Mommy's House

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“I'm the second most powerful person in my Mommy's House.”
-Derek Ridge

An introduction is in order.

My good friend Derek Ridge and I met each other in Clark Hall during my first year at Ferris. Derek has a nack to say things that, well, just make absolutely no sense whatsoever. Always fun, always soft-spoken, I have yet to meet another person who can say something in the middle of a conversation that would make everyone stop talking, look at him, and wonder how in the world a person could come up with something like that.

This week is a prime example.

So congratulations, Derek! You finally made the Gun's Quotes.

...oh, and by the way, everybody have a Safe, and Happy New Year!

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Dona Nobis Pacem

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“Dona nobis pacem.”
-From “Agnus Dei”

It is a simple phrase with a simple message, yet its appropriateness for this week is clear.

Translated from Latin, the phrase means, "Grant us peace."

This week, Christmas week, I hope that everyone who reads this, and all of your friends, family, and loved ones, can experience true peace.

Regardless of your race, your religion, your socio-economic status, any other demographic, your travel plans, or your chaos that you are dealing with in your life, I pray that God may grant you the Peace that only He can give.

For the non-Christians in the group, may peace grant you the much-needed rest you need to carry on. May you also never forget how much simply being alone and being in a quiet place can help you gain perspective and refresh your soul. Don't let the hustle and bustle of life wear you down, especially this week. Give yourself some peace this week. Recharge your batteries.

For the Christians in the group, our big day is this week, isn't it? However, don't let the shopping, the meal-preparation, and your cross-country travel plans screen out the fact that when Jesus came into the world, all was calm. All was quiet. God intended it that way. Know that Jesus is coming to save you, and may your heart be at peace with that knowledge.

Have a very Merry Christmas.

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Non Bastardi Carborundum

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“Non Bastardi Carborundum”
-Gregg Koteskey

I realized from the very instance that I clicked "Create Group" when I originally created this Gun's Quote group that there would be times that I could walk on thin ice for the things I would say, especially if my stories involved other people. Even if I maxed out privacy settings, somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody could pretty easily take the things I have written and pass them along to the people that I reference, which could make my life much more difficult.

This is one of those weeks where I could walk on some pretty thin ice. Therefore, please accept my apologies now for using extraordinarily generic language, refuse to name names, and otherwise leave out all the details. That being said:

This week sucked.

We've all had them. No matter what happens, things just don't go our way. It could be a plethora of things. It could be something that somebody said. Maybe something broke. Maybe your plans just got screwed up for whatever reason. Maybe you forgot something and let somebody down, and they made sure you knew about it. The details really aren't that important. What's important is that the week sucked. Period.

For me, none of the suckage was derived because of a "thing." The car still works. The computer is running smoothly. I have heat, electricity, and the internet. Even if something did break, it could be fixed, probably. No, my suckage is derived from people. You can't fix people. You can't change people. You can't undo words or actions; you just have to deal with people.

That being said, I got down. What's worse is that we are in the middle of the Christmas season. Things are supposed to be happy and joyful. Instead, I was upset. So that made me upset to be upset. Bah!

I was flipping through Gun's Quotes this week to see what I would throw out there for all the world to see. I wanted to do a funny quote, but couldn't post it considering how I felt. No, I found a quote from my good friend Gregg Koteskey who reminded me that when somebody kicks you in the gut and you roll on the ground grimacing, that the only thing you can do is get up, brush yourself off, and move on.

It's a new week. There will be new people, new days, and new things. How it will go will be dependent upon how well I move on from last week, and how well I can put it behind me. The only thing I, or anybody, can do is to get up.

