Celebrity’s Millennium plies the Mediterranean with an emphasis on service and satisfaction

And Then Some Saturday Essay
Celebrity’s Millennium plies the Mediterranean with an emphasis on service and satisfaction
by Richard L. Weaver II

Counting our cruise of the great rivers of Europe (clearly not an ocean cruise), this was our eighth. We had two full weeks, and we visited five countries (Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Turkey). This cruise was what Celebrity called its “Classic Mediterranean Cruise.”

We were on board early in Barcelona, Spain, to do three things: 1) check on the availability of a shore excursion we were unable to book online, 2) make certain we had a table for two at the main (early) dinner seating, and 3) have lunch while waiting for our room to become available. It all worked out, and we had a surprise waiting for us as well.

While waiting in the Rendezvous Lounge to see the Assistant Maitre D’, we realized we had seen him before. Zafer Colak, from Turkey, was on the Zenith (a previous Celebrity ship) for our two-week cruise of the Southern Caribbean out of Jacksonville, Florida. He checked our table assignment on his computer and assured us it was a table-for-two. We had previously been assigned a table for six, but we had changed it.

Zafer, however, went well beyond his duty. He looked closely at his computer monitor, and (because he knew us from a previous cruise) he gave us a new, better table for two — the “Honeymoon Table” — which had a large porthole and was located in his section of the dining room.

Every night at dinner, we would sit and watch the sun go down, ships coming and going from the local harbor, lights along the shoreline, departure from the port, or just the calm, soothing waters of the Mediterranean. Every night, too, we had an opportunity to thank Zafer for his kindness — proof, once again, that who you know makes a difference. He dropped by to chat, kept an eye on us, and once as we were leaving the dining room, introduced us to his recently acquired mother-in-law, whom he admired greatly.

Now I don’t want to suggest we were getting preferential treatment because I know that all Celebrity guests have the same kindnesses demonstrated on a continuing basis, but our waiter, Catalin Dumitrescu from Romania, and his assistant, Everton Curtis, from Jamaica (but who spends most of his time in New York City), went out of their way — just as Zafer did — to make certain our voyage was enjoyable and rewarding — service and satisfaction.

The examples I offer here are not extraordinary, but they show what can be expected as a dining experience at sea. The waiters learned quickly that we enjoyed eating, but also that we liked to leave, rather than linger, when we had completed our dinner. The tables around us seated 10, 10, and 8, and all the Koreans at these tables took more time to eat and drink. Our pace was faster so our waiters made certain our courses came more quickly than those at the tables close by, and we were able to finish and leave before them.

My wife liked cranberry juice with her dinner, and I enjoyed the French bread, so every night there was a glass of cranberry juice, and the breadbasket was filled only with the French bread I ate and the bread sticks my wife enjoyed. For dessert my wife and I ordered that evening’s special sorbet, and then we split a second dessert which was carefully placed at the center of the table between us with additional utensils for each of us as well.

Zafer, Catalin, and Everton all greeted us as we entered the restaurant and made certain they were there to say goodbye when we left. All members of the ship's crew would openly greet passengers. When any of them were asked how they were, their response was always a cheery and effervescent, “Excellent!”

I want to assure readers of this essay that I am not naive with respect to the way my wife and I were treated. A substantial portion of the salary of the assistant maitre d’, waiter, and assistant waiter (in addition to the stateroom attendant, and assistant chief housekeeper, I might add) comes from the pockets of travelers. According to the “Millennium—Onboard Gratuity Form,” our assistant maitre d’ received $.75 ($1.50 for two) per day, our waiter received $3.50 per day ($7.00 for two), and our assistant waiter received $2.00 ($4.00 for two) per day. If we combine these costs (including our stateroom attendant and assistant chief housekeeper) we gave $10.25 (or $20.50 for two) per day for tips. For a two-week voyage, this came to $287.00 for the two of us. More can be given if passengers desire.

