Commentary

Snow Day

/ Denis Wilhelm / Leave a comment

Day two of my capitivity.  Blizzard conditions! Ice! Thunder! Thunder and snow???  How strange!!!

This isn’t a fun snow day. No fluffy flakes of snow waiting to be transformed into smiling snowmen. No sledding in the park. This is ice. Treacherous. Dangerous. Stay in your house and off the streets – ice! And for a ‘follow-up’ they’re predicting blizzard-like conditions. How wonderful!

Looking out my lonely window

Our offices were closed yesterday afternoon and we’re home today and maybe tomorrow, too.  Snow days were fun as a kid but working from home while also watching weather reports “ad nauseam” and keeping one eye looking out the window is exhausting. This ‘multi-tasking’ is very challenging. I’m also thinking about all the work piling up at my office that couldn’t be transported home. So much for telecommuting (or whatever it’s called).

Plus I don’t know why but I can’t stop looking at the weather and I’m afraid that I’m becoming obsessed. I’m concerned about folks who have to work in this mess (my nephew particularly) but also healthcare workers, police, road crews, mail carriers (the irony here is that I won’t risk falling down trying to walk to my mailbox to get the mail that the mail carrier risked his life to deliver). What’s really crazy is that retail stores are open today. How miserable for the Walmart/Target/Macy’s associates that risk life and limb to get to a store that is likely empty. But God forbid that someone not “show up” for work! So much for common sense.

I just finished a conference call with our manufacturing partners in Guadalajara, Mexico – it’s 80 degrees and sunny there. On the contrary, we’re expecting -6 degrees tonight and 12″ to 20″ of snow. So it’s time for a little ‘pity party’. I think I’ll take a break from work. I’ll have some hot chocolate and maybe some cookies or a muffin. Perhaps I can ‘eat’ myself happy. 

Snow days were fun as a kid. Now I just feel like I’m under ‘house arrest’. “Oh, look it’s starting to snow again!”

I guess after my snack and my nap I’ll work on my jigsaw puzzle. I don’t know, maybe this isn’t so bad after all…

Peace,

Denis

It’s That Time of Year Again

/ Denis Wilhelm / Leave a comment

Taxes, Colonoscopies, and Employee Reviews. Three dreaded annual events. I’d sooner do my taxes and have my colon “snaked” than write those blasted reviews. Every year I hate writing employee evaluations. And every year it only seems to get worse.

No matter how you color it; you can give them fancy names like Employee Improvement Process or Personal Development Plan; you can have the employee “take ownership” by doing a “self-assessment”; it still boils down to the same thing. These are ADULT REPORT CARDS. And they come with the same terror, surprise, delight or indifference as when the receiver was in fact a student.

I personally hate reviews for two reasons: First, you can only use the words paradigm, strategic, self-motivated, and mentor in so many sentences. Secondly, when the review is actually being given, I can’t help but think that the employee is only hearing “WAH, WAH; WAH, WAH, WAH” – like the adults in the Peanuts cartoons.

But again this year, like so many years in the past, I will give it my all and try (really try) to find positive things to say and to address “areas of improvement” so that the members of my staff can “grow in their roles as leaders in our organization”.  Which I suppose is better than saying, “You don’t suck; but you still do a lot of stupid stuff”.

For those of you that share the treaded task of giving employee evaluations, I just have one piece of advice: Keep it short and sweet (if possible). Everyone that’s done a crappy already knows it – why bore them with the details? And the ones that have done a good job would rather that you just show them the money.

So enough already with the “WAH, WAH; WAH, WAH, WAH”!

Peace,

Denis

Teachers

/ Denis Wilhelm / 2 Comments

On Tuesday evening during his State of the Union address, President Obama spoke about school teachers. This is what he said: “Let’s also remember that after parents, the biggest impact on a child’s success comes from the man or woman at the front of the classroom. In South Korea, teachers are known as ‘nation builders,’ here in America, it’s time we treated the people who educate our children with the same level of respect.”

That got me thinking about teachers that I know and have known. It called to mind some of the great teachers that I had as well as the great teachers that my kids had, too. It also gave me a greater appreciation for friends that are teachers.
I think that as a nation we place a higher regard on the latest tech gadget or apparel or toy or sporting equipment that our children “need” rather than focusing on the quality or commitment of their teachers and schools. Simply looking at funding for education it paints a poor picture of our nation’s values. But great teachers just keep doing their jobs with little praise and often with inadequate compensation.

I believe that we dismiss the sacrifice that good teachers make for our children. Too often I have heard people say things like, “Teachers have it made, where else can you work nine months of the year and get paid for summers off?” Or there’s that old ‘chestnut’ – “those that can do; those that can’t teach”.  And yet we entrust teachers with our most cherished resource – our children. Our futures.

