Category Archives: Optimism

Everything happens for the best possible reason.

i miss you so much. Stay the night, stay for the night Stay with me all night, because I never let you go.

Lightening Up the Night (New Poem: May 12th, 2015)

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Lightening Up the Nighttwo in love

It’s all so temporary, our visit here
Raging storms of misery are so unnecessary
Grudges hold no value and Love is golden forever
A simple smile to all that pass your way
A good deed, a word of kindness
There are far too few of these arrows in flight
Stay the night, stay for the night
Stay with me all night, because I never let you go.

Joe Wooldridge
Tuesday, May 12th, 2015 at 12:06am.

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Etre – Slaying Your Dragon

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More art from Sir Thomas Mallory's King Arthur.

 Etre – Slaying Your Dragon or

Notes from the Round Table, Part 1

Invariably I find myself seeing, interpreting and casting things in epic proportions. Chalk it up to growing up raiding the shelves of the Limestone Elementary School Library from ages 8-12.

The subject of choice?

Arthurian legends were by far the most fascinating subject for me – no doubt a natural progression from growing up on the classic fairy tales – you know the ones – where the 3 little pigs actually cooked the wolf and ate it and then danced around!

St. George slaying the dragon. Another look.Sir Thomas Mallory’s tales had all of the good stuff – legends, chivalry, romance, good, evil, quests, good deeds, magic, treachery, drama, misdeeds, redemption, courage, honor, jousts – well you get the idea.

So being a longtime writer I am often surprised at what spills out onto the pages of the trusty journal. Rather than crafting and molding it – I often find it more interesting to just let it pour out.

St. George slaying the dragon. A third look.

Last night’s entry:

Etre

Of the many things we could be
In life we must choose paths,
We must learn how to live
And learn why we live
We must weigh wisdom and history
And live a life examined
In order to wring the most of our gifts
And avoid being consumed by our appetites

Each rise and fall –
If we’re lucky we learn
From the cavalier, from the
Heartbroken sot, the genius,
The fool, the fearless, the
Helpless, the hedonist, the
Sinner clinging to prayer,
The lover, the fighter
We must learn from the
Many facets of ourselves.

Of the many forms of success
That we attain – perhaps the
Most painful and most rewarding
Is that of personal growth –
To be more than we ever thought
We could be, to push ourselves
To new heights and be
Good enough to help others
Do the same. For nowhere
Would we be if not for the
Lovingkindness of others.

Helping others in our journeys
Is really also a gift of peace
That we give ourselves.

So light the light, forge ahead,
Shine the light, show the way,
Help the wayward, as we were
Helped ourselves. Be joyous,
Have peace, swing the sword
And slay the dragon.

Peace.

Joe Wooldridge
Saturday, June 7th, 2014 7:03am

More art from Sir Thomas Mallory's King Arthur.

 Okay, so what does the featured image have to do with slaying dragons? Well, that’s Vanessa Redgrave as Guinevere and Franco Nero as Sir Lancelot du Lac in the movie “Camelot”. I mean, hey – a man’s got to have some inspiration!

Pick up that lance, hop on that horse and go slay that dragon!

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Get Out of the Boiling Pot – Overcoming the ‘Crab Mentality’

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You know them. You have them in your immediate circle. You know who I’m talking about.

Them.

Those with the crab mentality.

Don't let people with the crab mentality keep you down.

If you Google the term “crab mentality” you will find roughly 193,000 search results. So we can’t pretend that it is not a prevalent problem with our fellow human beings.

So what do we mean by the crab mentality? And what could you hope to gain by identifying its presence in the behavior of others around you?

A person with the “Crab Mentality” is someone who employs a selfish, short-sighted thinking/acting strategy that boils down to the attitude of “if I can’t have it, neither can you.” We’re talking about people who will work hard – even go out of their way – to hold others back, denigrate and pull even their own family, friends and associates down rather than have that person(s) get ahead or realize their dreams.

Know anyone like this?

I do, and chances are that you do as well.

Picture a pot of water that a cook puts on to boil in order to prepare the crabs for dinner. An interesting phenomenon occurs as the water is heating up. These live crabs (at least the smarter ones) will endeavor to get out of the pot. But when one of them starts to escape – the other crabs will pull it back down to prevent it from getting free and escaping. Even worse, it takes on a more malicious tone as they will wait until the freedom-minded crab has almost escaped the pot before they pounce and yank it back into the boiling water. Those crabs know that they’re screwed if they can’t escape – but they just can’t bear the idea of someone else daring to dream of escape – of ‘going for it’.

