Today is Saturday, May 15, 2021, and it’s much like any other Saturday in May.  This morning I enjoyed a walk with my daughter, the freshening breeze against our cheeks.  At the midpoint we stopped to admire the panoramic San Fernando Valley below.

Today is much like any other Saturday in May.  Except…

Except that today Michael Jordan will step behind a podium and introduce Kobe’s widow, Vanessa, to posthumously induct Kobe Bryant into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.  Kobe’s daughter, Natalia Bryant, will wear her late father’s Hall of Fame jacket.  I expect she will have tears beneath her smile.

Kobe was one of the best, and one of the best known, to ever play professional basketball.  He spent his entire career as a Los Angeles Laker, and was the first guard in history to play for 20 seasons.  Daveen and I attended many of his games, though, sadly, we were absent from his 81-point effort against the Toronto Raptors in 2006.  In both the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics he won a gold medal as a member of the U.S. national team.

I was, and I am, impressed by Kobe’s legacy as an elite athlete.  But I am far more impressed by Kobe as a human being.  He said he wanted more out of his life than just a successful basketball career.  And he achieved that goal.

Kobe and his wife Vanessa founded a family foundation.  Its mission was “helping young people in need, encouraging the development of physical and social skills through sports and assisting the homeless.” During his life he granted more than two hundred requests for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  At the time of his death he was working on a children’s book to inspire underprivileged children.

After his retirement Kobe won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for the film Dear Basketball.

Kobe and his daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California at 9:06 am Pacific Standard Time on January 26, 2020.  The day was much like any other day in January.  Except…

Kobe, I never met you.  But, like many others, I feel I know you.  And I will admire you, always.

Rest in peace, Kobe.

Rest in peace.

Alan

As the weather in Los Angeles grows warmer, it feels great to open a few windows to let in the fresh air, especially after hanging out at home for more than a year.

But apparently the inside of our home was as appealing to the flies outside as the fresh breeze was to me inside.  When I walked into the kitchen there were several uninvited guests flying from window to window, unsuccessfully trying to get back outside through the glass.

Actually, there were more than several. But I stopped counting at thirty.

Daveen promptly found two fly swatters, and, fully armed, we both began to hunt down every member of the invading hoard.

In the hallway two flies managed to evade us for nearly ten minutes, but we prevailed.  In our bedroom two stunned flies fell behind Daveen’s heavy desk and are probably still there.  In the kitchen flies zipped from window to window in a frenzy. Have you ever tried to swat a fly resting on a window six feet above the kitchen sink?

I’m happy to report that, for the most part, the invasion has been repelled. There are still a few stragglers buzzing about the house, but we are armed and ready.

I will not open any more windows unless there are screens in place, and whenever we go outside Daveen and I move through the door as quickly as we can, to SLAM the door on potential intruders.

Now when I pick up a fly swatter Daveen refers to me as “Lord of the Flies.”  I guess that makes her “Lady of the Flies.”  We do make an awesome team!

Alan

In my first People Tools book (all three are available on Amazon) I presented my thoughts on how to make a good choice despite having incurred a “Sunk Cost.”  Recently, I had to remember this People Tool myself, and I thought that maybe we could all use a reminder.

A “Sunk Cost” is the resource (time or money) you have already put into a project and can’t recover. The money or time are gone, never to return.  This Tool advises us to ignore that “Sunk Cost” when we make a decision. We all have a tendency to follow through when we have previously invested in the outcome – but maybe that’s not always the best choice.

For example, I’ve purchased many movie tickets in my life.  If Daveen and I don’t enjoy the movie, we leave.  Why should we invest more time?  A movie ticket is an option, not an obligation, and despite the fact that we paid for the ticket, we do not have to finish seeing the movie.

Two years ago I cancelled a flight on Jet Blue. To use my $600 credit I had to rebook last December.  I reserved an August round trip flight to Bozeman, Montana, an 82 mile drive from the West entrance to Yellowstone.  I thought Daveen and I could enjoy a few days inside the National Park and use my credit.

When I tried to reserve overnight accommodations at Yellowstone, however, they were completely sold out for both July and August.  As an alternate, I made reservations at the Marriott hotel in Bozeman and arranged to rent a car. The hotel and the car were expensive.

After agonizing for a week about what to do, I finally realized I was planning to spend more than $5,000 to protect a $600 credit. Despite my own good advice from People Tools, I was trying to “save” my Sunk Cost by spending a lot more. That made no sense, especially for a trip that Daveen and I did not really look forward to.

I cancelled the reservations.  I’m sure we’ll enjoy ourselves just as much at home, with no additional cost.

“Sunk Cost.”

This People Tool can save you time and money, and can help you to reach a better decision.

Alan