In the era of cell phones it’s ironic how typing messages has become the norm. "Texting: It's back to the future!"

Remember pagers?  In those days before cell phones we were limited to receiving call back numbers.  If you were away from your telephone and someone wanted to contact you they’d page you.  They would call the telephone number assigned to your pager from their land-line, enter their phone number using the phone’s keypad and then wait by their phone for you to call them back. And you couldn’t call them back until you got to a land-line yourself.  In order to free ourselves up, we created numerical codes so we could communicate immediately without having to wait for a call back.  Are you old enough to remember some of them?  Here are a few to help jar your memory.

121 I need to talk to you

123 I miss you

143 I love you

220 Why haven't you called?

221 Where are you?

30 This is getting old

45 Good night

406 Hugs and Kisses

477 Best friends forever

5012124 Sorry

56 Sweet dreams

601 Happy Birthday/Anniversary

603 Hope you're feeling better

607 I miss you

609 I'm mad at you

611 I'm sorry

612 I'm thinking about you

6000_6 Good Luck

911 I Need To Talk To You Now!

There was even a few that created an optical illusion when you held your pager upside-down:  these numerical combinations appeared to spell the words out literally.

07734 Hello*

1134_2_09 Go to hell*

17_31707_1 I love you*

14 Hi*

It’s amazing how creative us humans are when it comes to communicating with one another.  But once we got a hold of cell phones and the freedom to contact each other without restrictions, the idea of going back to coded type seemed as antiquated as Morse code.  Boy, were we in for a surprise.  Today we communicate more via text messaging than we do by voice.  What seemed at first an absurd novelty is now the norm.  Limited to a standard telephone ten-button keypad, spelling things out was (and still can be) tedious.  So once again we got creative, and overcame this limitation by using abbreviations and acronyms.  Some were borrowed and others newly created. 

Texting, and this new shorthand that resembles vanity license plate lingo, is rapidly becoming our most popular form of communicating.  Even though manufacturers of newer smart-phones have added miniature replicas of a full keyboards to accommodate us in typing things out, we still use our abbreviated form of writing. The problem is some of us are latecomers to texting and find ourselves stumped whenever we receive a text message that contains an acronym or abbreviation we aren’t familiar with.  If you feel you missed the boat and will never catch up, don’t be too hard on yourself.  There are many of us getting up to speed. 

Take me for instance, my attitude toward texting was defiant.  I came close to being a modern day version of the guy from the early 1900's screaming out, "Get a horse!" to those driving an automobile.  Whenever I caught a friend texting I’d give him a hard time, “Oh my God, I can’t believe you’re bitch-thumbing.”  I would even self-righteously preach that texting was a cowards way to communicate, because you didn’t have to speak with the other person directly.  The good news is resisting the inevitable takes way more energy than I have to expend.  Soon I caved in, and boy am I grateful ‘cause I’m loving it!  I can't believe I'm ‘bitch-thumbing’ and even with some of my father's wiseguy buddies.  Especially since not too long ago I considered texting something for thirteen-year-old girls did.  Like Paul on the road to Damascus, I have seen the light.

Thank God I came to my senses because today texting is not limited to chatting with friends, it’s become an acceptable means of communicating in the professional world as well.  Now that I've come over to the winning side and texting with business partners, I began to wonder; "What is the proper etiquette?" If you have been wondering what the general rule is, it seems to be this: with family and friends anything goes, but in business, spell it out, and spell it correctly.  I learned this from writer, A.J. Benza, who always spells things out in his business texts.  It makes perfect sense.  Why take the chance of having someone, I am in a professional relationship with, make an incorrect snap judgment about me because I used an acronym or abbreviation that they might misinterpret?  So, I came up with a rhyme to keep me out of trouble: “When in doubt, spell it out.”

And in order for me to stay on top of things I have found two websites extremely helpful. 

This one has all the most popular texting acronyms and abbreviations;

http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/textmessageabbreviations.asp

If you are brave, this one contains ninety-nine texting acronyms every parent should know; http://www.ihatethemedia.com/99-texting-acronyms-parents-should-know. 

HF SIT & WIDSIO
C4N

In other words, "Have fun, stay in touch, and when in doubt, spell it out.  Ciao, for now."

"I'm not upset because of what you think of me. 
I'm upset because of what I think you think of me." 

I love that one because it’s true and smacks me right between the eyes.  It makes it obvious to me what the problem is, what the solution is, and what I can do about it.  It's a great reminder that whenever we're upset we have the freedom and ability to pick and choose our own thoughts.  It also makes it clear that we shouldn't believe everything we think.  Thank God.

Even though I am reaching the half-century mark, when it comes to my thinking, I must be a loving but firm parent to myself.  It takes diligence to mind our thoughts.  At any moment they can run off and dream all sorts of nonsense, usually casting me in the roll of the victim in some out of control circumstances and then convincing me I must "get them before they get me!"  The good news is, gentle effort is all that is required to nudge our thoughts in a healthy direction (and subsequently saving us from getting into situations that we'll ultimately regret).  But it is still effort nonetheless and no one but ourselves can guide our thinking.  Life really is an inside job so I guess you can say, our own damn fault.

