Mitch Carnell » friends

168 Ways To Communicate Better Now Plus Two – 131 – 132 – 133

Mitch — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:44:45 +0000

31. Be inclusive.

Enlarge your circle of friends.

Seek those who are left out.

Overcome your prejudices.

Make it easy for others to meet you.

32. Be interesting.

Expand your horizons.

Try new things.

Cultivate interesting people.

33. Be likeable.

Be a friend.

Withhold judgment.

Be genuine.

Thankful Thursday – Ruth and Bob Guy

Mitch — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 04:00:38 +0000

On this Thankful Thursday, I am grateful for the gifts that Ruth and Bob Guy bring to my life. They are two of the first friends we made in Charleston. They were our neighbors on South Sherwood Drive until they moved, but the move did not interrupt our friendships. When our children were small, we spent many New Year’s Eves together eating fondue at midnight and talking well into the early morning. Of course, we have shared many great times together at First Baptist Church. Their daughter, Nancy Union, and my daughter, Suzanne, continue to stay in contact. Every Sunday night Suzanne will ask me, “Did you see the Guys today?” These two wonderful friends are the salt of the earth. You can count on them in good times and bad. I cherish the great conversations we have had over these many years. Ruth grew up in Georgia and Bob started out in South Carolina. His family moved when he was four to Franklin, North Carolina. On this Thankful Thursday, I am grateful for the friendship of Ruth and Bob Guy.

Thankful Thursday is a day set aside to recognize the importance of someone to our life and to let her or him know of our gratitude. Develop an attitude of gratitude. Say Something Nice; Be a Lifter. You will be glad that you did.

Thankful Thursday – Bob and Jane Russell

Mitch — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 04:00:31 +0000

On this Thankful Thursday Carol and I are thankful for the presence of Bob and Jane Russell in our lives. They are wonderful friends that we met at Chautauqua years ago. Bob started as a farmer, became a truck driver, a mechanic, and bought a trucking company. He has over 60 vintage farm tractors that he restored. Jane is a graduate of Lycoming College, a former kindergarten teacher and former executive director of the YWCA. She is a very active member of Yokefellows, a prison ministry organization. They are Methodists. He started out as a Presbyterian and she as a Baptist. We took a wonderful Panama Cruise together a few years ago and their daughter Joanne helped to make the cruise even more fun. We have met most of their family. We have shared triumphs and tragedies together. On June 16, we had the great fortune to share in the celebration of their 66^th wedding anniversary. What a thrill! Bob has turned over a lot of his farming operations to his wonderful Amish neighbors. He still keeps his two horses Joe and Jane. They take great pride in their children, grandchildren and great grand children. At Chautauqua Bob and I eat breakfast with friends at the diner just outside the gates. We then pay our morning visit to the farmer’s market. We take Carol and Jane breakfast. Carol and I realize how blessed we are to have Bob and Jane Russell in our lives.

Thankful Thursday is a day set aside to recognize the importance of someone special to our lives and to let her or him know of our gratitude. Develop an attitude of gratitude. Say Something Nice; Be a lifter. You will be glad you did.

Thankful Thursday – Justin Wallace

Mitch — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:14:42 +0000

On this Thankful Thursday I am grateful for the gifts of Justin Wallace to my life. Justin is a remarkable young man and he will have a birthday tomorrow. He weighed in at one pound and 14 ounces at birth and has grown into an outgoing, caring, responsible, helpful person with a great network of friends. He graduated from West Lincolnton High School and attended Gaston College. He has a new job of being in charge of heating and cooling for the Lincolnton County Schools. Justin loves NASCAR and all things racing and works many of the races. He is my great nephew since he is the son of Darrell Wallace, my nephew. Darrell works a lot of the races in Charlotte and Justin’s late Uncle Danny painted the signage on many of the cars. All this because they live near the race track and know many of the drivers. I, on the other hand know less than nothing about NASCAR; however, it has been good for and to that part of my family. Justin and his brother Seth make a great team. On this Thankful Thursday I am thankful for the gifts that Justin Wallace brings to my life.

Thankful Thursday is a day set aside to recognize the importance of someone to our lives. Let her or him know of your gratitude. Say Something Nice: Be a Lifter. You will be glad that you did.

168 Ways To Communicate Better Now -84 – 85 – 86

Mitch — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 04:00:28 +0000

84. Make new friends.

They bring joy.

They bring new interests.

They bring new knowledge.

They bring their friends.

85. Make your preferences known.

Don’t be wishy-washy.

Don’t straddle the fence.

Be a real person.

86. Make your wishes known.

Don’t make us guess.

Don’t play, “If you loved me you would know.”

Tell me what you want.