The purpose of this essay is not to complain, however, it is to point out to those who have not cruised, that this is an expense that needs to be budgeted-in when booking a cruise. Also, it offers an explanation for some of the outstanding service and satisfaction, but I have never sensed that any of the service we have received was performed with an ulterior motive. In all cases I have found ship crew and staff members — no matter their rank or position — willing to do anything to provide both service and satisfaction. Cruise lines know, of course, that this is one item factored in when people make a decision to schedule another cruise.

My wife and I enjoyed a wonderful and rewarding cruise on board Celebrity’s ship, Millennium, and the wait staff there were truly representative of all those on our previous cruises. It makes no difference whether you are in the ship’s dining room or any other place on board, the wait staff aims to please. Everyone from the officers down to the workers who paint, clean, and polish will go out of their way, in every way they can, to assure a pleasant, rewarding, and successful cruising experience. Does it make a difference? When we first began cruising seven years ago, we never thought of ourselves as people who would like it, yet this is our eighth time! Something “right” has to be happening! My conclusion is that the service and satisfaction pays off; it just keeps bringing us back. A special thank you to Zafer, Catalin, and Everton!

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© Copyright 2007. All rights reserved worldwide by Richard L. Weaver II and And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.

No part of this essay, except in brief quotations embodied in reviews, may be used or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, photocopying, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Richard L. Weaver II or the publisher, And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.---or, in the case of photocopying, electronic duplication, or other reproductive copying, a license from the United States Copyright Licensing Agency---is an infringement on the copyright law. The best way to obtain copies of the essays is to purchase the book And Then Some - Book I: Essays to Entertain, Motivate, and Inspire (And Then Some Publishing, 2007).

And Then Some News

How about And Then Some diligence! The andthensomeworks.com website now has a Contact Page. It is possible to reach us more easily and efficiently than ever before.

Dropping the proverbial pebble in a pool of water was just the beginning. The pebble was the "Contact Us" page, and the ripples changed the whole website. We ended up switching servers from Windows to Linux. For anyone who has not engaged in such an adventure, the process is easy to explain. Start by downloading and saving your current site, delete your old site including email addresses, then upload everything onto the new server, and create all of the email addresses you deleted. This sounds easy, but these are computers with a human at the controls. In my experience, switching servers has rarely been a smooth transition. There are always frustrating kinks to work out.

When asked how the transition to the new server went, ~ANT immediately dropped his head bemused, "Wow, I haven't sworn that much in a long time. If it weren't for my IT cohort, Scott Weaver, I'd still be swearing." Probing further, I asked if he was happy with the results and with a huge smile he emphatically said, "Oh yeah. The Contact Us page has been an issue for quite awhile. To finally have a way for people to easily and efficiently contact us has been extremely important. Now they can . . . in And Then Some style!"

Don't forget... the BarnJam/And Then Some Book 1 Official Release Party is November 3rd!! We will have Book 1 available for purchase for $15. That is almost $3 off the Amazon.com cover price. Come join us for food, fun, dancing, and of course... have Richard L. Weaver II sign your book!

And Then Some Saturday Essay - October 27, 2007
Celebrity’s Millennium plies the Mediterranean with an emphasis on service and satisfaction
by Richard L. Weaver II

Excerpt:
Every night at dinner, we would sit and watch the sun go down, ships coming and going from the local harbor, lights along the shoreline, departure from the port, or just the calm, soothing waters of the ocean. Every night, too, we had an opportunity to thank Zafer for his kindness—proof, once again, that who you know makes a difference. He dropped by to chat, kept an eye on us, and once as we were leaving the dining room, introduced us to his recently acquired mother-in-law, whom he admired greatly.

And Then Some - see you on Saturday

andthensomeworks.com

Leadership is not a bag of tricks - It depends on values, vision, and communication

by Richard L. Weaver II

For thirty years in the college classroom, I have always believed that I was teaching the future leaders of our nation. For this reason, in the teaching of speech communication, an underlying foundation for all the concepts and principles I taught was the belief that they would contribute positively to effective leadership. In addition, I tried to motivate students to not just take seriously the knowledge and information they were gaining but to constantly apply it to their classes, experiences outside the classroom, and their lives. What good is theory to students if it has no practical application? (I am indebted to Hastings and Potter’s book Trust Me (WaterBrook, 2004), for many of the ideas in this essay.)

