A one year project to become a better man in America's south
Day 148 – It’s the last day of 2011. You don’t have time to read blog posts and I don’t have time to write, so I’m going to leave you with an end of the year gift, my favorite Avett Brothers tunes.
We had so much fun yesterday touring microbreweries in Asheville, NC. This morning we ate an amazing breakfast, toured a little more and then hit the road for Greenville. I just woke up from a quick nap and in one hour we leave for a big Avett Brothers concert to ring in 2012.
Day 147 – I love Asheville. I’m a conservative who loves Austin, Key West and San Francisco too. Asheville is a southern mountain version of those liberal bastions.
I just stumbled across an amazing fact that has me pumped. Asheville, NC has been rated “Beer City, USA” the last two years because of the large number of microbreweries within the city. From what I hear, those microbreweries are cranking out some seriously amazing beer.
Day 146 – While the ball in Times Square is just two days from being dropped, I look back on the balls I dropped this year. I didn’t find that hobby, learn to play the harmonica, quit cursing or get a six-pack. Watch here:
Day 145 – When it comes to personal blogging, business blogging and Pub Politics, my 2011 was simply to “step it up.” Seeing that Pub Politics viewership is skyrocketing and this is 145th straight day of blogging, I would have to say that I knocked this goal out of the park. Watch this quick video:
Day 144 – One of my top goals of the year was to “build the business 3 times its current size.” Watch this quick video to see how I did. As always, thank you so much for reading my blog. You guys made 2011 such a fun year!
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Day 143 – I certainly didn’t make all of my resolutions become reality. I dropped the ball on a good many of them. This week is my ‘year in review’ as we head into the new year.
Last January I resolved to travel more, both within the United States and abroad. I certainly did that.
The year started off pretty slow as I was busy with the South Carolina legislature, but it picked up and I spent more time on airplanes this year than I ever had before.
Day 142 – It’s a creepy question. It makes you sound like a creeper. Quit asking. Please.
Today I finished ‘Start Something That Matters’ by TOM’s Chief Shoe Giver (or CEO) Blake Mycoskie. One section that really stuck out to me was titled “the timing is never right.” Ain’t that the truth?!?
Mycoskie writes “one of the key fears that we all have the fear that this is the wrong time to start whatever our project is and we should wait until the time is right.” Mycoskie then quotes Tim Ferris, author of best-selling ‘The 4-Hour Workweek:”
Day 141 – Really trying to stay off the computer today so that I can spend some time with the family on Christmas Eve. I just wanted to say Merry Christmas. During all the gift giving, pause to give glory to the one who was born a man for the sole purpose of dying for you. He truly is the greatest wonder.
Day 140 – Everything changed when I turned 30. I realized that my life could be half over and that it was time to pick up the pace.
I traveled a little bit, but I had not seen so many parts of the world.
I was working hard, but building someone else’s company. They traveled the country and made a name for themselves while I stayed locked up as the workhorse.
I sacked away half my paycheck for a retirement I may never see.
Why all the doom and gloom and talk of an early death?
Day 139 – Any day in Charleston, South Carolina is going to be a good day, even if its just for a few hours.
After spending some time in the office, recording Congressman Wilson, getting taped by Nancy Mace (more on that sometime later) and meeting with David Asiamah about his Columbia Blogger Series, I hit the road with Elizabeth for our Christmas break in Charleston. Tonight we spent time with some of our best friends, Kristin and Jason Fry, to exchange gifts.
Day 138 – I’m a firm believer that the best Christmas presents are drank or eaten. The memory of enjoying an Omaha Steak and a good glass of wine is far better than the new Dust Devil sitting under the Christmas tree. When I can shake a wrapped gift and clearly hear liquid sloshing around, I get pretty excited. Unless of course I open it up and it’s a bottle of pine-sol to complement the new Dust Devil. Fun Christmas.
As I get older, the gifts I need start to get more mundane and less exciting, so eating and drinking the holidays away is always a perfect time to experiment with new culinary fascinations.
Day 137 – Yesterday I wrote about my plans to expand Donehue Direct and really start tackling my challenge to be the best, and most influential Internet and political consulting firm in the country. In a Pinkie and the Brain mentality, my plan is to take over the world.
So naturally, as any good plan for expansion would incorporate, I’ve been thinking about the managerial structure of my vision and how I’m going to realize it’s full potential. As it seems like I’ve been working towards perfecting every detail, it’s actually only raised a whole new set of challenges and it’s added a new level of stress that I really didn’t anticipate.
Day 136 – Since I started Donehue Direct, technology has been my number one concern. Politics is second, because the message is irrelevant if it’s not being pushed through the right channels. It’s a concept that has been a disadvantage to conservatives for far too long, and I’ve made it a point to educate and advise our clients on every simple (and complex) aspect of technological mastery possible. I’ll admit, the Republican Party is not on the cutting edge, and in this era it might not possibly kill us, but it will kill us. Being a great candidate, having great policy, and being electable is increasingly irrelevant if you’re unfamiliar with “The facebook and the twitter”.
Day 135 – Last week we had the pleasure of having some “firsts” for Pub Politics. In the spirit of Christmas, Phil and Wesley challenged fans, viewers, friends and family to get together to raise money for the Carolina Children’s Home. We’re not going to brag about who’s winning at the moment, but let’s just say the partisan reflection of donations and the current partisan composition of government are eerily similar.
Day 134 – One thing I left out yesterday about the value of an oyster roast is the perfection known as the oyster shooter. It’s as American as apple pie. Or maybe more Charlestonian perhaps. I don’t really know either way.
Day 133 – We’re having an exciting year over here at Donehue Direct. As we grow, it seems that sometimes I have to take a step back and realize why I got into the consulting and politics business in the first place. Work is work, but there’s also the human need to unwind- as the workload increases and campaign season starts, I know I definitely have to cool off and have a few laughs or else we’re going to go crazy with polls and twitter updates.
Day 132 – So, it seems that I’ve said something else that made the news. Big surprise there…huh?
I don’t have a whole lot of time to write today because I have a bunch of SC Tea Party activists up in arms. They’re all upset that I’ve insulted the charachter of one of their peers, as if no member of the Tea Party is capable of wrongdoing.
Day 131 – During this time of year when someone says “three wise men” we typically think of those magi who took gold, frankincense and myrrh to our Lord Jesus Christ. But today Phil Bailey learned about a different three wise men – Jack Daniels, Jim Beam and Jose Cuervo.
Ugh…sounds disgusting, right? It is. That’s what Phil gets for getting his but kicked in the Pub Politics Charity Challenge.
Today I just want to say THANK YOU! Like the three wise men, you delivered gifts to a child in need.
Day 130 – It’s Tuesday. You know what that means. Another segment of Pub Politics on WACH Fox.
No time to write today because Donehue Direct is in the weeds. I’ll just ask one more time – PLEASE GIVE. We are raising money this week for the Carolina Children’s Home and we want your help. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE give to these children. They are going through straight Hell and they need our help.
Day 129 – Another Monday. Another week full of work.
This week is very special because Phil and I are raising money for a great cause – Carolina Children’s Home.
This cause means a lot to me. The Carolina Children’s Home houses kids who have had a really harsh childhood. Many of these kids come from the worst environments imaginable, full of drugs and violence. It means a lot because I too had a pretty harsh childhood. If not for an extraordinary loving mother, my sister and I could have easily fell into this type situation too.
