How to make a small business…..smaller
Posted: July 31, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Bobby Harting, Fuck You!, Tech Auto Maintenance Leave a comment »How to make a small business…..smaller.
How to make a small business…..smaller
Posted: July 31, 2011 Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: Tech Auto Maintenance 3 Comments »Unless you’ve been in a coma for the last decade, you are aware of the dire economic straits facing the world today. Unless you fall into the elite tax brackets, you are like the rest of us struggling to survive and remain vital.
And unless you think yourself invincible, you are cautious and sensitive to the instability in today’s business environment, forever cognizant of the vast competition waiting to snap up the leftover disgruntled consumers.
In hard times, I had always thought that some industries were somewhat immune, or at least less fragile than others. While everyone takes a hit, the spirits industry, of which I am a part of, enjoys relative prosperity, as Prohibition proved that there just is no taking liquor out of the equation.
And while folks may cut back and alter budgets in some areas, others are unavoidable, like medical care, fuel consumption, and automobile repairs, to name a handful.
A small business that apparently is big enough to tell paying customers, F**k you!"
At this point one could argue that good customer service is unnecessary, as these services are required out of need rather than choice. I would argue that in an increasingly competitive market, exceptional customer service is paramount: never should a customer be taken for granted.
I had an experience with such a small business owner this week, Bobby Harting’s Tech Auto Maintenance. I should begin by saying the irony of this unimaginably horrific interaction began as I asked my Facebook friends for a referral of an “honest and fair” mechanic. Didn’t seem like I was asking a lot.
My car was overheating, which had been an issue before with my particular model, so my patience was thinner than usual. After visiting two of my regular carshops and discovering there was nobody immediately available to remedy my situation, I opted for Tech Auto Maintenance, mentioned not once but twice in my Facebook query. And I was a little desperate, and the place was close by, so the decision was made for me.
It was Monday lunchtime, and since trust is a key component with valet service, car detailing, and car repair, or any business where the vehicle is left in the hands of the business operator, I felt that with recommendations and the fact that I had known Harting since the mid-80s through the bars and clubs, my car would be safe. I grabbed my iPod and one of the mechanics gave me a ride to my home, a mile-and-a-half away. A nice touch, I had to admit.
Harting called me later that afternoon to inform me that I had a hole in my radiator, and parts were just a shade under $250, and the labor was $350. I of course approved the job, as I needed my car ASAP. He told me it should be ready about 10 a.m. the next day, Tuesday.
I called Tuesday morning, and it turned out to be closer to noon, which was fine, as I was just happy to have the problem resolved. The same mechanic came to get me, this time in my car, so I returned him to the shop and wrote a check for the bill, for $594.
Everything seemed good, and I thanked Bobby and went on about my day.
Later I noticed that the $6-8 worth of loose change I kept in my console for convenience, was not there. Bone-dry cup-holder space, where my coins usually resided. The money wasn’t a huge concern, but my thoughts quickly turned to my two books of CDs that were underneath my seat, one containing 50 and the other 24 ( estimated value $1000). I pulled over immediately, in a panic, as I investigated their whereabouts.
Gone! Nowhere to be found!
My first thought was that someone at the shop had heisted the collection, which I daresay was an excellent eclectic mix of music, part of the 1500 CDs that I own. I tried to call the shop, but Bobby was unavailable ( later turned into a noticeable pattern).
First thing Wednesday morning, I drove to Tech Auto Maintenance, which opened at 7 ( I was there at 7:10). . He asked if my car was overheating, and I replied that mechanically speaking, all was well. Bobby could tell from the look on my face that I wasn’t there to praise him or his business. But I remained calm as I began to explain how upset I was over the missing items ( a cherished one-of-a-kind hat was among the missing inventory).
Bobby then interjected that there had been a break-in the night my car was there. He went on to say they had a long history of break-ins, and videotape of the perpetrator in action, and that the police and he had been unable to do anything to apprehend or stop the burglaries. He added that it was the same guy, each time , a black crackhead, as he put it. This seemed to temporarily shift the focus from my loss to the recurring dilemma.
