Spirituality….at home and in the workplace
How to become a more spiritual person, a more loving partner, a more supportive parent/grandparent, a more effective employee:
1 Know that there’s a supreme power much larger than your mortal self. This first step makes you humble and aware.
2 Look for opportunities to add more love in the world. Find ways to feel and emit love wherever you go with kindness and compassion. You will become more loving and lovable.
3 Start each day in spiritual reflection and gratefulness. Be present with the universe or whomever your divine is. Reflect on your grateful list through a nature walk, meditation or a good spiritual book. This will make you strong.
4 Be more accepting and less judgmental. Don’t let yourself fall into the trap of thinking you’re better than anyone else. Have a more accepting heart and surrender any tendency to judge another person.
5 As hard as it is, learn to forgive. Do not harbor undesirable emotions. You will become more kind when you forgive.
6 Recognize when you’ve made mistakes. Admit any wrongdoing and be willing to be corrected. You will become more responsible and approachable.
7 Find something good in others. When you feel like judging someone find something good about them. If you look for the good in others, they will bring it out subconsciously. You will begin to be more of a positive person.
8 Look back on your day and reflect. Ask yourself if you were negative or mean-spirited vs positive and kind. Did you withhold love to another person when it was just as easy to give it? Ask yourself, “How did I do today?” Self-correct and have a better tomorrow.
9 Bless this planet and everyone on it. Don’t just bless your life, pour those blessings on everyone. You will become a more beautiful person.
10 Utilize each situation and interaction to be the best, most powerful version of yourself. When possible, rise to every occasion and remain on the high road. You will become the epitome love in a world that can really use it.
ho oponopono symbol
Farming and Gardening
“To grow a garden is to believe in tomorrow.” Audrey Hepburn
I never would’ve thought that playing in the dirt would be more fun in my late 60’s than it was when I was young. The smell of fresh soil and the feel of the dirt on my hands are the exact same sensations I experienced as a kid. And I love it!
Maybe playing in the dirt takes me back to a more uncomplicated time in my life. When we think about the difficulties we’ve been living with I guess it would be normal to find a way to capture when life was simple. I didn’t have a huge interest in gardening until just a few years ago and now I find myself doing exactly what my grandfather did. He had a small plot of land and spent time in his garden growing fruits and vegetables.
It’s funny because in my earlier blogs I spoke of how I continued to get up early, grab my coffee, say a few prayers, hit the floor with stretches and yoga, jump in the shower and do my hair and make-up before I start my day. Well, that has gone to hell in a handbasket, thank God. What’s missing is jumping in the shower, doing my hair and make-up and hit the ground running. Yoga and meditation are still present in my morning routine after my coffee but I get distracted from the rest of my old routine. There are times that I don’t hit the shower till late afternoon or I’ll turn around and it’s all of the sudden 4:30pm!!!
When I walk out the door in the morning to just take a look at my plants and veggies is where I lose all control. Before I know it I’ve got my hands in the dirt rearranging something or removing brown somethings or planting something new. And yes, I am usually barefoot so my fingernails and toenails that are loaded with dirt! I wouldn’t have let that happen to my nails years ago; I really did get manicures and pedicures. I have tried to think about caring or being embarrassed about it but I just can’t. How easy would it be to go into the garage and grab my gloves and put shoes on? So not interested…
Most of my fruits and vegetable plants are in pots so I’m able to relocate them if they need more or less sun. The raised bed has herbs and a small cherry tomato plant and all are doing well. There is much to learn about gardening or farming but I’m willing to make mistakes and eventually learn how to be successful. But for now there’s too much fun to be had going by the seat of my pants. For instance, I didn’t realize there were male and female cantaloupe flowers that need to be pollinated, why would I need to research that before planting? And no, I will NOT be manually forcing sex on them. If the bees don’t bother to do their job then I’ll have to go without melons this year.
My life has changed for the better for a couple of reasons, not working as hard and the pandemic. They both forced me to slow it down a bit, toss out the behaviors that don’t apply anymore get more creative in my modest world. I have a small group of lovely people who I occasionally hang with and they’re all I need in my life. I take good care of every plant, talk to them and nurture them which brings me an abundance of joy and peace. Of course, I’ll let you know how my harvesting journey goes, I’m very excited! Peace to you and your loved ones.
Purslane/Portulaca
one of the healthiest weeds around!
Always check with your doctor before ingesting any plant. Just because they have top notch nutrients and good for you, doesn’t mean they’re necessarily good for YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
Purslane is a good source of alpha-linolenic acid and shown to contain five times higher omega-3 fatty acids than spinach. The flower, leaves and stem are all edible but the stem can be a bit tough. I have tossed them in with my salad and also sauteed them with other greens.
The plant is nutritious and safe for human consumption in general. However in lieu of the high content of oxalic acid it should not be consumed by people with kidney disease/stones or who have high uric acid.
If I were to consume this plant I would also need to eat dairy with it; dairy binds with the oxalates and bypasses the kidneys.
I can grow these all year long here in Florida. When I lived in upstate New York I could only grow them in warm sunny weather; they would return each season and spread everywhere. I never tried to grow them up there inside and I have no idea if that would work but it’s worth the attempt.
Purslane/Portulaca September 2023
a beautiful weed that has a whole lot of nutrients
Easy to grow as long as they can wake up with the sun
They come in different colors and open up with the sunrise and close with the sunset
Start of my potato plant
AND…..the potato results….
Sort of like an Easter egg hunt, digging them up!
Repotted to larger pot
They clean up well…
I’ll be digging up potatoes soon, leaves are almost done!
My first home-grown baked potato
Purple majesty potatoes grown in the bag. I didn’t get the amount of potatoes I was expecting.
October 15, 2021
But were they ever delicious!!
October 15, 2021I wasn’t expecting the potatoes to taste so exceptional, they were really earthy and fresh. I ordered seed potatoes (above…blue majesty, organic, non gmo) started all over again in a special potato bag. The bag is breathable, flexible and has handles to relocate it if necessary, as in the case of a major hurricane! It was not as big a harvest as the first batch in the white container. I’m currently letting a few of the potatoes to go seed and do it again but back in the white container where it produced much more of a harvest.
Root vegetables might be my most successful grows, since the tomatoes and eggplant have picked up some pests that think the leaves are hors d’oeuvres. The cantaloupe may be the culprit since it appeared to start there. I’ve moved the cantaloupe and the “swiss cheese” leaves have seemed to calm down on the other plants. Time will tell.
Cherry tomato
They grew fast
Final product with my fresh grown basil
NO…..I did not eat him!
The fruitless cantaloupe
Beefsteak Tomato
How come I only have one tomato on this huge plant?!?
Baby avocado
Larger avocado, needs to go into a much bigger pot
And here is that same avocado a few years later!
Yes, even in my last condo there were plants EVERYWHERE!!!
