JTG Day, People Watching, Final Four and Preds

Representative Brenda Gilmore meets with students and JTG specialists from Maplewood and Stratford. All the state lawmakers were gracious and sincerely interested in JTG and the students.

Random thoughts on a Friday morning in a Brentwood coffee shop before a donor coffee…
(I did this on the Dwyerwire blog back in the day and thought it was a good way to wrap up the week)

Best sales advice?
Play to your strength.
That’s what Jobs for Tennessee Graduates (JTG) did recently at Tennessee State Legislature and Capitol.  As JTG continues its quest for state re-investment and build awareness, “JTG Day on the Hill” brought together nearly 30 JTG students to meet state lawmakers on their own turf, along with  taking in the sights and sounds of Capitol Hill.  Anderson County Career & Technical Center, Centennial High School, Columbia Central High School, East Hickman High School, Hickman County High School, Fairview High School, Maplewood High School, Mt. Pleasant High School and Stratford STEM Magnet High School were all represented as they mingled with state senators and representatives.  Many even worked in a tour of the Capitol and lunch outside on a mild, beautiful Nashville day.

Lt. Governor McNally addresses Anderson Co. Career & Technical Center JTG students in his private conference room.

“This is pretty cool,” said JTG student Charles Portherfield as the Anderson County Career & Technical Center contingent made its way into Lt. Governor Randy McNally‘s big conference room.  Their state senator, who happens to hold among the most powerful positions in state government was engaging as he asked each student about their career goals.
“Forensic science.”
“Nurse practitioner.”
“Physical therapy.”
The list went on and on.
ACCTC senior Hannah Towns reflected on the meeting, “It seems that even our closest friends might not care what we grow up to be become.  Mr. McNally does, and wants us to go far in life even if he only knew us for 45 minutes.”
The students didn’t go away empty-handed.  Mr. McNally’s staff gave each student a 2015-16 “Blue Book” which contains the unabridged past and present of state government.  Students asked him to sign the book and McNally was happy to oblige (Pictured above).
It made me wonder, when was the last time a teenager held a hard bound book?

It’s just crazy how people are fixated on their cell phones.  While waiting in a parking lot I observed nine people walk from a mall to their cars.  All nine with their heads down.  9-0.  Several snapped their heads up when they realized they were walking into the path of a moving car.  It made me sad to think that people feel so compelled to stay “connected” and can’t just enjoy a 300-yard walk on a warm, sunny spring day to their cars.  Perhaps all nine had urgent business to tend to but I doubt it.
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I don’t have a dog in the hunt (my dawg, the Butler Bulldogs did make it to the Sweet 16 but MTSU fans already know that) but I’m pulling for South Carolina in the Final Four.  I heard Head Coach Frank Martin during a radio interview and he refreshingly honest about his career path to Columbia.  Not always pretty.  His quote to the left has gone viral.  Strong stuff.
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How do the Nashville Predators do it?  That’s a rhetorical question because the NHL franchise’s success to fill a big building is well documented.  I took in last night’s game with a dear friend and I just marveled that the place was filled to the rafters on a Thursday night in March.  This friend and I had season tickets next to each other the inaugural season (1997-98).  As luck would have it, we were blessed to have Sheila Crisp (wife of Predators broadcaster Terry Crisp) sitting next to us.  What a hoot.  My buddy is a transplanted Ranger fan and I felt a civic duty to buy season tickets.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think the NHL would stick in Nashville for 20 years.  Ten years ago, we all know how perilously close the team was to moving to southern Ontario.  (Where have you gone  Jim Balsillie?  Second thought, who cares.)  Privately, some Predators officials were gnashing their teeth (get it? Gnash-ing) over the Titans honeymoon and were perplexed why the hockey team didn’t get equal love.  My response was, “Until they put laces on a puck, this is football country.”  That was then.  This is now.  Now, the Predators organic relationship with their fans is the envy of many NHL cities.  I couldn’t have been more wrong and glad to admit it.  Take a bow Predators.

Have a great and safe weekend.