That's When a Smoke was a Smoke . . .

February 3, 2014
By: O. J. Cunningham

. . . John Cougar Mellencamp

Super Bowl XLVIII was a total bust . . . which you already know if you wasted your Sunday (like me) preparing to see the greatest offense in the history of the NFL (whoops!) take on big-mouthed Richard Sherman and his Seattle Seahawk com padres.

I (like so many) lost interest right after the 2nd half kick-off return for a TD by Seattle.

None-the-less . . . Drinks were still flowing and the mind began to wander.

Somehow, I got the John Cougar Mellencamp lyric (above) rolling around inside my head. Got me thinking 'bout the good old days.



Back when a smoke was a smoke . . .

See how that works . . . It's a segue (pronounced seg-way).

HERE COMES THE REAL COLUMN!! (AND . . . My wife says this column is much better if you play the video from YouTube while you read it.

Remember when the strongest business relationships were forged by a handshake and a regular face-to-face meeting across a desk? . . . in an office?

Seriously? In an office?

Not so much in 2014.

Today . . . the preferred "get 'r done" business routine generally involves a quick text message between business associates. The text message is brief, concise and implies an urgency that initiates a quick response and solution.

If you have no text savvy, next down the list of preferred communication in today's business exchange between human life forms is the email message. But, an email can be filed and easily ignored . . . and even lost, discarded or inadvertently deleted.

Oh yeah . . . then comes the phone call.

The cell phone has (I think) evolved into more of a driving hands-free personal social tool than a business device. "I'm late . . . be there in 20 minutes" . . . "Where you at?" . . . "I'm in the North end zone wearing a blue hat." . . . "When are you coming home?" . . . What ya wearing?

Too many cell phone business calls (between 9am and 5pm) are just plain "sent to voice mail" because over the last 10 years, there's just too damn many cell phone calls. And everybody's already too busy or too stressed to take another call.

Here's the straight scoop . . .

You need something done today . . . Text me.

You need something done "soon" . . . Email me.

Not sure what you need . . . Call me. (but I won't answer unless you already texted me.)

But one thing for sure . . . FOR GOD'S SAKE --- Don't show up un-announced at my office door and try to shake my hand.

Hell's Bells . . . I'm dressed every day now like it's casual Friday . . . and . . . and I probably didn't even brush my teeth after lunch.

I'm already way too busy not answering my phone,

I'm purposefully ignoring your email from last week and

I'm hassled to the limit because I'm frantically text-messaging the important people in my life . . . I certainly got no time or inclination to deal with face-to-face interruptions.

It's not the 80's any more . . . DUDE!

TEXT ME!