Silent Unity’s February 9th’s Daily Word gives the perfect prescription to redirect faulty thoughts.  Here it is;

FREE

I am free to choose my thoughts and shape my world.

Just as I walk or drive in the direction I am looking, I also move in the direction of my thoughts. If for any reason I decide to walk a different path, I am free to change my thoughts to direct me there. I am free to shape the course of my life.

If I'm holding persistent thoughts of limitation of any kind, I gently sweep them away and replace them with encouragement. I affirm the truth that I am capable and worthy, because the power of God is within me. With this power, I am free to choose my thoughts and shape my world.

With attentiveness and practice, I form a new vision that reveals more of my God-given potential. My thoughts steer me toward fullness of life, joy and inner peace. I am grateful to God for the freedom of thought.

The truth will make you free.--John 8:32

"I have the power to change my mentality and when I change it my outer expression and experiences must change too.  I have the power to choose my thoughts, no one can keep me from my true place."  - Emmet Fox

One of the inspirational books I look forward to reading during my morning routine is Alan Cohen's "A Deep Breath of Life."  In today's reading he shares the story of St. Valentine and I felt compelled to share it too. 

The legend of St. Valentine goes back to the early days of Christianity when Christians were being persecuted by the Romans.  One Christian, Valentinus, was tried as a heretic and sentenced to death. In prison, Valentinus befriended a guard who respected his wisdom, and soon the guard brought his seven-year-old blind daughter, Julia, to Valentinus for lessons.  Daily, the two talked of important things, and Julia developed a deep love and respect for her mentor.  One day Julia asked him, "Valentinus, do you think I will ever be able to see?"

Valentinus thought for a moment and answered, "With love in your heart and a belief in God, anything is possible, Julia."

At that moment, Julia was overtaken with a flash of light, and suddenly her eyesight was restored.  "Valentinus, I can see!"  the child shouted.

"Praise be to God," he humbly answered.

The next day when Julia came to visit Valentinus, he was gone.  He had been taken to his execution.  Julia found this note:

Accept the challenge to be a true valentine by encouraging those on your path today.  Today I will be taking up the valentine's challenge myself by striving to be loving to who ever is in front of me at the time.  Whether it's the Starbucks cashier, my wife, Lori, a neighbor who crosses my path, and even my in-laws.  My plan is simple.  Regardless of who it is I will make them feel important.  This is not as hard as you may think.  You can do it with a smile, holding open a door and allowing that person to go ahead of you on line, if you noticed someone doing a good job compliment them, it's that simple.  Once you get started I am certain you'll find each experience so rewarding that as the day goes on you will be going out of your way seeking opportunities to share the love.  So give all you got, you deserve it!

Every Superhero has a mission and so do you.  But most of us, like myself, have been unaware of it.  For years I have been sailing along on the sea of life, going with the flow and enjoying the ride.  The Coast Guard taught me to NEVER swim against the current, no matter how great the temptation.  I have found that applying this advice to my day to day affairs tends to not just guarantee survival but happiness and success as well.  The ability to let go and trust that there is a benevolent order to the universe isn't easy.  It takes a helluva lot of courage and faith to believe in a universe that is on your side.  But I am convinced the exercise in faith is worth it.  Going back over my life it is clear now that every great and sustainable experience I have had came to me as a direct result of just going along with the flow.  It's also clear that I would have missed some of my most cherished moments if I had forced my own way at the time.  Thank God I swam with the current and not against it.

In spite of all this there has always been one nagging problem; I often lacked the drive to act on many of my creative desires.  Why at times did I find it so hard to nudge myself forward in order to follow through on what I felt inspired to do?  Like drawing a new cartoon, volunteering to speak for a group, or writing an article?  Even with the knowledge that doing so would ultimately bring me great satisfaction, I'd be reluctant to take action.  Well, now I know the answer - I've been ignorant of my mission.  Without being conscious of my mission the motivation to follow through on any creative endeavor took EFFORT, a force of will.  The problem is this effort sapped all the enjoyment out of it.  What was at first an exciting creative pursuit quickly began to feel like a chore.  The good news is; now fully aware of my mission I can take action without the burden of "I should," "I better," "I must," or worse, giving up before starting with, "Why bother, what's the point?"  I do this by simply reminding myself of my (recently uncovered) mission.  It gives me the lift I need to move forward with ease.  Before I reveal my mission let me quickly share how I discovered it. 