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Thoughtful, Committed Citizens

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”
-Margaret Mead

College students are scatter-brained, unorganized, apathetic individuals who, generally, don't give a darn about anybody or anything other than themselves. I can say this because I used to be one, and it drove me mad at how hard it was to get people behind any kind of cause or issues whatsoever. I had the privilege of being a leader on my campus, and I got to know the other leaders on campus very easily because there were so few of us. When campus would hold a major event involving student leadership, the same people would show up to those events every single time. It wasn't because we were power-hungry snobs trying to keep decision making inside of some elitist group, nor was it because we enjoyed being the center of attention. Trust me. We BEGGED people to help, volunteer, and lead. We needed numbers to convince our administration to do anything, and frankly, getting the numbers was the hardest part of getting change to happen.

That's why when I learned about the recent shenanigans the students of my Alma Matar are pulling off right now, I dropped my jaw in disbelief.

Ferris State University is a hockey school. Its students have created hockey chants. They are vulgar, mostly inappropriate, and would be considered offensive to families with young children. For that reason, the University recently chose to ban them, and actively throws people out who violate the new policy.

This year the University decided to throw out a student who used a chant that in years' past was allowed. For the first time, the students revolted.

The next hockey game, somehow, someway, the students that showed up to the game talked to each other and came up with the plan to sit in the bleachers and remain absolutely silent. They did. Nobody said a thing for the entire 1st period. I couldn't believe this. NOBODY on my campus has ever been able to convince ANYBODY on my campus to do ANYTHING uniformly, at least not with regard to changing University Policy.

Of course in the intermission between 1st and 2nd period, the rest of the audience asked the students what they were doing. Fox Sports was broadcasting, and they interviewed students asking why they quit cheering. The students, on live TV, explained they were protesting University policy. Talk about your bad PR. To make matters worse, the ACLU has been notified. (Apparently courts have ruled in past legal cases that rules banning vulgar speech at sporting events are unconstitutional.)

Apparently change is happening. The game after that, despite several VERY vulgar chants being thrown out, no student was. Hmmm…

Those of you who know me know that I choose to use non-vulgar language. You would then correctly surmise that I wouldn't support this group of students trying to "re-legalize" the vulgar chants. However, my opinion doesn't matter. Why?

Because right or wrong, decent or indecent, those people who care enough to surround a cause and commit to advancing it are the ones who rule the world.

Everyone else is at their mercy.

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Nine-to-Five

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“Remember that nothing great was ever achieved by people working only nine to five.”
-LLIC 2003

A week or two back, I went to my first "Midwest Regional Meeting" with my company. There, we talked about new software that my company developed to help us engineers do our jobs easier/faster/better than the competition.

I was not expecting to have nearly all of the group sessions being led by the guys I work with.

You see, in addition to working with our clients, the guys in my office in Kansas City have also been developing software, using Excel, to make many of the calculations we use daily easier, and more robust. During the meeting, they explained to many of my co-workers around the Midwest how they worked, and how they would make life easier.

I won't bore you with what the tools were. Trust me, though, as an engineer, these things are amazing, and as someone who is very computer-competent, I have to tell you I had no idea Excel would do so many cool things. What my co-workers in Kansas City have developed for my company is very, very cool.

It is also very, very time-consuming.

Many times I come home from work after 5pm. Why? Well, for one, I have nobody to come home to, so I might as well make the most of my time, and two, sometimes things just need to get done. Even if I show up at home after 6pm, though, I'm not the last one out of the office. No, I'm usually the 4th-to-the last. (Or more!)

The accomplishments of my co-workers, and their advancing themselves and the company I work for beyond expectations is simply an accomplishment that cannot be held within the confines of an 8-to-5 job. To really advance, to really excel, and to really make a difference, one has to be willing to give more time, effort, and energy than what is expected of him.

After all, how can one exceed expectations unless you work more/harder/longer than you are expected to?

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Excellence

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“It is not success that makes one excellent. It is the ability to strive to succeed when everything is telling you that you must fail. To be excellent, we must persevere against every failure until we succeed, and then do it once again.”
-Jayson Schwinn

I guess I'm old.

