Thought 4 The Week October 6, 2008

Word of the Week: partisan 1par.ti.san noun (Etymology: Middle French partisan, from north Italian dialect partiźan, from part part, party, from Latin part-, pars part Date: 1555)

1: a firm adherent to a party, faction, cause, or person ; especially : one exhibiting blind, prejudiced, and unreasoning allegiance 2 a: a member of a body of detached light troops making forays and harassing an enemy b: a member of a guerrilla band operating within enemy lines

Leadership Quote: A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd.

Thing To Ponder: Why is bra singular and panties plural? 

Philosophical Quote: Before enlightenment – chop wood, carry water.  After enlightenment – chop wood, carry water. 

Useless Knowledge: The Sanskrit word for “war” means “desire for more cows.”  

Inspirational Quote: Your current safe boundaries were once unknown frontiers.

Motivational Push

7 Top Questions to Ask Yourself Daily

Living with purpose and passion is based upon decision. You may choose to live day after day, one after another, in a completely ordinary existence. OR you can choose to greet each day with a possibility mindset. A purposeful mindset. A Passionate mindset.

Begin each day with these questions and be amazed.

1. Why is it important for me to engage myself in my work passionately and purposefully each day?

2. How will I choose to allow my attitude effect how I address stressful situations at work today? How can I be more affective and proactive in regards to stress and attitude?

3. When am I most likely too react with the most passion and purpose today? Meeting with clients? Working on my computer? Following up on a lead? Take note of what makes your passion come alive, so you can use it to better your work performance.

4. Where within the organization am I best able to express my passion and purpose? Is it working with my peers? My supervisors? Clients? Interdepartmentally? Where physically do I perform the most purposefully?

5. With whom do I need to spend time in order to maintain balance as I pursue my passion and purpose? Within the organization, who best supports me?

6. What choices will I make today that align my purpose and passion with the tasks at hand at work?

7. Who am I called to be today as an expression of my passion for living?

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Thought 4 The Day – 09/28/08 September 29, 2008

 
Word of The Day: lacunae: \lə-ˈkü-nə, –ˈkyü-\ noun a blank space or a missing part : gap : deficiency 2. a small cavity, pit, or discontinuity in an anatomical structure
 
Leadership Quote: He makes a great mistake … who supposes that authority is firmer or better established when it is founded by force than that which is welded by affection.
 
Thing To Ponder: Why is bra singular and panties plural?

Philosophical Quote: The human mind is inspired enough when it comes to inventing horrors; it is when it tries to invent a Heaven that it shows itself cloddish.
 
Useless Knowledge: Charles Lindbergh took only four sandwiches with him on his famous transatlantic flight.
 
Inspirational Quote: Hell is the knowledge of opportunity lost; the place where the man I am comes face to face with the man I might have been.

A Motivational Push
 
WHAT TIME IS IT?

There was a wealthy business owner who used to walk to his company every morning.  As was his custom he would proceed through the town and stop at the window of the jeweler’s shop.  He would wind his watch fully and reset it to the exact time on the big clock in the jeweler’s window.  He was very particular about having the right time, as he was the one to blow the steam whistle at his factory, at 5 o’clock, to signal the end of the day.



Inside the shop the jeweler recognized his frequent visitor and, although they had never spoken, was curious about this gentleman.  One day the jeweler decided to step out and greet the man.


“I notice every morning that you stop by and look in my window, but you have never come into the shop.  Is there something I can help you with?”


“No, thank you,” replied the gentleman, “I just stop by to set my watch, I know I can trust your big clock for the right time.”


“You certainly can,” said the jeweler with some pride, “That is a fine clock.”


“And tell me how do you set its time?” the gentleman inquired.


The jeweler replied, “I listen every evening, at precisely 5 o’clock, for the steam whistle at the local factory.”

Thought 4 The Week – 09/28/08

Word of The Week: tetchy • \TETCH-ee\ • adjective : irritably or peevishly sensitive : touchy 
 
Leadership Quote: Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to higher sights, the raising of a person’s performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.
 
Thing To Ponder: Why is the third hand on the watch called the second hand?
 
Philosophical Quote: How often one sees people looking far and wide for what they are holding in their hands? 

Useless Knowledge: The fingerprints of koala bears are virtually indistinguishable from those of humans, so much so that they could be confused at a crime scene.
 
Inspirational Quote: What are these tools, these techniques of suffering, these means of experiencing the pain of problems constructively that I call discipline? There are four: delaying of gratification, acceptance of responsibility, dedication to truth, and balancing.
 
Motivational Push
 
The Journey
 
One day you finally knew
What you had to do, and began
Though the voices around you
Kept shouting
Their bad advice –
Though the whole house
Began to tremble
And you felt the old tug
At your ankles “Mend my life!”
Each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
Though the wind pried
With its stiff fingers
At the very foundations,
Though their melancholy
Was terrible.

