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Turning Potential Into Results
The Art of Removing Annoyances
Buddy is our 18-year-old, long-haired cat. We scoop out her two litter boxes daily (she needs space to do her business), let her in when she meows and provide a special heating pad for her bed. She’s a bit lax on grooming which leaves her mat-prone. (Maybe she’s tired of giving herself hairballs.) I’m a…
Read MoreGrowing Grass(roots) at the Kitchen Table
“I started at 5 years old at the kitchen table with my family supporting me. I know where I’m from and I know exactly where I’m going.” Celine Dion Growing up in Bath, Ohio, our kitchen table in our 100+ year-old house had hinges so it could be lifted and tucked into the…
Read MoreCan you hear yourself now?
Time for a hearing test. No, not the kind that someone else wants you to get because they think you need hearing aids; this is a more of a “listening” test that can help you be more effective, more confident. This test is not age-related; it’s performance-related. “It’s not what you say, it’s what people…
Read MoreWhat Are You Prepping for?
Got a bug out bag? A Doomsday checklist? How long will your food supply last if there’s no electricity? Are you set to protect your electronics from an EMP? Do you have any apocalyptic livestock so you can weather an economic collapse? Do you have what it takes to butcher the bunny when Safeway closes?…
Read MoreWhat’s your word for 2014?
I have a collection of dictionaries and I’ve been known to read them. (No, not all the way through! Not all at once, anyway.) Nuances, subtleties, double ententres, etymology, layers of meaning – they all get my juices flowing. (Balderdash, anyone?) I write poetry, dabble in Haikus and blog. I snap pictures of bumper stickers…
Read MoreFriction: Love the Rub
Do these sound familiar? Don’t rock the boat! Don’t upset the apple cart! Don’t rub people the wrong way! All good advice that maintains the status quo and avoids friction. When we follow it blindly, we tip-toe around issues, sugar-coat facts, excuse inappropriate behavior. (Oh, joy!) Friction is not the enemy All good advice except…
Read MoreNeeded: (Kind) Back Seat Drivers
Two weeks ago, I was tired (more like, fried) from a 12-hour international flight, returning from a dream vacation sailing in the Mediterranean. We climbed into a taxi and headed out of SFO. I gave the driver the address where we parked our car in San Carlos. On the ramp, heading south on 101, the…
Read MoreWhat teaching taught me
From 1970-80, I taught high school English in Columbus, Ohio. School was designed to move kids through the system and teachers were there to make that happen. Both teachers and students did their best, given the system. I loved teaching and my students. I taught because I wanted to contribute to someone developing competencies that…
Read MoreShe took the concern right out of my mouth
I learned 2 communication tips from my dentist last week. (Just by seeing the word “dentist”, you got the shivers, right? So much for being in control.) I was having a crack in a tooth filled. When my dentist removed the Q-tip that had the pre- numbing agent on it, I closed my eyes. Why?…
Read MoreBeen nudged lately?
I got a D in English when I was a sophomore in high school. I don’t remember who my teacher was or if I liked him or her. I don’t remember who I sat next to in class. I don’t remember being yelled at by mom or dad; it’s likely they expressed their deep, deep…
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