Life's Worth Living in Fort Smith, Arkansas

Hello from beautiful Fort Smith, Arkansas!!! That’s right, nine years after I came to “Hell on the Border” for a CUTCO regional training; I am back . . . And ready to count some fishing lures (seriously)!!! Now for those of you who haven’t been to the Ft. Smith Regional Airport, it is straight out of a 1980’s Southern Baptist church foyer. But I shouldn’t rag on Ft. Smith. Janice at the Budget rental car was super friendly. And the Courtyard here seems well kept and relatively new.

If I had more time to explore, I might visit Miss Laura’s Social Club, the only former “house of ill-repute” that is on the National Register of Historic Places!! Somehow, I don’t think a souvenir t-shirt would be appropriate at the next church family picnic.

I had a brief layover in Memphis and treated myself to half a rack of ribs at Jim Neely’s Interstate BBQ (I usually opt for pulled pork). I love me some BBQ. If someone asks me where to eat BBQ in Memphis, I’ll recommend Interstate over Rendezvous (OVERRATED!) every time.

I know people say this all the time, but the meat fell off the bone! I’m no BBQ expert, but apparently you don’t want your BBQ to fall off the bone?? I still thought they tasted great. The slaw was chopped fine, a bit runny, but still got me a little nostalgic. The baked beans (with smoky pieces of pulled pork) were awesome. The sweet tea, ehhh . . . sorry Memphis, Birmingham has ya beat.

Also on the flight from BHM to Memphis, was University of Wisconsin’s head wrestling coach, Barry Davis. Very nice gentleman, and we had a good discussion about Malcolm Gladwell (I started Blink on the flight . . . finished Moneyball last Friday). I guess you never know when you’re going to sit next to an Olympic Medalist???

How to Read a Book

I have a problem starting books and not finishing them. I know this isn’t anything unique about myself and probably happens to a good bit of the American population, but in the last year or so I’ve started (then stopped, about half-way through):

• The Intelligent Investor (excellent analysis/commentary, but very dense and technical)
  
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (I read the first three straight, and I guess burned out)
  
• Blood Meridian (Southern literature done hard to read)
  
• The Tipping Point (I will say I started this during Busy Season 2k9, and I’m actually close to finishing)
  

One author I really like and who I’ve actually finished two of his books (the Blind Side and Liar’s Poker) is Michael Lewis. This afternoon, I read an article he wrote last December (2008) on the End of the Wall Street Boom (a follow up of sorts to 1990’s Liar’s Poker). If you have a spare 20 minutes or so (I’m actually waiting on client information at the moment) and want some interesting perspective on the “sub-prime mortgage meltdown” and how that affected our global financial markets, I’d highly recommend it.*

Speaking of Michael Lewis (and Malcolm Gladwell), the LOML went to a local book store yesterday and picked me up Moneyball and Blink. Sadly, this bookseller just announced they are closing their doors, but lucky for you and me that means EVERYTHING IS 50% OFF!!

* If you didn’t see Jon Stewart interview Jim Kramer last week on the Daily Show, I’d also highly recommend you check it out!! Seriously, it is AWESOME!!