WOW! Most Outstanding News!

Hello from Texas! I've got most outstanding news to report today! I had to break away from my normal routine to post this short update.

"US GDP EXPANDS AT 5.7%" and yes I am shouting!

Mission is NOT accomplished yet with the recovery, but it is apparent that the economic recovery is in full swing. Consumer confidence and the Purchasing Manager Index are expected to show strong upticks. There are still a lot of people in the world that are unemployed or underemployed and until they secure suitable sustaining employment, the recovery will not be complete. People matter most.

Just a brief primer on GDP - GDP is a trailing indicator that measures a countries Gross Domestic Product - the sum total of all FINAL goods and services produced within a country and the GDP can be used benchmark country vs. country and also is used to define recessions and expansions. Two consecutive quarters of declining GDP is the typical definition of a recession.

You may note that I'm not in Houston for the AFS Texas meeting. The stage coach to Houston today didn't make the run because of the vile weather in the state. I'm at the point in my life of not taking unnecessary risks and driving in this kind of weather - sloshing my way to Houston is not an acceptable risk. There will be other AFS Houston meetings to attend and I'd like to be around to attend them. I tend to be a "risk avoidance" type of person.

Till next time, see you on down the road in Birmingham Alabama!

Stage Coach to Houston Please

I'll be making a quick run to Houston Texas USA in the morning to attend the AFS Texas Chapter meeting. Just a one day trip by stage coach - there and back - but I shall be gone all day. Not to worry, Synchro32 sales and support are on constant vigilance!

Been a busy week and will be a busy weekend. Simon and I have been prepping for the Costing/Estimating presentation in Birmingham Alabama on Monday evening. I even took some work home last night to prepare and get materials ready to hand out. I rarely take work home, but the girlfriend was out of town last night on business, so it was a good opportunity to get caught up on Synchro32 work.

I took a picture of the production line I setup to prepare materials for the presentation.




I do hope to meet up with many of the Synchro32 customers and sales leads in Houston and in Alabama... Here is the February 2010 newsletter of the AFS Birmingham Chapter. http://www.afsbirmingham.org/downloads/afsfeb10.pdf

Till next time, see you on down the road...

How Cold Was It?

Just to illustrate how cold December and January were in Texas - the graphs says it all... BURRR - temps down as low as 13f (-10c) and we stayed below freezing for several days in a row! BURRRR...










Right now, we are in the midst of a "false" Spring. Temps have been hovering around 70f (21c) and Sunday was absolutely wonderful for outdoor work. I've even noticed some trees starting to bud out - but it is not spring yet - as we were down near the freezing mark the last two days. Talk about a temperature swing of 38 degrees!

Speaking of swings, things are really hot and swinging at Synchro32 these days. The economic recovery is obviously in full swing. Even though last year was a swinging year business wise with new customers partaking in the incredible Synchro32 software, 2010 is starting out like a run-away locomotive! Not to worry, Synchro32 is actually driving the run-away locomotive and we know what we are doing and we are enjoying every minute of it - there is nothing like introducing new customers to the world of Synchro32! Customer support is always paramount at Synchro32 - the industry leading "gold service standard" that all others are bench marked against.

Until next time, see you on down the road...

Seven Days...

Synchro32 - the undisputed worlds leading premier provider of metalcasting specific ERP/MRP software will be at the AFS Birmingham Alabama chapter meeting on Monday evening February 1st 2010. Simon Adlington and myself will be discussing the importance of costing and estimating. For more details and information, please see http://afsbirmingham.org/wp/?page_id=149

Remember, Synchro32 is AFFORDABLE for all metalcasters, irregardless of size. Be sure to check out the Synchro32 pricing at http://www.synchro32.com/pricing.htm At Synchro32, no upfront investments are required and you won't need a capital request for funding! That should put a smile on your face and make the owner, general manager, and controller pleased! Become the company hero, schedule a demonstration of the vast capabilities of Synchro32 - all module inclusive - nothing else to purchase, ever!

Till next time, see you on down the road...

I've Seen the Future and its...

