Saturday, August 22, 2009

The Fox In the Hounds!

Recently received an e-mail titled “Great advice”. With it, there was a picture of about 20 or so fox hounds in a tightly knit pack, moving forward. And right in the middle, looking forward and moving with them, was a fox! And over the top of the picture ran this caption:
REMEMBER WHEN YOU ARE IN DEEP S**T, LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT & SAY NOTHING..
Quite a humorous scene, but the caption really is good advise, and sometimes, even when you are totally surrounded by your enemies, you can both survive and escape, by following the advice of keeping your mouth shut and both looking and moving forward.
Is there some situation like this that you are currently facing today, maybe not as desperate or as dangerous as this, but one where you just need to keep your mouth shut, whilst both looking and moving forward?
If so please consider the above advice, and if appropriate, apply it and move forward. t may not always work, but if you have tried everything else without success, it just may be worth a shot too? What say you?

Friday, August 21, 2009

What Constitutes a successful Day For You?

This “For Better Or For Worse” Cartoon Strip by Lynn Johnson from July 25, has a series of panels where the mother is busy playing, looking after and cooking for her children. Then there is a panel of her tucking her son into bed and saying to her, “ Well, I’d say it’s been a very successful day.” Then in the final panel she adds tiredly, “…The kids wore out before I did!!!”
Is that how you too are currently assessing a successful day? That things or other people, wear out before you do?
Or are you really on top of things, and rather than always running after others, are you able to get on top of things first and then work to some sort of plan, (even a very rough one) where you can run things to some sort of organization and desired end result, other than where someone (whether you or them) simply wears out first?
Yes what do you need to change either in your life, your planning or your application that you need to work on now? Your thoughts please?

Thursday, August 20, 2009

From where do you draw your Incentive?

In this carton from “For better or for worse” by Lynn Johnston, we see the wife sitting on the couch in a daze with her young son standing near her, and her house a complete mess, with fingerprints and ice-cream on the wall and everything out of place! To which she announces: “ I don’t want to clean up this place … It’s a dump … but I have no incentive.” In the next scene she is on the phone dialling a number and her son asks, “Whatcha doin”, Mom?” To which she replies, “Inviting someone critical over for dinner …”
So how do you draw incentive when there is none? Do you just ignore the situation and wallow in it? Or do you, like our character here, do something positive and create incentive where there is none?
So if, like our character above, you are feeling down in the dumps today with no incentive, don’t stay there, and please, definitely don’t moan and complain to others about it, but get up and do something positive about it, even if you have to create the incentive yourself!
What say you now?

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Rightly Using The family Name.

Heard just recently of the passing of Eunice Kennedy Shriver at the age of 88. Unlike her more famous brothers and her even more famous daughter, (Maria Kennedy Shriver Schwarzenegger) one didn’t hear all that much of Eunice during her lifetime in the popular press or media.
Yet she evidently used her family name and clout to achieve much for a once forgotten part of society, the mentally ill. Yes It was initial concern for her own sister Rosemary, that got her interested in this group, but it was genuine concern for others like her, that attracted Eunice to try and do something for their upliftment. And it was due in no small part to her support, that the Special Olympics came into being in America (from 1971), and internationally (from 1988).
Yes what was started as a small Summer camp in1962 with the support of Eunice and many, many others, this small project became an international event that now has almost 3 million athletes in more than 180 countries.
Talk about using your family clout for the popular good! With her family’s great wealth and fame, Eunice didn’t need to do anything, (Akka Paris Hilton) or she could have used her family name and wealth for Political or personal achievements, but she chose to do otherwise. To help the unhelped!
What about you and I? We may never have that clout or success, but like Eunice, we too can start off small and see where it leads. Yes we too can use our family name (such as they may be), for our own good, or for the common good. Which will you use yours for?

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Les Paul Rocked.

For a man who didn’t really play or record rock music, (He released his first rock album 4 years ago,) Les Paul did indeed rock the Rock Music scene, (as well as all other branches in the music and recording genres!) Growing up into Music during the late 60’s, I was aware of Les Paul and his then wife, Mary Ford, although I really wasn’t into the traditional Country music scene. (Then or now, although I like Hillbilly and some outlaw and some modern Country music!)
Anyway, I was aware of him and his wife (Les Paul & Mary Ford) as recording artists; and that he had a Guitar named after him, but it wasn’t till his death recently (Aug.13) that I discovered how instrumental (Pun originally unintended) he had been to the music scene and in particular, to the Rock music scene. So much so that they even made him a member of their “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame”.
It seems he was one of the pioneers who perfected the Electric guitar and also developed the technology for Multi track recording and over dubbing, so commonplace today. Also, along with his wife Mary, they also instituted the first live reality shows on TV, way back in 1951 when they broadcasted weekly, from their own home. I believe it was only for a few minutes at a time, once a week, but it continued for 7 years still!
I was initially surprise at the time of his death too, to find that he hadn’t been dead for years before that, as he was old even back then, but had just succumbed now at the ripe old age of 94. But I was even more surprised and even greatly impressed, by his greatest achievement, which was none of the above to me. Yes, as ground breaking and innovative as these other achievements were, what impressed me the most, was to find that even at 94 years of age he had still been performing weekly at a nearby New York Jazz club, playing “his” music. Right up until about 7 weeks before his death.
I would like to think that, that would also be true of you and me too, if we should live that long! To still be doing what we loved to do, despite any and all past achievements, no matter how great they may have been! To keep doing what we love and sharing it with others, no matter how small the number or how forgotten by the majority!
Yes Les Paul was still enjoying His life, and plying his trade the way he wanted, right up till the end. Will you and I? I pray so!