Do the Main Thing First and Every Time

As I pulled away from a drive-up window yesterday I realized there was no straw in the sack and only one thin napkin.
Not enormous stuff and yet.  And yet, wtf?  If they can't even do the essentials, what else is lurking?
It's a drive-through!  People need straws.  People need napkins.  And what's up with some dumb note taped on the order window that tells me to ask for ketchup if I want it?  Seriously?
Totally, completely unacceptable.  Totally unsatisfactory.  Totally.
Can't even get to "WOW-ing" me if you can't simply do the thing you are advertising that you do.

They Hold Church Every Sunday

I'm getting ready for a Christmas party and anticipating all the extra drinking and eating of sweets that will take place.  This one is my homeowner's association, and I can walk to and from.  Maybe that's going to be my excuse for drinking two glasses of wine instead of one... or none.
My nephew was murdered by a drunk driver 5 years ago.  He was riding his bike home, escorting his girlfriend and daughter after a party.  Somebody leaving a wedding reception plowed into him and killed him instantly by the side of the road that night.
I don't know what that driver lives with every day.  But I know what I feel and I have witnessed what his parents feel.  Someone is dead who should not be dead.
Have a Merry and Sober Christmas season.
Please call a cab when you drink.
Before you leave, watch this video to remind you how easy it is to father a tragedy.
We all already know this, but we need reminding.  Just like church.  They have it every Sunday because even though we all know the story and we know right from wrong, we need reminding and we need to think about how to choose right from wrong regularly.

Don't Settle

Now contrast "number 2" to another company who contrasts Better and Best.  The messaging here is that we can and should discriminate between products.  You are worth it.  Don't settle for some poser, for something that looks as good as what we really want. 
I think that messaging is better.  It is about value, about surrounding yourself with excellence, about rejecting sloppy or simply of lesser quality.
Now to go beyond my product to me.  How much of the time do I settle?  How much of the time do I say this is good enough?  How much real choice making do I do, day in and day out, and select the path and actions that are excellent?  Being excellent is harder, but in the end it actually frees up and focuses me to do what is valuable and important and not spend time checking off activity of little consequence.

Proud to Be # 2?

Most television commercials are background noise, or are sketchy frames as I fast forward through them, but I actually saw a company tonight listing their benefits or features or however you choose to delineate, but I digress. 
I can't believe that this company advertised that they are #2 in Customer Service.
Now that is beyond odd.
I can't get a hold on why that is worth advertising. 
#2?
Wow.
Mediocrity is okay to showcase.
Yikes.
Say it aint so.  Say that "second best" is not something to brag about.