My apologies for the infrequent postings recently. Im taking a few months off from my blog to enjoy the summers here in Canada, spend additonal time with my family and just chill out and re-charge till September. I will still be posting my monthly newsletter to keep in touch and have several speaking engagements over the summer months ncluding McDonalds Corporation in Chicago in August…Thank you for your understanding.

Just got back from speaking in Bedford, New Hampshire. Thank you Calvin, Michael, Patti, Erika and all the gang at the Paul Mitchell school there..you guys were awesome to me and a special thank you to Calvin for driving me in to Boston..you went above and beyond my friend.

. I stayed on an extra day to spend time in Boston, terrific city, also had a couple of meetings there but primarly went to visit famous old Fenway Park and to watch the Boston Red Sox play baseball. Sometimes things you look forward to, do not meet yet alone exceed expectations, my vsit to watch the Red Sox exceeded everything I could have imagined. The stadium is steeped in tradtion and history, very little has been changed there over the years …..the stadium is a clasic and the atmosphere incredible, the passion and pride felt by everyone is amazing, the Red Sox are a first class organization, who care and listen to their fans and their customer service is to be admired and envied, I was very impresed with alll my dealings with them both over the phone and when I arrived at Fenway.
To the guys next to me at the ballpark, I think Paul, forgot the other guys name…I enjoyed our conversation very much..

Do yourself a favor next time you are in Boston, even if you are not a big baseball fan , visit Fenway Park either on a tour or if you are lucky enough to get a ticket…Take in a game…If you do take in a game, you will not go hungry that is for sure. Part of the experience for me was having a hot dog and a beer…….By the way the Red Sox won the game I watched 5-0 and I saw a home run over the legendary green monster wall at Fenway.

The whole evening was an experience I will never forget and a memorable night to remember. I hope to go back again one day. Also stayed in Brookline, only a 25 minute walk from Fenway Park, terrific area to visit and stay in, very safe, cool area, especially around Coolidge Corner, terrific restaurants and shops…Great neighborhood.
See you all in September…..

Called up a hotel yesterday to make a reservation. Was put hold for an awfully long time. Told the person this, there answer, were busy, Im on my own, Im overwhelmed, then in a not very nice tone he kept saying to me alomost angrilly…okay, well it is not okay. Dont like your attitude, not my fault you are busy. Im taking my business elswhere..okay!

Lesson: always stay cool and professional at all times. Never, never let your frustation show

Just come back form my Sunday longer run…nothing like it. Im always observing stuff while out and noticed today a bumper sticker I wanted to share with you that read:

“Love people and not things

Use things and not people”

Thought that was spot on…once you read and digest it.

Good food for thought.

I was speaking in NYC last week and had a little free time to explore. I loved NY, the energy, buzz, excitement, everything about it excited me. Not forgetting the terrific food. Manhattan is not for everyone, it is brash, fast, can be a little overwhelming at times, so many people, but if you take time to explore the fantatsic neighborhoods, get out of the tourist areas, do your research….find the incredible oasis that is Central Park to recharge….it is truly amazing.

I also found the people really friendly in NYC and proud of their city, like I have in other great cities like London and Paris. My take on it is if you are nice to people, you smile, are friendly, are willing to meet them half way, 90% of people no matter where you are will be nice to you and willing to help.

Next time I go back to New York to work, Im going to take a few extra days and explore it deeper, visiting art galleries, museums especially again The Metropolitan Museum of Art on 5th Ave on the Upper East Side. Maybe take in a Yankees or Mets baseball game if it is in the season. This year is the last for both Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium…..The Yankees and Mets both move to new ball parks for the new 2009-10 season.

Also to admire the great architecture of present and past, all that history….Visit Brooklyn, Harlem, Coney Island..have a famous nathans hot dog…take in things that are of interest to me and also to explore some more great restaurants. 9th Ave around 44th and 47st Street is truly a united nations of great food and ambience. One of my favorite parts of the city…A terrific area to just hang out in.

My wife went to a local new Wal-Marts store near our home recently, they must have spent a fortune on it…..my wife was looking for something specific in one of the sections for our home to buy..she could not find in 10 minutes of looking one person in that whole store willing to help her out or take responsibilty to find someone who could answer her questions.

She left frustated and took her business elsewhere. Am I missing something here..Wal-Mart is a very successful company, one of the biggest in the world..founded on great principles by the late Sam Walton……but where is the service guys!!!!!

Can’t they afford to hire some more staff to look after an serve their customers….

Okay, so they are profitable and very successful..but what ever happened to looking after people. We will not be shopping at that particular store again for sure.

Saw this sign today which caught my attention. I wanted to share it with you:

” Love people and not things. Use things and not people”

A prospective client returned my call today…not always the case at the best of times. This gentelman in question was even calling to tell me that they did not have any opportunities for us to work together this year with his company but as a courtesy he wanted to call me so I would know the situation, he did not want me to be hanging on…. and to please keep in touch for 2009.

He did not think it was out of the ordinary when I thanked him for calling me back and letting me know the situation…. because that is the way he conducts his business, with integrity, courtesy, thought fullness for others and class. it tells me a lot about that person…

Thank you Parker…I wish everybody was like you…they could learn lots from your values and touch of class….

Last Saturday evening at 8 p.m EST here in Toronto, Canada where I live and I dare say where you live as well at the appropiate 8 p.m. for your time zone, millions of people came together for the good of the enviroment by switching off all their lights for one hour, being in darkness, to help the future of our planet. I know my whole street was virtually in darkness and in full complience for the full hour.

Well done to everybody all over the world who took part in this amazing event. My family and I felt proud to be aprt fo soething special, and to do our small bit, and our kids were savvy enough already to know all about Earth Hour.

If we all could come together more often for this type of event, our world would truly be a much better place. Earth Hour proved it can be done when there is a common goal worldwide.

Was at the Hyatt Park Hotel yesterday in downtown Toronto near the Yorkville area of the city, a real cool area and right across the road from the Royal Ontario Museum ( ROM ) another great place to hang out and get your creative side and jiuce buds flowing.

I was at the Park Hyatt having lunch yesterday with a friend. I have been to this particular restaurant in the hotel called Annona several times before, The hotel is top notch, not cheap but as I always say quality and service will be remembered long after price is forgotten.

This hotel gets in every sense, from the moment you walk in, it is warm, inviting, one does not want to leave, the staff well trained, outstanding service, everybody knows there job and does it well…..everything flows effortlessly, and the service CONSISTANT every time I have been there, a key element of succes in any arena of life.

Again if you are ever visiting or live in the Toronto area, give yourself a treat and eat in the Annona, you will not be sorry you did, just a little lighter on your pocket for sure! Enjoy!

Just reading in the new look issue of Success magazine..if you do not subscribe to it already, do yourself a favor and make the investment in each issue..it is well worth it.

Just reading one of the stories about the now 2 time oscar winning actress Hiliary Swank. When she was a teenager her mum and her packed up and headed for Hollywood. They had $75, a mobil card and no place to live when they got there. At first they lived in their car, then on the floor of a friends house.

Slowly Hilary started to get small parts, talent always shines through but you need chutzpah to be able to open those doors in the first place and to be able to face all the rejection that comes along with the territory, then her big break came in 1999 in the staring role in Boys Don’t Cry and her career took off from there and she never looked back.

Moral of the story, dream big and do not let anyone take your dreams away. Good for you Hilary Swank..I admire tremendously all that she has achieved and her mums belief in her. .No one gave her anything, she has earned the hard way all her success and fame.