I asked him where the car had been when broken into , and he pointed out a spot in the lot. I asked him if the doors were locked ( I always do, I live in the 4th largest city in the country), and he said that they were unlocked, because the guy just breaks windows. Of course that would be a repair they would have to pay for, so they did try to prevent that expense for themselves.
not exactly a challenge to get over this fence
He assured me they would review the tapes from that night and get back to me. I filed a police report via telephone, and the police came to Tech Auto Maintenance and according to Bobby, did nothing. I learned that there was another victim in his lot the same night, but was not told details of those losses.
Thursday came, and I had heard nothing. More appalling and insulting was the air of indifference, and lack of empathy demonstrated by the business owner, who preferred to refer to the standard posted signs stating ” Not responsible for items left in the vehicle.”
I visited again on Thursday , having time to simmer down some and accept my irreplaceable losses, and to see what the small business owner had in mind to ease the situation, and have a satisfied customer. I proposed reimbursement for the labor, reasoning that $350 was not his actual cost, and then my loss would be reduced from $1000-plus, to $50 or so, and his would be around $150-200.
His response was gruff, storming off saying ” Let me think about it ( twice).”
On Friday I had again not heard back, so I called and had to leave another message. He called back this time, and it was clear he was not going to be bullied into losing anything, other than customers. He said he would reimburse me the amount of the profit ($207) but I had to “take it or leave it.” He said he absolutely would not come out of pocket and take any loss. He had made his money, and since he had a choice about losing money ( I didn’t) , he naturally opted out.
In other words, the customer is the only loser here. My attempt at compromise , where I , the customer, absorbed 80% of the loss, was essentially rebuffed.
The lawyers I spoke to agreed that I was being more than fair and reasonable, and could not understand his refusal to make any amends.
When I hesitated and stated that I was disappointed in the offer, he flew off the handle, reneging and saying I would get nothing, that nobody else would do this for me, and then actually said “F**k You!!” before hanging up the phone. I cannot make this up. Shocking is not the right word.
I know that we all need car repairs from time to time, and it is rarely optional. What IS optional is who does the work, most of the time, and since small businesses rely upon word-of-mouth to grow, it makes little business sense to treat customers who just spent $600 in your business, on a referral, no less!
The only rationale I can see is that perhaps his business is too big, that he has more customers than he can readily handle. When you factor his unwillingness to combat the rampant burglary issue he faces by refusing to hire a night watchmen or erst a fence taller than 5 feet, or even dare mention to customers that there is a huge risk leaving their car there, it must be his goal: to make his business smaller.
Congratulations, sir! You are on your way to achieving that, and I’ll gladly help
Roll out the Red Carpet
Posted: January 18, 2011 Filed under: Pop Culture, Uncategorized | Tags: Academy Awards, Annette Bening, Anthony Hopkins, Christian Bale, Colin Firth, David Fincher, Golden Globes, Melissa Leo, Natalie Portman, The Fighter, The Social Network, Trent Reznor Leave a comment »
Christian Bale underwent massive weight loss for award-winning role
I am that guy you see in the theater on the first row above the lower section ( so I can stretch my legs), alone , without having purchased any of the concessions. Not a loser or a loner, but one who simply sees no need to be accompanied, as talking during a film is high on my taboo list.
And chances are great that it is a pretty good film, as I try to do a little research in advance of my trek to the moviehouse. I stay in the loop via the internet, and through the small circle of critics, who will remain nameless, that I respect enough to follow their recommendations.
I’m not sure what any of this means, but I seem to have developed an acumen for predicting the award winners, and my sense gets keener with each passing year. And again, I am not sure if I possess any talent for evaluating talent, rather a knack for guessing how the various film press organizations are going to nominate and vote. The last two years, I correctly predicted 11 of the 12 major Oscar awards, though to be fair, almost everyone was 6-for-6 this past year (2009).
