Today, I am thankful to be old enough to remember Saturday afternoons watching American Bandstand.

I can’t help but smiling as I think about watching the dancers so I could learn the newest steps.  I remember the weekly Rate-A-Record segment; “It’s got a good beat and is easy to dance to” was a popular score justification.  Everyone wanted to be like the cool kids on American Bandstand.

Then there are the contributions made to popular music, introducing rock ‘n roll to the masses as the first show to merge popular music and TV.  Songs introduced on the show one week were top forty hits the next.  There are landmark music history moments, too.  Dick Clark changed the ‘all white” rule of the previous host and provided a national stage for Little Anthony, Chuck Berry, Chubby Checker and more.  On the air for thirty years, American Bandstand introduced stars from Buddy Holly to Madonna, the Everly Brothers to Donna Summer.

Although there are numerous other television shows that Dick Clark is responsible for, American Bandstand is what I will most remember him for, with much gratitude and appreciation.

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Nostalgia.  People just need to get over it.  Move on.

Those words were spoken in a meeting today, as someone was reacting to a recent conversation he had with some folks.  It got me thinking about whether or not nostalgia is a good thing or a bad thing.

Then, I heard the news.  Davy Jones died.

Today, I am thankful for the nostaligic memories this news brought rushing back to my consciousness.

I’m a Believer.  Pleasant Valley Sunday.  Valleri.  The Last Train to Clarksville.  Hey, Hey, We’re the Monkees.  Loved that song and the goofy intro to The Monkees TV show.  Who hasn’t done that silly beach walk with their friends?

Which one was Davy, you ask?  The cute one,  of course!

If you’re fan and want a short trip down memory lane or if you just want to see what all the fuss is about, watch this video, featuring Davy.  Prepare for some toe-tapping be-bopping chair dancing swooning.  (Click the song titles above for some more!)

Thanks for the memories, Davy.  Rest in peace.

As for nostaligia, I’ve decided that it is A-OK, as long as looking back doesn’t hinder you from looking forward.

Ellen commented that it is good for the universe to wear clothes with positive words like that.  She asked Jennifer if she ever watched “What The Bleep Do We Know?”

Today, I am thankful for the reminder to focus on possibilities!

In one of my leadership classes at Otterbein University, we watched the documentary, “What The Bleep Do We Know?” as a thought exercise to help us realize the world is filled with unlimited possibilities.  This movie really opened up my world to ontological thinking – essentially, your thoughts focus on what might be possible rather than what is.

The original 108 minute film – released in theaters in February 2004. Starring Marlee Matlin and 14 Scientists and Mystics. Exploring the worlds of Quantum Physics, Neurology, and Molecular Biology in relation to the spheres of Spirituality, Metaphysics and Polish weddings. Part documentary, part drama, part animation, How does it all fit together???

If you haven’t seen this documentary, I encourage you to.  You can read more about it here and then order a copy for yourself here.  (I just did!)  Enjoy discovering what’s possible for you – and, be thankful for it all!

The opportunity to learn a musical instrument can inspire a child to discover talent, expand creativity, develop social skills, and learn sef-discipline.  Music in our schools is vital to the health of our communities and the continued development of our culture.

Yet, many children do not have this opportunity.

In honor of tonight’s Grammy Awards, below are some organizations striving to keep music alive and available to all children.  Click the links and explore.  Whether it’s donating an instrument, contributing funds, or giving your time and musical experience, you can help.

The Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation keeps music alive in our schools and communities by donating musical instruments to under-funded music programs, giving youngsters the many benefits of music education, helping them to be better students and inspiring creativity and expression through playing music.  [They] believe that kids thrive when given the chance to learn and play music. Putting an instrument into their hands improves the quality of their education and their lives. The window is brief and all kids deserve a chance to play music in school!

Make a financial donation to the foundation here.  Find out how to give them a used instrument here.  Start the process to seek a grant here.

Instruments of Change [strives to] profoundly impact the lives of disadvantaged children through the gifts of musical instrument donation, instruction and performance. [They] accomplish this mission by seeking our new and gently used musical instruments that are not being played and place them with children whose parents do not have the means to purchase an instrument of their own.

Scroll down this page to donate a musical instrument.  Make a financial contribution here.  If you are a music educator, offer to share your experience here.

Charity Music Inc. is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit public service organzation, whose mission is to help cultivate the next upcoming crop of young artists by providing musical instruments, on loan, to homeless students, at-risk, and disadvantaged youth wishing to explore their hidden musical talents.