I've seen the future and it's in 3D. I actually got to see a movie well before my cohort Lee, who is usually on the front row seat as soon as a movie opens! Avatar. Simply amazing the technology at work - if you see it - you must see it in 3D and if you've already seen it - you need to go back and see it in 3D. Just for the pure experience of what 3D technology has evolved into is well worth the money. Hopefully one day, the 3D technology will "improve" so that you don't have to wear glasses. But, this is definitely the future of movies, television, etc. Now, I want to see Avatar in IMAX 3D!

With the Synchro32, your metalcasting operations can have the future now! Synchro32, the worlds most respected, intuitive, and affordable metalcasting specific software brings you the cutting edge of computer software technology to your desktop. The software enable you in real time to monitor the shop floor operations from your desk, through the ground breaking SFDC module - shop floor data collection.

I have no doubt that one day in the future, Synchro32 will be the first metalcasting specific software to offer it in a 3D version! Just imagine the possibilities of having software in 3D! WOW! What a concept and you heard it here first! That is thinking way outside of the box and might even be an original thought! That's the Synchro32 team for you, thinking way ahead and anticipating your needs.

I understand that some major cable television networks are planning 3D channels and televisiono manufactures are scrambling to roll out affordable models. Sony anticipates 3D televisions to make up 50% of their market, up from 0% today, by 2013!

The future is so bright at Synchro32 that we need our shades on! Come get on the bandwagon and join the Synchro32 family of satisfied customers. Be sure to visit the Synchro32 booth at CastExpo 2010 in Orlando Florida - booth # 2101!

Until next time, see you on down the road...

Synchro32 Won't Give You a Cardiac Arrest, but this Breakfast Might...

Don't go there - I actually do my best to eat right, get my vegies, exercise, sleep well, etc. - but, every once in a while I digress and have something "bad". Like this morning, I woke up early and had a hearty Texas-Southern Style breakfast - a real artery clogging cardiac arrest waiting to happen. As I said, I only have this every couple of blue moons.

Southern style biscuits, link sausage, hash browns, and all slopped with sausage grease gravy with lots of pepper - but no additional salt. Never been much for salt - I find everything "too salty" as it is. I don't even know if I have a salt shaker in the house. Yum. As my late great uncle Charles Barnes, Charles Barnes realty fame of OKC would say, "GOOD CHEWIN". Rest his soul. Way ahead of his time.

You see, at Synchro32 you can have the world's leading software specific for the metalcasting industry without going into cardiac arrest over the price. At Synchro32, there are no "smoke and mirrors" on the pricing and no software upfront costs - no CAPX is required!

What I'm Reading This Week...

A good friend of mine, Tom Alex, just got published and I'm reading his book - hot off the press.

Tom is the park archeologist at Big Bend National Park, http://www.nps.gov/bibe in far West Texas. Tom is also a distinguished alumnus from my alma marter Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches Texas. www.sfasu.edu His wife Betty is the park botanist.

Here's a pic of Tom and his lovely bride Betty at a friends wedding I attended several years ago in the shadow of Casa Grande at Big Bend National Park. I'm actually one of the very few that have made it to the top of Casa Grande. A few years ago, a park ranger buddy of mine and I made it to the top. Talk about a magnificent view. At Synchro32, we climb the highest mountains to provide our customers with outstanding - legendary - industry leading - the benchmark by which all others are measured against - customer support BEFORE AND AFTER the sale!




Big Bend National Park and Vicinity Author(s): Thomas C. Alex
http://www.arcadiapublishing.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=9780738578538

Book Description:
The Rio Grande makes a large bend into Mexico and forms the “boot heel” of Texas that is the Big Bend. Big Bend National Park nestles inside this meander, and its history is as much a part of Mexico as it is of Texas. The remote border location is historically replete with rich cultural diversity, including nomadic bands of Native Americans, Spanish explorers, Mexican and Anglo farmers, ranchers, miners, military men, and entrepreneurs. In the 1930s, a handful of people saw the Big Bend’s majestic ruggedness as a place where all Americans could touch the Creator in nature and appreciate the alien qualities that both test and console the human spirit. This remote frontier still draws the souls of those seeking wide-open vistas and crystal-clear night skies.

