It is with great pride that I announce the publication – due out in September 2020 – of the book “Coach of a Different Color,” by Ray Greene.
I was Ray’s writing partner for the book.
Ray was one of the first black men to coach in big-time college football back in the 1960s and 70s.
If you are not a sports fan, you will admire Ray’s story of tenacity, courage and challenge of the status quo. He fought discrimination in general, as well as in the coaching fraternity.
If you are a sports fan, you’ll recognize the names of many of the coaches he’s worked with, and the players he has coached. Legendary head coaches Johnny Majors, who died recently, and Jimmy Johnson have endorsed the book and contributed to the book’s forward. Ray worked with both of them at Iowa State University.
It was published by Ray’s hometown University of Akron, where Ray played and coached.
Advanced orders for the book can be placed by going to this link.
Author Archives: pbilodeau01
ONLINE LEARNING CREATES COTTAGE INDUSTRY
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #OnlineLearning #creativity
Many students will start the new school year studying online at home.
They ended the last school year that way, as most schools were locked down because of the coronavirus.
Now, many school districts are giving parents and students the option of virtual learning or coming into the classroom live, with some restrictions.
Reporter Vanessa McCray discussed this in an August 17, 2020, article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Now that they’ve had time to work it out, many teachers are setting up their own personal avatars to enhance the experience of learning online, the article says.
Tiffany Lester, who teaches science at DeKalb PATH Academy outside Atlanta set up her own personal online classroom, complete with desks, bookshelves and personalized avatars, McCray writes. There’s a cartoon version of Lester, complete with purple hair. Gary Fishlegs, her therapy dog, gets his own room, the article says.
Jennifer Hall, an educational technology specialist for Atlanta Public Schools, has helped teachers create these virtual fantasylands, the article says.
“It’s fun and creative in a space where teacher feel like they don’t have a lot of control. At least I can control what’s happening in my virtual classroom,” McCray quotes Hall.
So what’s the point of the story? Even during times when things are far from normal, people can get creative to make the most of them.
Some folks quarantine at home, waiting out the virus. Others don’t stop moving. They find ways to function within the guidelines to stay safe. Others pretend the virus doesn’t exist and conduct normal activities without restrictions – and hope for the best.
So how have you behaved during the pandemic? Are you waiting for things to get back to normal? Remember, in this case, good things don’t necessarily come to those who wait – and do nothing. More often, good things come to those who find workarounds, and create new normals.
Those who wait and do nothing will end up with new normals being created for them, and they may not like them.
Another question to consider: if you didn’t really like your “old” normal, why are you doing nothing while waiting for it to come back – if it comes back? Remember, some jobs that the pandemic took away won’t come back – ever. So, you may be forced to find a new normal.
So, what if your new normal could be so much better than your old normal? There are many vehicles out there that allow people to earn money – potentially more money than they earned before. These programs can be done from home, if the pandemic lingers. Anyone, regardless of education, experience or background, can do them. You just have to be open to looking at them to see whether they might be for you. Yes, you may not have ever thought you would do anything like them, so out-of-the-box thinking is required.
To learn about one of the best such vehicles, message me.
What was normal will change. How it will change no one knows. However, you can actively participate in the change by creating your own new normal.
Or, if your old normal never returns, you can create a new and even better normal. It’s entirely up to you.
Peter
VIRUS CLOSES SMALL BUSINESSES FOR GOOD
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #businesses #ClosingBusinesses
Nearly 66,000 businesses have folded since March 1, 2020.
So says a headline over a story about small businesses forcing to close because of the coronavirus.
Emily Flitter wrote the story for The New York Times, and it was also published July 19, 2020, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
It tells the story of Mick Larkin, who owns a karaoke bar in Wichita Falls, Texas, who, despite doing “everything we were supposed to do,” had to close when Texas shut down all its bars, the article says.
Yelp has been keeping track of the businesses’ fate, the article says.
Small businesses account for 44 percent of all U.S. economic activity, the article quotes the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Restaurants, bars and other entertainment, dining and social venues are particularly hard hit. Even in places where they are allowed to open, they can’t have full houses. They must be at a certain percentage of capacity, depending on the state and city they are in. Many cannot survive only partially full – despite any government assistance they may get.
If these venues do not survive, it will mean countless numbers of people out of work – never mind the pleasure of which they may be depriving their former customers.
With those folks out of work, how will they eat? How will they pay rent? How will they maintain their cars so they can look for other work?
Small business in general survives on a shoestring. Even if they have a thriving business, it takes very little to turn things completely bleak. With this pandemic lingering, at least in the United States, those small businesses that are still surviving will have lots of thinking to do. More of them, sadly, will fold.