What’s my point?  I had great teachers that I know I never thanked. My kids had even better teachers than I did and I’m not sure we ever thanked them either.

So here goes:

  • Thanks Miss Boerding. You made me not miss my mom so much when I was a scared little 2nd grader.
  • Thanks Sister Fidesta.  You made Algebra and Geometry fun, even if the fun stuff had nothing to do with Algebra or Geometry. (Martaun and I still laugh about it!)
  • Thanks Sister Thecla. You made me love drafting, design, and graphic arts (and I built a career on it). Plus you were just one crazy lady!
  • Thanks Mr. Elmore. You taught Deb life lessons. We both loved you for it and we miss you.
  • Thanks Dean Crozier. You helped me realize that the world was much bigger than just Saint Charles, Missouri.

Thanks Cindy, Kathy, Peggy, Keith, Mary and all the other teachers that I know who are still committed to their students and their vocation. God bless you for the work that you do. You are nation builders – never forget that!

Peace,

Denis

Baby Smiles

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Last Sunday in church my grandson Noah smiled at me. That may not seem like a big deal. It certainly wasn’t the first time that he smiled nor was it the first time that he smiled at me. But it was the first time that he seemed to truly recognize me and that recognition garnered a smile. Of course it’s possible that he gives that same smile to the UPS driver or the cashier at the local market. But for that moment it seemed, to me anyway, that he was thinking, “Hey, that’s my Pawpaw and I love him!”  It was sublime.
 
I thanked God at that moment for his ‘baby smile’. His big sister and his cousin have been smiling (or laughing) at me for some time now. But this is a new chapter in our relationship. I love my grandkids and I love that they love me back! And now Noah is ‘telling’ me that he loves me, too!
 
Baby smiles are one of the best things that life has to offer. They’re wonderful. They’re sincere. And they’re ‘free of charge’. Who among us hasn’t been completely disarmed by a baby’s smile? How many times have you had a miserable moment/day/week/ only to have it whisked away by the sweet smile of a baby. And if that baby happens to be your grandchild – it’s even better! Trust me.
 
I know that Charlise and Anna and Noah don’t just smile at me. They have lots of people in their lives that they love. And I’m happy for that. But when they do reserve that one special smile for just for me I feel like the luckiest person on earth.

Smiling Noah

Baby smiles can’t fix everything. They can’t make the pain and suffering of this world disappear entirely. They can’t stop wars or end hunger or cure illness. But sometimes I wonder…? Could a baby smile be a diplomatic tool? Could a smiling baby breakdown political, societal, and economic barriers? When I’ve had a lousy day sometimes just looking at a picture of my smiling grandkids helps put everything in perspective. Maybe all the United Nations Delegates should be required to wear pictures of their children or grandchildren or nieces or nephews on their lapels. Perhaps the State Department should include photos of heads of states’ children as part of the advance teams’ paperwork. It’s possible some conflicts might be resolved if THE IMPORTANT PEOPLE realized how lucky they were to be parents/grandparents/aunts/uncles. And by securing peace in our world; they could insure continuation of baby smiles for generations. It’s just a thought.

How lucky am I? Just look at Noah’s smile and you’ll know.
 
Peace,
Denis

Winter Blahs

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Snow. Ice. More snow. More cold weather. More ice. Even more snow. Is there any end in sight? When will it be warm again?

Ughh!! More snow!!!

All I want is some warmer weather. I’m tired of the ice and snow on the roads and salt and muck being carried into the house. I feel like I’m living back in Wisconsin. I’m probably just suffering from some seasonal depression. BUT I CAN’T TAKE MUCH MORE!

I know that spring will come again. And I know that there will be flowers and green grass and sunshine and blue skies. I’m just getting a little antsy.

You see, I’m not much of a cold weather animal. I lived in Wisconsin for 11 years and there were many things that I loved about our life up north but not the weather. From October to May – it was just an exercise in endurance. I just told myself each winter (all 8 months of it) that somehow I would get through it and somehow I did. Even the year that we had 25 below zero temperatures with windchills of 75 below zero – I lived and I saw spring again. But that didn’t make less it any less miserable. Cold is cold.

So now here I am now living 400 miles further south and I might as well be back in Wisconsin (at least up there they knew how to remove the snow and ice from the streets. Plus the drivers weren’t all complete jackasses when the snow started flying). But this cold weather snap that we’re experiencing feels too much like Wisconsin winter and I’m READY FOR SPRING.

Maybe I need to move to Florida. But all those old people driving around with their left turn signals on would probably get on my nerves. What’s a curmudgeon to do?

Stay warm if you can.

Peace,

Denis

Keep Calm and Carry On

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Keep Calm and Carry On was a poster produced by the British government in 1939 during the beginning of World War II intended to raise the morale of the British public under the threat of impending invasion. It was produced as a prototype and never used. The poster was rediscovered in 2000 and has been re-printed and sold commercially ever since. I recently saw it for the first time in my colleague’s office in  England. 

