Last week, my family and I stayed at the Rosen Shingle Creek. It’s an amazing hotel in the Orlando area that is at the very start of the waters that starts the Florida Everglades. The owner of the hotel, Harris Rosen, is an icon in Orlando and a real philanthropist. I had the opportunity to interview him while I was there.  One of the things he told me was a message I’d like to send to Donald Trump - stop being so #&@& selfish! The Donald COULD give some real money away - after all, as my new friend Harris said, “How much money do you need?”

What Rosen has accomplished is “Peanuts” in comparison to the BIG guys (his words). I am not sure that the citizens of Tangelo Park would agreed (he’s give some 300 students full ride college scholarships to students who stayed in school to graduate from high school). I am not sure the college students who attended “alternative” spring break guests at the Shingle Creeek would agree. I am not sure that the many charites in central Florida who have been recipients of his generostiy would agree. I am I quite sure The Donald who seems to enjoy flaunting his money more than sharing it would agree. Personally, I’d like to see more of Harris Rosen and much less of anyone named Trump. Do you agree?

As you may know, MAY is Melanoma Awareness month. Each May, I put on my clergy rob and become the “Minister of Melanoma”. You might too if you lost your best friend to this disease as I did ten years ago. Although losing your best friend is about as bad as it gets in relationships, I ferverently believe that on the other side of adversity is always something better. The something better is his death is that many lives have been saved and many people educated about the dangers of too much sun exposure. Our melanoma foundation has cosponsored symposiums with leading melanoma researchers from all over the world attending. An association of melanoma researchers has been formed AND people are getting it.

In the last few weeks, I have traveled to Daytona Beach, FL where we held the 11th annual Rayz Awareness run. I have also traveled to Fort Collins, CO where I ran in the Bill Walter Melanoma Research 5K that was held at the school Bill’s son attends. It was cool to see his son up on stage talking, registering runners, and finishing 8th out of 200 runners (I surprised myself and finished 24th - not bad for a VERY occasional runner). If you happen to be local and want to help, please let me know. We are having a 5K and 10K run June 14th at the Rush Fitness Center. Soon details will be up on Rayz Awareness website.  

On the way home from Florida, my family and I stopped in Macon. After a full breakfast at our hotel, we began our journey for home. Along the way, we stopped at Ebeneerer Baptist Church when Dr. Martin Luther King had served as co-paster until his death. Early in 2008, I made a resolution to attend a church different than my own. It was an amazing experience and one in which I write more on later.

It’s graduation time and I my first graduation speech last week.  My professional speaker buddy Beth Terry sent a link to a great clip on failure (one of the points I discussed in my speech). Watch the video of famous people who failed here (President Grant, Abraham Lincoln, Walt Disney, Michael Jordan, Thomas Edison)

Today is National Bike to Work Day sponsored by the American League of Bicyclist. It’s also Elected Officials Appreciation Day. I have an idea: next year, combine the two - ride your bike to work WITH your elected official. They just might learn something from you and you just MIGHT be able to help them get a snapshot of your world. IF there happens to be anyone who rode their bike with an elected official to work today OR if you are an elected official and you rode your bike to work today, be the first to contact me by Friday May 23rd and I will send a fify dollar US Savings Bond to the charity of your choosing OR to a worthy college kid OR to the Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation. Bike on…I will tomorrow in Tour de Blount and off now to an appointment…on my bike.

BTW, I am speaking to a group of high school students tonight for their high school graduation. My topic is 18 Things to do BEFORE you turn 18. I have written the speech but have left 4 of the 18 open for whatever moves me at the moment. What would you tell an 18 year old to do in the next 18 years if you were giving the speech?  I am also giving them a list of some of 18 - 36 “must read” books. Many of the suggestions are from my own experience and some are coming from my professional speaker colleagues. What books would you suggest to an 18 that will shape their thinking, inspire them and challenge them to greatness?

Recently, at a speech for NAIFA Georgia, several of the participants recommended some of their “RICH” reads. These are books that impaced them and their business.  Check them out and add your suggestions.

It’s Easier to Succeed Than to Fail by Truett Cathy (founder of Chick-fil-A)

The Psychology of Winning by Dennis Waitley

What Makes the Great Great by Dennis Kimbro, Ph.D.

High Probability Selling by Jacques Werth

Made to Stick by Chip Heath & Dan Heath

Effective Listening Skills by Art James & Dennis Kratz

Trump:  The Art of the Deal by Donald J. Trump & Tony Schwartz

Heaven by Randy Alcorn

The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck

The Bible 

What I am reading now:

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch and Jeffrey Zaslow

I saw a clip this am on FOX News about super model Cindy Crawford and an organization called Thirsty for Change. Click on video of Cindy Crawford if you like to watch Cindy in action (and no, it’s NOT a Sports Illustrated Swim Suit video). It never ceases to amaze me how many cool things people are doing to help others.