Charlie Makes a Difference

I like it when dots connect … especially on Fridays. Don’t you?

My friend Charlie (I really think you’d like Charlie, by the way, but then again, it’s kinda hard to dislike someone named Charlie, isn’t it?) posted a YouTube link to a video by The Weepies to his facebook status last night.

Charlie wrote:

“Hard to say what I like better: the song’s lyrics or the use of muppets in the video. It hits especially close to my heart as I see Kate and John making leaps forward in growing up and away.”

As I make ready to board way too many planes over way too few days in the next six weeks, I think a lot more about being a dad than being a writer-advisor-business-provider.

I’m getting older. Know what? So are you. So are my son and daughter.

The leg up I’ve got on them? I’ve made a bazillion more mistakes than they have. A couple years ago, I built a presentation about those mistakes and lessons learned to give to college students for my alma mater’s anniversary.

Since then, I’ve given All The Difference: Two Roads. One Traveler. a few more times.

Here’s the description from my speaker’s page:

ALL THE DIFFERENCE: Acquire words of wisdom and lessons learned along the road less traveled by. For nearly two decades, Tim’s used the world of consumer behavior as his laboratory to test what works, what doesn’t, and why. Let his many explosions keep you safe and sound as your journey continues toward however you choose to measure success (Hint: That’s one of the lessons).

This morning, I just offered to do it for free to a local private women’s college.

I think I offered to do it for free partially because of Charlie’s video.

I think I offered to do it for free partially because the college’s preschool takes awfully good care of our son.

I think I offered to do it for free partially because now I have a daughter, too.

I’m getting older. Know what? So are you.

What are you going to do about it?

Thanks, Charlie. All good things. I wish you well.

(If you or someone you know would like to hear these lessons at your college, university, or workplace, please let me know. I think I’m going to make this talk free from now until my end of time.)