Monthly Archives: May 2014

Stop and Think: Seeing the Plus Side and Remembering Those Who Contributed to It

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Hi everyone! You know, we are all so busy with our lives and so preoccupied with our own problems, that we often fail to stop and take a mental look at the good things we have. Just as it is a good idea to stop and smell the roses, it’s also a good idea to just stop and think. About the good things and people we have in our lives, and to remember those who contributed to those good things.

Yes, perhaps you’re financially poor, worried about yourself or relatives, or the job, or a myriad of other things. I’m the same way. But oftentimes, through a mixture of personal will and probably some ‘mental luck of being’, I see or hear of people in worse straits than myself or those I care about.  Here some examples:

I hate the fact that I’m short. But then, I’ll see an obese man who has all kinds of trouble doing things that I do without even thinking about it, such as walking far, getting into a small car, tying my shoes, getting in and out of chairs, and I think to myself, ‘Thank God I’m not him’ , and realize that being short isn’t the worst thing in the world.

I’ll see or hear someone who is acting obnoxiously, and thank my parents and others who taught me not to act that way when I was a child, so I wouldn’t make a fool, and worse, out of myself as an adult. Again, I am thankful that I’m not that obnoxious person.

Sometimes, I’ll find myself mentally griping at circumstances in my life, then hear about some people who are being oppressed in one way or another in some other country. I then remember that I live in a free country that’s been kept free by the efforts of those who worked and fought and died to keep it that way. And I am grateful because I know that things could have been a lot worse.

And when I’m on the job and thinking it’s too hot or cold, or the fliers are too bulky, I notice that I am outdoors, and seeing things that I could never see if I had an office job. I also can wear what I like, have near total control as to how I plan my day, when to take breaks, etc., and I have employers who are not micromanaging me. And I am thankful that I have the job I do have, when so many are either unemployed or have jobs that they despise and are too afraid, mentally tired, or too literally stuck to try to change things.

So, do take some time to see the good things you have and remember those who contributed to those good things. You will feel better, trust me.

If you like what you’ve read here, please let others know of this post, blog, and site.

Thanks for reading! 🙂

Road Trip!

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With summer coming up, one’s thoughts turn to travel, and the idea of a road trip. I like travel in most forms, and when I travel in winter, I do prefer to fly to avoid snow issues, but traveling by car is my most preferred method.

Travel by car allows the most freedom. If I see something along the way that I want to check out, I can! If you’re flying from Las Vegas to Albuquerque, you’ll likely be flying over the Grand Canyon. But stopping to take a picture from the rim is impossible to do from a passenger jet at 35,000 feet, for obvious reasons. But if you’re traveling by car, yes, you can stop to take pictures.

Car travel, (or RV travel, etc) usually involves less hassles. No security checkpoints, no true restrictions on liquids, items, etc. Easier transport of items. You also know how much you can take and know that someone else won’t have taken your trunk space. None of the hassles that you encounter when flying.

You see the scenery along the way when you travel by car. You can see things from a plane, too, but only if you have a window seat, and your field of vision is restricted.

Lastly, but oftentimes most important, you have more control over your trip. You can leave when you want to. And if you need to, changing motel reservations is much easier and often less costly than changing or cancelling flight reservations. Also, there are less likely to be delays caused by things beyond your control, like the airline simply cancelling your flight, even though you are well, and all ready to go, or flight delays due to weather on the other side of the country. (Yes, I have heard of flight delays at an airport where the weather is perfect, because of “chain reaction” delays caused by weather in a location far from that airport!)

Are there disadvantages? Sure. Flat tires or maintenance issues you must handle yourself, though AAA is a great help. It’s slower. Driving from Portland, Oregon to Los Angeles, California takes two days. It only takes 4 hours by plane nonstop if you also throw in the 2 hours that you should arrive before your actual boarding time. Arrive at the airport at 7am to leave on a 9am flight and arrive before lunchtime.

Though gas, motel rooms, and eating out can add to the expense of a road trip, I usually find driving to cost somewhat less, especially if your final destination is a friend’s or relative’s house where you’ll be staying, and sometimes eating, for free. If you’re renting a car after the plane trip and staying in lodging that you’ll be paying for at your destination, then the cost of gas, eating out, and lodging almost don’t matter and the overall trip, boosted by the plane fare, may be much more expensive.(Though still worth it if you like travel as I do!)

And, if driving long distances really tires you out or is just not your thing, then travelling by car is its own disadvantage for you.

But, if you don’t mind driving and are fed up with airports, (and your destination is drive-able, since you can’t drive to Hawaii,) think about a road trip!

If you like what you’ve read here, please let others know of this post, blog, and site.

And thanks for reading! 🙂

Why I Like Lists, oh, and Go Check Out My Page of Lists!

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Hi everyone! I’ve added a new page to this site, called, “Page of Lists”. Currently, it has one list right now,  Books and writings every American should read and why. I will be adding more lists in the future for different things, such as the 10 best, 3 highest, etc. And, I invite you to let me know if you have any ideas for lists, and they can be included, so long as they’re clean.

Many of these lists are informational and based more on what I’ve heard and read and on my opinions, but hopefully, they can be informative and entertaining, also.

I first got hooked on lists when I read “The Book of Lists” by David Wallechinsky, Amy Wallace, and Irving Wallace in 1977. It was very informational, without being overly wordy or involved, providing information in an easy to absorb format. I’ve since read the subsequent books that they’ve put out, as well as a few others from different authors covering different subjects.

So, I hope you check out my new page, the Page of Lists, from time to time. There’s only one list there as of the writing of this post, but there will be more.

If you like what you’ve read here on this post, blog, and site, please let others know.

And thanks for reading! 🙂

Your Cubicle is not really Your Space : How Not to Decorate

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So, you’ve got a job in cubicle land and you have your very own cubicle. Yours to decorate as you wish? Well, maybe, but there are some risks.

I once worked in cubicle land and had my own cubicle, too. Now, some people decorated their cubicle greatly, bringing pictures, heirlooms, and other things, while others, didn’t decorate at all. I leaned towards not decorating. At most, I had a picture or two, and maybe a small calendar.

And this was for several reasons, all huddled under the main reason which is that, your cubicle is not really yours. It belongs to the company.

One, departments are often compelled to move, and moving means that you have to unpin and remove all those belongings you brought from home, in addition to all the company material that must be moved.

Second, a cubicle cannot be secured the way your home can. So, that nice little vase you got as a gift that so impresses your co-workers, is also impressive to thieves. And it may not be the nighttime cleaning staff either. It could be co-worker in your department, or one just passing through.

Then, while it may not be offensive to you, that object or picture you brought from home may be offensive to someone else, resulting in your superior coming to you and demanding you take it back home. How your superior does this may or may not be embarrassing to you. And it may go on your employee record.

Or, it could just be a distraction in one way or another, resulting in the same demand being made of you to remove said item or picture.

So my advice? Ok, maybe an innocuous picture or two from home, but try not to go beyond this, and don’t bring anything that you know is against company policy or is too valuable to lose.

And speaking of pictures, it’s a good idea to take advantage of today’s technology, and make a copy, so if the picture at work goes missing, you’ll still have the original on your computer.

Good luck with your cubicle, even though it’s not really yours!

If you like what you’ve read here, please let others know of this post, blog, and site!

And thanks for reading! 🙂