Simple Words can do Powerful Things!

Today I did something that changed the mood and behavior of a few people. It didn't cost me a thing. I didn't need special training...heck, I didn't even break a sweat doing it!

Today I smiled at a lady and said "Thank you! You're good at your job...have a great day!"

Not just "Thanks" or "Have a great day".  Those sentiments get lost in the mundane, lifeless conversations we have with strangers every day. No, I actually looked her in the eyes and genuinely complimented her. And the smile she gave me brightened the overcast, threatening sky above.

This exchange took place at a fast food drive thru window. Prior to our exchange, she had mumbled her script through the speakers. I could barely understand her. Many could've passed the mumbling off as someone who hated her job and had no respect for the customer to whom she was speaking. But as I approached the window, I saw her frantically reaching for a cup for someone's order while punching on the keypad and taking the current customer's order. Then she rapidly rattled off my total to me while sticking out her hand and casting me a steely look. Now if I had been in a gloomy mood, I could have translated that look as a look of disgust. But because I was in a cheery mood, I decided to define the look as a determined look. The orders and totals were swirling in her mind as she skillfully and dutifully performed her job with perfection. That is when the words flew out of my mouth: " Thank you! You're good at your job...have a great day!".

Her reaction was immediate. Her left hand flew over her heart. Her eyebrows raised. And...yep...that radiant smile emerged. She immediately snapped back to her script as the next customer approached the order kiosk outside. But this time her voice was much cheerier. She was still smiling. And each word was crystal clear. In turn, that particular customer had a very pleasant experience.

This is all that needed to happen on the Jet Blue airliner a couple of days ago with Steve Slater. He was doing his job. And a lady was rude to him. He was injured by her neglect. And he snapped.  Now I won't jump on the bandwagon and call him a hero. And I certainly realize that there were a number of ways he could have better dealt with the situation.

But in an age where we read of disgruntled workers shooting everyone in their path because they "can't take it anymore", it is extremely refreshing to see a man use only words, not violence, to exclaim his frustration...then grab two beers and slide away.

Now I have no idea what led to the disgruntled passenger's actions. Was she visiting a loved one in the hospital and was anxious to grab her bag and go? Was she feeling sick and just wanted to get out of there? Had her life been threatened by the passenger beside her? Who knows.

What I do know is this: no one on that plane woke up that morning planning to ruin her day. She overreacted by insulting a worker performing his job, and, as a result, she injured him.

After all of that, he only asked for an apology. That in itself is a testament to her personality that he even had to ask.

She could've made many different choices. But her interpretation of his Jet Blue trained instructions affected her selfish ego. And that has affected millions of people across the country and may very well send a man to jail.

11 words brightened a fast food clerk's day today. Two words could have prevented this national story.

Vero....my Hero

Just spent an incredible day at Vero Beach.

Started out at Mulligans right on the beach. Excellent service. Excellent food. And the atmosphere? Well, every other song was Jimmy Buffett off a LIVE album. I'd say that's pretty close to perfect.

Then I sat on the beach. Watched kids play. Watched people laugh. Watched the tide come in...go out. This was perfection.

On the way out of town, thought I'd stop off at Kilwins for a waffle cone. Perfect end to a perfect day.

I left my Peaceful Pirate heart in St Augustine

Wow. Just had a whirlwind trip to St Augustine, Fl! Love, love, love that city!

There is something magical about sitting in the Milltop Tavern among the tree tops...drinking a tall cold draught beer while gazing over the Castillo De San Marcos towards the Atlantic Ocean. Some of my crew were complaining of the heat. I chuckled to myself thinking of our antepasados 400 years earlier wearing armor or wool uniforms. I was quite comfortable in my 100% cotton Peaceful Pirate lime green tank top.

The heat is simply a warm Florida hug.

Peaceful Pirate Solution

I have overcome an addiction that has wreaked havoc with my health, wealth, and general well being.

I have broken my addiction to...drama.

It took me a long time to realize it, but the “pushers” that addicted me to drama are the pundits, anchors, and hosts of TV shows that tell me a story, then tell me how emotional I should be about it. They sometimes even lead by example with tears or fits of outrage.

