GROWTH. Change.

When a snake grows, it has to shed its’ own skin. I’m guessing if not painful, at least UNCOMFORTABLE. But without that mold, that shed, it will die!

Same for an animal with an exoskeleton. Think lobster. They must shed, or literally die because they refused or unable to GROW. That has to feel awkward!

We have to change and grow this year as always at Drexel…and we do and have, and I am always so proud of those teammates that help lead that charge! Some departments more than others, but all of us in some ways! Estimators are in that shed mode right now. The structural team as well. If not painful, at least very uncomfortable. But huge growth will be obtained by those departments. It is the focus of the company right now, helping these two departments change and then GROW.

Shedding that skin.

In what part of your life does your skin need shedded? Like it or not…. it needs to be shed!

It’s part of life, just like a snake. I have a feeling animals don’t even think about it, they know the law of the jungle. It would be wise if us humans don’t use our little minds to think we can avoid the shed!

Joel

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON.

This now famous saying was part of the marketing campaign in 1939 in Britain to fight the Nazis.  (Side note: It was never released to the public, but rather found in a bookstore in the 1990s and made famous there after.)

Winston Churchill and his leadership team believed the best way to fight the war, was to keep on living during the war.  It had nothing to do with politics, ignorance, false hope, or the economy.  It had to do with mindset.

Truly, I believe the best way to fight that little particle of trouble, those invisible molecules coming to infect your system, the Covid-19, is to Keep Calm and Carry On.

Here is the other side of the coin.  A man living in London explains why he believes this is the worst strategy.   It was posted in the New York Times.  He uses phrases such as, “They look like people lining up to board the Titanic.”  And, “My family reluctantly canceled our daughter’s 8th birthday party — an outdoor get-together with a half-dozen kids from school.”  Taken out of context you would swear it was an ironic story.  It isn’t.  

Mother Teresa said the worst disease she ever encountered was loneliness.  Far worse than all others, including Covid I assume.   Here is a fantastic story on that subject.   

Depression in winter for ANYONE can be overwhelming, now talk about high anxiety and stress going into winter.  It doesn’t look well.  It will cast a large shadow over our pandemic, much worse than any viral disease that you do not die from unless you are very old (3% of all cases are in assisted living centers yet 80% of the deaths are from these places where PEOPLE GO TO DIE), very sick (2 or 3 other issues), or sadly very unlucky.  About 1 in 20 people die from accidents.  A lot of people die every day from being unlucky.  Ask the 17 unborn kids that are killed in the womb every day in Wisconsin.  Those kids are unlucky!    

So I have already heard we are dismissing Christmas, far too risky.  Stay home.  Be alone, together.  Many Christmases are being canceled.  Many events will never happen.  Many grandparents won’t see their kids open presents.  Carols will not be sung.  Worship will not be had.  How many Christmases do you get?  If you are the average person I guess about 70.  That’s not many.  For 3 million people in America this will be their last Christmas.  (About 3 million die a year in the US.)  Have your Christmas, it might very well be your last.  

I don’t know how you prevent it.  You can try, but a virus is gonna find the weak and vulnerable and even the strong.  I’ve heard commercial after commercial with nice music and upbeat actors saying, wear a mask, wear a mask.  I do wish the ads said, GET HEALTHY TO FIGHT IT, GET HEALTHY TO FIGHT IT.  That more than anything seems to stop the harshness of it.   It is a mystery.  Iowa for instance has never had a mask mandate, yet they have never had a surge.  Texas and Florida had strong surges that Wisconsin is experiencing did not do 2nd lockdowns and are now at a manageable rate.  Yes, the goal is MANAGEABLE, you can’t BEAT a virus unless you do the NBA bubble for 7.4 billion people.  (I actually think many people wish we would bubble.)

Keeping Calm, means yes, make good sound choices.   Carrying on, means do it by still holding the door for someone, only wearing a mask when necessary (good question I don’t know what necessary means either), and continue to live our life and make moments and memories.  I wash my hands like a raccoon.  I don’t cough on people.  

I’ve heard ads already, PLEASE SHOP LOCAL, they need us now more than ever.  Yeah right.  Too dangerous to adventure out.  Better safe on Amazon, items sent direct to their home.  Also, most communities I live in, restaurants and bars, yes bars, are the lifeblood of little towns.  They support so many people working 2 jobs, so many good people own them and yes, yes, much fun is had (shame on us).  So support local businesses but not bars and restaurants, they are far too dangerous.

Keeping Calm means: don’t let the kids be the burden of this.  They aren’t dying, no TRULY, not 1 KID IN WISCONSIN HAS DIED FROM IT!   Free them up.  Open the doors.  Keep them in school.   

I ask you to not judge me if you don’t see me and my family at the Kwik Trip with no mask.  Or in church where I like to be totally present.  Oh yes, I see your death stares.  I see you no longer making eye contact with me.  I see your disgruntled eyes.  I see the eyerolls.  I don’t judge you in a mask.  I don’t judge you that you haven’t seen grandma in 6 months because you are trying to protect her.  So don’t judge me that I still hug old people and I still love a good handshake.  

The virus covid sucks, but not being interactive with people sucks more.  Faith is greater than fear.  Love each other.  Keep Calm and Carry ON!  

IF YOU READ THIS…

WOW… this article from jsonline.com is obviously very disturbing. The article states how hospitals are close to full and we are pretty much screwed if it gets any worse.

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I’d love to say I believe the article. I DO believe that 600 are in the hospital with covid, and that must be horrible. I WANT to believe the media. Yet here I am, either an optimist son of a bitch or a CONSPIRACY guy, or a REPUBLICAN HARD ASS, or an IDIOT. I guess pick whichever you want… but I can’t get there, I don’t know why! 600 in the hospitals state wide… many are sick. Health care workers I personally talk to don’t talk or act this way when I ask how it is going. 600 to me doesn’t seem like a lot…but I have never worked health care. Hmmm….

But yet surely, I know they are not lying. It is THEIR REALITY. And we pray for them!

Before I/we just start freaking out, I hope we are like the following states, just lagging behind. I hope people see these and realize maybe the GRAPH DOESN’T KEEP GOING UP. Iowa is interesting, they have never embraced masks. Does Science KNOW IF WE ARE FOLLOWING THESE GRAPHS HERE IN WISCO? WHO CAN TELL ME? WHERE ARE THE LEADERS TO HELP ME?

So based on this… maybe we are peaking and we just need to not freak out keep on keeping on and by Thanksgiving we are back to that 400-500 daily cases.

Interesting stuff.

I don’t have a conclusion to this article, SADLY none of us do…

Joel