Even though the weather has been mild this winter, I have stayed indoors, waiting for spring, and I have been trying to catch up on my reading.  Currently, I have an eclectic collection of titles I am reading: Do These Jeans Make Me Look Fat? (Jocelyn Hamsher), The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization (Peter F. Drucker), Everyone Communicates Few Connect (John Maxwell) and The Virtuous Woman (Vicki Courtney).

I believe literacy - not just reading - is fundamental, and that's why I am a "Reading Buddy" at a local elementary school and also serve as a board member of Project Light (www.projectlight.org).  Last Friday, I asked my 2nd grade reading buddy "Freddy" what else he liked to read about besides robots.  He replied superheroes, but none of them were on the "easy reader" cart.  Currently reading at the 1.9 level, Freddy needed the librarian's permission to read a higher level book.  I was encouraged when Freddy said, "I'll ask."  As we approached the librarian's desk, Freddy said, "I'm nervous" - but he politely and boldly asked the librarian if he could read a book from the more advanced shelf.  The librarian was skeptical, but Freddy insisted there were level 2 books about superheroes.  I assured the librarian I would help Freddy and report back. 

So, with the librarian's assistance, Freddy found a level 2.5 book about SpiderMan and he began to read.  I was amazed!  He knew most of the words, and did an excellent job in the time we had left.  When I told the librarian how well Freddy had read, he told Freddy he would talk to his teacher about moving him up to level 2.  The look of joy on Freddy's face was amazing!  I can't wait until our next time together.

A small moment, but a big achievement for a young boy, thanks to his ambition and perseverence. 

Can I help take you and your organization to the next level?

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The news is in - Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow today, so 6 more weeks of winter.  That would be fine with me.  Hampton Roads, Virginia, has had such a mild winter that the humpback whales have been sighted off the coast in great numbers.  At least 30 different whales have been seen this winter, compared to an average of just 5 or 6 in a typical winter.  They are enjoying the mild weather here in the mid-Atlantic, just as their bait fish and I have.  It was in the 70's yesterday!

Back to "Groundhog Day."  The movie of the same name with Bill Murray is one of my favorites.  Somedays I wish I could enjoy that experience - reliving events until I get them just right.  But we rarely get a second chance at anything in life, let alone multiple chances to perfect something. 

That means we should do things right the first time, an important life lesson I learned from a Navy Captain years before "Groundhog Day."  He told his staff that if we had time to do something, we had time to do it right the first time.  Meaning he wouldn't accept sloppy work, and he only wanted to see something once.  He also had a cartoon on his wall which he referred to often:  a pig tied to a length of railroad track, which had been removed from the main track.  The caption read, "On Track."

Are you "on track", or trying to do things right the first time?

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The winter winds are howling again.  Who wants to get out of a comfy warm bed to discover what the day holds?

Do you sometimes feel like this?  I do.  Especially early this morning when the wind is whipping around our house.  Although it is not a cold north wind off the Chesapeake Bay like we usually have in January, the strong gusty wind is still rattling the windows.

I tried to go back to sleep, but couldn't.  VORTEXX was calling me.  So I am up, long before I intended. It is still dark, but I know that daybreak is coming.  Now that I'm up, with a cup of hot coffee, I am ready for the day, ready for new challenges, new friends, new beginnings. 

Ready to help you and your organization leave that warm bed and face the winds that are challenging you today.

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I look forward to a new year because of new hope, new beginnings, new opportunities and challenges.  I generally don't make resolutions any more because I found that they were always the same from year to year!  I just keep on trying to be a better person, trying to make a positive difference in someone's life, and oh, yes, lose weight!

This year is different for me, however, because I have crawled out on a limb by creating VORTEXX Consulting.  Although not quite old enough for Social Security, many people at my age are retired or think about retiring.  Not me!  It's a time for new beginnings, new opportunties, new challenges.  Although I do enjoy watching the Chesapeake Bay, I don't want to just sit back in my rocking chair and be self-centered.  I want to share my years of experience and knowledge with others and their organizations, to help them grow to the next level. Let this be a year of new opportunities for you, as well. 

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It's all about the relationships.  Since VORTEXX Consulting is small, we can offer that very personal touch.  We get to know you and your team, and you get to know us.  We all like to be treated kindly and with respect; the Golden Rule still applies!

In today's economy, whether you are a nonprofit or for profit leader, relationships matter more than ever.  Let VORTEXX Consulting show you how to improve your relationships with your staff, Board of Directors, clients and donors.

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