Within the last few months two of my friends Sage Michael and Larry Broughton have both authored books that highlight the importance of clearly defining your mission.  Sage Michael's new book is titled, "How to Become a Superhero - The Ultimate Guide to the Ultimate You!" and Larry Broughton's with co-author Phil Dyer, is titled, "Victory - 7 Entrepreneur Success Strategies for Veterans."  Both point out that being able to clearly define your mission will dramatically affect your life.  In Larry Broughton's and co-author Phil Dyer's, "Victory" they share that being clear about your mission (what they refer to as "vision") "...provides you with the fuel you need to move forward." and "... motivates you to keep going forward."  Sage Michael points out that being unaware of your mission leads to getting off track, or worse, getting tangled up in the details.  As Sage puts it, a well defined mission statement "helps you decide how to act, what to do, and even what to say, in any situation.  This is pure truth.  As a Superhero your main function is to act in pursuit of your ideals."  I give credit to both books for inspiring me to finally put forth the effort to uncover mine.  I was able to do so by reviewing all the times I was the happiest throughout my life and asking myself in each situation, "What was I doing and why?"  This revealed what really motivated me.  I was able to narrow it down to the specific driving force that brought me the most happiness and with that, success.  So now when I start to falter and ask myself, "Why bother, what's the point?" I have the answer; "Because it's my mission to use every ounce of my talents; inspiring others to rise!"

Once you uncover your mission it'll seem like you struck gold and it'll fit like a glove.  What I am trying to say is, if you retrace your life you will see that you have been living by your mission all along.  It is and always has been the guiding force of good that generally directed your actions.  The key to harnessing its full potential though is to be able to clearly state it for yourself.  When you can do that you will be able to ignite your enthusiasm at any time with a gentle reminder rather than a force of will.  Both books, "Victory" and "How to Become a Superhero" give excellent examples on how to uncover your mission and clearly define it for yourself. 

In addition to mine, here are a few more examples of clearly defined missions.

"To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world."
- Nike founder Phil Knight

"To make people happy."
- Walt Disney Company

"To preserve Truth, Justice and the American way."
- Superman

Once you feel you have uncovered your mission try it out by subjecting it to Sage Michael's mission statement test.

THE MISSION STATEMENT TEST
Say your mission statement aloud.  How does it feel?  Does it suit you?  Does it call you to action?  Is it a solid direction for your future?  Does it give you an idea of what to do next, both at work and at home?
- Sage Michael, "How to Become a Superhero"

I attended my first Roller Derby Sunday night in Culver City, CA and I am still surprised about how much I really enjoyed it.  I keep trying to wrap my head around what exactly was it that I loved so much about being at a live Roller Derby match?  Was it the names?  It couldn’t be.  Could it?  Yes it was!  It was the names the girls chose for themselves and had displayed on the backs of their uniforms.  That was it.  It wasn’t just the Roller Derby queens who had “names” either; even the refs donned their game names on the backs of their uniforms as well. 

Trying to make out all the Derby girls names as they skated, blocked and flew by was a real treat.  There was Rachel Rotten #507, Evie McSkeevy #138, Hitney Fears #0 and Duchess Von Damn #10.  I learned that even their numbers were a significant part of the fun.  This was much more obvious with team members, Rosie Bottom #36” wide, Reno Revolver #.357, and Killa Nois #(312).  I learned that Killa’s number “(312),” which included the parenthesis, is actually the area code from where she grew up in Illinois.  Oh and I better mention Julius Pleaser and Russell Crowbar, two of the refs making the calls.

You may be thinking, “That’s it the names?  Yeah they’re cute and funny but… so what?”  I have to agree with you.  I’d think the same thing too from reading this.  But if you were there Sunday night you would know exactly why I feel that the names say it all.  It’s because they represent freedom!  The atmosphere of the Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium was electric.  It felt exhilarating.  Which makes perfect sense since it takes a certain amount of courage to experience freedom.  It’s funny how most of us spend more time denying ourselves freedom than relishing it.  It takes guts to break away from our routines, to stick a toe out of our comfort zone and risk taking a shot at something we long dreamed of doing but dare not try. 

Now I am clear on why I fell in love with Roller Derby Sunday night.  It’s because with their Roller Derby names these girls share their courage to leave critical inhibition in the dirt and enthusiastically step out on life.  They give us all permission to let go and not take ourselves so damn seriously.  Roller Derby’s message is loud and clear; “Go for it!”  It’s a promise that you will have a lot of fun doing so and no regrets for trying even if you land on your ass.  So have you given it any thought?  What your Roller Derby name would be?  Share it in the comment box and like the girls on Sunday nights you’ll be giving us just the oomph we need to get off the sidelines, put on our skates, roll onto the track and “Go for it!”  If doubt ever creeps in to try to discourage you just imagine the Angel City Derby Girls cheering you on.  “For those about to roll, we salute you!”

If you live in Los Angeles and would like to attend a bout, become a skater, and/or want to learn more about the Angel City Derby Girls, visit; Angel City Derby Girls dot com

P.S., I highly recommend renting the movie “Whip It” with Ellen Page as a small town girl who joins a Roller Derby league. Produced and Directed by Drew Barrymore.  It’s by far the best coming of age movie I’ve seen in years!  It beats the pants off “Rocky” and the soundtrack makes you wish were out on the track skating with the girls.  Check it out; "Whip It"