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Featured Posts Read our blog for topics relating to living a life with no regrets.
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Written by Michael McCall
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Saturday, 16 August 2008 |
I’ve actually been watching the Olympic games much more than I thought I would this year and thoroughly enjoying them. It may have to do something with the fact that they are on so late which is the only time I have a chance to watch television. I used to enjoy watching the Olympics but for some reason which I cannot explain I took a sabbatical for the last two or three Olympics. I do remember being upset with many of our athlete’s conduct and behavior. Many times it was very arrogant.
But this year seems very different. I have been very proud of all of the U.S. Olympians, even the basketball team that I would never watch due to their arrogance in previous years. Both Lebron James and Kobe Bryant have been great ambassadors and role models.
Compare their behavior to Switzerland’s Martin Laciga. I rarely say something like this but I was very pleased that Mr. Laciga’s team was defeated. I have never rooted against a team so furiously. His constant criticism of his teammate Jan Schnider was extremely poor form. I would urge Mr. Schnider to find a new playing partner tomorrow.
Mark Spitz described Michael Phelps’ accomplishments as “Epic.” I would have to agree. What he has done is nothing short of miraculous given his arduous schedule of events. Add to that the quality of all Olympic athletes in this age.
The gold and silver medal recipients’ of women’s gymnastic was another monumental moment. While Shawn Johnson is definitely a poster girl for all Olympic athletes, Nastia Liukin deserved the gold medal this year. Miss Johnson will certainly have another chance in 2012. If you heard the interview afterwards both Shawn Johnson and Nastia Lukin said they had “no regrets.” They both worked hard to get to the Olympics and gave it their all that night. That’s what it is all about.
My biggest disappointment with the Olympics this year has nothing to do with the athletes or China. It has to do with Bob Costas of NBC. When Mr. Costas was interviewing President Bush about his time at the games he asked what I consider a very pointed and unnecessary question. He stated that China was still an authoritarian state with an abysmal human rights record. He then proceeded to ask “in the long run is China’s rise irreconcilable with America’s interest?”
My question is what good could have come from this question? Absolutely nothing! First, I do not think this type of question should have been asked and second, if it had to be asked, choosing the word abysmal was a very poor choice. Please stick to sports Mr. Costas, you are out of your league in politics.
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Written by Michael McCall
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Sunday, 10 August 2008 |
Have you seen or read Bill Gates’ article on creative capitalism in last week’s issue of Time Magazine? I first read about his idea in Wall Street Journal month or so back after he introduced the concept at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. When I first read about his idea I thought it may complete sense and quite frankly I still do however it was very interesting to read the arguments against his approach.
One of the main philosophical issues that comes to the table is what is the purpose of a company or business particularly those that are publicly traded. Milton Friedman, the esteemed economist of the 20th century, believed that it is simply to serve the interests of the shareholder, i.e. increase the stock price. I actually cannot argue with this purpose at the most elementary level. However our world is far from elementary.
I will not attempt to define the purpose of a business at this time because it is a question that deserves serious contemplation. I will only state that it obviously needs to be profitable to sustain itself. How profitable, is the bigger question.
Given some level of profitability the next question, one more to my liking, becomes is there a moral responsibility toward society for these companies? I say yes! While we are on the subject, is there a moral responsibility to treat employees fairly with respect to compensation between the hourly workers and salaried executives? Again I say yes.
Mr. Gates believes there is an under-tapped market in serving the poor both home and abroad and that companies can increase their bottom line by allocating resources to this market. Contrarians state that if the company can make money choosing this path then why should they receive accolades or outside financial incentives. I would argue that there might be more value to shareholders dedicating all resources to markets other than the poor. Therefore, there needs to be some incentive to choose the more moral path, as sad as that may be.
There also seems to be some debate about the naming of creative capitalism. Does it really matter? I say no! It is just semantics and a waste of time. Move on to heart of the subject.
Following this approach will make the world a better place and will most likely not affect shareholder value substantially and who knows maybe such an approach will increase a company’s profitability by stumbling upon innovative technologies or other markets through research and development. You will never know if you don’t try.
Lastly, what good does it do to increase shareholder value if people are going to starve and die as a result of our greed? Is that the type of society we want live in? I for one am willing to take a slightly smaller gain in my retirement portfolio if I know companies are trying to make the world a more socially equitable global community let alone meet the basic nutritional and medical needs of the people who by no fault of their own cannot.
Shareholder and companies who choose to embrace creative capitalism by any name will live a life of no regrets and leave a legacy of moral virtue for generations to come.
Live Your Life With No Regrets!
