On today’s Keeping It Real, Cam recounts his birthday week which has some unexpected surges of happiness. —– Happiness is fleeting. It never lasts and I’m not sure it’s supposed to. It’s different than joy and contentment and pleasantness. Happiness bubbles up from an unexpected place and last such a short time. And when it arrives, it sometimes brings tears. Living in constant happiness would render us nearly helpless. It immobilizes you. Living in joy and contentment is great with, hopefully, unexpected surges of happiness from time to time that render us speechless. For my fifty-sixth birthday earlier this week,… Read More
Categories: Libsyn2On this week’s Keepin’ It Real, Cam explains the Ft Lauderdale accord and how it’s telling him that it’s time to move on. —– My wife and I will be empty nesters in eighteen months. If all goes according to plan, in that time our youngest two will graduate and head to college and if looking back is anything like looking ahead, these next eighteen months will fly by. If you’re a regular listener, you know that my wife and I have four kids. We purchased this house with a family of six in mind. With only two kids left… Read More
Categories: Libsyn2On today’s Keepin It Real, Cam reports back about his most memorable event on his recent trip to Brazil. He traveled a long way to come back with this… —— Cachaca is a Brazilian alcohol that was first made by the slaves the Portuguese brought to Brazil. It’s sugar cane based. Very sweet. And like gumbo, red beans and rice, jazz music, and the Mississippi delta blues among other things, it was what the poor people created due to a lack of resources and that the wealthy people eventually wanted. Crazy how that works so predictably. It’s like clockwork. Anyway,… Read More
Categories: Libsyn2Today on Keepin’ It Real, Cam looses focus and finds his mind wandering about an upcoming trip instead of focusing on what need to be done. —– My day today will be spent studying Brazilian demographics. And I know what you’re thinking: How did I get so lucky? I mean, come on, most of us have to work but you get to spend your day studying Brazilian demographics. How is that fair? Friday, my wife and I leave for a week in Brazil. I’ve been invited to speak at a conference next week in Sao Paulo. These types of invitations… Read More
Categories: Libsyn2Many cities need more urban housing with Mobile, Alabama certainly being one of them. It’s hard to find, though, and where you do find neighborhoods and houses many of them are blighted and unsuited for living. Porchlight is changing that. By carefully identifying properties, doing the often cumbersome work of locating property owners and then building homes that match the design and spirit of the neighborhood, Porchlight is returning streets and neighborhoods to their bygone thriving days. John Ruzic leads the initiative. Working from within Rogers & Willard construction, John knocks on many doors, makes hundreds of calls, and works to… Read More
Categories: LibsynOn this week’s Keepin It Real, Cam reacts to a text from a friend about the hopelessness she feels today as a result of the new presidential administration. There are two sides to this, Cam says. And the healing must begin within. But it won’t be easy. —– There are those of you listening right now filled with anxiety and rage. You can’t believe our nation is full of people who care so little for truth, honesty, and compassion. You can’t believe that you know people, lots of people, who are willing to abandon truth, honesty, and compassion to win…. Read More
Categories: Libsyn2Mark Colson has oversight of the Alabama Trucking Association and has insight into the 131,000 people the industry represents in the state. That’s 1 out of every 13 jobs. They’re good people, Mark says, who get a bad rap. It’s an expensive business to run – the rigs cost a good but, the drivers and diesel mechanics earn a nice salary and wage, but its the insurance that hurts these small businesses the most. The cost of insurance, per Mark, is driven up by the attorneys who adveriste in such a way that makes the truck drivers and trucking companies… Read More
Categories: LibsynTuesday, Cam watched as a 130 year old weather record was shattered. He took it all in, savoring it as best as he could. —– It’s strange looking out there right now. Maybe even eerie. I keep looking again to make sure my eyes aren’t fooling me. The top of the neighbor’s magnolia tree is getting small touches of early sunlight and those big, deep green leaves are holding snow. It’s beautiful. And I can’t stop turning to look again and again. How could this week’s commentary be about anything but the weather? So often the meteorologists in my part… Read More
Categories: Libsyn2The “modern elder.” It’s a strange term. Chip Conley describes it this way: As curious as you are wise. I heard Chip at a conference in San Francisco, wrangled a meeting with him, and booked this podcast. I was moved by his content. If modern medicine has its way, we’re going to live a long time and need a place to apply ourselves during and after middle-age. Chip went through this transformation and teaches his lessons at his Modern Elder Academy. He has 6000 graduates who have been through his program with the aim of finding new purpose. He has… Read More
Categories: LibsynOn this week’s Keepin’ it Real, Cam Marston’s new effort has been a year in the making and it’s finally ready. It’s learning delivered the way it used to be and he’s very excited for it. —– Here’s a story for you: An old man lowered his clay jug every day at the well. He did it by hand with the jug attached to a rope. He was very careful to not let the jug bump the edge of the well which was made of stone or else the jug may break. A young man saw all this and proposed… Read More
Categories: Libsyn2