Daily Mood Quote - January 15, 2012

Daily Mood Quote

Day 241 – January 15, 2012

“When you undervalue who you are, the world will undervalue what you do and vice versa.”

~Suze Orman

I admire someone who speaks their mind, especially if he/she knows what they are talking about. Suze Orman speaks her mind and calls it like she sees it. In a recent report by CNN News, she states that, “1 in 3 Americans are living in poverty,” during a George Washington University speaking engagement (see following web link for news story:

http://newsroom.blogs.cnn.com/2012/01/13/suze-orman-middle-class-will-not-exist/ ).

She also said, “the middle class callers she once had, are now living in poverty.” How in world is this possible?

One in three Americans living in poverty, I have to repeat it to make sure that I heard it correctly, yes, I did. Have we fallen so far down the economic scale, that the possibly of the middle class becoming extinct is on the horizon? She also stated that 28% of children born into the middle class today, will be in poverty by the time they are adults. I guess it might be safe to say, that college is out of the question, because it won't be affordable. Even if a poor person gets a job, will the money be enough to buy food for the table and keep a decent roof over their heads? Or, is that too much to ask (Thank you Jimmy Stewart from It's a Wonderful Life.) It's not a wonderful life anymore.

There is real pain and suffering attached to the fact that the gap between the wealthy and those stricken with poverty, or at least “income challenged” in the new vernacular, is becoming wider and less easily crossed. I know that today I am on a bit of soap box, but I feel that some things need said. The first is, that we all have had a hand in creating this sad financial era. We as a nation have bought into the credit laden, underfunded, economic meltdown in several key areas. And I admit, for a while I bought into it too. Easy credit and the fantastical daydream that income would rise along with prices, cast a spell of consumerism, that helped drive so many families to the brink of disaster; it only took a single downturn to shove us over the edge. At the same time, we became apathetic and abdicated our civil duty to be mindful of who we elected into Congress. That little slip allowed law after law to be passed and the controls to the economy to be slowly and insidiously passed to the financial markets since the Reagan Era. It didn't happen over night. Nobody was accountable and nobody was at the helm and everybody believed that it was okay; as long as we got our new home and a 50” LCD television. We let the “experts” run the show. Kind of like the fox guarding the hen house. Ergo, shipwrecked economy. It wasn't a question of if, it was a question of when. History is cyclic and the Bush (W.'s) administration thought they could avert the oncoming recession by starting a war in the Middle East. That's how we got out of the Great Depression (WWII), but, it cost us millions of lives. And the Cold War spurred financial gains via new technology; soooo......

Unfortunately, we live in a much different world today and economies are intertwined so deeply; to hurt one is to hurt all, including ourselves. Oil prices jumped and the wealth went to the commodities speculators who sat on the cash, unlike those in the past who spread it around by hiring and building economies. The “Technology Boom” in the United States is also fading quickly, as formerly third world nations can build it quicker, faster and most importantly, cheaper. Remember the transistor radio and how it spurred the Japanese economy? No new technology, because NASA (which spurred the new technological breakthroughs, is now a shadow of its former self) cannot come to save the day.

So much for the history lesson and now we are at the bottom of the curve again. So how do we get out of this mess? This is just my humble opinion, from Southwest East Podunkville. Our parents, in some cases our parent's parents, had the right idea. First, get ready for a long haul and then stop digging deeper! Stop spending on credit (personally, I think credit card companies need to fail, as they prey on financially challenged people. Their era is over.). It took a long time to get in this hole, the balance of things means it'll most likely be a long climb out. The key is to not give up and start to vote out the “Bozos” who have “served” (I use that term loosely) more than two terms in Congress and demand that our government work together, or they will be unemployed too. Personally, I believe that last statement is probably a small affront to clowns, because they at least work for a living. Also, demand reform of campaign finance laws to return the balance of power to the people, not the corporate lobbyist. A business that cannot even vote, should not have more power to influence than a single voter. That's the way the framers of our Constitution wanted it (my opinion here). Secondly, The public in general needs to think about how we are spending, and saving. Don't trust your employer to “invest for you,” pension funds and securities backed 401Ks are a fraud. Granted, money is scarce; but instead of the big TV, get the smaller one, (only if you really need it) and put the rest away. Skip the 1000 channels and opt for the package that doesn't break you. Put it in a low yield “safe” savings bond, or in an SNL, skip the big banks, because their fees will make it evaporate. Yes prices will continue to spiral, but resist the urge to cash it in. Buy on sale and buy what you need. When you get a chance stock up a bit on essentials. Nothing kills a budget faster than constantly running out of something, then “running out” to get what you ran out of. When you have enough to invest without digging into savings, invest in companies that make things you like and use and be prepared for slow returns. Like Michael Douglas (Gordon Gekko) said in Wall Street Never Sleeps, “The mother of all evil is speculation.” Be patient and never stop saving. Then teach your children the same and make it stick. Also, use the internet for what it is best at, providing information; learn everything you can about that which inspires your heart and about prudent economics.

