...when I was a kid!!

When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their tedious diatribes about how hard things were. When they were growing up; what with walking twenty-five miles to school every morning....Uphill. Barefoot...BOTH ways, yadda, yadda, yadda.

And I remember promising myself that when I grew up, there was no way in hell I was going to lay a bunch of crap on today's kids about how hard I had it and how easy they've got it!

But now that I'm over the ripe old age of...well let's say "over 30"... I can't help but look around and notice the youth of today. You've got it so easy! I mean, compared to my childhood, you live in a damn Utopia! And I hate to say it, but you kids today, you don't know how good you've got it!

I mean, when I was a kid we didn't have the Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the damn library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog!!

There was no email!! We had to actually write somebody a letter - with a pen! Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox, and it would take like a week to get there! Stamps were 10 cents!

Child Protective Services didn't care if our parents beat us. As a matter of fact, the parents of all my friends also had permission to kick our ass! Nowhere was safe!

There were no MP3's or Napsters or iTunes! If you wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the record store and shoplift it yourself!

Or you had to wait around all day to tape it off the radio, and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning and @#*% it all up! There were no CD players! We had tape decks in our car. We'd play our favorite tape and "eject" it when finished, and then the tape would come undone rendering it useless. Cause, hey, that's how we rolled, Baby! Dig?

We didn't have fancy crap like Call Waiting! If you were on the phone and somebody else called, they got a busy signal, that's it!

There weren't any freakin' cell phones either. If you left the house, you just didn't make a damn call or receive one. You actually had to be out of touch with your "friends." OH MY GOD !!! Think of the horror... not being in touch with someone 24/7!!! And then there's TEXTING. Yeah, right. Please! You kids have no idea how annoying you are.

And we didn't have fancy Caller ID either! When the phone rang, you had no idea who it was! It could be your school, your parents, your boss, your bookie, the collection agent....you just didn't know!!! You had to pick it up and take your chances, mister!

We didn't have any fancy PlayStation or Xbox video games with high-resolution
3-D graphics! We had the Atari 2600! With games like 'Space Invaders' and 'Asteroids'. Your screen guy was a little square! You actually had to use your imagination!!! And there were no multiple levels or screens, it was just one screen....Forever! And you could never win. The game just kept getting harder and harder and faster and faster until you died! Just like LIFE!

You had to use a little book called a TV Guide to find out what was on! You were screwed when it came to channel surfing! You had to get off your ass and walk over to the TV to change the channel!!! NO REMOTES!!! Oh, no, what's the world coming to?!?!

There was no Cartoon Network either! You could only get cartoons on Saturday Morning. Do you hear what I'm saying? We had to wait ALL WEEK for cartoons, you spoiled little rat-finks!

And we didn't have microwaves. If we wanted to heat something up, we had to use the stove! Imagine that!

And our parents told us to stay outside and play....all day long. Oh, no, no electronics to soothe and comfort. And if you came back inside... you were doing chores!

And car seats - oh, please! Mom threw you in the back seat and you hung on. If you were lucky, you got the "safety arm" across the chest at the last moment if she had to stop suddenly, and if your head hit the dashboard, well that was your fault for calling "shot gun" in the first place!

See! That's exactly what I'm talking about! You kids today have got it too easy. You're spoiled rotten! You guys wouldn't have lasted five minutes back in 1970s or any time before!

....wipe that smile off your face!

Be honest...are you positive or negative? I had a boss that thought he was "keeping everyone upbeat"...when in reality...he was the problem! So ask yourself....
what am I doing to make my life better....for me?

Positive thinking in the workplace is extremely important. Positive thinking is a mental attitude. What we think affects how we behave. It is therefore important for us to begin with our thoughts.

It is a mental attitude that expects good and constructive results. However, it does not deny the existence of negative results or things beyond one’s control. It is a way of looking at things from a different perspective. For instance, one that concentrates on solutions rather than problems.

When our thinking is positive, our attitude is positive and we transfer a feeling of success to our colleagues and clients. In other words – we transfer energy and enthusiasm to those around us. People feel good towards us and are more willing to help us.

