The Four P's of Developing And Pursuing A Goal

One of the great things I heard at the Tuskegee Airmen symposium was advice for developing and pursuing a goal, Col. Charles McGee's Four P's.

Several people asked me if I was going to put them on a picture or graphic. This is it. Feel free to save, print, or use this.

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

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Slightly related note: After the symposium, we explored Fantasy of Flight, and spent time at their Wing WalkAir ropes course and zip line. Zip lining is something I have wanted to do for forever. I put a short video of my zip line adventure on YouTube. It was SO much fun.

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The Tuskegee Airmen: They Dared To Fly

A few weeks ago I attended a symposium at Fantasy of Flight. Four Tuskegee Airmen spoke and answered questions about being the first African American aviators in the military, escorting bombers during World War II, and dealing with racism.

Panelists: Lt. Col. Leo Gray, Lt. Col. George Hardy, Pilot Daniel Keel, and Col. Charles McGee. Moderator: Barrington A. Irving, Jr.

Each one of these men worked hard to be a part of the Tuskegee Experience. Although they were successfully completing training and missions, there were commanding officers and cadre who strived to block them from advancing, and tried to get them discharged.

In Texas, Pilot Daniel Keel saw Tuskegee Airmen officers denied the right to eat in the officers' mess or enter the officers' club. When Lt. Col. Hardy was stationed at Freeman Field, he observed the German POWs housed on base given more freedom and better treatment than the black service members.

Lt. Col. Grey found that white service members who set up a base in Italy had warned the Italian townspeople about the black airmen who were coming, saying they had tails and would rape their women.

Lt. Col. Leo Gray and Lt. Col. George Hardy

The Tuskegee Airmen persevered in spite of the injustices and resistance they received. They only lost 25 of the bombers they escorted, less than any other fighter group. When the military held its first Top Gun competition in 1949, it was won by a Tuskegee Airmen from the 332nd fighter group, then 1st Lt. James H. Harvey III. Although Harvey wouldn't be officially recognized for his victory until April 1995.

Not only did the four men who spoke at the symposium earn their pilots licence and place in the Tuskegee Airmen, they went on to have distinguished careers.

• Col. Charles Mcgee flew in 409 combat missions over the course of three wars, more than any other service member. He eventually served as the Director of the Kansas City airport and as a member of the Aviation Advisory Commission
• Pilot Daniel Keel is one of three people rated as a bombardier, pilot, and navigator.
• Lt. Col. George Hardy flew in three wars. He also continued his education, getting two separate masters degrees in the engineering field.
• Lt. Col. Leo Gray worked for the Department of Agriculture, while continuing in the reserves.

These men have seen a lot of change in their lifetimes, and helped to bring about some of those changes. Pilot Daniel Keel noted that the Tuskegee Airmen were really the first civil rights group working towards equal rights and the end of segregation. Without riots or violence, they persevered to become pilots and serve their country. The next phase of civil rights would come in the 60's; focusing on buses, restaurants, and eventually school integration.

It is so important that their stories and experiences are not lost. It was an amazing opportunity to hear these heroes speak, and I am happy that my daughter got the chance to learn about this time in history from the men who were actually there.

Pilot Daniel Keel, and Col. Charles McGee

When asked what advice he would give to young people, Col. McGee shared *The Four P's:

1. Perceive - Determine your talents, and find something you enjoy. 
2. Prepare - Get an education that will allow you to do the work that you love.
3. Perform - Seek excellence. Do your best even in the small jobs as you work your way toward your goal.
4. Persevere - Don't let circumstances be an excuse for not achieving.

Even though his answer was aimed at young people, I think it is applicable for anyone who wants to develop and pursue a dream.

Lee, Tracie, Jason, Col. Charles McGee, and Katarina
We were privileged to spend some time talking with Col. McGee after the symposium. Katarina asked him, "What was your favorite thing about being in aviation?"