Somehow, some where along the line, I believe we got lost or caught up in “keeping up with the Joneses” My name isn't Jones, so why should I try to keep up with them? Here is my thought, I have met the Joneses and those keeping up with the Joneses and personally, it's just not worth the effort, life is too short to keep playing catch up. I choose to enjoy life, not worry about the things other's have.

Rule #32, “enjoy the little things.” (thank you Woody Harrelson (Tallahassee) and Jesse Eisenberg (Columbus) from the movie Zombieland).

What kind of future are you leaving for the next generation?

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Daily Mood Quotes - January 4, 2012

Daily Mood Quote

Day 230 – January 4, 2012

Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life – learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

~Robert Fulgham

Do you ever wonder if we are a world of extremes? In my opinion, I think we are and my husband agrees. It is one of our fundamental points of view and it is what has gone wrong in every area of American life and in our western culture in general. From politics to family life, to relationships, we have taken the concept of more, and bigger is better, way behind the bounds of rationality. In that sense we had destabilized and unbalanced not only our lives, but the lives of our children. Let me point out that I don't believe that this has been the product of any particular malicious, or malevolent plan, it just sort of happened. We have lost our equilibrium!

How else can you explain that we as a nation, can justify paying grown adults to play games “for us” (golf, basketball, hockey, football, car racing) with seven and eight figure salaries? While the teachers of our children continually struggle to make ends meet, while being blamed for the ills of our society. Show me the balance; wait a minute there is no balance to our priorities. Additionally, media and public attention will focus with laser like intensity on those espousing the more extreme political and social agendas, leaving no room for compromise, discussions...balance. A clear example of this is our dysfunctional legislative branch of government, Congress. We blame them for not doing anything, yet it was our focus on their extreme political viewpoints that put them into office in the first place. It's no one else's fault...but ours, it's our culture, and yet we wonder why things are not good for everybody. Like Mr. Miyagi (played by Pat Morita) said to Daniel (played by Ralph Macchio, who was recently on Dancing with the Stars) in the movie Karate Kid, “Better learn balance. Balance is key. Balance good, karate good. Everything good. Balance bad, better pack up, go home. Understand?” That's the problem, we can't, or we refuse to understand tha basic tenant. Apparently, it's too simple a concept to grasp.

The reason this comes up today is we recently encountered a situation where we observed an interaction between two younger people that left us wondering where the balance in the relationship was. Is this indicative of how all young folk think? Boy, I hope not. It seems that in many relationships and in so much of life, we have lost the ability to compromise and the “my way or the highway” attitude pervades every area of life and erodes our understanding of and empathy for others. Who by the way, no matter who you are, outnumber you by a ratio of seven billion to one. So, it would make sense to be open to finding common ground. Right? Imagine what would happen to our world if seven billion plus people, had seven billion plus different agendas and nobody would budge. I think we are almost there! But, I have hope that eventually things will even out. In the vast chunk of time in which our species exists, this storm of overt self-interest can only be a blip. But storms can do long term damage and life isn't a television reality show. (Warning “stream of consciousness” observation ahead!) In fact, I believe reality shows have absolutely nothing to do with reality. We see more of them because they are cheaper to produce, no big stars, no hugh payrolls and they don't have to pay the Screen Actors Guild: Cheap and sloppy television; might as well watch YouTube, as most people have discovered.

Anyhow, back to balance. Wallace D. Wattles said, “The calm and balanced mind is the strong and great mind; the hurried and agitated mind is the weak one.” I believe the fundamental confusion that enwraps us is the valuation, or lack of balance, between two simple words; “me” and “we.” I am a product of the “Me generation” whose apparent sole focus has been on “me, myself, and I,” “the inner peace of me,” “the success of me,” and “the relationship between me and (place deity here).” Note in the last phrase the order of the statement is of particular importance and concern. It can be followed by, “why doesn't he/she love me?” “why don't they get me?” and last but not least, the omnipresent “what's in it for me?” Let's be honest here, I will bet that everyone reading this and everyone you know has taken one or more of these points of view at some time in their life, myself included. It's pervasive and hard to resist. If not, you're a saint; go directly to heaven and if you pass go collect...on the way (Thanks Monopoly for the phraseology). The irony is deep here, Monopoly, really? Go figure.

