Economics #2 - Labor

A four-day tour into Economics!! Today - LABOR

Okay, I wanted to stop my look at history for a few days.  Another item I have wanted to write on for a while is economics.

Yesterday, I looked at Land.  Today on the second factor of economic production:  Labor.

I reason that the two oldest economic factors are land and labor.  Land is the economic use of the land - to grow crops, for livestock, for minerals and ores.  Labor is the economic use of labor.

Labor means the use of people for creating economic value.  If you think about that, if you work for a company, you are “labor” to that company.  Even if you work for yourself, you are “labor” to yourself.

I Timothy 5:18 “For Scripture says, "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages."

These days and times, it can be hard to determine a workman’s wages.  Is Lynette more valuable than Ron? Should Kristof get paid more than Jeffrey?  (Should Karen get paid the same as Bruce?)  

One of the best ways to pay a good wage is based on experience and academic background.  A person with 10 years of work experience and an MBA should get more than a person with 5 years of work experience without an MBA.  

In the United States today, we have the EEOC - Equal Employment Opportunity Commission who has stated: “The Equal Pay Act requires that men and women in the same workplace be given equal pay for equal work. The jobs need not be identical, but they must be substantially equal. Job content (not job titles) determines whether jobs are substantially equal.”

People should get paid appropriately.  But, people are to use their talents effectively. 

Colossians 3:24 says “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men”

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Karen’s thoughts on work.

I always liked work.  From my first job (newspaper carrier for the Cedar Rapids Gazette) to my recent jobs (election clerk and tutoring), I have liked my work, enjoyed the people I have worked with (mostly) and tried to give a dollar's worth of value to the dollars I was getting paid.  Actually, as I reflect on that, I really wanted to go ‘over-and-above’ what I was getting paid. As a professor, that meant being an advisor to clubs, playing in the pep band, going to athletic and other events on campus. It also meant responding to emails and phone calls quickly.  It meant giving advice to students and being their “coach”. I’ve had students over to my house frequently with pizza parties and more. I had a Christmas Party at our house in Madison every year. In Hamden, I entertained my students at our house plus the Pep Band and fraternity guys.

It might be part of that Judeo-Christian heritage - “Do unto others as you would have them do to you”.  I didn’t complain about my pay. (I rarely complain about anything).

Since I am already on Judeo-Christian values, there is a parable of a King who is going away and gives ten “talents” (or pieces of gold) to one person, five to a second person and one to a third person  When he returns, the one with ten had made ten more - or twenty “talents”; the one with five had made five more, but the one who was only given one talent, buried it in the ground. The King rewards the first two but sends the last into prison.  If I have “talents” or gold or whatever, I’m to use them appropriately. Work “over-and-above”.

The economics factor of labor can be difficult to analyze.  There are some companies who ‘cheat’ their employees by not paying them enough.  The old song “Sixteen Tons” talks about working in the coal mine and basically being abused financially.  

I also believe that if you are not getting paid enough, just keep working and going over-and-above and eventually you will be rewarded - by that company or by another company who will “steal” you away because you are an awesome worker!!!

There is (obviously) much more to labor, including labor laws, fairness, justice, unions, but this was at least an exposure to what Karen thinks about the second form of economic production - labor.

Tomorrow, we’ll look at the third economic factor - capital (that is, money).

Hugs!!

Karen

Economic I - Land

A four-day tour into Economics!! Today - LAND

Okay, I wanted to stop my look at history for a few days.  Another item I have wanted to write on for a while is economics.

From the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, we have this definition of production:

“Factors of production are the resources people use to produce goods and services; they are the building blocks of the economy. Economists divide the factors of production into four categories: land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship.

Let’s look at each one of these over the next few days.

The land is one of the two most basic factors of production.  Let’s divide the land into two subparts: agriculture and mining.  (I will NOT look at mining today).

Agriculture:

From the history of ancient man to the development of civilization, man has used the land for his use.  While I can’t quite name the first time a person planted wheat or other seeds, growing items has been a staple for years.

The other basic foundation of agriculture was for animal husbandry.  (And, yes, I had to look up that term!!)

“In the 1300s another word, “husbandman,” came to mean a farmer or a tiller of the soil, and the word “husbandry” widened to mean farming and agriculture in general, including the raising of livestock, poultry, and such. ... We still speak of “animal husbandry” as a branch of farm management” 

“The word “husbandry” has nothing to do with marriage, at least not in this day and age. And it had nothing to do with marriage when it entered English in the late 13th century.”