Author Bio: Thomas C. Alex has lived and worked in the area for almost 30 years during which he has collected stories of the Big Bend. Images found in this volume were provided by families who settled the area, the National Park Service, and visitors who found the enchantment of the Big Bend irresistible. The Archives of the Big Bend at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, also holds an immense treasure trove of images and documents detailing the rich human history of this area.

Reviews of the book

Destined for the top spot on the New York Times Best Seller List, soon to be named Pulitzer Prize winning
author Tom Alex has crafted a literal masterpeice in his acclaimed work "Big Bend National Park and Vicinity". The Postcard book of this area is also a must have. Crafted in legend and lore, Tom Alex brings to life the West Texas Trans Pecos Big Bend Region and the people that lived, worked, worshiped, and died here.

Accolades and reviews keep pouring in...

Roberta Roberts from the Stillwell Sentinel writes, "A literary masterpiece ranking up there with Hemmingway"

Sam Slade from the Redford Reporter writes "If I had three thumbs, they would all be up!"

Becky Slidell from the Shafter Chronicle writes "Bravo Tom Alex"

Sally Simmons from the Candellera Light writes "A new light on Big Bend"

Homer Hopfe of the La Linda Review writes "Wow! A literary classic!"

Raymondo Ruez of the Boquillias Post writes "Tom Alex has done it again!"

Sister Sue of the Santa Elena Harold writes "Everyone who loves Big Bend should read this!"

Another review...
http://www.bigbendgazette.com/blog/_archives/2010/1/6/4422948.html

First impressions, it arrived by pony express today...

Postcards - magnificent gift for the Big Bend aficionado - first impression - gotta get these framed...

Book - lotso pictures with maps and drawings...

and it just keeps getting better...

Our copy arrived yesterday and was up all night reading it...could not put it down. Understand every book store in Dallas is on backorder....nothin g like it has been seen since Confederacy of Dunces. The question on everybody's lips: When will see his next book? With this type of notoriety, it may be hard for Betty and Tom to continue their reclusive lifestyle in Terlingua Ranch....it may have to be turned into a gated community.

Tom and Betty are unique. They live totally off the grid, sans a phone land line, and generate their own electricity using wind and solar power. There house is constructed of straw bales and is very nice. They capture water through water catchments. The toilet facilities are composting. They do have all the comforts of home, sans an air conditioning unit - too much juice to when living off the grid. Summers in the West Texas Trans Pecos Big Bend Region are brutal too - 115f is not uncommon. But, with the home construction and fans it is not too bad.

If you ever want to know more about the West Texas Trans Pecos Big Bend Region, check out http://www.bigbendchat.com where I am a frequent contributor and one of the founding members.

BTW - I personally receive no special considerations or enumerations or monetary incentives from this promotion campaign. I have had the pleasure on many occasions of breaking bread and having some good libations with Tom and Betty Alex - fine people.

$601.25 and counting...

Health care and insurance costs in the good ole USA are beyond out of control.

Back in early December, I was in a rush late one night and grabbed a box of heat and serve tacos from a local grocery store, I know - anything but healthy - a real artery clogger guaranteed to shorten my life by thirty minutes for each one I consume! I had partaken in these tacos many times over the years w/o incident. As I got finished eating these tacos, I noticed my eyes rapidly swelling shut and my lips swelling like a bloated fish. Egg Allergy? But I hadn't ate anything but the tacos? The tacos couldn't contain eggs - I'd had them before - many times! I rushed downstairs and grabbed the box out of the garbage and lo and behold - EGG WHITES had been added to the concoction. OH MY GOSH, HARD LEFT, CLOSE ALL WATER TIGHT DOORS, SOUND BOTH STATIONS, AND GET OUT A MAYDAY! YES, I SAID MAYDAY!


















