StumbleUpon | tiptopmanager's comments & reviews

http://tiptopmanager.stumbleupon.com/review/9614737/

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 05:05:02 -0800

Self Improvement and Personal Growth
Confident Lifestyle
http://www.confidentlifestyle.com
Confident lifestyle Blog
http://www.confidentlifestyle.blogspot.com
For the Restaurant Waiters/Waitress - Free e book on improving tip income
http://www.tiptopserver.blogspot.com

Friends, thank you for being patient while I have been moving into my new home and working during one of the busiest seasons of the year for me. I promise that I will be updating my posts soon and sharing of how I have used my "marbles" over the past few weeks.

This week I have also lost many dear friends and pay tribute to them along with a great musician by posting the lyrics to "The leader of the band" by Dan Fogelberg. (posted further down)

May they all rest in peace and they will never be forgotten by me, because they really were the leaders of my band.� I miss them dearly already.

Bless you all for stopping by and being patient with me.

Your friend,
JD

This poem was sent to me from a new SU friend Yobaba. Thank you!

Attitude

There once was a woman who woke up one morning,
looked in the mirror,
and noticed she had only three hairs on her head.

Well," she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today."
So she did
and
she
had
a
wonderful
day.

The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror
and saw that she had only two hairs on her head.

"H-M-M," she said,
"I think I'll part my hair down the middle today."
So she did
and
she
had
a
grand
day.

The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror and noticed that she had only one hair on her head.

"Well," she said,
"today I'm going to wear my hair in a pony tail."
So she did
and
she
had
a
fun,
fun
day.

The next day she woke up,
looked in the mirror and noticed that there wasn't a single hair on her head.

"YEA!" she exclaimed,
"I don't have to fix my hair today!"

Attitude is everything.

Be kinder than necessary,
for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly.......

Leave the rest to Fate.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...

It's about learning to dance in the rain.

SUE CSS

http://tiptopmanager.stumbleupon.com/review/9061451/

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 05:05:01 -0800

My Story

I had just joined a new group in which I had to write "my story" and "my vision" for my profile page. This is a group dedicated to becoming successful and the story had to fit that.

This is the first time I have every written these facts down, although I have shared it verbally with others. Between the smiles and the tears, this is the what I wrote.
When I was just a young man, my grandfather taught me a lesson that I have never forgotten.

My grandfather hired me to mow his lawn one day. The pay, a bright shiny dime. Now to a young man that was a lot of money and would buy a bag full of candy.

The lawn was large. The day was hot and humid. Not a cloud in the sky to offer any relief from the sun.

After an hour or two, I had only half the lawn mowed, which was great considering that I was using an old push mower.

You may remember the type, it worked by manual labor, no gas or electric engine. The blades spun around the faster you pushed it.

Well I was beat by then and ready to call it a day. I was wanting to get to the store and spend my dime.

"Grandpa, I'm done! I yelled entering the house, "Can we go to the store now?"

"Wash your face first sonny boy" he replied. "So you did all you are going to do then? he asked.

"Yes grandpa, I'm done."

So off to the store we went. Was I ever excited, picking out everything I liked.

"O k grandpa, I'm ready to pay, can I have my dime?

Reaching into his pocket, grandpa pulled a dull looking nickel out and handed it to me.

Frowning now I look up at my grandpa and say "Grandpa you said you would pay me a dime, but you only gave me a nickel."

Patting the top of my head and giving me a little smile he said "let this be a lesson for you."

To this day I have never forgotten what he said next and I quote him verbatim.

"Son when you promise to do a job and you do only half the job, you will only get half the pay." He then said "Son if a man pays you an dollar an hour, work for him as if he was paying you two dollars, if he pays you for forty hours, you give him fifty."

"Son do you now understand why you are only getting a nickel?"

With a tear in my eye, I looked up at him "Yes grandpa I do."

Walking back to the candy aisle, I put all the candy back and told grandpa that I was ready to go back and finish the job.

The silent ride back to the house, gave me time to think long and hard.

Without a word I pulled the old lawn mower out and went back to work. Once the mowing was done and not wanting to face grandpa yet, I grabbed the rake and went back out to finish what I started.

What seemed to be hours later, the job was done. Silently entering the house, I went in and took a bath and changed my clothes.

"Grandpa, I'm done now. Grandpa, where are you? I called out.

"In the kitchen sonny boy, come on in here" he replied.

Walking into the kitchen, I saw grandpa sitting at the table which was sat two big glasses of lemonade, a plate of sandwiches and a brown paper bag.

"Sit down and eat sonny boy, you worked hard today and you need to eat."

After eating in silence, I looked up at grandpa with tears in my eyes again "Grandpa, I'm sorry about today."

"Sonnyboy, no need to be sorry" he said as he stood up and turned his back to me. Reaching into his back pocket he pulled his handkerchief out and dabbed at his eyes.

"You made me very proud of you today"grandpa croaked out. "Sonny boy, you are going to be a great man,because you listen and learn."