Not cool.

Not only is it a selfish, jealous and harmful mindset/behavior – but if the crabs in the boiling pot all worked toward the goal of escaping, then they could manage to help each other get free.

Does this mean you can’t get free?

Hopefully not. But if you’re planning on making good on your escape to a better life (I.e. getting ahead, striving to achieve goals, building a dream, etc.) then you will be wise to take an objective look around you and identify those around you that would do their best to keep you down and prevent you from attaining a better life.

You’ll be surprised by the people who will make efforts to keep you from your goals. It could be a co-worker(s), friend(s), and oftentimes a family member(s).

Shocking, you say?

They may not always be aware of the motivations behind their actions. As the crabs exhibit, it evidently comes from a primal place.

The best you can do is be aware of those that are the crabs in your midst. The ‘sneaky ones’ are those who will put on the ‘encouraging face’ for you and then work in a clandestine fashion to keep your from reaching your goals.

Know the people around you.

Not sure who fits in the category? Just ask them. Ask what they think of your goals and your chances of success. If at all possible, limit your contact with the crabbies (not always possible). Definitely make a point to limit the impact that they can have on you as you strive to reach your goals. They will work to distract you, argue with you, create unnecessary drama in your life, put additional stress on you and throw obstacles in your path.

If you really want to reach your goals and escape the ordinary, you must shake off the crabs in your midst. You may have to actually FIGHT them off. Oh well, no one said it would be easy.

Go for it.

If you weren’t aware of this mentality being present among people you know, then now you can be aware and start to identify, and mitigate the ‘haters’. Here’s to reaching your goals!

Onward and upward.

About the Author: Joe Wooldridge is the Founder of a Digital Marketing Coalition company in Kansas City and Austin, TX called MYJOECARD.COM. Naturally this article is connected to Joe’s profile. It also links to Twitter if you’re into that.

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Happy Thanksgiving – 23 things to be thankful for in 2013

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Happy Thanksgiving! 2013 was a year of growth. This year I am thankful for the following (in no certain order):Thanksgiving 2013: List of 23 Things I am Grateful for

1. Health, wisdom, and good sleep when I need it,

2. The love of family and friends,

3. The best friends in the world that are like family (you really are),

4. People with dreams, vision, passion, and that like to build things,

5. A Guardian Angel that works overtime,

6. Anyone that believes in me – that means the world, and a great community that decided that my dream was worthy of becoming real,

7. Thinkers – for they help us consider our consciousness and reality in new ways,

8. Inventors, Innovators and Tinkerers – for they help us experience existence in new (and hopefully better) ways,

9. Artists, Entertainers and Storytellers – for they help us all to see, hear, smell, touch and taste the World from new and amazing points of view,

10. The Kansas City Chiefs, #amazingyear

11. The greatest Mom in the world,

12. The Love of a Benevolent God,

13. Thunderstorms,

14. People that stand up for what is right,

15. Forgiveness,

16. Passion and Inspiration,

17. Second chances (even ones that haven’t come yet),

18. The Internet and other cool technology (as long as we use it right),

19. Free Thinkers that ask questions,

20. The ability to learn from mistakes,

21. My dog (such unconditional love, loyalty and companionship),

22. Those strong enough to win their own battles and help others that struggle,

23. Being part of the World at important time where we are beginning to grow up.

So there is the short list. What are YOU thankful for this year? Please weigh in, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

And Happy Thanksgiving to you!

– Joe

Yes I am grateful!
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Taking the Leap of Faith, part 1

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Founding a business of any kind requires many things of the person ‘crazy’ enough to ‘go for it’. It takes a lot of guts to jump out there and say “Okay World, I’m starting a business named _(x)_, and we will be providing _(y)_ to the _(z)_ market”.

Taking a leap of faith.I’ve decided to start a series of blog posts devoted to exploring the many things that go into starting your own business. There’s a lot to it.

First, I admire anyone that has the guts to take the ‘Leap of Faith’ and start their own business – it is an exciting and scary proposition. In addition to starting my own business, I have had the pleasure of consulting scores of new entrepreneurs/business owners (and potential ones) in nearly every industry for over nine years.

There are many things that entrepreneurs have in common across all industries, the foremost being that for every business that you see – there is a person(s) with a dream behind it. Once you fully realize and appreciate what it takes to manifest a dream, you can’t help but appreciate the journey that someone has undertaken. I believe everyone should start their own business at some point in life – even a smaller business – just for the experience.

