Wait–did I just say “church” and Advent “Conspiracy?”

Yes, I did. Keep on reading, even if you are one of my many non-Christian readers. And keep on reading even if you are one of my Christian readers who think “conspiracy” doesn’t belong with Advent.

Still with me? Good.

The Advent Conspiracy kicked off in 2006. It’s an incredible movement that has now expanded to thousands of churches who are changing the way they celebrate this Christmas season.

Let’s face it. With the celebration of Thanksgiving, people are now in Christmas overdrive and for far too many, this means stress, frustration, financial woes, etc. etc. etc.

Advent Conspiracy changes this. I love the concept and the movement.

You can check out the promo video here.

[AC] Promo 2011 from Advent Conspiracy on Vimeo.

Even if you don’t go to a church…
Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas…
…we can all do this.

We can spend less money and spend more time with people. We can take that money that we would spend and donate it to a worthy cause.

I’m still going to buy gifts this Christmas, but I’m going to work to spend a lot more of my time with those that I love, and I’m going to do my best to give more to those who truly need.

I’m going to spend a small section at the end of each blog highlighting one of my favorite charities. If you have some I should also check out, please let me know.

My girlfriend and I brought the bulk on the supplies: two big bunches of firewood, matches,  plates, utensils, cups, sausages, buns, condiments, lemonade, roasting forks, marshmallows, chocolate, graham crackers, trash bags, a frisbee, sweatshirts and blankets, sautéed onions, sautéed peppers, water, a flashlight, beach chairs, etc., etc., etc…

So it was a lot of stuff.

The walk from the car to the fire pit was tough. I had already loaded up a large backpack with many supplies, and still had a few other bags tangling on my sides. I lifted a bunch of firewood up to each shoulder and marched down the beach.

Needless to say, I was quite winded when we finally arrived, but the view was simply too gorgeous.

After taking a few minutes to set up our chairs and do a little organization, my girlfriend and I played frisbee for a few moments while we waited for others to arrive. They brought a few side dishes to share, adding to our food bounty. We laughed at each other’s poor frisbee attempts, pausing every few moments to look at the incredible sunset taking place before us.

Soon, I got busy starting the fire. It became evident, in comparing with those around us, that we didn’t exactly have a “bonfire” as much as we had a nice “campfire.” Our flames lacked the abundance and height of the surrounding pits, but still provided just enough warmth for the nice San Diego October breeze. The lower flames also allowed some better cooking and we quickly got to work with the sausages. Soon, we all just sat around the fire, eating some good food, and telling fun stories.

By the time we began making S’Mores, we had all already commented on how much fun  we were each having. It was my girlfriend’s first beach bonfire, and we actually learned that was true for a few more attendees. I ended up making the first S’More that one of her friends had ever tasted.

About 3 hours after we first arrived, the flames started to finally die down, and we began to pack up our things. We all agreed we needed to do this again–it was simply too much fun to make it a one time occurrence. Packing up was much easier. Even though we still had quite a bit of food left over, my backpack was significantly lighter. The firewood died down to simple ash left in the pit, and our full garbage bag found its way to the nearby beach garbage can.

We came in with many supplies, but we left with lighter bags.

Still, I think we each gained a great deal in the experience.

As we drove away from the beach, it occurred to me that for many of us–this is the purpose of this year in our leadership positions. We need to bring in our best, march to a destination, and provide a great experience for our community. When our term is done, we need to clean up after ourselves, laying the foundation for the next group of leaders to take it to the next level. If we’ve done our jobs right, we’ll positively impact those around us, and we may even gain a great experience for ourselves in the process.

Enjoy this leadership journey that your on. The memories can be pretty awesome : )

With all of this sadness, I still view this day with a glimmer of hope. My memory of this day is forever changed by a simple act by a handful of people on Mill Avenue in Tempe, Arizona.

Happy Coldstone Day, Matt Schuh.

But the prices are great.

I love the other grocery stores in my area. If I lived closer to a Whole Foods, I would probably spend a great deal of my time driving there, but fresh & easy is perfect for me now.

By having a smaller selection, a smaller store, and more uniformed packaging, the store saves money and passes it on to the customers. It also does a nice job of having several promotions for school (currently $1 from every $20+ receipt can be donated to a local school of your choice). It’s incredibly effective.

Today, I picked up some chicken soup costing less than canned soup and was actually fresher.

Can we do the same in our organizations? Instead of always looking for MORE can we do the same things BETTER and with less cost? Can we find the ways to take our existing programs and give back to our local communities in the process?

