“Tim needs to listen more and stop talking over his classmates. While we appreciate his enthusiasm he needs to give the other kids a chance to participate, too.”

I’m not sure exactly when this started showing up in my report cards but I can certainly remember back to at least the 3rd grade. My hunch is that it’s been there even longer.

Last year, US congress passed the Biggert-Waters Act, calling on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and other agencies to make a number of changes to the way the current National Flood Insurance Plan operates. The act, which is commonly known as the Flood Insurance Reform Act, obliges insurance providers to amend rates to reflect true flood risk, thus making the program more financially stable.

Over the summer, I joined the Indiana chapter of Young President’s Organization (YPO). It’s been great for sharing ideas and experiences with the 80 or so other members.

A few weeks ago I attended the annual chapter retreat, held this year at Purdue University. We had a private dinner with former Indiana Governor and current Purdue President Mitch Daniels. The athletic director talked about the business behind NCAA sports. And head men’s basketball coach Matt Painter spent an hour walking us through the life of a “D1” coach, the recruiting process and pressure to perform in big time athletics.

With Grandparent’s Day on Sunday, I want to honor my last living grandparent, ninety year old Dorothy Gerber. Not only is Grandma Dorothy an amazing woman, she also is officially the biggest and most devoted fan of my blog.

She devotedly commented on my first ever stab at blogging. It was entitled “Defining and Living Core Beliefs” from January 30, 2013. Using her original free Juno email handle from the early 1990s, she found her way to my site and then posted this: “Good job Tim. I am proud of you and Gibson.”