There is magic there when someone endeavors to make their dreams a reality.

I will explore some of the elements and milestones that come with starting and building a business. From Goethe quotes and interviews with local business owners – to ‘crazy energy’ and ‘war rooms’.

When I jumped in and started my company, I did not have all of the answers, I was not able to build a business plan for investors, it was impossible – as there were no other businesses like www.myjoecard.com with a business model to use for comparison.

What I did have was passion, drive and vision. I KNEW that the business was going to work. I was ABSOLUTELY sure. Once I took stock of my experiences, expertise and resources (I.e. the rest of my life), I knew I could make it happen – the idea was so compelling that there was no way that I could keep myself from ‘going for it’.

Everyone comes up with ideas at different times in their life for new products, services, types of business, etc., but it is the ideas that are tremendously compelling that ‘snare’ you.

One thought I wrote in my journal:

“You can’t start out with all of the answers. You have to go out and earn them.”

 

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Infinite Light (New Poem from June 5, 2013)

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Infinite Light

what fools we are
Infinite Light is our power source - we need to spread light - it is our function.little lamps of divinity
shining, outshining and dimming
blinking on for the first time
blinking out for the last
worried about the style of our shade
our placement

our function is to shine elegantly, exquisitely
and amplify our brightness unto the world
little fools that blink and worry
be glad for charge and connection
to The Almighty power-soul-source
our charge is given
our brightness to the world is our purpose

Joe Wooldridge
June 5th, 2013 @ 3:28am.

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Defining the Future – Kansas City’s Opportunity

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Dear People and Companies of the World,

Young and old, big and small – the future is ready, are you? It spreads in the daring minds of pioneers. Architects of the future are now increasingly valued in the World – more than at any time in recent memory. Those minds are being encouraged and fed greater resources.

Resources to build, room to dream, frontiers to conquer, sails to set and horizons to eye.

It is happening.

Today, explorers and adventurers have the ‘royal ear’ and the New World is here once again. It is our same old World seen through transformative eyes . . .

New Kansas City, New Austin soon.

What will we call that place on the slopes? New Provo sounds nice!

Google is sending out the fearless, the bold, and are planting flags of the future in the Heart of America. A new product launching called Google Fiber – and running glass – fiber optic cable, to connect the World in ways in which we should have already been connected. As daring and bold as it is, what we are seeing is merely the groundwork for what is to come – people connecting, sharing, building new things – better things for a better tomorrow.

Ford, Chevy, Sony, Microsoft, Apple and Small Businesses – there are new ‘roads’ being built for your products and services. Get off your laurels – the time to act is now – and ever now.

Kansas City Areas Eligible for Google Fiber (as of 05/08/2013).

The only foes in this bright and exciting New World are those keepers of the old order – fat, complacent cats dining on old hoarded cheese. The Fiberbahn is being built, line-by-line, street-by-street, pole-by-pole, city-by-city, and mind-by-mind. When someone jumps in to build a better World, a better way – open your mind and wallet and get on board. Buy-in and build.

Enjoy being part of building and creating the new and improved – FOR REAL.

Don’t think 20% better, or twice as good . . . .

Think 100 Times – Faster, More Powerful. The old ISP and cable feudal lords know that the ‘gig is up’. Sad that someone entirely outside the industry had to come in and build a platform for the future – but there is much excitement, because a fiber-optic network is finally underway. The clamor for Google Fiber is resounding throughout our land – ask any city leader about the calls and emails that they get, saying “Can we get it? When can we get it??!”.

Indeed. Thank you, Google for having the vision and guts to begin building what will hopefully grow into a nationwide fiber-optic network. And thank you for choosing Kansas City as your first market.

The light is shining, the future is here – and it is double-parked . . . Let’s Go! Envision how our bright future will look and help build it.

There are no monsters in the uncharted waters. The Earth is not flat. The waters of the oceans don’t spill off the edge of the map into oblivion.

There are new vistas to behold, new ground to break – and it is all around you as far as you can see – wherever you are.

I see the pioneers of today building the World that they want to live in. Bob Bigelow is building a fleet for travel into space with plans for a lunar settlement and he is making progress. Ree Drummond, ‘The Pioneer Woman’ (and dear friend) has built a fairytale into a televised, and best-selling reality in Pawhuska, Oklahoma! I can’t wait to dine at her new restaurant that is in the works (from what a little bird told me).

I LOVE Ree, she calls me 'Josefus'!
I LOVE Ree, she calls me ‘Josefus’!