Positive thinkers know that when things go bad or unexpected result occurs, it is only momentary. That positive result is achievable. If you are new to applying positive thinking, here are 3 simple steps I suggest:

Practicing Positive Thinking in the Workplace #1

One cannot pay lip service to positive thinking. You need to practice and make positive thinking your prevailing attitude towards life. This will transfer towards positive thinking in the workplace. So, how do you make it a prevailing attitude? Entertain positive thoughts. It takes as much effort to think about the negative as it is for the positive. Concentrate on the positive and expect a positive result. Associate with colleagues with a positive attitude. Read inspiring quotes. These are simple ways to create a habit of positive thinking in the workplace.

Practicing Positive Thinking in the Workplace #2

Positive thinking in the workplace is solutions thinking. For example, when a project goes poorly and not in the desired direction…a positive thinking person concentrates on solutions instead of the problem. Ever noticed some colleagues have a natural tendency to point fingers when things do not go right? They tend to whine and complain instead of starting to work on a solution immediately? We have ALL had to suffer with idiots like that! And….what if your boss is super negative? Positive thinkers live up to the challenge of the problem and commit themselves to seeking a solution to the problem. They do not dwell in unproductive activities.

Practicing Positive Thinking in the Workplace #3

How many times have you thought – “Oh no, I am never ever able to do this.” When that happens, you end up dwelling on it and wasting precious time. Positive thinking in the work place involves thinking in these words – “I can”….”I will”…….."I am able”…….. "I am ready." It also involves taking the initiative to seek answers and solutions. And to be proactive in learning about the information needed to complete the assignment at hand. A positive thinker in the workplace concentrates on the assignment and is not distracted by negative thoughts.

Is positive thinking in the workplace easy? Well, it is as easy as you want it to be. It is also as difficult as you expect it to be. There will be times when you cannot help but feel negative. When such feelings arise, remind yourself it is as easy to look for a positive angle to things as it is for a negative angle.

Or do what I did…..turn your keys in.... and find another job! It helps to be around other "positive" people.

...what color are you?

Whether we’re aware of it or not, color plays a major role in our lives. We’re drawn to certain colors in the same way that we’re naturally attracted to a specific piece of art or even another person. Often, our response to color is so strong that it can create an appeal to a physical location or place. While we often can’t control the exterior design and color of our office building, chances are that we do have a say in the interior colors. And, while “color psychology” isn’t a topic we likely talk about during board meetings, it is often more important than we’ll ever know. After all, we could be sending the completely wrong message to employees and visitors just because of the shade or our office walls.

Understanding Color Importance: Marketing and branding teams spend weeks designing company logos and developing products that will appeal to customers. These groups know how important color is on a potential customer’s senses and attitudes. If customers feel drawn to a specific product, chances are it’s because the color scheme works. Similarly, if they feel turned off, the marketing team has likely failed at choosing a color pattern that sells. Therefore, shouldn’t we look at our interior colors with the same focus as we do our product development?

Using Color as a Tool: Different colors have different effects on both employees and clients. Because we want employees to be happy and productive at work, the color scheme of an office should promote the right energy. The same goes for clients. If we want our clients to feel attracted to our business, color just might be the best way to keep them in the door. So, what color trend is best for which room in your office?

Cool colors include shades of blues and greens that have a calming effect by reducing stress and tension. They work well in hospital waiting rooms where patients might nervously await a doctor’s appointment.

Warm colors include bold reds and yellows and are better suited for more social offices that seek to stimulate. Lounges, lobbies, cafeterias, or other places where conversation should be encouraged are good spots for warm colors.

Available light also plays a role in a room’s color scheme. Colors that reflect light reduce shadows, which help to increase visibility. In turn, better visibility means more productivity in the office.

Visual accents and wall decorations such as paintings, mirrors, or other wall accessories can work well for short-term spaces that don’t see a lot of repeat visitors. For example, a doctor’s office examination room can benefit from visual accents that work to stimulate a patient who likely only visits the room a few times throughout the year. On the other hand, heavy traffic rooms such as the office boardroom are better off with fewer visual accents that won’t be seen over and over by employees. In rooms that are frequently visited by the same group of people, it’s better to balance color and mix tones for fresh, interesting looks.

Accentuate the Positives: The truth behind most any office design is that each room has its positive and negative features. Stunning hardwood floors should stay as the room’s focus by blending coordinating colors that won’t take attention away from the room’s strengths. On the other hand, unattractive tile floors would be better off downplayed with a contrasting color scheme to divert attention away.