The best place to begin looking at leadership, of course, is exactly at the point where students are beginning their college careers—when they are becoming effective and committed learners. The best learners are those who regularly seek criticism and feedback, possess an attitude of optimism and persistence, learn from other people’s failures and successes, have a wide range of interests and move easily into new endeavors, enjoy many different kinds of people, make it a point to tune into and pick up on what’s going on around them, and take time to pause and reflect as they think about themselves, their life experiences, and how the two intersect. They should learn from the old proverb, “We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.” The more flexibility, the more they will succeed.

Even with the qualities above for being effective and committed learners, some students have erected walls within themselves that prevent the receipt, acceptance, and use of the very information that can help them. The first is pride, which is pure selfishness. It closes the mind to new truths, causes inflexibility, resists change, and gets in the way of asking others for help. The second is a judgmental attitude which creates a negative, cynical attitude. A third wall is stubbornness that is revealed in an attachment to personal, immediate gratification.

There are other walls that prevent the receipt, acceptance, and use of information, too. A fourth wall is stagnation. Those who have allowed themselves to stagnate become apathetic, purposeless, and their attention is scattered rather than focused. Insensitivity is a fifth wall, and results in lack of concern for others, no empathy, an uncaring attitude, and an inability to listen. A sixth wall is dishonesty. In addition to cheating, lying, or stealing, dishonesty happens when people seek to get ahead by deviousness—game playing, manipulation, and pretense. Finally, a seventh wall is those who are always seeking the easiest solution or decision. These folks avoid problems, responsibilities, and difficulties. Having lost the will to grow, they lack perseverance, endurance, and courage.

What are the qualities effective leaders need? There are three important qualities: values, vision, and communication. First, their personal values reflect what they consider to be important. Their values are motivators that give them reasons for why they do or don’t do things. They drive behavior. Right actions flow out of right values such as integrity, honesty, human dignity, service, excellence, growth, and evenhandedness. Second, they need vision—the ability to look farther than today, over potential obstacles, and beyond majority opinion. They are able to gaze across the horizon of time and imagine greater things ahead—the ability to see what is not yet reality.

Vision is difficult to cultivate. It comes, for example, from a strong belief that things don’t have to be this way. It comes from a vague desire to do something that will challenge yourself and others. It comes from a sense of determination. It forces you to clarify what it is that you really want to do. With a vision, you get a sense of what you want your target to look like, feel like, and be like when you and others have completed the journey. Having a vision affects your attitude, your optimism, and your beliefs. Your beliefs will sustain you through difficult times. Vision requires both commitment and endurance, and when you have a vision you don’t see difficulties in every opportunity but, rather, opportunities in every difficulty.

The third quality effective leaders need is communication. Rather than beginning with the obvious characteristics of verbal acuity, decision-making, and powerful delivery, the most important aspect of communication is a deep commitment to listening to others. How can an effective leader understand the needs of his or her listeners, let alone employees, customers, suppliers, or market without listening to them? They need to listen with an intent to understand—turning the focus from themselves to the other person.

Effective listening encompasses the all-important quality of empathy—identifying with and understanding ideas from another’s situation, feelings, and motives. When others know they are accepted, recognized, and understood for their special gifts and talents, they are more willing to listen and respond.

In addition to listening, communication involves persuasion—engaging others with the specific intent of changing their beliefs or actions. Effective leaders seek change through true compassion rather than by forcing compliance—to build consensus rather than to assert authoritarian power. To be an effective persuader requires the careful analysis of audience wants, needs, values, beliefs, and interests. It requires the prudent organization of ideas, amassing reliable and verifiable supporting material, and thoughtful and cautious examination of all related ethical issues and considerations.

If leaders want to persuade effectively, they must act with integrity. That is, they must act boldly—as one who has unshakable confidence. They must exhibit a great attitude—with a positive, encouraging, and uplifting mind-set. Finally, they must develop trust through a record that is dependable and consistent and a lifestyle that sets an example of integrity and competence.

