back then | Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

Louis L’Amour – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

There are many famous people that were born, raised or lived in the great state of North Dakota and better yet my hometown of Jamestown North Dakota.

Louis L’Amour is one of these famous people whose accomplishments include writing hundreds of short stories, novels, television scripts, and screenplays. Many of his stories were translated and distributed worldwide and at one time there were more than $200 million copies worldwide. Louis L’Amour lived from 1908 to 1988.

I have always dreamed that one day I would write a book like Louis L’Amour did and better yet a series of books. Louis L’Amour wrote western books and I would write alternate history. Unluckily, only one of us have authored books at this time so I better get in gear.

My goals have included measuring my life experience compared to Louis L’Amour. I cannot compare growing up in the late 20th century to his growing up in the early 20th century there are comparisons.

Louis L’Amour experiences were many. Some of them include being an elephant handler at a circus, working as a fruit picker, gold prospector, longshoreman, lumberjack, and miner. He also skinned cattle in Texas, lived with bandits in Tibet, served on an East African schooner, and was a tank officer during WWII. Finally, Louis L’Amour was a professional boxer who won 51 out of 59 matches. My life experiences are varied also so there is hope here.
Louis L’Amour lived in North Dakota, Oklahoma, California, Colorado, France, and Germany. In this area, I can compete with Louis L’Amour although our experiences are in different eras.

In the early 1950s, Louis L’Amour transitioned into writing stories under his own name and this is when the magic occurred. Not only did he have a solid following of his books but many of his books were made into movies. The Duke, John Wayne purchased the movie rights to many of his books and one of my favorites was “How The West Was Won”. Incredibly, over 45 of his books were made into movies of films. Well, I have struck out here, my picture has been in the paper and I have had an article written about me though.

Louis L’Amour wrote with a style of his own until his death in 1988. The true measurement of a man is the size of the shadow they cast and Louis L’Amour cast a shadow that will never be filled again.

I was a fast attack submariner during and after the cold war and on fast attack submarines space was extremely limited. One thing you could guaranty was that there would be a large selection of Louis L’Amour books on the sub to be read, traded, shared and re-read.

Being underway for months on end could be and was lonely. Entertainment was limited so a good book would take you from under the sea to the great plains, mountains, and deserts of the old west. A much simpler but deadlier time when death was a daily occurrence.

Louis L’Amour books cross-generational interests. My grandpa Max would always have a Louis L’Amour book near him and on my grandfathers passing, he gave these books to me. It felt very special to receive this from grandpa when he had 50 plus grandchildren and he did not have many possessions as he approached the age of 80.

There is still time for me to become a writer although I doubt I will ever be a writer that touched lives like Louis L’Amour. Great American heroes come in different sizes, colors, sexes, and beliefs but Louis L’Amour will always live in my grandfather Max’s and my heart as one of the greatest.

I have other favorites like King, Michener, and others but Louis was one in a billion. Who is your favorite writer?

Its Great To Be Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen.

Jay Patterson

Cadillac Service At Yugo Prices – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

At one time, a Cadillac automobile was considered a class ride and for those that remember the Yugo, this automobile was a little red wagon with a motor and Fred Flinstone brakes.

I have been involved in the service delivery industry for much of my life and logic would imply that service levels would improve with technology advances and you would experience a decrease in service costs.

Major technology companies have bet the farm on the philosophy of cheaper, faster, better but is this a strategy that actually delivers as promised? Let’s see.

Today, I needed to set up a rental truck for a project in South Carolina. Using the model of cheaper, faster, better we will map out the results.

I was able to pull up websites quite easily using Google Search. I wanted to compare costs between two different providers.
- On both sites, I was able to pull basic costs but neither website would allow me to select all desired options so I had to set up a chat and wait for a rep to chat with me.
- Once the chat started, neither reps could answer the questions I had so each directed me to contact a rep using the 1-800 number.
I called the 1-800 number for company #1 and they were unable to pull the information off the website that I had completed so we manually completed the quote over the phone.
- Overall, they were very helpful and we achieved our goal.
- Total invested time, company #1, 30 minutes plus.
I called the 1-800 number for company #2 and they were unable to assist since the system was down so I was directed to call back. This occurred after extensive waits for a person to answer.
- We did not achieve our goal.
- Total invested time, company #2, 30 minutes plus.
Results of cheaper, faster, better:
- Cheaper – YES – Websites and initial chat personnel that cannot answer all questions and/or permit all quotes are cheaper since on average they will field most calls and quotes without issue.
- Faster – NO – Perhaps on average this is a yes but for me, this was a no and my questions were very basic.
- Better – NO – Company #1 actually charged me less on the phone than the quote online and I had to wait for the quote to be sent to me to review. Company #2 did not get a chance to quote because the system was down.
Perhaps I am missing the big picture of cheaper, faster, better but in this example, I spent more time, they made less money but I am certain the investment in customer service was limited.