While the importance of color in the workplace is most certainly an interesting concept, few of us are true color psychologists. Rather than taking a stab at designing the office’s interior color schemes, consult professional office interior designers who make it their job to understand color. Let the professionals work their magic and the office will soon make a statement all on its own.

I am an office environment expert. Contact me for more details.

....why is this ball smiling?

CINCINNATI - Moments after Jay Bruce caught a routine fly for the final out, the public address announcer called everyone's attention to the standings board behind the right-field seats, the one that was about to reflect a seismic shift in the NL Central.

Finally, the Cardinals had been knocked off their perch. The Cardinals had been in first place since July 31. The defending champions opened a five-game lead before going into a pronounced downturn, losing nine of their last 12.

Now, for the first time since the middle of last season, they're looking up.

Alerted by an announcer, the 26,712 rain-soaked fans pointed at the NL Central standings board and cheered when it reflected the change at the top after the final out. The Reds moved into a half-game lead by winning seven of eight.

Cincinnati hasn't been in first place this deep into a season since June 8, 2006.

I grew up with the ‘Big Red Machine’ so I am looking for any “little” victory I can find with the Reds today…(keep your eye on Bruce in right field)….

Ahhhhh… The Big Red Machine

In 1975, the Big Red Machine lineup solidified with the starting team of Johnny Bench (c), Tony Perez (1b), Joe Morgan (2b), Dave Concepción (ss), Pete Rose (3b), Ken Griffey (rf), César Gerónimo (cf), and George Foster (lf). The starting pitchers included Don Gullett, Fred Norman, Gary Nolan, Jack Billingham, Pat Darcy, and Clay Kirby....but it didn't start off that way.

On Opening Day, Rose still played in left field, Foster was not a starter, while John Vuckovich, an off-season acquisition, was the starting third baseman. While Vuckovich was a superb fielder, he was a weak hitter. In May, with the team off to a slow start and trailing the Dodgers, manager Sparky Anderson made a bold move by moving Rose to third base, a position where he had very little experience, and inserting Foster in left field. This was the jolt that the Reds needed to propel them into first place, with Rose proving to be reliable on defense, while adding Foster to the outfield gave the offense some added punch. During the season, the Reds compiled two notable streaks: (1) by winning 41 out of 50 games in one stretch, and (2) by going a month without committing any errors on defense.

In the 1975 season, Cincinnati clinched the NL West with 108 victories, then swept the Pittsburgh Pirates in three games to win the NL pennant. In the World Series, the Boston Red Sox were the opponents. After splitting the first four games, the Reds took Game 5. After a three-day rain delay, the two teams met in Game 6, one of the most memorable baseball games ever played and considered by many to be the best World Series game ever. The Reds were ahead 6–3 with 5 outs left, when the Red Sox tied the game on former Red Bernie Carbo's three-run home run. It was Carbo's second pinch-hit three-run homer in the series. After a few close-calls either way, Carlton Fisk hit a dramatic 12th inning home run off the foul pole in left field (which is considered to be one of the greatest TV sports moments of all time) to give the Red Sox a 7–6 win and force a deciding Game 7. Cincinnati prevailed the next day when Morgan's RBI single won Game 7 and gave the Reds their first championship in 35 years.

Now that...was baseball.

...remember the 'Pelican Brief?'

1993: In suburban Georgetown a killer’s Reeboks whisper on the front floor of a posh home… In a seedy D.C. porno house a patron is swiftly strangled to death… The next day America learns that two of its Supreme Court justices have been assassinated. And in New Orleans, a young law student prepares a legal brief… To Darby Shaw it was no more than a legal shot in the dark, a brilliant guess. To the Washington establishment it was political dynamite.

Darby Shaw, a Tulane University Law School student, decides to research the two justices' records and cases pending before the Court, suspecting the real motive might be simple greed, not politics. She writes a legal brief speculating that the assassinations were committed on behalf of Victor Mattiece, an oil tycoon wanting to drill for oil on Louisiana marshland which is a major habitat of an endangered breed of pelicans. A court case on appeal, filed on his behalf to gain access to the land, is expected to make its way to the Supreme Court.