McGee said, "It is hard to tell somebody the feeling you get - from my first flight - to be in the air and loop roll and spin, and then come back and put your feet on the ground. It is just a wonderful feeling. One of the things I found in flying that was really impressive was to be able to get in the aircraft as the sun was setting. To climb up to 40,000 feet in a jet, and see the sun set and the stars come out above. We human beings are just one small aspect in a grand universe. You get that feeling, but you have to be there to get it."

I loved his answer. It made me want to immediately sign up for flying lessons.

*I created a The Four P's graphic you may save, print, pin, or use.

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Every Calling Is Important

On Saturdays, I like to share one great thing I read during the week.
Today, this is that thing:

I loved this post from Andi - Why I'm a Writer, Not a Missionary. She has found her calling, and is doing work she is passionate about, instead of trying to fit into those jobs that are treated as more important than being an artist. Touching lives while doing something you love is a beautiful thing.

Are you living out your true calling?

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What Does MT Mean On Twitter?

"Is that a typo? Why does her RT say MT?" That was what I thought the first time I saw MT in a tweet. It did not take long for me to notice MT being used more frequently, and I realized it must actually mean something important.

What is a MT on Twitter? MT means Modified Tweet.

When should you use MT? Anytime you retweet something with a change to the original tweet, it is appropriate to use MT instead of RT.

When you retweet someone, it is not uncommon to find you need to edit their tweet to stay within the character limits, especially if you want to add a comment. This is a perfect opportunity to use the MT. You can share the original tweet, and add your comment, while letting people know there is more to the quote. It does not take up any more space than a RT would, and everyone is happy.

Another time to use the MT is if you want to change or add a hashtag to share the tweet with another twitter community. This will ensure that people know you are adding the hashtag, and introducing this tweet into the conversation.

Used correctly, a MT is a great way to build upon thoughts and conversations that are happening on twitter. A MT is not a license to misquote people, or twist their words to give them another meaning.

Do you use MT when you modify a tweet?

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A Good American

I am torn on my feelings about Alex George's A Good American. The first two thirds of the book were great. The final third was awful.

The book is narrated by James Meisenheimer. It begins in Germany with his grandmother and grandfather, Frederick and Jette. I loved their story, and enjoyed following them as they moved to America and built a new life in Missouri.

I liked the multi-generational aspect of the book, and seeing how the changes in America touched the Meisenheimer family and their business.

James' role as an omniscient narrator during the first two thirds of the book is believable. As James tells his grandparent's story, I can accept that he may have access to letters and journals to fill in any blanks, and to provide the thoughts and feelings of the people involved. When the story reaches James' lifetime, his narration became a distraction. The author shares details of other people's lives that James would have no way of knowing.

There are other problems with the final third of A Good American. I was invested in the stories of Frederick and Jette, but James was the least interesting of the Meisenheimers. I found myself completely unconcerned about what would happen to him.

Once James enters high school, the book devolves into the ridiculous. Every couple of chapters, Alex George introduces a new character. Most of these characters are killed off quickly, before the reader has a chance to develop any real connection with them. They are also highly unbelievable; each one worse than the last. It was almost like a collection of bizarre short stories was thrown on the end of the well-developed story of the first two generations of Meisenheimers. It felt like a completely different book.

If I could chop off the final third, and pretend it had never happened, it would be a very lovely book.

Have you read A Good American?
I want to know if you had different feelings than I did about the final third. You can join in the conversation, and find out more about A Good American at BlogHer.

*Legal Stuff: This was a review for the BlogHer Book Club. I was provided a copy of the book by BlogHer, and compensated for my time. The opinions expressed are my own, and I was not required to say nice things.

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Be Kind To Yourself

I stayed up far too late last night, and the night before.

I was teaching Thomas how to use Pinterest (he has so many great pins).

But, really, I was doing more than that. I was spending time with my husband. I was sharing something I knew he would love. I was investing my time in us.

This morning when the alarm clock went off at 5am, I did not want to get out of bed. And I didn't. I snuggled up close to Thomas, let his warmth envelop me, and went back to sleep for two glorious hours. Together.