When I started Gun's Quotes on Facebook, I really wasn't sure how it would go, if anybody would care, if all my non-Michigander friends would think I'm weird (beyond what they already think, that is) or if I would keep up with it any longer than a month. Looking back on the previous quotes and subsequent stories in the archive, it looks as though I mostly am trying to impart wisdom upon those of you crazy enough to still be here after 3 1/2 months, by quoting people smarter than I am. Since we all know that wisdom is reserved for old people, and since I am their messenger, I guess I qualified myself.

However, who's REALLY old now is my cousin, Jayson. You see, over the course of this Blessed Thanksgiving weekend, my cousin, Jayson (quoted above) got married. He and his beautiful wife, Kara, exchanged their vows on Saturday. The wedding was gorgeous, the reception a blast, and dinner was my 3rd Thanksgiving meal of turkey and stuffing this past week. I think I gained 10 pounds.

So since my cousin is officially a married man now, I think it only appropriate that I place him in the "wise" category, and share with all of you some of the wisdom that he has found during the course of his lifetime.

It is one of those quotes where I don't need to give much of an explanation as to what it means, or how it applies.

So, to you, Jayson and Kara, I give my most heartfelt congratulations, and wish you a most Blessed, Happy, Long, and EXCELLENT marriage!

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Thanksgiving

For five years the Gun's Quotes have always used the exact same quote for this week, Thanksgiving week. After you read the quote you'll understand why.

This quote is old, and I suppose I must state that. Also, some of the statistics are admittedly subjective, meaning that how it defines certain terms dictate how accurate the numbers are. Nevertheless, my goal of this quote is not to give you a statistical education. No, my goal for this week is to help you gain perspective. So here we go:

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a warm place to sleep… you are richer than 75% of people in this world.

“If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, spare change in a dish some place…you are among the top 8% of the wealthy.

“If you woke up this morning with more health than illness…you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

“If you have never experienced the dangers of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of physical starvation…you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

“If you can attend a church or temple meeting without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death…you are more blessed than three billion people in the world. (HALF the world’s population)

“If your parents are still alive and still married you are very rare; representing 33% of the population in the United States!

“If you hold your head up high, with a smile on your face and are truly thankful…you are truly blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

“If you can, hold someone’s hand, hug them, or even touch them on the shoulder… because you can offer a healing touch. You have more than what most people in the world can imagine.

“If you can read this message you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all. (Regardless of language)”
-Multiple sources, mostly anonymous

Our society views holidays as days when we can get out of school, get off of work, and gorge ourselves silly with food and drink. We find family and friends to spend time with, and generally have a good time. I hope that this week, especially after reading this week's quote, you at the very least consider that Thanksgiving is not just another day, not just a day of fun and festivities, but a day that really has meaning. That meaning is that you have reasons - a lots of them - to be thankful for what you have.

So, over the course of Thanksgiving and in the weeks to come, I challenge you to do these things:

THINK - Think about how jealous the world is of what you have. Even you poor college and high school students are thousands of times richer than many of your peers in 3rd-world countries.
THANK - I would advocate thanking God for the many blessings He has given you, but even if you have different beliefs, at least thanking your parents, grandparents, other family, or friends for helping to make you who you are today.
GIVE - Donate to charity. Help with Habitat for Humanity. Work a day at a soup kitchen. Drop cans off at a can drive. It doesn't matter what you give, just do it. Please don't waste your time and gifts on yourself. You can afford to help somebody else out who needs help.

I hope y'all have a very Blessed, Meaningful, Happy Thanksgiving.

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Fornicating Pretzels

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“Do not fornicate my pretzels!”
-Aaron Ingrassia

An introduction is in order. Let me introduce you to my good friend, Aaron.

Aaron is one of the funnest guys I know. Always having an upbeat attitude and always so happy to see his friends again, he does not find difficulty in finding cool things to do.

....but, even if you were caught with him in the dullest city in America, you could be rest assured that you would be entertained by his many comments (sometimes intentional, sometimes not...) that make absolutely no sense whatsoever, and I swear that sometimes he made up totally random stuff just so that he could get on the Gun's Quotes one more time.