Thankful Thursday – Stuart Cohen

Mitch — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 14:55:38 +0000

On this Thankful Thursday I am thankful for Stuart Cohen. Stuart and I worked together for twenty-two years at the Charleston Speech and Hearing Center. If you looked up the word integrity in The Oxford Dictionary of the English Language, there would be a picture of Stuart Cohen. In this day when there are full page newspaper advertisements for hearing aids that are grossly overpriced, I am reminded of the many times that I sat in my office and listened to Stuart talking some older patients out of buying one. I meet people on an almost weekly basis who tell me about the great contributions of the Speech and Hearing Center to the community and about Stuart in particular. In those many years together, Stuart and I discussed a world of subjects and always in a civil manner. Stuart is married to Susan, who is a nurse of the highest order as well as a wonderful person. Susan has the great distinction of teaching me how to make a green bean casserole to take to many functions during my bachelor days. I have known Josh, their son, all of his life and he is a wonderful young man with a thriving veterinarian practice in Rock Hill, South Carolina. I am very proud that I was instrumental in bringing Stuart and Susan back to Charleston. On this Thankful Thursday, I am very thankful for the contributions of Stuart Cohen to my life.

Thankful Thursday is a day set aside to recognize someone who is very important to your life and to let him or her know about your gratitude. Develop an attitude of gratitude. Say Something Nice; Be a Lifter. Who are you thankful for today? Let her or him know it. You will be glad that you did.

Thankful Thursday – Kenneth “Buck” King

Mitch — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 04:00:13 +0000

On this Thankful Thursday, I am thankful for Buck and Joyce King. Buck and his delightful and patient wife Joyce are two friends from back in Woodruff High School days. Buck is one of those people that you just feel good about being around. He has a great sense of humor and a way of making everyone laugh and feel comfortable. He was one of those popular football players in high school and at Furman. He and I were together in Sam Brissie’s infamous speech class and we worked together on the student newspaper. He went to Furman on a football scholarship. In 1954 he went into the military for two years. He and Joyce just celebrated their 57^th wedding anniversary on December 23^rd. Joyce deserves all of our admiration. Buck went back to Furman with two small children demanding a lot of attention. He had a distinguished career at Cryovac. He now lives a life of leisure in a golf club community near Woodruff. Buck is a really good researcher on the computer and turns up all kinds of stuff from the past. On this Thankful Thursday I am very happy that Buck King and Joyce are a part of my life.

Thankful Thursday is a day set aside to recognize someone who is important to your life. Let her or him know of your gratitude. Develop an attitude of gratitude. Say Something Nice; Be a lifter. Who are you thankful for today?

168 Ways To Communicate Better Now – 45 – 46 – 47

Mitch — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 04:00:19 +0000

45. Be sincere.

Skip the fancy footwork.

Leave the joker at home.

Stay in touch with who you are

46. Be sensitive.

Keep your antenna up.

Keep your eyes and ears open.

Respond to feelings.

47. Be straightforward.

Don’t dance.

State your position.

Stick to your position.

Thankful Thursday: Thanksgiving 2010

Mitch — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 04:00:24 +0000

On this Thanksgiving Day my heart overflows with gratitude. I am thankful for my faith that sustains me whatever the circumstances of my life. I am thankful for my family immediate and extended. I am thankful for the church I attend that has guided people of faith for 328 years. I am thankful for the United States of America. I had no part in being born here and I have no disregard for any other country, but I am eternally grateful for my good fortune. I am thankful for my hometown of Woodruff, South Carolina and the values I learned growing up there. I am grateful for the people of Northside Baptist Church who encouraged me in all that I attempted to do. I am thankful for my teachers. All of them gave of themselves that I might have a better life. I am thankful for the influences of Mars Hill College, Furman University, the University of Alabama and Louisiana State University for their part in lifting my vision for what could be. I am thankful for my friends who are truly gifts from God to my life. I am thankful for those with whom I have disagreed over the years. They have helped to sharpen my thinking. I am thankful to the many that served on the Board of Directors of the Charleston Speech and Hearing Center. They allowed me to have a career that was fulfilling and meaningful. I am grateful to the many staff members over the years who helped me grow and forgave my failures. I am thankful for my colleagues and students at Webster University where I have taught for 30 years. I am grateful to the contributors to my book, Christian Civility in an Uncivil World. They are a remarkable group of extremely dedicated and talented brothers and sisters in Christ. I am thankful for all the committee members and speakers for the John A. Hamrick Lectureship for their devotion to a cause that honors the life and work of this great servant of God. I am grateful for all of those who have helped to make Say Something Nice Day and Say Something Nice Sunday successful movements that continue to gain support. I am thankful that at this point in my life that God has given me a new vision for helping people of different faiths, the same faith, and no faith talk with each other in a more productive way. I am thankful for my adopted city of Charleston, one of the most beautiful and hospitable cities in the world. I join with the psalmist in singing, “My cup runneth over.”

On this Thanksgiving Day of 2010, I am more aware than ever and humbled by the realization that I cannot count my blessings. They are too numerous. As I recount one, ten more spring to mind. Join me as I strive to cultivate an attitude of gratitude.

Cultivate and Nourish Relationships – Key 27

Mitch — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:43:13 +0000

Cultivate and Nourish Relationships

Strong and varied relationships are essential for continued well being. Meet new people. Nurture the relationships that you already have. Renew old friendships. Long term friendships are the secret to well being especially as we mature. In order to make a friend you first have to be a friend. Put yourself in a position to meet new friends. Join a church, a social club, a dinner group, a book club, a bridge club or a dance club. You will not meet new friends in your den watching television. Volunteer with the United Way or some other worthy organization. Mingle. Research shows that people who have enduring relationships not only live