When I did get out of bed, I did not bemoan my laziness. I did not tell myself all of the things I should have been doing instead of sleeping. I sat at the computer, and mentally rearranged my to-do list. Striking off anything that wasn't necessary, I was finished with all my tasks in time to start school.

I felt better for the extra rest, and I felt better for the time spent with my husband.

Tonight I will go to bed earlier, and tomorrow I will wake up on time.

But for today, deviating from my schedule was a good thing. And giving myself the space to do that without stressing about it was even better.

How have you been kind to yourself lately?

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Today I am at Just Be Enough sharing 5 things I am doing to nurture myself this year.

I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

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Thoughts, Questions, And Monday Mornings

I love how social media provides me with wonderful simultaneous conversations and thoughts that would not normally occur together.

What literary characters would you like to meet? Tia wants to meet Claire.
I would like to meet Claire, too - especially if we got to take a trip to Scotland to do it, and doing a little time travel wouldn't hurt either.

Cow cookies.
Specifically chocolate cow cookies.

Should I make my kid diagram sentences? I'm voting yes.
I also read about the history of sentence diagramming. You wish your life could be as exciting as mine.

A blanket covered in presidents.
This was fitting for President's Day.

When all else fails, eat.
This advice needs to be embroidered on a wall hanging, or etched onto a plaque, or at least taped to the outside of a package of Oreos.

Why I don't believe in role models.
This will probably be a blog post all its own in the future.

Can a parfait count as breakfast food? I'm voting yes on this one, too.
Mostly because we had parfaits for breakfast this morning. And also because I love them.

What happened to James Potter's parents?
Sirius mentions staying with them when he was not getting on well with his own parents, but they obviously weren't around by the time Harry was born, and Harry's parents were killed.

Theo Fleury and the Victor Walk.
Big props to Tom at Cobbie's World for introducing me to his story.

Are incoming links good, bad, or neither? Good.
Especially if the site linking to you has a higher page rank than yours.

How many horses were in the last book you read?
Really. How many? And did they all have specific names?

Kilts.
Kilt conversations and kilt pictures. And this wasn't even related to the conversation mentioned earlier about visiting Scotland.

And, finally, this picture:

Because one of my friends mentioned on facebook how great it would be to take the picture of me jumping on the trampoline, and photoshop me into other places. Katarina saw the suggestion. It is now her favorite thing.

What random things have you read, talked about, or wondered today?

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Parental Trauma At The Dentist Office

Katarina had to go to the dentist last week. (Yes, it was the dentist who looks younger than me.) She needed sealants on her molars, and two tiny fillings in spots that were just barely cavities.

When it was time for the fillings, the dentist was fast with the Novocain. He hid the needle behind him, warned that there would be pinch, and went for it. That worked great for the first shot; Katarina protested that it hurt more than a pinch, but by then he was already finished.

When the dentist moved to do the second one, she knew what was coming, and the tears and an unhappy screech filled the room.

Thomas was already halfway out of his chair, and headed toward dentist with a loud, "Hey man! That is enough. They aren't even really cavities!" before the shot was finished.

I reached out and pulled him back into his seat as the dentist turned, took a step toward Thomas, chest puffed out, saying, "Oh really? They aren't cavities?" At this moment, the dental assistant stepped in, diffusing the situation by discussing the procedure.

The interaction between Thomas and the dentist took five seconds at the most, but it was a very testosterone-filled five seconds.

The dentist and assistant left to give the Novocain a chance to work. When the assistant returned, she said that office policy is parents can not be in the room during the filling. She agreed to let me stay, as long as Thomas sat in the waiting room (I think that might not be a real policy).

It took less than ten minutes to do both fillings; the paperwork took longer than the actual procedure. It was really no big deal, and would have gone faster if Katarina hadn't asked him questions about every single thing he was doing. She didn't even flinch when we heard a child one room away screaming about x-rays.

When we got back to the waiting room, I asked Thomas what he was doing while we were in the back room. He said he could hear the child screaming from the waiting room, and thinking it was Katarina screaming, it was too painful to sit and listen to it.

He left the office, went to the *bar next door, and ordered a shot of tequila. When the bartender looked at his shaking hands, he explained that his daughter was next door getting a cavity filled.