You see, since I first emerged on the planet earth as person 3,245,333,001 (population in the year of our Lord 1963 was around four billion souls), I have been deathly allergic to eggs - all forms of eggs - irregardless of how they are prepared. I figure when I get married soon, if the wife ever wants to knock me off, this will be the method of choice - slipping me some eggs in a meal while out camping in the wilds far far away from civilization. :) I can hold eggs in the shell in my hands for a brief time and my hands turn red and itch. At Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, the esteemed allergist told me that he had never seen someone so allergic - he had given me a allergy skin test and the egg portion caused major problems - you know, just a pin prick of egg on the back. I figure it's because of the revenge of the chickens as my father was so fond of eggs - any type and any form - that and lard sandwiches (you'd have to be back in WWII England to understand).

So, the night in question, a dark and stormy night mind you, I rapidly gave myself an auto-injection of epinephrine through my Twinject www.twinject.com, took 150mg of over the counter Benedryl, and rushed to the ER.

Funny thing at the ER, as this has happened before, when you say anaphylactic reaction and that you have already self administered a shot, they don't mess around and get you right back to triage. No horsing around - go straight to the head of the line - cutting in front of everyone else. They swing into action, get your clothes off, start an IV drip, draw blood, get you hooked up to an EKG monitor and a blood pressure monitor, get O2 standing by, get the wrist band on, another shot of epinephrine, a shot of Benedryl, not your over the counter Benedryl either and then, play the waiting game. As in past instances, the swelling subsided and they gave me a huge shot of a steroid to prevent a "rebound" reaction and sent me non my way to have a rough night in a Benedryl haze with the after effects of epinephrine.

I've had some close calls in the past. Trust me, I know virtually everything that has or might have egg - all the usual culprits. I stick to the basics, especially when traveling - and especially when out camping/backpacking. I even mandate that any cooking at camp must be done in a virgin pan - a pan that has never cooked eggs in it. Pizza got me one time up in Colorado - you know, one of them swank places that make homemade pizza - I had told my ski buddies that we really should go to a chain, but they brushed me aside. Really messed up my ski trip for the first two days - this happened on the night of arrival. We had the pizza delivered and when I called them up once I started having symptoms, they refused to tell me if they used eggs in their ingredients - until a lawyer that was traveling with us got on the phone! Another time, a national chain Mexican restaurant put eggs, raw eggs, into the frozen margarita mix. That one was a very close call. I was red and having breathing problems in the 5 minutes it took to get to the ER. Moral of that story, never ever drink margarittas outside of the house! Moral II - I always read ingredients and question servers and even cooks when eating out. However, over time one lets the guard down. So, I'm in the mode now of reading every ingredient on everything - from peppermints, to hot coco, etc. No chances - bordering on paranoia - self destroya... Even last night, a waitress tried to get me to order the chili relenos, even though I kept declining, she is very cute and good at what she does, but I had to decline. She just couldn't understand that chili relenos are battered and fried and I've never ever had one on my life - they contain eggs in the batter. She finally "got it". I've never had Angle Food Cake, juevos rancheros, scrambled eggs, eggs sunny side up or sunny side down for that matter, potato salad or cole slaw. Fine, very fine, wine, is often filtered through egg whites as is ceiling shelf Tequila.

Well meaning friends have tried to "cook" for me in the past, and that has also ended up in disaster. Marshmallows don't have eggs in them. Marshmallow creme does.
One co-worker insisted and insisted I try her cooking - promising me it was egg free - all except forgetting that mayonnaise has eggs in it.

So, $1.99 box of heat and serve tacos has ended up costing me $601.25 out of pocket, haven't met my deductible yet. This does not even include the cost of the Twinject autoinjector replacement at about $200, ER physician fees that are billed separately, plus the next day visit to my primary care physician at $35.00 my part for another steroid shot and steroid pills. All told, these $1.99 or so tacos will have cost me out of pocket at least $1,000.00 for a one hour visit to the ER.

Now, yes, mind you - they in effect "saved my life" - although I could have probably ridden it out by taking massive doses of Benedryl and another shot and monitored it... But, come on, we are talking real money here that puts a serious crimp on my budget.

