laugh at the baseball story (chapter 1), remember being punished for something someone else did (chapter 4), or shake their head in amazement at how we must have all grown up in the "same hometown" (every chapter), your friend or loved one will be much more willing to read something else by that Andy Andrews guy!

One more thing ... I am convinced that very few media pieces today—movies, television programs, music, or books—are created with a broad family demographic. Everyone seems to try hard to dial into that narrow group of people who make up the buying public for their product. Subsequently, there are very few things that a family can enjoy together! Children don’t like what the adults want to watch, listen to, or read and vice versa. Gone are the days of The Andy Griffith Show when the whole family would excitedly settle down and enjoy something together.

I have created Return to Sawyerton Springs with your family in mind—so here is my challenge: Can you create fifteen minutes every evening for thirty days? There are thirty short chapters in this book. Can Mom or Dad or one of the older children read aloud to the family every evening for thirty days? Fifteen minutes a night with no television, no stereo, no texting, no computer games ... Just you and your family laughing, thinking, talking—together! What have you got to lose? You may drag them into the den the first couple of nights, but I promise they will quickly begin to look forward to the time with you.

And they will remember it forever!!

There is a Reader's Guide in the back, so it's perfect for discussions with your family or book club. Lets have fun with this one! It's time to laugh!

Your friend,

Andy

Audio Clips

Listen to Andy read Chapter 1 from Return to Sawyerton Springs

Return to Sawyerton Springs Song

What Do I Do Now?

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:00:39 -0400

After my last posting entitled “Here We Go ...”, I have enjoyed reading your comments on the blog, on Twitter, and on Facebook. I have also talked to quite a few of you in person. It has been interesting to note that as excited as we all seem to be, there is one question that continues to recur in almost every comment and conversation: What do I do now?

If you are like me, that question has been one of life’s most common (and constant) refrains. In fact, the more important the task before me, the more tempted I am to cautiously approach the starting line. After all, I have reasoned, I don’t want to do anything wrong ...

Over and over again in my life, however, I noticed that when I didn’t know what to do, I usually did nothing. I didn’t intend to do nothing. I knew “nothing” wasn’t the answer. But often, it was the ultimate outcome of not knowing what to do.

By now, many of you have read The Noticer and are familiar with Jones, the old man who was a real person to me and is the title character in the book. As you might imagine, I think of him almost every day and have for almost thirty years. I remember how he walked, his smile, and how he could be simultaneously stern and loving. Lately, as I do interviews and talk to folks about The Noticer, I am also reminded almost daily that

I didn’t include everything the old man told me when I wrote the book . . .

Almost every television or radio appearance I do now includes some form of this question: Andy, having been homeless and knowing there are so many people today facing the toughest times in their lives, what would you advise them to do ... when they don’t know where to start?

I remember asking Jones a variation of that very question ... the same question we are contemplating here and now! His answer, as always, was simple, yet profound.

“Son,” he said, “when you don’t know what to do, you must always doooooo ... something!” My eyebrows lifted. Jones chuckled and continued. “I know you can’t do everything right now, but right now, you can do something. Look here, the problem you have at this moment is that while you are not lazy—you work and continue to look for work—there is a lot of time everyday that you sit under this pier or walk the beach being scared or mad or feeling sorry for yourself. You keep asking, what do I do? And I’m telling you, the answer is “something”.

“Actually, I believe that you don’t even know what you can do anymore. You have begun to doubt the very value that exists in you as a person.” Jones paused for a moment as if to let this sink in. He stared as if to dare me to refute him. Then, he continued. “So let’s think about this for a minute.

What value do you have?

Can you read?” Gesturing with his hand, Jones said, “You know, there are people out there who can’t read. Do something! Go read to ‘em! You’re young ... you’re strong. Can you carry things? There are lots of folks who can’t carry things anymore. Go carry something! Can you mow grass or pull weeds?” The old man leaned toward me and spoke with intensity. “I’m not sayin’ to find someone and ask, “If I mow your grass, will you give me ten dollars when I’m finished ... I’m telling you to go out into your community and find weeds that need pulling and pull them!”

Jones took a breath and cocked his head. With a sly smile, he pressed on. “Here’s what will happen ... By doing something, your mind and heart will remember and reestablish the enormous value you already possess. You will have more energy, more excitement, a renewed sense of purpose—

and you will become more valuable!

