Balance

I have been thinking alot about balance lately.  Balance plays a part in every part of our life and we are in constant motion trying to achieve balance even while at rest.

You have to have good foot work and balance in order to be successful at many sports.  If you have bad balance, you are often out of position or have bad technique. 

At work, we balance time, projects, and customers.  I am constantly are trying to find balance between working with a customer trying to achieve what they want and what the insurance company will allow.   I have been doing this for 15 years and I am still trying to find balance in what I do and not falling short of expectations.  I admit that to this day that I make mistakes and I am not infallible.

At home, I am constantly trying to find a balance of bringing work home and spending time with my family.  I often fall short in spending enough time working on my relationship with my wife and kids.  I need to get in better shape so I am there for my family down the road.  I need to spend more time with my God. 

Everything I said above may seem random, but these are thoughts I have on a regular basis.  I am sure you have similar thoughts and are also looking for balance.  I leave you with some quotes about balance.

"We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives... not looking for flaws, but for potential." Ellen Goodman, wisdom found in New Years Achievements

"We have overstretched our personal boundaries and forgotten that true happiness comes from living an authentic life fueled with a sense of purpose and balance." Dr. Kathleen Hall, A Life in Balance

"Life's demands may not slow up any time soon, and learning life balance is an ongoing art. If you think one day you will get it all done, and then you can relax, you are bound to be disappointed." Christina Winsey-Rudd

Things to consider when renting a car.

There are some things you should consider the next time you rent a vehicle.

1)  Named insured vs. driver.  If you are listed as a named insured on an auto policy, the same coverage on your insured vehicle will extend to a vehicle you rent.  If you are listed only as a driver but not a named insured on your auto policy, the auto insurance does not extend to a rented vehicle.

2)  Type of vehicle.  If you are renting a private passenger vehicle, coverage from your auto policy will extend to the rented vehicle.  If you are renting a moving van or truck, your auto insurance will not extend coverage to the rented moving vehicle.  We recommend that you take the rental carriers insurance.

3)  Their Coverage or Yours.  Every rental carrier is different, but there are potential gaps in coverage if you rely on your personal auto policy to extend coverage to a rented vehicle.  Always discuss with the rental carrier the insurance they offer on their vehicles.  We always recommend that you accept the rental carriers insurance to alleviate any coverage gaps or hassles with the rental car carrier.

If you have any questions on this, give me a call and we can discuss it in more detail.

A great day for Bradley athletics.  Anthony Parker back on campus to accept his place in basketball Hall of Fame.  Congratulations Anthony!  We were also able to reconnect with Billy Wright, Aaron Zobrist, and Coach Mo.  Follow that up with a win vs Texas Pan-American and I have to say I had quite the fun day!  I have to say that doing the Bradley games on radio with Dave Snell are a lot of fun and I can't believe they pay me for this!

Information on home insurance

Home insurance has become complicated in the last year.  Insurance companies have been losing money on home insurance for a long time.  In the past, insurance companies used profits from auto insurance premiums to subsidize home insurance losses.  Those days are gone as the economy has slowed and the profits from auto insurance have decreased.

The home insurance industry, as a whole, is taking steps to “stop the bleeding”.  Some companies are increasing premiums or charging for coverage that was previously included at no charge (i.e. water or sewer back-up).  Premium increases of 10-15% or more have been common.  Some companies are forcing higher deductibles.  Some companies are increasing premium and forcing higher deductibles.

There are ways to lower your home insurance premium.  Call us to review your insurance and discuss discounts you may be eligible to add to your policies. 

Comments on Bradley vs Upper Iowa

I was having a discussion with a devoted Bradley fan about Bradley's performance against Upper Iowa.  The concern was about rebounding and how it is a reflection of desire and effort on the team.  I agree that 1 offensive rebound is not good enough, but we are in preseason year 2 of the Geno Ford era and it was an exhibition.  Exhibition games are meant to work out the kinks before the season starts.  The exhibition provided a great deal of information on things that need to be focused on in practice.  Let's look at some positives from Upper Iowa.

• Bradley shot 56% (25-45) for the game
• Bradley shot 59% (10-17) from 3-point range
• Bradley forced 24 turnovers
• Bradley had a 20 point lead and won by 14 points while sitting 3 regular players. 

The team you saw play against Upper Iowa is not the team you will see for the balance of the season.  You, the fans, have not seen this team play as a complete group.  In speaking to Geno, this team is already way ahead of last year's team with regards to playing together and having a sense of team.  Is the team where it needs to be yet?  No, but change takes time.  While exciting change is happening at Bradley, it may not translate into a lot more wins this season.

Remember this?  This was my career at Bradley University.
1991-1992          7-23
1992-1993          11-16
1993-1994          22-8      NIT
1994-1995          20-10    NIT
1995-1996          22-8      MVC conference champion, NCAA

I have seen the rebuilding process first hand.  I know it is hard now, but you have to believe in the process.  Bradley will be a power in the Valley again.  Go Braves!

"Once a Brave Always a Brave"

I have been extremely blessed in my life with opportunities professionally and a family life that is loving and supportive. I was recently accounced as the new color commentator for Bradley men's basketball with Dave Snell on WMBD radio. Nixon Insurance is helping me juggle my time away with technology that allows me to work with you, our customers, in a more virtual environment. This is a wonderful opportunity to combine my insurance work, love for basketball, and Bradley University. Go Braves!

While I am extremely excited about this new opportunity, the excitement is also taken with a grain of salt. I have always been lucky that I have not had to travel much for work. I have always been involved with my kids by either helping with homework, or following them in sports. Sports are a fun and easy was to communicate with kids. I wish I could say the same for homework, but who knew that I was going to have to go through middle school and high school again.

In accepting this new position, I will be away from my family a great deal and limited in helping them with their homework, teaching them something new in sports, or just being around for my wife and kids.
So here is your assignment for today:

1. Tell someone you love them (wife, girlfriend, mom and dad, sister or brother).
2. If you have kids, give them a hug and spend time with them. They are only kids for a little while and you will miss that time when it's gone.