A fig tree I purchased a few months ago. It has grown into a beautiful tree to look at and hopefully eventually gives figs!
October 15, 2021
My purple daikon radishes didn’t grow as well. I followed a YouTube video and I don’t believe I had enough dirt and they were too crowded. However, I sautéed the leaves with olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Absolutely amazing taste and they rank right up there in nutrients of broccoli and kale!
October 15, 2021
New Furniture Debacle
It’s just like a full time, draining, extremely high stress job without getting paid
Stressful, ridiculous, unacceptable!!
I am convinced that ordering and receiving new furniture is the all-time fiasco ever! Purchasing furniture for a new house used to be exciting and something to look forward to. Those days have vanished, another annoyance since the pandemic. I understand from a few people that ordering appliances appear to have the same issues.
I am not here to blast the furniture store that was used to purchase these items because in talking to others most of the stores are having the same troubles. And I seriously don’t understand it. I can get a tad excited and maybe a little obnoxious when the simplest transactions continue to be non-stop disasters.
The last time I ordered a new bed was years ago and I wanted to spoil myself with a Tempur-Pedic adjustable bed. So the second week in December I gave myself a pretty expensive Christmas present and couldn’t be more thrilled with it! The thrill was gone when the adjustable base started making a loud grinding noise when trying to raise the head. And the nightmare began with calling their “customer care” center and remaining on hold for almost an hour before somebody answered, one of many calls.
The “customer care” rep finally answered and said I needed to have a technician come out to see if the base is fixable. Okay, so we booked an appointment, the technician came and said the base was warped or broken. I paid premium shipping which meant that the purchased items would be inspected before leaving the plant and I can assure you that obviously didn’t happen.
When “customer care” eventually called me back he offered me 20% off the price to keep the broken bed base. What?! I said absolutely not and told him to send me a new one. Well, the next time a bed base would become available would be February. I had no choice and now I was getting a clear picture of what kind of ride I was about the embark on. The grinding noise would have to continue for a couple of months until………
A “customer care” person called this past Monday, February 1st to let me know the bed base will not be available until sometime in March. I told her to cancel it and I would reorder another base with the salesperson. Many calls and emails have been made to the store, especially these past few days to fix the problem. After dealing with a few salespeople and finally a manager there has been no follow-through to complete this transaction. The manager said he would order another bed base and return my call by then of the night. As of the end of the evening, February 4th no return call was made.
My daughter and son-in-law’s bed was ordered about the same time as mine. Theirs got delivered in three separate deliveries which meant one of them needed to take off work each time to receive another part of the bed. One time the delivery guys never called or showed up, yet another call to “customer care” to book another appointment and of course another day off work. They are finally all set with their bed, unbelievable. In most industries if you didn’t call or show up for work then you might as well stay home permanently but this business gets a pass.
This story unfortunately is not the only with this company. There’s a whole other flock of issues with more deliveries but will need to be continued; I’ve exhausted myself and I still need to call the store yet again today about the bed base.
UPDATE….as of today, February 5th the manager called and the bed base issue has been resolved. I’m getting a better base that would cost hundreds more and delivered next week. I do have to pay $100 more but I’m also aware of the better quality and bells and whistles of this base (massage, Wi-Fi, and this one is made in America instead of China) , so I’m okay with it and willing to pay more for American made. Thank you Jesus…
Real Person(s) of the Year
You know who they are
I must say that the 2020 person of the year who was chosen has sparked some disapproval and disgust. I am not writing to diminish the character or accomplishment that either person possesses on the cover of that magazine.
But this past year belongs to the people who made it possible for most of us to still exist through this pandemic. The first group of individuals that comes to most of our minds are the police officers, firefighters, first responders and medical personnel. They didn’t just help us survive the pandemic but their lives were also on the line in the middle of those so-called “peaceful, loving protests.” They are literally in the ditches everyday not unlike a tour in Vietnam. I’m not sure what keeps these heroes going each day and night but I’m forever grateful for their loyalty and their will to uphold their oaths.
It’s necessary to mention other groups of people, heroes whose lives have changed rapidly and maybe forever. If you weren’t one of the Moms or Dads who not only lost your job but took on a brand-new hobby as a full-time teacher you probably can’t relate. The stress of losing a job is more than enough to cause health issues no less being sequestered in your home indefinitely with the entire family. And for the children there will be long-term effects of not being in a school setting for education as well as the lack of learning social and life skills.
Abused, neglected children routinely witness violence or are directly involved in violent behavior in their own home. These children cherish and depend on their Monday – Friday safe haven in school with a real hot meal. They are sad survivors but heroes just the same for their endurance. During the shutdowns you know they’re observing more than the usual amount of violence at home and my heart goes out to all of them. My hope for every one of those children is to find and stay close to a strong role model who will guide them to a path full of love, potential, belief, compassion and faith.
Teachers have always been heroes especially for the students whose lives were literally changed forever. And for all those committed teachers who continue to show up at school keeping kids safe and engaging students to be the best they can be, we praise you. These kids are the future and need to be nurtured and guided in a way that some parents can’t or won’t do. So thank you.
All patients are heroes whether they’re in the ICU, nursing home, hospice care or any facility. Patients feel alone on a normal day in their lives and their world gets ridiculously small. Not able to see ANYONE for a visit seems so cruel and some patients don’t understand what’s going on. The nursing staff goes above and beyond to keep patients in touch with loved ones including using cell phones for a FaceTime visit. Those visits are sometimes used as a way for family members to say goodbye to their suffering loved one.
How about our awesome truck drivers? They are solely responsible for getting our food, paper towels, toilet paper and necessary goods to the stores, tirelessly. That’s another job that can turn ugly when desperate people attempt to rob them at gunpoint. Amazon, UPS and other trucks carrying goods have been attacked by people who are more unstable than ever because of this pandemic. Anyway, many thanks to all our hero drivers for their dependability in catering to our daily needs.
There are numerous businesses that are now gone with the major shutdowns they’ve tried to endure. Many owners knew they were ending their lifelong ventures and livelihoods. And I was amazed when I heard some donated the remainder of their inventory and helped to save other businesses. That could not have been easy but it was a noble thing to do, more heroes.
Restaurants were hit hard and unlike the airlines they didn’t get the bailout they should have. I flew in May and October and the flights were packed like sardines so the airlines will always be fine. But the Mom-and-Pop businesses are in trouble and I’m afraid we’ll lose our quaint culture of sole proprietors and the charm they bring to our towns. They really are the strength and backbone of this country.
So these are my people of the year who remain loyal and committed in the face of adversity. We shouldn’t forget that most of the adversity could’ve been stopped and even avoided. They are true Americans who have the grit to rise above all the harsh conditions to not only survive but to thrive and contribute. They make me proud to be an American and prove we are still the be best country in the world.