“As you become more valuable, people will notice. No longer will they think of you as the kid who sleeps under the pier. They will forget that you bathe in the Holiday Inn swimming pool. Folks will talk to each other about you, but here is what they’ll say ... ‘Have you noticed that guy? Every time I see him, he is helping someone. Every day, he is finding things that need to be done and is doing them!’

“People will observe your actions and your attitude and they will begin to place a value on you that they didn’t see before. In their eyes, you will have become valuable. I don’t have to tell you what happens to valuable people. You already know! They get job offers and opportunities and encouragement and favors and advice ... and all because they did something—even when they didn’t know what to do!”

So this is our beginning, my friends. In this country, we have forgotten just how valuable each of us are. This is not the time to gripe or worry or accuse.

Now is the time to do something.

Do you see?

As rich and poor do something, they will begin to value each other and establish common ground where once there only existed opposition and distrust.

People of different colors, of different political parties, and different cultures will discover value where they were certain none would ever be found!

This is our beginning.

And we are the ones who must begin.

Your Friend,

Andy

Here We Go

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 18:38:40 -0400

Click above to have Andy read the blog to you.

I don’t know when you are reading this, but I am writing it in the middle of the night. That seems to be the proper time for a decision such as this. Most public figures would be counseled earnestly to avoid what I am about to do . . .

Let me begin by acknowledging that I am a public figure, certainly a minor one, but my career is largely determined by whether people buy and share my books and materials . . . or not. Therefore, somewhat like a politician, I am keenly aware that everything I say or do bears heavily on whether or not I am able to pay my bills. And as we all know, words tumbled into cyberspace, once entered, can never be lost, retracted, forgotten, or successfully re-explained.

I have wondered for a couple of years now just what the heck I am supposed to be doing. Isn’t that an odd thing to admit? Really! You and I are adults . . . aren’t we supposed to have a handle on everything? Confident, chest out, chin up, follow me, and all that . . .

From my point of view, day to day, doing the best I know how . . . I know I am supposed to write and speak. Okay . . . but what do I do? I mean, the world is changing quickly, my country has changed already and is in the process of changing everything for my boys, and their children, for a long time.

PAUSE . . .

I am thinking as I talk to you here—so bear with me. I am aware that I haven’t yet revealed the direction my life is about to take. Please be patient with my rambling on this blog. Here on this blog—and only here—I am not writing with a deadline or word-count in mind. I don’t have a specific blog-length calculated to attract the largest number of readers or a particular date figured on which to send this communication in order to make the biggest splash. This letter, between you and me, here and now, is to allow me to question myself about what I do and how I do it. You are being invited into this process that is usually quite private. And yes, I am fully aware that this single document will allow you to determine whether you care to continue to read what I write and whether or not you share my thoughts and books with others in the future.

Back to the Text . . .

During the course of our relationship, whether you are a new friend of mine or have been in for the long haul, you have heard me convey how necessary I believe it is for us to ask good questions of ourselves. In the past months, these are among the questions I have asked myself repeatedly:

To what degree has the culture in which I live . . . changed? Overall, am I content with the changes that I now face. Am I happy with schools, movies, my choices at the grocery store, my government locally and nationally?

Do I contribute enough to society?

Do I accept things and ideas and actions into my life and family that I would not have considered ten years ago? How have I changed with society? Is this a good thing or a bad thing? What will the world be like when my boys are in high school?

Is there a reason to insist my children respond “yes sir” or “no ma’am” to an adult? Have I been raised in an area of the country that made me feel one way or the other about that kind of thing? Is there a reason for “yes, sir” or is it an opinion—a preference—that one can let get in the way of more important things?

Am I producing this book or product just to make money or does it have another purpose? Would I read this? Do I wish I had known this information thirty years ago . . . or twenty . . . or ten? Will this product I have produced help someone who is hurting, who needs direction, who needs confirmation?

Is the limited time I have available in my life being used wisely? Was the 2 hours I spent with that one person at the request of a friend really what I was supposed to do with my time? Or should I have been with Polly and the boys? Writing? Praying? Reading? Fiction or Non-Fiction? How much should I sleep? Should I ever just . . . play?