Even when things get “back to normal,” no one knows what “normal” will look like. If someone wanted to step in to revive a closed business, would that person dare take a chance?
Will a business have to learn to live at 25 percent of 50 percent capacity? Will they have to buy or lease extra space to spread out their clientele? How much would that cost, and how much would they have to raise their prices?
As a diner, or patron, of a business, one may like the idea of being separated from other patrons. Still, there are some venues whose attraction is the ability to meet patrons they may not yet know.
There is good news in all of this. If you work at, or own, a place that is vulnerable in this environment, or has already closed, there are other ways you can make money – potentially more than you would have made in your job or business. They require an open mind, the willingness to be coached and the desire to get more from life than you ever thought you could.
To check out one of the best such programs, message me.
In short, you may have liked the job you had, or the business you owned. Or, it may have owned you, or not paid you enough to get what you wanted from life.
If you have to start your life anew, perhaps doing something completely different may be in order.
It may be best to presume the new “normal” may not suit you as well as the “old” normal. The good news is: you can do something about it if you are open to give it a shot.
Peter
BOUNCING FORWARD MAY BE EASIER SAID THAN DONE; OR IS IT?
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #BounceBack #BounceForward
We don’t just help you bounce back. We help you bounce forward.
That paraphrases a tagline in the recent Comcast Business TV ads.
The pandemic has devastated many people to the point that JUST bouncing back to where they were would seem like a dream come true.
JUST bouncing back could take years for some businesses and people.
Others, however, may see things differently.
They want to turn a catastrophe into a triumph.
They want to go from lockdown to looking up.
The pandemic, social distancing, mask wearing and hand washing are just necessary, temporary steps to something much greater on the other end.
The quarantine has not stopped the dream.
So which type of person are you? Perhaps you had a good life before all this. Getting it back the way it was would be just grand for you.
But if your life was not where you wanted it to be before the coronavirus, then now is the time to really ponder what’s next. Perhaps, for you, going back to life as it was will not be possible anyway. The job you had before may be gone, and not coming back. Bouncing BACK to that reality is not an option.
So now what? Do you throw in the towel and hope that someone, or something, will ultimately take care of you?
If you think that way, remember that mooching off friends and relatives can only last so long, though some young adults were finding it difficult to move out of their parents’ house even before the pandemic started.
Perhaps you DO want more from life. Perhaps what you were doing before was eating you alive, or not allowing you to eat properly.
For you, there is great news. There are many programs out there that allow you to earn money – perhaps a good bit more than you were earning when things were ”normal.” What is great about such programs is that it doesn’t matter what education, experience or background you have.
They require work, but they are not like going to a traditional, W-2 job. They give you control of your own destiny, something a traditional job may not do.
As a bonus, no matter how long the pandemic lasts, you can still work one of these programs from home., if you need to.
To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
So, are you looking to bounce back, or bounce forward? Regardless, have a ball doing it, if you can.
If you are looking to bounce forward, perhaps you need to be open to looking at something you may have never thought you would do.
You need an open mind, you need to be teachable and you may need to get out of your comfort zone.
Remember, to bounce forward, you have to look forward. And, you CAN have a ball doing it.
Peter
FOLKS ARE UNHAPPY; A PANDEMIC WILL DO THAT
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #happiness
Folks in the U.S. are more unhappy today than they’ve been in nearly 50 years.
So says a conclusion from the COVID Response Tracking Study conducted by the University of Chicago, and reported by the Associated Press. The AP article was published June 17, 2020, in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Just 14 percent of American adults say they’re very happy, down from 31 percent who said the same in 2018, the article quotes the study, conducted in late May 2020.
The survey encompasses nearly a half-century of research from the General Social Survey, which has data on American attitudes and behaviors gathered every other year since 1972, No fewer than 29 percent of Americans have ever called themselves very happy in that survey, the article says.
The survey was conducted before the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis touched off nationwide protests of police brutality and the status of Black Americans in society.
Louise Hawkley, a senior research scientist at the University of Chicago, said she was surprised more people didn’t say they were lonely, given stay-at-home orders, lost jobs, lost schooling etc., the article says.
“People have figured out a way to connect with others. It’s not satisfactory, but people are managing to some extent,” the article quotes Hawkley.
As you watch TV and read the news, you can see that people are trying to get out more.
Some recklessly think that there’s no problem being normal, as if nothing is happening.
Some others think the pandemic is all a hoax, despite more than 150,000 deaths and millions of positive tests.