Of course, on the other hand, you might not be reading this BLOG as my cremated remains might be greeting guests for all eternity from the side of the road at the entrance to Big Bend National Park! Good thing it didn't happen out backpacking or camping in the wilds of the West Texas Trans Pecos Big Bend Region - where medical care might be 4-5 hours away at best w/o ushering in a helicopter for a dust off.

Fortunately, with the Synchro32 software - affordable for all sizes of metalcasters with the industry leading no-up-front-cost or huge investment pricing plan that requires a capx. Nope, nada, none of that. All of the Synchro32 prices are publised in plain view on our website at http://www.synchro32.com/pricing.htm

With the Synchro32 software, it's a lot cheaper than a single visit to the ER and it is hands down the best and most respected metal casting specific ERP/MRP software - used around the world by hundreds of metalcasters!

See you on down the road, a bit poorer on my part...

and I'm Complaining About the Weather...

Here I am all sitting in my nice spacious office with central heat and air - running water - a bathroom that works - vending machines just down the hall - I pick up my phone and it works - food establishments galore - hammering away at the computer, looking out the window as it's 57f 14.c with a partly cloudy sky, some light rain making phone calls around the world to sales leads and support of the world-wide Synchro32 customer base - while just a 1,782 air miles (2,868 kilometers) from here the world has fallen apart and a major human disaster has already taken place and is getting worse. People are literally dieing in the streets due to the absence of medical care and the survivors and "walking wounded" are scrambling for the most basic necessities of Mazlow's hierarchy of needs.

We have it very good in North America - we have it so good that most of us can't even begin to appreciate what we have.

As the tragedy unfolds in the coming literally seconds, minutes, and hours - lets not even talk about days and weeks and months and years to recover somewhat from this - let us be constantly reminded of how truly blessed we are to have what we have and that it can all be gone in a millisecond.

I have to admit I was out of the loop until last night, lots going on in my little world - my circle/sphere of influence - and I knew there had been a earthquake in Haiti, but until I glanced at the TV last night, I had beyond no idea as to the magnitude of this. All I can say is that I am proud that my country is rushing to the aid and that many others of the global community are doing the same - pulling out all the stops. That's all that really matters isn't it - at the end of the day - people matter most. Put aside the differences of "the big issues" and focus on what matters most - as Stephen Covey says "Put First Tings First" and that always has to be people.



See you on down the road...

Things are Heating Up @ Synchro32

WOW! Just like the Texas weather, it's currently 56.8f/25.4c here at the office and I do have the AC running as the bright sunshine is warming things up. Synchro32 is starting the New Year off hot and heavy. Everything is on the front burner, not the back burner. It is most outstanding when you have sales leads calling you saying they want the product and don't even want/need a demo! It's all hands on deck at Synchro32.

See you on down the road.

I Must be In Texas

In Texas, we have a saying, if you don't like the weather, wait thirty minutes as it will change.

For the last several long weeks, it has been frigidly cold, by Texas Standards, here. The last several days have been brutal and I'm taking out a 5th mortgage on the house to pay the electricity bill from keeping the heater running non stop for over a week. When cold, I mean to imply well below freezing into the mid/low teens.

You see, here in Texas we are not prepared for this type of weather. Not at all. Perhaps the Texans in North Texas and the Panhandle are prepared - but along the coast road and in Central Texas - no bueno. Our houses, water systems, trucks, etc. are just not built for this. Everything grinds to a halt. Pipes freeze, trucks won't start, schools are closed due to lack of water, etc.

The reason I bring this up is yesterday in the office I had the heater cranking to keep it a reasonable 75 degrees and it was struggling to keep up. Today, I have the air conditioner on as it is 60f degrees outside and with the bright sun shining into the office, it's over 80f at my desk!

If your going to live in Texas, better get used to the weather...

See you on down the road.

The Answer is 68 Days

What is "Cast Expo" Alex?

You ought to be making plans to attend the world renowned CastExpo 2010 in beautiful sunny and warm Orlando Florida. See www.castexpo.com for more details. Entrenched in a bitter and unseasonably cold winter here in Texas, a respite in Florida sounds majestic.