The thing is, life can't be all about “me,” nor can it be all about “we.” There is a whole “nother” set of dysfunction that falls into that category (we can talk about that later). It comes down to fundamentally balancing “we” (all of humanity, the earth, the environment, our spirits, etc.) and “the me.” I think that's the trick to finding the peace and harmony that we all seek; even if we don't consciously process that while shopping and role playing online, on Wii and on Xbox and reading self-help books.

I really took note of the last point the other day, when I took a walk through a rather large book store (guess which one) near me and was aghast by the sheer volume of self-help, self-psychology, and navel-gazing self analysis books. My goodness, who has the time? Lots of advice to get to a simple point that's been around for generations and in every culture....Balance. Balance life, balance diet, balance exercise, balance joy and sorrow (they both have important teaching roles in our lives) and especially balance the proportions of we and me. Then, I believe we can find and appreciate the real wonders and precious lessons that our all too brief lives have to offer. To qoute Mr. Miyagi yet again, “Lesson not just karate only. Lesson for whole life. Whole life have balance, everything better. Understand?

How will you find a balance today?

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Daily Mood Quotes - September 24, 2011

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 144 – September 24, 2011

“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.”

La Rochefoucauld

As my husband and I have become better cooks, the one thing we don't do very often is eat out anymore. However, it is a treat when someone else does the cooking. Yesterday, my husband surprised me by treating me to lunch at a local restaurant. This is a restaurant we have been to a few times over the past nine years and one we enjoy. It's clean, the atmosphere is nice and the employees are always nice and smiling. It's a good place to share a meal with your family. However, the experience we had yesterday was one that begged to be talked about today.

On the outside the menu looked familiar, the company's branding carried through every little nuance. But, when we looked inside, clearly things had changed. New product line-up from start to finish. Sure some of the old favorites where still there, the pancakes, the combos, and the omelets seemed familiar, but the lunch and dinner menu was a complete surprise. Clearly we had been away for awhile and the menu had changed “ALOT” (thank you Peanut and Jeff Dunham). There were new salads, new entrees, new meal combinations, and new appetizers. Unfortunately, the new menu comes along with less options.

I was safe because I ordered a garden salad with ranch dressing, but my husband was hungry for a cheeseburger and french fries. The only problem was that the burgers had grown “ALOT.” The only ones available were massive half-pound Angus beef, giant, monstrous burger that came without a side. The side needed to be ordered separately. Why not, let's face it, the burger is a meal for two people...maybe three, itself. Brings a whole new meaning to bigger is better. Anyway, my husband was also hungry for some fries. So innocently, he ordered them as a side. This was lunch, a salad for me and burger and fries for him. Pretty simple,huh? The prelude was appetizers, fried mushrooms and cheese bits.Yum...

When things began to arrive, well, to quote Jim Nabors from Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C. (1964-1969), “Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!” What a surprise it was... First, the appetizers came at the same time as the meal and they where a meal in themselves. The burger and side of fries came on a ten-inch plate with the fries heaping over the monster burger. My husband was just stunned. Looking and sounding for all the world like Roy Scheider, when he saw the Great White Shark in Jaws, my husband said; “We're gonna need a big box!”

To the point of today's blog.... Who on earth can eat that much food? We were just looking for “a little lunch” but what we got... Gee Whiz! giant food!!!. Not that I advocate restaurants that serve “elf food” (not sure where I saw that commercial) and I also realize, that we have gone to bigger meals for "bigger folks," but this was over the top! No options for less and fewer options altogether, left me feeling a bit uneasy. Two little people, facing a mountain of food? I really got mixed emotions. First, I don't subscribe to the notion that you have to clean your plate, if it's going to make you sick. No question eating all of this food would. Secondly, bigger portions and fewer options may look good on a balance sheet, but here in the Heartland of America, that means less return customers (us included). Thirdly, there we sat, with enough food (from two orders) in front of us to feed four, or five people. I admit the we both felt a bit guilty about that. It really hit home. Perhaps they thought they were giving us “our money's worth,” but maybe that money is better spent elsewhere. Then there is the heart and health thing; it seems like you can't find middle ground; either its full-on health nut menu, berries and nuts, or full on heart attack/high cholesterol menu. Take your pick and pick your destination: Emergency room, or bathroom. No middle ground. Hmmm, sounds like Congress (just heard they are haggling over the budget...again). I'm guessing a 12% approval rating isn't low enough for them? 