Suddenly Darby is witness to a murder — a murder intended for her. Going underground, she finds there is only one person she can trust — an ambitious reporter after a newsbreak hotter than Watergate — to help her piece together the deadly puzzle. Somewhere between the bayous of Louisiana and the White House’s inner sanctums, a violent cover-up is being engineered. For someone has read Darby’s brief. Someone who will stop at nothing to destroy the evidence of an unthinkable crime….but wait, was the crime the murders or the off-shore drilling?

2010: In the month since an offshore drilling platform exploded, killing 11 workers, BP has struggled to stop the leak, trying in vain to activate emergency valves and lowering a 100-ton box that got clogged with icy crystals. Over the weekend, the oil company finally succeeded in using a stopper-and-tube combination to siphon some of the gushing oil into a tanker, but millions of gallons are already in the Gulf.

Oil spills have long been known to wreak havoc on coastlines, blackening otherwise sandy beaches and killing off birds, turtles, fish and other wildlife. This time could be even worse. Louisiana’s coastline, which has become the latest battleground against oil’s slimy march, is made up of miles and miles of delicate marshland — shallow waters comprised of high emerald green grass.

This habitat is a perfect breeding ground for small fish, shrimp and crabs that support a multimillion—dollar fishing industry. Exotic animals like alligators also reside in Louisiana’s swamps, while a huge variety of birds attract watchers to the state’s national parks.

Louisiana’s fragile marshes face long—term destruction if the grass comes into contact with some of the heavy oil that is making its way through the Gulf of Mexico….and now

…. Chemicals being sprayed underwater are helping to disperse the oil and keep it from washing ashore in great quantities, but researchers said that in recent days they have discovered miles-long underwater plumes of oil that could poison or suffocate sea life across the food chain, with damage that could last for a decade or more.

....snap!! Wake-up...this isn't a book..and BP doesn't know what to do...

...is the draft broken?

The draft was once an innovative solution for distributing college talent to pro teams, but that was 75 years ago. The economics of pro football have gradually made it less effective, and as the college game becomes increasingly different from the NFL, players have become even more difficult to scout.

The league gives its worst teams first crack at incoming college talent in the name of parity, but instead of giving bad teams a leg up, it often forces them to draft players they don't really need at prices they can't afford. Many top picks hold out of training camp before they sign, only to end up with enormous contracts that have little to do with their true value to a football team.

What's more, NFL teams have a 50% chance of blowing a first-round pick entirely—the sort of costly gaffe that can set a franchise back for years.

What's surprising is that the NFL, a league with a long history of making sweeping rules changes, hasn't much changed its draft format since the draft was first held in 1936.

As it's laid out now, teams start out with one pick in each of the draft's seven rounds. Each player is paid more or less according to his draft slot, his position and a rookie pool that limits the amounts teams can spend on draft picks. Based on the multiyear guaranteed portion of first-round draft picks' contracts from the past three years—including the $41.7 million that last year's top pick, quarterback Matthew Stafford, got from the Detroit Lions—this year's likely first pick, Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford, can expect to make $47 million guaranteed during his first multiyear contract.

In a draft system, there's no way of knowing what a player is actually worth on the open market. In 1998, the Indianapolis Colts used the first pick to draft Peyton Manning, who has gone on to become an excellent NFL quarterback. A year later, the Cleveland Browns used their top pick on Tim Couch, who was considered light years behind Mr. Manning in talent. But Mr. Couch still got a nearly identical salary of $48 million and a signing bonus of about $12 million. Mr. Couch played only 62 games before retiring (in style).

Isn’t it time we said enough to this?

Under a new proposed plan (that I think would work), all 32 teams would be given seven picks. They would have to abide by a spending cap that would go higher to lower—with the worst team (based on its record the previous season) having the most money to spend. When the bidding opened, the most sought-after players would draw multiple bids. Teams could then raise their bid as high as they'd like for a player they coveted.

Theoretically, a team could get any player it wanted—so long as it was prepared to pinch pennies on everyone else. Meanwhile, a team that didn't want to break the bank on any particular player could pick up lots of useful parts by spreading its money around evenly. Teams could also thrive by focusing on the bidding and looking for bargains.