Why am I so drawn to history? Is there something else I am supposed to find, to figure out in order to reveal to people? What do I think I can do anyway? Can I, one person, really do anything about our country’s direction or it’s ability or it’s culture? Is my work with Special Ops or Military or Government people a justifiable use of the time I give? Am I flying on this gunship to be cool and say I did it . . . or is there a reason for me to be here with these people? Should I be somewhere else?

Do I drive or fly? Business or coach? Is one client more important than another? Is Augusta National Golf Club (who paid for me to spend an entire day speaking to every employee) more important than the Rotary Club in Zachary, LA (who gave me a coffee cup)? I spoke to them because my friend Chris asked me to do so . . . and I had the hour open.

Should I attend the church supper on Wednesday nights? Is a football game worth 3 hours of my time? Do my clients think so? Do my boys think so? Does God think so?

These are among the many questions I ask myself . . .

So . . . what are we seeking? More importantly, if we want to ask a really good question:

What do our actions indicate we are seeking?

What difference are we making? What difference did we intend to make this morning? Do we even think about intending to make a difference?

The last few months have pointed me toward a specific search I am about to make in my life. It will be a search for

The Real Truth

about a lot of different things. If you and I have spent any time at all together, you are already aware that I do not consider myself a “motivational speaker”. I am not into encouragement. I am into proof. I want to live a principled existence . . . a life that demonstrates again and again

if I invest the time to do THIS . . . then THAT will occur.

Some decades from now, I intend to conclude a life of faith that will show evidence of what I have believed. I am fifty years old. I am old enough to have already proven some things and young enough to make an exhaustive search for the answers I still seek.

In The Noticer, Jones’ proof of hope to Willow Callaway are the same words the old man spoke to me so many years ago. Their urgent accuracy resonates now like a bell rung on a clear winter morning!

There is more! Now!

There is more to share, more to earn, more to become, more to learn, more to create. Real proof of hope demands we shake off the fear and rust and apathy and regret. It’s time to move.

So here is what I intend to do:

I hereby offer you a Backstage Pass into my life.

Over the next few years, I want to think with you, learn with you, write with you in mind, share my discoveries, joys, fears, and questions . . . with you. I am aware that I will be getting as much as I give. With your encouragement, ideas, direction, and approval, I will be lifted up, challenged, and taught.

By way of Twitter, FaceBook, and this blog on AndyAndrews.com, I invite you to join me and involve yourself in actively building groups of people with whom you will influence in the future.

For a long time in my life, I believed that to change the world, I should stretch as high into society as I could possibly reach, touching Presidents and Kings and CEO’s. There, I thought, was where the power existed to change everything. I now know for a fact that the power to change everything, my friend . . . lies with you and me.

Remember this: Whether President, King, or Governor, a politician is only an actor reciting lines and making moves according to a script that the audience is writing!

Most politicians make promises, react, vote, and shake specific hands according to the latest poll (script) they are given. You and I write that script with our voices and our votes.

Now before you think you know where we are all headed in such an all fired hurry, listen carefully to what I have to say:

If you had asked me a year ago whether I was a Republican or a Democrat, I probably could and would have answered you. But as my life has unfolded, I am increasingly aware that I am not an “us or them” kind of person. I am a “WE” kind of person. I believe there are “plumb lines” we can use and watch to establish right and wrong, forward or backward, yes or no.

You and I will search for guiding principles. I will put them into stories that will become books and recordings that you will be free to choose whether or not to use them in your search to create a team of people empowered to write what you believe should be the script for our next generation.

I invite you, whatever your age or technological ability, to learn to use Twitter, Facebook, and the Internet itself right now in order to join me and lead friends of your own to new levels of understanding and empowerment. We will strive to create better families, more successful financial incomes for you, and a voice of civility and reason that will be heard around the world.

I believe there was a time in our past when leaders understood how to disagree. They would disagree and argue points publicly, with humor and without the personal anger that serves only to divide their followers. These men and women disagreed, but they remained friends (and friendly) to each other.

Only a few decades ago, we lived in a world where we knew our neighbors watched out for one another’s children, and encouraged each other personally and professionally without fear of violence or lawsuits.

It is a fact known to historians that less than 10 percent of the population of the former Soviet Republic actively worked to move their society into a nightmare of paranoia, isolation, and genocide that devoured several generations. Accurate figures show that between 1917 and 1987, there were 61,911,000 lives lost to mass murder of their own people! This was done, remember, in an attempt to create a utopian society. Less than 10 per cent of the population was actively involved in creating the movement to power that caused this historical disaster. And 90 percent did what? Waited? Watched? Believed obvious lies?

