One of the parents at my daughter’s school was having some trouble with her daughter. “She keeps using my iPhone to download apps,” explained the distraught mom. “And not the free ones, either! Last month I owed iTunes over $100.” Maybe you’re wondering how a five-year-old could pull off such a heist. I wondered the same thing until I realized that she, and children like her, have grown up in a smartphone world. In fact, it was exactly eight years ago today (January 9, 2007) that Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone.
Read more →Archive for the Thought for the Weekend Category
Here in Wilmington, NC, the Sunday after Christmas was one for the books. Sunny with a high of 75, it was hard to believe it was the end of December. Since it was such a beautiful day, my wife and I decided to help our five-year-old daughter conquer an important milestone. That’s right-Chloe was finally going to learn how to ride a bike. Our plan? Stick with a tried and true method: Chloe sat on the bike, pedaling. I held the back of the seat, holding her steady. And her mother stood in the
Read more →In 1914, one hundred years ago this Christmas, World War I soldiers in the trenches of Flanders put down their weapons and met each other in peace for a while. The trenches were rudimentary “scratches in the ground”, sometimes less than 100 yards away from the enemy. British and German soldiers could hear the other side, smell their cigarettes, and occasionally catch a glimpse of one another. In essence, the two sets of troops were living in each other’s pockets. When a cold snap arrived and it snowed on Christmas Eve, the soldiers took
Read more →Each December I find myself amazed, impressed, and, to be completely honest, a little jealous of the talent some people have when it comes to decorating for the holidays. In my home, we keep things pretty basic – a tree in the living room, a wreath on the door, and a few stockings hung over the fireplace. I was feeling good about our level of holiday spirit, until I drove to the grocery store to buy some eggnog and passed a car sporting a pair of reindeer antlers and a shiny red nose. Forget
Read more →This past Saturday, the Matchmaker Logistics team gathered for a day-long staff retreat followed by our annual Christmas party. As we reviewed our progress in 2014 and set new goals for 2015, the discussion turned to a highly charged topic: fear of rejection and how it impacts our lives, both professionally and personally. “I really needed a new office chair; the old one was hurting my back”, shared one employee, “but I was afraid to ask for it.” (At the urging of a co-worker, she finally had, and I immediately authorized the purchase of
Read more →It’s the holiday season, that time of year when children wonder in at awe at Santa, Rudolph, sugar plum fairies, Frosty the Snowman, and in the case of one recent addition to our household – the Elf on the Shelf. If you didn’t grow up with the Elf on the Shelf, don’t be alarmed. The story didn’t become a phenomenon until 2005, when author Carol Aebersold and her daughter published their first book, appropriately titled The Elf on the Shelf. The book tells of Santa Claus and his legion of “spy elves,” who enter
Read more →Tomorrow, most of us will gather ’round tables with family and friends to express our gratitude for life’s blessings. My list is a long one because it includes you, the shippers, carriers and friends of Matchmaker Logistics. Most importantly, it includes my co-workers, the wonderful women who make up the rest of the Matchmaker team. I love my work, in large part, because I have the privilege of working with passionate, loyal, dedicated people who believe in the value of providing great service to others. Recently, one of our shipping clients sent me an email
Read more →“Let’s talk turkey!” It’s a phrase we’ve all heard before, usually when things are about to get serious. But where did it come from? Why do we say it? And what on earth does turkey have to do with serious business? While the origins of this saying aren’t clear, according to some historians, the Pilgrims would often ask Native Americans for advice about this strange new land. Many of the conversations centered on the supply of wild turkeys, and it got to the point where, whenever a colonist approached a Native American, he would
Read more →Here in Wilmington, NC, local gas prices are currently about $2.93 per gallon. It’s the lowest autumn gas price we’ve seen since 2010. Great news? Apparently, not for everyone. On Wednesday, USNews.com published an article entitled “Gas Prices Are Too Damn Low.” Now there’s a complaint I didn’t expect to hear! For the moment (and just in time for the holiday shopping season), we’ll all have a little extra cash in our pockets, which means there really isn’t much reason to complain about gas prices (unless you take the long-term view like the author
Read more →Where are you reading this email? You could be at the office, working from home, on the road, or even attending the NASTC conference. These days, thanks to technology, the new way of doing business is anytime, anywhere. According to a Forbes article, an estimated 30 million Americans work from home at least once a week, and the number keeps growing. In fact, a study by the Telework Research Network estimates the number will increase 63% in the next five years. You might be wondering how working from home could possibly be good for
Read more →
