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I learned many lessons from my dad. Some of them were useful, but there is one I’ve had to unlearn.  

When I was a child, I loved Major League Baseball. I even remember taking a transistor radio to school to listen to the World Series games during recess and on my walk home.

This was before major league baseball was broadcast on television — only on the radio, reported by a sportscaster who wasn’t watching the game live. With play-by-play narration and added sound effects (crowds cheering and bats cracking) the sportscaster would make it sound as if he was actually at the game, even though he was just recreating it after the fact. (A little-known story: Ronald Reagan early in his career was a sportscaster recreating games in this way for the Chicago Cubs).

One weekend my dad offered to bet me a nickel that the Yankees would be leading the game 1-0 at the end of the third inning. A strangely specific bet, but I thought my odds were pretty good so I took it. 

When the Yankees were at bat at the top of the third inning the score was 0-0. I felt extremely confident, so I kept betting more and more, until I was risking the hefty sum of $2.50 (money I didn’t have) against my dad’s fifty-five cents.  (I gave him odds, as the game progressed.)

What could possibly go wrong?  Merely a Yankee solo home run, with two outs, in the top of the third inning.

I lost the bet, and was devastated thinking about the hours I would have to pull weeds or perform other chores to earn the money I now owed to my father. An hour later Dad innocently said, “Didn’t Mom tell you?  I had advance information.” My father had known the outcome of the game and had lured me into betting against him to teach me a lesson. 

 He did. 

Perhaps the intended lesson was that I shouldn’t gamble. But at the tender age of eight, I felt as if my father had cheated me, and learned, basically, not to trust my dad.  

And the last time I bet on anything was more than thirty years ago in Las Vegas when I bet $5,000 on the Super Bowl. My team was covering the spread until late in the game. And that’s why I’ve never bet on a sporting event since.

After all, I sit at the gaming table of real estate, five days a week. 

Alan 

Years ago I attended a musical performance at the Ahmanson theater in Los Angeles. About ten minutes into the show, a song that seemed to have racist undertones made me uncomfortable. I told my parents and my wife that I would meet them in the lobby after the show. Maybe my leaving the theater was an act of protest, but also, I found it hard to enjoy a performance that offended me.

And because a ticket is an option, not an obligation, I felt it was not only appropriate to leave, but the right thing to do. Fifteen minutes later my family decided to join me in the lobby.

While I might have purchased a ticket to the show, I was not obligated to stay. I can leave early or stay home and not attend the performance in the first place.

I remind myself of this concept when I am reading a book or watching a movie that isn’t holding my attention. While I might have purchased the book, I’m not obligated to spend any more of my time reading it if it isn’t worthwhile.

This applies to theater tickets and to other investments. Years ago, I was on vacation in Mexico, and I wasn’t enjoying myself. I decided to end the vacation early and head home.
My mom was aghast. “But you have pre-paid reservations at expensive hotels for the next four nights,”

That was true, but just because I had paid in advance for something does not obligate me to use it. There are many unread books on my library shelves.

This concept applies to every aspect of our lives.

Early in my career, I purchased a shopping center in San Dimas. The shopping center turned out to be a nightmare. There were non-stop problems with the tenants and, despite valiant efforts, it was an ongoing headache to manage. After several years of trouble, I decided to walk away at a significant loss. My time was valuable, and I refused to invest further in a center that was never going to bring me anything more than meager returns and many struggles.

Because every moment of life is a gift, we should make choices about how we spend our time accordingly.  If you’re in a relationship that is unhappy, or working in a career that is unsatisfying, maybe you should consider moving on. I encourage you to make the most of your life because it is precious and short!

Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to rooting for the Dodgers in the World Series.  I checked, and they are not playing in San Dimas.

Alan

Years ago I was traveling by boat on Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in South America.

Our guide asked if we would like to visit a family that lived on a floating island made entirely of reeds.  Of course, we said, “Sure.”

The family we visited, it turns out, was the family of our guide. They had lived on a floating island on the lake since before he and his brother were born. As part of the Uros community, their ancestral traditions and lifestyle had been passed down for years.

He told us that he and his brother had to row a boat two hours each day to go to school. That helped me put navigating around Los Angeles into a different perspective. (I used to complain about a thirty-minute walk to school.)

They say that travel is broadening, and I don’t think they’re talking about food (although indulgently dining while away from home can certainly broaden your waistline).  But seeing how other people live, can open your eyes to a variety of new ways of living that are quite different from your own. Especially when experiencing how some people live outside of the United States. Some of these experiences seem quite wonderful, like living on a floating island. But travel also exposes you to hardships and challenges which can make me quite grateful for my own good fortune.

But there are many resourceful ideas – like building an island out of reeds. Years ago, I thought a person could make a living just by importing good ideas and unusual products from one country to another. I expect, some people do. In fact, entire brands have been built on that premise, most notably Pier 1 and World Market.

Talking about travel and seeing the world… Daveen and I like to explore by taking a cruise. You only have to unpack once, and the scenery comes to you. Next year we plan to take a cruise on the Danube River — both ways.

But for now, I’m happy to be at home, which is always my favorite place to come back to. I’m writing this on my cellphone, which is a lot easier to use than my laptop, especially when I’m lying on my bed, relaxing.

My adventure on this beautiful October day?

I’m going to take a walk around the block. See you next week.

Alan