To quote Morgan Spurlock in the movie Super Size Me, "See, now's the time of the meal when you start getting the McStomach ache. You start getting the McTummy. You get the McGurgles in there. You get the McBrick, then you get the McStomach ache. Right now I've got some McGas that's rockin'. My arms... I feel like I've got some McSweats goin'. My arms got the McTwitches going in here from all the sugar that's going in my body right now. I'm feeling a little McCrazy." No, it wasn't “those guys” but they did start that trend, didn't they?

Anyway, I hope that we find ways to level out restaurant meals and provide a more balanced approach to eating out, or I'm going to be doing a lot more cooking. Good thing I like to cook.

Anyone for balanced nutrition today?

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Daily Mood Quote - September 15, 2011

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 135 – September 15, 2011

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened up for us”

~Helen Keller

In my life I have found that getting settled in one's way can be like quicksand. When opportunity presents itself you can't seize it, because your feet are stuck in the “same old way” of doing things. Habits can work for you, or against you. There is a saying, I'm paraphrasing again, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

I usually avoid waxing political in this blog, but: last night on The CBS Evening News, Scott Pelley interviewed the CEO of Starbucks Coffee, Howard Schultz and I have got to tell you, I liked what he had to say about how our political system is “broken” (his words). Unfortunately for us, he's right and until we stop doing things in Washington the “same old way” (Congress), things are never going to get better. What I thought was interesting in the interview was companies/corporations are sitting on trillions of dollars and yet jobs are not being created, and we have the highest number of people living in poverty ever. Even higher than the great depression. Sad, just simply sad!!! Mr. Shultz went on to explain that savvy companies (the ones with the cash) no longer have enough faith in our political system to invest that money on R&D, expansion and job creation. Its not the American people, tax codes, or even the global economy, preventing corporate job creation and making them sit on their cash. Its our representatives failing to work together. A simple thing that is expected in every business, everywhere. Yet Congress and the Senate can't get past their focus on the next election cycle. That focus seems to be unilaterally “make them (pick a party) look bad.” Instead of, “do better, so we look good.” It's been that way since the Newt Gingrich era (or at least it seems, some say it was the start of extreme negative partisan politics).

My husband told me a story this morning about something called “the monkey trap.” I had never heard this before, so I looked it up at www.urbandictionary.com (it's not in Webster’s) it says, “A trap to capture various monkeys used around the world which consists of a staked container with a hole cut into it just wide enough for a monkey to stick it's empty hand into. The container is baited with something attractive to the monkey. Monkey reaches for bait and then will not release the bait and cannot pull it's hand out of the trap with bait in hand. It is then captured.” Sounds an awful lot like American politics to me. The people who are supposed to be representing us, appear to be so fixated on holding onto their campaign funding, that they cannot see the opportunity to positively transform the broken system that lies right before them. It feels like we are all caught in the same trap with them.

I guess what I'm trying to say here without bashing our politicians too much is that Mr. Schultz was right when he said, “The lifeblood of the reelections of every one of our Congressional leaders in Washington is about fundraising. And I want to cut that off until we see civility, until we have a long-term debt ceiling deal that we are proud of, and restored confidence in America. And I just feel very strongly that this is a time when we no longer should accept the status quo mediocrity that we're getting.”

To be perfectly blunt, most people in America and around the world would be summarily fired if they handled their job the way Congress is handling theirs. Something to think about. Thank you Mr. Schultz for being honest, about our political system, Washington and our leaders.

Like Michael Douglas said as President Andrew Shepherd in the movie The American President, “We've got serious problems, and we need serious people...” This is now the time for serious people and maybe their fifteen minutes are up...

Just a thought, Helen Keller was blind and deaf and yet she saw and heard “opportunity” more clearly than all of Washington.

Which “door of opportunity” will you open today?

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Daily Mood Quote - July 29, 2011

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 87 – July 29, 2011

Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful.

~Margaret J. Wheatley

One of the inescapable laws of the universe is; for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This also happens when we refuse to take action, it draws action toward us that we may not see, until its too late and we have no control over it. We don't always see the effects of our actions, be they thoughtful or thoughtless. But, we can be assured the reaction happens just the same. When we push a “personal agenda” we often are blinded to how that agenda affects others and the world around us. Even if the agenda has the “best of intentions” the result in other areas may be unintended and consequential.