He currently holds the Gun's Quote record for most nonsensical quotes in a year. (2003) This week's quote is one of them.

So, there you go, Aaron. Now you can quit bugging me about your internet debut. :)

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Another Face

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“God hath given you one face, and you make yourselves another.”
-William Shakespeare

This week's Gun's Quote inspiration comes from a friend of mine whose friends made a video on YouTube.

I have been trying to make friends down here in my new "home" in suburban Kansas City. You know what? It's hard. This isn't like college where you are daily surrounded by literally hundreds of other people your age. Now don't get me wrong, I work in a very young office, but even then, it's only about 15 guys, and we don't have the same interests.

I joined the Young Adults group at church, and volunteered for the Life Teen program, which is essentially the high school Youth Group. Anybody who knows me knows that I love to get involved with stuff and help people out where/when I can.

This past week I was reminded that I do not have many strong relationships with the people around me yet. I went to the first Young Adult Bible Study, and was "the new guy." Nobody knows how to talk to you, and you don't know how talk to other people. You end up having that pointless small-talk conversation with others, if you have any conversation at all.

The teens had a Halloween Party on Wednesday, which was nice, but still, I haven't been there long enough to be someone to converse with yet.

Friday night, just when I thought I was going to go the entire week visiting all these groups and not feeling like a part of any of them, the music minister at church (who is roughly my age and lives by himself, for now) shoots me a Facebook message and suggests doing something together that night.

Finally! A friendship!

Then tonight at church, a couple of the teens seem to finally be warming up to me as well. I'm learning names, we can have a conversation that isn't incredibly uncomfortable, etc.

We all put on faces. Whether we admit it or not, sometime in our life, we weren't exactly honest with somebody else. Maybe it wasn't a matter of honesty... maybe we just simply withheld the truth.

My bit of "withholding truth" was the fact that the last couple of weeks were, well, kinda rough. Nobody likes being alone, and everybody wants somebody to talk to, but sometimes, it's just easier to pretend like nothing is wrong and go with the flow because we would rather people not know anything about us than to know that we are hurting, even if it's just temporary or minor. I am guilty as charged.

So why throw it out there now? I'm not looking for pity points, but I am looking to be more authentic to myself, and others. I don't benefit from not telling my friends the truth, they don't benefit from hearing me tell stories, and vice-versa.

So, this week, the challenge to everybody is to find at least one friend and honestly share with him/her where you are at in your life. No faces. No gimmicks. Just let it out. Be authentic.

Enjoy the video.

Video Credits: Stephanie Bruning, Hudson Kemna, Hilarie Andrews, Maddison Tobin, Mallory Dahmer, David Weber, Jeff Burnett.
Video link: http://www.youtube.com/wat​ch?v=NMccLTozR1s

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Who You Are

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“You find out really quick who you are.”
-Scott Gaines

Before I can explain this week's quote, I must preface it by asking you a question: Do you NOT do drugs, sell drugs, participate in prostitution, pedophilia, rape, murder, and other acts of human extortion because you feel that they are morally absent, or because they are against the law?

That was the question my good friend Scott asked me on Saturday when he came down to visit me. You see, Scott has been overseas. He taught English-as-a-Second Language in Korea, and also visited Japan, Indonesia, and Cambodia. He brought pictures with him of his adventures. All were beautiful, except for Cambodia.

I would love to go into the history of the country, but an explanation of why they are in such dire straights would take too long. Suffice it to say that the Vietnam War and a subsequent ruthless dictator were responsible for the murder of 2+ million Cambodians and the literal collapse of the entire country. Only poverty remains. The corrupt government maintains no laws.

However, there are many tourists. The gorgeous countryside and rich history of the country attract millions per year... but that's not all that attracts them.

The people make an average income of $30/month in Cambodia. Some people are so poor that they build raft-huts that they float out to sea and sleep on, because they have no land for a "bed." With that kind of income, the locals are pretty much desperate to get the tourists to spend money there, so that they can "make ends meet." Therefore, drugs and prostitution run amuck.