Here’s to a healthy, happy and successful new year.
We all have stories to tell
Just driving on the winter roads turned out to be a sport!
How the heck did we make it this far?
I don’t feel like writing about 2020, it’s blunders, the political disasters, pandemic double-talk or how the planet is going to explode into a million pieces! I’m so done with all of it just like you. Most of us are doing our part to keep safe, stay well and be kind to our planet and the people residing on it. I want to end the year with a few funny stories that crack me up and take me way, way back.
Did you ever think back on some of your memories or stories about things you’ve done or said and then wonder why you’re still alive? Since I have some spare time right about now I’m going to share a story. Please remember to hold off on any judgement calls, you know we’ve all done some pretty funky things when we were growing up. The stories can be shared now because I’m too old to get the stink eye from my parents. But I’m not out of the woods yet, it’s all fun and games till my kids eventually take my keys away!
What we did growing up in the 50s and 60s would make most kids cringe today. It was normal behavior to be drinking out of a hose, everyone drinking out of everyone’s glass, making mud pies and taste testing them, plucking and chewing a long strand of grass, walking barefoot everywhere, eating snow, icicles and the list goes on as some of you well know. But I really believe we are more resilient and have stronger immune systems now at our age than most teenagers today. There is such a thing as being too sheltered, germ-free or ultra-careful with everything in life!
Winter Sports
There was endless wintertime entertainment with ice skating, ice fishing, snowmobiling and if you were a skier there were a few nice slopes around the area. And unless all your appendages were frozen numb there was no reason to shelter inside. When the enormous amount of snow covered the impassable roads the snow mobile was a normal and fun mode of transportation, one of many reasons life was better outside the city.
We lived on Conesus Lake in upstate New York back in the sixties and the lake would freeze over in the winter. The lake is about one mile wide and close to nine miles long. When spring arrived iceberg jumping became a major sport and I’m quite certain my Mom came close to having a heart attack that time of year.
As the weather warmed up you can hear the eerie sounds of the ice at night cracking and shifting almost cosmic like. That was a good indication it was time to head down to the lake the in the coming days and commence to the craziness of iceberg jumping. The ice would be broken up in different size chunks and when it got windy those chunks would slowly get carried by the wind to the end of the lake. So we would, of course start at the shore and jump on the first chunk of ice. The chunk would start to sink because of our weight so we’d have to quickly jump to the next piece and the next piece and repeat the insanity until too much laughter and exhaustion would set in.
When the wind kicked up the jumping would become a tad risky because of the ice chunks getting carried down the lake. It was so much fun to do but we had to be aware of how far out we traveled since we needed get back to shore and hope the ice chunks were available and in place to do that safely. Eventually all the ice would shift to the end of the lake, it would melt and that frightening sport was finished until next spring. My poor Mom…
However there was yet another “sport” that was just as fun if not just a bit suicidal….
Ravine Sledding
Most residences on the lake at that time had no insulation so a lot of the lake homes were summer cottages only. Our next-door neighbors were only there in the summertime. How convenient was that?
Water would run from the hills across the street into their ravine. The sides of the ravine were concrete walls a few feet tall and not very wide. There was a clay-like substance on the floor of it where the creek water would flow. In the winter it also would ice over but you could at times hear the water running underneath the ice.
Our residence next door was also our restaurant, another convenience. We’d grab the old-time round Budweiser beer trays made of metal and used them as our sleds. We would jump down into the ravine, get our balance not to fall on our butts from the ice, sit on the tray and fly down the ravine onto the iced lake. And we prayed the iced lake would hold us because the creek’s running water into the lake sometimes weakened it.
When the metal tray hit that ice it felt like we immediately were racing at warped speed. Now I realize this sounds like an all-around fun thing to do however I left out why this was suicidal. As we were gaining speed and flying down we’d HAVE to almost lay down flat halfway through the ride because it quickly turned into a narrow cement tunnel. And we did that run repeatedly. It would be the quickest way to get decapitated if we didn’t duck in time. I know!!! Not funny. My poor Mom...
A huge thanks to my parents for allowing us the freedom to explore and get a little banged up along the way. Fast forward to today, was it really that dangerous what we did as kids or is there more danger in what some kids do for fun today?? Without a doubt I’ll take my growing up years any day.
I’m glad I did all this when I was young, it sure doesn’t turn me on at this point in my life!
The South Florida weather has spoiled me rotten…
Sail Through Any Pandemic
Take control for your own good!
I do not consider myself a rebel or an extremist by any means. There are times that stubbornness would apply in my life but it usually stems from previous experiences and their outcomes. Gathering accurate information and listening to our gut or inner source will lead us to correct solutions. And if we all look back on our lives and we’re honest, we know our gut reactions have driven us toward the truth, no matter what anyone else tried to tell us. That is not extreme, it’s instinct.
Well, it’s been months since this pandemic hit us and I still don’t know what to make of it. I know it exists and people have severely suffered and some have lost their lives. Everyone has their own idea how to live in this new environment but nobody has the right to coerce others who don’t agree. Listening to the media doesn’t help because they’ve made it their business to skew the facts and make everything political. There are people who have allowed the media to brainwash them which could cause even greater harm. So what is one to do and who should we listen to about how to live our lives with this virus and future pandemics?
Unfortunately we need to absorb an enormous amount of information over time and do our own investigations. I’ve learned from the past to ask questions and it didn’t matter who I was questioning, including the most respected doctors or any prestigious individuals. It shouldn’t matter how educated or experienced anyone is, if what they’re telling you doesn’t make sense then you have a right to question it. Do your own research and if your doctors don’t have time to listen to your concerns then dismiss those doctors and yes I’ve had to do that. And I have never regretted it. It’s impossible to manage your selfcare or a loved one’s if you don’t have proper information.
Let’s talk about prevention and scare tactics. I’m ok with wearing a mask out of respect and protection in public buildings or in crowds but you’ll never find me wearing one walking the beach or riding my bike. If this virus is famous for attacking lungs then wouldn’t it make sense to get outside and take in as much fresh air as possible to increase the health of our lungs? Locking ourselves up in our homes 24/7 and continually wearing a mask is not a healthy option. And if someone in high esteem orders me to wear goggles with my mask, with all due respect the answer is no thank you. We are constantly being assaulted with somebody’s professional recommendations and it’s up to all of us to stay knowledgeable, know where to draw the line and say no!
Our bodies are so sophisticated and fully equipped to fight most invaders. We know that to keep viruses at bay our immune system needs to be operating at peak performance. Maintaining good nutrition is key and good food should be used as our number one medicine. Most everyone has access to a decent food source more than ever and I’m not talking about loading up on Burger King. Many Aldi stores are continuing to build around our country and have great varieties of food at decent prices, less expensive than McDonald’s. Our bodies thrive better on water, a banana, and an apple than a processed burger, greasy fries, and soda. I’d like a nickel for every time I’ve seen those unhealthy choices being made and there’s no excuse for it anymore. It’s more than annoying when I hear mainstream media tell me that a large percentage of people are at a disadvantage when it comes to good nutrition. I refuse to feel guilty for sick people choosing not to eat well.