I am not attempting to use fear as a tactic. History simply “is what it is”. Neither am I pointing fingers at any particular leader, media group, celebrity, or politician who might be in office or out of office at this time. Read nothing into what I am writing. At this moment, I ask you to think no further than these words:

Let us not be scared about the future, let’s just do something!

It is time to return to an era of civility and understanding. It is time to NOTICE the value of our fellow man and exalt him and his efforts. Our country must no longer be divided by color, or finances, or political affiliations. Our spiritual lives are important . . . our religious denominations less so.

Our children, our very world is waiting for us to move . . . to write the script that is right and good and necessary. It’s time to move.

Here we go!

Yours,

Andy

P.S. Click below to watch some of my very best friends. . . listen carefully to their words!

27 Years And Counting . . .

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 10:47:17 -0400

Last week was a bit of a milestone for me. The Gulf State Park Pier was reopened after almost five years of rebuilding since the devastation of Hurricane Ivan. During that period of time, I also wrote and released The Noticer, a book that begins its story under that very pier.

With Polly and Adam sick and battling the mysterious illness that I brought home from some nameless air passenger days before, Austin and I set out from home to attend the opening of the pier. We arrived in the parking lot and immediately began exchanging greetings with people I had not seen in years . . . some since my pier days.

Local mayors, state senators—even Bob Riley, the Governor of Alabama, was there. And tons of press. This pier, at 1,520 feet, is by far the longest ever built anywhere on the gulf coast. It is a beautiful engineering feat being counted upon to aid the tourist industry in this area. It is big news for the state and the entire gulf coast.

As we walked up the ramp to the first level, I received more than a few winks and funny greetings from those who were there for the opening and recognized the irony of my presence. More than 150 members of the press corps were gathered in the pavilion surrounded by several hundred more bystanders.

As the ceremony began, several of us spoke about the old structure and what it had meant to the area. I explained how I had come to use “the underneath” part of the pier as much as everyone else used the “on top”. I also noted wryly that though the new structure was larger, it was not nearly as comfortable underneath as the pier I had experienced years earlier. The new pier has a wooden top instead of a concrete slab. Rainwater dripping through the slats will render the space unlivable for anyone with the same idea.

After the spoken words were completed, the crowd clapped and the cameras flashed as the ribbon was cut to officially reopen the Gulf State Park Pier. Who held the scissors? The governor and the guy who slept under the pier 27 years ago! What a thrill! Governor Riley shook hands and talked with Austin for a bit and told the assembled crowd that he was currently reading The Noticer. Wow!

Later, we walked all the way out to the end and watched the action and applauded as one guy hauled in a 40-pound King Mackerel. Flounder, bluefish, and Spanish were coming over the rail as Austin could hardly contain his excitement. John Giannini was there catching fish. He and I huddled and were so excited we giggled like little kids!

John was a kid on the pier when I was a kid on the pier. We fished side by side for years as the older men patiently taught us methods and manners. Sportsmanship was enforced by these old “salts” who molded us into great fishermen and good citizens. Through the years, I watched John grow into a successful businessman. I was very aware that his life, too, had been shaped by the pier. He now owns J&M Tackle, a beautiful retail establishment in Orange Beach that does a thriving catalog business all over the world.

Driving home, Austin asked about the folks who had commented about my sleeping under the pier. He wanted to know if I had been bothered by the teasing . . . “No buddy,” I explained. “They are proud of me and what I managed to endure and eventually accomplish. The people around here own a large part of our success because they encouraged me and helped me during that time. So, in a way, any success I manage to achieve today is their success, too. Even The Noticer . . . that is their book, too!”

After a pause, I added, “You know, Austin, when we go in J&M and buy rods or bait or snacks, that is a way we honor and encourage our friend, Mr. John. I watched him as a little kid learning to fish like you and Adam do now. Then, as a young man, our community watched as he made good choices and built a business that came from his love of fishing. So we are all proud of him, too. And we all feel a part of his success.”

That afternoon, I sat alone in my office and listed several people whose lives had become something I was proud to have invested in. More importantly perhaps, I identified a couple or three people really struggling right now to whom I needed to give a book or encourage in some way. And I have since done that.