What's so ironic about all of this is that the Cambodians, according to Scott, are the most friendly, hospitable, cordial people on the planet. They have nothing, but if they see you, they will invite you into their "homes," fix you a splendid meal that probably equates to two or three for them, and leave their own "beds" that you might have a place to sleep. The dirt will suffice for them for the night.

The prostitutes don't like their jobs. They do it because they desperately need the money. Scott says these girls (and boys) actually have life plans... college, moving away from Cambodia to somewhere that they can actually have a life, and start a family. The only thing they know to do to get out of their poverty is to sell their bodies. They're not like hookers in the States... no, these girls want more than a one-night-stand. They want a way out. They want a life worth living.

To the point of the quote: Imagine what you would do if you were a tourist to this country. The most severe poverty surrounds you, but, because you have money, you can sleep with people, purchase drugs, and have a great fling in a tropical paradise. Yet, you could also drop enough money for one of the prostitutes to buy books for school, and keep her off of the streets for a month. You could buy her a meal that consisted of more than rice. You can genuinely help people that feel so helpless.

Do you really observe your "rules" and preach your "morals" because you truly have them, or do you just not want to go to jail? If you were in Cambodia right now, and you faced the decision of whether you would help this girl out by paying for her school and buying her good food, or sleeping with her for a couple of bucks, facing absolutely no societal consequences whatsoever for your actions, what would you chose?

Scott said it best. Exploiting the poor sounds so horrible in this simple message, yet when people show up to this 3rd-World country, “You find out really quick who you are.”

Which begs the question: Do you not do evil because you are good, or, do you not do evil because it’s against the law?

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Trains

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“I think traveling by train is the most stress-free way to travel.”
-Random Guy I overheard talking.

I had an absolutely FABULOUS weekend up with some of my closest friends from Ferris State University, especially inside of the Newman Center for Catholic Students at FSU, which is an organization near and dear to my heart. (and an organization that deeply impacted my life... more on that later...)

Of course, all good things must come to an end, so I head off to the airport to fly home...

So, here I am sitting in the terminal at Grand Rapids International Airport. My original flight was delayed more than a hour, because the plane broke. I would have missed my connection. But, I should have figured. I have flown with Northwest for years, and they have managed to strand me twice already, why not do it a third time?

I knew Midwest flew out an hour after my NWA flight was supposed to leave, so I suggested to them that I get re-booked on Midwest. You know what? They DID!

Now I'm sitting outside my gate for Midwest. Everything is going to be ok, I think.

As of right now, that plane is delayed 45 minutes. My connection in Milwaukee is in jeopardy of being missed, too.

So, it looks like I will be unable to get to my computer tonight to post a 'real' Gun's Quote. So, for this week, I'll just leave you with this advice:

Take a train.

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Counting Things

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“The things that count most in life are the things that cannot be counted.”
-Zig Zigler

There is a new guy at work. He got hired two weeks ago, and is originally from Tulsa. He has an apartment to himself, and has nothing in it. He doesn't know anybody in the area yet, and there is no family in the immediate area for him to hang out with. His weekends were, well, uneventful.

Feeling a little of his pain, I decided to show him the town and hang out with him for the weekend. Because he needed furniture for his apartment, we went to Nebraska Furniture Mart to find a couch. While there, we also stopped by the hundreds of plasma TVs they had on display. We passed the computers. We sat on a couple thousand-dollar leather sofas. We surveyed the poker tables.

NFM is known for pretty significant deals and discounts, but understand that this is a store where it is VERY easy to drop a couple thousand dollars to redo your living room, kitchen, or whatever.

We didn't buy anything. His just-getting-started budget didn't allow for the black leather sofa we both admired, and the clearance isle wasn't what he was looking for.

You know, I walked out of that store, empty handed, with a smirk on my face. Would a 72" plasma be nice? Sure. A new computer 5x faster than the one I own? Yep. A leather recliner? Sweet. I didn't need any of it. I could honestly say that I have the friends, family, and Faith groups that keep a guy happy. Sure, I have a toy or two, but I felt so fortunate to be able to walk out of a store filled with so many guy-toys empty-handed, and not feel bad about it.