Follow your state link from this list to find out how to donate an instrument.  Click here to make a financial contribution.

Help keep music alive.  Help children discover their potential greatness.  Help our communities thrive through musical arts.

Well, I for one would never have thought to put Lady Gaga and Mother Teresa side by side in an article about leadership.  Fortunately, someone else did.  Click HERE to read the Shumpeter post, published yesterday in The Economist.

Newslink: Leadership features articles about the development and practice of leadership skills in today’s business world.

A couple things are great about this.  First, I get free books to add to my library.  If you’ve followed any of my posts, you know I love books and love to share them with my team, so adding to my library is a good thing.

Second, there is no pressure to post a “positive” review.  I am simply asked to share my unedited thoughts about the book here on my blog and on at least one commercial site.

Over the next week, I will be posting three such reviews:

This Is The Moment, by Walter Green

On This Day In Christian History, by Robert Morgan

Surviving Your Serengeti, by Stefan Swanepoel

I hope you find these reviews, and others posted here, useful.  Please share, what books have you read lately?  Would you recommend them?  Why or why not?

If you are lucky enough to live in a community with a theater specializing in independent films, you have access to a cultural gem.  One such community is Maitland, near Orlando, Florida, home of the Enzian Theater.  I had the pleasure of enjoying a show there several years ago, and the wonderful experience has stayed with me.  Given the timing of both my trip to Utah and the Sundance Film Festival, the Enzian Theater is a perfect topic for this week’s Sunday Service.

“As Central Florida’s only full-time, not-for-profit alternative cinema, Enzian exists to entertain, inspire, educate, and connect the community through film. For more than 25 years Enzian has championed the belief that “Film Is Art.” Along with first-run independent features, Enzian offers a variety of special events, such the nationally-recognized Florida Film Festival.” (www.enzian.org)

An evening at the Enzian is much more than just watching a movie.   While waiting to be seated, you can enjoy drinks at the Eden Bar, an outdoor delight.  Once inside, guests enjoy full table service; drinks and appetizers or a complete meal as they watch the show.  The menu  reflects the same “creativity and individuality” as the theater’s movie selections.

As mentioned above, the Enzian Theater is also the home of the Florida Film Festival, this year from April 11-17.  Described as “the best regional festival I have ever attended” by Eugene Hernandez, editor-in-chief of indieWIRE.com, it celebrates current cinema, independent films, food and fun.  For local residents and movie stars alike, the festival is an event in filmmaking.

If you would like to support the cinematic arts through the Enzian, you can become a member of the Enzian Film Society.  All members enjoy discounted tickets, a free popcorn at each show, free special screenings, and advance tickets for the Florida Film Festival.  Annual memberships begin at $60 and go up to $2200, with corresponding,  increasing benefit advantages. 

You can also help the theater continue its excellent programming and community arts programs by donating directly to its operation.  For 25 years, Enzian has been a non-profit community-supported organization.  With only a quarter of its operating budget coming from ticket sales, it cannot operate without financial contributions.  If you can help, click HERE and support the theater’s mission to “entertain, inspire, educate, and connect the community through film.”

Even if you don’t have any ties to central Florida, I would urge you to seek out your local indie theater and support it.  The arts community in your area needs your help, too.

Storytellers broaden our minds: engage, provoke, inspire, and ultimately, connect us. -Robert Redford, President and Founder, Sundance Institute

Photos courtesy of www.enzian.org

“A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference.”

 “You can’t always sit in your corner of the forest and wait for people to come to you… you have to go to them sometimes.”

 “When late morning rolls around and you’re feeling a bit out of sorts, don’t worry; you’re probably just a little eleven o’clockish.”

“If ever there is tomorrow when we’re not together.. there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

Such a wise bear… have a wonderful day!

Tuesday Tidbits are weekly messages I have been sending to my leadership team for about five years.  They are generally short & sweet, often focused on leadership or teamwork, always positive and hopefully, motivational.  A co-worker recently suggested the Tuesday Tidbit was blog-worthy.  I hope you find some meaning in them.

Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life – well, valuable, but small – and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven’t been brave?

So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn’t it be the other way around?

I don’t really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void.

- Kathleen Kelly in You’ve Got Mail

I’m a great fan of Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks movies, probably because I love romantic comedies.  I could watch You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle over and over!  They touch the heart and make the soul smile.  However, if you really pay attention, even the lightest plot can have some very thoughtful moments.

