Mark Gilroy

Bringing Books to Life!

Social Network Numbers in 2014

What are the social network numbers in 2014? Just how many people are using Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, Google+, and more?

The social network numbers are staggering. There are 7.2 billion people on planet Earth – the top 21 social networks have a combined 5.7 billion user profiles. More than a third of the world population now has access to the internet.

Some people still argue that Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and the other top networks are huge time wasters. Maybe so. But the numbers tell a story. To dismiss social networking as irrelevant feels similar to the great Yogi Berra quote: “No one goes to that restaurant anymore because it’s too crowded.”

Whether you join a network because it’s the newest craze, to connect with old and new friends, to entertain, to be entertained, to market and sell, to buy – or some combination that includes other reasons, here is what is happening in the universe of social networks in 2014. [Read more…]

Convictions and Civility – How to Have Strong Beliefs and Get Along With Others

Convictions and Civility combine to create Communication.

How do you engage in disagreement?

Convictions and civility.

I wish I could take credit for what I called the 5 Cs of Engagement with my kids as they grew up. I wanted them to hold firmly to their beliefs (convictions) but do so in such a way that they could communicate effectively and get along well with others (civility).

I picked up the concept – and have probably butchered it to some degree – from Martin Marty’s hard-to-find little book, By Way of Response, published in 1981.

In today’s political landscape I am reminded that the 5 Cs of Engagement aren’t just a lesson to try to impart to my kids, but a reminder of what I need to season my interaction with in a world where many people don’t believe the same way I do. [Read more…]

Weight Loss and Gain: My Latest Journey

The highs and the lows of my weight as an adult.

A look at my weight gained and lost as an adult.

It’s fun to blog about weight today because I’ve dropped 45 pounds this year, most of it in the past four months. There have been other days when writing about weight gain and loss would not be nearly so much fun. A few of you know what I’m talking about.

I’ve been trying not to be “that guy” who thinks about and talks about his diet 24/7, but two factors work against that:

  1. When you are on a strict diet, the regimen is almost by definition an obsessive undertaking; and
  2. When you lose a lot of weight, people notice, say nice things, and ask a lot of questions.

I truly admire those disciplined – or metabolically blessed – few who maintain a very trim, healthy, and consistent weight year in and year out. I’ve not been that person.

Right after college, I put on a quick 30 pounds – I worked full-time, kept crazy hours, and completely stopped all exercise. After seeing a picture of myself – I closed my eyes when I walked past a mirror – I got back out on the tennis court, but more importantly, learned to work out both anabolically and aerobically.

In my early thirties I hit my college weight again (a little lower than my senior year), much of that due to becoming a biking fanatic and getting rid of most breads and sugars from my diet.

In my late thirties and early forties I put weight on but worked with some guys that were really into weight lifting, so I actually had some muscle (that showed) for the first time in my life. I mixed the lifting with racquetball, basically ate whatever I wanted, and stayed in good shape. [Read more…]