To have friends, like you, who keep me company, family that shares its love, and a Faith that keeps me connected to God is all I need to stay content.

After all, when you have those things... what else matters?

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Reproductive Power

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“I'll show off my reproductive power!”
-Kevin Simon

Mr. Simon will be the victim of this week's Quote because I have to get back at him for beating me in chess twice. So, Kevin, the spotlight is yours.

Apparently, Mr. Simon and Mr. Lovelace were in a heated argument over Mr. Simon's sexuality. As is often the case with my friends' conversations over Facebook, the conversation is quite baseless, mostly meaningless, and wholly sarcastic in nature.

Mr. Simon informed Mr. Lovelace that he was straight. Mr. Lovelace interjected by suggesting that Mr. Simon was lying, and that "actions speak louder than words." Such a statement could only be counter-argued by this week's Quote: "I'll show off my reproductive power!"

Does Jen know about this, Kevin? For SHAME.

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Money's not a Problem

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“If you can fix it with money, it's not a problem.”
-Mary Beth Schrader

Mom's turn for the spotlight.

Mom actually used this one on me this past week, and I needed to hear it. My car decided that it needed new CV joints this week. It also wanted a new wheel bearing, and it got grumpy when my brake clips were wearing my brakes down wrong. Darn cars.

So I did what I always do when the Bullet decides to throw a tantrum... I throw a tantrum myself. I called Mom, and I didn't know what to do, and I wanted her to make it all better, because moms do that. I was freaking over the fact that it was going to take two-weeks' pay to cover the repair costs. To add salt to the wound, I had managed to get on top of my finances this week. October was supposed to be the month where I started dumping serious money at my student loans and (admittedly) a few toys, because my moving expenses were all covered, and I had put enough fluff into my savings account to cover emergency expenses. Now, that account is empty, and I get to fill it all over again.

It was about that point in my tantrum that mom slapped that quote on me. Then I realized, I have no right or reason to complain... I can cover the cost, even if it hurts a little bit. You know what else? After the Bullet is fixed, it won't even matter anymore. It won't be a problem after this week. It won't linger. It is not permanent. In a world where most people don't even own a pair of wheels, I should realize that I am blessed that I have a pair to fix in the first place.

There are plenty of problems in the world. If money is all it takes to fix them, then are they really problems? Mom said no.

And you know what? She's right.

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Values

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“Integrity, character, and morality are not a 90 percent thing, not a 95 percent thing; either you have them, or you don’t.”
-Unknown

The vast majority of people I have encountered do not want to see other people suffer. They do not want to see other people fail. They do not want to flagrantly degrade or demean someone else. Yes, it happens. Occasionally, out of anger, ignorance, or simply getting caught up in the moment, we make bad choices that can seriously damage not only other feelings, but could also damage our own integrity. These mistakes are not made without apology or reconcile if we still hold on to character, integrity, and morality, however. I guess I see these kinds of people most often because I choose to associate with them, and avoid the other kind.

The "other kind," of course, doesn't care. You know who I'm talking about. The jerks. The bullies. The instigators. They look out for themselves, and don't mind stomping on other people so that they can put themselves on their own self-proclaimed pedestal.

I was in a situation last week where the person in charge of said situation was "the other kind." When your leadership lacks integrity, character, and yes, even morality, the situation is negative for everyone else. Funny... people have a tendency to not want to work hard or well when they feel they are getting screwed. They don't want to work when they are not given credit for what they do. They have a tendency to not listen to somebody who has a vested interest in himself, as opposed to the team.

A lot of people get mixed up in the idea that morality, integrity, and character are religious ideas, and that if you have them, you go to Heaven, and if you don't, you go to Hell, and that's it. They may belong in religions of the world, yes, but allow me to expand this idea further.