In any case, there's some evidence the draft could be the next fix for a league that fixes everything. One NFL executive said patience is running thin. "There's a huge trail littered with guys who got the big dollars but were a bust," this person said.

Let's see how this draft fairs with the others since 1936....

Tebow to Denver?

...my...my...how time flys....

I did the unthinkable one year ago this upcoming week.

Some people seem to think that if you’re not too busy, you’re not really crucial to the organization. These people revel in having full schedules, long working hours and too much work.

Repeat after me: Work does not give you stress. Feeling bad about work gives you stress.


This means that changing your work hours, your responsibilities, your priorities or your work environment is meaningless, unless it also changes the way you feel at work.

Those stress management courses will not do the trick either, unless they can achieve just that. If you’re stressed, you must take charge and make whatever changes are necessary to go from feeling anxious, inadequate or drained at work to feeling appreciated, proud and energetic.

In the midst of this economic turbulence we're facing, I decided to leave my job as a vice president of a company to pursue some long-neglected passions of mine: building a positive atmosphere and teamwork, not listening to someone “drone-on about his financial situation”, helping companies with commercial interiors, and something so self-indulgent I can hardly bear to utter it (getting paid).

What I'm leaving behind is admittedly a middling (but respectable) career in upper management, but one, from the point of view of the working class people, you just wouldn't throw away a big title. My parents didn't go to college, and to them "pissing away" a position as a vice president is about as stupid a move as you can make....but they won't say anything of course.

My grandmother (God rest her soul), for whom was in her teens and early twenties during the Great Depression. Those are the days of waiting in line for blocks of government-issued cheese. I wouldn’t have told my grandma what I’m doing…..leaving a job during very difficult times. She wouldn't get it.

If you're sensible, and lived through such tough times, right now you're thinking about "How to Protect Your Job in a Recession," this is the title of a recent Harvard Business Review article. And here I am throwing mine to the wind! (It was the wind that woke me up one night after announcing to my wife that I was quitting -- is it the word "quit" or the memory of the rattling window that now sends a chill down my spine?) I've always been prone to digress from the straight path, and now I suppose I'm putting my money where my mouth is.

Speaking of money, I do have some savings, but most businesspeople reading this would probably gasp at my foolishness if I told them how much. A few months ago I almost told it to someone I know when I bumped into him at a restaurant while having lunch - he'd apparently been laid off from the banking industry. We briefly commiserated about the uncertain economy and our places in it, but I got the sense he had a pretty thick financial cushion. The tip-off was when he mentioned he had just returned from a trip to the Far East...to "clear his head about it." I thought to myself...here this guy is out of a job and he goes to Asia for several weeks. I had General Tso’s chicken last month…does that count?

Face it…job dissatisfaction is rampant and the work environment may consist of anything from bad bosses, demanding clients, unrealistic expectations. Do not discard it as a minor annoyance as it can make you despondent, cynical and negative. So don't wrap 'happiness' in a gift box and throw it in a dustbin but rather carry it on your face as wide as possible. This is the factor that is going to build your personality and your character....and set you free from bosses that are 'full of themselves.'

Wake up! Face it, even though you dislike it…..your workplace may be filled with people who wait for a chance to hurt you or pull you down or lock you in a dark cave. But equally there will be someone who cheers you up every time you fall. So find coworkers you like and enjoy working with them. Spend your maximum time with them. You can choose to be happy at work with your choices of work companions.

It’s a relatively small step from "liking your job" to loving it. It doesn’t take much and the things we need to do are relatively easy and available to all of us. But the difference in outcome is humongous. As long as you like your job, you’re only a pale reflection of what you could be if you loved it. You’re realizing only a small fraction of your full potential. You’re not having nearly as much fun as you could have.

Millions of people settle for jobs they like. The problem is that when you like your job there isn’t much pressure on you to change. Liking your job isn’t bad for you. It’s certainly much, much better than hating your job – which can make you sick or even kill you.

But when you love your job you are in a completely different league.

So I’m saying that we shouldn’t settle for any less anymore. Let’s make happiness at work the norm rather than the exception. It may take some work, but each and every one of us can get there.

First make that decision for yourself – decide that from now on, you will be happy at work. Then find out what you can do to get to love your job or what you can do to get a job you love. Then do it.

I did.

Size and length actually matter....