It was already late
Enough, and a wild night,
And the road full of fallen stones.
But little by little,
As you left their voices behind,
The stars began to burn
Through the sheets of clouds,
And there was a new voice,
Which you slowly recognized as your own,
That kept you company
As you strode deeper and deeper
Into the world,
Determined to do
The only thing you could do –
Determined to save
The only life you could save.

By Mary Oliver 

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The Preschool Chronicles – Month One September 25, 2008

It has been almost a month since my 2 year old has been installed in preschool.  I use the word ‘installed’ quite on purpose, due to the fact that he was probably not very pleased about being left there…in fact, I’m sure he wasn’t.  The tears of shear dismay and pleading, rather begging, “MOMMY, MOMMY!!! NO!!! NO!!!! MOMMY!!” still replay quite vividly in my mind.  Well, I won’t relive the awful scene as I placed his diaper bag (no he’s not yet potty trained) and his carseat in the respective designated areas.  I’d rather focus on the last three weeks as a whole.  For those of you currently awash in the abyss of your toddler’s first preschool experience, read on and know that you’re not alone.  For those who have already mastered the preschool years, please provide some sort of insight; a survival guide or something to help us novices out!

The Germ-Fest

My vegan son is the epitome of health.  No fillers, no additives, no Big Pharma candy…no, no, no.  Nothing that had a mother, nothing made in a factory, you get the point.  The little man hasn’t had a cold in well, I’d say forever, but he’s only 2 and that would be a little unbelieveable…it has been at least 6 months though. So you could imagine my surprise when on the second day of preschool, he arrived home with the sniffles.  Now everyone I spoke to about this momentous event said exactly the same thing, “Oh yeah, when they’re in preschool, their noses never stop running!”  Why is this something we are unable to fix?  Why must their noses continually run?  Why are they passing germs around like…the plague!  Okay, I overstate.  But honestly, why is the everyday, run of the mill preschool a germ-fest?  I’m venting, bare with me.

My son’s a genius, why don’t they realize that?

I know every parent says this about their child, but mine really is a genius.  Okay, whatever.  I spent an enormous amount of time branding the ABC’s and 123’s into my sons head so he could start preschool to sit down and watch Sesame Street all day? I don’t think so!!!!  Alright, alright, maybe not all day, but really, shouldn’t they be cultivating each child’s potential with sensory learning tools and all that other jazz? 

He eats like an anorexic super-model

Is it just me or is my son refusing his favorite meal…that would be white rice.  Actually, he’s refusing everything I put in front of him.  It seems almost impossible that he can maintain his energy levels with just the morsel of food he’s been eating. 

Much more clingy than usual

This one I can kind of figure.  He may be having some abandonment issues.  Therefore when he sees his parents, he holds onto us with all his might.  I’ve been reassured that this will pass as he becomes more acclaimated to his surroundings.

Alright, so these are the changes I’ve noticed over the past three weeks.  As is my custom, I’ve done a little research to try to understand the ins and outs of the whole preschool thing.  Here’s a list from the experts to help ease my (and your) concerns.

What parents can do to ease the transition:

• Talk to the preschool teacher about your concerns
• Stay for a class
• Practice appropriate preschool behavior while at home
• Reevaluate maturity level and preschool readiness

This is definitely a process for all of us and I’m still researching it myself.  What are your thoughts?  What has worked for you?  Enlighten us.

The Happier Life Chronicles – Thought 4 The Week August 24, 2008

As the list of life’s stresses increases exponentially, we find ourselves consumed with finding quick fixes while trying to maintain some semblance of normalcy.  Gas, food, health care and education top just about everyones’ list as culprits.  Some hypothesize about the reasons, while others determine to take action.  We look to hybrids, farmer’s markets, foreign pharmaceuticals and alternative modes of education to solve our problems and ease our minds.  It’s a different world than our parents or even their parents grew up in.  This fast paced society, calls for more money, more time, more, more, more…until you’ve given of yourself completely.  However, in the midst of it all, there must be time for a mental revival.  A time dedicated only to renewal of our minds.  A sabbath, if you will.  A time set aside for a specific thing. 

From this mode of thinking, the Thought 4 The Week was born.  I firmly believe that we must start our week, not with an empty canvas, but with a canvas containing a background of inspiration and motivation.  A background, that no matter what is painted on the canvas, the background will permeate and continually hint at the beauty beneath. 

The Thought 4 The Week contains six elements: Word of the Week, Leadership Quote of the Week, Thing To Ponder, Philosophical Quote of the Week, Useless Knowledge, and Inspirational Quote of the Week.  The contents of each of these elements are by no means original, however, when pooled together, they can foment a newness and rev you up for the week to come. 

Thought 4 The Week

Word of the Week
Ambisinister: (am-bi-SIN-uh-stuhr) adjective: Clumsy with both hands.

Leadership Quote of the Week
“If it’s a good idea, go ahead and do it. It’s much easier to apologize than it is to get permission.”
Admiral Grace Hopper

Thing To Ponder
Why is it that people say they “slept like a baby” when babies wake up every two hours? 