I would debate that if you have integrity, character, and morality, that you have the ability to create a positive environment where the people who follow you believe in you and whatever it is you may be trying to accomplish.

I would also debate that if you lack these things people will not follow you. You would have the ability to create a negative environment, one in which people feel they are being taken advantage of, lied to, or perhaps even used. They would question your motives more often, and would not do their best in their duties, because they wouldn't want you to be able to stake claim on their accomplishments. (i.e. Cheating by claiming other's work as your own.)

It's no wonder companies are always asking about your integrity and character during job interviews. Which kind of person is going to a effectively lead a team?

Yes, there are two kinds of people in the world. Which one are you?

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Surprise

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“Safe sex is in your hand!”
-Ron Lovelace

This weekend, I was surprised by a visit from Mr. Lovelace and Gregg Koteski, whom I have the pleasure of being great friends with since going to Ferris. I was reminded of many of the ridiculously silly things that Ron on occasion says, and so I felt it only appropriate that his ambiguity find its way onto the Quotes this week.

We had an awesome weekend and I very much enjoyed getting out of the apartment and doing things with my close friends. It was a much-appreciated, well overdue break.

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Birth of the Gun's Quotes

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

“The greatest mistake a man can make is to be afraid of making one.”
-Elbert Hubbard

It's official! Football season has started, so it's only appropriate that this quote be posted this week. Why you ask?

I played football in high school. Not a lot of people know that, and for good reason: I was the bench-warmer.

We played a high school by the name of Platte County (we called them PC) at Platte County one year. At the time, they were a football dynasty, and actually played 30-something straight games undefeated over about three years. We knew we were going to get our butts handed to us, and we did.

Before the game, in the locker room, I noticed a banner on the wall. It caught my attention while I was getting dressed. It read, simply, ‘“The greatest mistake a man could make is to be afraid of making one.’ -Elbert Hubbard,” in italicized blue type, on a plain white background. It hit me. I had never, ever considered that before. All of a sudden, I saw a major reason why I wasn't successful in football. I played scared. I practiced scared. I didn't want to get hurt, nor did I want to embarrass myself in front of the crowd, (or especially my dad) so I played/practiced so conservatively and so frightened that the only thing I could do was, well, not play.

Because PC destroyed the varsity in only three quarters, I (the 3rd string QB) got to play that game. I decided I was going to try to apply this quote. I was going to give it a little more than I had, and I ended up leading the offense to a touchdown. Who knew?

Of all the wonderful memories that I have of high school, and there are a lot of great ones, this one sticks out the most.

I'm not going to say that I could have been a great high school athlete if I just simply had a different outlook or attitude. There are a lot of things that play into that, and I didn't have most of them. However, I can say that it did help.

That quote truly was a turning point in my life. It helped me to realize that I had to change my attitude, that it was what was holding me back, before anything or anybody else.

So it is appropriate that now, at the start of football season, that this quote get posted. Why? Because on a football field in Platte County, MO, in a locker room in the basement, I took my first (life-changing) quote home.

...and the Gun's Quotes were born.

Listen

Gun’s Quote-of-the-Week:

‎“That's why you have two ears and one mouth. So you can listen twice as much as you speak.”
-Chuck Schrader

My Dad tried so hard to be the best Dad in the world. Looking back on it now, he did a darn good job.

One of his fatherly characteristics was the repetition of several quotes during my childhood that have much more meaning now than they did when I first heard them. Guess it proves how wise Dad really is. (You'll get plenty other of Dad's quotes as the year progresses.)

This past weekend, I find out a good friend of mine is struggling. It doesn't matter who he/she is or what he/she is struggling with. I asked what I could do to help his/her situation. The response?

"You've helped just by listening."

Sometimes that's all it takes.

Have you ever found yourself rambling on? Have you ever tried to get the last word in? Are you the center of attention? If you know me at all, you know I have been guilty of the above much more often than I care to admit. I wonder how much I missed while I was on my soapbox those days. I wonder if doing so meant I accidentally put off a friend. I hope not.

