CLICK HERE to view the 2025 Sisco Christmas Letter – 32nd Edition.
MERRY CHRISTMAS Everyone, , , I hope you have a good one!
Mike Sisco
Christmas2025
Category: 2023-Current
Eddie Sisco
Eddie Sisco, our son, passed away at 4:18am on Tuesday, September 16, 2025. He was 48.
Eddie suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI) in 1993 that ended his golf career, , , he was an accomplished junior golfer winning many tournaments and several junior club championships.
Eddie had to learn everything all over again. He had many challenges these 32 years after his accident, but he never complained, , , and he met and handled every challenge with strength and grace.
Eddie never met a stranger and everyone who met him liked him because of his big smile and positive personality. When people who have met Eddie think about him, , , I think they smile. Eddie was truly happy and never had a bad day in some difficult circumstances.
Dorine (Mom) passed away in 2020 from COVID, , , we discussed many times how proud we were of Eddie in his accomplishments and more importantly of the person he was growing into. Eddie was simply a delight and fun to be around his entire life.
Learn more about Eddie from the Program Card and videos below created for his Celebration of Life service. CLICK on each image to view content:
Sisco Christmas Letter – 2024
CLICK HERE to access our 31st edition of the SISCO CHRISTMAS LETTER.
Eddie and I hope you have a terrific 2024 holiday season and we wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR.
I continue creating our annual Christmas Letter primarily to share Eddie’s progress with friends and family. I also know Dorine would want me to continue, , , so I do.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that I truly like the creative aspect of creating the letter each year. Hopefully, they are appreciated and meaningful to those who read them.
Every year since 1994 there has been a Sisco Christmas Letter except for 2021. That year was very painful, both physically with back issues and emotionally. I continued in 2022 and enhanced the 2023 letter by eliminating paper and putting it on my BLOG site. Easier to distribute and provides much more creative possibilities. ALL GOOD!
Dorine’s pot soldier made of five hand painted clay pots sits on our front porch at Christmas time; it is a hit with the kids. At 5-feet tall and bright colors, it’s easy to spot and will put a smile on your face.
Eddie and I hope you enjoy this year’s Sisco Christmas Letter.
We appreciate your LIKE, SHARE, or COMMENT.
TWO
Ten years ago I was in Dubai for two weeks. Over the weekend I created a short video for my beautiful wife, Dorine, , , and who was my girlfriend for more than 50 years. I titled it “TWO”, , , it tells our “love story” with background music from the movie, Romeo and Juliet. This song was special for us as it always reminded us of one of our early dates before getting married.
CLICK on the image below to watch the short video.
Adjust To Your Situation
Eddie and I are still in the hospital, , , expecting to be discharged tomorrow.
All the snow we got on Monday reminds me of the situation I faced a few years ago when I was trying to return home from Dar es Salaam, TANZANIA.
Upon arriving at the Dar es Salaam airport, I see the sign that my flight is delayed. Uh-oh, not what I was hoping for. At the check-in counter the agent (who was very nice) told me the delay was due to a snow storm in Amsterdam, my connection airport to the US. She said I could wait in Dar or I could take the flight to Amsterdam although it looked like I would not make my connecting flight.
My decision was easy. Amsterdam has a terrific airport terminal with all the amenities you would want. If I’m going to be stuck somewhere, Amsterdam would be one of my top choices, , , so I decide to take the delayed flight and head that way knowing I’ll miss my Amsterdam connection.
Well, I arrive in Amsterdam and the airport is a zoo. Hundreds of flights are stuck and people are everywhere.
“Houston, we have a problem!”
The problem I now have is that because I’ve missed my connecting flight I need to arrange for a new flight. Lines to the ticket agents are literally packing the hall, , , wall to wall people, all trying to make flight changes. It looks like a minimum of 3-5 hours before I would get to an agent, , , if at all. NOT GOOD!
My analytical brain kicks into action, , ,
WHEN YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, SIZE UP THE SITUATION, DETERMINE WHAT YOUR OPTIONS ARE, AND MAKE APPROPRIATE ADJUSTMENTS.
My goal is clear, , , book a new flight that helps me get back home. How do I circumvent the problem of not being able to get to an agent in order to change my ticket? I thought of a couple of options but the one I was most comfortable with was pretty simple.
My decision was to call my wife, Dorine, and ask her to help me make the flight changes with US airline agents. This way, I will have someone who knows what we need and will be able to continue working with me in case we need to make adjustments later. It also keeps Dorine (“Do”) in the loop with what’s taking place. PLUS, I trust Dorine completely in her ability to help in this situation. So,,, “Do” becomes my airline travel agent.
She was able to quickly get me an alternate flight back to the US (Amsterdam to Atlanta, then Nashville). It meant spending the night in the Amsterdam airport, but I can handle it, , , just like I’m doing with staying in the hospital with Eddie this week while he is here.
After Dorine texts me the flight information, I need to get the ticket and I don’t want to stand in line for hours. Well, guess what, , , the kiosks are completely empty, , , so, I weave my way through the crowd to get to an empty kiosk and I’m able to print out my new ticket without a problem.
DORINE, YOU ARE MY HERO!!!
Now, all I have to do is check into the gate at 6:30am the next morning. All set, so time to look for a place to hang out, get something to eat, and charge my phone.