Take the above quote, for example.

Many people aren’t brave.  They choose the safe path, the one with the least risk and the least opportunity for failure.  Failure.  That’s how most of us would view an unsuccessful attempt at something.  Not the brave, though.  They view it as an opportunity for feedback, to learn how to do it better the next time.

In THIS article, Overcoming The Fear of Failure, Arina Nikitina states:  

Fear of failure is one of the greatest fears people have. Fear of failure is closely related to fear of criticism and fear of rejection. Successful people overcome their fear of failure. Fear incapacitates unsuccessful people.

The best thing to do is not to avoid the things we might fail at, but instead, we must learn how to fail.  Martha Beck wrote THIS article for Oprah.com a couple years ago: How To Fail Your Way to Success.  Through her humorous storytelling, Beck reminds us that:

We shouldn’t assign more significance to a failure than it deserves…Sometimes, there just isn’t anything you can do about failure…Some failures pave the way to sucesses…We must accept that failure is a part of life.

The second part of the movie quote above also demands our attention. 

 When we think about our lives, does it remind us of books we’ve read?  Or, has our life been such that we should write a book about it?  Are we sitting back and letting life just happen?  Or, are we bravely charging into life’s possible experiences?  Are we making things happen?

So, why is life the way it is?  Is it because of the path we took or because of the path we didn’t?  It’s an interesting question, isn’t it?

I don’t really want an answer. I just wanted to send this cosmic question out into the void.

My, my, how things have changed.

I don’t think anyone would debate that agreeing to participate in a one hour special to announce his next team was not a good move by LeBron James.  Yes, lots of money was raised for the Boys and Girls Club of America, which is admirable, but it does not excuse the poor judgment used in setting up the plan to begin with.  And, let’s not forget that Jim Gray – who devised the whole plan – and ESPN are just as much to blame as LeBron’s camp for the spectacle that was.

Worst of all, James chose to share the news with the world before telling the team he was leaving, the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Fans of the team feel betrayed, abandoned and once again publicly humiliated by one of their pro sports teams.  Dan Gilbert, the owner of the team, has behaved even worse then LeBron with his classless public rantings denouncing LeBron.  The entire situation was a mess.  As Mitch Albom stated on Sunday morning’s ESPN’s The Sports Reporters, “This is what happens when 25 year olds run the world.”

All that aside, what about the basketball career decision LeBron made?

LeBron James wants to win a championship.  He was close last year in Cleveland, but close isn’t quite the same thing, is it?  In Miami, circumstances evolved to allow him to play on the same team as other superstars in the game, Chris Bosh and Dewayne Wade.  D.Wade already is “the man” in Miami.  Bosh and James are coming in to a situation where they have to share the spotlight. James could be going from being the ”King” to being a just another member of the King’s court.  And, reportedly, all three players are taking pay cuts to make this happen within NBA salary rules.

Some people think this entire situation is all about LeBron’s ego.  In some respects, though, isn’t his ego being put aside in order to win?

All of us have the right to choose opportunities to advance our career, to achieve personal and professonal goals, to live and work where we want to, and to enjoy the benefits that come with hard work and success.  Why should it be any different for atheletes?  Why shouldn’t LeBron be able to play for Miami if that’s what he thinks gives him the best chance to win?  As Wade said on an ESPN interview Saturday, “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

I hope it works out.

I hope that the “big three” in Miami are able to keep egos in check and show us all that the team comes first.  I also hope that if they can do that, that they win and show kids that team really is more important – and more rewarding – than individual glory.

I hope Cleveland fans will someday be able to regain their pride in the hometown guy who grew up to be an international superstar.  They should be proud to call him one of their own - admittedly, not right now, though.

I hope someone takes Dan Gilbert aside and tells him his behavior was also pretty bad.  From a management perspective, his public rantings, insults aimed at LeBron, and empty promises for future success demonstrate a lack of leadership skills.  LeBron is right in his comment that Gilbert “needs to look himself in the mirror and understand that what he may have done may have cost him in the long run.”

I hope that LeBron will be able to overcome the fallout of the choices he made in handling his departure.  Perhaps one day he’ll regain public admiration for his athletic skills, team orientation and humble character.  He has an uphill climb, but not an impossible one.

Then again, my husband has often told me that, once in a while, I need to remove my rose-colored glasses.