LISTEN! You never know what you might hear...

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Insertive

Gun's Quote-of-the-Week:

“When I get a girlfriend, I'm going to be insertive.”
-Erik

Let me introduce you to my brother, Erik.

Erik is a very funny guy, and is also quite tall. He is always popular with the ladies, and every time he comes home, he just leaves again to go hang out with friends. A real social butterfly, Erik is, and a lot of fun to be around.

One of the more humorous components to Erik's personality, at least when he was younger, was his ability to mix-up similar-sounding words in a sentence, resulting in a much different meaning than the one intended. This week's Gun's Quote is a case-in-point of this comical, if even unintentional, personality quirk.

Love ya, Bro!

…and that’s why it’s a Gun’s Quote!

Do

Gun's Quote-of-the-Week:

“We gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face. We must do the thing we think we cannot do.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt

Last week, while casually driving up north to meet my parents for supper and to get some important paperwork from them, I was traveling up I-435 (the major beltway around Kansas City) only to be passed by some crazy idiot doing about 90-100 mph in his (admittedly beautiful) Silver Porche. He was swerving in and out of traffic, passing people with little care or regard for his or others' safety.

It got the best of him.

I had 911 already dialed into my phone and was talking to the operator before I even got out of my car. This guy lost control of his car, over correcting when he was changing lanes, and flung himself off of the highway, smashing a sign and finally coming to a stop about 150-200 feet down the hill from the road.

I told 911 where we were at, described the car and what had happened, and by the time they asked me if anybody was hurt, had managed to dead-sprint to the now-not-nearly-as-beautifu​l Porche and bang on the glass to see what was going on inside. (Adrenaline is amazing)

Nobody was hurt.

It occurred to me after I was done talking to 911 and done talking to the occupants of this car that I was the only one who ran down from the highway. Plenty of people had stopped, and some before I did, but nobody went to the car.

What if somebody WAS hurt? What if the car flipped and/or was on fire and these occupants needed somebody on the outside to pull them out? Who would have been there to be "that guy?" At this particular moment in fate, it would have been me.

As fate would have it, we get presented with situations where we are alone in the midst of difficult situations. The most obvious example is an emergency, like the one above, but it could also be a friend or family member in need, somebody to be the one that stands up for what is right, or simply the one who grabs the bull by the horns and gets something done.

Life is intimidating (and scary) at times. Nevertheless, we must be willing to stare our fears in the face and say that we will do what needs to be done. Our friends, family, ourselves, and even other people's lives could depend on it. (Sometimes when we least expect it!)

…and that's why it's a Gun's Quote!

Friends

Gun's Quote-of-the-Week:

“You must make friends while you are young, that you may enjoy them when old.”
-Robert E. Lee

Welcome to "The Gun's Quotes!!!"

For those of you who have never seen or heard of them, the premise of the Gun's Quotes is quite simple: Listen to people. If you hear (or read) something that makes you think, it makes you remember your roots, or it causes you to roll on the ground in laughter, write it down and share it with everyone you know, because everyone can benefit from a tidbit of knowledge, wisdom, or a joke or two. I'll also follow up the quote with a little bit of background as to where it came from and why I used it when I did.

This week's quote sums up a very basic, but less obvious, idea. I recently graduated college, and had the pleasure of having the best group of friends a guy could ever ask for while there. (Both at Ferris and at Rolla) Not gonna lie, though, moving back home has been a struggle. While I certainly can appreciate being back home with family, I miss my friends. I find myself gaining appreciation for my Ferris friends after now being gone, much the same as I gained appreciation for my fraternity brothers after I left Rolla to transfer to Ferris.

I have found that my life has changed quite a bit over the course of the last month, with starting a job, moving, and all. Yet, in this transitional time, there are two constants: friends and family. The simple, yet mundane task of moving and starting a job would be so much harder without these groups.

Cherish them. They are one of the only things in life you can truly count on!

…and that's why it's a Gun's Quote!