Have you ever had a conversation with someone where you say something, then stop and think, "Whoa, that sounded pretty good/funny/profound/poetic/deep"? That's what this book is - a compilation of those moments in life.
In 2003, I was at my desk working, doing the management thing, talking to an employee and made a comment to illustrate a point to her. She left and I thought, "Hmmm, what did I just say?" I wrote it down on a Post-it(R) note which became number one on the list and the start of a new pile of notes on my desk.
Over the next couple of months, I added more Post-it notes to the pile as I found it entertaining. At some point, I repeated the latest Post-it note to a co-worker. A short time later, she sent me an e-mail with the quote (number 27 on the list) emblazoned on a PowerPoint slide along with graphics she had added to it, making it look suspiciously like the "Home Sweet Home" embroidered wall hanging. I then entered all the Post-it notes to date in a document and began a list entitled "Needlepoint Patterns for the New Millennium". The title evolved from there...
Over time, I became more attentive and more disciplined at writing quotes down before they vanished into the noise of the day. I started writing them on the back of my business cards and collecting these words of wisdom from all aspects of my life, including business, home, parenting, relationships and other areas where nonsense and laughter occurred. I became more prolific and it was the first time I ran out of business cards before my title changed!
As the list grew, so did the document on my laptop. Having spent most of my career in product development, I understood the value of user feedback. I was traveling a lot through 2008 and my favorite time for user input was on an airplane when seated next to a personable passenger. I'd pull up the document and randomly pick a page and we'd read through a dozen or so. I discovered that people were entertained by the list and started thinking about creating a book.
I discussed the development of the book with professionals in various industries, including publishing. They offered up suggestions related to re-ordering, categorizing, explaining and accompanying with illustrations to help the user understand the quotes. In the end, I decided to let the quotes stand on their own. They are listed and numbered based on the order in which each was created. There is no grouping by theme - you never know what the next one will be about. There is no explanation or illustration - you must interpret each one based on your own life experiences. (Some may not have meaning for you until the next day, after sleeping on it!)
As far as I know, these quotes are all original material; I have not copied, borrowed or otherwise included anything quoted by anyone else. Undoubtedly, others may have quoted something similar with the same intent, but not worded the same or included as part of this type of collection. Sure, I've had lots of help from those who've passed through my life, mostly as inspiration and occasionally with word selection to fit on one line. Any similarity to published statements by other (famous) people is purely coincidental and unintentional.
McClure, Neil: - Neil McClure was born in Denver, Colorado and grew up in Northern California. He holds degrees in Electrical/Electronic Engineering, Physics and a Master of Science in Systems Management. Neil began his professional career in the aerospace industry, doing 'rocket science' for a few years. He then moved on to the medical industry, working on devices for patient monitoring. From there, he launched into the entrepreneurial world, which has largely remained the focus of his professional pursuits until the present day. Neil filed his first U.S. patent in December 1995 and now holds over 20 patents across a variety of industries and product types. Most notably was the creation of an electronic voting system that collected more than 15 million votes in the 2016 Presidential election. His current interests and product pursuits are in imaging processing, artificial intelligence, data analytics and GIS-based addressing. Neil currently has a variety of products and pending patents in play. In addition, he advises on technology strategy and develops product requirements for new product development in a variety of industries. Avid recreational interests include water skiing, snow skiing and (bordering on obsession) kite boarding. Neil primarily uses hot yoga and a little free-weight conditioning to maintain his weekend warrior status. He is in excellent physical condition, maintains that he is still reasonably attractive and, not to mention, very modest... Neil married before graduating college, divorced, and cooperatively raised two children to adulthood who provide his greatest sense of accomplishment.