What about if we spent government dollars on educating everyone about proper nourishment and teach parents and children how to cook at home? Back in the day I had to complete four years of Home Economics that was mandatory to graduate high school. We have a serious need for education in life skills right this minute but I’m not seeing it.
Wholesome food helps but supplements may have to come into play because our food sources don’t hold as much nutritional value. You can get complete blood work done and your doctor can tell you if there’s a deficiency and what supplements to take to get your system up and going strong. There may be an extra expense in taking better care of yourself but it’s not half as expensive as trying to mend a hospitalized, unhealthy person. The hospital is the last place anyone should want to spend time. But we need to do more than just eat well.
Our bodies have amazing systems in place to help fight diseases and we need to keep those systems well-functioning. Yoga poses, proper breathing, stretching are good examples of waking up the circulatory system which carries oxygenated cells through the body to help fight the bad players. Adding about twenty minutes of cardio daily to raise the heart rate sets the body in motion for the day and it shouldn’t cost a penny.
Do whatever you can to lower your stress level (like go outside and BREATHE) so the immune system can continue maintaining good health instead of depleting all its energy fighting stress demons. I realize that keeping calm is not easy to do in our current environment so you must adopt the mindset of controlling yourself only and let the rest go, like in meditating. Again, hard to do but once you feel yourself at peace it becomes a useful and beneficial habit.
If you’ve always taken decent care of yourself and your immune system isn’t compromised from a health issue you should fly through this pandemic like a champ. If you’ve done nothing to support your total health then here’s your opportunity to enhance a better life. Remember that your body knows exactly what to do to heal itself but you must do your part. Get educated and listen to your gut!
Be Prepared for Your Own Emergency
Lower your stress level
When you find yourself in an emergency situation be ready to react effectively. Maybe a few of you already have accomplished this task but for those who have not, here is a good plan of action. I want to share with you an idea that has all your medical information to hand over to EMS or the emergency room check-in person. I choose Excel because I find it easy to update but you can use Word or whatever is easy for you.
I learned this from the medical emergencies my late husband experienced for years before he lost his battle with MS. When I would call 911 no less than three emergency vehicles would show up at our house within a few minutes. That hardly gave me enough time to gather all his meds and try to remember all his complications, allergies, procedures plus a slew of questions I barely got correct under duress.
Eventually we realized that calling 911 would unfortunately become a common occurrence. That’s when we figured out a way to lower the stress level of an already horrific stressful situation; the medical sheet. There was a common theme that we adopted, taking control over something we have absolutely no control over!
That was years ago but fast forward to my life today and this piece of information has become quite useful to me. I have a history of kidney stones (thanks Mom!) and there were times when I needed emergency attention. Let me tell you that when I am in unbearable pain the very last thing I am able to do is spit out all my correct medical information without wanting to scream! And that is when my brain cannot think straight to give them all the facts they need to safely treat me.
Here’s my deal. When I do make it to the ED I effortlessly hand over my ID, insurance cards, debit card and my medical sheet with all the information they need. Nobody needs to ask ANYTHING pertaining to my medical history!!! That is just the way I like it and it speeds up the process to see the doctor and get drugs to ease the agony and discomfort until we figure out my status. Of course if the entourage of EMS vehicles show up at my door instead then I will be more than thrilled to hand the information over to those very capable, good-looking firefighters and ambulance guys!
Seriously, this medical sheet is especially vital for anyone who lives alone. Keep in mind you may have a tough time talking or can’t get to your wallet with your information. Having the sheet on your fridge will expedite your treatment if you need to call 911. Let friends and relatives know how you will be handling emergencies and always make sure they have updates.
In conclusion, do yourself, your family and all medical attendants a huge favor. Write down all of your medical information, get updated copies to necessary people, keep a few in your wallet to disperse in a millisecond and lower your stress level. Get the immediate care you deserve which can possibly save your life!
Email me anytime at thesuev@gmail.com if you have questions or need assistance.
Mother Nature
Pre storm in West Palm
I’ve never seen a rainbow quite like this….it wasn’t raining!
The morning there was a rainbow out the front door….
…and a unicorn out the back window!
Psychology Can Fix This
All we need do is reverse it!
Some high-profile companies use psychology when they interview a potential employee. The candidate walks into an intimidating environment with big pillars outside the building, shiny marble floors in the lobby and an exquisite elevator bigger and more elaborate than your kitchen!
Hopefully the interview process allows the candidate to make the final step in meeting the CEO. And if so as expected, the office is amazing, mind-blowing and the immense desk separates the two of them by miles. Managing the stress of intimidation and overwhelm appear to be key in acquiring this position. For the applicant there is an attempt to being controlled, an awareness of condescendence, and some non-verbal bullying tactics. Some people do well under these conditions and become successful in their industry and others have zero interest in that game. So what would happen if we did the opposite of what these high-profile companies do?
We have a country extremely divided by hate, discrimination, misunderstandings and filled with terror. The communication breakdown makes the situation so much worse and there doesn’t seem to be a way to reverse it. At this point it may take a miracle and many lives lost before anyone is ready to sit down and LISTEN to each other. But I’ll give you something pretty extreme to think about.
What if there was a common ground location for the top leaders of both sides to meet? I am not talking about leaders of the domestic terrorists or the idiots who slither their way through the streets inciting violence. All legitimate leaders would be dressed in clean, unnripped jeans, clean white unripped, unwritten tee shirts and sneakers. Jeans would need to fit over the buttocks properly how they were made to be worn. Piercings need to be left at home and tattoos covered. City leaders and law enforcement would need to abstain from their high and mighty attitudes, righteousness, any condescending and moral authority.
The location would be inside an open area where no masks are allowed! The layout for the meeting is composed of chairs only, placed in a circle. Of course there’s distancing but full disclosure of all non-verbal communication is vital, including everyone’s arms unfolded and hands resting on their laps. I should not need to mention that all weapons are forbidden. Any person who elevates their voice in a manner not conducive to the success of this nation will need to leave. Nobody would be allowed to come to the meeting with a serious issue without having a sensible solution that is fair to everyone. If anyone comes to the meeting with a problem without a solution they will be asked to leave; it would be obvious that they are part of the problem.
If everyone looked and sounded alike, would there be a way to find any common ground solution for just one issue and avoid profiling? The answer is yes because everything that incites violence, intimidation or agitation no longer exists. How’s that for extreme?!
