Archive for October, 2011

3 Ways Air Travelers Can Insure They are OFF my Christmas card list

October 29th, 2011 by John Gallagher 4 Comments

I am a frequent traveler.  I don’t necessarily like to be, but it is needed considering my regular work is 700 miles away from home!  As a result, there are many opportunities for me to encounter pet peeves while traveling.  Some of these things I shrug off, but others really test my patience.  Here are 3 pet peeves of mine that will guarantee you are off my Christmas card list this year:

1) Put both of your bags in the overhead bin – When you put both of your bags in the bin, you ensure a slower boarding process.  Just because you have a right to do it, doesn’t make it right.  Use the space below your feet!

2) Let your backpack swing wildly as you walk up the aisle – I like an aisle seat.  But, when you  are boarding with your backpacks, must you allow it to bang off of my shoulder when you walk by?

3) Block the moving sidewalk so that walkers cannot pass – 8 words people — Walk to the left and stand to the RIGHT!

What travel pet peeves do you encounter?

5k Leadership Lesson – It’s not about me!

October 10th, 2011 by John Gallagher 2 Comments

On September 24, I completed my 3rd 5K.  I ran another personal best:  29:11.  I almost didn’t run in this race.  I originally had it on my schedule, but had come down with a cold, so my prep was ‘off’.  I didn’t think I would be able to do it…too hard…

Then, I got a call from a great friend whose wife was going in for surgery due to the onset of breast cancer.  Her life was changed forever due to this daggum ‘c’-word.  I wondered what I could do.  Certainly, I could pray…and I did.  Then, I was reminded of the upcoming race just days away…”Fired Up for a Cure”…a cure for breast cancer that is!  Suddenly, my cold didn’t seem so limiting anymore.

In the past 6 months, the ‘c’ word has popped up with no fewer than 4 close family friends. 

Each time I find myself complaining while training/exercising by running (which I hate!), I am reminded of the pain these friends are enduring in their race to beat cancer.  30 minutes of heavy breathing is NOTHING.  I should be honoring them. 

A personal best is not about me…it’s about me honoring those friends.  Thank you for being an inspiration to me.

So, what is that small item that you want to regularly complain about that, if you really think about, you could honor someone by completing that task with excellence?!