Leadership is not a bag of tricks, a set of mechanical rules, or a rigid regimen of automatic methods. Leaders must see the goodness of people, appreciate their assets and abilities, and capitalize on their unique assets and abilities through energy, effective interaction, and empowerment. To do this, they need resourcefulness, initiative, imagination, and adaptation of their own best abilities and skills. With these assets, they will be able to diagnose situations, prescribe methods of leading from the reality of those situations, and understand that everyone’s reality is different.

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And Then Some Book 1 NOW AVAILABLE! Get And Then Some!!!



© Copyright 2007. All rights reserved worldwide by Richard L. Weaver II and And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.

No part of this essay, except in brief quotations embodied in reviews, may be used or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, photocopying, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Richard L. Weaver II or the publisher, And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.---or, in the case of photocopying, electronic duplication, or other reproductive copying, a license from the United States Copyright Licensing Agency---is an infringement on the copyright law. The best way to obtain copies of the essays is to purchase the book And Then Some - Book I: Essays to Entertain, Motivate, and Inspire (And Then Some Publishing, 2007).

And Then Some News

Thanks to everyone who has bought And Then Some Book 1: Essays to Entertain, Motivate, & Inspire. I would like to say a special "Thanks" to Tom, Joe, Casey, Sarah, and Michelle. They bought the first five books!

This is a grassroots, word of mouth, talking about the book style of campaign. Campaign?!? Oh, not another one! We say, "And Then Some". Read the book. We want everyone to "get it".

Psst!... So far, word on the street... the book is pretty darn good! Tom Thiel, aka "Clutch" had an interesting point, "There are a lot of comma's." Whether you call it author Richard L. Weaver II's 'style' or his prerogative, if that's the worst... you better get the book! (Amazon.com)

And Then Some Saturday Essays - Saturday October 20, 2007
Leadership is not a bag of tricks - It depends on values, vision, and communication

Excerpt:
Vision is difficult to cultivate. It comes, for example, from a strong belief that things don’t have to be this way. It comes from a vague desire to do something that will challenge yourself and others. It comes from a sense of determination. It forces you to clarify what it is that you really want to do. With a vision, you get a sense of what you want your target to look like, feel like, and be like when you and others have completed the journey. Having a vision affects your attitude, your optimism, and your beliefs. Your beliefs will sustain you through difficult times. Vision requires both commitment and endurance, and when you have a vision you don’t see difficulties in every opportunity but, rather, opportunities in every difficulty.

And Then Some... We can't wait to see you on Saturday!!

andthensomeworks.com

Self-discipline can change your life in any way you want it to

And Then Some Saturday Essay by Richard L. Weaver II

Self-discipline can change your life in any way you want it to

During my early years, I heard from my parents about the Puritan work ethic, but every time I heard the phrase it was connected with working hard. Never did I know that it was a biblically based teaching on the necessity of hard work, perfection, and the goodness of labor.

Only when I was in college and pursued research on New England preachers, did I realize that it was protestant preachers who preached on the goodness and the necessity of labor for its effect on humans, of course, but more broadly, for its effect on Christian society.

Although the term was coined by Max Weber, the phrase “Puritan work ethic” was part of 1800s American culture, and it was seen by some Americans as one of the cornerstones of national prosperity. The Puritans may have personally defined it by saying, “I am to be honest, hard working, reliable, sober, mindful of the future, appropriate in my relationships, successful, and thereby give glory to God,” but, I am certain my parents used it strictly as a motivational tool: “You’ve got to work hard son, if you want to make anything of your life.”

Perhaps it was the philosophy or maybe it was just good genes, but I was never one to shy away from hard work. I have always thought of self-discipline as the ability to get yourself to take action regardless of your emotional state, and I have come to use the words “self-discipline” in place of the Puritan work ethic, because I want to be in control of my life. In my mind, it is exactly as William Feather said: “If we don’t discipline ourselves, the world will do it for us.” Self-discipline puts the control in our own hands.

Now we know that self-discipline can be a stronger predictor of success than IQ (Psychological Science, Vol. 16:12 (December 2005), p. 939).