Now I’m not sure how many people or how many common ground meetings is advisable but you get the gist of this. Make everyone feel comfortable enough to drop their guard. Give them a feeling of a level playing field to communicate effectively, eliminating the stereotyping. I’ll bet that more progress would be made and more questions answered than there are now with the fighting and killing on the streets. We need to start somewhere so let’s make it simple and balanced and keep the damn politics out of it.
We need to move forward from this
Beach Buddies and Friends
Amazing creatures I’ve had the privilege to see on my walks
The first hatching of baby turtles. Unfortunately my camera permanently died and this is the only picture that came through out of many pictures and videos I took that day!
Amazing how Mother Nature protects animals….I almost stepped on him
So this guy met me at my car door on the way to work. He refused to get off and he escorted me to work from West Palm Beach to Palm Beach on 95!!
He chilled on my car all day while I was at work and I finally had to have one of the guys at work remove him. He is currently residing in Palm Beach and happy.
Not a beach buddy but I fell in love with this West Palm tree frog!
I don’t walk with this guy…………….. I walk around him.
It was like he was sliding in for a homerun
Beautiful but better appreciated at a distance
I was informed that this was a tooth from a great white shark…beautiful!! Not the shark, the tooth.
He was all by himself and didn’t seem to care how close I got to him
He’s a solo walker and does not need my companionship
Sunrise…Sunset
There is nothing like starting your day with a sunrise. It’s a new day, a chance to make it better than the one before. The FEEL is different in each sunrise, calm and peaceful, inspirational, bold and courageous and most of all…grateful for each one we get to witness. Sunsets are the calming effect ending your day, go ahead and grab that perfect drink and relax.
Palm Beach, FL
Palm Beach, FL
Palm Beach, FL
Palm Beach, FL
Palm Beach, FL There were no less than 20 guys out there just waiting for that perfect wave.
Palm Beach, FL What a difference a day makes! Waiting for low tide
Palm Beach, FL
West Palm Beach, FL
West Palm Beach, FL
Sunset in Palm Beach
And the perfect cocktail to go with my sunset
Back to Business…………Not as Usual
What will you have to do to thrive in this new game?
Manage your time wisely
There are so many business owners who have been a part of this major shut down either because of Covid-19 or becoming a victim from the violent destruction in the streets. And it is devastating, both financially and emotionally. The hospitality industry has been the hardest hit, unsure of their future and some have sadly boarded up and filed for bankruptcy. I personally feel sorry for the sole proprietor who is hanging by a thin thread with no answers from their local government. He needs to make a blind call to either use all his savings or just shut down because the downtime might continue indefinitely. Using the entire savings is risky because that may not be enough to survive or maybe the economy would get shut down again. Unbelievable.
Our entire family was involved in the total operations of our restaurant but it was many years ago. At that time people loved going out to dinner, spending money was not that much of an issue and we loved serving the public. Those were fun and exciting times! Had we gone through what restaurants are going through right now I have no idea what we would’ve done; our whole family would’ve suffered substantial loses. We lived on a small lake in upstate New York not near a major city with additional job opportunities.
So what can be done to help this significant and treasured industry? Well we know that when private clubs, hotels and restaurants reopen that sizable changes will take place. According to the current phase, businesses can operate at fifty percent which is nearly impossible to cover all costs. And the dream of earning a profit will have to be just that for now, a dream.
And what is the major expense in the hospitality industry? Yep, labor costs. They may not be able to afford in-house staff but need some vital duties performed. Managers and owners need to figure out how to navigate this new trend and shouldn’t have to struggle with time consuming tasks. This is where businesses can uncover and utilize the boomers, you know, us old folks. Believe it or not most of us are still quite viable and resourceful with an unbeatable work ethic that will never diminish.
But that is not the best part about us. You know those nasty benefits that some of these businesses must pay? Guess what? We don’t need them! Most of us are on Medicare, collect social security or have a spouse still working with family benefits. We are not interested in your health insurance, 401k, uniforms, you do not need to feed us, we don’t need paid time off because we would be temporary, part-time and working from home. And the chances are slim that we would need maternity leave. It’s a digital world, it doesn’t matter where we reside. Here is just an example of the duties I am talking about:
* Daily check-ins for updates/changes in duties
* Customer/Member services as in reservations, confirmations or any return calls
* Signage for table tents, place cards or any monotonous, time-consuming duty
* Menus – create or update
* Excel spreadsheets, input of inventories, staffing schedules
* Zoom meetings
Some of us boomers live with pets and plants, burn essential oils, still rise early (we cannot afford to miss one minute at this age!) and take pride in our time management skills. Use us, we’re here for you. Whether you are an existing business or a start-up, temporary assistance is available until your business gains the strength needed to hire that perfect employee.
For further details email me, thesuev@gmail.com
How Are Your New Employees Really Doing?
And how are your long-time employees relating to them?
Food and beverage managers are busy people who contribute massive hours to keep a restaurant/club moving in a successful direction. If you are lucky enough to work in a seasonal business there will always be occasions to train new employees with proper amount of time for onboarding. And if not then you have your work cut out and time management skills are crucial.
A question every manager should be asking themselves is what are the existing employees telling the new employees? To gain that knowledge, intermittent walking around, observing and listening carefully to all employees will get you closer to the truth. It is the best method to finding out how your company’s culture is being fostered. You may not have that kind of time to investigate your current culture and how your employees effect it. On the other hand it would be well worth your while if you did.
What your workers say on the job and what beliefs are being communicated to new employees can be an ideal benefit or the object of your repeating nightmares. Your veteran workers who are happy people and grateful to have a job are never the issue and always stand ready to mentor new staff members.
But every business has their share of “sacred cows” or functional miserable people who feel insecure when new employees enter the scene. The most dangerous seasoned employee is the cunning and clever low self-esteem person. They know exactly when to behave appropriately in front of a supervisor and how to deflate a new employee behind a supervisor’s back. Management may never see the damage and then wonder why the new employee did not work out. I have mentioned in my blog how important an exit interview is to seek the truth when someone unexpectedly throws in the towel and quits.
If a new employee attempts to report the bad situation by talking to management it may not go well. The longtime, deceitful employee will usually be forgiven or a get a slap on the wrist because of their lasting service. It’s apparent that they were never made accountable for their actions. More times than not, the members or the most esteemed customers love that longstanding employee and never witnessed the intimidating behavior. So new employees either navigate a way around the abusiveness or look elsewhere for employment.
When management finally gets to observe the ugly behavior of the seasoned employee, are they willing to step up and do the right thing? If the owner of the restaurant, CEO or president of the private club does not agree with the offenses then it will maintain business as usual. The fear of losing a management position might stop any further corrective action.
As a successful and respectable manager you must not add to the spreading cancerous activities of the long-time employee. A supervisor should never be afraid of repairing negativity or reporting abuse of an employee because they face risk of losing their job. If proper documentation was recorded each time an injustice occurred then there would always be back up which protects you. Guidance should be provided for the troubled employee along with repercussions if no improvement is achieved in a specific amount of time. Do the right thing, your finest employees are watching to see what you do and waiting to perform their best.