Sometimes a trip to the dentist can be more traumatic for the parents than it is for the kids.

*I don't know which came first, the dentist or the bar, but someone was very smart when they picked the location for their business.

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Field Of Peace

She sits in a green field.

Sun streaming down on a well-placed umbrella above her.

The grass crunchy beneath a soft blanket.

A gentle breeze flutters the pages of the book she holds.

The smell of honeysuckle thick in the air.

Condensation drips down a bottle of water.

Dusk approaches. The light fades. Small flashes are visible as lightening bugs play in the tall grass.

It is nearly perfection in this field. Nothing loud or harsh. Any sadness will be addressed three chapters later, and the end is always happy.

But when dusk's fall is complete, it is time to return to life beyond the field.

Placing her umbrella and blanket in a large bag, she begins the walk home. Counting the hours until she can return to the peace of her field. At the road, she turns for one last deep breath, holding the perfume of the honeysuckle close as a shield against what is to come.

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Trampoline Jumping At Airheads

My best friend in elementary school had a trampoline in her backyard. It was fun, but after ten minutes jumping in the Florida heat and humidity, we were ready to go back inside. This is why indoor trampoline arenas are such a brilliant idea - all of the jumping fun with the added bonus of air conditioning.

Image Credit: Erika

Katarina and I visited Airheads Trampoline Arena last weekend with some other bloggers and their families, and had much more fun than I remember having on my friend's trampoline.

Shelly, Rich Heruska owner of Airheads, Tracie, and Lee

The trampolines stretch across the entire back wall, and wrap around the sides to form a semi-circle. They have sections that can be partitioned off for dodgeball or for younger jumpers. The nice thing about the arrangement is that you can see all of the jumping areas from the tables in the middle of the room, so parents can relax while still keeping an eye on their kids.

Image Credit: Chrissy Gaubron

Jumping is not just for the kids. I jumped, and it was awesome.
I never did master jumping off of the walls, and I certainly can't do tricks or flips. I was happy with just seeing how high I could jump.

Image Credit: Erika 

I was surprised at how quickly I felt out of breath, and needed to stop and rest. Jumping was a real workout. This probably says a lot about my need to exercise more often. Airheads has fitness classes for adults that I definitely want to try, because it actually sounds like a lot of fun.

Image Credit: Erika

We had lunch at the cafe, and the amount of menu choices was impressive. They have pizza, wings, nachos, and other foods that falls in the junk food spectrum (otherwise known as food I like to eat), but they also have wraps and huge salads for healthy options.

Katarina jumped for most of the time we were there, and loved it. After several hours, she was tired. We both went to bed early that night.

Airheads has locations in Orlando and Tampa. It is a great place to spend the afternoon. You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter.

A big thanks to Erika from My Sentiment ExactLee and Chrissy Gaubron, the Airheads Trampoline Arena Director Of Fun (Isn't that the best job title?), for sharing their pictures with me. It is nearly impossible to get good pictures when everyone is jumping around, but they did it!

*Legal Stuff: I was provided with jump time and food by Airheads. I did not receive any other compensation, and I was not required to say nice things.

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Anne of Blonde Gables

"I never thought I was vain about my hair, of all things, but now I know I was, in spite of its being red, because it was so long and thick and curly." Anne Shirley - Anne of Green Gables, pg 219

Reading Challenge: Pick 33 words from a favorite piece of literature. 

This morning I saw the new, updated cover for the Anne of Green Gables books. It is a travesty. A blonde woman, posed sexily next to a bale of hay, wearing a plaid shirt that is not even time-period accurate.

Nothing about this says Anne Shirley. 

Like lots of young girls, Anne was a big influence on my life. I read the Anne books so many times, my copies eventually fell apart. 

I love Anne. I love that she did not have a perfect life. I love that she cares so deeply how her name is spelled, and desired to spend the night in a spare room. I love her imagination and big words. I love her red hair and freckles, and I even love the way she does not love them. All of those things work together to make a character who is strong, sweet, and relatable.