The strategy of cheaper, faster, better service is considered Cadillac Service At Yugo Prices. Although this looks good on paper, this strategy results in satisfactory service delivery for the majority of customers but for customers that do not fit into a normal bucket, get ready for a ride in a Yugo.

Unluckily, providing Cadillac Service At Yugo Prices has been labeled cheaper, faster, better and this model has infiltrated most areas of customer service. If we were talking cars, you could buy at least two Yugos for every Cadillac so you had a backup.

We are talking about customer service so we just get frustrated and ask “whatever happened to a person on the other end of the phone” as we wait on hold in need of assistance.

Just some observations about the cheaper, faster, better strategy as it relates to customer service.

Wishing you a great day.

Jay Patterson

Little Red Wheelbarrow – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

We travel through life retaining items of comfort and/or discomfort and these items may be physical, non-physical, and/or emotional possessions.

I have traveled the nation with a little red wheelbarrow that normally provides comfort to me and is both a physical and emotional possession. The little red wheelbarrow is not your standard wheelbarrow so may be considered more a cart and its picture is on this post.

When I was a child, my mother purchased the little red wheelbarrow as a kit and since my dad was not mechanically inclined, my mom and I put it together. At that time, it was shiny red with white lettering, a white handle, and wheels that were quite as they rolled.

Much like me, my little red wheelbarrow has aged. The paint is faded, the wheels squeak a bit, and it has started to rust. Although I could buy a new little red wheelbarrow I won’t because I can fix it, oil it, and I am attached to it even with its imperfections.

People talk about being physically and emotionally attached to fancy cars, locations, etc., but my little red wheelbarrow is my Achilles tendon. Why is this?

As a child, our first project with the little red wheelbarrow was to move the full load of sand my mom had delivered instead of the half load of sand we needed so we had sand everywhere. That’s okay, sand was a great cure for traction on ice so we maintained the extra sand in a pile and filled the wheelbarrow until we used it all.

With my mom and sister, we moved hundreds of rocks to the rock garden we built after driving around the North Dakota countryside picking up rocks bigger than your hand but smaller than a shoe box. We had a 1962 Ford Galaxy and its back end was dragging when we would go over speed bumps and dips.

The little red wheelbarrow was used for many chores and resulted in many memories as I grew up and although I did not know it then, we were linked for life.

In 1980, I left for the Navy and for a number of years I would only get to spend time with my little red wheelbarrow when I was home on leave and mom or dad needed a project completed. Incredibly, the handle still fit like it did when we were both young and although we had aged, we were still a great team.

In the late 1980s, I found a bride and once we moved into our first house in Georgia. We were in need of a wheelbarrow so we picked one up from the local Walmart. The wheelbarrow had one wheel and two handles but was not the same as my little red wheelbarrow in North Dakota.

During my next trip to North Dakota, I noticed my little red wheelbarrow hanging up in the shed and that there was a new, shiny wheelbarrow in the garage. I went in the house and popped the question regarding my little red wheelbarrow and we have not been separated since.

My little red wheelbarrow and I have been through many new adventures since the late 1980s and it my goal to do whatever is required to keep her happy and with me for the rest of my days. In that little red wheelbarrow, I will always have kind memories of my parents as a child, of my children as an adult and hopefully of my grandchildren in the future.

Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen is an adventure and I am sure many of you have a little red wheelbarrow that may be physical, non-physical or emotional. Hold onto that wheelbarrow tight because sooner or later things we love go away but not the memories.

Have a great day,

Jay Patterson

Mom Was My Life Coach – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

Life throws many challenges and the occasional curveball. When a roadblock occurs it is always great to have someone to fall back on for insight, advice, and/or a little push.

In today’s environment, there is an entire industry that has developed for this need called “Life Coach”.

By definition, a “Life Coach” is a person who counsels and encourages clients on matters having to do with careers or personal challenges.

I sit back and ponder this industry and position definition and realize how fortunate I was that my mother was my “Life Coach” and all I had to do was reciprocate the love she unconditionally gave to me. Furthermore, I am shocked to find that I have developed into a ‘Life Coach” for my children who are grown and left the nest.

I scratch my head a couple times and realize I have had life coaches throughout my life as part of friendships, employment, organizations, etc., and I find it difficult to believe I did not pay them for services and if I by chance coached them I did not receive payment either.

The numbers show “Life Coaching” is a $2 Billion plus industry that grows in size year after year with the following life coaching goals when working with a client:

Help define yourself and create the life you envision.
Assist in focus, direction, challenges, support, motivation and your celebration.
Create a plan, detail action steps and hold you accountable for following through.
Observe, listen, ask empowering questions, challenge and motivate.
Counseling or analyzing the past is not a coaches job.
Big picture principle is that the client has the intrinsic ability to determine and achieve their goals.

I do not disagree with the need for life coaching but I do not agree with the concept of a paid coach since it appears to be impersonal but perhaps that is the point.