Just as I was told that the Puritan work ethic was a vital characteristic of successful people, I make the same claim for self-discipline. To face the challenges and problems along the path to success and achievement, you have to persevere and be strong. It is self-discipline that helps you control your actions and stay on track.

It doesn’t take much reading or observation to acknowledge lack of self-discipline. Problems such as being overweight, procrastinating, debt, poor relationships, excessive stress, poor work performance, laziness, smoking, drinking, lack of exercise, negative habits, poor appearance, and many others can be traced to our tendency to justify our words, actions, and behaviors. Self-discipline along with passion and planning can wipe out these problems. Within the domain of problems it can solve, it is unmatched. Although the problems we face and the methods we use to deal with them will vary, the underlying solution remains the same.

Self-discipline affects your confidence, because being in control will boost your confidence and esteem. It affects how you see yourself, because your self image will be better when you know you can succeed and change. It affects your ability to see projects through, allows you to stay focused, and it can change your life in any way you want it to.
Self-discipline is like a muscle. The more you train it, the stronger you become; the less you train it, the weaker you become. Just as most people have weak muscles compared with how strong they could become with training, most people are weak in their level of self-discipline.

There is an old story about a man who went to a tattooist because he had always wanted a tattoo of a lion on his back. The tattooist started to sketch the tail into the man’s torso: “Ouch! What are you doing?” asked the man. “I’m doing the lion’s tail” replied the tattooist. “Well then for goodness sake let’s have a lion without a tail!” said the man, wincing in pain.

Next the artist set about on the Lion’s whiskers. “Ouch!” cried the man, “What’s that?” “The whiskers!” said the tattooist, getting increasingly irritated. “Well let’s have a lion without whiskers!” moaned his customer.

The tattooist then set about doing the Lion’s back. “No that hurts too!” shouted the man. At this, the tattooist finally lost his patience with the man’s lack of self-discipline. Throwing down his tools and the man out of his shop, he shouted, “How can you expect to get what you want without a little discomfort?”

You become handicapped when you base your decisions purely on your comfort level? It is too easy to have a wishbone where your backbone should be. It was Beverly Sills, the opera singer, who said, “There are no short cuts to any place worth going.”

The more you use your muscles, the stronger they get. It is the exercised muscle that lifts the weight. Mastering self-discipline can be learned, and with it you can accomplish anything. Without it, nothing worthwhile or lasting can be achieved.

If you want greater self-discipline, start exercising your self-discipline muscles. How? Work first, then play. When doing something new, resist the fear of being a “phony”; as you improve, the feeling lessens. Keep company with disciplined people; often, we imitate those with whom we associate. Tolerate discomfort gracefully. Take advantage of high-energy moods, knowing they won’t last. Imitate those you admire. Divide large tasks into smaller ones. Take risks knowing that life without them is safe but boring. Practice your new skills and exercising on and off all day, if not physically, at least mentally. Often, mental rehearsal can be as good as physical as long as it is directed and purposeful. Finally, sleep on important decisions knowing that it prevents impulsive actions.

If you tend to be undisciplined, use the little discipline you have to build more. The more disciplined you become, the easier life gets. Challenges once impossible will seem like child’s play as you learn new skills, overcome difficulty and hardships, and improve your life. Because we are what we repeatedly do, self-discipline will not be an act, but a habit.

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And Then Some Book 1 NOW AVAILABLE! Get And Then Some!!!

© Copyright 2007. All rights reserved worldwide by Richard L. Weaver II and And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.

No part of this essay, except in brief quotations embodied in reviews, may be used or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, photocopying, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Richard L. Weaver II or the publisher, And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.---or, in the case of photocopying, electronic duplication, or other reproductive copying, a license from the United States Copyright Licensing Agency---is an infringement on the copyright law. The best way to obtain copies of the essays is to purchase the book And Then Some - Book I: Essays to Entertain, Motivate, and Inspire (And Then Some Publishing, 2007).