Most mowers have adjustments for raising and lowering the mowing height. Be sure to set your mower on a solid surface such as a driveway or sidewalk and determine what height you get from various settings. Then, set your mower’s cutting height to match the appropriate height of cut for your particular grass.

I  have been mowing lawns since I was a kid, and have never really liked it...at least that is what I tell myself. Neither did my dad (in his t-shirt, shorts and dark socks with dress shoes).

My first source of income was mowing lawns. Ahhh...the joys of mowing and getting paid for it. So why do we do it? The thing is that lawn mowing makes absolutely no sense, if you think about it.

Power mowers are dangerous, loud, and probably bad for your hearing (maybe that’s why I don’t always answer JoJo sometimes). They also put out lots of emissions (far more per gallon than your catalytic-converter-outfitted car). At least that's what I tell myself while I put the mowing off until another day.

Lawn mowers also kill off the plants that would otherwise serve as homes for insects, birds, and usually other animals as well. And they sometimes kill the animals (snakes, frogs, etc.) themselves. Yeah that’s it…”back to nature.”

From what I gather, talking with neighbors and friends, a lot of us mow because we feel we have to fit in, or because some towns have so-called weed ordinances (laws that specify how wild our lawns can get), or because our wives tell us to.

Go ahead, by the way, and tell me I'm sexist (see "wives" above), but the reality is that mowing has, since I was a kid back in the 60s and 70s, always been primarily a man's job. When I see a woman mowing, I usually figure she's lesbian, or single, or, if the lawn is really long, that she's pissed off enough at her husband for putting the mowing off that she's taken matters into her own hands.

There's always the occasional man or woman who claims to like mowing. I sometimes hear people actually say they like it for the fresh air or exercise. Of course if people really mowed for fresh air and exercise, they would use natural, emission-free, hand-powered push mowers—the reel kinds, with no engine.

So why do we really do it?

For most people, though, the main reason for mowing is aesthetic. People think the lawn should look a certain way—i.e., "look nice." Or they think their neighbors feel that way (which they probably do).

If the motivation is genuinely aesthetic, though, then something just doesn't make sense. An uncut lawn actually has variety to it. It can have anything you want, from wild cup plants to luscious fruiting and flowering bushes—the kind of stuff people drive off into the country for hours to see when they're on vacation trying to "get away from it all."

Sometimes with a glass of iced-tea I still see my dad in my mind's eye... in his dark shoes and socks mowing our lawn when I was a kid. I was actually shy about his appearance then, but sometimes long for those days now as an adult. Thanks dad for teaching me how to mow the lawn properly and actually enjoy doing yard work properly. I too want my lawn to look as nice as yours always did years ago…I will just be doing the job in tennis shoes instead.

And my next book? "How to mow the lawn." --Fixing a faucet. --Carving the Thanksgiving turkey. --Impressing the fairer sex. --How to behave when a lady faints. --Mixing the perfect martini or mowing the perfect lawn. Being a man has become a lost art, but help is on the way. With more than one hundred "lost arts" documented throughout the book, “How to Mow the Lawn” will never let readers feel as if they don't know what to do should a manly situation come up.

Things I can use in everyday life....*The Great Outdoors: how to defend yourself against wild animals * The Perfect Host: getting rid of guests politely. This is a book that teaches men the basic survival skills they need to win the hearts and minds of the women they love and get through the pitfalls of life.

I guess my dad was right....mowing the lawn is important.

..."Daffodils" (1804)....

OK...let's face it...2009 was a shitty year and we don't need to revisit it again...record unemployment, stock market crashes, swine flu...damn.

Spring is here. It's God's way of saying there is hope that things will 'renew' again. New leaves, new grass...and the season favorite..new daffodils. Count on them! They say in one 'bright hello' that we have hope again. Perhaps if you look deep into the daffodil...most of the pain of such a crazy year seems to drop-off a little. Maybe ...just maybe things are getting better.

The Dow is up, the sun is shining, Dilly is feeling better and more importantly we have all had the time to heal from last year. Let's focus on what the daffodil has to offer...a fresh 'new beginning.' Take the time to enjoy....and let's move into the future...but first, let's visit the past. Let's go back to 1804: Territory of Orleans organizes in Louisiana Purchase. Lewis and Clark set out from St. Louis for Pacific Coast. Senate and Tribune declare Napolean leader of France. Haiti gains independence from France. New Jersey becomes last northern state to abolish slavery. Congress orders removal of Indians east of Mississippi to Louisiana...and the daffodil started that spring...like this one.