It’s OK to try to find as much normalcy as possible, but you must do it as safely as possible.
If everyone took the advised precautions, not only could you bring some normalcy back into your life, and potentially save others’ lives, but you also could help the world get a handle on this virus.
The precautions, though somewhat inconvenient, are simple:
• Wear a face covering or mask whenever you interact with people, either indoors or in larger crowds outdoors.
• Keep a safe distance from others not living with you, Six feet of distance is the minimum. More is even safer.
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water. If that isn’t available, carry hand sanitizer.
• Try not to gather in large crowds anywhere.
• Stay home if you feel sick.
You can still go to the store, do other errands and even gather with a few friends using these precautions.
Trips, vacations, weddings, funerals and other gatherings may have to wait, unless they can happen with those precautions.
If you are among those truly unhappy, perhaps you’d like to find something that could change your life for the better – economically and otherwise. Fortunately, there are several vehicles out there that can help you do that. And, you can check them out usually without leaving your house. To learn about one of the best such vehicles, message me.
Remember that circumstances do not define you. These are indeed difficult, unprecedented circumstances. Even though it will take time, it will pass. It may be a great time to take stock in your life. What had you been doing that you can’t do now, but shouldn’t have done in the first place? What economies, and efficiencies, have you created, and should keep?
Most importantly, we all have to learn to see the good in what seems bad, and learn to promote that goodness forever.
Peter
SETTLING GRUDGES AMID PANDEMIC
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #SettlingGrudges #ReachOutToSomeone
Few of us are going much of anywhere these days.
In these weird times, some of us are reaching out to people with whom we have become estranged.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published an article June 21, 2020, telling the stories of how some people are reaching out to family members, friends and others to whom they haven’t spoken in, perhaps, years.
Talia Frolkis, 32, of Madison, Wisc., couldn’t remember why she hadn’t spoken to her older sister, Liza, in nine months, the article says.
“Who can remember the specifics? There’s always some dramatic thing happening with family,” Talia says.
So, Talia called. Both sisters apologized, according to the article.
“I think it’s a very good thing if the virus is prompting people to repair old relationships,” the article quotes Margaret Moore, founder of Wellcoaches, a company that trains professional health care coaches.
Let’s delve deeper into this. First, the coronavirus and its effect on our lives is prompting loneliness, or other mental maladies.
If you are lonely, others are, too.
It’s allowing us lots of time to think – about everything. It allows us to think of our own mortality.
To whom do you want to deliver a message before something happens to you?
Still, this, too shall pass. But, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t “clean things up,” as Moore put it in the article, with someone.
Who knows? That person may have something you need to know about.
Speaking of something you ned to know about, if your job security is less than stellar – that goes for most everyone – know that there are many ways out there to make money without having a traditional job, or depending on government aid. To learn about one of the best such vehicles, message me.
Remember, if you reach out to someone with whom you’ve been estranged for a while, don’t think about settling scores, or rehashing whatever it is that split you apart.
Think only about repairing the relationship. You can’t repair a relationship without talking to the other person. Someone has to make the first overture.
Remember, too, during this time, we don’t always know who is ill, who is really suffering etc.
We don’t always know who needs comfort, even if you can’t physically visit them.
If you know someone you really need to talk to, make a call. More than likely, they’ll be home, or not very far away.
You could make help that person deal with everything we are all dealing with. You could turn into that person’s hero.
Peter
FABLE FOCUSES ON MOTIVATION
#sharks #goldfish #motivation #coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve
Goldfish wait to be fed.
Sharks search for, and find, food.
Author and motivational expert Jon Gordon uses his fable, “The Shark and the Goldfish,” to teach that one cannot control circumstances. But he or she can control how he or she responds to them.
So, are you a shark or a goldfish?
One can ponder that for quite some time. So you may want to have the aggressiveness of the shark, but sharks eat other creatures. Maybe you don’t want to do that.
Maybe you like the idea of the goldfish swimming around in a bowl, getting fed regularly. But, how boring is that? Besides, do you really want to be that dependent on someone else?
Gordon’s book, according to the online teaser for it, points out that many businesses are built during recessions.
Recent reports about the loss of manufacturing jobs during the coronavirus pandemic also talk about some manufacturers retooling to make personal protective equipment, masks and other disease-fighting gear that once again are in short supply.
The pandemic is also making decisions difficult for some businesses, schools etc. Do they open? Can they stay open? Can they reasonably protect customers (students) and staff?
It boils down, in large part, to money vs. lives – or, lives vs. livelihoods.