This exercise added a sense of fulfillment and directed purpose to my life at that very moment.

So right now: Write down the name of a person whose life you feel proud of their success . . . you feel a part of that success in a way because you prayed faithfully or encouraged or helped in some way . . .

Second . . . Who, within the scope of your world (and you may not even know their name) could you encourage with conversation, work, a book, a smile, a sandwich, or a pat on the back? When will you do it?

I think back upon the thousands of people who have reason to claim success every time I release a book or appear on television. Most names I do not even remember. But the conversations, soft drinks, clothes, company, direction, extra food, loving discipline, jobs, forgiveness, free tackle, compassion, socks, saltine crackers, trust, smiles, and a hundred and one other things I could list have all piled up in my heart. These things and words and deeds make me very grateful that you folks saw some value in me during the past 27 years.

A bitter young man does not crawl out from under a pier by himself.

Thank you.

Things I Am Currently Noticing...

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:44:27 -0400

The first thing I have noticed today is that it has been quite a while since I sat down, dug in, and wrote a serious blog. The second thing I almost immediately noticed is that the word “blog” is identified as a misspelled word by my computer’s spell-check. Hmm . . . how old is this software?

As the author of a book titled The Noticer, I feel a certain responsibility to live up to the spirit of that name in my everyday life. Blogging is how I am supposed to communicate to you, my loyal friends a certain amount of reasoned wisdom so that you, my loyal friends, can lead happier, more productive lives. But this Twitter thing is getting in the way. Facebook, too.

The problem is, I like Twitter. Facebook, too. I have really enjoyed connecting with you in short, spur of the moment, bursts. Twitter has allowed me to quickly blurt out whatever thought was passing through my head at the moment. I look back at my tweets, however, and I look like a twit. There is very little continuity . . . Some tweets are serious and logical, others are reflective and from the heart, while many are simply the ridiculous observations of a person prone to ridiculous observations.

My overriding intent on Twitter, I suppose, is to avoid boring you. Boring Twitter fodder should be avoided and subject to capital punishment. There is simply no excuse for boring others. Or even being bored! In our home, we do not allow our children to say, “I’m bored”. Being bored, they are told, is for boring people.

Whoa! Just noticed that I was way off the subject! Sorry. What was the subject?

I think I was attempting to explain my recent absence from the blogosphere with the excuse, “I am twittering! I am on Facebook!” However, if you subscribe to the blogs of my publisher, Mike Hyatt, or follow him on Twitter, or on Facebook, or on MySpace, or on LinkedIn, or on ThumbsTextedToTheNub.com, or any one of a hundred pieces of social media he employs, you know just how hollow my excuse sounds.

But Mike is a genius, I would argue. How else to explain a man who can write twenty or thirty blogs a day with one hand while simultaneously twittering and Facebooking and MySpacing with the other? Sheesh, he probably flosses, too!

Okay, I know I need to blog more than every few weeks. I promise to be better at it. Maybe I should say it this way: I promise to be more prolific. How can I really promise to be better? Writing, for me, is work. Sorry if that disappoints you, but there it is.

I am often amused by people who seem impressed by the “New York Times Bestselling Author” part of my resume. These folks, often after telling me “I’ve always wanted to write a book . . ." go on to wonder aloud at someone like me who has such an obvious love for writing. Ha! You see . . . (drum roll . . . secret about to be revealed . . .) I don’t love to write. I don’t even like to write. I do, however, love having written!

You do understand the difference, right? I love being finished with a manuscript. I love giving books away. I love being “an author”. I love making a living this way. But love to write? Are you kidding? I mean, every time I sit down in front of the computer, there are only fifty things I can think of that I’d rather be doing!

Look…I’m not even particularly “gifted” in this way. Think about it . . . I wasn’t even the best writer in my Senior English class! To this day, I can’t diagram a sentence. Who knows what the predicate and the indirect object are or how the prepositional phrase aligns with the subject? (Dare I add, who cares?) That’s what editors are for and I never wanted to be one of those . . .

I always wanted to be a difference maker—a person who was able to work a little magic in the lives of other people with something I noticed . . .

