Verry Interesting

I am participating in a team building retreat sponsored by Leadership Ann Arbor and part of this retreat has been a "Lifestyles" assessment and a "Wackie" Olympics.

The key finding from the Lifestyles assessment was that I am a competitive person.  I can hear my wife now, "NOOOOO, REALLY?  You MUST be KIDDING!!!"  It's true, I am competitive.  

Good thing my team took the Gold medal in the Olympics!  "Playing is fun, but winning is MORE fun."  Right Chris?  I know you love those stupid team-building excercises, don't you?  Everyone on the team contributed and I was the anchor on the tug-o-war team, and helped teach our team the best way to hit a small beach ball with a pool noodle.  Best of all, eveyone had fun.

Then came the results of the "Earthquake" game.  You have to put in order what you would do after a 7.5 earthquake and your team is stuck in a basement.  I (of course) had the best score on team six, but the team only reached the team average.  If only they would have listened to ME, then we wouldn't all be DEAD.  I told them not to bang on the pipes and try to remove the rubble from the stairwell.  But anyway, I digress.  My competitiveness came out again when the individual scores were posted.  My score of 12 was only SECOND best in the room of 40 people.  So what did I do?  I went over to team three and, with my gold medal shining around my neck, asked, "Who got the 8?"  After they told me someone asked, "Did you score high in competitiveness?"

"Why yes, I did, how did you know?"

"You're in Sales, too, aren't you?"

I guess the assessment was pretty darn close, huh?

Good thing it provides suggestions on how I can improve myself.  Maybe then I'll get the best score!!

Paradise Found?

I've never read Milton or Walden Pond by ??? or seen On Golden Pond, but I've found a little piece of Heaven on Earth.

Earlier today I realized a life-long wish.  I drove through northern Michigan in October.  Now, some may think that driving is no big deal.  But until you see a view over thirty miles into the distance with colors of red, green, orange, and yellow like I saw at mile marker 130 on northbound US 131, you cannot imagine the beauty of God's creation.

I've seen beauty before.  In the births of my children.  The glowing faces of two lovely brides.  The smiling and laughing faces of my son's.  And, of course my wife's face when presented with jewelry.  Nature's beauty is different.  The awe inspiring feeling driving through a forest ablaze in orange so vivid you forget the day is overcast and raining.  

I thought of writing this post as I sat on the porch of a condo in Thompsonville, Michigan.  I realized why Cathy likes writing on her blog.  You get to pour your heart out for all to see.  More importantly, though, you offer a glimple of God through your eyes to whoever may be reading.

I sat there gazing at the red and orange leaves still on the trees outside.  I felt the chill in the air as a soft breeze wafted leaves to the ground.  Technically this area is past peak judging by the number on leaves on the ground, but my, my, my, this is what my Heaven will be like.  Beyond the trees is a small pond with still waters.  Then a manacured lawn with the tee area of one of the golf course holes.  Then, more trees.  "I think that I shall never see..."  Whatever.  Wow, now I know where inspiration comes from.  

THIS is my Heaven.

THIS is where I will hold her again.

Super Bowl XLIII prediction

Since Super Bowl XVI when I picked the 49ers to beat the Bengals, I've picked who would win and who would lose in the Big Game.

Some years I've picked both the winner and loser as it happened. Other years I've picked one team to win and they end up losing. New England last year and Buffalo twice. I've also picked one team to lose and they end up winning, like New England's win over the Rams and the Broncos over the Packers. Most years I've had as least one team exactly right, either the winner or the loser. Only twice did I get both teams completely wrong. (No, I've never picked the Lions)

So this year it's time for the pick. I usually write the pick on a piece of paper and put it into a sealed envelope that stays on the refrigerator until the big game. This year is different. Since no one reads this blog, no one will see it until I say it's here.

So what team will win the Super Bowl and what team will lose?

I've looked at my usual statistics. Least points against, best run defense, best run offense, best third down conversion percentage, +/- turnover ratio, time of possession, records of opponents defeated, records of opponents lost to, where the wins and losses were played, margin of victory and defeat, and the most important after four games, won lost record.

Teams that haven't lost in the first four or five games have built good momentum for the rest of the year. This doesn't always ring true, depending on injury and late season/playoff victory runs like the Giants last year, or the Lions swan dive in the last half of the season. Generally, winning causes a better attitude that begets more winning.

Another adage to keep in mind: Offense wins games, defense wins championships. With few exceptions a good defense generally stops a great offense, the St. Louis Rams "Greatest Show on Turf" beating the Titans (on the last play and by only ONE YARD being the most recent).

Another big factor has been if the team plays home games in a dome stadium or outside. Only the St. Louis Rams and Indianapolis Colts have won the Super Bowl and played their home games under a dome. How would Dallas have done if the closed the roof at Texas Stadium?

So the result for Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa on February 1, 2009 will be:

The New York Giants over the Baltimore Ravens.

I also like to pick alternate teams for each conference guided by my gut.

Tennessee over Carolina?