The Synchro32 Exhibition Team will be staying at:
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
ORLANDO - International Drive
7276 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819 USA
Phone#: 407-535-4100
http://www.hiexpress.com/h/d/pc/1/en/hotel/mcocd#

If you are a Synchro32 customer or want to become a Synchro32 customer, or just want more information on the World's Leading Metalcasting Specific Software Synchro32 - then stay at this hotel and we can meet up for the free breakfast!

NOTE: This is NOT an officially "sanctioned" hotel of CastExpo. Synchro32 has no connections with and receives no enumerations, special considerations, or monetary incentives for staying at a Holiday Inn Express.

Now providing complimentary direct shuttle service to Universal Studios/Islands of Adventure and the Orange County Convention Center
Our hotel is near Orange County Convention Center, and we're also located close to the most popular Orlando attractions on International Drive, including Universal Studios® Theme Park.

Until Next Time, See You on Down the Road...

DIY Customer Support

I seem to be on a "streak" of finding customer support lacking these days. I believe it results from expectations being out of touch with reality. When a company such as Synchro32 provides the metalcasting industries leading customer support, by which all overs are bench marked against, one comes to expect this level of support and dedication from other companies.

I've been trying to order a gate for my front porch which I'm in the process of remodeling. Front porches are an important part of the fiber of social networking in the neighborhood here in Texas. Neighbors and friends stop by often to chat in the evenings and weekends, when the weather is good. I'm putting a railing/fence/gate on my front porch to keep the dogs where they belong w/o having to be on a leash. This is an animal friendly porch and friends bring their dogs by too.

Anyway, right after Christmas I got in touch with a local store of a huge national chain of DIY stores to special order a gate, custom made to my specifications. After pointing the sales associates in the right direction as they didn't even know they carried the product, they promised they would get in touch with the manufacturer and get back to me with a price. I had even done the leg work for them and given them the phone numbers, contact names, part#,etc. Several weeks later, nada, zip, zilch, zero, not a word and nary a peep out of them. I had to go and track them down and "force the issue" so to say - a gentle reminder - didn't have to go to the whip. Magically, I got my quote today and the gate is on order. I really shouldn't have had to do the leg work again. It's called due diligence and following up - or dotting the i's and crossing the T's - or even connecting the dots. All of these traits are characteristics of outstanding, even legendary support. This is the kind of outstanding, even legendary, customer support that you can expect to receive from Synchro32 - a dedicated support team that actually cares.

Until next time, see you on down the road...

Wake Up World - It's All About Customer Support!

Synchro32 - we earn our stripes in providing legendary industry leading customer support everyday all day 20/7 364 a year (yes, we do let our hair down on Christmas Day). Synchro32 is the undisputed worldwide leader in state of the art - cutting edge - metalcasting specific software. What can we do for you? At Synchro32, we never rest on our laurels of what we did yesterday or 5 minutes ago. Customer support is provided almost 24 hours a day - we do have a short "gap" of coverage of a few hours in the Oceanic region of the world. The dedicated Synchro32 team even monitors the support and sales desks on the traditional weekend of Saturday and Sunday and customers and sales prospects can expect a rapid response. I say "traditional" weekend as customers in predominately Muslim countries work on Saturday and Sunday as Thursday and Friday are their weekends with Friday being the day of prayer and the Khutbah.

The reason that I bring up how outstanding and legendary that Synchro32 support is because I am currently experiencing very poor customer support from a very large multinational computer manufacture that used to pride itself on providing outstanding customer support.

I purchased a NetBook back in November. The hard drive failed on December 25th and I had not kicked it, dropped it, tossed it across the room, gone swimming or skiing with it, nor parachuting or bungy jumping nor even shot it with my Barrett M82A1.

Since calling customer support on December 26th, I have yet to have receive anything but excuses. The first shipment of a new disk drive contained only a mounting bracket and no disk drive. I have yet to receive a second shipment. The company continues to "promise" two day delivery and resolution. Well, that was about 9 days and four phone calls ago at 45 minutes each on average. Called again today, said the shipment was delayed and it would arrive in guess what - two business days...

