Georgia Magazine - November 2011 - (Page 5)

www.georgiamagazine.org (800) 544-4362, in Georgia; (770) 270-6500 GEORGIA Magazine, the largest-circulation monthly magazine in the state, is published by Georgia Electric Membership Corp. (GEMC), the trade association for Georgia’s 42 consumer-owned electric utilities. On average, more than 500,000 members welcome the magazine into their homes each month. Georgia’s notfor-profit electric cooperatives provide reliable, safe and affordable electric service to more than 73 percent of the state’s land area serving 4.5 million residents. For more information, visit www.georgiaemc.com. EDITOR Ann Orowski, CCC ManagIng EDITOR Jennifer Hewett, CCC assOcIaTE EDITOR Victoria Scharf DeCastro PRODucTIOn cOORDInaTOR Steve Jacobs assIsTanT EDITOR Kevin Braun assIsTanT EDITOR Jim Jess cOnTRIbuTIng WRITERs Jane F. Garvey, Jackie Kennedy, Christine Lucas, Kimberly Rae Thigpen cOnTRIbuTIng PhOTOgRaPhERs Tara Adcock, Fitzgerald Bickerstaff, Leigh-Anne Burgess, Maribeth Crocker, Janice Duckworth, Morgan Franks Edenfield, Whitney Franks, Alex Harris, Amy Herr, Christopher Hornaday, Bob Jones, Jackie Kennedy, Christine Lucas, Patrick McComas, Brian Rickmond, Saldivia-Jones Photography, John Slemp, Jan Stittleburg/Js Photofx, Cathy Strong, Carole Thompson, Michael Wood aDvERTIsIng REPREsEnTaTIvEs ‘Oh, Lord, it’s hard to be humble ...’ W By Paul Wood President/CEO, Georgia Electric Membership Corporation Laurel George, (404) 541-0628; Laine Kirby Wood, (770) 289-5700 Country Market, (800) 626-1181 National naTIOnaL aDvERTIsIng REPREsEnTaTIvE DEsIgnERs Trudie Thibodeaux, Kerstin Weis Mary Wellman, (770) 270-6981 subscRIPTIOns 2011 aDvIsORy bOaRD Amanda Busby, Erin Cook, Lynn Coulter, Romanous Dotson, Jeff Ferguson, Chuck Grace, Robert Herman, Jamie Hulsey, Jennie Lacey, Ophelia McCain, Ted McMillan, Lynn Price, Neal Shepard, Heather Teilhet, Jere Thorne, Tony Tucker gEORgIa EMc OffIcERs chaIRMan Neal Talton, Flint Energies vIcE chaIRMan Alice Mallory, Coweta-Fayette EMC sEc.-TREasuRER Randy Crenshaw, Irwin EMC PREsIDEnT/cEO, gEMc A. Paul Wood GEORGIA Magazine (USPS-473120, ISSN 10615822) is published monthly by Georgia Electric Membership Corp., P.O. Box 1707, 2100 East Exchange Place, Tucker, GA 30085. Periodicals postage paid at Thomaston, GA, and additional mailing offices. POsTMasTER: Send address changes to GEORGIA Magazine, P.O. Box 1707, Tucker, GA 30085. Printed in Georgia by Quad/Graphics. Acceptance of advertising by GEORGIA Magazine does not imply endorsement by the publisher or Georgia’s electric membership corporations of the product or services advertised. GEORGIA Magazine’s LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN, OR OMISSIONS OF, ADVERTISEMENTS, WHETHER IN CONTRACT OR IN TORT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO DAMAGES TO THE ADVERTISER’S BUSINESS, SHALL IN NO EVENT EXCEED THE AMOUNT OF CHARGES FOR THE ADVERTISEMENT THAT WAS OMITTED OR IN WHICH THE ERROR OCCURRED. henever I hear a politician on TV pontificating on some subject as if he was the world’s acknowledged expert, I am reminded of those old Mac Davis lyrics, “Oh, Lord, it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in every way.” Davis mocked himself in the song and anyone else, for that matter, with an inflated sense of his own importance. We listened to it and smiled because most of us knew someone who thought himself “perfect in every way.” Radio stations ought to play it again because there are plenty of arrogant voices in the media today who would be well served by a large dose of humility. In my view, the two best places to learn humility are on the golf course or at a favorite fishing hole. Some have suggested a TSA (Transportation Security Administration) screening will teach humility too. You could be five strokes ahead in a major golf tournament, and that little round ball might decide on its own to head for the nearest pond, or bunker, or hide behind a tree. It happens every day on golf courses across America. You could be the president of the United States, and that little striped bass doesn’t care one whit. President Herbert Hoover once said, “All men are equal before fish; fish make no distinction between presidents and garbage collectors.” He said he fished “lest he become a proud man.” And indeed, no one ever accused Hoover of being arrogant or prideful. The airport security line? Who More online at www.georgiamagazine.org among us hasn’t been taken down a notch or two by a personal pat-down at the airport? Even former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld had to remove his belt and shoes earlier this year and suffer the indignity of a full body search. All of these “teachable moments” nothwithstanding, humility is a tough row to hoe. It’s hard to be humble when the siren call of pride is heard. We want to be recognized, admired, appreciated for the things we do. Thus, humility has a hard time taking root. Ben Franklin said he spent his life seeking humility, but finally admitted, “Even if I could completely overcome pride, I would probably be proud of my humility.” Franklin believed people will eventually give you credit for your good works if you don’t try to claim the credit. By now, you may be asking, “Paul, what keeps you humble? One word: “Golf.” Golf peels away the façade surrounding any man or woman bold enough to hold a club. If you want to know if a person is arrogant or humble, invite him to play a round with you. Watch his reaction when he makes a bogey, when he makes a birdie. Does he ignore his success and talk about what he’s doing to improve his game? Or does he brag incessantly throughout the round? Yes, fish will reduce a man to equals, but golf will reveal his true character—and guarantee his humility. A TSA pat-down will just make you mad. 5 November 2011 http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.georgiaemc.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - November 2011

Georgia Magazine - November 2011
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar of Events
Special Energy Report
Currents
Generations of Growing
A Productive State
Around Georgia
My Georgia
Georgia Cooks
Snapshot
Bonus Snapshot Submissions
Gardens Plant of the Month: Liberty Notes
Energy-Efficiency Tips
Second Helping: More Great Recipes

Georgia Magazine - November 2011