When I saw the Trifecta Challenge, this was on my mind, and I knew I needed 33 words from Anne. These words are spoken after she buys hair dye from a peddler, and in trying to dye her hair a raven black ends up with tresses of dull, bronzy green. 

Messing with Anne's hair is never a good idea. 

*Big props to Thomas for reading through Anne of Green Gables with me tonight to find this quote. It is much harder than you would imagine to find an exact 33 words.

**I found a much better cover update for Anne of Green Gables here. 

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Sandwiches And Donuts Make A Perfect Afternoon

I visited Dunkin' Donuts for a menu sampling with some other bloggers earlier this week. This is basically the most perfect thing to do on a Tuesday afternoon.

These are the Valentine's Day Donuts we tried:

They were all great, but the Brownie Batter filled heart with chocolate icing and white sprinkles was my favorite.

After trying all the donuts (twice, and I'm not even ashamed, because they were that yummy), I did something I never expected to do at a donut shop...I ate something that was not a donut.

They gave us breakfast sandwiches and bakery sandwiches to try, and I really enjoyed them. I would be willing to go there specifically to get the Turkey, Cheddar & Bacon with Ancho Chipotle Sauce. It was that good. Of course, I would get a donut, too, since I was there.


What else is Dunkin' Donuts known for besides donuts? Coffee.

For Valentine's Day they have several coffee drinks that have dark chocolate in them. As I am a firm believer in the health benefits of dark chocolate (and the taste benefits) I tried them all. The Dark Chocolate Mocha Frozen Coffee Coolatta was amazing, but the drink I loved the most was the Dark Hot Chocolate. It was not the fanciest drink I tried, but it was perfect. My new favorite hot chocolate.

More than 20 drink choices - but you really need to dry the Dark Hot Chocolate.

I'm sure I have made you completely hungry now. If you are in Central Florida, you can try any of the Bakery Sandwiches for $2.99 through the end of February. You might see me there with my Turkey sandwich.

You can also find Dunkin' Donuts on Facebook and Twitter @DDCentFla.

*Legal Stuff: I was provided with menu samples. I was not compensated in any other way, and I was not required to say nice things. 

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That Is Not How Goodreads Works

After I shared my reading list last month, I started to really use Goodreads. It is my new favorite thing.

Katarina also loves it. Her new goal is to get Thomas (who likes the thought of reading much more than he enjoys the actual process) to use the account he accidentally set up through facebook a few months ago.

Katarina: Dad, if you read this book, you can put it on your Goodreads.

Thomas: I have three books on my Goodreads. I have read half...of the first chapter...of each of them.

Katarina: May I be your Goodreads friend?

Thomas: Yes, honey.

Thomas: Tracie, I want you to go on my facebook, and take care of my goodreads for me, please. Record that I read the ingredients in a bottle of syrup.

Tracie: That isn't quite how it works.

I am not sure how successful Katarina is going to be with this goal.

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Don't Make Me Choose Between Cookies and Books

I want to love everything about this Oreo commercial.

The whisper-fight. The cream or cookie alliances. The people who are so very passionate about their cookies (I can relate to that, really I can). The cop whispering into the bull horn.

But all I see is the books.

The beautiful books that are about to be sprayed by fire-hoses, and the pages flying everywhere.

OREO - Whisper Fight Video Link

Cookies and books. Love and hate. This commercial makes my brain hurt.

It also made me laugh. A lot.

Can't we all just sit down with a package of Oreos, and a nice book? I would like mine to be Double Stuffed. (I guess that makes me Team Cream.) The cookies and books can be friends. And then my brain doesn't have to hurt anymore.

Where do you fall on the cookie or cream question?

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Today I am at The New Agenda sharing my serious feelings about another Super Bowl commercial in Does Bravery Look Like Assault?

I would love to hear what you thought about it.

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Yes, Please, Tea For Dessert

I am going to share the amazing tea I hinted about a couple of weeks ago. It is so good. I've been a tea drinker for a long time, usually sticking with my favorite, Earl Grey. Of course if I'm having iced tea, it is sweet. I have spent most of my life in the South, and that is the only way to drink it down here.

