What Are Your Words Saying

Today we had a lesson on Powerless Words. How many times do I say "try" instead of a more powerful word like "will", "absolutely" or "definitely". What do powerless words say about my character? When I say "try" I'm actually giving myself an out. Someone invites me to dinner and I say "I'll try to make it", what I'm actually saying is I won't be making it. I've given myself an out. I said I'd try to make it which translates to don't plan on seeing me!

I've noticed that I use that word a lot and when I do I get called out by my teammates at work. If you ever hear me using the word "try" you have permission to call me out on it as well. It's a word I'm getting out of my vocabulary.

Something I learned today is the phrase "my bad" I guess this phrase has been around for a couple years but I've just recently heard it. We had an interesting conversation around the meaning of it. Someone said it's like saying sorry for something you've done but you're not really sorry for it. You're acknowledging that you did something wrong but you're not sorry that you did it. How screwed up is this?

When they described that phrase and what it means, I imagined myself using it with my parents and it causing a certain part of my body to be in pain! I also imagined someone saying it to me and me wanting to smack them for saying it! People in this day and age don't accept responsibility for their actions and don't hold others accountable for their actions. To me this phrase just confirms it!

HRC Holiday Event at Paris

Had an event tonight for HRC at the Paris Hotel and Casino.

I had never been in the Eiffel Tower restaurant until this evening. It was a great event, open bar for two hours and great socializing.

The best part of this place is it's right across the street from Bellagio and a birds eye view of the Fountain show. The only draw back is you can't hear the music to the show so it's just dancing water.

They actually charge a surcharge for the window tables that overlook the Strip and Bellagio Fountain show.

Positive Verses Negative

How often do we pay attention to the people influencing our lives?

How often do we listen to their words and determine if their positive or negative?

I've thought recently about what it takes to keep an airplane flying and that's the positive thrust and lift. I compare this to the positive people and influences in my life.

When I surround myself with them, my lift is great and it keeps my life in the air gliding at light speeds.

When I surround myself with negative people, it's like hitting turbulence or loosing lift and altitude! It's easy to get caught in the conversations about other people and/or situations and be caught loosing lift with the negative comments and energy flying around.

How often do we listen closely and protect our reputations and bank accounts of trust by not entering into the negative BS people try to pull us into?

Think about this, why would I want someone to make my flight bumpy or take my plane down because of their negative BS they want to stir up?

The most trusted person is the one who stands for someone that isn't present and defends them by not letting someone else talk behind their back.

It shows your character to the other people present because they will see you standing for someone not present and realize that you can be trusted because you would probably do the same if they weren't present.

People also think about if someone is talking negatively about someone not present, what are they going to be saying when I'm not around? Talk about a way NOT to build trust!

No Gas... No Hot Water... No Hot Food

A gas line break around 4 a.m. this morning caused nine hotels on the Strip to be without natural gas. The hotels effected were Excalibur, Luxor, Bellagio, MGM, Wynn, Paris, Venetian, Mirage and Mandalay Bay.

The problem occurred on Tropicana Avenue but did not effect traffic. Southwest Gas expected to have the line repaired around the dinner hour.

This means tens of thousands of hotel rooms didn't have hot water for their guests to shower this morning.

Thank God this didn't happen in the middle of summer, could you imagine the smell of a city full of tourists without showers? EEWWWW!

Six out of these nine hotels effected are owned by MGM MIRAGE the company I'm proud to work for. Hope tomorrow morning finds our guests enjoying hot showers and breakfast in our outlets.

Honesty

What does honesty represent? Who is honest these days? Why does honesty seem like a lost art form rather than a value that people hold near and dear? To me there is nothing worse in this world than a person who is dishonest. Dishonesty really equates to cowardness. Someone who doesn't have the courage to stand up and speak the truth.

I recently gave someone the opportunity to speak the truth and be blatantly honest and they decided not to. I would rather have someone be totally honest with me even if it means temporarily hurting my feelings than to have someone lie or sugar coat something in order to take the easy way out.

My life is too short and too valuable to spend time with cowards and dishonest people. I have all faith the universe and karma will fulfill their destiny in accordance with their dishonest lives. One thing good friends know about me is to never lie, be honest, up front and blunt about it. I always bounce back, but unless I know the truth, how am I suppose to grow as a person?

What Do They Represent? What Do They Mean To You?

Today we did the Stereotype process. At the end of the process we have the participants stand in a line facing each other closing their eyes and have them listen to the words of "God Bless America" then watch a video from the American Ad Council that aired years ago called "I am an American".

The video shows different cultures, gender and generations saying the same words simply "I am an American". It drives home the point that this country is made up of many different people and cultures from all corners of the globe.