And Then Some News

And Then Some News - Thursday October 11th

Preparations continue for the November 3rd BarnJam/And Then Some Book 1 Official Release Party. We are fully stocked with the first And Then Some book ready for Richard L. Weaver II's signature! If you don't want to wait until the party or are unable to attend And Then Some Book I: Essays to Entertain, Motivate, & Inspire is available at Amazon.com.

Not sure if you want the book? Try before you buy! andthensomeworks.com has more from And Then Some Book I including the Introduction, Table of Contents, excerpts, and full essays. Visit our andthensomeworks.com often as we continue to add features and update the site regularly.

And Then Some Saturday Essays - Saturday October 13, 2007
Self-discipline can change your life in any way you want it to
by Richard L. Weaver II

Excerpt:
Self-discipline affects your confidence, because being in control will boost your confidence and esteem. It affects how you see yourself, because your self image will be better when you know you can succeed and change. It affects your ability to see projects through, allows you to stay focused, and it can change your life in any way you want it to.

Self-discipline is like a muscle. The more you train it, the stronger you become; the less you train it, the weaker you become. Just as most people have weak muscles compared with how strong they could become with training, most people are weak in their level of self-discipline.

And Then Some... We can't wait to see you on Saturday!!

andthensomeworks.com

The Core of the "AND THEN SOME" Philosophy Part 2

Part 2 of 2 in our series: The Core of the "And Then Some" philosophy

Richard L. Weaver II

“Do as I say, not as I do,” is an old-fashioned expression, and the “And Then Some” philosophy would be an easy one to preach and not follow. That has not been the case in my life, and that was not the case when I first wrote about And Then Some more than twenty years ago. And Then Some probably represents, better than anything else I can think of, the very epitome of what it means to be a human being, and it comes close to having faith in something greater than or beyond ourselves—faith based upon the interpretation of the intangible instead of the physically tangible.

The faith associated with And Then Some is that associated with trust—believing that the results of a choice you have made will act in specific ways despite the potential influence of known or unknown change. It is to have faith that the results of your current decisions will in some way intensify, heighten, magnify, strengthen, augment, and enrich you in the future. And Then Some is a belief that your choices will result in a future that will be improved over the present with which you are familiar now—belief in and trust of your abilities, based on everything you know right now, to make decisions that will raise, lift, and elevate your life.

Although And Then Some can and does work in small ways everyday of our lives—especially as we interact with friends and family members—the big ways you see And Then Some work can be crucial, weighty, and extraordinary for the way it sculptures lives. I have eight of those “big ways” that have so altered the pathways of my life, they have molded me into what I am (have become) today.

The first way in which And Then Some dramatically altered my life was my decision to take college seriously, stop rebelling against my parents, apply myself, study hard, and do well. Had I not adjusted my attitude, dug in my heels, and added And Then Some, I would have been without a University of Michigan education and without direction and purpose—adrift.

The second And Then Some application, closely related to the first, was my change in major from pre-medicine to speech. I have written about it often only because of the effect it had on my life. This belief in And Then Some underscores the importance of pursuing what feels right for you, what fulfills you, and what is your passion. There are no precise, explicit, or clear-cut directions or guidelines to help you make these life-altering decisions. You must trust your abilities and instincts, and reach out in faith.

The And Then Some application that occurred third, in chronological order, is my marriage. This application was made more dramatic by a newspaper headline that read, “Marking 25 years of marriage proving more elusive” (The Toledo Blade, September 21, 2007, p. 8A). The story, attributed to the New York Times, begins, “More than half the Americans who might have celebrated their 25th wedding anniversaries since 2000 were divorced, separated, or widowed before reaching that milestone....” My wife and I have been happily married more than 40 years, and I consider her my friend, supporter, encourager, and number-one fan.

My choice to go to Indiana University and study with Dr. Robert Gunderson was my fourth And Then Some application. It changed my life by forcing me to become a better writer, adding greater discipline and control to my behavior, and, in the end, granting me the Ph.D. I needed to credential me for a future as professor and disciplinary writer. For a secure future in higher education, a Ph.D. is not a choice; it is essential.