Finally turning back to face me, I saw grandpas eyes were red and glistening.

Pushing the brown paper bag that was sitting on the table towards me he says "Here is your bonus" and pulling a quarter from his pocket "Here isyour pay."

Oh yes, I still have that quarter.

My Vision:
To be as great a man as my grandfather.

http://tiptopmanager.stumbleupon.com/review/12449000/

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 05:05:00 -0800

Salute to all the wonderful stumblers who have stopped in and visited my pages, left me a nice note, a great review and a thumbs up. May your lives be blessed!

http://tiptopmanager.stumbleupon.com/review/13644237/

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 05:04:59 -0800

1300 Marbles

Based upon the 1000 marbles story, come this Tuesday, October 23, 2007 I will have 1300 marbles left in my marble jar. This will be the day I turn 50. To understand what I am about to discuss, it is important that you pay a short visit to this website http://llerrah.com/thousandmarbles.htm . But be sure to return here though :)

Am I complaining that I only have 1300 marbles left? Not at all. You see, I am very content with the life I have lived and with the way that I live now.

Do I have regrets about decisions I have made in my life? Sure, there are some. I could have made wiser decisions. But would I change the way things are now? No, not at all. Life is about learning.

I have discovered that it is important to be happy with who you are and what you have. If you don't like it, change it.

It is to late to change the past, but I do have some influence over how I enjoy the1300 marbles I have left and believe me I plan to use my marbles wisely.

My 1300 marbles will be used to make more friends, to make people smile and to spread the joy of living.They will be used towards learning, reading more books and self improvement. They will be used to make myself a better person.

These remaining marbles will be used to help me make wiser decisions in my relationships, both business and personal. To help those less fortunate than I. To make me humble and forgiving.

Marbles will be used to make this world a better place to live. To help keep our children safe, feeding the hungry and providing a future for those that will follow behind me.

Many of these marbles will used in learning from others and many will be used in sharing wisdom with others.

My wish is that each and everyone of you travel with me on my journey while I use my marbles up.

Come shoot some marbles with me each week.

Wishing you the best,
JD

http://tiptopmanager.stumbleupon.com/review/15324906/

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 05:04:58 -0800

Dear friends,

I apologize for not posting recently. I will be back and updating my posts soon.

But I felt like I had to take the time to post this sad and heartbreaking news.

Dan Fogelberg a great and wonderful musician has passed away at the age of 56. Dan Fogelberg, a singer and songwriter who was known for soft-rock hits including "Leader of the Band" and "Same Old Lang Syne," died Sunday of prostate cancer at his home in Maine. He was 56.

Dan truly was "The leader of the band"

Leader Of The Band

An only child alone and wild, a cabinet maker's son
His hands were meant for different work
And his heart was known to none
He left his home and went his lone and solitary way
And he gave to me a gift I know I never can repay
A quiet man of music denied a simpler fate
He tried to be a soldier once, but his music wouldn't wait
He earned his love through discipline-- a thundering, velvet hand
His gentle means of sculpting souls took me years to understand
(Chorus)
The leader of the band is tired and his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument and his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band

My brothers' lives were different for they heard another call
One went to Chicago and the other to St Paul
And I'm in Colorado when I'm not in some hotel
Living out this life I've chose and have come to know so well

I thank you for the music and your stories of the road
I thank you for the freedom when it came my time to go
I thank you for the kindness and the times when you got tough
And, papa, I don't think I said 'I love you' near enough
(Chorus)
I am a living legacy to the leader of the band

Rest in peace my gentle friend.

"You've got to just follow your heart and do your best work," "For better or worse, I have followed my heart. There is no doubt in my mind or heart that everything I've done is exactly what I intended to do."
Dan Fogelberg 1951-2007

Rest in peace also my dear friends:
Richie 1945-2007
Brian 1952-2007
Patty 1962-2007

You all were leaders of my band.

Thanks giving image by jeaniece22 on Photobucket

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 05:04:02 -0800

A great day to give thanks for everything and everyone in our lives. It is also a great day to share a smile, a hug or an I love you.

I give a big thanks to all my Stumble Upon friends for all that you mean to me. Each of you bring a unique perspective to my life.

Thank you!

Pacific Prime Blog & Blog Archive & 8 ways to prevent an early death

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 23:54:55 -0800

A nice article on living longer. It is very important to especially pay attention to statement three and then also the response from Marc.

Have a long and happy life :)

If I Had My Life To Live Over

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 07:14:48 -0800

A great presentation by Erma Bombeck. This is one of her last essays before she sadly passed away. I have mentioned Erma before as she brought so much joy and humor to those around her.

Take a minute or two to watch this presentation and then take some time to reflect on your own life.

Have a great day!

mintyms blog - StumbleUpon

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 23:37:40 -0800

Ok Ok so I found this one amusing :)

Thanks for sharing mintym.

http://www.theposterlist.com/images/poster_waste_time.jpg

Mon, 19 Nov 2007 23:33:12 -0800

Each moment is precious. Don't wait to make a change, start now.