Either way, the Golden Globes just aired two nights ago, and I didn’t even see them. Work schedule did not permit live viewing, and my DVR device is on the fritz, for now.
As a moviegoer, I prefer to see the better films in the theater, and the ones I don’t get around to will make the DVD circuit a few months later. My moviegoing occurs in streaks, attending 6-8 movies over a tw0-week period, and then none for a month or so.
And typically, the majority of films pushed by their studios for awards are released in the final month of the year, which coincided with my late year blitz this year.
Since I didn’t see the Golden Globes telecast 
( and I loved the excerpts I did see of Ricky Gervais), I had to settle for reading the recaps later in the evening. And much to my satisfaction, my forecasts were spot-on. I didn’t tell anyone, so it is my word against the world’s, but I have no reason to fabricate.
Three months ago, in various social situations, and on Facebook dialogues, I asserted that “The Social Network” and The Kids are Alright” were the two best movies I had seen all year. And they were released in the summer, way before the normal awards season. And there is no way to forecast an early winner until all of the late-December releases have opened, at least in LA or New York.
Movies and tastes are of course, subjective, and perhaps coincidentally mine aligned with that of the Hollywood Foreign Press. Since these awards split the Best Film category into two categories, for drama and for musical or comedy, I didn’t have to choose between the two I had hyped.
I should say that I had seen 4 of the 5 films in the drama category ( I saw the first 35 minutes of Inception, but had to leave as I needed full attention for the heavy plot, and had lost focus), and felt “Social Network” was the best-made, with the strongest statement. Aaron Sorkin’s screenplay was probably the most impressive aspect of the film, and I was happy for him to win as well. I also assumed, correctly that David Fincher would win for Best Director of same, and was blown away by Trent Reznor’s score, something I have only begun to pay attention to in recent years.
When I left the theater after viewing “The Fighter,” my first thought was that Melissa Leo and Christian Bale were going to be clearing off mantle space later on as rewards for their memorable outstanding performances. I think that is where my senses have been honed, especially in the supporting categories, where the lesser roles stand out when notable, and stick in the brain. 
Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter and Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh were two villains so memorable that it would have been a tragedy to give the awards to anyone else in those particular years. It almost makes you feel sorry for the other nominees. Jeremy Renner’s bad-guy turn in “The Town” is a prime example of a guy who nailed it, but ultimately lost out primarily due to the physical transformation endured by Bale.
In the lead actor ( drama) categories, I had seen all five of the male performances, and only 3 of the five females, and guessed correctly with Natalie Portman and Colin Firth. The voters seem to reward roles that require overcoming handicaps, or learning a craft, and both of these actors were more than convincing.
In the comedy or musical lead actor segments, I had only seen the two females in “The Kids are Alright,” and I thought Annette Bening’s performance was special, but did not know enough about the others to forge a guess. Didn’t see any of the male performances, so again, no guess.
When discussing film, I get mildly irritated when others proclaim their winners, without having seen anything other than the one they are touting. As a result, I try not to make a bold statement when my knowledge is limited to the words of others.
There is the People’s Choice Awards, the Screen Actor’s Guild Awards, and the Director’s Guild Awards, which give an indication of where the powers lie, in general, for Oscar nominations, and winners. But it is not etched in stone anywhere that an early win guarantees the big prize , the Oscar.
The Academy Award nominations will be announced early Tuesday morning, January 25, 2011, with the ceremony to be held February 27, 2011.
This will be the second consecutive year that 10 films will be nominated for Best Film, and yet “The Social Network” is the favorite to win more honors. I would be very surprised if Fincher, Portman, Firth, Leo and Bale don’t repeat their Golden Globe wins. Of course they deserve it, in my opinion, but there doesn’t figure to be much drama.
