Blog

When Life Gives You Gators, Make Gatorade

When Life Gives You Gators, Make Gatorade

True story: In Leon County, Florida, social distance is measured by alligators. Local leaders launched a campaign reminding people to maintain a distance of at least one alligator between each other. For residents of the Panhandle, this is an easy visualization for six feet. In other parts of the country, we might say: stay a sofa, a mattress, or a car’s length away. But in Florida – and, right here in Wilmington, NC – it doesn’t take much to visualize a gator’s length. We have regular gator sightings on the Carolina coast. In fact,

Read more

Oh Buoy, Here We Go Again…

Oh Buoy, Here We Go Again...

You may remember our first trip out with our pontoon boat last year, where my husband Dale (aka Flip, The Goat Killer) made a fast turn and flipped over the boat. It was enough drama to last for, well, at least a year. But, no. 2020 arrived with other plans. We’re just halfway through the year, and the events of the past six months sound like a list of unspeakable horrors: the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdowns, economic recession, job losses, fires, earthquakes, riots, locust attacks…and yes, Chapter Two of The Nicholas Family Boat Trips. Fatigued

Read more

Warning: This is NOT Your Typical Fuel For Thought

Over the years, we’ve written over 600 of these posts to share information about our industry and our company. We’ve also endeavored to send light-hearted observations, entertaining stories, and news that celebrates the power of positivity. We have intentionally steered clear of politically-charged topics. We love and respect all of our friends and clients, and we recognize that we all come from different walks of life, and, at times, opposite ends of the political spectrum. But today’s post is different. It contains strong language and a strong stance. You have been ever-so-respectfully warned: In

Read more

Small, Medium, and Super-Sized Legacies

Small, Medium, and Super-Sized Legacies

When we think about leaving a legacy, our minds don’t immediately jump to school cafeterias or fast food restaurant chains.  That’s probably because we’re adults.  Some exceptional young people are using their surroundings to build legacies early on; I recently came across these two examples: The Matchmaker Logistics headquarters is located on Oleander Drive in Wilmington, NC. And, just a mile or so down the road, sits the fast food giant of the south, Chick-Fil-A.  Renowned for great customer service, the workers at this restaurant elevate the chicken sandwich to a fine-dining experience: fresh

Read more

Living Our Legacies in 2020

What would YOU want to be known for on earth? Pixar is asking this very question in a soon-to-be released animated feature film called Soul. We asked ourselves too. Each year, the team members at Matchmaker Logistics convene for an annual retreat – no phones, no emails, just face-to-face communication – to review the previous twelve months and plan for the year ahead. That planning session often revolves around a theme or a mantra. Past themes have included: Excellence is a Habit; Radiate Positivity; and a game-changing concept called Rejection Therapy. This year, our

Read more

Eating for the Food Network Is Harder Than It Looks

For my family, road trips typically mean meals at well-known chain restaurants like just off of the highway. Coke, burger, and fries? Yes, please! During our trip to Crater of Diamonds in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, though, I decided to switch things up a little bit. Guy Fieri brought his show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives to Wilmington, NC, and showcased a few of the crown gems in our local restaurant scene: Something Fishy (one word: seafood), Ceviche’s (for fancy Panamanian fare), and Copper Penny (can’t-go-wrong bar food). Knowing that we were going to be passing through any number

Read more

Before Fake News

Have you ever heard of ‘liquid mountaineering’? It was introduced in 2010 as a new extreme sport.  After discovering an incredible pair of water repellant shoes, a group of athletes decided to try running on water. Like skimming a stone across the surface, the idea was to use tension, speed, and angle to cover as much distance as possible before falling into the water. Millions of people learned about the sport via a YouTube video featuring a group of liquid mountaineers perfecting their sport in Gerês, Portugal. They manage to work their way up to eight to

Read more

Diamonds Are Forever, But Bodies Aren’t!

I had so much fun the last time I went to Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, I planned another trip this past weekend.  This time, instead of taking my niece, I decided to bring along my hubby, Dale, and our good friends, Crimson and Joey. We were looking forward to spending a full day digging for diamonds in the great outdoors, but our plans were almost foiled.  Last week, before the trip, I started experiencing excruciating back pain. Turns out, it was my sciatic nerve acting up. As I nursed it with heat and ibuprofen, wondering if

Read more

When “Why Not?” Pays Off, Literally

When "Why Not?" Pays Off, Literally

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who ask “But, why?” and those who ask “Why not?” When we last advertised for an opening at Matchmaker Logistics, we had the good fortune of interviewing a pool of really talented candidates. We’re told time and again that our interview process is one of the most difficult candidates have ever experienced, and that’s intentional. We spend a lot of time getting to know prospective employees so we can find the perfect fit for our team. I’m happy to say that with Charlotte Lickfeld, we succeeded. I distinctly

Read more

Bigger Is Better

Bigger Is Better

Recently, Dale and I swapped out our 48-inch TV in the living room for a 65-inch TV. If you’re a member of a TV-loving household in the golden age of Netflix, Prime, and Hulu, you know what we did next: we moved our old living room TV into our bedroom, swapping out our good ol’ 32-inch for the 48-inch. It took us a while to afford the bigger screens TV. When they first came out, our budget looked more like this: But over time, prices dropped and now I’m far from alone in my

Read more