Those determined to succeed will find ways to protect both. Others will wait to see what happens. Still, others, out of fear or depletion of resources, will give up entirely.
If you are among the latter group, and, say, have to close your business or lose your job permanently, what will you do next?
Will you expect someone, or something, to take care of you? Will you wait to be fed, like Gordon’s goldfish, or will you look for food, like his shark?
The good news here – and there is almost always good news in any situation , if you look for it – is that there are many ways out there to earn a potentially great income, without having a traditional “job,” or owning a business that could one day own you – or, that you have to shut down.
You don’t need specific, or advanced, education, experience or background.. However, you need a willingness to look at something that may never have crossed your mind to do. And, if you see what others have seen, you need to diligently work at it, with whatever time you might have. Plus, you can do it safely from your home, in times of spreading disease.
To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
If there is gold in those hills, being a goldfish won’t cut it. Someone isn’t going to bring it to you.
Certainly, sharks are creatures you don’t want to run across, but adopting their desirable characteristics will serve you well, regardless of uncertainty in the world.
Run, walk or swim for what you want. Just go after it. Don’t wait for it to come to you. Be open, be persistent. Don’t be passive and lament over what has happened. Be active, look for the good and claim it for you and others.
Peter
KIDS MOVING TO THE CITY FINDING EDUCATION IMPORTANT
#salaries #CollegeDegrees #urban #rural #coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve
Workers in Georgia with a four-year degree earn 66 percent more on average than those with associate degrees, and 101 percent more than those with only a high school diploma.
Maureen Downey, education columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, pulled that statistic from a study titled “College Earning Across States and Metropolitan Areas.” She discussed the topic in a June 16, 2020, column.
“I don’t want to say everyone should go to college, but the returns to higher education are pretty considerable in Georgia,” Downey quotes John Winters, an Iowa State University economist who authored the study.
“One takeaway from the study is that job market opportunities for those without a lot of education are not very robust in Georgia,” Downey quotes Winters.
In Winters’ study, those with a bachelor’s degree strongly out-earn workers with associate degrees, with more than 25 percent earnings advantage in all but three states: North Dakota, Alaska and Vermont, Downey writes.
If a young person wants to live in the metro area, it’s clear from the study that getting some higher education would be a really good idea,” Downey quotes Winters.
“Whether to go to college always has to be the kid’s decision,” Downey quotes Amber Northern, senior vice president for research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, which sponsored Winters’ study.
There are two things at play here. First, kids who go to high school in a small town or county, and want to move to a city, where they believe the action is, are advised to get a college degree.
The second thing is that the kids have to make the decision whether college is right for them.
Suppose a kid has a rough home life in rural America, and has planned to move out of Mom and Dad’s house as soon as possible after graduation.
What if that kid learns that college is either unaffordable, or doesn’t believe college would be a great move for him or her – at least not worth going into debt to make happen?
Such a child should know that there are many options out there that can allow him or her to earn a good income, regardless of education, background or experience.
Here’s the rub: the child has to be open to looking at the many alternatives to college, or even a traditional “job.” Here’s the bonus: if the child IS open, and likes what he or she sees, he or she can live anywhere he or she wants. It not only requires openness to looking, but also the ambition to pursue, even if he or she needs to take a traditional job at the beginning to earn a living.
To learn about one of the best such vehicles, message me.
A college degree is certainly desirable to have. Some degrees can be parlayed into a decent career. Others give you knowledge that has a narrow focus in the overall job market, and may not convert to a lucrative income.
Also, who knows how the college experience is going to change in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic?
Regardless, no education is wasted. But, the practical consideration to going to college may supersede the desire for a degree.
As Northern says, it’s the kid’s decision.
But, a child’s ambition to get a degree may not be enough. He or she could be saddled with a huge debt for many years after graduation. If he or she doesn’t get a job from which he or she can live, AND pay down the debt promptly, AND save for the future, the decision is easier.
If he or she believes a good job is ahead with a degree, the decision is harder. That’s where an open mind and a lot of ambition could synergize into something really special.
Peter
SPORTS AND THE VIRUS
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #sports #NoSports
What does a sportswriter do when there is no sports?
Mark Bradley, sports columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, took on that subject in a June 21, 2020, column.
Bradley wasn’t complaining about having no games to cover. It’s just that, well, sports may change a good bit even after the pandemic has settled down.
Many sports leagues have begun practicing. Some will play a limited amount of games in a single location, to avoid travel. Disney World seems to be a popular spot for that.