Philosophical Quote of the Week
“Our eyes can only see our beliefs. Our beliefs cause us to make assumptions, draw conclusions and cause confusion. Our five senses are very limiting.” White Bison

Useless Knowledge
The name of the first presidential airplane was the Sacred Cow.

Inspirational Quote of the Week
“Whenever you are confronted with an opponent, conquer him with love.” Mahatma Gandhi

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Water Is Your Friend August 17, 2008

I applaud the water bottling companies for their ingenious attempt to “make-over” water! Yes, my friends, you may not have noticed it, but water is being made over, right before your very eyes. Recently, I’ve seen the sleeker, more eco-friendly bottles, some with cool blue hues to attract a more discriminating consumer, others with a more minimalist approach – clear bottle, scarcely worded labels – you catch my drift.  But why do I applaud them? Because they are in the business of selling perhaps the most therapeutic and health-preserving remedy known to man – Water.  Okay, call me naive for actually believing that the companies are in it for your health. There’s a lot of profit in selling plastic bottles! But I wish to just ponder for a second, in my warped reality, about the millions of potential soda purchasing teenagers who were lured into picking up a shiny bottle of water instead. Call me nuts!

So, let’s talk about water – the mystery and the magic! I overstate (as is my custom) for effect. We’re actually going to be discussing the benefits of water, why drinking it as often as possible could improve your health (obvious) and extend your life (these statements have not been approved by the FDA).  In a nutshell, water transports nutrients and hormones to vital organs.  It also gets in there and gets rid of all the stuff that shouldn’t be there. Yippie!! It hydrates and aids in digestion. It’s truly the miracle liquid. It does quite a few more things for the body as well…

• Removes toxins and waste from your body
• Aids in weight loss
• Improves energy
• Keeps skin healthy
• Improves brain function
• Reduces risk of heart-attack
• Improves immune system

To maintain optimum function, being well hydrated is necessary. It is not always easy to drink the recommended 8 glasses a day, for some, even 4 or 5 glasses is hard.  This was a challenge for me as well, so I implemented a few strategic “inspirations” that kept me on track and may work for you as well.

• Carry water with you everywhere you go – preferably in a glass bottle or container (like a Perrier bottle)
• Keep a glass or bottle of water next to you when you’re sitting for extended periods of time – like at your desk at work
• Set your “water” alarm to remind you to drink your water at set intervals
• Add lemons or mint leaves to your water to make it more appealing
• Eat water-rich fruit such as melons

It goes without saying that water is the end-all-be-all when it comes to health management. It purifies, hydrates and refreshes the body in ways no other liquid or solid can boast. Water does it all, because indeed, water is your friend!

Pristine Clean Intestines August 9, 2008

This may seem like an odd thing to say but, I like my intestines pristine clean! Yes, my intestines.  Why, may you ask, is this the first sentence of this post?  And my answer, ladies and gentlemen…who wouldn’t want pristine clean intestines?  And, in an effort to successfully obtain those pristine clean intestines, I undertook the task of a mono-fruit detox.  Oh yeah, baby! One fruit, well, actually 8 fruit, but of one kind.  I literally ate 8 apples over a 24 hour period.  And some organic apple juice and water…but you get my point.  A mono-fruit detox with apples as the mono-fruit!

Why apples?  Apples, as you know, have phenomenal health benefits.  We’ve all been told, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away!” Well it aids in creating pristine clean intestines as well.  How?  Glad you asked.  Besides being an awesome source of dietary fiber, it reduces cholesterol, maintains healthy bowel function (now that’s what I’m talking about!), reduces the risk of stroke, Type II Diabetes and asthma. You can’t beat that with a stick!

Of course, you can complete a successful mono-fruit detox with just about any fruit, I just personally prefer the health benefits of apples.  Grapes (strangely enough, my favorite fruit), is another wonderful option for the mono-fruit detox.  In fact, grapes provide an enormous amount of Vitamins A, C, B6 and folate.  They’re also quite refreshing.  What more can you ask for? The list of acceptable fruit can go on and on, but we’re talking about pristine clean intestines and this mono-fruit detox…

Why pristine clean intestines? Now we’re getting down to business.  Cleaning the intestines contributes to ones health in many ways:

• Rids the bowel of excess fecal matter 
• Helps skin conditions
• Reduces the risk of most cancers
• Fights fatigue
• Weight loss
• Reduces Blood Pressure
• Assists with allergy relief

As the body detoxes, you may experience certain side effects, none of which are life-threatening. Side effects include:

• Headache
• Depression
• Frequent bowel movements
• Thirst
• Mood Swings
• Carbohydrate cravings
• Body/joint aches 

Like I said, I like my intestines pristine clean and after reading the benefits, everyone should want to do an internal Roto-Rooter on themselves.  I chose the mono-fruit detox, however there are many types of detoxes out there to help you obtain pristine clean intestines.  Do a little research or check out more of my posts on healthy eating and weight loss.