I have been doing some purging as of late. I pride myself in being a minimalist, but the “stuff” is stacking up in the garage, the attic, the closets, under the beds and seemingly every drawer.

Jolene and I have lived together in eight homes now, not including our childhood, college or apartments. As such, we purged many items during each of those moves. We also transported many of the same unopened boxes several times. Sound familiar?

This process of purging reminds me of three pieces of advice I received through the years. The first was to handle a piece of paper once. The same goes for voicemails, emails and text messages. Don’t save them to review later. Don’t let them pile up. And certainly don’t just ignore them. If you do — and maybe you can relate (or know someone who can) — you suddenly have thousands of these items, and the stress of that piles on, too. 

The second piece of advice was on to handle tasks immediately and not procrastinate. “Do it, ditch it or delegate it,” I was told by my first boss out of college. The best scenario is to do it right now, he suggested, and get it over with. Or if it simply isn’t important, ditch it. And if you can ask someone else you trust to get it handled for you, delegate it.

Recently, I read another related tip that said, “If you can do the task in less than five minutes, then do it right now.”

I try to use these three tips on every task I have and every piece of paper, every voicemail, every email and every text message I receive. They help, but they are not failproof, which is obvious by the “stuff” I am sorting through right now.

And the purge continues.   

Have a fabulous Friday, and thanks for reading.

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@dmcityview.com
641-755-2115

I am not a big fan of flying in airplanes. I appreciate the time savings, but I could do without the rest of it. Too many people. Too small of a space. And not enough margin for error. I get anxious when flying, and things like COVID don’t help. But like many of you, I do fly a handful of times per year.

The most frustrating part of flying for me is arriving at the gate only to learn my flight has been oversold. You have likely dealt with this. Maybe you gave up your seat for vouchers. Or maybe you were stranded at the airport with no acceptable options.

Imagine this happening in any other industry. You buy a car online and show up at the dealership only to learn that the vehicle you thought you bought was sold to three other people as well. Or you purchase a home from a Realtor and arrive at the closing to learn that your home has two others there who bought it, too. Or, on a smaller level, you stop by to pick up groceries you ordered and are told your milk is no longer available, but the cashier will give you a 25-cent voucher if you come back in a few days.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, this “bumping” or “denied boarding” is not illegal. Airlines are allowed to oversell their scheduled flights “in order to compensate for no-shows.” The DOT site also says some airlines do sell only enough tickets to fill every seat. Would you like to know which airlines those are? I would. Sounds like a great marketing promotion. “We won’t sell your seat to others!”

What if an airline offers to put you on standby on another flight that’s also full? You could be stuck at the terminal for a long time. It happened to me — for two nights at the Dallas/Fort Worth airport. Other Iowans I got to know in the airport who were in the same situation invited me to join them in renting a car and driving back to Des Moines. I respectfully declined, as I trusted the airline would take care of me. Bad choice. The car crowd beat me home.

Let’s say no passengers are willing to voluntarily give up their seat. Then what? Well, the airline will then force some passengers to forfeit their seats based on their check-in times, the fares they paid, or their frequent flyer status, according to the DOT.  

Bottom line, if you want to avoid being bumped on a flight, make sure you have a confirmed reservation, you check in to your flight on time, and you arrive at the departure gate on time. And be prepared to rent a car, assuming those are not rented out to multiple people, too. 

Have a terrific Tuesday, and thank you for reading.

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@dmcityview.com
641-755-2115

I was in seventh grade when my friend Brad, who was in eighth grade, told me that guys like us can never use illegal drugs because we will get addicted. I didn’t fully understand his advice, but he was a year older than me and someone I admired, so I took heed. 

Today, I realize how the simple words of someone you look up to can impact the rest of your life. At that young age, I could have very easily been convinced to use illegal drugs in the same way I was convinced to avoid them. My life today may have ended up much differently.