4 a m mashup
Posted: December 30, 2010 Filed under: Uncategorized 2 Comments »It’s poetry in motion
and life is just a song
just an old-fashioned love song
got this song in my head
headed for an early grave
who decides what is early
leaving a beautiful corpse
is in the eye of the beholder
you’re still talkin about the midnight rambler
Guess it’s time to ramble on
you are perfect
just the way you are
something in the way
the way we were
we didn’t start the fire
It would be like starting over
over the hills
and far away
turn around
every now and then
we just disagree
First thing in the mornin’ when you feelin’ alright alright alright
It’s alright now
You give me what I need
Give it to me baby
Baby baby don’t get hooked on me
I’m hooked on a feelin’
Feelin’ that way
And that’s just the way it is
( It’s Like That)
Life ain’t easy as it seems
when you get older you’ll see what I mean
I mean it when I say
I’m the King
the king of pain
kill the king
don’t kill the messenger
I felt the Earth move
Movin’ on up
And in this ever-changin’ world that we live in
F f foolin
You’re foolin’ yourself if you’re believin’
Best be careful with a fool
you know someday he may get smart
Ain’t no wrong man ain’t no right
just because
ya can’t take it with ya
when ya gone
gone Baby gone
Baby it’s you
You are the only one
One
Is the loneliest number
and Lonely is the word
and I’m still alive
still alive and well
every now and then I know it’s kinda hard to tell, but…
all we are saying
is give peace a chance
and
we’re living in the material world
and if I could choose a place to die….
it would
be in your arms
I agree, so I may disagree
Posted: November 10, 2010 Filed under: Uncategorized 5 Comments »It is often advised not to discuss politics or religion amongst friends.
Good advice.
Or is it? Politics, by nature, needs to be discussed in order to select our leaders and policies, and as a democracy, there really is no getting around it. And religion often injects itself into the dialogue as it becomes a policy of political movements.
But what is ever accomplished by instigating these conversations? Who has ever been converted by an overzealous, possibly over-served bar patron? What right-minded sane individual has ever dumped their entire backlog of development and done a 180-degree philosophical about-face over some regurgitated “facts” spewed forth by an impassioned presentation?
The point is, facts are facts, and their interpretations are subjective. Even if absolute truths were the only sides presented, there would be varied understandings and counterpoints.
Take religion, for example. There are hundreds of religions, ( and different gods) and yet, there realistically is probably only one truth, or one way that is actually the way it all goes down. Everyone cannot be right, and thus almost everyone is wrong. Yet, so many people base their lives on some unprovable beliefs that are built upon trust and blind faith, without one concrete piece of empirical evidence to support their theory. One need only visit the Smithsonian Institution, or any of a number of museums, to see the conflict between Science and theories of the Biblical account of creation, or the origin of man.
And yet, people will still argue, and make their passionate pleas, because that is what they have been told. Bottom line is: nobody living today knows anything for sure about what went down millions of years ago. Science provides a reasonable guess based upon the life studies of scholars who interpret actual findings.
Global warming is a prime example. Ninety-nine (99) % of climate scientists are in agreement as to the existence of global warming, and the causes of it, and because of personal politics and personal economics, there is still a huge gulf between the opposing camps.
So with politics, so much of the rhetoric is derived from biased information sources, and so little actual valuable discourse is ever exchanged, without bruising feelings and egos. It really boils down to where one stands in terms of what the perceived role of government should play in terms of taking care of its people, pure and simple. All of the talking points in the world won’t break it down any cleaner than that, and all of the name-calling, yelling, and finger-pointing won’t turn anyone over to the other side.
Too much emphasis is placed upon fear, or living in fear. Who thinks more clearly when they are scared? To exercise caution is one thing, but to base all decisions with fear as the backdrop is quite another.
Nobody ever wins an argument about politics or religion, as the answers are not clear and concrete. What really is transpiring, oftentimes, is one person declaring his/her intellectual superiority, “Hey, I am so much smarter than you. I am right, you are wrong. I am better than you.” When did we become so crass and uncivil?