So I return to my original point. My mother was my life coach from my earliest memories at the age of three (3) until her death in early 2017, Even after her devastating stroke in early 2015, she was my “Life Coach” who would listen and ask questions but it has always been my job to determine the road traveled.

It is my hope, that I am half the “Life Coach” my mother was to my children, friends, peers, subordinates, and others that need to know they have it in them but need to use it.

I am sure there is a need for professional “Life Coaches” and perhaps that is my calling but I need a “Life Coach” to tell me. Back to “did the egg or the chicken come first”.

Thinking of you Mom and missing you.

May you have a blessed day.

Jay Patterson

Back Then – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

Yesterday I was approached with a question about “Back Then” and I initially shrugged it off but over time it has manifested into a blog about “Back Then”.

Back in the days before the internet, smart phones, game consoles and instant gratification for most your wants there was a land some considered backwards and/or even wicked called “Back Then”.

“Back Then” for me was situated in the great state of North Dakota which some consider southern Canada and many are not aware that the state of North Dakota even exists. I am here to remind everyone the state of North Dakota exists and its people are almost as irritating as the great state of Texas which some consider northern Mexico.

“Back Then” allowed many great freedoms that are not available now and some may consider them new freedoms. Most of these activities were free for most and in many situations you were forced to imagine which is also a new concept to some. You were normally not limited because “Back Then” was actually clean and wholesome to most and you could instantly enjoy yourself without electronics.

As a kid, this is what could we do “Back Then” that was so special.

Ride bikes from dawn to dusk having only to check in with your parents or an older sibling so they knew you were alive and had all your limbs.
Float truck or tractor inner tubes on the lake having the time of your life because you all knew how to swim and you knew your limitations.
Play board games where the games took weeks or months to build a strategy and play it through. My favorite was Axis and Allies. Many of these games were modified for computers later.
Camp in the local woods or someones backyard where you would lay in on your back at night watching shooting stars and the occasional UFO.
Stay up all night playing card games in the winter because it was blizzarding out and school was canceled.
Join the polar bear club in shallow ponds where the water was much warmer out than sub-zero temps on the surface.
Build models because you were not carded to buy paint or glue.
Assemble puzzles and glue them on a backing so you had a cool poster.

“Back Then” was not as terrible as people from now may think and I am sure I would have enjoyed many of today luxuries if they had been available “Back Then”.

Unluckily, with every new day that passes, another day becomes “Back Then” and soon enough the individual that asked me about “Back Then” will be asked about “Back Then”.

Thinking about cherished memories and the friends I had “Back Then” and wishing you a great day.

Jay Patterson

Is There A Gray Ceiling? Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

I have always believed that with age you gain wisdom, respect and the ability to take advantage of these skills when making a career change. Perhaps I am old-fashioned or naive but there appears to be a slight Gray Ceiling that we bump into and it has only occurred to me in the last couple years.

Some Gray Ceiling Indications are subtle and some are not so subtle. These include:

Over qualified.
Low compensation offered when qualified for position.
Not trainable.
Bored doing this job.
Technology challenges,

I have never been one to sit back and accept artificial limitations and I have always been a cup half full person so this was basically a call to throw down the gloves and do everything in my power to re-package myself.

There are numerous articles, blogs, books regarding how to re-invent/re-package yourself and I chose to do the following:

Update your Linked In profile if you have one, build a Linked In account if you don’t have one.
1. My Linked In profile was not complete even though I have been a member for years.
Revise your resume and if needed build different versions of your resume.
1. I have multiple resumes based on the opportunity I am looking at and I have a watered down resume that is less than two (2) pages for generic submissions.
Obtain quick reference letters or statements and add to your resume package, profiles, etc. Make them a mixture of people you have worked for, worked with and worked for you.
1. I have references spanning 20 plus years for trending.
Brush up on current technology and software packages.
1. Being able to talk the talk that is half the battle.
Feel good about yourself and get over your hang ups.
1. Eat better, sleep better, participate in fun activities, volunteer, contact people you have not spoken to for extended periods, start a journal, work out, etc…
Bring your “A Game” to online applications, phone interviews, and in person interviews.
1. With technology, the job hunt has become very impersonal so you need to shine whenever possible.
Most importantly, the world has changed so you need to Network, Network, Network and if that is not enough, network some more.
1. I have contacted numerous old contacts and have added many new contacts during this endeavor.

I am not saying there is age discrimination but I am saying it is more difficult to find a position when you are Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen so pull out the stops and put your best foot forward.

It is not my goal to work for someone else my entire career but until I am able to devote 100% of my time, debt free to an independent career I will do what it takes to make it a little closer to that goal including re-inventing/re-packaging myself.

I am not a professional writer and I am not a guru but I like many of you have years of experience blowing into my sails and believe there is a place for us in our current work environment.

Wishing everyone the best… Jay

Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen – 50 Plus Going On 15