I think the answer is yes.

So let’s do it.

Season 6: Episode 12: “365″

It’s a pretty busy episode. The office is suffering the loss of pretty key leaders, they are attempting to manage the media after the state of the Union and other appearances, and they are struggling with international crises. In returns Leo, the former Chief of Staff who recently recovered from a heart attack, and he wants a simple moment to sit down with the staff. While everyone wants to spend time with him, they keep having something else come up. He calls a meeting where most leave. Someone asks if they are done.

Leo responds, “No, not yet” and writes “365″ on the board.

His message: they have 365 days left in office. 365 days to make an incredible impact on the world. 365 to truly lead.

But the days are spent maintaining and existing if even that. They have the opportunity to be extraordinary, and they are working through the distractions to merely be average.

And so I thought about my days at Leigh and all I had done, but also all that I hadn’t done…

And then I thought about the seniors sitting in the room. So much of senior year is spent joking about senioritis and how everyone can’t wait to “escape.” I made the jokes too.

But I’m wondering if we looked at a senior year a little bit differently. Most seniors have around 180 days left of school. 180 days left to make a positive impact on their campus. 180 days to leave a legacy. 180 days to be extraordinary. Far too often, we get distracted by the day to day, rather than thinking about the big picture and our opportunity to create.

What if the seniors truly made the freshmen class a priority? What if the seniors created a new positive tradition? What if the seniors worked to bridge gaps in campus unity?

Seniors, you have 180 days, what can you do?

For all other grades (even my middle school friends), you have your time as well–what are you going to do?

If you haven’t used the Dyson AirBlade, you really have missed out on the world’s best hand dryer. It really is incredibly efficient and effective. I know I haven’t used a better hand dryer. It’s created by the same guy who made the Dyson vacuum which by all accounts (from friends who own them) is the worlds best vacuum. I’ve had so many friends who were hesitant about that initial price, but now swear by Dyson vacuums. They are waiting for the day when Dyson & Roomba combine together to make the ultimate in household floor cleaning devices.

I’ve watched the Dyson ads on TV, where claims to have spent years trying to solve the problem of a vacuum cleaner. I do believe he made great innovations. I do believe he has created the best product in the market. I value vacuum cleaners and admit that one day I would also like to own a Dyson vacuum.

But I can’t help but think–this is your life’s work?

After having breakfast with some friends in Seattle, I started driving to my next meeting. On the way I passed by the construction site for the new offices for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. If you’ve talked with me about any aspect of technology, you know that I am a diehard Apple convert. I almost every product that comes out of Cupertino, and I regularly try to get more people to join me as an Apple consumer. While I’m okay with Microsoft Office, I can’t stand Windows anymore.

Still, I have the utmost respect for Bill Gates.

I saw some of the press conferences surrounding his retirement from Microsoft. He was asked, “Are you retiring?”

His response: “from Microsoft.”

Bill Gates is now spending countless hours and incredible amounts of energy working on his foundation. When I saw him speak at the Sundance Film Festival during the Q&A for the film Waiting for Superman, it was quite obvious that he’s immersed in education research. He’s looking at technology in poor and rural communities.

He’s literally trying to figure out how he can change the world.

The first act of his life was dedicated to technology. I may not be thrilled with all products his company created, but he was most definitely successful in accomplishing this goal.

This next act of his life seems to be filled with even more passion and purpose as he finds ways to serve this world.

So I just drove around thinking about all of this. It’s one thing to create the best product or service in our industry–Dyson has most definitely done this, and many would argue that Gates did this as well. It’s a whole other thing to take that same skill and energy and to make that product or service profoundly purposeful.

What can you do today to add more purpose to your actions?

Make it happen.

No, I’m sleepy because I went to bed later.

It wasn’t because I was up late watching TV (I actually missed last night’s episode of LOST). It wasn’t because I was out late with friends.

It was because I was reading the last few chapters of a book by Stieg Larsson.

A few months ago I asked friends and family for some recommendations of a good fiction series. Several people recommended the “Millennium” trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest) and boy were they right. I loved the slow burning crime novel series and its complex characters. While the first 100 pages of each book always took me a few days, the last 200-300 always consumed an evening. Over Christmas I was thrilled when a good friend of mine living abroad brought me a copy of the final book in the trilogy (not released in the US until this May). So last night, fully aware that my alarm clock would go off in a few hours, I found out what happened to Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist. I was thoroughly satisfied.