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Written by Michael McCall
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Saturday, 02 August 2008 |
We at No Regrets Lifestyle believe life long learning is necessary to live an interesting and fulfilling life. It is one thing to read non-fiction books on subjects that interests you; it is another to be taught by an outstanding teacher. It can be difficult to go back to school from both a time and financial standpoint. Even if you can, how good will the instructor be?
Enter The Teaching Company! I cannot remember how I first learned about The Teaching Company. I know I have seen their advertisements in the Wall Street Journal. Regardless, I wish I had known about them long before now
The Teaching Company offers university level courses on every subject imaginable taught by the top 1% of professors in the world although most are from the U.S. Courses are developed in both DVD and/or audio format. Some lectures require DVD due to the amount supporting visual material. It is great that you can proceed at your own pace but the greatest benefit is the quality of the professors teaching the courses. I am amazed at how rich and interesting the lectures are, even on subjects you might think would be boring like “Who Discovered Calculus – Newton or Leibniz?”
I have purchased four courses, listened to two completely and bounce back and forth between the other two depending on my mood. The courses are not inexpensive however they are a bargain for the information you will be privileged to. The company has many sales that I recommend you wait for. My biggest dilemma is trying not to purchase too many. I have a new rule that I cannot purchase a new one until I finish a course. Regardless, it is still a challenge not to order a course when a new catalog comes out. The variety of courses is so intriguing.
I urge you to sign up for their catalog and order one course on a subject that you have always wanted to learn more about or something that just catches your fancy. I promise you, you will not regret it. Furthermore The Teaching Company will not let you regret it either as they have a 100% money back guarantee for life.
The Teaching Company’s website is www.TEACH12.com
Live Your Life With No Regrets!
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Written by Michael McCall
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Sunday, 27 July 2008 |
My heart was saddened when I read about the passing away of Randy Pausch, the author of “The Last Lecture.” I must admit that I have not read the book yet but I hope to purchase this evening. Mr. Pausch’s life after diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is another example of how and why we must live life to its fullest everyday. You never know what kind of luck is going to come your way.
Reading about Randy Pausch was like reading the story of one of my mentors who was also taken prematurely by pancreatic cancer. His name was George Hamilton and he was my advisor and instructor at The Pennsylvania State University. Here was a man who was intelligent, driven, humorous and full of integrity, but most of all a family man. He had everything going for him when he got the diagnosis. He kept to his normal routine right up to the end and took the same approach as Randy Pausch in combating the disease, that is, he utilized science, spiritually, optimism and reality.
I will never forget the speech George gave on his condition at one of our professional conferences. I am not sure there was a dry eye in the audience. After the speech he played a power point presentation he made which had many photos between slides displaying the values he thought was important. The background music was “Calling all Angels” by Train.
George Hamilton was 43 when he died four years ago last July leaving behind a loving wife and two daughters. Randy Pausch was 47 and left behind a loving wife and three children. These two men exemplified how to live life. I doubt very much that they had any meaningful regrets. They had their moral compass pointing in the right direction everyday. These two men will not be forgotten and the world is a better place because they lived a good life buy making good choices and giving to others. Let us use their lives as a model for our own.
I will write another entry on Randy Pausch after I read “The Last Lecture.”
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Written by Michael McCall
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Sunday, 20 July 2008 |
When is the right time to do a home improvement? I was speaking to a neighbor two days ago who was finally getting around to doing some home improvements where I on the other hand have been submerged in home improvements for the last three years. As I grow older, self-evident truths continue to reveal themselves.
First, your home is much more than an investment. Your home is where you will spend the majority of your time and will greatly affect your quality of life. It will set the tone for your lifestyle. Therefore, any improvements you are considering should take into your lifestyle first and investment value second.
Second, why wait? This is particularly true for parents of young children but applies to most situations. Obviously, there are financial variables to consider as related to paying for the improvements. Assuming that the means are within reach and will not cause any undue hardships, go for it! While I have suffered both personal and financial stress over certain renovations I have never regretted any of them when they were all done. You do not want to make improvements right before you sell and then say to yourself “This would have been nice to live in the last 5-10 years.” Those with young children should get the improvements done now so the children can enjoy them. Your children will have many memories of living in their home.
Third, hire a referred professional (depending on your talents). I have tried to do improvements on my own only to find out it is not for me. If you are questioning whether you can do it yourself I recommend just finding the best person for the job and getting it done. It may or may not cost you more out of your pocket and it will be done much quicker so you can enjoy it. Add how much your time is worth and you will definitely lose out. Never the less if you enjoy that type of work then do it. It is very rewarding once completed.
So if you are considering any home improvements I urge you press forward and do it now as opposed to later. Do your homework. Make sure you can afford the renovation. Determine whether you will do it yourself or hire a professional. If you hire a professional try and get a referral from someone you know and take a look at the work they have done. Be prepared for some challenging days as there will surely be a few (these challenges will also make for good stories and funny memories down the road). Have faith. It will get completed. Enjoy the completed renovation to the fullest and incorporate it into a new and improved lifestyle. You won’t regret it!