And, from the early chapters of the Bible “Cain became a tiller of the ground, and Abel a keeper of sheep.”  Even from this concept, we have farmers - growing crops; and those keeping animals (shepherds, ranchers).

As I sometimes do, I’m going to throw some Judeo-Christian views of agriculture into this concept - that of leaving the ground “fallow”.

“Fallow ground, or fallow soil, is simply ground or soil which has been left unplanted for a period of time. In other words, fallow land is land left to rest and regenerate. A field, or several fields, are taken out of crop rotation for a specific period of time, usually one to five years, depending on the crop.”

From Exodus 23:1-11

““For six years you are to sow your land and to gather in its produce, but in the seventh, you are to let it go and to let it be, that the needy of your people may eat, and what remains, the wildlife of the field shall eat” (Exodus 23.1-11). Biblically, how you tend your fields comprises part of your morality.

This directly talks of a “sabbatical year” for land.  For six years you can plant your land and on the seventh year let it go.  As I grew up, many farmers seemed to follow this example. They would plant corn (or soybeans) for six years and on the seventh year plant a legume crop like alfalfa or clover.  Rotation of crops seems to enrich the soil without the use of chemicals.  

Legumes put nitrogen back into the soil that is used by other crops.  If a farmer has both crops and livestock, the alfalfa, clover, or another legume crop can be used for cattle feed as well as put needed nitrogen back into the soil. 

As I grew up, many farmers put natural, organic fertilizer into the soil (possibly to the confoundment of their neighbors from the aroma).  By this, I mean “manure”. This also could be the case where a field was seeded with clover (that cows and animals would eat, digest and eliminate) the field would get nitrogen and soil conditioning.  

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But, back to the original topic of economic factors for production and the use of land for economic production, good treatment of land, such as a sabbatical year, crop rotation, and (if you will) organic treatments might fit into the Old Testament concepts for good farming.

Now (LMG and others), I am NOT a farmer, I don’t really know and understand modern farming concepts, but as land is one of the main economic factors, maybe a concern for the land should be part of our farming/food raising process.  

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Aside, it does seem like I go on tangents - but in terms of land as an economic force might raise some concerns for environmental studies and even global warming.  

Are we hurting our land?  I don’t know. Are we being good stewards of the earth?  

Moving to the second economic force - labor - tomorrow!!!

Hugs!!

Karen

(Okay - if I take this concept to heart, what can I (should I) do?)

The 1960's Part II - Vietnam and the Music subculture

Karen looks at History - the 1960’s part II

Vietnam Protests and more

As the United States pushed more troops and more money into Vietnam, the opposition grew.  I was in college and dreaded being drafted and being sent to the conflict.

As I lightly mentioned yesterday, one of the new aspects of American life was “our” music.  There, of course, had been different genres of music before, but for the Baby Boomers, the main driving force was Rock and Roll.  We listened to the top 40 stations, we danced to the music, we bought records and communicated through rock and roll.

There had been protest songs in the past - mostly folk songs.  Pete Seegar wrote “Where have all the flowers gone” which was sung by many folks singers or groups.  Basically, the flowers were picked by the young girls, the young girls got married to the young boys, the young boys became soldiers, and the soldiers went to the graveyards and the graveyards grew flowers for the next generation.  

Joan Baez wrote “Blowin’ in the Wind with these (partial) lyrics:  “How many times must the cannonballs fly Before they're forever banned?  The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind; The answer is blowin' in the wind”

Country Joe and the Fish added these lyrics specifically about Vietnam.

“And it’s one, two, three, what are we fighting for?

Don’t ask me, I don’t give a damn,

Next stop is Vietnam.

And it’s five, six, seven, open up the pearly gates

Well, there ain’t no time to wonder why,

Whoopee! we’re all gonna die.

Even more 'fun' music groups like The Monkees wrote The Last Train to Clarksville - where the lyrics say "And I don't know if I'm ever coming home

 As a college student in the late 1960’s (I was in college from 1965 to 1969), I listened to this music.  

I can image the scene in many American homes, where dad - who fought in World War II - and came home to start a family in the Baby Book - sitting down with his son, who probably had long hair and was saying “Dad, if I get drafted, I’m moving to Canada”!!

I had a good friend who was jailed because he refused to be drafted.  His status as a “conscientious objector” was not strong enough and he had been drafted and he sat in a prison cell for a few months until released.