Sadly, Stieg Larsson, the author of the popular series, will never know how much I loved his books. It’s not because he doesn’t regularly read this blog–I doubt most authors do. He will never know how much anyone really loved his books. They remained completed unpublished manuscripts after his death of a massive heart attack. He wrote them in his spare time after work–a hobby that has now captured the literary attention of the world, and he will never have a chance to relish in that success.

During lunch yesterday with some students and alumni from ASU, the work of another Larson popped up into conversation. Jonathan Larson’s Pulitzer Prize winning musical RENT–even 14 years after its Broadway premiere continues to appear in conversation regularly. It could be a song, a performer who got his or her break on the show appearing elsewhere, a message, or a fun life anecdote related to seeing a production of it. Larson had a chance to see a glimmer of those shows possibility before his sudden and surprising death after seeing a dress rehearsal of his dream.

Two men. Two incredible contributions.

Neither had the chance to relish in his success.

They both worked at odd hours to make these dreams happen. The world now benefits from their work.

While I would love both stories of these artists to have happier endings, I must admit that I love the purity of their process. It’s obvious from all accounts that neither one of them wrote these pieces for fame or fortune. Yes, they would have loved to make money, but their real reason for writing was to share something with the world. Stieg Larsson completed all three books before beginning to share the manuscripts. Jonathan Larson wanted to open up theatre to a new generation. They chose to share.

I wonder what motivates us. If it is simply profit or prestige, I wonder if we can ever truly be happy. Instead, what if we were motivated by the idea of contributing something, sharing our passion with the world, or serving?

I’m not saying we need to abandon all wealth or recognition, but I wonder if we can do something more.

Yesterday I was once again moved by the music and story by one man who lived in a smaller apartment so he could share it.

Last night, I sacrificed sleep to read passages by a man who never had the chance to see them bound in a bookstore.

I would love to see what you can share with the world (and I also hope you’re around to see it too!)

I’ve been doing fairly well saying “no” to sweets recently, but a Girl Scout cookie is pretty hard to refuse. I believe in support the Girl Scout programs and I also do enjoy a sleeve of Thin Mints (let’s be honest, no one eats just one). I told them I’d hit them up on my way out.

As I shopped (trying to buy healthy food to offset the cookie awesomeness I would also bring home with me), I thought about the beauty of the Girl Scout Cookie. It’s limited in its availability like a Disney DVD or the Starbucks Holiday drinks. Purchasing it supports a good cause like TOMS Shoes or the (RED) product line. It simply tastes good.

When I was in college it took me everything not to buy a package of Girl Scout Cookies a day. I was good for the most part except when the youngest little kids came on campus and simple said, “cookie?” I know I’m going to have problems if my cousins’ kids ever try to hit me up for sales because I have trouble turning down their cuteness.

On Monday, I thought I’d try a slightly different approach. I knew I was going to get a box of Thin Mints (can anyone really resist those?), but I thought I’d be open to the possibility.

“Which cookies is the best?”

“These ones,” the girl replied. “They have little caramel chips in them & taste really good.” Her mom was actually surprised by her recommendation. ”Dulce de Leche?”

“Yep, those are the ones.”

I paid my $8 for the two boxes and headed home.

At home as I ate my frozen sleeve of Thin Mints, I thought about those elements and how we could potentially apply them to our organizations.

Every package of cookies describes what Girl Scouts promotes. Do people that support our organizations know what we stand for and who we serve?

The Girl Scouts are consistent in their sales time frame and limited scope. Do we have any annual events, projects, promotions in our organizations? Do we utilize limited editions to increase involvement and the feeling of obtaining of something with value?

The Girl Scouts are personally involved in the sales. When asked, they share what they like even if it isn’t necessarily the mainstream favorite. Are we personally invested in our organization’s programs, events, products, and promotions? Do we remain authentic in our promotion of these things?

Just some food for thought or rather a “cookie to consider.”

Yesterday Andrew posted Reknit. From what I could see, you basically send an old sweater and $30 to this mom who unravels your sweater and repurposes it as gloves, hats, iPod cases, etc. The operation is quite small, limited to 30 orders a month (new deadline for submissions in 3/1), but the concept is great.

I love the idea of reusing something or repackaging it. I’ve been a believer in recycling programs, and I’m now starting to look into composting after seeing how effective it was in Vancouver. Doing this with clothes is great.

Finding a way to do this with others is even cooler.

