02/24/2024
Hello everyone,
First of all, I would like to thank all y’all for your wonderful and kind birthday wishes. Already, some people have asked how old I am. Does it really matter? Not really, I think. However, I am 74 today. So there. Now you know. With the gifts and grace of God I plan to be here for many more years working with accessiBe, promoting website access and inclusion for all, hosting the Unstoppable Mindset podcast as well as traveling and speaking throughout the world as I have been doing since just after September 11, 2001.
Many of you may not know, but my birthday every year is an incredibly special day for me even beyond it being my birthday. Six years ago, on February 24, 2018, I graduated from Guide Dogs for the Blind in Oregon with my eighth guide dog, a black Labrador retriever named Alamo. Alamo has such an incredible personality. First, as I discovered quickly after meeting him, if one sits on the floor, he feels that his obligation to immediately leap onto your lap and settle down for lots of pets and possibly a short winter’s nap. Is that cool or what?
In addition to Alamo, living with me is my wonderful feline, Stitch. Stitches special trait is to insist that I pet her and give her back rubs whenever she eats. If I don’t do this, she will yell at me and not eat until I visit her food dish to pet her. Is it a good thing I have a wireless headset so I can do this while speaking with people even on Zoom? You bet!
As many of you know, on November 12, 2022, I lost my wife, Karen. We had been married 40 years. She has not told me exactly where she is, but I am sure she is monitoring me constantly. As I tell people, if I miss behave, I’m going to hear about it. I guess I have been doing pretty well so far.
Again, I want to tell you all that I have begun ramping up my speaking activities again now that the pandemic has at least somewhat died down. If any of you know of anyone who needs a speaker to come and motivate and inspire, talk about Trust and Teamwork, Leadership, Safety, or, one of my favorite speeches, Moving From Diversity to Inclusion please let me know or refer these people to me at [email protected].
Before closing, let me inform those of you who are not aware that I have drafted a new book which will be published in August of this year. You can read about it here. You can even preorder a copy. Yes, when the time comes, Live Like A Guide Dog will be available in alternative formats such as audio through Audible.com. Please check out the book and I hope that you will preorder one. Of course, please tell the world about it.
I think that about does it for today. Again, I want to thank you all for your kind wishes and thoughts. I appreciate them greatly and I hope to visit you sometime soon while getting to speak in your areas. Be well, and please accept my love to you.
Mike Michael Hingson