And, I had friends who went to Vietnam willingly - who believed that Godless Communism was going to destroy human values and do away with God.  My favorite brother-in-law was part of ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corp) and went to Vietnam as an officer - and was injured in Vietnam and even yet has shrapnel in his body.  General William Sherman, of Civil War fame (and most for burning Atlanta) said “War is Hell”.  

To me, as an amateur historian in these blog posts, Vietnam separated the United States and those divisions are still there today.  

Should America be hard on terrorists or not?  Should America attack Iraq (and now Iran and Afghanistan)?  Should the United States be the world’s policeman?  

As I have aged (especially lately when I have been examining myself), I have to take into consideration safety and my values.  If ALL men are created in the image and likeness of God - do I have to love and respect them? Do I need to love the thug who has a knife at my throat?  Do I need to love the terrorist who is ready to throw a grenade into a subway car?  

I have commented (too) many times in the past.  I am to love justice, show mercy and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8); I am to “love one another” and “love your enemies”.  I am NOT to judge others. I am to forgive others. I am to turn the other cheek.  

I don’t have the answers, but I sense that this division from the 1960s still exists - the hawks and the doves.  Like the junior high boy of a few days ago (me - in this blog)., we carry the rhetoric from years ago and want to put labels on people and point fingers.  

I’m still going to try to be a lover and turn my other cheek.  I am still going to try to understand and try to be a peacemaker.  “Blessed be the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God”.

Hugs and love!!

Karen

(I am still not quite through with this yet - but not sure I can open any more wounds.  There is more to 1960s history in my brain - such as Woodstock, the Chicago 7 protesters, and even landing men on the moon.  Maybe I need to look at some other things for a few days. Tune in tomorrow to see where I go!!!)

Karen's view of history - the Sixties - part I

Karen Looks at History - the 1960s part I

I was in high school from 1962 to 1965.  It was okay.  If I picked 100 students out of the high school

 yearbook and asked them if they remembered me, 99 wouldn’t, and likewise if I was asked if I

remembered

them, again, the answer would probably be ‘no’.  

My friends were few, my acquaintances many.  I was in the band, I was the drum major, and I was the organizing force behind the chess club!!  (Talk about being a ‘nerd’).  I even had the highest score on the National Math test (beating a distant cousin who was a much better student).  My grades were okay - mostly B’s.  I was smart but didn’t really apply myself!!  

I didn’t get a class ring.  Not much more!!!

The early 1960s in the United States were still magical.  The Kennedy administration was called

 “Camelot” after the musical by the same name.  As the musical said “In short, there's simply not

A more congenial spot. For happily-ever-aftering than here In Camelot.”

We got into the space age and tried to catch up with the Russians.  And we did!!  Kennedy put out

 our BHAG - Big Hairy Audacious Goal of putting a man on the moon in less than a decade - AND IT

HAPPENED!!!  We were all scared of the cold war and in addition to tornado drills, we had civil

defense drills.  Buildings had signage on them that they were fallout shelters and how many people

could survive then.  The United States developed nuclear weapons that could strike anyplace in the

world (especially Russia) and Russia could do the same to us.  While I don’t remember the statistics,

it was macabre - we could kill everyone in the whole world like fifty times over and they could do the

same.  

But, like Camelot, like the Garden of Eden, such things come to an end.  To me, the end came on

November 22, 1963, with the assassination of Kennedy.  Camelot was over - reality set in.  

Some of that reality in the Lyndon Johnson Presidency was great - the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and

1965 brought the evil of racial discrimination to the public.  But, the biggest problem of the 1960s

occurred in 1965 as 3,500 U.S. Marines came to help the U.S. military advisors in Vietnam.  Even now,

some 55 years later, Vietnam divides our country.  

The 1964 election featured Barry Goldwater and Lyndon Johnson.  I even went to a rally held in

downtown Cedar Rapids for Barry Goldwater (students were allowed to go as an educational lesson.). 

Goldwater was bombasted as a hawk - a man who could ‘pull the trigger’ at any second, a man who

would think nothing of sending the nuclear bombs into Russia.  Johnson had kept us out of Vietnam. 

Lyndon Johnson kept us out of war and won the election.  And, he failed to keep us out of Vietnam

and failed to keep his promises.

