Fred Rewey’s Blog

OK, as some of you know I had the chance to fly with a couple colleagues during some filming over the last several years. I have to say, that experience made me want to go up in a plane again.

Of course, I tend not to do anything “normal” so it was stunt flying I was interested in. Finally, on my 42 birthday I was able to take up a WWII T-6 and do loops, corkscrews, and some other fun stuff.

Here is a quick video of the experience if you have three minutes and twenty seconds to kill. (Special thanks to my lovely wife for making it happen!)

I suspect the only proof I have that there is intelligent life in the universe is the fact they have not tried to contact us.

I can only imagine how we look when you view the Earths occupants from a distance. Humans may likely be the only species ever to know they are causing their own extinction and still do nothing to change that course.

I highly suspect humans are the only ones that will argue whether there is enough proof of their demise. How much “proof” does one need? Take global warming (or is it cooling this week?). Perhaps the earth is warming and perhaps we, the human race, are the cause of it. I am being generous with the “perhaps” but I am fairly certain that Ducks, Dolphins and the majestic Platypus have nothing to do with it. It is also possible that this global warming is a natural cause of events. We really don’t have much more than 100 years of documentation, so for all we know, the normal cycle of the planet is 250 years or so of hot and cold flashes.

With that said, there is certainly sufficient documentation that the planet is changing. There is also sufficient documentation that we are using up the planets resources at an expediential rate. I suspect that alone should be enough to seriously look at our behavior and make changes…just in case. Alas, it is not.

If there is no other life out there, not only does that make our plight even more tragic, it would be incredible waste of space.

I was recently asked what I thought mankind’s greatest invention was.

Without a second thought I said “music.” Far greater than the automobile, plane, or computer; music not only transcends all generations, except for the brief period when you have a teenager, but transcends race, sex, and governments.

I suppose we should all talk to each other less and play more music.

When I was in sixth grade I lost both a spelling competition and a sport competition. It pretty much meant that I was not a top student intellectually or physically. The spelling competition was your run of the mill type – I couldn’t spell “equalize,” so I was out. The sport competition was the then coveted Presidential Physical Fitness Test where you accumulate points. I did “pass” the test, but not at the highest level possible (damn pull ups).

When I was a kid, there were winners and losers. There were people who were not picked quickly for a game of pickup football (some of us were never really “picked” at all – just the last one standing). Although we may have had some hurt feelings about it, it still represented real life – yes Virginia, there are losers. The losers either tried harder or went and found something they were good at. In any case, we all turned out OK .

Today, of course, is much different. We all get to be winners. There are no losers, no second place, no runners-up, no chance for anyone’s precious developing ego to be crushed by mean - spirited adults and peers. The downside, of course, is that real life will never mirror this Utopian attitude. There are winners, there are losers, there are people who will rule the board room, and there are people who will ask whether you want something “for here or to go.” Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think any one person is “better” than any other – we all have roles and jobs to fill on this planet, and each one is just as important as the next.

Making sure that everyone is coddled well into their teens only makes it all that much more of a rude awakening when they break into real life. Some of us were told that if we didn’t get our act together, we would dig ditches for a living. Nothing against the people who actually dig ditches (that is really hard work) – but for some of the rest of us, that motivated the hell out of us to do our homework or learn a different craft.

Pride comes from within. I don’t believe that you can really have Pride unless you earned it. You can’t tell me that if we gave everyone who participates in the Olympics gold medals, they would feel the same as those who win on their own and get to stand at the top of the platform. I guess the current methods are not “fair” to the person who receives a silver or bronze; and what about the ones that didn’t receive any medal? Matter of fact, shouldn’t everyone get to compete in the Olympics – we are not keeping up with the times if you have to “qualify.” Perhaps that is because it is a world event, and we can’t control what everyone else does. As for Americans though, we are all winners – maybe we should just have our own Olympics where everyone wins.

I hope that never happens. I hope that everyone wakes up and realizes that healthy competition, where there are winners, and yes, losers is just that…healthy.

