Bryan Dear’s Blog

Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive — the risk to be alive and express what we really are. Don Miguel Ruiz

The flu, the economy, the war, the drought, the floods, the next impending danger is coming at us in full force and in full color and complete with logo and 3D graphics. Do our worries escalate along with the media frenzy? What will be our crisis a year from now? Why do we worry so?

Do you wear a facemask? Do you fret the whole day long? Do we increase our stress, lessen our well being while worrying about something that may not even occur?

I’m not suggesting putting your head in the sand. I would put up sand bags too if my house were threatened by flood. There’s a difference between exercising prudence such as taking a few precautions in the event of a disaster versus running around with our head cut off.

I can’t live a life in fear. I have lost faith in those who may serve as a lookout for our invading enemies whether they be a meteor, a flu, or a terrorist. We all die. Living in a state of fear is just not a place to reside.

Here’s hoping that life finds you facing outward towards the sun.

Bryan Dear

www.payrolldept.biz

Habits are safer than rules; you don’t have to watch them. And you don’t have to keep them either. They keep you.   - Frank Crane, 1861 – 1928  

It may only reside in me -that wonderful feeling of “look how good I am.” This glow may come from providing an answer correctly when others were stumped. It may come from just a few days on a different diet. It may come from getting up early to go for a long run before coming to work. Regardless of how this feeling arrives, I become full of myself and therein lies the rub. For no sooner have I gained that feeling than I destine myself for the great fall.

 Which is why I’m working on changing some of my habits. I like this quotation because it explains how we can change and once we have focused on it, we become the change. It’s not new age. It doesn’t even fall under inspirational. It’s just true. So as I begin my quest  to stretch more – such an easy thing for such a little investment of time – I’ll keep this thought in mind. I can change through habits and by staying on course, I’ll become the change. Voila!

I’ll let you know how it goes.

Sincerely,

Bryan Dear

www.payrolldept.biz

All over China, parents tell their children to stop complaining and to finish their quadratic equations and trigonometric functions because there are sixty-five million American kids going to bed with no math at all.- Michael Cunningham

Two weeks ago, my father and I set off for Omaha to hear the “Oracle of Omaha,” Warren Buffet and his partner Charlie Munger of Berkshire Hathaway. This is the annual shareholders meeting, but $5 will get you into the event, even if you’re not a shareholder.

Of course spending six plus hours on a Saturday with 35,000 people listening to questions regarding the econmy, investment strategy and corporate governance may not fit your bill for a delightful day. But between Warren and Charlie, their answers are intelligent, pithy at times, and most importantly for me, understandable.

Both are billionaires although Warren is the CEO of Berkshire and probably controls more billions than Charlie. Both have a strong belief in finding and buying companies with great managers who are free to run the company in a manner which they understand. Both Warren and Charlies take the long view. As long as the company is  profitable and as long as the employees are not guided by a contract (as in union), Berkshire Hathaway will not sell the company.

I admire most their ability to proceed with their strategy even when others are clamoring around them that their strategy is outdated or wrong.  That takes guts whether it’s thousands of dollars your investing or billions of dollars.

Cheers from Omaha,

Bryan Dear

www.payrolldept.biz

The rung of a ladder was never meant to rest upon, but only to hold a man’s foot long enough to enable him to put the other somewhat higher. Thomas Henry Huxley, 1825 – 1895

It doesn’t take much to bring home how little are small cares can be. I have a wonderful friend from my high school days. He and I have stayed friends over the years with many phone calls and lots of visits. He is the father of three beautiful girls.

Three years ago his oldest and then eighteen year old daughter was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes. It’s not an ugly disease. But there are permanent changes in lifestyle that must occur: changes in diet, changes in behavior, and changes that require daily monitoring. As a parent, we want to weep for this new direction that our child must now go through for the rest of their life.

Yesterday, his fourteen year old daughter was diagnosed for the same condition. Again, as a parent we want to weep for the changes that our children must now face. And to face this disease for a second time is a huge slap in the face.

And yet, my friend goes to the bright side. True, he grieves. But then he moves on. He becomes an even greater advocate for his daughters whether it’s in sports or in education. He listens, he learns, he is a force for positive energy for all who are around him.

What’s this have to do with payroll? Nothing. What’s this have to do with how we live our lives? Everything. How we respond to life changes (especially negative ones) exemplifies who we are. We can choose to go down the drain with sadness and woe and who can blame you. Or we can grieve, then turn about and face the sun.

Yours truly,

Bryan Dear

www.payrolldept.biz