"Daffodils" (1804)
I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch'd in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed -- and gazed -- but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).

....from 20%...to more like 60%....and climbing!

I am soooo happy to say that Dillan has shown GREAT signs of improvement. We are so blessed that he is walking under his own power....has a ravenous appetite.....and started to play again.

The swelling in his brain has subsided and we are hopeful that we caught the problem in time. Of course I say "we" when JoJo gets the credit for diligently finding the doctors and hospital that actually "knew" what the symptoms were...and knew how to treat him. Thank you NW Vet Specialists in Clackamas...you are the best! Thank you doctor for fixing my baby boy...he may not be completely out-of-the-woods....but he is headed toward the clearing...and for that I thank you and thank God. Thank you for listening.

I have to ask myself why it was so damn hard (with 4 other visits) for some people to do their job correctly? Now don’t get me wrong…I have my weaknesses as well…but seriously! What has happened to the fabric of the people that “used to do a good job?”

Everyone today agrees that truly great employees are rarer than the proverbial hen’s teeth. It makes no difference if you are an employee yourself, or if you are a manager who is wondering how to actually find a great employee to fill a role, you know that great employees are at a premium.

What exactly is it though that makes an employee great?

Attitudes project your beliefs and values, and what you think of your job, coworkers and boss. It is shown in the quality of your work. The boss is aware of your individual attitudes at work and is watching them every day. They are as important as the work that you produce. A "positive" attitude does not always mean "happy", but it is better to be upbeat at work rather than brooding and angry, "Positive" can also mean proactive, which means you go after things and don't wait for them to come to you (using initiative). Add some flair to what you do all day.

How do you go about doing your job with flair? The first way to make sure you are doing your job with distinction doesn't involve much flair at all - it simply involves doing your job and doing it well. Know exactly what your responsibilities are and attend to them every day. Don't let any of the things that come under your job description fall by the wayside because you think they are unimportant. If you are unsure exactly what all of your responsibilities are, ask your boss for a meeting and discuss your job description with them.

Another way to do your job with flair is to add to the good morale in the office. Everyone has at least one person in the office that is like a black cloud hanging in the air. Gloom, doom and pessimism don't really have a place in the office. Even if you feel like you are heading for a fall with the way a certain project is coming together (like a recent one that comes to mind) or because someone on the team is not pulling their weight, look for solutions instead of standing around and complaining about it.

What I learned with this Dilly experience is that you MUST be a great listener. The first habit of listening is to pay attention to the person who is speaking. Give them your full attention -- and visibly so. Attend not only with your ears but with your whole body. Turn to face them. Gaze intently at them. The trick to full attention is to do it from inside your head, not just by moving your body. If you can be truly interested (which is often just a matter of attitude) then your body will happily follow your mind.

Sometimes the speaker is having difficulty getting their point across. Maybe they are not that good at speaking or are seeking to explain a complex concept. You can help them and yourself by positive encouragement…and listening.

Good listening also includes acting in a way that is considerate of the other person. As a part of listening, you should seek to help the person feel good about themselves. Having someone pay close attention to you and show interest is very flattering and usually feels good.

A fundamental attitude to support this is to value and accept all people, even if you do not agree with what they have to say or how they say it. Thus, if you disagree, disagree with the argument and not with the person. Show your acceptance of their right to differ with you, whilst stating your opposition to what they say.

Finally, be careful with how you react to what the other person says.

It is easy to be put off by listeners who show a marked lack of interest, who do not seem to understand what you are saying or who seem more concerned with criticizing you and showing how they do not need to listen to you.

Before you comment about what the other person has said, pause before you dive into a response. Notice your own internal inferences and biases. Think about what you would say and the effect that it would have. Consider if this is what you want to achieve. A doctor should never say,”Well, there will always be the dead and dying"…when your dog is near death.

And for that statement (the first place we took Mr. B when we were in great pain)….listen closely when I tell you to kiss my ass. I love my dog....and you obviously have come to the end of your road as a doctor.