Religion and politics serve to divide people, not unite them. The wise one walks away from these conversations.
I elect, I remember
Posted: November 2, 2010 Filed under: Uncategorized 5 Comments »With today being the official day of the midterm national elections, certain truisms come to mind about the electorate, and general observations cause me to shake my head.
I find it peculiar the means and justifications used to explain certain voting tendencies. I nonetheless accept them, fully cognizant that we, as a nation, are not terribly bright, and it only gets worse from here on out. The reluctance to take care of our own is a scary foreshadowing of what consequences are seemingly inevitable.
The advances in technology serve as a double edged sword, creating a lazy, irresponsible monster that must be fed via sound-bites and misinformation, peppered with fear. The times are so different, and in a constant state of evolution, making our world more complex and more convenient, at the same time.
Does anybody else find it odd that:
- The people that seem obsessed with the deficit, the national debt, and the future of said debt on our children and grandchildren are also the same people that could not give two shits about the environment, which ultimately plays a more serious role in the futures for all of mankind.
- The people that are so gung-ho to send young men and women ( not their own kids of course) off to senseless wars are the same people who reject legislation providing aftercare for returning veterans, citing anti-”handout” policies
- The people who are so anxious to celebrate the heroic deeds of rescuers in the wake of the 9/11 national tragedy are the same ones who balk at providing relief and health care to these same heroes in the aftermath, rejecting bills to compensate and care for them. Seems like it might make normal folks a tad reluctant to rush into a falling building to help out fellow Americans in the future. ( There’s THAT word again)
- The people who reject abortion, even in the cases of rape and incest, have no problem rejecting poor people that perhaps were born without a chance by turning their backs on them the second they are born. Right to life apparently does not equate to right to good life or opportunity to equal access to health care or quality education.
- The people who continue to boast of America’s greatness slash education budgets, and even have gone so far as to suggest the elimination of public schools.
- The people who scream for less government are the same ones who cry about traffic, crime, and safety, with the reasoning being, I suppose, that they want all of these things to be handled, but don’t want to have to pay for it.
- The people who reject one administration bailing out a banking institution with public money had absolutely no issue with the predecessor doing the exact same thing.
- The people who bemoan the economic woes and joblessness, support the outsourcing of jobs to Korea, China, Mexico, Viet Nam, India, et al, and while simultaneously blasting immigration policies, continue to hire undocumented (read:cheap) labor.
- The people who want less government intervention are the same ones you see everyday letting their dog poop in the neighbor’s yard without picking up, toss cigarette butts out the window, and trash public bathrooms and deface public property. Don’t talk to me about victimless petty crimes. No need for a police state, but a little personal responsibility and accountability goes a long way.
Bottom line is : too many people, while enjoying the freedom and conveniences that living in a free society provide, don’t feel like they need to do their part to contribute. Voting is where it starts. The system is flawed, to be sure, but the alternatives are not appealing.
When people say they want their country back, I wonder why they don’t identify who has it now. The Constitution was written at a time when men owned slaves, we were escaping religious persecution from England, and of course women couldn’t vote. Is that the time they want to return to? Have we not progressed, as time has?
And since when is Progressive a bad word? I thought Progress trumped Regress in 100 of 100 situations.
Change is inevitable and good. That is why we have had amendments, and why we have a Supreme Court, to interpret law.
I find it more than a little ironic that the party that was so upset about the catchphrases of “Hope” and “Change” are playing the same “change” card only two years later. Acting all along as if we don’t remember what the situation was two years ago, with the country in two war, a failed economy and housing market.
Reagan in 1982 and Clinton in 1994 suffered badly in midterm elections, and yet won in landslides two years later. Eisenhower and Truman also received wake-up calls in first term midterms, and also won re-election easily.
Enjoy your wins today, GOP. And remember this day. The most disgusting thing about the last 22 months has been the stated obvious “hope” that the President would fail. And you call yourself a good American? Shame on you. Shame on you indeed.