And here is something I noticed a while back that has allowed me to succeed and even to guide people to success in areas other than writing . . . It’s basis is found in a very simple question. And the question is:

Can you make yourself do something you’d rather not do, in order to get a result you would like to have?

When you are able to answer this question affirmatively, you will experience a massive shift in your perception of the immediate future. This single concept can dramatically alter your relationships, your finances, and even your health!

The deeper question, of course, is:

What result would you like to have?

How healthy (or unhealthy) are you willing to be? What kind of marriage do you really want to experience? Does it really matter to you whether or not your family is debt-free?

Okay . . . So you want to be in peak physical shape . . . You desire a marriage filled with love, excitement, and laughter . . . You crave freedom from the stress and uncertainty of monthly bills . . . What activities must be done—with a single-minded focus—to achieve the life you long for?

And can you make yourself do those things?

I am betting that you can. Remember, I am a writer . . . yet even I know that writing is not hard and good writing is not rare. Truly, there are tens of thousands of people in the world with awesome stories who probably write better than I do. But the bottom line is that writing is just one of the many things most people don’t make themselves do . . .

There it is. No more sugarcoating or explanation needed. Do you truly want to succeed in your chosen endeavor? Then, can you make yourself do something you’d rather not do, in order to get a result you would like to have?

Yes or no?

Stand By...Each Other

Sat, 23 May 2009 11:29:34 -0400

The past few weeks have been dizzying to me. The uncertainty of releasing a new book—KNOWING one cannot control what happens to it—along with the sheer volume of work and travel that goes with the experience… Well, lets just say it can seem overwhelming.

It is not my intention to bore you with the details of a long process that in the end might leave you thinking I was boasting about how hard our team worked. Instead, my amazement at what has begun to happen with The Noticer has sent my thoughts in another direction entirely. As I mentioned earlier, one simply cannot control what happens to a book when it is out of the author’s hands. Neither an author nor publisher can control where it is placed in the bookstore, how it is placed in the bookstore, how long it stays in the bookstore, or whether the book even gets in a bookstore in the first place! So forget trying to force a book onto one of the significant best-seller lists…Even Amazon has become wise to the ways of those who would manipulate its ranking system.

What ultimately happens with a book is simply and purely up to the readers—word of mouth trumps all. Therefore it has been with grateful astonishment that I have watched you begin to tell others about The Noticer and it’s possible value in their life. In essence, I have seen a huge team of people do something that is simply impossible for a small team to accomplish… And I am inspired to think outside this tiny box.

As people who don’t even know each other, who do care and are willing to work, what might we accomplish that can be so much greater than a mere book for our community, our nation, our world, and our God? And why does our country seem so disconnected right now? How firm are we in the actions and beliefs that have allowed us to become divided along political, racial, even financial lines?

These are simply questions for us to ponder as we watch this short video of people who are significantly “apart”, yet have managed to come together in order to create something incredible.

So I ask you…who can we stand by?

Yours,

Andy

Andy Andrews on Good Morning America

Fri, 15 May 2009 14:16:07 -0400

Andy Andrews Promotes The Noticer on Good Morning America

A Special Message from Michael S. Hyatt:

In an attempt to get this book to #1 on Amazon.com's bestseller list, we would like to offer you something truly unique for us as a publishing company:

A FREE download of The Noticer audio book

A FREE E-book in Mobi-Pocket (Kindle compatible), E-Pub and PDF formats

This is a $76.96 value!

All that we ask is that you purchase a copy of the physical book
through your favorite online retailer from now until May 20th.
It's that easy.

Please help us take this incredible book to the very top!

Here is how you take advantage of this special offer:

1. Purchase a copy of The Noticer from Amazon.com or another online retailer through May 20th.

2. Email a copy of your receipt to AndyAndrewsFree@thomasnelson.com.

3. Once we receive a copy of your receipt confirming your purchase of The Noticer, you will receive a reply email with redemption instructions.

4. Follow the redemption instructions to access the free audio and e-book downloads.

5. If you have any questions about this promotion, please email lnobles@thomasnelson.com.

Today, in the midst of global turbulence, people need Andy's uplifting message and valuable perspective on life. I hope you will help us in our work to share The Noticer with the world.

Many Thanks,

Michael S. Hyatt
Chief Executive Officer
Thomas Nelson
PO Box 141000
Nashville, TN 37214
tel: 615.902.1100
fax: 615.902.1110