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Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. I want to thank you for listening to the debut episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. In this introductory episode I’ll be sharing what you can expect from Stuff I Learned Yesterday, what makes this different from any other podcast I’ve ever done, I’ll tell you how you can be a part of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, and, of course, I’ll share what I learned yesterday.

I want you to be a part of the Friday Forum. Friday Forum is your opportunity to Share what you’ve learned, so that other listeners and I can learn from you. You can participate in Friday Forum by calling and leaving a message at 304-837-2278, emailing an audio file to feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com, or clicking on the Send Voicemail tab on the right hand side of this page.

What I Learned Yesterday:
Today’s episode is titled, The Contagious Smile of the Garbage Whistler. I want to tell you a lesson I learned, or relearned as this case may be, while I was recently in Las Vegas for New Media Expo 2014. I’ve gone to New Media Expo the last three years, the first year I attended it was still called Blogworld. I’ve always found it to be a great use of my time. It’s a time that I get to meet and share ideas with other people like me; other podcasters, online content creators, and those who aspire to share their message with the world.

This last bit, the bit about sharing a message with the world, is something that had been on my mind for quite a while, at least a year. When I started podcasting in 2008, I had no idea how it would change my life. At the time it was either spend a bit of money on season tickets for the Oklahoma Sooners football team, or buy some podcasting equipment. I chose podcasting and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

I started podcasting about Fringe as most of you are already quite aware. From there I started podcasting about other TV Shows and movies, and Golden Spiral Media was born. Golden Spiral Media sprinkled in a bit of technology and family stuff here and there, but we have always been primarily known for entertainment based podcasts. And while I love the stuff we talk about, and know that entertainment has a special way of helping people and bettering people’s lives, I haven’t been able to shake the desire to break out of the entertainment and technology mold, and do something different.

I thought about a variety of things, but nothing felt like it was THE thing for me. Then at New Media Expo 2014, the light bulb came on. I don’t remember what session I was in, who was speaking, or even what the topic was. I just remember that I woke up that day with the desire to figure out what this mold-breaking show would be about. As I sat in that session, I couldn’t focus on anything. My mind kept wandering, and out of nowhere the title hit me: Things I Learned Yesterday! Ideas immediately began flooding my mind and I knew I was on to something. I left in the middle of the session and went out to the casino area of the Rio Hotel so I could get an internet connection and go buy the domain thingsilearnedyesterday.com.

Disappointment soon came when I realized that it had already been taken. I tried a few other domain names but they were all taken too. Yes, I could still call my podcast Things I Learned Yesterday, but I like to own the domains to match my podcast titles.

Maybe this is a mistake, I thought. Maybe I just need to slow down and dwell on this.

Now, those who know me, know that my faith is very important to me. There’s a doorway on the back side of the casino that is kind of tucked away and quiet. It’s leads out to an area where people can take their pets to do their business, and this little tucked away spot was just what I needed. I sat down on a bench and began to reflect on all my ideas. I took some time and prayed. I asked God to give me wisdom because I wanted this podcast decision to be the right one. Now, I don’t believe that we can ask God for a sign and he will deliver that sign. But I do believe God hears our prayers and that he gives wisdom to those who seek it.

That day wisdom came in the form of a short hispanic man who was simply taking out the trash. As I sat there on the bench, my head was down, and I was staring at the floor. I was confused, I was energized, I was overwhelmed with ideas. Did I mention I was confused? At that moment a sound filled my ears. It was the sound of whistling. It was the short hispanic man. He was pulling a dumpster cart full of trash bags and he was happy. He was whistling to the tune of the music being pumped out through the Rio’s overhead speaker system. It was something by Sting I believe. He looked over in my direction and our eyes met. He smiled at me and said, hello. He continued whistling, and continued on his way, taking the trash outside.

Those who have spent time around me in person know that I too am a whistler. As a kid I drove my parents crazy with my whistling. At my former job, I drove my assistant, Courtney crazy with my whistling. Even now that I work from home, my wife will come shut the studio door because of my whistling. Whistling is fun. You can’t be sad and be whistling. Without even giving it any thought, as soon as the trash man went outside, I started whistling too.

He didn’t stay outside very long. He came back less than 30 seconds later. As soon as he heard the music he started whistling. But now the air was filled with two whistlers. He stopped in mid stride and looked in the direction of the other whistler. He looked at me and laughed. He said, “You doing okay today?” I said, “I’m doing great. How are you?” He said, “It’s a great day. I hope you enjoy your stay here at the Rio.” I said, “Thank you. I appreciate you.” He then went back to work, whistling, and smiling as he did.

As he walked away, I realized that I’d just learned something, or as I said earlier, I relearned something. And just like that, I was more certain than before that my new podcast would be about the things I learn. It took me a few days to land on the subtle change of Stuff I Learned Yesterday.

So here’s what I learned.

My attitude matters and it impacts others. It is easy to get caught up on what we don’t have, or what others deem as important. Those things rob us of happiness. I’m quite certain that the trash guy did not grow up with aspirations of being a janitor at the Rio All Suites Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Yet somehow, that’s exactly where he’s at. He didn’t walk around feeling defeated, downcast, and like a second class person. I mean, let’s be honest, a lot of us would feel that way if we were walking in his shoes.

Instead he chose to find joy and happiness in his work. That happiness manifested itself in the way he carried himself. It changed his mental outlook. It brought a smile to his face and a song to his lips. That smile, that song, then found its way to me. It brought a smile to my face and a song to my lips. It lifted my spirit. It gave me joy. It brought me a moment of happiness and to a point of clarity.

So much of our outlook on life is determined by how we choose to respond to our circumstances. There is a battle waged in our minds every day. When we open our eyes and see the light of a new day, we choose how we will respond to the obstacles and realities of that day. Yes, some days will be easier than others to wear that smile, but of this I am certain. Smiles are contagious. If you show someone your smile, they’ll usually show you theirs too. Your hearts will be lifted, and the world, even if it’s just in that moment, will be a better place.

I’m Darrell Darnell, and this has been Stuff I Learned Yesterday.

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