SQUIRREL!

WOW!! I didn't know that!!" - this is what I predict you will say literally hundreds of times as you read this book. In fact, in the humblest sort of way, I am confident that you will learn more from this book about the world we live in and interacting with our fellow human beings than you did in all your years of high school and college. I really wish someone would have given me this book before I left school and entered the real world. This book is a GIFT from me to you. I have poured out onto these pages just the most Amazing, Profound, Funny, and Fascinating Facts I have learned and experienced during my journey on the planet. This book is a "Knowledge Dump" - from my brain to yours. This is not my life story. In fact, it is not about me at all; it's all about the world we live in. It's about the Universe, about interacting and appreciating nature and her animals and understanding yourself, your mind, your body, and your fellow human beings. Why are the sky and ocean blue? How long can honey be stored? Did Albert Einstein believe in God? Why do teenagers become so rebellious? How and when should you start planning for your retirement? Why are 15% of people in our population dyslexic? How long does it take light to travel from the Sun to the Earth? How can you beat the game of Blackjack? Which vitamins should you take? How many possible positions are there in a chess game? How many times per minute does a Hummingbird's heartbeat? Yes - that was quite Random. I do indeed have my Squirrel! moments. I am passionate about giving back. In these pages, I have packaged the answers to so many questions that we all have - and then even answered some you didn't know you had. My goal was to provide you with what I call: "Take-away Value" in Every Paragraph, Every Page and Every Chapter. Please enjoy… - Jeff W Godwin, CPA

PREFACE

Are you ready for this?

I have decided to write this book using my own style of communication as if I were simply talking to my family and friends. I am sure you will find it a little unorthodox, so reading my book will be a different experience from reading those of other authors.

I tell people that I have ACDC, but I think that's actually a rock band. Maybe it's ADD or ADHD, I don't know, whatever. The truth is, I do get distracted and side-tracked very easily, hence the name of the book: Squirrel! As you may recall, in the movie “UP,” the dogs were constantly getting distracted mid-sentence when they thought they saw a squirrel.  Yep, that is so me.

So, just in case you find my Squirrel! moments distracting, and you would like to stick with the flow of the topic, I have decided to indent the paragraphs when I find my mind wandering off-topic. I guess you could skip over the indented portions if you can't keep “UP” - but, in my humble opinion, (IMHO) you would be missing out on some of the really fun, fascinating facts and trivia about the world we live in that I have picked up along my journey here on this planet.

•  Did you know - Butterflies taste with their feet?

That was a demo. Yep - a Squirrel! moment for me.

AND - as you have already noticed, I can be very silly.  In fact, I crack myself up all the time. I am even smiling, if not laughing out loud, as I type this to you right now. When I catch myself being a total goofball, which is often - I just tell Tonya / T (my better half), “Well, consider the alternative; I could be boring.” She just smiles politely, secretly rolls her eyes, and says: “Yes, you could be boring."

 

This book is what we call in the corporate world “A Knowledge Dump,” meaning that when we had someone leaving the company who was an SME (Subject Matter Expert), we needed to capture all of that specialized knowledge from their brain before they left.  This book is me sharing with all of you as much of the fun, informative, fascinating, profound, and silly thoughts I have collected in this brain of mine before I go to meet my maker.  A legacy, if you will - something more to leave behind, over and above my children and the people that I have impacted while I was here.

My mom, ninety years old now and still my heroine, says to me: “Jeff, you have more than a couple of books in that head of yours.” T says to me: “You have all that knowledge in your brain, and you need to get it out.”  I feel so blessed that she accepts me the way I am and lets me get it out.

So, buckle your seatbelts: here we go.

Jeff W Godwin, CPA - Jeff was born in La Jolla, California and has remained a San Diego resident his entire life. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting from San Diego State University, has served as a College Professor and is often asked to present at public speaking engagements and live webinars. From the very young age of 7, Jeff has demonstrated an aptitude for strategy and intellect, consistently outpacing the adults in the game of chess. By the age of 14, Jeff was piloting a small airplane and by 22 had passed the CPA exam and started his career in finance. Jeff's inquisitive nature and his on-going fascination with this world we live in, has culminated in this gift to the rest of us that he has titled: Squirrel! With a zest for learning, a hyperactive thirst for adventure, and a gifted memory to retain it all - Jeff's passion to give-back is poured out on the pages of this book. Jeff and his wife T, enjoy a combined family of six grown children and one Grandson. Thanksgiving gatherings are epic! In Jeff's free time, he enjoys: writing, chess, playing sand volleyball at a nearby beach, cornhole, and he throws a mean frisbee. Jeff's inner confidence allows him to fill a room with his personality, which always includes a witty sense of humor and a dash of silliness.