The other day, I had the opportunity to watch how a well intended, but ill timed action created a whole series of negative consequences. On a major highway near my home, a minivan crossed lanes to take an off-ramp ahead of a semi-trailer and caused a major accident at a very busy intersection. I'm sure that nobody in the van “intended” to cause the ensuing carnage and confusion. But, it happened just the same.The driver just wanted to take “this off-ramp,” at “this time” and didn't allow room for error, or take into consideration others on the road. The “best of intentions” tied to personal agendas more often than not lead to more problems and many unintended consequences. A simple thoughtless action, created damage, hurt innocent people, made people late for appointments, stopped critical goods and services from reaching their destination, raised all of our insurance rates....the list goes on and on. And so during the two hours it took to reopen the road and clear the mess; nothing else happened and nothing got done, at least right there AND, the persons in the van never got on the off ramp and to their destination.

The thing is that our culture has fostered the concept of “personal agenda”, well meaning or not, above common sense and the common good. This has lead our government to the brink of default (gee thanks Congress) and many families to be swimming in the same kind of debt that our country is. I believe in personal freedom as much as anyone and strongly support the ideals and intention of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, but they nowhere state “I without thought to others” It says “We the People” OK, point made.

There is another side to this coin that I am obliged to discuss. That is the unintended consequences of kindness. There isn't a downside. It is the one thing in our world which usually reacts in kind, instead of against. Kindness is unique in this behavior. When a genuine kind act is planted it is because the focus isn't on the doer, or “personal agendas” We reach out to the world and it reaches back. It also begins to grow and expand, if even a little bit, and we are all better for it.

In the movie Bruce Almighty, Bruce Nolan (played by Jim Carey) was self-centered, well meaning but more concerned with his “agenda” than anybody else. By pursuing his agenda, he creates chaos and mayhem trying to get Grace (Jennifer Aniston) to come back and love him. Until he learned the lesson "we have to think of others first." Toward the end of the movie, he realizes his “agenda” error and speaks to God, (portrayed by Morgan Freeman) and says, “No. I want her to be happy, no matter what that means. I want her to find someone who will treat her with all the love she deserved from me. I want her to meet someone who will see her always as I do now...”

In short order, things returned to their natural order and she returned that love and kindness. Yes it's just a movie, but the truth is real. Before we a can forward our own “agenda', we must consider others and consider the consequences of our actions, both intended and unintended.

What will your agenda be today?

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Daily Mood Quotes - July 26, 2011

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 84 – July 26, 2011

Get mad, then get over it.

~Colin Powell

Today, I am angry and before I continue, please allow me to say, I never intended this blog to be one that spouted political views, or frustration about the ridiculous behavior of those in political positions that call themselves “our government.”

Last night, I listened with an open mind to both President Obama and Speaker of the House, John Boehner. They both said one thing on the campaign trail to get elected (actually all of the candidates promised “CHANGE”) but, the games are the same. One notable exception is Dick Lugar, who never promised anything. I guess that is what three decades as a Senator teaches you, “Keep your mouth shut, so you can continue to do nothing and collect a paycheck.” I agree with President Obama's idea of balancing the budget and “balancing the load” for the American people in the long run. Short-term, special interest motivated solutions only lead to bigger long term problems. That's how we got in trouble in the first place. Enough stop gap, do it right the first time, then reap the benefits down the road. The problem is, they're not thinking about the long road. It seems to me the only reason politicians arrive at short term solutions, is so that representatives up for reelection can use the “unfinished business” angle to get reelected. What an angle and what a load of crap!!! Ever notice how the same people keep getting reelected, yet nothing gets done, nothing changes and the business is always unfinished? No wonder we can't have new business growth or move forward, we don't know how to solve old problems and finish what we start. (I could go on and on about that, but maybe that's a subject  for another day).

I am so completely tired of listening to the same old news over and over again, the constant fighting that goes on and the idiotic innuendos that were being bandied about. You do realize your lack of tolerance for differing opinions is setting a bad example to those who are impressionable? A nation of entrenched attitudes... that's an ugly vision. Hey, if you can have bad behavior, are a notable political figure and get away with it, then the next generation will follow your example. Shame on you.