Media Madness
Is the truth hidden somewhere and where the heck do we find it?
The mainstream media is blasting us every minute of the day about how dreadful our world is right now. But we are pretty intelligent creatures or we wouldn’t have gotten as far as we have today. Keeping a proper prospective is important if we’re going to survive this trifecta of cycles starring climate change, a depressing economy and cultural/civil unrest. And now can blend in a global pandemic for a robust topping.
These cycles are seriously life altering which gives the mainstream media a lot hype to chew on and spit out. What I found easier to live with was getting an update from my local channel, weather, what is happening, etc. Unfortunately for national and world news it is a different story. We are on our own to decipher what we hear after learning so-called facts that lean to the left as well as the right, politically. It doesn’t matter what subject they’re talking about; it becomes political! Chances are the truth can be detected after peeling back the layers of defamation and I am not in the mood to waste that kind of time.
There was a moment when I could go between CNN and FOX news and take half of what I learned from each and get myself to some sort of middle ground. I can no longer accomplish that because they both have gone so far off the rails for me to make sense of it all. It really is way too much.
I must admit that part of this problem is because of my age and going back to earlier days. Actual television watching time was limited to 11:00 pm and today I think we are too inundated with 24/7 reporting. Politics was not on my mind when I was younger but Walter Cronkite did a fantastic job reporting the news and only the news. And not that long ago I used to love watching Peter Jennings; God rest his soul. Now I’m not sure what’s going on but mainstream media is driving me up the tree!
I believe the time is now to search for the kind of media that’s dependable, respectable and deals in facts only. Maybe my usual attempt to find out the news of the day is the wrong way to go anymore. I already receive notices about what is going on locally throughout the day from an app and I check my weather out on an app. I also found London Real which has some intelligent individuals on the show and I do learn something new from them! So I’m still checking them out but so far so good.
At any rate it appears I need to get out of my old-fashioned groove because it’s upsetting me. Isn’t that usually when change occurs and a better way of life appears? Whatever new world lies ahead after the chaos settles might just be a brand-new place where we all can thrive; that’s my plan.
Interview Questions
Hiring the most appropriate person is not an easy task. We tend to hire servers, bussers and bartenders based mostly on experience. It’s just as important to hire based on their ability to embrace your company’s culture. I think we’ve all had at least one experience where a knowledgeable employee was let go not being able to adhere to your club’s/restaurant’s values.
Finding good food and beverage employees has been such a task with a small sampling to choose from. We should see a change because of our current economic situation and people looking for work. Hopefully there will be an abundance of applicants for a wider selection.
Server training is more than just having the energy and ability to perform the duties. How can we zero in on an applicant’s abilities and cultural beliefs to see if they’ll be an asset? Here’s a sampling of questions to ask that can assist you with better decisions about who to hire.
1. What is your favorite and most productive atmosphere to work in?
Their answer will state if they will be a functional part of your team. If they say their most successful arena is quiet and low key and not in a crowd of people you need to pay attention. Will you hire that server because of their great smile and awesome list of experiences only? You may be setting yourself up for disaster when you realize you cannot make them adapt to a team setting. Instead maybe they can have an integral part by placing them in a back of the house or secretarial position. Who knows, in time they may want to come out of their shell and want more action. On the other hand if the candidate loves to be around people with various backgrounds and ages then you are closer to having a star on your team. Look for a good energy vibe and the training should be a breeze.!
2. Once initial orientation and training is complete how would you feel about paring up with one of our successful servers for continuous and in depth learning about proper procedures, our culture and awesome Members?
This should be an immediate yes answer. It indicates the new employee’s desire to truly learn about the entire spectrum of how your Club operates with a long time, respected server. If their body language reads more negative they may feel that being part of a successful team is meaningless and that they can run solo with preconceived notions of their own. And it’s not like you want cookie cutter employees but there should be standards and procedures in place for everyone to follow.
3. Can you name a time when you had to adopt a new set of behaviors/values to fit your circumstances (e.g., live outside your country, move in with a family more diverse than yours, a new job)? How did you do?
The answer to this question would tell you how flexible the candidate will be learning about the Club’s culture. We all have witnessed a brilliant, talented server lose their job because they find it difficult to adhere to different set of behaviors. Listen for clues of either acceptance or resistance. If they had no such experience but have a desire to learn then it’s up to the managers/trainers to take the time to assist them along the way. Let the new employee know that changes are evident throughout our lives and how we master those changes will make the difference between our successes or failures.
4. State the Club’s values and ask the candidate which value(s) they easily connect with. Why?
You will see how well they accept and appreciate the values and maybe the applicant has a different set of values that were instilled at an early age. Let them tell their story. If pride in their work is important then make sure the Club showcases instances when employees take pride in what they accomplish. You can share a story about how you came to accept the values as they may have been different from your last job or your previous life. Sharing a short personal story will help them relax and stay open for more detailed answers.
5. If you could open any business, what would it be? And why? This reply could tell you if there is a sense of leadership or entrepreneurship on their horizon. They could have new, effective ideas that nobody thought of. Sometimes we get caught up running an operation so long that we could use a new set of eyes for inspiring new suggestions.
6. What is your favorite hobby? Why? If the applicant has a hobby they absolutely love, you will not have to ask them why. You will be able to hear and see the passion from them. As mentioned in my blog, if the candidate collects a specific kind of item you’ll realize they already show qualities you’ll want on your team, paying attention to detail, patience in collecting only the best and passion for the hobby.
Thank you for reading this blog and email anytime with questions.
Cheap Paper Towels DO NOT Work!
I just can’t…
Okay, I have been as patient as I can possibly be with grocery stores and their lack of inventory for good quality paper products. There are three varieties of paper towels in my closet and all three are downright useless, I really, really miss my Bounty. I find that I’m using about three to four of the cheap sheets vs one Bounty paper towel. And I realize I am dating myself but there are visions of “Rosie” in the Bounty commercials dashing through my head right now.
To rationalize my aggravation I’ve tried various stores and dollar stores, bought their inferior products only to be disappointed again. Our current situation kind of reminds me of Morocco because they never have quality paper products including toilet paper. But I really am in America, right? Am I just spoiled and this is our new reality, a Moroccan paper product reality???
The amount of shopping I do is nowhere as much as I used to do before the pandemic arrived. I have not been able to capture my usual paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, Kleenex and wet wipes on Publix shelves. I went shopping once at the early hour at 7am (for us old people) and the shelves were still empty. What makes matters worse for us here in Florida is we’re all attempting to get ourselves prepared for hurricane season. We stock up on all those items, including bleach which is another item I haven’t seen since the start of the pandemic.