Google is laying a fiber optic network which will transform the way we live in ways that we are just now starting to imagine – and providing tools and opportunity – necessary means for us, our children and the leaders of tomorrow in America – to employ.

Build the future, think of ONE HUNDRED TIMES . . . Bigger, Better, Stronger, Faster.

Be part of a New Renaissance of all communications, commerce, products, services and their exponential impact of their application.

Leave complacency behind – on the couch, in the cubicle. Re-think goals, dare to dream ‘What if?’ and put on your running shoes and join in.

I’ll see you on the frontier.

– Joe

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Alee (New Poem from May 1, 2013)

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Alee

At times in my mind
So perfectly locked away – so freeLove never dies, it sails at night
Free from sailing and crying
From flailing and worry
The slight tinnitus rings
Like a billion faint nano-locusts

Times of inner peace amid global turmoil
God is present, biding, tending
Lending a loving hand
Guiding this ship captain through
Rocks, reefs, mortal enemies, and Djinni
Nailing whitecaps at full sail

Alee I sit in my mind
Pondering the mundane, the obtuse
The infinite, and the unlikely
Nascently seeking uncharted waters
Beauteous mermaids and angels
To break the heart of darkness

Shattered so strongly sending fifty million
Diamond splinters raining upward and outward
To light the infinite sky
With reminders of Love’s courage
To show that someone cared so much
A universe, born of fury, chasing forever away

Joseph Wooldridge
Tuesday, April 30, 2013 @11:54am.

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“Move Over Rover” – Google Fiber Is Coming To Olathe, Kansas!

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Google Fiber has announced that Olathe, KS is on the slate to receive Google Fiber’s 1,000Mbs Internet Service. We Love it!

Google Fiber Olathe MyJoeCard

We are very excited that Google Fiber will be coming to Olathe, KS! Seriously, 100 Times faster than normal broadband Internet service is hard to fathom – we can easily imagine 2x faster or even 10x faster . . . . At the absolutely excellent rates Google Fiber is being offered at – there is NO REASON why someone shouldn’t be jumping-up-and-down excited to choose one of the packages they are offering.

Now you can get the new Google Fiber MyJoeCards. They are available at some of the newer CardCenters (like All Tech Electric & Contracting or Villa Medici Apartments).

As well you can order 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 or 100 and we will mail them directly to you. Let us know if you are having a special event for your neighborhood as well.

To order online click here.

We are very excited that Google Fiber will be coming to Olathe, KS! Seriously, 100 Times faster than normal broadband Internet service is hard to fathom – we can easily imagine 2x faster or even 10x faster . . . . At the absolutely excellent rates Google Fiber is being offered at – there is NO REASON why someone shouldn’t be jumping-up-and-down excited to choose one of the packages they are offering.

Check out Google Fiber online here: google.com/fiber

See Google Fiber at MyJoeCard by clicking here.

If you are very interested in Google Fiber, you should inquire about being an ‘Ambassador’ or ‘Advocate’ for your area or neighborhood. Visit this page: https://fiber.google.com/tell/ to access flyers to pass out for your neighborhood and more info on helping champion a very exciting and worthy cause.

Google Fiber's First Neighborhood Launch Party 20120929_172040
Google Fiber’s First Neighborhood Launch Party in Kansas City on September 29th, 2012. With Fur and Joe.

I can’t think of many things more exciting than having the World’s most amazing Internet Service across all areas of greater Kansas City . . . and then the rest of the United States.

Beautiful stuff. Historic events.

Have a great weekend!

Joe

 

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An Alleluia Dressed In Black (New Poem from March 2, 2013)

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An Alleluia Dressed In Blackjulie ann palmer, kristen lamourie, joan severance, sabrina gibson

Hey dynamite, lightly-tousled Angel-sprite
Did you levitate the night?
Elegance saunters, subtle swagger
I want to know about this river
When it runs so fierce a current
And lays aside cool eddying pools.

Sent from mountains far away
After falling from the sky
Nourishing gift from Heaven
– prayed for, danced for
Dressed in thunder
Heralded by lightning skies.

Delicate pearls of life
Driven by myriad winds
– to awaken
– to remember
– to send doubt running . . .
A torrent.

An Alleluia dressed in black,
Washing away the drought of fears,
Pattering on the roof of the mind,
Melodies to the surrounded, easily
The most gorgeous thing I have ever seen.

Joseph Wooldridge
Saturday, March 2nd, 2013 @2:55am.

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