I have some questions for Speaker Boehner; Do you really believe that not raising taxes on wealthy people and wealthy organizations (who can afford it) is going to create jobs? Actually it isn't raising taxes, its simply putting the tax levels back to where they were, when things were working well and the budget was balanced - we have been able to do that once or twice in the last 30 years. Are you kidding me? These tax breaks haven't worked for the American people since they we're given during George “W.” Bush's administration. The United States has been bleeding jobs for the past decade. Check the facts. You need more examples? What about the banks? We bailed them out, gave them big tax breaks and did they create jobs? Duh, no they cut them. Yet they are making hefty, hefty, hefty profits. They haven't changed their ways at all and still no job creation. Hmmmm? Plus as an extra "added bonus"... now, the “average” working American can't get a loan for his business, for a home, or for their children's college. How's that working out for you (thanks Dr. Phil)? Yet, these profits afford executives and politicians luxury vacations, expensive cars and other things, while people are struggling to feed their families and can't find a decent job. Jobs you and your wealthy circle of influence, along with the huge wealthy corporations, promised would be there if Congress "cut them a break". How stupid do you think people are? Sometimes, I think politicians believe that if they babble and baffle us in enough bull crap, them we won't pay any attention to what is really going on. Guess what? The Constitution says, “We the People,” not we the politicians, or we the bankers, or even we the lobbyists, but “We the People.” I am we the people, my neighbors are we the people, and we the people say “YOU ARE DOING IT WRONG!” I saw a recent poll that said nearly 70 percent of American people believe you are doing it wrong. You see we are paying attention and questioning. In the movie, The American President, Lewis Rothschild (played by Michael J. Fox) said to A.J. Macinerney (Martin Sheen),  "I'm a citizen, this is my President (my Congress). And in this country it is not only permissible to question our leaders it's our responsibility!”

And, like President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) said to Senator Rumson (Richard Dreyfuss), “We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who's to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections. You gather a group of middle-aged, middle-class, middle-income voters who remember with longing an easier time, and you talk to them about family and American values and character.” does any of this sound familiar? The point is, none of this partisan political posturing (say that three times fast) is getting anything done. They're not interested in solving the problem, but only interested in serving their own “political agendas” that have nothing do to with the welfare, or the will of the American people. Congress has had over a year to get this budget done, and in times of economic difficulty the budget should have been the highest priority. We the people, are watching and listening, and mostly likely, come the next election, we will remember what you didn't do and why, especially if things get worse. Shut up, do your job, don't default and balance the budget intelligently. More importantly “balance the load,” this time you have gone too far. I'm finished, I feel better now. Thank you.

How will you speak out today”

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Dailu Mood Quote - July 23, 2011

  

Daily Mood Quotes

Day 81 – July 23, 2011

“Your greatness is measured by your kindness; your eduction and intellect by your modesty; your ignorance is betrayed by your suspicious and prejudices, and your real caliber is measured by the consideration and tolerance you have for others.”

~William J.H. Boetcker

This past week has been a week of extreme highs and extreme lows. These are not my favorite, because it feels like you are riding on a roller coaster. I enjoyed them as a child, but as an adult. Too many ups and downs. I know they call it life, but lets be pragmatic sometimes life's churnings can be painful.

We started the week excited, because my husband has been getting calls on his resume. Companies are interviewing him, finally. Me, not so much, my name has become synonymous with “that's the woman who wears two pair of glasses” (really it's a small town). Anyway, he had his interview and believed it went well. He answered all their questions honestly and showed he had the qualifications for the job. Then, “nothing,” no e-mail, no letter, no phone call, “Nothing” but dead air. My concern is, will the credit check he signed off on, that isn't supposed to be done until a job offer has been made, be the deciding factor here? Have they already taken that step? If so, then I guess it's over and that's why we haven't heard anything. I have been unemployed for two years, my husband a year. Our “credit score” has taken a hit, a big hit. Over the past three years we have had medical concerns, as serious as a ruptured appendix and subsequent hospitalization. So, whose credit score wouldn't look rough. Especially when the insurance only covered a small percent of the cost and then payed the hospital, etc. months and months later, After the hospital had already sent the account to collections, without us even knowing. It's hard to stay on top on things when you have to consider who to pay, “Peter or Paul?” I feel it is irresponsible of Human Resources personnel (I'll hold back on calling them professionals...just haven't seen that yet) and companies that allow this kind of discrimination to go on in the hiring process. Here's a thought guys, “Having a bad/rough credit score doesn't mean you are irresponsible, it means you are unemployed and could use the job!! Start looking at the facts and experience first... and be careful who and how you judge, because someday you too will be judged, I guarantee it...