The point with all of this is that “problems or challenges happen from time to time”. Think through the issues, evaluate your options, and take action to minimize the impact these challenges create for you.
ADJUST AS NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH YOUR GOAL!!
Your SHARE, LIKE, or COMMENT is appreciated.
HAPPY NEW YEAR – 2024
I hope your holidays and this past year were great. More importantly, I wish your NEW YEAR (2024) to be one of the best in your career.
A big part of making your year good, , , or GREAT, , , is about attitude. I’m a big believer that we create an energy around us based upon our attitude and demeanor, , , at work and even in life. People who are positive and get things done ACHIEVE MORE SUCCESS!
I’ve struggled with this after losing my wife and best friend (Miss Dorine) in 2020 from COVID. I don’t know this for certain but the challenges Eddie and I encountered in 2021 and 2022 may have resulted from my poor attitude, , , at least somewhat I’m sure. 2023 was much better and guess what, , , my attitude and perspective of things was much better. I believe there is a “cause and effect” in all of this.
Which brings me to 2024!!
For the first time in 4 years, I enter the year with enthusiasm and excitement about being able to work again. It’s not that I have to work, but I want to work, , , I love my work and making efforts to achieve my company mission of, “helping IT Managers of the world achieve more success”. I’m excited about the possibilities of 2024!
We will begin in earnest next week after Eddie and I wrap up our holiday time, , , I usually take 2 weeks off at the end of the year to refocus and re-energize, , , and watch college football BOWL GAMES.
I hope you have taken time to enjoy family and “recharge” as well, , , a little downtime is very important.
REMEMBER, , , ATTITUDE, whether it is positive or negative, is a choice we make and it is always within our control. One of the best examples I see every day is my son, Eddie. His attitude is positive every day, even when he is sick or deals with his challenges. If Eddie can be happy and positive, then I can certainly work on this. Believe me, it makes a difference and like I said earlier, I think positive attitude creates positive energy around you, , , and this can help you be more successful. I can feel it right now as I write this post.
Here are a few photos from Eddie and my holidays, , , HAPPY NEW YEAR and BEST of SUCCESS in 2024!
We appreciate your LIKE, COMMENT or SHARING this Post.
2023 Sisco Christmas Letter
CLICK HERE to open our 30th Edition of the Sisco Christmas Letter.
It all began in 1994 in a very simple 1-page letter with our Christmas card to update family and friends on our son’s progress after spending all of 1993 in the hospital and an acute rehab facility. Eddie was in an auto accident on January 2, 1993 and suffered a traumatic brain injury. He had to learn how to do everything all over again.
For 29 years, we sent paper Christmas Letters with our cards. This year, I decided to put the Christmas letter online for several reasons:
- Much easier to prepare and distribute
- Reaches a larger audience
- Provides more options over paper
- No cost
- Allows the reader to zoom in for larger text or image
CLICK HERE to open our 2023 Sisco Christmas Letter.
Hope you enjoy this year’s Sisco Christmas Letter, , , and have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!
We appreciate your LIKE, SHARE, or COMMENT.
Dorine
As I refocus my efforts in providing content and tools to help IT managers achieve more success, I think the first post should be about my wife and best friend of more than 50 years – Dorine Louque Sisco.
CLICK HERE to open and scroll through the PhotoBook I created for family and friends after losing Dorine on July 29, 2020 after a month-long battle with COVID-19.
Losing Dorine unexpectedly took a huge toll on me. I could barely function for two years, isolated myself from friends and focused on taking care of our son. Eddie had to be hospitalized 7 times in 2021 and 2022, and I had a challenging back problem, , , it was a difficult two years. I’m just now starting to do real work again after a 3-year lapse.
Not wanting to give you a sob story but more of trying to explain how much Dorine meant to Eddie and me. She was our rock, , , always happy with a smile on her face and doing things simply to make life fun. She took care of the home front while I took care of the business side. My business would not have succeeded, and I would not have achieved the success I attained without Dorine’s support and encouragement.
Dorine, or “Do” as I often called her, was the most positive person I’ve ever known. Everyone loved her and she was so easy to get to know. Many of my IT Manager Institute training students met her at our class dinners, , , she was always the highlight of the evening.
Dorine was also the smartest person I’ve known. She didn’t have a college education, but she could do anything she set her mind to do and she could solve pretty much any problem or puzzle. She was very creative and loved painting, drawing, sewing, arts and crafts and decorating our home. She was fantastic in so many ways. And did I mention what a great cook she was? Her gumbo and lasagna was world class.
CLICK HERE to see a PhotoBook titled Art by Dorine and you will see a sampling of her artistic talent.
I miss Dorine terribly, but I love and appreciate the great times and experiences we had together for 50 years. Memories are never lost, and I’m in a good place now so I’m excited to start working again.
CLICK HERE to watch the video below if you are interested in the thoughts I put together and recorded for Dorine’s funeral, , , I think it sums up who she was and how much I loved and appreciated her.
Thank you for visiting, , , your comments and sharing this post are appreciated.
ART by Dorine
Dorine Sisco, my wife and best friend for over 50 years was a talented artist. She had a realistic and impressionist style and loved to paint and draw in virtually all mediums. The PHOTOBOOK I created for a few friends and family is available below for you to enjoy her work. CLICK HERE to view a selection of Dorine’s art.
Mike Sisco, ITBMC 