MattMunnell.com

I don’t

I wonder if Alexander Hamilton did?

I never want to be

I wonder if Alexander Hamilton did?

If I am we’re in trouble

This is not a post about Alexander Hamilton. (we’ve been rewatching and registering to the movie and soundtrack)

I have many smart friends and co-workers. I thoroughly enjoy being around smart people. Smart people make me think and, believe it or not, I like thinking – even if it hurts. So I try to surround myself with smart people. In my career(s) I wanted smart folks all around me. They made me and what we were doing better. Same with my friend group.

My skill, what I add to a room/gathering of smart people (if I do say so myself), is that I can get people talking. I’m an instigator – and I hope in the best way possible. I am not a flame-throwing but I will say things to get people to start thinking and talking. I am not the most elegant – in my speech and my writing. I don’t use big words and my sentences are short…easily understood. This makes people comfortable – at least I think so – and when people are comfortable, especially smart people, they will start to talk. To offer their opinions and thoughts on whatever the subject is in front of us.

And that’s cool

And that’s where the magic happens.

And that’s why I came back to write this blog. To get smart people talking.

It’s a scary and challenging time right now. As I have stated before, I feel as if the great American experiment is under attack. However, if we can talk about things – really talk about them without attacking, with active listening and facts that can be backed up, we can push back the attack and continue the experiment.

I have really enjoyed the comments to my posts. As I said, I have some really smart folks as friends and I appreciate that some of them have offered their thoughts and opinions. I hope you all continue to do so. The battles are too big to remain silent. I know many folks do not like to talk about politics and/or what’s happening in the state, country and world but staying quiet doesn’t help. I used to want to be that way but I owe it to my girls and my granddaughter to, at the very least, put down my thoughts and actions and provoke thoughts and actions from others so that they, my daughters and granddaughter, can see that it’s ok to speak up and join the fight – even if you aren’t the smartest in the room.

Don’t throw away your shot…

(now let’s go finish watching Hamilton for the 563,286th time)