And forget about crowds in the stands. In fact, the PGA Tour (Professional Golf Association) has already started playing, without fans on the course. NASCAR (stock-car racing) has done the same.
The media days for college conferences, the SEC and ACC in particular (Southeastern and Atlantic Coast conferences), will be done virtually, Bradley writes.
“What if our (newspaper) representatives can accomplish little more on site than to watch a press conference on a laptop?” Bradley asks. He points out that his newspaper, and undoubtedly a lot of other media outlets, are saving a lot of money on travel for these sportswriters.
Yes, the pandemic has affected almost every aspect of our lives. We are home most of the time and, at least sports fans fret, there is very little live sports on TV.
At least the pro golfers can play to some fans when they play on courses that have homes on them. Many golf course residents, at least from observation on TV, are having a few people over to watch the matches. It was tough to see whether social distancing was appropriately practiced.
To top it off, positive coronavirus tests are increasing in many areas. Even some athletes are testing positive and have to quarantine, as do those who come in close contact with them.
From those numbers, it appears this virus is not going away anytime soon. We must still be diligent about practicing the mitigation techniques: mainly wearing a mask in public when you possibly could get close to people; keeping at least six feet, preferably more, away from others, except those with whom you live; and, washing your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds, with soap and warm water. When soap and water are not readily available, hand sanitizer can act as a substitute. Soap and water are the best hand cleaners, but carry some sanitizer with you in your car.
Other sports columnists have also posed this question: If you are a pro athlete, is an abbreviated season, with abbreviated pay, worth the risk of playing at all? Some are deciding not to.
It’s presumed that they have a little money in the bank to tide them over and the virus can produce a potentially career-ending illness – even death. These athletes love to play their sports, but they have their careers and families to think about, as well as the preservation of the various sports leagues from which they make a living. It goes back to the debate about lives vs. livelihoods.
So, if you are missing your favorite live sports, you may get a taste soon. But it’s probably a great time to contemplate where your life is headed AFTER the virus subsides. Do you want to go back to your old job, or would you look to do something different – something you may have never thought you’d do, but that could pay you more than the job you probably hate. (By the way, it seems Bradley likes his job).
If you give that idea some thought, and want to check out one of the best of many vehicles that can bring your dreams closer to reality, message me.
You could find a home run hidden there. But you have to look to find out.
Bring sports back, SAFELY. You don’t want the virus touching them all.
Peter
VIRUS MAY INTERRUPT COLLEGE PLANS
#coronavirus #COVID19 #FlattenTheCurve #CollegeDreams #SummerMelt
They call it “summer melt.”
It’s the period between high school graduation and the beginning of college.
This year, the coronavirus complicates “summer melt.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published an article about the virus and “summer melt” in its June 8, 2020, issue.
Some experts are predicting big drops in college enrollment this fall, the article says.
Colleges are unsure when they will open in the fall.
“There is a risk that a wide swath of kids get knocked off their college track. And it gets infinitely harder to get back on,” the article quotes Taylor Ramsey, executive director of OneGoal Metro Atlanta, a non-profit that works to improve college access.
People are really afraid for their health. To compound the problem, many parents of upcoming college students have lost their jobs because of the virus, making it more financially difficult to send their kids to college, the article says.
OneGoal works with about 320 Atlanta and DeKalb County students, including high schoolers, recent graduates and first-year college students, the article says.
When schools abruptly closed this spring, seniors were working on financial aid applications. Some started to get acceptance letters. Others were still applying to college, the article says.
Ramsey told the newspaper that she has asked students what they were going to do if school didn’t open in the fall. The answer was “I have no idea,” the article quotes Ramsey.
So what happens to these students now? It’s really hard to know. But, many can take comfort in knowing that if their college dreams are delayed, they can embark on one of the many programs out there that allow people to earn money by investing a few part-time hours a week. These programs are not like a traditional job, and they can help set up a future for them, regardless of what else they pursue, or when they pursue it.
To learn about one of the best such programs, message me.
Pandemic aside, one does not have to go to college to find success.
Some students are not suited for college. Others may have to assume loads to debt to get through college.
Others, still, may go to college, pursue a field of study that will not automatically convert to a good job. Add a big debt on top of a job that pays relatively little, and you have a situation that makes it difficult to save for the future.
If you were headed down such a path, the effects of the pandemic may force you to rethink your options.
As you rethink your options, know that there may be more options available to you than you may have considered.
Consider this thought: what if I could pursue my passion and not necessarily have to worry about money? It seems farfetched, but if you have an open mind, and are willing to look at things you may have never thought you would do, the possibilities are endless.
Peter