2014-0228 Choices

Hi All –

Take a look at this cartoon for a moment:

Although it is called a cartoon, the picture really doesn’t make us laugh, does it? 

Rather, it visually presents a challenge to us I think.  When we look at this cartoon, we see two people riding in the same car.  Both are going in the same direction at the same speed.  Both will arrive at the same destination.  Yet one person seems happy and the other seems depressed.  Why? 

The depressed person has only a limited vision which is gray, featureless and unchanging.  He has no reason to believe that things will be different, either in one minute or ever.  You can see that he’s had the same view for a long time – the road stretches out for a long way behind them.

The happy person is enjoying a panoramic view of sunshine on a verdant valley.  He enjoys the ever-changing view and is holding binoculars to better see into the distance.  He likes what he sees and is enjoying the ride. 

The cartoon has lettering which says “Every single day you make a choice.”  This is, of course, a metaphor for our lives.  Each day, we can choose to focus on the negative aspects of our lives or concentrate on the many blessings that surround us.  During the day, if we find ourselves consumed by worry, then perhaps we can unfasten our seat belt, stand up, and move to the other side of the train.  What do you think?  Is this always possible?  Is it that easy? 

I think the answers to those questions are unique to us. 

And suppose we are riding on this train (well, we all are, aren’t we?) and notice that our friend is sadly facing the rock wall of despair.  Maybe he was just diagnosed with cancer or is having marital problems.  Do we say “Oh, don’t worry.  Everything will be alright.” or “Hey, look on the bright side.  Maybe some good will come of this situation.”?  I think not.  Perhaps the best thing to do is to sit with him awhile – let him know that someone cares about him in his time of need.

Is it even reasonable to think that we should always be sitting on the side of the train facing the beautiful valley?  Should we always expect good things from life and never bad? 

Do you recognize yourself on this train?  If so, which side are you usually sitting on?

Have a great week!

Kevin

Reminder:  If you are unsure about the meaning of the idioms used in this message, please refer to "Idioms, Figures of Speech, and Proverbs" posted on this blog in August 2013.  An alternative is to look at http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com

2014-0221 Clueless in Cupertino

Hi All –

OK, I have to tell on myself.  Yesterday, a friend and I went hiking at Rancho San Antonio followed by a delicious lunch at Islands on Steven’s Creek Blvd.  Islands serves a number of different hamburgers and so my friend and I had a couple of those, onion rings, sweet potato fries and a vanilla milkshake; all foods which receive top billing by the Acadamy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  Now don’t give me that look, there was a maraschino cherry in the milkshake on top of the whipped cream and that counts as a vegetable, right?  Admit it, you would have had one too if you had been there!

So anyway, we finish our lunch and exit Islands, carrying our leftovers, to get into my car which is a white Toyota Camry, still in deep conversation.  ( By this I mean that my friend and I are in deep conversation, not the Toyota Camry.)  

We come to the white Camry and I use the electronic key thingie to unlock the driver’s door and the passenger door.  I then open the driver’s door but notice that my friend is still locked out.  So I use the control on the inside of the driver’s door to unlock the passenger side door.  I get in and she gets in.  I then reach around to put my leftovers on the back seat, put the key into the ignition and try to start the car. 

The key won’t turn.

 I check to ensure that I’m in park and have my foot on the brake.  Still the key won’t turn.  Also the seat feels funny somehow. 

At this point, I realize that there is a brown jacket on the dashboard which I don’t recognize.  How did that get there?  I look around to the back seat and there is stuff on it that isn’t mine.  Finally the nickel drops and I realize that we’re in the wrong car! 

If there was a gold Olympic medal for exiting a car in the shortest amount of time, we would have earned it.  I was feeling mortified that I had been so unaware of my surroundings as to not notice my mistake for so long.  My friend also was thinking along the lines of “Didn’t we park somewhere else?  I don’t remember this jacket being here.”

Now I wonder if the owner of that vehicle will somehow know that somebody had been in their vehicle.  But in my defense, I HAD pushed the button to unlock the car and the driver’s door WAS indeed unlocked!  Of course it wasn’t MY doing which unlocked it, the driver had merely neglected to lock the door when exiting. 

From now on, I’ll try to pay better attention to my surroundings.  I think that would be a wise thing, don’t you?

Have a great week!

Kevin

Reminder:  If you are unsure about the meaning of the idioms used in this message, please refer to "Idioms, Figures of Speech, and Proverbs" posted on this blog in August 2013.  An alternative is to look at http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com

2014-0214 Goals

Goals

In the workplace, management often talks about goals, whether accomplishing an important project in a timely manner, outbidding competitors to land a profitable contract, increasing the workforce by 10%, or maximizing this year’s profit to mollify the shareholders.  Generally a project can be divided into short-range goals and long-range goals (also known as short-term and long-term). 