Why not now?
Posted: August 6, 2010 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »I wonder how many fires are started by dumb carelessness.
Most accidents are not really accidents. Sometimes they are unavoidable, but I suspect most times “accidents” happen when someone does something careless, or haphazardly, not focused or paying attention or taking normal precautions.
Simply not bothering to think things through, when it is a matter of common sense, probably contributes to more mishaps than random incidents of “wrong place-wrong time.”
I got lucky tonight. I went out for a snack at a drive-thru, which is rarely part of my routine, though it once was. I had taken off one of my favorite cotton short-sleeve shirts earlier in the day, and rather than hang back up or put in the dirty clothes “area”, I lazily draped on the top of a lamp, which was off at the time.
During the 8-10 minutes I was out, the combination of the flammable fabric and the heat of the lamp touching it proved combustible, as I discovered the unmistakable aroma of fire when re-entering the apartment.
The flames were just in the early stages, and had not attached to anything else to spread. So I yanked it off of the lamp and stomped out the fire.
Who knows how the scenario would have played out had I arrived home minutes later?
It is pointless to play the “what-if? ” game, so for now I’ll just have to settle for a lucky lesson learned, with minimal damage, and the comfort of knowing that I’ll never do THAT again.
Open letter to you: The whiney loudmouth over there
Posted: August 4, 2010 Filed under: Facebook and Social Media, Psychobabble du jour, Uncategorized | Tags: Facebook, Loudmouth, Powerpoint 1 Comment »Open Letter to anybody who thinks this may be addressed to YOU, and if you think it is, you are probably right: ( you know who you are!)
Freedom of choice.
The old saying that you can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your relatives, usually pops up more in the holiday season, nevertheless we all are put in positions to decide how, where, and with who we spend our time/lives with.
But truthfully the winner (or loser, as it were) in the “where you live, who you associate with, what you do, etc., sweepstakes”, is an individual decision, and frankly I am tired of hearing about your bad decisions.
Perhaps your job or proximity to medical facilities or family members in need create a hardship that makes your case extra-special, but in almost every case, the buck stops with you. And you know what else? Nobody else wants to hear about it either.
The things that you can’t do anything about deserve special mention as off-limits conversation material, or even more directly, Facebook status updates.
Complaining that it is hot, or cold, or raining, all the while cognizant of the fact that there is nothing to be done about weather, is inexcusable obnoxious whining. It gets hot in the summer, nearly everywhere, longer in some places than others. It gets cold in the winter, unbearably so (for me) in many places.
If it is creating such agony in your demeanor and overall makeup, by all means do something about it. San Diego has lovely weather year-round. I would be far more impressed with you if you took the initiative to investigate where your loathing of weather could be alleviated, regardless of the economic repercussions, and made the big move.
In short, your whining, bitching, crying, and moaning, not to mention overstating the obvious (hey if it’s 105 F. , we all feel the heat, and further, don’t need you to point it out to us) has run its course.
I will overlook your annoying bitch-fest if you at least ratchet up the creativity….bring a little originality to the observation. And if you want to include facts, presented Powerpoint-style, I of course would not ignore it.
And my outrage with you is not limited to your incessant ranting about natural phenomena such as weather, but even more so the whimpering about people in your life, including the ones that aren’t really in your life but are celebrities with whom you have some infatuating obsession and cannot separate from the real world.
It’s okay if you want to punish yourself with these continued associations ( real or otherwise), but spare me and everyone else from it. If you can’t stand the sight of someone, or the mention of their name, it is upon you to disassociate, and more crucially, to not cry to me about it.
And if you must infuse politics into the blame game, please try to have a longer memory than you show in public, as you really are embarrassing yourself. Not much happens overnight, and if you really are concerned, do something about it, by getting involved. Be a part of the system, as part of the solution. It is easy to pile on to the problems, and it is really lazy , disturbing and irresponsible to grumble and fuss without offering any suggestions or real solutions.