Now, readers, I’m not sure about whether we should or should not be in Vietnam.  Even with the

passage of time, I’m still not sure.  But, America was one of the two SuperPowers and we drew the

line to stop the Red Menace of Communism in this small country in Southeast Asia.  China was

already a Communist Country, Russia was, North Korea was and Vietnam was split into North and

South Vietnam.  If Vietnam became Communist, that philosophy would soon stretch into Thailand,

Indonesia and that bastion of democracy called India.  The Indians had been allies in World War II,

they had been a British commonwealth and they spoke English - the domino theory said the world’s

Superpower for: "Truth, justice and the American way" (the statement from the Superman television

show).  

But, as a civil Superpower, we wore boxing gloves and behaved like a respectable country.  Because

of our bombing of Japan at the end of World War II, we were the White People who didn’t care about

Asian people.  So, no invasion of North Vietnam was allowed.  

Like many males of that generation, we went through the draft board and got our pre-draft physicals. 

I was in college in Minnesota and went to a physical in Minnesota.  We already had heard of friends

that had been drafted - and some of whom had been sent home in body bags.  I’m not sure if I passed

or failed in my physical, but my family doctor wrote a letter in my defense that my asthma, allergies,

and hayfever would keep me from being an effective soldier.  I got a 4F deferment - meaning “unfit to

serve”.  

The Baby Boomers raised up - our numbers were significant and this was the first time we could make

an impact on society.  The 1968 elections would be the first where I could vote and the first for

many to vote.  

There was another factor that was significant (at least to me) - Music.  In the prior generations, there

were maybe a couple of radio stations - easy listening, big band, and pretty generic, but this

Baby Boomer generation had our own music (maybe thanks to Elvis and Chuck Berry and Fats

Domino and others) - we were in the Rock and Roll generation.  And music and Baby Boomer

“networks” influenced us!!  

Tomorrow, I’m going to talk about protest music, protests (remember the Chicago Seven who

protested the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago?).  Tomorrow, you’ll see how this country is

still living the 1960s - still fighting the Vietnam War - and still split between hawks and doves!!  (And,

maybe an insight into me!!)

See you tomorrow!!

Karen 

Looking at History through my eyes. - 1950s - age of (my) innocence

Karen Looks at History

I’ve wanted to look at recent history for a while, but I'm not sure how to approach it.  So, if this is good (hurray) and if it isn’t very good then come back in a few days!!

The 1950’s.

I was born in 1947, so I don’t have many memories until I was maybe five years old.

The 1950s were boom times for America.  The GIs returned from World War II and started families.  Almost every major town had a baby boom - of the “Baby Boomers” - and I was one of those.

The servicemen and women and that generation have been called “The Greatest Generation”.  My parents made it through the Great Depression and through World War II - and with peace in the world, they wanted to make the world a better place.

I was born in Cedar Rapids Iowa and my world was pretty small and pretty simple.  My family traveled to the Chicago area once or twice during the 1950s and to the Minneapolis area about the same amount.  I’m not sure when was the first time I spent in a hotel or motel - that was not something my family did. We stayed with family.  In Evanston and then Aurora Illinois we stayed with my Uncle Earl and his family, and in Bloomington Minnesota, we stayed with Uncle Howard and his family.  And, about the only place I stayed other than those two major road trips was in Maquoketa Iowa with my Aunt Leah and Uncle Nolan and family and probably about 7 or 8 years old, spent a week with them most summers.  

Cedar Rapids was booming.  We would take Sunday drives to see new houses and developments.  There were many new schools built at this time to accommodate the boomers.  

My neighbor and I played with our graders and trucks in the gravel at the end of his driveway.  I loved making highway clover-leaves as the big national interstate highway system was built. The concept of going from Maine to California without a stoplight was exhilarating.  (of course, that still isn’t possible as you do need gas, sleeping, and bathrooms periodically). We read the Cedar Rapids Gazette and every Sunday there was the Parade Magazine. One issue a year of Parade highlighted the scenic roads on the interstate highway system.  

The Gazette also posted pictures of the new cars being built in Detroit (no Japanese cars yet).  We were pretty loyal Chrysler cars - mostly Plymouths. By the mid to late 1950s, cars really changed.  The 1957 Chevy was an instant classic. And, the 1959 Cadillac had tail-fins and rocket-shaped tail-lights.  The older cars were mostly black and not very stylish, but these were pretty exciting and even sexy!!!  