For example, if you are part of a team working on a new suite of software which is necessary to support a hardware upgrade scheduled to occur in 6 months, then the project is broken down into demonstrable steps, also known as milestones.  The short-range goals are the achievement of each of those steps in a manner consistent with the overall project schedule.  The long-range goal is to achieve success in writing operational software in time to support the upgrade.  Management’s role throughout this process is to ensure that the project adheres to the agreed-upon schedule within the budget provided, to make sure that the people working on the project have the information, training, and materials that they require, to act as a liaison between the workers and the customer, and to resolve any personnel issues.

So goals in the workplace are common and familiar to us.  But what about goals in our personal lives?  As children, our parents act as the management team, guiding us and setting our goals and expectations.  One of our long-range plans as children, then, is to gain an education; passing each grade becomes a short-range goal.  Breaking those down further, passing a test becomes an even shorter-range goal.  And so on. 

Time passes and so you grow up and move away from your parents.  Sometimes they still act as your management team, calling and offering advice on what you should do.  But at some point, you will take over your own management function.  Then you will begin setting your own goals.  In the early years, those goals might be to get a job or find a spouse.  Later on, maybe you set goals of exercising more and eating healthier or quitting smoking. 

It may be that you aren’t aware of any long-term goals in your life.  You have been living in a fixed pattern for so long that it seems to have no end.  All you are aware of are the short-term goals of daily life.  You wake up, fix breakfast for the family, get the kids off to school, see your husband off to work, do the household chores, do the shopping, decide what to fix for dinner, and so forth.  Each day much the same.  If someone asks you about your long-range goals, what could you say?

Now might be the time to think about things you’d like to try but never had the time or opportunity.  Even if you still don’t have the time or opportunity, someday you will.  Wouldn’t it be nice to look forward to that time with the idea in mind that you could take piano lessons or learn to paint?  Maybe write children’s stories? If you feel that you’re “too old” to learn anything new, then take heart from the example of Grandma Moses who took up painting in her seventies.  You are never too old to be amazing!

Have a great week!

Kevin

Reminder:  If you are unsure about the meaning of the idioms used in this message, please refer to "Idioms, Figures of Speech, and Proverbs" posted on this blog in August 2013.  An alternative is to look at http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com

2014-0207 Valentine's Day

Hi All –

As many of you are aware, Valentine’s Day is looming just ahead on the horizon.  Every year, it is celebrated on February 14 and is a day for sweethearts to express their mutual affection, normally by exchanging greeting cards, known as valentines.  In modern times, gifts are sometimes given by the man to the woman expressing romantic sentiment.  These can take the form of flowers, candy, jewelry or lingerie. 

In my opinion it is probably Not A Good Thing to give lingerie to your girlfriend.  The message is “I sure wish you looked like one of those Victoria’s Secret models.”  Of course if you ARE dating a Victoria’s Secret model, then you don’t need any advice from me.  

Also, if your girlfriend is self-conscious about her weight, then candy should be avoided as well.  Naturally, being a supportive boyfriend, you can offer to eat the candy yourself.  You’ll then have an entire year before you have to think of another Valentine’s gift for your next girlfriend. 

Astute gentlemen are aware that there may be competition for the favor of their desired inamorata so they must outwit any other prospective suitors in their choice of gift.  It must be something that expresses their creativity and uniqueness and shows their interest in and knowledge of the woman’s aesthetic tastes. 

I suggest writing a poem.

Here a well-known example of a poem:

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Sugar is sweet,

And so are you.

Note that the endings of lines 2 and 4 rhyme.  Also note the rhythm and cadence of these lines.  There are four syllables to each line so the effect is pleasing to the ear. 

So . . . let’s write a Valentine’s Day poem.  First, to personalize the poem, we should include the maiden’s name.  Let’s call her Jane.  Next, think about Jane and the qualities that you find most impressive about her.  What attracts you to her above other women? Physical characteristics can be used such as smoldering eyes, delicate ears, raven tresses, a graceful neck, pearly white teeth or a beautiful complexion.  Probably best not to wander below the neckline, though.

Back to Jane.  Let’s say you find her endearing because she sings beautifully.  You could listen to her voice for hours and, if you ever get married, you may get your wish.  Knowing that birdsong is considered very pleasing, you could then compare her singing to that of a bird.  Throwing in a reference or two about her good looks is an added bonus.  So spend a little time and throw together a poem that won’t embarrass either you or her.  OK, so you ponder awhile and come up with the following:

A Valentine’s Poem For My Sweet Jane

How sweet the verdant woodlands sound,

When nightingales within abound,

Their calls do reach across the miles,

And bring to each a grateful smile.

Yet even these fall silent when,

My lovely Jane sings in the glen,

Her voice is judged beyond compare,

When gracing yet the still night air.

Now that you’ve written something original, HANDWRITE it on some pretty paper and decorate it.  Don’t just print it off on your computer.  That’s too ordinary.  Just be prepared after you give it to her for the possibility that she may say, “Wow, that’s very nice.  But you should see the lingerie that Bill got me!  It makes me look just like a Victoria’s Secret model!”

Sigh.

Yours for a romantic Valentine’s Day!

Kevin

Reminder:  If you are unsure about the meaning of the idioms used in this message, please refer to "Idioms, Figures of Speech, and Proverbs" posted in August.  An alternative is to look at http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com