Putin Ate a Baby, Grandson, Nae Nae, and Why Hurricanes have Names

"Do you know why hurricanes have names instead of numbers? To keep the killing personal. No one cares about a bunch of people killed by a number. '200 Dead as Number Three Slams Ashore' is not nearly as interesting a headline as 'Charlie kills 200.' Death is much more satisfying and entertaining if you personalize it. Me, I'm still waitin' for Hurricane Ed. Old Ed wouldn't hurt ya, would he? Sounds kinda friendly. 'Hell no, we ain't evacuatin'. Ed's comin'!"
— George Carlin

5:51 a.m., we got about ten inches of snow; we will be here until our snowplow neighbor arrives. I was proactive yesterday surveying my 7:30 a.m. in-person group about going virtual; I'm happy to say we made the right decision; I would not be able to make it down the hill at this moment. But, I think back in Indiana; it's 70 degrees, our landscaper worked to get our courtyard spring ready, we will arrive back home to a tidy, beautiful landscaped home. Thank you, Doug.

I caught a headline yesterday that was a little shocking. A Social Media person had called out Putin a year ago, and her body was found in a suitcase. That was the headline. I thought Putin was a brutal leader, but if you read the story, she did call out Putin, but her boyfriend murdered her, and there was no correlation between the statement and her ultimate demise.

I think I will title this "Putin Ate a Baby" now that is a headline! Yesterday during his war planning session, Putin had an egg with toast. As most know, eggs are associated with baby chickens, and by the above logic, I can correlate these two things and have a story that will get a click or two.

I worked from home all day; we did run to the grocery in the afternoon. When the snow flies, a switch is flipped in your head that screams, "you need to go to the grocery!" So we complied and loaded up our house with tasty treats for the next couple of days. Our pregnant daughter arrived; she's due May 1st, looks great, the baby was moving yesterday afternoon, little Bo will come very soon. I expect my son to have another baby any day now, exciting times for Grandson and Nea Nea.

Do we get to pick our grandparent name? I'll never forget sitting with a man a few years ago, and he was telling me he does not have kids, but he got a granddaughter through marriage. I asked how it feels to be so young and be called grandpa; he said I don't let her call me grandpa; I make her call me Knight Hawk. So I decided I, too, would have a cool grandpa name!

My cat is by my side; she's a frequent visitor when I pen my thoughts. But, for a while, she would not come down after the arrival of PVHT. Then, finally, she got angry, but she decided she would tolerate the beast and hang out with us downstairs when we got home this last time. She sleeps beside me; she's my little friend, going on 12, and has lived in four different houses. I think this is her favorite.

It's day 22 of the war in Ukraine; it has been reported that Russia bombed a theater with hundreds of people inside. Outside on the pavement were written the letters that spell out children in Russian. If true, it is a horrific event,  but I question the validity of any news.

I've got a meeting from 7:30 to 9:00 and then have appointments the rest of the day. I have a meeting at 7:30 tomorrow in Denver; I will be getting up early to make that appearance. It's been a while since I've been able to attend in person; I'm looking forward to getting some hugs from my friends. We are planning on hiking this weekend with our crew, we might need snowshoes, but Saturday, it will be sunny and 50 degrees. Unfortunately, next week looks like more snow will come; my prediction of an early spring seems a little flawed.

I was wrong! When was the last time you heard a human say those words? Most people don't like to be inaccurate but own it if you make a mistake. Unfortunately, I don't see a lot of personal responsibility at the top levels of government; they blame everything on someone else and go about their day. I have a situation with a client where an outside audit firm did a lousy job when completing the audit. When called out, the carrier's response was to blame the vendor and not take responsibility.

I spoke to a long-time friend yesterday; he wanted to review his insurance. We looked at his rates, and although we had lower-cost options, he wanted to stay with his current provider based on their claims service. A few years ago, we had a claim where Racoons did some damage, and the carrier paid for the damage. Before joining our firm, he had a similar claim and was denied. Not all insurance agents and carriers are equal; remember that when making your insurance purchase.

We had our weekly employee huddle yesterday. We meet with the team to check-in and see how everyone is faring. Our operations manager asked the team, "what is something you found later in life that you wished you would have done sooner?" My answer, I wish I would have started painting my toes as a younger man; I love a good Pedi, and it is something I enjoy doing with my wife.

Don't believe every headline you read; if you have grandkids, pick a cool name. Choose your insurance provider wisely and if you are a man, consider getting a nice pedicure with your significant other. I trust these words find you in a good place; you can choose how to react to any situation. There is a gift and opportunity in everything; seek the blessing and enjoy life every day.

"Do you know why hurricanes have names instead of numbers? To keep the killing personal. No one cares about a bunch of people killed by a number. '200 Dead as Number Three Slams Ashore' is not nearly as interesting a headline as 'Charlie kills 200.' Death is much more satisfying and entertaining if you personalize it. Me, I'm still waitin' for Hurricane Ed. Old Ed wouldn't hurt ya, would he? Sounds kinda friendly. 'Hell no, we ain't evacuatin'. Ed's comin'!"
— George Carlin