I think “Keep Calm and Carry On” may need to become my new motto. I certainly need to “calm the hell down” as has been suggested by those who shall remain nameless. And we must always “carry on”. Even in our darkest hours; we must carry on! It seems that I’ve been “carrying-on” for sometime now but “to carry on” means something else entirely I’m told.

Very British this idea of calm and deliberate forward progress. Stiff upper lip and all that. I like the idea of being undeterred; to remain steadfast in our pursuits and mission. Too often it seems that I run away or give up when faced with set-backs or disappointments. Perhaps if I would just “Keep Calm and Carry On” I would find that these ‘minor detours’ in life are not insurmountable and may even be character building (but let’s not push it!). Regardless, instead of shrinking from my responsibilites, failures, or hardships the thought of soldiering-on seems noble.

I’m hoping (and praying) that the next time life sends some crap my way I will remember to “Keep Calm and Carry On” instead of burying my head in the sand or crying into my pillow. Very well then!

Peace,

Denis

Love’s Pure Joy!

/ Denis Wilhelm / 1 Comment

Yesterday I got to meet my friend Sherry’s baby daughter. Just one day old. She is beautiful and Mama Sherry is awash in joy and happiness.

Roddia Sherie

Most babies are wanted. Most babies’ arrivals are highly anticipated. Most babies are excitedly welcomed into their families. But this little girl may be the most wanted, anticipated and welcomed baby I have ever known! She is a certainly a blessing to her parents and her family. And she will be celebrated as the miracle that she is. Praise God!

I was able to hold her yesterday at the hospital and like all newborns she is so precious and so beautiful. But it struck me while I was holding her that she is destined for greatness. I just had this overwhelming feeling that this little girl will change our world (not just Sherry’s and Rodney’s) and that her arrival is a sign of many more good things to come. What a welcome respite from the doom and gloom of the morning news. What a relief to know that good has once again triumphed over evil. Roddia is a hopeful and peaceful messenger of God’s love for us.  

Of course, Baby Roddia may not single-handedly bring about world peace or prevent hunger or cure cancer or stop global warming – but she might! She could be president someday. She most certainly will be grace-filled and beautiful. And her heart will overflow with love and kindness. That’s guaranteed – it’s in her DNA. Her “greatness” may be meaured in the small things that she does for others but her influence will reach beyond borders. Remember the words of Mother Theresa of Calcutta “We can do no great things, only small things with great love.” 

Sherry, thank you for letting me share your special joy. During those “hopeless times” I will remember holding Roddia and realize again that with God’s love all things are possible!

Peace,

Denis

Steve Martin in London (or not)

/ Denis Wilhelm / Leave a comment

Eat your heart out, Steve Martin!

I’ve been mistaken for (or have been told that I look just like) Steve Martin three times this week in London – fancy that! We say “fancy that” here in England and “bloody hell” – as if hell isn’t bad enough we have to make it bloody, too. We also say “cheers” and call each other “mate”. But I digress – back to Steve Martin or me looking like him anyway.

Truth be told, this has happened before; just not 3 times in 2 days and not in London (to be fair – I’m rarely here). It happens in New York and has also happened in L.A. and once or twice in Mexico City – Steve and I get around.

I get two kinds of Steve Martin reactions: the first is usually something like,”Excuse me sir, but you’re not by any chance…?” The second is more like “Has anyone ever told you that you look just like…?” I’ve had people in New York shout at me on the street, “Hey, Steve Martin!” – I usually just wave and smile. On occasion I get “Hey, you look like ‘what’s his name’; that actor; oh wait, it’ll come to me…” I sometimes respond to this with “Oh Brad Pitt, I get that all the time!” I’ve been known to substitute “Denzel Washington” or “Paul Newman” but Paul’s dead now so that seems wrong.

The occasional mistaken identity is kind of fun (and usually funny) but Steve Martin is about 10 years older than me, so I assume people think I look like a “young Steve Martin”. And the truly amusing thing is that folks are not afraid to approach me (him) and ask. Also it never seems to occur to them that Steve Martin probably isn’t just bumming around on the street (or the London Underground) or shopping at Wal-Mart® or pumping his own gas at Fast-Lane® or eating at Waffle House®. Steve Martin likely has an entourage – I would but that’s just me.

I’ll be honest; I like the recognition, even for a moment AND even if it’s not for me. I wonder how many times Steve has had to explain that “he’s really not Denis Wilhelm”? Sorry Steve, you can look like me but you can’t have my life – it’s all mine. And I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Peace,

Denis

Follow That Star

/ Denis Wilhelm / Leave a comment

 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
“Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.” Matthew 2:1-2

I love this gospel story of the Epiphany. I imagine the Magi (The Wise Men) following the star and journeying through vast deserts on camelback to a distant land in search of a newborn king. And discovering their hearts’ desire in the most unexpected of places.

