December, 2019 - One Less Dog In The Hunt

December 26, 2019April 11, 2020

Convenient for Who 2?

So, you’re busy. Life has you going in circles. You have work, kids to get to school, ballet lessons, soccer practice, dinner to make, and bills piling up you haven’t had a second to pay. Oh, and the car just reminded you that it needs its oil changed. You feel like you’re out of breath, and meeting yourself around each corner. The last thing you need to do is fight your way through the superstore to shop or even drop by the local grocery store.

http://clipart-library.com/clipart/76577.htm

Never Fear. A solution is near. Whether it’s that massive superstore or your local grocery store, they have you and your busy life covered. From the convenience of your home, your car, your computer, and your phone you can shop. They even have a place for you to park while you wait for them to bring it out to your car. You’ll love it, no time wasted pushing a cart, bumping into other shoppers and displays. No more crowded aisles to try to weave down through, fighting for bargains, and climbing over carts or pallets of freight.

How can you not scream for joy? What could possibly cause you complaints?

December 19, 2019April 11, 2020

Merry Christmas!

http://clipart-library.com/clipart/christmas-clipart-4.htm

And now, this break from politics. You have to shake your head. It doesn’t matter what side you’re on, the non-stop intrusion of politics into our lives is crazy. I’m saying this as a person who considers himself a news junkie and highly interested in politics. We know that politics is a part of our lives, but it seems it is becoming the most important part of our lives. Rather than getting a short recap in the evening from Uncle Walter Cronkite, we’re flooded with twenty-four hour, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a year political news. Some times you just have to sign off.

I’d distract you with Christmas, but even that has become controversial. I like this quote from humorist writer Dave Barry:

“In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it ‘Christmas’ and went to church; the Jews called it ‘Hanukkah’ and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say, ‘Merry Christmas!’ or ‘Happy Hanukkah!’ or (to the atheists) ‘Look out for the wall!'”

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/211075-in-the-old-days-it-was-not-called-the-holiday

December 12, 2019April 11, 2020

LOYALTY

Loyalty. It’s a deep word, or at least it can stir deep feelings. It often inspires images of someone you can count upon, or perhaps someone who counts upon you.

How about Loyalty in the workplace?

Most of us think of loyalty as a good quality. We often want to be considered loyal. We want our co-workers to feel we are loyal. We want our supervisors and our company to feel we are loyal. Loyalty is important to good relationships both in life and in work, but it isn’t always a two-way street. And that can sometimes, though not always, lead to blind loyalty.

What’s blind loyalty?

It’s being loyal to someone or something that can’t or won’t return it. It is being loyal even when loyalty is not deserved. It is being loyal even when the target of loyalty fails to earn the honor. Perhaps your committed loyalty is to a person or entity who has become involved in something from which you should have divorced yourself. Possibly we are being loyal to a company which has forgotten how to care for its employees or has become involved in unethical issues. Blind loyalty can even apply to ideals, philosophies, and causes which fail to deliver on their intended purpose. Staying loyal under those conditions would be examples of blind loyalty.

December 5, 2019April 11, 2020

Crisp Morning, Warm Fire

There’s nothing like rolling out of a sleeping bag on a cool crisp morning, starting a fire in the camp ring, and placing that pot of coffee on to boil. As the fire begins to take off, you rub your hands together and begin to absorb the heat of the growing flames.

As the pot heats up and the anticipation of that warm, dark liquid grows, you begin to put together the rest of the morning’s meal.

The scent of bacon frying drifts through the air, eggs sizzle in the cast iron pan, biscuits brown, and the sounds of nature wake up along with you; it just seem to be the right way to begin a day. Voices speak in quiet tones, careful not to awaken the rest of the day before its time. You find yourself wishing those you’ve gathered with to start a day in such a wonderful way were closer, that you could get together more often, and that you could begin each day the same way.