Abraham Lincoln said in 1864 in a letter to Edwin Stanton, the Secretary of War, “On principle I dislike an oath which requires a man to swear he has not done wrong. It rejects the Christian principle of forgiveness on terms of repentance. I think it is enough if a man does no wrong hereafter.” Credit checks for jobs pre-condemn you, even if you have done no wrong to the people you are talking to. It's trial without jury and persecution without defense. Shame on all who practice this ethic-less and immoral behavior.

A very long time ago, when my son was a little boy, he asked me the question, “Why do some people not like other people they don't know?” My response to him was, “Because it is easier for people to pass judgment on others based on where they live, what they wear and other things, than it is to take the time to get to know someone. Some people find it easier to dislike people they don't know because it's easy. I call that lazy.” My son said, “But that's wrong” I said, “Yes it is, but that's the way people behave, you be different and set a better example.” He said, “I will mom, I will.” My son, today is an amazing young man and does set a better example. That makes me proud.

The fact is “nobody is perfect.” We all have things we'd rather forget, mistakes we have learned from and moved beyond. Every time someone carves into our past with a dull blade of a credit check, the wounds are reopened. It's hard to move forward when people and companies keep digging up the past and using it against you. I wonder when our country defaults on its bills (which seems as if it will happen), if that will go on the credit reports of all the Congressmen and Senators? By rights it should, because they are responsible for that bill. “Sorry Mr/Ms. Congressman, We can't hire you because your credit check shows you to be totally irresponsible to the tune of several trillion dollars” How fast would they move if they were being held financially accountable, instead of politically motivated? The point is; You can be completely irresponsible with someone else's money (witness the banking scandals, The Senate, Congress and even CEO's) and be completely free of consequence. But, make one mistake with your money, trust the wrong employer, or have a medical calamity befall your life and you are condemned to financial hell forever by the “credit check”. It seems a bit off bubble, now doesn't it? Like Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) said in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, “Who's the head bull-goose loony around here?

Here's why this makes me think, the perfect credit score doesn't show, how many lies someone told, if they're a good neighbor, a good parent? Did they ever borrow something from someone and never return it, or return it broken. What about kindness? Have they ever stopped to help someone with a flat tire? The credit score also does not show how intelligent a person is or how hard they work. Yes, you may have a good “score”, but exist without morals, or know how to lie effectively. Look at many who have made the news this year, John Edwards, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tiger Woods, just to name a few because the list is long. Rocking credit scores? You Betcha! Morally bankrupt? The facts speak for themselves. Even Michael Vick, a very talented quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, went to jail and was given a second chance, because of his talent and celebrity and now is getting major endorsement from companies worth millions. Why can't your “Average Joe” get a fair shot at a second chance? Or your above average intelligent girl who wears two pair of glasses? I had to throw that in there.

Here is what I believe is the true measure of a person, kindness, honesty, being ethical, moral, being forthright, having your family priorities straight and never giving up. I respect the Philadelphia Eagles Organization and Coach Rex Ryan for having the courage to give someone a second chance and I respect Michael Vick for having the courage to work for that second chance. What a great example to follow.

What consideration and courage will you show today?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote and learn the second “F”

Thank you for reading

Daily Mood Quote

Daily Mood Quote

Day 76 – July 18, 2011

“I read and walked for miles at night along the beach, writing bad blank verses and searching endlessly for someone wonderful who would step out of the darkness and change my life.  It never crossed my mind that, that person could be me..”

~Anna Quindlen

I like this quote because it reminds me that everyone has the ability to be the wonderful person they need in their life. The great thing is we don't have to wait for someone else to figure it out. We just need to accept the greatness in ourselves and step out of our self-manufactured darkness and into the light. Sometimes, I forget this.

It is so easy to just want to give up on ourselves, especially when someone lets you down. That's the problem, we think that someone, pick anyone, is responsible for our successes or failures, our happiness, our troubles and our self-worth. Our western culture is built that way and in many cases this point-of-view has been past down from generation to generation, to generation. It is always “those people” and never “us.” It doesn't matter how rich, gifted or talented you are, or poor and uneducated, we seem to blame others for, or expect others to change, our lives. If you think I'm kidding, just look at what has happened in the NFL this year, between the players and the owners. They are fabulously wealthy on both sides of the table, gifted beyond all imagination and college educated. Yet, each side points fingers and blames the others for their problems. “Woe is me!! I'm being held down, held back, and held on the line of scrimmage.” All because they want to believe someone else is responsible for their problems. Yet in a moment's notice they will take credit for their success and happily pick the fan's pockets for every last dime.