To be honest, I never really understood the attraction to roll something up, light it on fire and breathe in the smoke. My parents both smoked cigarettes when I was growing up, and the relentless stench of that kept me from ever wanting to ever smoke a cigarette, let alone marijuana. I also wrestled in high school and college, and competing in that sport meant you had to have strong lungs. Smoking anything was not part of that plan.

Drugs that don’t require inhaling are a different animal. I had my appendix taken out when I was in my twenties. It had started to burst, and I was in the hospital for an extended time. I vividly remember the nurse giving me IV pain medication, and I vividly remember how incredibly good that felt. My friend Brad was right. I could have easily become addicted. Fortunately, it was not readily available to me.

Meanwhile, I did partake in moderate alcohol consumption, and I still do. My argument as an adult has been that it is legal, but I recognize that alcohol has created just as many, if not more, problems for people than illegal drugs. I am fortunate that drinking too much alcohol gives me a horrible hangover for multiple days. So as much as I may enjoy it, I have a painful reminder of why I need to do so in moderation. 

I am concerned about illegal drug usage and its availability to kids today. Habits are difficult to break, so we all need to form good ones and encourage others to do the same.

Several years ago, I reminded my friend Brad about his words of advice. He said he did not recall telling me that, but I do, and I owe him many thanks for steering me in the right direction. It is a reminder of how our words — and our actions — can be impactful to young and impressionable people.

Have a fantastic Friday, and thank you for reading.

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@dmcityview.com
641-755-2115

Could you use a good night’s sleep? You are not alone.

We Americans tend to spend about a third of our lives in bed, but 164 million of us struggle to actually get to sleep. That’s right, more than two-thirds of us fail to get some serious shut-eye at least once per week. Sound familiar?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 36.5% of U.S. workers get less than seven hours of sleep. We do seem to be searching for solutions, though. In fact, Consumer Reports shares that 41% of people use over-the-counter sleep aids several times a week.

Meanwhile, according to the Sleep Foundation, only 1 in 10 Americans consider sleep to be their top priority over fitness, work, hobbies and social life.

That’s a lot of statistics — and not much sleep. If only the fix was easy. Far from it. More than 70 types of sleep disorders exist with the most common ones being insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, movement syndromes and narcolepsy.

Did you know humans are the only mammals that delay sleep? When other mammals are tired, they sleep. It works for my dog. Not so much for me. In my younger years, I enjoyed a Sunday afternoon nap while watching the Minnesota Vikings lose another close one on TV. Not anymore. Any sleeping after the noon whistle means this guy is up into the wee hours of the morning. 

But what about the snoring thing? My wife tells me it’s a problem. Once again, I am not alone. In fact, nearly half (48%) of Americans ADMIT they snore, according to the American Sleep Association. Jolene has a two-part solution: a not-so-gentle poke and some clear advice to “roll over.” The dog gets a treat for rolling over. I get a bruise. 

Admittedly, the fetal position does seem to subdue snoring. This may be why it is the most popular sleeping position with 41% of adults choosing to do so, compared to sleeping on the side (28%), lying on the back (8%), and lying on the stomach (7%), according to Sleep.org.

If you want to sleep better (and who doesn’t), try these tips: cool down your bedroom, get on a regular sleep schedule, turn off the electronics, avoid caffeine and read something that makes you relax. Then be ready to roll over. 

Have a terrific Tuesday, and thank you for reading.

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@dmcityview.com
641-755-2115

Work isn’t supposed to be easy. If it was, it wouldn’t be called “work.” 

My father used to tell me how good it felt to be tired after a day of hard work. And even though I am not laboring manually like he did throughout his life, I wholeheartedly agree. Our muscles and our mind should both be used to their fullest most every day. We also need time to rest, relax and rejuvenate — a renewal of sorts. This is what author Stephen Covey called time to “sharpen the saw.” After a quick sharpening, we should then get back to our chosen work or purpose.

