Observant readers may have noticed the brief caesura in my word of the day posts. I neglected to post on Friday because the day was so very busy. I’ll have to save that word and use it later… it’s a good one.

Here’s today’s word of the day:

Word of the Day for Saturday July 30, 2005

  caesura \sih-ZHUR-uh; -ZUR-\, noun;
  plural caesuras or caesurae \sih-ZHUR-ee; -ZUR-ee\:

  1.  A  break or pause in a line of verse, usually occurring in
  the  middle  of  a line, and indicated in scanning by a double
  vertical line; for example, "The proper study || of mankind is
  man" [Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man].
  2. Any break, pause, or interruption.

Update: Joel wrote an explanation in the comments. I’ve included it below.

Ok, here is the short description. I was trying to arrest a guy who was trying to kill his estranged wife. In the process, I am ran over, and my left leg is crushed, multiple compound fractures. Suspect, John W. James, is eventually shot and arrested, lives, and is sentenced to 30 total years.

After many emotional states of wondering if I would walk again, and my leg breaking in half a year and a half later while trying to play basketball, I get to the point where I am accepting of everything that has occurred. Because of the permanent partial disability and severe arthritus in my knee, I am given a rather large workers compensation settlement which is then invested in our restaurant.

Had I not been ran over, there would never have been an opportunity for me to open a restaurant, particularly one this big and this nice. John James meant it for evil, but God meant it for good, thus the scripture (now underneath our textured wall), Genesis 50:20.

The Springfield Cardinals are hosting the first Appreciation Night for all Season Ticket holders on Friday, July 29, at Hammons Field! Enjoy a night on us, with free food and soft drinks, exclusive clubhouse tours, a movie on the video board, and a live broadcast of the St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game. Gates will open at 6:30 p.m. with the movie beginning at 7:15 p.m.

Could I be more excited? Free food, play catch on the field, run the bases, watch Field of Dreams on the Jumbo Tron, tour the club house… free food…

More about this photo

I go to Wal-Mart late at night, about an hour before shift change. Lately, when I go to the Supercenter on South Campbell the checkers are grumpy. A tired checker told me all about how someone who had come to work after her had just gotten off before she did. Gripe Gripe Gripe. A few days later, two checkers completely ignored me while complaining to each other about getting off work 15 minutes late. Gripe Gripe Gripe.

Then I went to the Nixa Supercenter. It was the same time, an hour before shift change. Two checkers were smiling and chatting with each other and customers. One said, “Oh well, guess we don’t get a break.” The other one grinned and said, “We’re tough, we don’t need breaks.” The first checker enthusiastically replied, “That’s right, my back is strong!”

The associates at each Wal-Mart were dealing with the same work issues. But their responses were completely opposite. What made the difference?

Seth Godin wrote about a similar topic:Inside and Outside

You’ve gotten used to the coffee posts, the park reviews, the tech tangents, the sleepless rants… well here comes a new topic of discussion… Marketing!

Seth Godin is the author of a book I’m reading. Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable.

Here are a few ideas I’ve picked up from his book and blog.

The good news is that while it’s almost impossible to blow people away with an ad campaign or a coupon or even a product, the bar is set so astonishingly low for managers that it’s pretty easy to blow people away by enabling your staff to be amazing, honest and happy at the same time. - Seth Godin’s Blog

Design matters, style matters, extras matter. -Godin’s blog

What extras matter to you when it comes to a restaurant?

We are too busy to pay attention to advertising.

There are four kinds of customers. Prospects, cutomers, loyal customers, and former customers.¹

What does it take to make you a “loyal customer?”

1. Purple Cow by Seth Godin[back]

Ok… let’s see… AOL=Evil. The only thing those CDs are good for is decorating your walls.¹ Like many terrible habits, it is easy to get hooked on AOL and very difficult to get off. Lifehacker is here to help: How To Cancel Your AOL Account.

1. ¹When I worked at Evangel, Erle and I collected hundres of AOL cds. We planned on covering the entire office with them. [back]