This led me to wonder: before television, how did people survive without our news organizations warning them of how afraid we should be?

And that's when I came up with the Paul Revere Principle.

This is a simple question of whether or not a news story is truly something of which I should be concerned: if our media only had the technology that was available in Boston on April 18,1775, would any of them be willing to climb on a horse in 40 degree weather and ride to my house and tell me?

If not, then I don't need to know it.

Think if our current media organizations applied the Paul Revere Principle as a standard today. We would be a much calmer, more peaceful society.

I would not hear Harvey Levin from TMZ riding through my neighborhood shouting “Mel Gibson is cursing! Mel Gibson is cursing!”.

I would not hear Jim Gray from ESPN shouting about Lebron James “One if by Cleveland, Two if by Miami!”.

In fact, it would take too many trips on horseback to inform me of changing poll numbers, unemployment statistics, fluctuating interest rates, etc. Without those statistics in my head, I can sleep soundly - free from worry.

So if you want a more peaceful life, I suggest you adopt the Paul Revere Principle. 99.9% of the news just isn't worth saddling a horse for! So turn off the news and dream big.

www.peacefulpirate.com

Peaceful Pirate's take on the Gulf Oil Spill 2010

Well, here we are facing a huge environmental catastrophe brought on by our need for oil. Oil. More oil! There was a day when ships only used wind to get around. When cars didn't exist. And the only fuel needed was hay and water for our horses.

Ahhh but times have changed. The twentieth century saw the largest technological increase in the history of mankind. Wow! Yet, in the over all scheme of things, I wonder if sometimes our technology only winds up taking us several steps back. Seriously. And we're too blind to see it. It's the whole "can't see the forest for the trees" analogy. Which, by the way, is why I prefer the sea. Nothing can hide out there.

Just this morning, I received a text. I was supposed to meet a friend at an appointment. The text asked if we could reschedule to accomodate another friend. Unfortunately, I had a conflict with the new time. So I texted back...fumbling for the right screen and right keys to convey my reply. It took over ten minutes and several texts to iron out all the details. I thought to myself: it is absolutely astounding that this device will allow me to receive a message and then type a response to someone several miles away! But...now hear me out on this...wouldn't it be cool if you could actually speak into this device and have a real time conversation with someone miles away? It would cut the time dramatically. And I would not have to resort to smiley face emoticons to convey my cheeriness.

Alexander Graham Bell is probably questioning his life's work.

Our society has gone from being able to speak clearly to one another from across the world... to typing on tiny keyboards with our thumbs.

And it is not just with phones. The other day I showed my children the critically acclaimed, and highly educational, film "Funny Farm" with Chevy Chase. In it, Chevy's character takes a picture with a Polaroid camera. The minute he snapped the shutter, the actual photograph spat out the bottom of the camera. My children were amazed! "Whoa!" they exclaimed. "That's more advanced than we have now!". True story.

And, you know? They are exactly right. In Mr. Chase's hand was a photograph. He could touch it. Feel it. Pass it around for all to see. Nowadays, after taking a picture with my digital camera, I have to upload it to my laptop. Then resize it in order to share it with social networks. Or connect a wire from my laptop to my flat screen TV to show my in-laws the picture of the bird I snapped outside my window last Wednesday.

In defense of our digital cameras today, I admit the pixel resolution is much better. This allows my Facebook friends to see a clearer, sharper image of the bird outside my window. And not just any friends. Thanks to the technologically advanced social networking sites, I have reconnected with long -lost childhood friends. And they are enjoying every high resolution picture I post of the bird outside my window. I know they are glad to see it because their smiley emoticons in the comments prove it.

Technology has allowed us to drill for a black substance a mile below the ocean surface. A mile! That's amazing. Yet soon our beaches may look like they did millions of years ago. Desolate and devoid of life. We have not figured out the technology to stop the well from gushing. Maybe we shouldn't. Maybe this is nature's "Do over" so we'll get the message to enjoy what we have...just as it is.

Oh. I see someone agrees! Alexander Graham Bell just clicked "Like" on my Facebook status!