Now, they have retreated and are telling me that they can not send me a preloaded hard drive, net books don't have CD drives, for sometime and that I will need to purchase a CD drive at my own expense and reload the blank hard drive, after I install it myself, or that I can wait 12-14 business days for a preloaded hard drive to be delivered or I can ship the unit to a service station for repair within 14-21 business days. Not what I would call legendary customer support. I am anything but a happy customers.

Went to have Tex-Mex the other night, the marquee outside the window said "extraordinary customer service". Our service was anything but extraordinary. I was told that the service was "substandard" as they were short handed during the holiday season. That is NOT the hallmark of good customer service - providing excuses.

At Synchro32, you can count on the entire worldwide team to provide legendary customer support w/o excuses.

See you on down the road...

Lets Start off the New Year on the Right Foot

Why don't we make 2010 the year of the "Law of the Farm". You ask - what pretail is the law of the farm? Well, simply put, the "Law of the Farm" is doing things in the correct order and not "rushing through them". This is another one of Stephen Covey's "Principals". You see, it works like this - in farming the farmer can't all of a sudden "wake up one day" late in the Spring and realize that he needs to get busy if he will have a Spring crop. He can't wake up on Monday morning and decide to till and turn over the soil and prepare it for planting, plant the seeds at noon, fertilize, water, and nurture them in the afternoon and expect to harvest them the crop on Tuesday morning. There are certain things that have to be done in the correct order and they take time, effort, and planning. Hence, the first three habits set the foundation for everything else. - 1-Be proactive, 2-Begin with the end in mind, and 3-Put first things first.

The farmer must be proactive and prepare and turn the soil in the early spring. Essentially, the farmer must "begin with the end in mind" - the end being that he wants to have a crop to cash in to support himself and his family. Putting first things first admonishes the farmer to do the farming in the correct order - the farmer just can't simply plant one day and harvest the next. It is a simultaneous combination of the first three habits that lead to a bountiful crop.

In real life, I have one friend in particular that always tries to "circumvent" the law of the farm. This friend does little "preplanning" or giving any thought to to "where he wants to go in life" and often times wakes up in a brave new world everyday. He is often very frustrated, mad, and at odds with the world when he runs into roadblocks and complications when he wakes up in the morning and decides to "plant the crop" and then learns that he can not "harvest the crop the next day". Rules, regulations, procedures, frustrate him to no end. Mind you, he is a very dear friend of mine, but it is often comical to watch the predicaments he gets himself into by not obeying the law of the farm.

I had the great pleasure of teaching undergraduate micro/macro economics at a university as an adjunct. You know - supply and demand curves and my favorite part being elasticity. It's an interesting picture of human characteristics, talents and traits in observing the students. Some students start at the first day keeping up with assignments, studying, asking meaningful questions and contributing to the discussions. At the other end of the extreme, there are the students that don't "crack a book" until the night before the exam and wonder whey they did so poorly - thinking they could violate the law of the farm and "cram it all in" in one night. Then there is the occasional unfortunate student that didn't crack a book or attend class all semester and right before the comprehensive final, the student would "plead" for mercy and "understanding" as to why they had done so poorly and "had to pass" the class. It instantly became "my fault" that some other "activity" coincided with the class time in the evenings and they just "couldn't attend class". There is no free ride under the law of the farm and the law can not be violated.

Interestingly, a good friend of mine who is a PhD (piled higher and deeper), illustrated the point recently. Students were given an opportunity to do an extra credit assignment - that was optional - voluntary - they didn't have to do it. Towards the end of the semester, the student came pleading to the professor for additional opportunities of "extra credit" as she had not done the assignment as she thought she could "get by" without it. Fortunately, my PhD friend did not violate the law of the farm. Under the law of the farm, there are no special considerations.

Yes, it's a tough cruel world out there.

So, let us make our resolution for this new beginning that we refer to as a "New Year" that we "Obey the Law of the Farm" and not try to cram the crops in...

See you on down the road...