Davidson's Organics sent me a box of dessert teas to try. Dessert is always a beautiful word in my world, and I was willing to break out of my Earl Grey box to try it. This definitely goes on the good choice list.

The last two weeks have been all about tea. Katarina and I drank tea while watching Downton Abbey. I drank tea while reading. I shared some of my tea with the woman who works in our office, because she had a terrible cough (she pronounced it magical tea).

Thomas, Katarina, and I have had a cup every night after dinner. It is our new routine, and it is the perfect relaxing moment before bedtime.

Thomas is not a dessert person, and doesn't usually like sweet coffees or teas, but he says, "Dessert Tea is to Thomas what Chocolate is to Tracie," (we all know how I feel about chocolate) and he is usually the first one at the box to pick out a bag.

Davidson's sent me eight flavors:

• Caramel Peach with Coconut
• Carob Mint
• Cherries Jubilee
• Coconut Vanilla
• Lemon Ginger
• Raspberry Cream Caramel
• Tangerine Almond
• Vanilla Cream Spice

There are lots of things that make Davidson's teas a great choice - they are organic, GMO-free, have antioxidants and other health benefits, and they offer over 200 varieties. But the most important thing to me will always be taste, because I am not going to drink tea that doesn't taste good.

If I had to choose a favorite flavor, I would say Raspberry Cream Caramel, or Cherries Jubilee, or Tangerine Almond. (That's not really choosing a favorite, is it?) I don't want to choose. The Davidson's Dessert Teas taste amazing. I always add honey to hot tea, but these teas do not need it. They are the perfect blend of flavors, sweet enough, but not too sweet. Being caffeine free, they are a great way to calm down at the end of a long day.

One other thing I love about the Davidson's teas is less about the tea, and more about the presentation. If you are buying it for a gift, you can order it in these lovely wooden or bamboo boxes that I love. They also have cute tote bags, or regular boxes. I love little touches like that - in fact, if I was ordering tea for myself, I would probably get it in one of the wooden boxes. I like them that much.

Now, for the good news!
Davidson's Organics is going to send tea to one of my readers.

To enter:
- Leave a comment telling me your favorite way to drink tea.
- Tweet about this giveaway, and leave a separate comment with the link to your tweet.

I will choose a winner at midnight on Sunday, February 17, 2013.

The giveaway is open to US residents only, 18 years old or older. The winner will be chosen at random, and the winner will be notified by e-mail. Make sure to leave your e-mail address in your comments, or have your contact available on your blogger profile.

*Legal Stuff: I was provided with tea to taste by Davidson's Organic. I was not compensated in any other way, and I was not required to say nice things.

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We Watch Puppies Bowl

The first Super Bowl was played the year my husband was born.

I was born on a Super Bowl Sunday.
(My mom's OB was not very happy to be her doctor that day.)

Thomas and I are Super Bowl connected. It is a special bond.

Katarina has picked her own Bowl game to love, and she has pulled us into it, too. It is similar to the Super Bowl, but it comes with fuzzy cuteness.

The Puppy Bowl. The first puppy bowl was played the year Katarina was born.

This is Katarina watching the Puppy Bowl with all of her puppies three years ago. I expect the scene will look similar later today.

We love it - the puppies, the kitten halftime show, @meepthebird, the blimp flown by hamsters, the hedgehog cheerleaders - we love it all.

We want to have a hedgehog cheerleader come live with us. And a puppy.

Is your family watching a Bowl game today?

*The puppies don't actually bowl, but I'm sure that is because they know they can't bowl nearly as amazingly as I do. It is a gift.

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Not Broken Beyond Repair

On Saturdays, I like to share one great thing I read during the week.
Today, this is that thing:

This is a beautiful post from my friend Jackie about being broken, and finding beauty in healing.

"I feel like I turned a corner that day because I felt all my emotions. I didn’t fall apart and I wasn’t broken beyond repair. And I also realized that there was more than just the pain."

-Jackie

Who has loved you in your brokenness?

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