I can deal with most substandard paper products, I don’t like it but I can do it. So what if I go through a roll of shoddy, less than paper thin toilet paper every two days. Also using my cloth napkins at dinner time is also fine with me. Here is where I get a tad cantankerous. Cannot and will not use cheap paper towels, so I found a way around that issue.
I love drying my dishes and especially glassware with flour sacks. Yes, I wash my dishes by hand (no judging please) but I will use the dishwasher about 4 times a year to make sure it still operates well. Anyway, I needed to replace my sacks after a long time of use and misuse and ordered more of them. I took my old ones and cut them is quarters and now use them as my paper towels. I love wiping my hands often while cooking or baking and these sacks are awesome. They easily get washed by hand, soaked overnight in a sanitizer, dry quickly and they are ready to go the next day. I no longer swear or make ridiculous faces at my paper towels sitting on my counter because I have something better to use. My hunting and gathering days of attempting to apprehend quality paper towels has come to an end. I guess if we get aggravated enough we can create a solution for anything. Isn’t that what usually happens in life?
Perfect size!
Online Shopping
So aggravating; or is it just me?
I decided it might be a good idea to replace my broken digital thermometer in case I needed to take my temperature during this virus. There was not one to be found locally at any store and I had no choice but to purchase one online. When I can’t find what I need in the vicinity Amazon is my next step. I sincerely attempt to support local businesses but that is not the typical reality it used to be.
Shopping online for the thermometer was not that simple either with very few left to buy. But I finally found one similar to what I had for many years and I purchased it the first part of April. When ordering items through Amazon Prime delivery times are swift and I am always amazed. This thermometer took three weeks to get to me and I’m really lucky I didn’t need it in the month of April.
I opened the package and it looked exactly like my previous thermometer. Except not only did it come from China but there were a couple of issues that aggravated the heck out of me! It could be that my patience level through this virus was not where it usually rides. But the readout on the thermometer was in Celsius vs. Fahrenheit. Okay….I can do conversions as good as the next guy and it was okay knowing that I’ll probably use it once every eight years like the previous one.
The main issue I had was that the instructions were in Chinese. Yep, Chinese only. I have the intelligence to know how to operate my new thermometer but what if I needed more details? What if I wanted to know EXACTLY the best way to care for or wash or sanitize it? Can I replace the battery in it? Does it need to be stored in a cool, dry place? Is there a guarantee on the product? Are there instructions on how to return it? Oh, I can come up with more questions but it would border on being even more obnoxious.
Usually new products come with directions in English, Spanish and French which is understandable. When China sends a product our way in America with Chinese only for instructions, what the heck are they thinking? Do they think that we Americans are now a minority and they are the majority so English is no longer necessary and Chinese is? Why do I have more questions about this absurd little transaction than I do answers? Being in isolation for some time might have my panties in a wad over this but it just hits me the wrong way.
My cousin told me that when she orders from Amazon that she changed her setting to search for products only made in the USA. Don’t think that I didn’t race into my account and do the same thing because I did, yes I was still that aggravated. And when I went back into Amazon last night to quickly order a new yoga roller, the one made in America was $100 vs. China’s $49. I was disgusted, mad yet again and I hated the fact that I had ordered the one from China.
I cannot continue to be frustrated over these China products and my anger about our dependence on the communist country. Awareness is the first step in taking action. Going forward my shopping habits will change. If I must pay more for American made goods then I will shop early to check prices, not be in a huge hurry to receive the goods and save for the extra cost. Maybe I’ll need to wait another month for my next check but I’ll do most anything not to support a country that hates America. There is no better satisfaction for me than to take a little control over something I have absolutely no control over. I feel better already, thanks for listening.
What??!!
Reopening of Restaurants
What will it take for you to return to your favorite restaurant?
Covid-19 has placed us in an unpredictable set of circumstances. It’s been over a month of distancing ourselves and it’s hard to think about our world ever going back to the way it was. What will it look like for food establishments when they reopen? And which ones will never be able to open again? Will it be a matter of how much money restaurants have and how long they can survive without revenue? If they open what will it take for customers to come back? I have lots of questions.
There are so many inquiries about the future of restaurants because they do not have the captive audience like private clubs. The revenue of a restaurant depends solely on bringing customers into their establishments. So what is going to take to accomplish such a feat? Let us go back in time before the virus and remember why we frequented those restaurants to begin with.
Of course I can only speak for myself in knowing why I have my favorite places to eat. If you have read my blogs then you already realize the importance of restaurant employees making me feel like I’m at home with friends, that beautiful warm welcome. The menu items aren’t as crucial because I can always find something that I will enjoy. Cleanliness is essential because I will be ingesting what employees will be touching. Paying attention to detail, proper serving techniques and safety procedures also have significance.
Out of the many reasons to trust restaurants again I believe the most important will be safety. How are restaurants going to make me feel safe in their care? I certainly did not quarantine myself for weeks staying healthy for a restaurant to have the ability to take me down in a couple of hours. I want to feel their protection as soon as walk in the door.
Perception is of the utmost importance because what I see goes hand in hand of how I’m going to feel. How I feel will alert me to either returning to that restaurant or decide to cook at home. One practice could start out with something as simple like an employee opening the door (so I don’t need to touch the handle) to enter the restaurant. There’s my moment of truth and hopefully sets the scene for the remainder of my stay. I still want that warm welcome just not as close to my face as in the past. And it goes without saying that cleanliness of the entire restaurant is critical.
I would be looking at the servers and their behaviors to see if I’m really going to remain in my chair and eat what they serve me. The servers will be the conduit for the restaurants’ success. I used to tell the employees that they were on stage and being watched constantly, so it was important how they conducted themselves. During and after this virus servers will be scrutinized with every move they make until customers feel safe and retraining will be vital.
Maybe the tables are no longer preset because they are not protected if someone decides to sneeze walking by. Okay, in that case my mind would be set at ease with a server handing me a warm roll up using tongs; again it’s a feel like the employees are sensitive to my concerns. Or when I’m finished with the washable menu I witness someone sanitizing them before being used again. As far as the kitchen prepping your meal, you’ve trusted them before and there is no reason why not to have faith in them now.
Proper table service can make a customer have the sensation of being protected or cringe and ask for the check and fly out the door! Servers’ elbows should not be brushing close to a customer’s ear when serving them. Fingers cannot be touching anything where someone is putting their mouth and customers enjoying their company shouldn’t be aware of the server’s presence half the time.
Managers should be walking around and available constantly for questions or concerns from the customers. To guarantee the evening was nothing less than exceptional managers must do one last check as they open the door to walk customers out. As usual these standards are my opinions only. When it’s finally safe to go out to dinner give your favorite restaurants a chance as they desperately need our support.
Our New Normal
It’s up to us how we recreate it!