I write this with the slim hope that if I can inject one person with a hesitation mechanism, if I can cause at least one person to pause before bombastically announcing ” I hate hot weather, ” then I can consider this a mild success.
I don’t feel any better, but I hope I made a point, somewhere, to someone. Is it YOU?
Signed,
Joe Q Public Observer
Decisions, decisions
Posted: July 9, 2010 Filed under: sport, sports stuff | Tags: Black Sheep, LeBron James, NBA, Rush 2 Comments »“You can get with this, or you can get with that“—–hip-hop band Black Sheep
Much has been made of NBA superstar and former free agent LeBron James’ decision to create a one-hour TV special about his decision. In all fairness, it was a really, really, really big decision, as decisions go. For years NBA followers pointed to the 2010 off-season as the pivotal period for free-agency, as a number of upper-echelon players had contracts expire, enabling them to shop their services to the entire league.
Or rather, teams that were financially able to shop for talent under the rules of the complicated salary cap, which we won’t go into here, played the free agency game with an urgency unseen in a long time.
LeBron James was the prize catch, as the 25-year-old has tremendous upside and physical abilities, whose decision will likely influence the entire league for a decade or more.
“The Decision.” That was the name of the one hour special broadcast that ESPN decided to go with. How profound!
Funny thing about decisions….they cannot be taken lightly. There are impulse decisions and ones with time to ponder all of the angles.The proverbial fork in the road enables us to play the “what if?” game, wondering what could have been, had the road not chosen been the road that was chosen. There are consequences, most of which remain unknown, further clouding the decision-making process.
It is nice when the decision is basically a win-win, meaning even the perceived wrong call is still hugely beneficial.
One of the keys to success is making correct decisions, and though it sounds easy enough to execute, the reality is decisions have to be made in a finite amount of time, and it sometimes takes years to determine if the decision was the correct one. Split-second decisions determine life or death in the real world, and wins or losses in the sporting world, so the ability to react quickly is paramount to survival and/or success in a competitive world.
Sometimes, it doesn’t matter how much time is allotted to make a decision, merely that one must be made. And it isn’t necessarily easier with more time, as the extra time allows more time for second-guessing and weighing the opposing sides, but still fails to give a definitive “no-brainer” solution.
A typical day is filled with decisions, most of which are subconscious. A routine trip to the grocery store starts with deciding upon a parking space. I am constantly amazed when I see folks drive around the lot several times, in an attempt to get closer to the door. These same people, who may or may not end up scoring the ultimate spot, are seeking to save an extra 20-30 feet of walking distance, right before they push a grocery cart up 24 aisles of the store for 30 minutes or more.
Then the decision is whether to get a full-sized cart, a mini-cart, or just a carrying basket, for the few items on the short list. And as each section of the store beckons, the decision between competing brands forces one to debate the whole ” you get what you pay for” rationale, with differences in size, expiration dates, % RDAs, price, name-brand-recognition, etc., fuzzying the decision-making process.
Depending upon the number of items selected, there are different check-out lines from which to decide. Again. And then the option of paying with cash, card ( debit or credit), or check. And the parting, huge decision of “Paper v. Plastic” still looms. What pressure in our everyday lives!
So we are talking about a 25-year-old man, with the eyes of the world upon him, with the pressure of staying loyal to his hometown team in spite of a gloomy prospect of ever winning there, trying to decide where to work next for $20M/annual salary, and years of build-up to “the Decision.”
In some ways, the decision was a lose/lose. But all decisions leave one side undetermined, to never be known. The decision maker is the one who has to live with the decision, and wonder what may have been.
“If you choose not to decide, you’ve still not made a choice.”———the great progressive-rock band Rush
Footnote: On July 8, 2010, LeBron James selected Miami as his his destination, joining two other prized free agents in attempt to create a “super-team”, actually taking less money in the process, thinking that this DECISION was the best one, if achieving the goal of multiple championships was to be realized.