Tonight I'm pondering how much we take our freedoms for granted. Every evening we have what we call our closing circle where we open the floor for the participants to share what their feeling, where their at on the road. It's our time to check in with them and make sure everyone is ready to go forward tomorrow.

A participant shared tonight in closing circle that she's lived in this country for 19 years and TODAY was the first time she felt like an American!!! It brought me to instant tears which was a problem because I'm holding hands with some of the participants and can't break my grip.

It touched my hear that someone could live here for so long and not feel a part of this land. How can we let people live here for so long and not help them feel included?

I wonder what people years ago thought when they came through Ellis Island as immigrants and saw the sight of the Statue of Liberty.

I wonder what they felt, if they were happy to be here. What Lady Liberty represented to them? I wonder if they ever took their new freedom for granted?

Staying In Touch

One challenge I've always had is staying in touch or I should say in close touch with those friendships I've made in the cities I've lived in.

My life has taken me from Bucyrus, Ohio where I was born and raised to Orlando, FL - Columbus, OH - Orlando, FL - Charlotte, NC - Atlanta, GA - Las Vegas, NV - Atlanta, GA - Las Vegas NV totaling nine different cities I've lived in so far. I won't even go into how many times within those cities that I've moved. I can tell you my sister doesn't write my address in pen anymore.

I decided over the weekend to get my first Holiday letter together to send out. I went into my Outlook contacts to discover that I have over 550 names and addresses. The problem I ran into was the addresses weren't up to date as much they needed to be. I sent an email to people I needed an updated address for which totaled about 40 people.

To my surprise, I've gotten about 1/3 of them responding with addresses and details of their life if I haven't been in touch recently. I have some friends in Orlando that I've always considered my Florida parents and lost touch with them in early 2005.

I got a response from Judy today as well. I got some responses telling me their parents aren't in great health. Others telling me their expecting their first child in July 2008 and someone who decided to move from Montana to Mississippi and try out the South. This is what happens when I don't keep in better touch with people.

I feel totally blessed with the relationships I've made over the years and hold so many people near and dear to my heart.

I have committed to myself that I will do better at keeping in contact in 2007!

In Retrospection

I had an incredible day this past Sunday and read something today that just brought it all home to me. So I'm going to take a moment in retrospection...

I spent three years living with someone that at first I think I was in lust over, then it turned to love, then to deep friendship. When it came time for us to part the roommate situation we were in it ended up almost like a divorce. I have to say through it all I wouldn't trade those times cause they were some of the happiest times I had even with the eternal pains and it helped me to learn, to love and to grow as a human being.

I spent lunch and a good part of the afternoon with this person last Sunday in Atlanta. He even sent my mind whirling when he apologized for anything he had done that may have hurt me. I apologized back since I wasn't sure if any of my actions may have caused him pain. We talked briefly as he scared the shit out of me driving his little mini like Mario Andretti.

When we decided to go our separate directions and I moved to Las Vegas the first time, the parting wasn't very amiable. It took me a while, almost a year to even call him. I realize now that I would miss him more than I ever thought I would back in December 2003.

The passage I read today in my Franklin Planner said this:

To whom can you bear your soul without fear? Who makes you laugh? Who stimulates thought? Who is amazingly generous? Whom do you like to be with? These people help you grow socially and emotionally. Do they know how important they are to you? Call them, do something with them, or write them a letter. Keep these colorful people present in your everyday life.

He asked me a question that I didn't have a response to and it was "why wasn't I with someone?" I believe the answer to that question is in the passage above. I haven't come across too many people that I could be myself without fear of rejection, that made me laugh a lot, that stimulates me intellectually, that I love to spend my time with no matter what we're doing.

Those are also the keys to any great marriage or successful relationship. If you don't have those factors, how happy are you really? "Life is short, there are no re-runs" and "Life is short, and it's up to you to make it sweet"

I'm so thankful that our paths crossed and that I still have someone I hold so near and dear to my heart! I hope you find yourself happy in the near future with whomever that special person is in your life. As I've told countless friends, "recognize the beautiful gift in front of you before it's gone"

Vegas Becomes Gay Mecca in 2008

Celine Dion has been performing in the Coliseum at Caesars Palace for the past 4 1/2 years. It was rumored that she would wrap up the gig in early 2007.

The paper this past week said Celine would go through December 2007 (YAHOO!!!)









If this wasn't a big enough draw for gay men to visit Las Vegas the past few years look out in 2008.

Caesars Palace has announced that it's sealed the contract with Cher to take over in early 2008 along with Bette Midler. Las Vegas will become the Gay Mecca if it wasn't already for Celine.
The paper mentioned two things that Celine will do after departing Las Vegas, either have another kid or go on a world tour. I don't think she can go wrong in either direction she may choose. The only thing I do know is one will be a lot smellier than the other. Come to think of it though, if you make 80+ million a year, you would probably have a paid diaper changer! ; )