Reach - Then Teach

Dear Hannah,I bought a house in 2009, and started to "grow up" (at the age of 40).No more labs and warehouses in my apartment ... at least no permanent ones.No space to store 60 desktop PCs.Only a small office that I now wanted to look like an office (most of the time).It had a double-door closet, and room for 2 small bookshelves and a big desk.I knew I could make it work, though, if I made my main *computer* and closet into the new lab and the warehouse ... Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,The year after I graduated high school (1988), I returned home and went to an auction sponsored by my old school district.They were auctioning old band instruments and instrument cases.I walked in to see my old high school assistant principal asking for bids on a baritone saxophone.No one was bidding.He turned and saw me, knew that I had been on the marching band, and asked me if I would bid $1.I said "yes" ... Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,I had a dream.I wanted to make movies like Spike Lee ... without appearing in them.I wanted to make music like Quincy Jones ... produce albums with my name on them (but not using my voice).I wanted to take pictures like Gordon Parks - for Web sites and CD / DVD slideshows, not magazines ... because I was not big on printing photos (too much ink).I wanted to make a Black Yahoo! (powered by Black Google) to catalog the African Internet experience.Believe it or not - I did each of these in my home ... powered by computers ... Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,Let's get this out of the way first.It is correct and proper to say "the data show us".It sounds awkward, though.It is more useful (and less awkward) to say "the data shows".See what I did there?I illustrated the biggest problem I discovered during my introduction to the world of "big data".I saw data used to engage in shallow, silly arguments about who and what is "correct" ... when there are far more useful, simpler pursuits to engage.So, I have stopped using the word "data" ...Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,I have bought and sold my favorite things (textbooks, calculators, athletic apparel, laptops, tablets, and cameras) on eBay since 1998.Several years ago, I created an analytic algorithm to help me identify items that I could buy low and sell high.It works ... Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,The computer is my ultimate weapon.It facilitates all of my consulting prowess.It allows me to vertically integrate and manage my operation - as a solo artist.It is my employee, warehouse, heavy lifting machinery, and consultant.I am good at repairing and maintaining them, and better than average at using them.This combo of complementary skills is valuable.I have made good money repairing and maintaining computers.I have made even more money providing IT solutions to independent startup schools.It makes a lot of sense to focus my consulting on providing these solutions to other smaller business clients in my neighborhood.It makes even more sense to offer these services to small business people that I know.Here's what I know now ...Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,I have reached life's proverbial "crossroads".I have learned who I am ... what I want to do ... and how to do it.For the record, I will facilitate hope, healing, and change through small-group discipleship and "standup storytelling".This ministry will create and publish learning content that can be sold to generate revenue.Here's what I have not figured out.I need to buy some more time to market and finance this ministry.I believe that I can buy that time by marketing and leveraging "me" and my unique consulting expertise.But I need to be careful about that pursuit.Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,I am Keisha's husband.I am your father.My name means "leader of his people".I am a "standup storyteller".I fuse rap, spoken word (poetry), oration (traditional public speaking), singing, and teaching into messages of hope, healing, and change that I write, direct, and produce to help people who help people.Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,Everything must change - and STAY changED.Change begins with me and the renewing of my mind.It then continues through efforts to effect small-group discipleship (equipping others to equip others).Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,Sometimes the cause masks the agenda.Sometimes our agendas mask our issues.Count all the costs of victory.Conquer conceit, then conquer defeat.Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,Freedom ain't free.Financing my projects required buying lots of time.That meant Daddy had to leave home to hustle while Mommy was at home during the Summer.This helped us learn how to craft our exit plan before we entered.Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,Some of my best ideas (including songs like "Daddy's Gon' Get The Milk") have come to me while taking you for walks.Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,I film and write about hope, healing, and change.The cameras I use (Flip cameras) and the best 3 pieces I have written ("Johney", "U Can't See Me", and "Stand Your Ground") each have stories worth sharing.Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,I believed in the plan I had crafted, but knew that its success depended on time and finance.I had to literally buy enough time to reach the goals via "Working From Home".Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,I believed in the plan I had crafted, but knew that its success depended on time and finance.I had to literally buy enough time to reach the goals via ..."The Wedding Planner""Peacemaker""Selling Lesson Plans?""Music To My Ears""Without A Song""Lights, Camera, Action"Love,Daddy