What if we all found our own ways to “reknit.” I’m not saying that we need to all take up some needle or something, but rather, what if we continued to look at our world a bit differently, created small business that serve one another our world, and considered our footprint.

I know this all sounds a bit cheesy. It may be a bit too “hold hands and dance around the may pole” for you, but I truly love the idea of each of us making positive change–even if it is one sweater at a time.

Smoking near a fuel truck? Really? What happened next? Do tell.

So right now I’m sitting in the office center of the United Red Carpet Club, waiting for my flight back home to Phoenix. I was just here yesterday. It was one of those quick 24 hour trips. I spoke at an FBLA event this morning, hopped back on a super tiny airplane, and here I am.

Okay, so I know I’m stalling…

Yesterday, I was stuck here for a few hours–not in this comfortable club, but rather in a small area in the A terminals waiting for my quick little flight to Alamosa, Colorado. It was cold in that area as the doors open directly to the tarmac and snow was definitely falling outside. I tried to fill the time by reading, playing on facebook, making a few calls, and even sketching out some ideas for an upcoming workshop I’m doing for advisors at a convention. It was fine for a bit, but then my flight became more and more delayed. I knew I’d get to my destination, so I wasn’t angry–just a bit bored.

Excitement finally arrived when a gate agent had to yell a bit at a customer.

“Excuse me! Ma’am! Ma’am! You are NOT allowed to smoke here. Put out your cigarette! NOW!”

Things got really interesting when the smoking woman protested back.

Before I continue, in the interest of full disclosure, I hate cigarette smoking. I think it is a disgusting habit. If I’m around cigarette smoke too long, I actually become physically sick. At the same time I do have friends that smoke–many who wish they could quit–and so I also understand the addictive aspects of smoking. I do know that people have cravings, and I get that.

What I didn’t get was this smoking woman. There were clearly signs that said no smoking. Yes, her flight was delayed, and yes, she probably really craved a cigarette, but she tried to go outside to smoke NEAR A FUEL TRUCK! Not only had she left the boarding area without permission she was smoking NEAR A FUEL TRUCK!

I know many smokers to be incredibly courteous. Most of my smoking friends apologize profusely if they light up around me or make sure they step far away from me. While I don’t like their habit, I appreciate their attempts to not force anything on me.

This woman, on the other hand, got mad. She yelled at the agent and talked about her right to smoke. She mocked the agent. She told the agent it was her fault and that she wouldn’t have to smoke if the agent knew how to run an airline (never mind the fact that it was snowing outside causing weather delays). The agent kindly informed the smoking woman that she could calm down or she could take up the issue with the TSA in a special room that would await her.

The woman sat down, but made sure to insult the agent a few more times before finally boarding her plane. After the smoking woman was gone, the other passengers in the terminal thanked the agent. A few smokers even stepped forward to say, “I’m a smoker, but that woman was just being dumb. Thank you for doing your job.”

I sometimes worry that we are beginning to shift to a Smoking Near A Fuel Truck society…

That for some their own needs outweigh the needs of others

That we focus on ourselves and miss the big picture–like FUEL TRUCKS staring us right in the face.

I see young leaders at times who live as if the rules don’t apply to them. It worries me.

For a moment, I was slightly saddened by this poor example of what might happen in the world…

…but then there was a glimmer of hope.

A little two-year-old girl came up to me. She was dressed head to toe in pink snow gear with little pigtails in her hair–the dimples on her cheeks serving as exclamation points to her obvious cuteness.

“Hello.” She says to me with a head tilt (as I was definitely playing on the facebook app on my iPhone and she had to make sure she had eye contact with me).

“Hello.” I replied.

“Here you go,” she says as she proceeds to place nothing into my hands. At first I’m just playing along, but soon I see that she does it with such care, I seriously wonder if she found that same speck of dust from HORTON HEARS A WHO and handed it off to me. She smiles and says “buh bye” and heads over to an elderly man sitting three seats down. She continues to walk around the gate doing this to everyone. After she had given the WHO’s to 10-15 people she did a giggle run around the seats.

I looked around. Everyone was smiling too.

It was as if this little girl reminded people that there is still magic in the world. She ran around giving gifts of nothing that meant something.

As I boarded my small plane to Alamosa, I realized I wanted to be more like the girl with dimples than the woman who smokes near a fuel truck. I want to find ways to contribute magic to the world. Do I always do this? Absolutely not. There are days where I, too, am far too focused on myself.

But we all can strive to be better…