I will preface this article by letting you know that these are my thoughts only. And they’re not right or wrong, just one way of looking at this pandemic and the effects on our lives.
Well. Have we ever gone through the ringer with this virus! And according to the news it’s far from over. In my lifetime I’ve never experienced anything quite like this virus and its wrath. There have been many catastrophes over the years effecting our country’s lives, jobs, economics, food shortages, etc. But I’ve never seen it effect the entire world and I find it a bit unnerving.
Family incomes have either lessened or stopped and everyone’s learning how to live life with fewer things and making it (unfortunately for some barely making it). Living with less may not be ideal or what we want but it’s maybe all we really need. I’ll admit that raising small children at a time like this would be difficult for me to handle so I admire the young families who are mastering this way of life. Raising children is challenging enough in the good times, no less when both parents fall sick and help is not on the way.
Education has taken on a new twist with all students learning online and younger students being home-schooled. I’m certain this won’t last forever as parents get back to work but we might see more situational homeschooling implemented in the future. I would love to see kids out of a school building half the day and learn more about nature and visit museums (and yes, statues) to discover and better understand our history. I wish farming would become mandatory throughout all the school years. There’s no reason to ever have our food source become scarce. Staying close to nature is a huge part of who we are, direct descendants of our ancestors who lived off the land.
Grocery shopping for the family has become a serious sport of hunting and gathering, who can grab the paper goods first. There are so many things we all take for granted like shopping for essential items e.g., toilet paper, selection of meats, Clorox, veggies etc. And who ever thought that there would be a limit to what we can buy? That’s not the America we’re used to but welcome to third world country living.
Everyday I hear that our food sources will not be disrupted. And now I understand that major pork producing facilities are on lock down because of the virus. Farmers are euthanizing their hogs not having a resource to sell them. Huh. It sure sounds like our food source is being disrupted. Is that just the beginning? And will the poultry and beef industry follow? I would love to have my own plot of land right about now to grow vegetables and a few fruits. Toss me some rice, potatoes or pasta and I’m good.
Regardless of what channel you watch to keep up with the current news there’s no denying our dependence on China. We’re so much smarter than that, how the heck did we allow that to happen to such an extent? Any country that can take us down to our knees with a virus or withhold lifesaving medications should never gain our trust in business. Our lives shouldn’t depend on anyone but ourselves, our talents and the creativity most of us possess.
There are countless local heroes donating their time and effort making masks for neighborhood hospitals. So please spare me the antics that other countries need to charge us double or triple for those same items. I believe many Americans are so furious with some countries ripping us off that we’ll make it a point to never fully depend on any of them again. Necessity is the mother of invention thank God and we’ve witnessed some inspiring people and their inventions.
Look at the astonishing discoveries that Americans are creating from this feeling of scarcity and fear. Companies are converting from liquor production to sanitizing, University of Florida is working on open-source ventilators and Ford, GM and Telsa are also converting their facilities to produce ventilators. I believe in a global economy just not to the degree of dependency.
There is great talent in our country and we need to figure out how to get products made right here, again. I recently wrote a letter to our governor because I was so upset about everything coming from China. We have thousands and thousands of empty buildings throughout our country. We also have the most desirable country where immigrants flock to for a better life like my grandparents did. I know there’s a way to match the empty buildings and immigrants for manufacturing. A lot of the people from outside our country want to work and become citizens. Does it make sense to toss immigrants to the side, keep emptying huge commercial buildings to make new ones and have China manufacture for us???? Are we crazy? Don’t attempt to lecture about how expensive it’ll be. Instead take a long hard look at what we’ll end up spending when the virus is done with us and how we’ve conducted ourselves.
We have the perfect scenario right here in front of our eyes. Immigrants who truly want to be a functional part of America can be paid fairly as we help them become citizens while they work. It would become a manufacturing apprenticeship, a winning situation that builds self-respect and the respect of others. The next time we find ourselves saying that “we’re all in this together,” we’ll truly mean it because we really will be all together.
One more thought on my mind is believing there might be a bigger picture here. I am Catholic and wonder if we’ve used and abused our world so badly that God finally had to step in before we self-destructed. I can picture Him reaching and taking a huge whack at the RESET button. Maybe we got a bit too greedy, neglected our families far too long, destroyed our natural resources, ran too far off the rails purchasing unneeded items, kicked God out of our schools, tore down historic statues or didn’t believe in our American anthem anymore. I couldn’t begin to tell you why this pandemic is happening but there are lessons to be forever learned and cherished. God is not punishing us, he’s not vindictive and many positive blessings will come out of this nightmare.
You can be sure that we’ll get through this because of who we are, strong-willed Americans. I think we just forgot a few important points along the way. It’ll be a brand-new way of life and I’m looking forward to it. God Bless Us…
Morning Ritual
We’re the only species on earth who can self regulate our bodies and minds; take full advantage of your power!
If we’ve learned anything from the pandemic it’s vital to build and maintain our amazing immune systems. For me it’s imperative to find some sort of peace and a sense of control even if I’m only controlling myself. Practicing my self-care techniques is how I handle any of the future pandemics and health issues knowing I have no control over what happens outside my home. Funny, I thought I had control over everything!
And the ritual begins with a thanks to God for giving me another day (My first marriage was to a funeral director and I can tell you for a fact that some people DID NOT wake up this morning). I really love getting up in the morning when it’s still dark. I open the blinds and windows when weather allows and while waiting for my coffee I’m doing some standing back stretches. I grab my coffee and get comfy on the couch to start my prayers. All prayers are packed with gratitude, hope with a sense of optimism. I’m grateful for mine and my family’s health; physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. I have a few things and people to pray for so it takes me about 20-30 minutes. My daily mantra that I end with is forgiveness + kindness + compassion = love and peace.
Next is meditation which sets the stage for the most enjoyable day. Even when it’s hot the window next to me is slightly open to hear my favorite owl and serenading birds. I don’t practice meditation to relax I use it to awaken my consciousness, self-awareness, heal my body and keep my thoughts presently focused which all contribute to feeling of self-control and well-being.
A series of stretches, yoga and cardio are my last line of defense against any craziness this world presents. I can’t get my cardio in the pool right now because it’s closed so I’ll hit the bike or walk listening to an audio book. It takes me a good portion of the morning to complete my routine depending on how much time I have (which these days of self-containment I have a lot).
When you realize you have zero power over what’s happening in this world the only solace is to control and care for yourself, body and mind. That alone brings comfort because you are the only one in charge of how you feel inside and out. Self-care creates the power to stay healthy and be able to handle this pandemic.
I hope this article was helpful and finds you in good health. My wish for you is to take the well-deserved time to care for your whole self. Find a quiet space for your personal ritual with your own beliefs and let me know if you have questions or any helpful hints. Start with your mind and the body will follow. God bless you.