Dear Hannah,I needed to change my approach to handling myself and others - and its hidden impact on my career and interpersonal interactions.My period of self-reflection concluded that my ...1. Discourse skills should generate hope, healing, and change - not despair, vitriol, and strife. I needed to put myself in situations conducive to my virtues, not my vices.2. Mentoring skills could be refined by mentoring more (and being mentored more) - again, in situations that I defined and vetted.3. Mediation skills (in my personal conflicts) were a weakness that I needed to convert into a strength (by resolving that weakness).4. Problem solving skills might always lead me into ambiguous, unstable situations that breed poor adult relationships. I needed to learn how to limit my exposure to those situations.5. I had to learn how to generate revenue by selling products and services that I created - not via employment wages.These lessons helped me set the following goals ...1. I would resolve to write and speak on theme

Dear Hannah,I have written and sold two magazine articles.One was about how I financed my college education.That was published in 1994.The other was about coming home to take care of our newborn daughter (Hannah), and to become "me" on a full-time basis.I learned the same lesson twice with these experiences.You must tell your own story.When you sell stories, the purchaser turns your story into the one they want to tell ... the one that they think will sell.In their version, you may become a much tamer, controllable, sanitized version of yourself.Your voice may morph into their voice.So why put yourself through this?Well, one part of my story they did not edit was my byline ..."Derrick Brown's (derrick.s.brown@att.net) "standup storytelling" about love, change, equality, power, (self-)control, and purpose can be found at http://reachthenteach.com ."This will allow anyone who wants "the rest of the story" to connect with us to learn it.That opportunity is valuable, and may be worth the pain of being edited beyo

Dear Hannah,My name is Derrick (Brown).I am Keisha’s husband.I am Hannah’s father.I am a “standup storyteller”.I fuse rap, spoken word (poetry), oration (traditional public speaking), singing, and teaching into messages of hope, healing, and change that I write, direct, and produce to help people who help people.I know that change begins with me - and the renewing of my mind ...... then continues through efforts to effect small-group discipleship (equipping others to equip others) with audiences that respect and embrace mentoring, mediation, and problem solving as tools of change.During the last 2 years, I have produced 2 "standup storytelling" albums, and have created two works for the stage.We now want to host, record, broadcast (via YouTube) and podcast (via Blubrry) live monthly “standup storytelling” productions that present 5-7 short stories spun by several brave tellers that align with the evening’s theme.Season 1’s themes will include “My Friends Don’t Know That I …”, “Commencement”, “LEarning”, and “

Dear Hannah, I have often been advised about, admonished for, and accused of using a pedagogical, lecturing tone - especially when I am directly involved in a conflict. Point taken as one to grow on anytime someone gives that feedback - regardless of our conflict and their intentions. I have also often been taken to task about that pedagogical, lecturing tone by people who - for whatever reason - object to my authority. I have learned the hard way that while I may sound like an authority to many, I do not look like an authority to any. Lots of us listen and think with our eyes - and are often easily fooled. Love, Daddy

Dear Hannah, I have a track record of cutting people off - and then leaving it like that. I do not let anyone or anything get me warm twice. Carrying the burden of offense is a hard way to live, though. This is a little more subtle than unforgiveness - but can be just as burdensome. When I carry offense, sometimes nothing major has happened ... but I often decide that I will not allow anything at all to happen with the person who offended me. That may take it too far. If I am merciless in judgement, then I will be shown no mercy. (James 2:13) So the need for boundaries is clear, but I am learning to stop short of finishing my stories of teaching people how to treat me with "piercing periods". I am learning how to finish them with "kind question marks". Love,Daddy