Starting (and Staying) Strong By Matt Drewes, Thomsen & Nybeck, P.A., Attorneys
C
ommunity Living Magazine’s baseball-oriented themes continue in this issue as spring changes to summer and we continue to celebrate the excitement of Major League Baseball’s All Star Game coming to Minnesota this summer. By this time, the baseball season is fully under way, and amazingly All-Star balloting has been going on for about a month already by early May. We hope finally to see some warmer weather, to get “out-of-doors,” and to get some fresh air and relieve our dyspepsia (it means indigestion, or heartburn — I looked it up). While summer may feel like a time to relax and unwind for many, we should see competition start to heat up on the diamond as major league teams look to start strong. Teams and fans both should begin to see the results of the decisions their front offices made throughout the offseason and spring training. Individual players may be fighting to establish themselves or hold their roster spots against younger stars making an impression in the minor leagues. And some of the best and brightest young prospects will start to make their major league debuts as June rolls around (although we’ll have to wait at least another year to see Twins’ rising star Miguel Sano, as he loses a year to Tommy John surgery). By the time you receive this magazine, you may be learning the results of any decisions or changes your community made during the “offseason,” such as changes in service providers or performing new projects. Earl Weaver once said that baseball is the greatest game of all because “[y]ou can’t sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You’ve got to throw the ball over the . . . plate and give the other man his chance.” You can’t 4
Minnesota Communit y Living
“I see great things in baseball. It’s our game — the American game. It will take our people out-of-doors, fill them with oxygen, give them a larger physical stoicism. Tend to relieve us from being a nervous, dyspeptic set. Repair these losses, and be a blessing to us” — Walt Whitman (and don’t want to) just run out the clock on your own summer, either. We want to promote your community associations’ efforts to put what you’re learning about your communities into practice. Evaluate how things are working. Are projects are staying on schedule? Are people and materials performing as hoped and intended? Are procedures that are currently in place working as they should, or should there be a change in direction in any given area? There also are ongoing opportunities for team members to make an impression and prove their worth. At the same time, we want to start recognizing those who are excelling. CAI’s nominating process will begin for its annual Vision Awards.
Now that you’re seeing your personnel and plans in action, hopefully your team is starting strong, and you’re gaining useful information from the performance you’re seeing from them. There still is work to be done, and hopefully there are ways you can use what you’ve learned so far to improve performance. The last thing you want is dyspepsia resulting from poor performance by those on whom you rely to get the job done. Also, be sure to nominate those you feel deserve to be recognized at the upcoming Vision Awards, and let CAI-MN know if there are all-stars or future stars in the form of volunteers, property mangers, or service providers who may deserve separate recognition in the upcoming “AllStar” edition of Community Living magazine.
2014 MCL Magazine Themes & Editorial Schedule
Are you interested in contributing an article to an edition of the MCL? We take the time to consider each article that is submitted for publication in CAI-MN’s magazine. So if you enjoy writing, enjoy researching industry topics, or want to share your findings on a discovery you’ve made, then feel free to contact us and submit your article. Articles can be sent to montea@cai-mn.com. This year’s magazine themes and article deadlines are listed below.
July/August
Theme: “All-Star Game” Topics: Promoting all-stars in HOA, honoring employees, growing business
November/December
Theme: “Off-Season” Topics: Evaluating the year, analyzing strategy, looking ahead to next year Article Deadline: September 1, 2014
September/October
Theme: “Post-Season” Topics: Budgets, finishing the year strong Article Deadline: July 1, 2014
Announcement for Current & Potential Advertisors
The 2014 magazine themes will all be focused around a baseball theme. We encourage you to consider using some “baseball creativity” in your advertisements. Keep your eyes and ears open for information on an upcoming advertisement contest during 2014.