Don't get me wrong, I love pro football and look forward to the season every year. I just can't stand to watch grown men whine about money, when they are already ridiculously wealthy. Tens of millions of people in this country are unemployed, struggling to pay their bills and to put food on the table. Still, these guys remain completely out of touch with that reality, just like Congress. (Whoops, said that out loud again, didn't I?) Well anyway, with that off my chest, the point is we are the masters of our destiny and the future is unwritten. We are the “someone” that is required to transform our own lives.

In the movie Heart and Souls, with Robert Downey, Jr. (Thomas), Kyra Sedgwick (Julia), Tom Sizemore (Milo), and Charles Grodin (Harrison), Thomas said to Harrison, “No offense, Harrison, But you died a failure because you never tried.” We are at the start of a new week, lets change our lives by stepping out of our self-imposed darkness, “try”, and be the “someone” that makes the difference in your life.

Will you be that transformational someone that changes your life?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote

Thank you for reading

(The second “F” in the series will be released on Sunday, July 24)

Daily Mood Quote

 

Daily Mood Quote

Day 73 – July 15, 2011

Power is of two kinds. One is obtained by the fear of punishment and the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent then the one derived from fear of punishment.

~Mohandas Gandhi

In his first inaugural address in 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself...” In modern life that is very true. Too often in our 21st century lives, we can see where decisions made by fear, the unhealthy kind, have sometimes lead us into dark and untenable spots. If we would have taken the time to make more rational decisions, then more likely than not, those errors could have been avoided.

Fear had its place and it has helped the human race survive for millions of years in an environment where we weren't the top of the food chain. That's healthy fear: common sense in overdrive. But, now that we are and we dominate our planet, that same fear that causes the fight or flight response, knee jerk reactions and cold sweat anxiety, can do more harm than good. Fear comes in many forms. One of those forms of fear is fear of disapproval and punishment from figures of authority. Parents lead the list. I am all too familiar with this fear. I grew up in a fear driven environment that involved guessing which “mood” mom was in today. That usually lead to the question, “Do I stay, or do I go and should I go quickly?” Many years ago, a friend told me of the difficult time she was having raising her teenage daughter. There was a lot of yelling, power struggles and zero compromise. Kind of like Congress and the White House right now. Their not making good decisions either, but that's another blog's issue, not mine.

The point is, instead of the parent teaching, she attempted to control by fear and consequently obtained neither respect, nor control. The entire situation had a negative result that lead to unenforceable punishments, zero long term good and deep resentments that are still being felt today and will continue for many years to come. Hmmm, that still sounds like Congress (Did I say that out loud?).

We live by a more direct axiom. “When you raise your voice, you stop raising your child.” Believe it or not, kids, especially teenagers, don't react kindly to yelling or arbitrary punishments “Just because I said so!” When we lose it, "we the parents," are just begging for more difficult times. When we lose our self-control... that's exactly what we teach our children. It is right and appropriate to be concerned about your child's welfare. But, we need to examine our own "motivations" when dealing with our children. Sounds like something for the folks in Congress to consider, but I digress... Are we working from fear, or rational thinking?

In 1838, Abraham Lincoln said, “Passion has helped us, but can do so no more. It will in future be our enemy. Reason, cold, calculating, unimpassioned reason, must furnish all the materials for our future support and defense.” I'm not so sure about the cold part, especially when dealing with children, but reason, tempered by love, should guide us when we are attempting to guide our children.

In the movie Freaky Friday, Tess (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Anna (Lindsay Lohan) read a fortune cookie that said, “A journey soon begins...Its prize reflected in the other's eyes. When what you see is what you lack...then selfless love will change you back.” It's amazing what you can learn when you walk a mile in someone else's shoes. Maybe, Congress should walk a mile in the shoes of those who are unemployed, the poor, the homeless and maybe their “view from the cheap seats” might be very different (Thank you Michael Douglas from American President). When fear motivates a leader or someone in a leadership position, such as a parent or someone in a position of political power, bad things are bound to happen. When we choose to lead from love and compassion good things are bound to happen.

Which will you choose “love” or “punishment” today?

Tune in tomorrow to read the daily mood quote

Thank you for reading