Imagine you are the host of a holiday party. Which “holiday” is not important and is certainly a subject for another blog. For your holiday party, you decide to invite 100 people. Since it is a friendly party in your home, you want it informal and ask each invitee to bring a bottle of wine and a snack of some sort.

As a good host, you go ahead and jumpstart your party with a few bottles of wine, some beer and sodas, as well as a few appetizers – knowing that a couple of people may “forget” to bring something.

Your guests begin to arrive early in the evening. Once you hit 100 people, you realize about 20 of them didn’t bring a beverage, a food item, or both. That is OK. It seemingly is all working out since 80 others did and you had “jumpstarted” the party.

However, now things take a different turn…

Another 25 people show up to the party. They didn’t actually get an invitation directly; they had just heard from someone you were having a party. Only a few actually bring anything. As the evening progresses, you see signs of running out of food and beverages. The 25 people that showed up have since called family members and friends and told them to come over to this great holiday party with free food and drinks. Alas, another 30 people show up; you are now out of food, out of beverages, and the party is over.

You really only have two choices to avoid such a scenario…

1. Don’t have a party.
2. Put security at the door and only allow those in with invites (or with food and beverages in hand if you will).

America is certainly a melting pot and I feel that we should continue to open our doors to those that wish to contribute and benefit (in that order) from everything this great country has to offer…but it should always be a two way street. To be a part of this great country you should always contribute to its growth and prosperity.

I often feel like Scrooge when this subject comes up (and not the part at the end when he starts handing out free turkeys and the like). As much as I hate saying it, this needs to be said.

Each year the holidays bring out the best in most of us. Some of us are generous to a fault and give lavish gifts to one another. Although I find no fault in the sentiment, I would be negligent if I didn’t say “don’t go into debt to do it”.

The holidays should NOT be about creating debt. Yet, despite that comment, millions of people charge up hundreds or thousands of dollars that they will not be able to pay off when the bill arrives. Some view this as the time of year where they deserve a break or reward. However, the damage can reach far beyond the holidays. For some, they will spend the better part of next year still paying for items they purchased this year. Of course, because of this debt, it will affect next year as well (having less money for day-to-day living expenses or savings).

If you are still in the process of paying off debt, I would respectfully suggest that one of the best “gifts” you can have this holiday is not creating more debt. Talk to your family members. Make this the year you want to “get ahead”. Draw names so each member of the family only has to buy one gift. Set limits – and stick to them. Find other low cost items or activities that everyone will enjoy – after all, it is family that matters most not things.

If you have been reading the Xvest e-letters along with my book entitled Winning the Cash Flow War, and implementing the strategies, then you are making progress. Now, just stay the course and soon you will realize a whole new realm of financial freedom!

Over the years, I have made numerous references to what I call my “Playground Rules”. Here are some of them…

#1. You must first understand the rules before you can break them.

#2. People are the asset, not money.

#3. Things don’t always work out the way we want…tough bounce - move on.

#4. Any goal not written down is merely a dream.

#5. Never think $500 is not a lot of money.

#6. Never believe your own press.

#7. You go where you look.

#8. Get out of your comfort zone…and stay there.

#9. Some lessons in life were meant for others to learn something, not us.

#10. Your success can only be measured by you.

I had an interesting conversation with someone today in that at one point they commented that my success was probably due to my ignoring the rules and going my own direction. I thought about that for a minute. If I was to review both my successes (and failures for that matter), the successes were not from an ignoring of the rules, but understanding them completely.

Until you fully understand the rules involved, you can’t break them. I certainly think that “breaking the rules” or “going against the grain” can maximize a positive outcome, but you don’t break the rules just for the sake of breaking the rules. Take negotiations for example. The better you understand the person you are negotiating with, the more likely you are to succeed - you know where they are coming from and what their needs or desires are. You can better help them and yourself. Conversely, if you know nothing about the other person, you are really flying blind and only hoping for a positive outcome.

Break the rules…but learn them first…