It has occurred to me recently that my “understanding” of the Magi hasn’t really changed much since I was a child. I’ve always pictured them as mystical and exotic; richly robed kings or emirs driven by an ‘unearthly desire’ to find Jesus. Did they know he was born in poverty? Did they know that he would change the world? Why were they driven to find him? And upon finding him in such humble surroundings why did they prostrate themselves as if he were a king?  And why the gifts?  Why gold, frankincense, and myrrh?   

Legend and tradition tell us more:  The Three Kings (three gifts were presented but the Gospel never tells us the number of Magi) were named Caspar (or Gaspar), Melchior, and Balthasar. Early Christian art depicts the three men as coming from Europe, Asia, and Africa. And growing up my nativity set at home would show them likewise. Tradition also tells us the significance of the gifts – gold: a gift fit for a king; frankincense: which is burned during prayer; myrrh: which is a perfume most often associated with burial – a foreshadowing of Jesus’s death and suffering. Another tradition (brought to the U.S. by European immigrants) involves writing the initials of the three kings’ names above the main door of the home to confer blessings on the occupants for the New Year. For example, 20 + C + M + B + 11.

Okay so Debbie's a "Queen" and we're missing one of The Wise Guys, but you get the idea...

I still find some comfort in the imagined Wise Men of my childhood – these three; certain of their mission; moving toward the Star without question; and knowing when they found the Christ-child that He was THE ONE. 

But how do I relate to this ideal in my own life?  Where is my certainty? Where is my mission? Where is my star?

I think of how I sometimes miss the obvious – and maybe my star is burning brightly and I just can’t (or won’t) see it. Perhaps my mission is to continue to question; to journey; to “look to the east”.  Maybe I need to find my certainty in my own heart and soul.  God has truly blessed me – what wonder do I seek to be assured of His love? It’s likely (for me) that I need to look right here; right now.

There’s a message from the Magi for me today – they were immigrants. How do I accept strangers into my life; my home; my country?  Jesus was born in the most humble of circumstances. How do I treat those who are living in poverty; in despair? Maybe it’s time for me to prostrate myself before them. Isn’t that the message of Jesus? Isn’t that what the Magi were following?

This image of the Magi isn’t as “warm and fuzzy” as those cute little figures I remember under my tree as a kid. But perhaps my challenge is to follow a New Star. Now that’s a ‘New Year’s Resolution’ with some teeth – your prayers will help.

Peace,

Denis

P.S. Attached is a link to “A Child of the Poor”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEkdr62eVMY&feature=related

Prayer (and other questionable activities)

/ Denis Wilhelm / Leave a comment

If you’re like me (hopefully you’re not) then you probably wonder sometimes if prayer makes any difference. There are those days when I feel as though my prayers are just empty words (thoughts) and then there are those days when I can’t even get myself to pray – why bother? The problems of the world just seem too overwhelming and my simple requests for peace; for justice; for equality; seem silly and selfish. Who am I to think (believe?) that God has time to listen to me? And what about those days when I’m not sure God exists? That can’t help my cause(s) –  if I’ve just questioned God’s existence only to follow-up with “okay if you do exist; here’s my list of stuff that needs to be your number one priority”.  What’s a struggling believer to do? 

For me – it’s more prayer.  Because I don’t know what else to do. That’s not exactly inspiring is it? And that’s probably because so often I don’t feel particularly inspired. But I pray. And if God does exist then She must have incredible patience. Lately I like to think of God as Maya Angelou or Sister Fidesta (my high school math teacher) – tough but gentle women with hearts of gold. The kind of God that won’t be shocked by my actions (or inactions) and who will take the time to listen (really listen) before showing me the error of my ways.

As I get older I find that I do remember to thank God for all my blessings but still my prayer life seems to be dominated by petitions – “take care of my wife; my kids; grandkids; friends in needs; the sick; the suffering; the dying; etc”.  Then there are the (sort of) secondary prayers – “please help me with work; with our finances; with my diet and exercise”.  Finally, my prayers often fall into the truly mundane or incredibly ridiculous – “please let the Packers make it to the playoffs or please let my favorite pair of jeans be clean” – God must really love those!

But I believe that God has a sense of humor (which would explain why men have nipples).  And God likely laughs at some of my crazy ramblings but still knows my heart and gives me what I truly need.  So I keep praying (and questioning) and hoping that my prayers make a difference. Often I do find that my prayers are answered; just not the way I wanted them to be. God knows best. That’s sometimes a tough thing to remember. And I guess that’s something else to pray for – understanding.

My prayer today is that each of you have a wonderful new year and remember to thank God (or at least your lucky stars) for your blessings.

Peace,

Denis

This song speaks to me…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPNv5bv0t40