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Written by Michael McCall
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Sunday, 13 July 2008 |
Just this past week I gave my family the biggest surprise yet. For the past several years my wife and children have traveled to Indiana to visit her parents and sibling’s families for about three to four weeks. My work requires me to stay put during the summer months when I am most busy so it has worked out very well. However, I always miss my children dearly after the first 48 hours. We talk on the phone and they always ask when I can come to Indiana. It is heart breaking sometimes to hear them say it.
This year there was another variable. My wife’s father was diagnosed with prostrate cancer and has his prostrate removed about a month ago. He still has to undergo chemotherapy, hormone therapy and radiation. I have not seen my wife’s family in three years. I had a gut feeling that I just needed to make it happen. I knew I would regret it for the rest of my life if something happened to him and I never got a chance to see him again.
Therefore, I set the wheels in motion to surprise everyone. Without telling anyone except my colleagues, I made arrangements to fly out to Indiana, rent a car and just show up unannounced to be with them for the last week of their visit. Without boring you my own emotional details it may have been the best thing I ever did for many, many reasons. Both my wife and children thought a stranger was knocking at the door since it wasn’t until 11pm that I arrived at their house. When I said, “I came to see the tooth you lost” my daughter said “dad”, my wife said, “Mike” both in a questioning manner. It was a joyous moment and memory that will last a lifetime.
I spent a great deal of time with my father-in-law and I am glad to say he is very positive, optimistic but yet realistic. He spoke with such logic about his condition it was scary. I hope I can be as levelheaded as he if faced with such adversity. It certainly did not stop him from spending countless hours of quality time with his grandchildren.
Sometimes you just have to follow your gut and do what you know is right and important. The work you left behind will survive and will be there when you return. There is nothing more important than your family and your character. Live your life with no regrets!
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Written by Michael McCall
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Thursday, 03 July 2008 |
This morning I went to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast and coffee. I brought my Wall Street Journal to read. As I sat down expecting to see a front-page story about the woes of the economy, I was elated to read the headline “Columbia Raid Frees Key Hostages.” One of the hostages included former Columbian Presidential Candidate Ingrid Betancourt who had been held captive since 2002. I first read about Ms. Betancourt about a month ago when there was an article about her in the WSJ. I felt very sorry for her and her family and wondered how she could survive as a hostage for such a long period of time and wishing there was something I could do. Thoughts of what I would do if one of my children were held hostage flashed through my mind.
Regretfully, after a few days, my thoughts of Ms. Betancourt disappeared as I went on with my daily life. But today my faith in justice and courage were given a lift. I commend the Columbian government and all other nations that played a role in this remarkable rescue mission. Ms. Betancourt has demonstrated the need to maintain resolve in the most dismal of circumstances. Her example shows that all of us need to live our lives one day at a time striving to make the right choices and having the courage and faith that justice will prevail. It seems fitting that her release from captivity falls so close to America’s Independence Day.
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Written by Michael McCall
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Wednesday, 02 July 2008 |
July 4th, is just about upon us. This is one of my favorite holidays. Not because of back yard barbeques or family get togethers but because it reminds me of a time when great men came together and formed a nation. Imagine the egos that must have sat in Philadelphia 232 years ago. When was the last time you were in a meeting full of egos debating an issue that fails in comparison to independence from Great Britain. Will we ever experience such diplomacy and wisdom again? I can only hope.
I just finished watching the HBO mini-series John Adams an adaptation of David McCullough’s book of the same title. I highly recommend renting or purchasing it, if you have any interest in this subject at all. The casting is superb. The struggle for independence in 1776 is covered in only one episode but the entire story is fascinating. I would also recommend reading the book John Adams and any other book for that matter written by David McCullough. You will not regret it. He is by far my favorite author.
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Written by Michael McCall
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Monday, 05 November 2007 |
I was sitting at the auto dealer today for some scheduled maintenance
on my van. There were six other customers, five of them watching
television and one reading a magazine that was available. It just never
ceases to amaze me how much precious time people waste. I am not saying
that every minute has to be productive but it should be used to
maximize the enjoyment of life even if it has to do with relaxation.
Simple planning like having a book or magazine that you want to read
always on hand could certainly improve the quality of your life. I
chose to use the time to further plan out my week and get rid of some
of the junk in my day planner. Many times I take my iPod to listen to
podcasts or music that I enjoy. I just feel that we should all control
what we want to absorb as opposed to some outside source whether it be
the car dealer or the media which is the main source of information in
these types of settings. A little planning can go along way to living a
more interesting and fulfilling life.
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