A fifth And Then Some application was my agreement to write the textbook Communicating Effectively with Saundra Hybels who asked me to be her co-author just four years out of graduate school. That textbook had its first two editions (under another title) with Van Nostrand publishers, the next two with Random House, and the remaining seven with McGraw-Hill—for a total of eleven editions. It not only launched a career of writing textbooks and scholarly articles, but it yielded the credibility, self-confidence, and authority needed to do a wide variety of other writing as well—for example, speeches and essays.

The decision to go to Bowling Green State University to teach was a sixth And Then Some application. Because of the size of the change from teaching small classes at the University of Massachusetts and the move to directing a large, basic, required course utilizing graduate teaching assistants who had to be trained, as well as weekly lecturing to 1500 undergraduate students, this And Then Some decision presented a momentous opportunity and yet, for me, an earth-shaking challenge. This pivotal decision in my life had the And Then Some benefit or propelling me through the remaining 22 years of my teaching career, but facing it required a critical evaluation of my experience, skills, and abilities: was I even capable of raising my performance to this new level?

My seventh And Then Some application was the choice to write Saturday essays for The (Toledo) Blade. Why was this an And Then Some moment? First, it is risky for a writer to surrender to the decision of a gatekeeper, newspaper editor for possible publication of his work. Second, it is risky for a writer to compete with other local authorities (educators, lawyers, doctors, deans, pastors, and civil authorities) for publication. Third, it is risky for a writer to put aspects of his personal life out into the public for examination, review, and comment. That decision has had the And Then Some benefit of writing well over 200 essays and providing a stimulating, challenging, enjoyable life.

The eighth And Then Some application occurred with the decision to leave teaching to depend entirely on writing for the remaining portion of my professional career. After teaching in a secure situation and environment for 31 years, taking early retirement to depend for income on the fickle profession of writing—even with the possibility that my textbook will be discontinued—was an And Then Some application that has resulted in close to a dozen years of delightful, challenging, self-sufficient entrepreneurship.

Daily And Then Some moments have never ceased, and will never cease, but with respect to influential, life-altering, high density, transforming events, nothing compares with the colossal And Then Some phenomena that become the benchmarks for reshaping a life and establishing a new pattern and approach. These eight And Then Some events offer the exemplar—textbook examples—for what And Then Some is all about and the faith you must have in your skills and abilities.

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© Copyright 2007. All rights reserved worldwide by Richard L. Weaver II and And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.

No part of this essay, except in brief quotations embodied in reviews, may be used or reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, photocopying, electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Richard L. Weaver II or the publisher, And Then Some Publishing, L.L.C.---or, in the case of photocopying, electronic duplication, or other reproductive copying, a license from the United States Copyright Licensing Agency---is an infringement on the copyright law. The best way to obtain copies of the essays is to purchase the book And Then Some - Book I: Essays to Entertain, Motivate, and Inspire (And Then Some Publishing, 2007).

And Then Some News

And Then Some News - Thursday October 4th

And Then Some Book I: Essays to Entertain, Motivate, & Inspire is now available at Amazon.com!! The first book in a series containing fifty easy to read essays covering relationships, family, self-help, advice, writing, traveling, humor, speech communication, society, leadership, and education... all wrapped around the And Then Some philosophy. Click: Amazon.com and be one of the first to own a copy of And Then Some Book I!!

andthensomeworks.com has been updated! Check out our redesigned website with more from And Then Some Book I including Table of Contents, excerpts, and full essays. Visit our website often as we continue to add features and update the site regularly


And Then Some Saturday Essays - Saturday October 6, 2007
Part 2 of 2 in our series: The Core of the "And Then Some" philosophy
AND THEN SOME WORKS
by Richard L. Weaver II

Excerpt:
"Do as I say, not as I do," is an old-fashioned expression, and the “And Then Some” philosophy would be an easy one to preach and not follow. That has not been the case in my life, and that was not the case when I first wrote about And Then Some more than twenty years ago. And Then Some probably represents, better than anything else I can think of, the very epitome of what it means to be a human being, and it comes close to having faith in something greater than or beyond ourselves—faith based upon the interpretation of the intangible instead of the physically tangible.

And Then Some... We can't wait to see you on Saturday!!

andthensomeworks.com