WIXY's Gone Bananas

 I am now over 30,000 words on my book, The Daily Uplift .  I look back to 2006 when I began blogging, which led to my writing of poetry, which led to me meeting others that encouraged me to develop my talent, which led to my book Caricatures of My Mind .  A lot of my talent would have remained hidden if I hadn't had the influence of hundreds of student musicians that I met as the announcer for the Rittman Marching Band. This past weekend, the Class of 2023 had their commencement ceremony. Here is a tribute I wrote today as part of my book. Childhood Talents   As the announcer for the local high school marching band, it has been my privilege to see hundreds of student musicians over the years displaying talents. Many of these talents have not even been musical. Some have an artistic flair. One past student did the artwork for the cover of Caricatures of My Mind . We also have a night late in the football season where the students march in Halloween costumes. One even dressed as

 Here is my latest writing. I am up to more than 28,000 words as I am working on The Daily Uplift . No Is Not the Final Answer   Way too often people stop when they are told no. They feel their idea is the greatest in the world and they will pitch it to others that may feel the idea is simply fertilizer. This rejection will become a brick wall. If the idea has merit to you, do not stop at that no. Earlier in this book, I wrote a passage about not casting your pearls before swine. Again, that is more than a biblical principle. Others that don’t think you will amount to much are undeserving of your level of genius. Let them wallow in their pride and find those that can appreciate the special person that you are. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. Did that stop him? I don’t think so. I am reasonably sure that he went back to the gym and playgrounds and honed his skills. Not taking no as the final answer took him on his way to earn 6 NBA championship troph

 This is another story, musing, or whatever you want to call what I am doing for my upcoming book, The Daily Uplift. Today's post was something I first thought about as I was driving home from a ,medical appointment. Divine Handcuffs   Most of these small stories are written after I have written the poem at the end. This one has both written as I go along.   This may be religious in nature, but my faith is a big part of my personality. As I stated in one of my earlier writings, I can imagine a previous pastor coming up to me and saying “Brother Cliff, I want to talk to I claim no calling from above or special dispensation for writing this book. I do claim encouragement from some very good and well-meaning friends.   One of the most dangerous things you can tell someone is “I feel that it’s God’s will” when they are doing something. When you are active in the church, you hear it all the time. Or if you are doing something that someone doesn’t like, then “It’s NOT God’s wil

  The following is another of my musings for my upcoming book, The Daily Uplift What do You Want to be When You Grow Up?   I was asked that question often in the days of my youth. Or, as I like to say, in the 1960’s and 70’s, when dinosaurs roamed the earth.   We went through those days hearing how rough our parents and grandparents had it. We had it rough too. We had to walk up to the television and change the channel. For much of my youth, I wanted to be a radio personality. I made some decisions that I regretted in later years, like not going to college. I honestly don’t know if that would have made a difference. I also don’t know if it would have made a difference if I joined the military. I graduated high school in 1974, which was the first-year post Viet Nam. I heard too many horror stories and did not want to get my hair cut. Not much has changed about my hair, except for the color. I don’t know if I ever answered the question. I also don’t know if I have grown up yet. I

 The following is a page from my upcoming book The Daily Uplift . The poem used is from my study of The Success Principles . Polish the Old, Work on the New   “It’s always been done that way.” “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” “It was good for Paul and Silas and it’s good enough for me.” The are are times when we get into a groove. Or is it a rut? I was once told that a rut is a grave with the ends kicked out. The only constant with life is change. We will not advance by doing the same thing even though it has worked well over the years. In manufacturing, there will always be someone building a better mousetrap. AI is currently changing the way companies handle customer service. Covid 19 permanently changed the workplace and in the virtual world it is now called the workspace. This does not mean that you must quit what you have done well. You need to adapt your exceptional work ethic to the changing times. This will take education and a heart willing to adapt. I say adap

 Little by little, bit by bit, my book is taking shape. I am at 55 pages and over 20,000 words. I get up most mornings at 4am to work on it in order to get some quiet time to be alone with my thoughts and keyboard. With over 5,000 poems written, I am amazed at the fact I can come up with new ones for the book. The one I am using at the end of this post is a rewrite of one I wrote back in 2020.  Look in a Good Book   Many of the poems I have written have been based on things I have read in books. My choice of literature happens to be some of the motivational classics. I have written poems based on See You at the Top , Think and Grow Rich , How to Win Friends and Influence People , among others. I caught Dan Miller’s eye when I wrote 48 poems based on his book 48 Days to the Work You Love . I also read books without rhyming my way through them. I have also been told by an assistant of Gay Hendricks after I sent them poems based on his book The Big Leap , that this is one of the bes

 Here is another selection of my upcoming book, The Daily Uplift. It is becoming more and more like my former blogging style. Please enjoy the musing. If You Ain’t Where You Are, You’re No Place.   The title is a quote by Colonel Potter, played by Harry Morgan, in an episode of MASH. Hawkeye, BJ, and Margaret were in Potter’s office and bemoaning the fact that they were in Korea and not home for Christmas. The four of them were at the 4077 th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, getting ready to go over to the mess tent for a substandard Christmas dinner and some holiday cheer. I was thinking about the quote as I look back at things, sometimes regretting not doing or being things I have wanted to do in life. But when I look at the things I have, I get to thinking how lucky I am. My inventory includes the following: I am popular in my town as the longtime marching band announcer. I have often heard that “the band wouldn’t be the same without Cliff announcing.” I am also popular wit