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Happy Haunting This Halloween With Horizon Goodwill

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Hello again! Are you getting excited as I am for Halloween? I don’t know if it’s just the chilly weather, the changing of the leaves or the fact that baseball playoffs are in full swing—maybe it’s a combination of all the above. But there is one other thing about October that I was always find myself looking forward to. Since I was in Junior High I always deemed October Scary Movie Month. It’s a special time of year when I take over the film watching schedule for my family. I go out and purchase a variety of spooky movies, some that Kaitlyn can watch (we just went to see Hotel Transylvania 2…for the third time) and others that Missy and I can only enjoy long after our little princess has retired for the evening. What I enjoy most about this self-appointed duty is hunting for DVDs and, on rare occasions, even VHS tapes of sinister tales that neither I nor my wife have watched before. That’s a pretty tall order, as anyone who knows me understands I’m an avid movie fan and there’s not much I haven’t seen.

Every year I start my “haunt” in late August, seeking movies at garage sales, online and via that popular streaming service you’re probably a member of as well. But do you want in on a little secret? All of those avenues can’t hold a flickering candle on an ominous windy night when compared to this one very special place. A resource that never lets me down, always loaded with video surprises that never breaks the budget. And the coolest part about this place…every time I go it’s a different experience! You guessed it—Horizon Goodwill! [Read more…] about Happy Haunting This Halloween With Horizon Goodwill

It’s Like Deja Vu All Over Again!

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Hopefully you recognize the title of this week’s blog as just one of the memorable quotes uttered by possibly baseball’s most colorful character to ever tie up cleats—Yankee legend Yogi Berra. He passed away just last month at the ripe old age of 90, which lead to several tributes across all types of media, but the interesting thing is most of the pieces I read spoke more about his colorful words of wisdom than his athletic career, and for good reason! His “Yogi-isms”, little sayings that would just organically spring from his brain, are so simple, yet full of poetic elements that really make the receiver stop, think and appreciate what they’ve just experienced.

I was thinking of Yogi as I drove Kaitlyn to the Horizon Goodwill Store last week, as it literally was like deja vu all over again. We made the same trip last October to purchase donated clothing in order to create her Halloween costume, and she begged me to do so once again this year. It’s kind of becoming a father/daughter tradition, and I think that’s pretty cool. This time, however, she kept stating the phrase “Be Your Own Monster”, which I discovered was the nationwide tag line between Sony Picture’s “Hotel Transylvania 2” and Goodwill Industries®. As a writer and marketer, I have to admit, it works—and is a pretty cool concept to boot!

This week I decided to share the details of our shopping trip with the Horizon Goodwill Faithful, as well as throwing a few “Yogi-isms” in for good measure. Think you can spot all of them? [Read more…] about It’s Like Deja Vu All Over Again!

Be Your Own Monster With Horizon Goodwill

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I can’t tell you how happy I am to make my living as a writer. I actually feel privileged to get up everyday and have the opportunity to share my thoughts with others via blog articles, especially when it comes to working with Horizon Goodwill. As you probably know by now, I could write for hours about the incredible opportunities this amazing organization offers to the local community via their job training programs. Oh, and a word to the wise, if we ever bump into each other at a cocktail party, and I start to run on about how important Horizon Goodwill’s efforts are, feel free to reign me in.

I have to admit, however, that I wasn’t always so enthusiastic about my career. [Read more…] about Be Your Own Monster With Horizon Goodwill

So What Does “Trick Or Treat” Really Mean?

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I can vaguely remember Third Grade, but I do have flashbacks to the amount of homework I was tasked with performing on a daily basis. Spelling words, multiplication tables and for some reason a report on the state of Kansas stands out in my memory. I’m talking real, hardcore, nose in the schoolbook type homework. Although I frequently use spellcheck and for the life of me can’t multiply numbers past 10 without a calculator, I do recall wheat being the chief export of Kansas, at least back in 1978.

Homework has changed quite a bit since then, as my eight year old is tasked with performing online assessments and a lot more reading than I was subjected to. As I was signing off on her assignment agenda last night she handed me a permission slip for a field trip.

“What’s this?” I asked. [Read more…] about So What Does “Trick Or Treat” Really Mean?

The Weather’s Getting Brisk—Does Your Coat Still Fit?

Screen Shot 2015-09-16 at 12.53.43 PMHey everyone! I’ve got some really great news I just couldn’t wait to share with all the Horizon Goodwill faithful. I got up Monday morning and, as I’m sure many of you also have to do on a regular basis, I needed to move my wife’s car out of the driveway so I could get mine out. I didn’t want to be late and I’m sure my employer wouldn’t want to hear that I forgot to perform the vehicle tango the night prior.  Anyway, throw on my shoes, grab both sets of car keys and head out the door—only to be slammed with some downright frigid weather!  Ok, maybe it wasn’t exactly “frigid”, but it was really cold out and I wasn’t expecting that. In my defense, there was frost on both vehicles, so I knew I wasn’t coming down with the flu.

I moved Missy’s car onto the street, pulled mine out, then pulled her’s back in. Even with all this activity I was still cold and decided it wouldn’t be the worst idea to go inside and pull my Fall jacket out of mothballs.  There it was, right where I left it last October, waiting for me like an old friend in the corner at a high school reunion. I grabbed the coat and proceed to put it on while exiting the house, but realized immediately it didn’t fit. I know what you’re thinking; “John must have put on some weight since last year”—but guess again! It was too large! I was stunned…what could this mean? [Read more…] about The Weather’s Getting Brisk—Does Your Coat Still Fit?

Taking Off On Labor Day? Think Of Those Who Need Employment

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Seriously. Labor Day is Monday. It just doesn’t seem possible! No joke, it feels like Valentine’s Day was just a month ago and Father’s Day, my absolute favorite holiday, took place just last week. What is happening to the concept of time? Am I the only one that can’t fathom the fact that in just the blink of an eye I’m going to be passing out Halloween candy, shoveling snow and thinking Spring all over again?  One good thing about Labor Day, in addition to cookouts (with meat this year, not Veggie Burgers, right Missy?) and not being forced to get up at 6:00 am for work is the fact that, well, I have a job.

This wasn’t always the case, however, and I can sympathize greatly with those seeking gainful employment. There are many reasons I’m such a big fan of Horizon Goodwill, but without a doubt, to me, what makes this organization so special is their dedication to helping those with barriers to employment find work. Do me a little favor this holiday weekend, and think about how much you value your career. If you could, wouldn’t you help others gain the same security you have? Well, guess what, you can…and it’s easier than you might think. [Read more…] about Taking Off On Labor Day? Think Of Those Who Need Employment

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