My former boss and business partner, Michael Gartner, has often said that 20% of every job stinks. He says it doesn’t matter what the job is, it won’t be perfect. There will always be lousy work days, probably one out of five every week — and that’s normal. He has also said if more than 20% of a job stinks, it might be time to look for another one. Unfortunately, for employers and employees, we live in a world where some staff members continually seek new jobs with unrealistic expectations that the next job will be the perfect fit. There is no such thing. 

I am fortunate that I have a job I thoroughly enjoy. I look forward to going to work every day. Yes, some days stink, but I relish those challenges, too. From writing to editing to designing to selling to distributing (and more), this job provides plenty of variety. But what can appear to some folks to be the simplest of jobs can also be quite satisfying. Russell Martinson proved it. 

In his “retirement,” Russell worked in our mailroom at a printing plant I managed in Syracuse, Nebraska, a few decades ago. Years prior, he was a WWII veteran, owned and operated a sanitation business for more than 30 years and was a volunteer fireman. But what amazed me the most about him was his respect for work. He was a stern man, but he greeted me every day with, “Good morning, Mr. Goodman.” Keep in mind, I was half his age. Russell organized the mail room floor, moving postal cages and keeping supplies ready for who were processing jobs. He was in his seventies at the time, but you wouldn’t have known it by his work ethic.

Some may have seen Russell’s job as mundane, but he took great pride in every task, and not just at work. We had a company cookout each summer, and Russell would come to the picnic in the July Nebraska heat in a shirt and tie. He was a man of few words, but he would seek me out each time, firmly shake my hand, look me in the eyes, and say, “Thank you for the picnic, and for my job.”

Russell died in 2018 at the age of 93. He, like my father, Michael Gartner and others I admire, knew the definition of work and that it wasn’t supposed to be easy. He also left a wonderful example of respect and loyalty to all who knew him and to those who are reading about him now. 

Have a fantastic Friday, and, as always, thank you for reading.

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@dmcityview.com
641-755-2115

“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is I don’t know which half.”

John Wanamaker is credited with that great quote. The founder of the chain of department stores that eventually became part of Macy’s was considered to be a pioneer in marketing. And he was right. Knowing what advertising is working and what isn’t is a challenge for most every business or organization, even in today’s world of verified audits and analytical reports. 

The real trick with advertising is defining “working,” as it is different for each customer. Some expect a specific number of direct leads. Others want to sell a certain amount of product. And some simply want to “get their name out there.” And, to be fair, selling sneakers is a lot different than selling insurance. One size doesn’t fit all. 

Despite what some in our industry claim, advertising really isn’t that complicated. Determine your goal. Define your message. Deliver it to the appropriate audience. And then, as best as you can, measure the results.

But for the consumer, advertising is about emotions, or how a campaign makes a person feel. Does the ad make you smile? Does it make you hungry? Does it engage you in a positive way? 

Or, on the other hand, does the advertising annoy or even anger you? Make you want to turn the channel? Flip the page? Close the website or social medium? Swear that you will never buy that product or service? 

In my career, I have experienced the value of advertising that is highly sought out, as well as the dangers of advertising that is considered bothersome.

When I worked at The Des Moines Register in the 1990s, the phones would ring off the hooks when the Target insert was left out of the Sunday Register. Readers wanted that advertising and demanded that they receive it. Years later, when I was managing community publications in Boone, we would receive calls throughout the night if a carrier route for the shopper was not delivered. Residents demanded their free shopper with the grocery and classified advertising. Today, readers of our publications tell me they enjoy our advertising as much as our editorial content. I take pride in that as I, too, can become annoyed by various forms of advertising that flood my phone, computer screen and TV. Creating effective advertising is both an art form and a science, and we are fortunate to have talented people to help our customers manage through this.

Can we do better? Absolutely. We have to, or we won’t be here. We have to continually improve our editorial content, our print quality, our distribution methods and our communication with our readers and advertisers. And we have to help our customers determine their goals and identify which half of their advertising is working and which half isn’t. 

Have a terrific Tuesday, and thank you for reading.

Shane Goodman
Editor and Publisher
Times Vedette digital editions
shane@dmcityview.com
641-755-2115