Dwight Eisenhower was President from 1953 to 1961.  “I like Ike” was the slogan and my parents and family were very loyal Republicans.  Ike was the European commander during World War II and seemed to be a great leader. (Comment:  I read somewhere that at the end of the day, Eisenhower liked to have a clean desk. But, seemingly he opened his desk drawer and just pushed everything inside to get his clean desk.  There is an adage “A clean desk is the sign of a cluttered mind”. My desk gets cleaned maybe twice a year.)

Somehow I wasn’t shocked at the cold war and the space race.  Sputnik was launched in 1957 - and immediately the rest of the world got excited.  For some reason, that just wasn’t significant to me.  

True, the decade did have some controversies - McCarthyism - where there were Communists under every leaf!!  Seemingly half the Hollywood Stars were Communists - but I was pretty oblivious to all of that.  

There was the cold war - but to a seven or eight-year-old that wasn’t very important (especially as compared to building clover-leaf intersections in the dirt at the end of my neighbor's driveway).  I do remember Nikita Khrushchev coming to Iowa (to the Garst seed corn company). I also remember Krushchev pounding on the desk at the United Nations with his shoe.

Television was new (at least to most of us) in the 1950s.  Our neighbors got television first and I remember watching Highway Patrol with Brodrick Crawford.  I’m sure I thought it was all real. When we got television I watched Roy Rogers always corralling the bad guys in an hour!!  TV was mostly in black and white (and color TV was expensive). Generally about once a month, I stood in front of our TV with a mirror as my father manipulated the horizontal and vertical control options on the back.  At least once, we had to take a television bulb into the Valenski’s TV service shop to get a new one.  

And, of course, television was pretty tame - Father Knows Best, Leave it to Beaver, Make Room for Daddy, and even I love Lucy.  (Lucy was a little strange to me as I didn’t know anybody from New York that lived in an apartment and where the man ran a night club show!!!)  

We watched baseball and Dizzy Dean singing Wabash Cannonball.  I remember (vaguely) watching the Yankee World Series in 1957 where Don Larson threw a perfect game. (I’m not sure how I watched because I was at school, during school hours as night baseball games just didn’t exist!!)

There were beatniks - but I didn’t know any.  

Everybody I knew was a Christian and went to Church - and we even sang Christian songs in school.

Ah yes, for a child, this was my age of innocence - but eventually time changes!!

Moving into the 1960s tomorrow!!

Karen

March is here!!!

IT IS MARCH!!!

https://www.rd.com/culture/month-of-march-facts/

Yes, it is March.

March used to be the first month of the year.  If you think about it, that makes sense. That means October (with the prefix OCT) would be the eighth month, December (like the decimal system - DEC) is the tenth month.  And, as I erroneously thought that somehow when Julius Caesar added “July” and Augustus Caesar added “August” that they bumped the remaining months over, but they really were just renaming existing months.

Spring starts in March.  Officially Spring starts on March 19, 2020 - officially at 10:50 Central Daylight time.

March is a month of war.  The linked article (to the Reader’s Digest) has this: “March was actually named for the Latin Martius—aka Mars, the Roman God of war. With the winter frosts melting and the ground becoming fertile for harvest again in the Northern hemisphere, March was historically the perfect month for both farmers to resume farming, and warriors to resume warring."

To me, as an upper midwesterner most of my life, March is definitely a month of war.  War, that is, between weather fronts. While not full “tornado season”, March starts that trend where the clash of warmer weather pushed against the flow of colder arctic area produces violence in the heavens.  In Oklahoma when a warm March day occurs, you can look to the west and northwest and see the weather front developing. [Of course, another way to tell that tornadoes are possible is if Jim Cantore shows up in your area - Jim Cantore being one of the main Weather Channel people].  

March can be a month with the most snowfall - although it doesn’t last as long as the sun creeps over the equator but isn’t to it’s farthest north point (which will be the Summer Solstice in June).  

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March, of course, is noted for March Madness.  The annual NCAA basketball tournament begins in March.  The team selections this year will be on Sunday, March 15th.  68 teams will compete to play in the “Final Four” basketball championship which will be Monday, April 6 this year.  But, don’t expect the Cinderella teams to win it all. The lowest seed to ever win was Villanova as a Number 8 seed in 1985.  And, if you were wondering, wasn’t there 64 teams? Yes, but to add a few more teams (and probably to get more television revenue) the NCAA - National Collegiate Athletic Association was able to squeeze four more games before the “real” tournament gets started.  

And, with March Madness also comes the loss of office productivity.  The article says: “For civilians, on the other hand, March is known for one thing above all others: brackets. March Madness and the safest bet you can make is that lots and lots of people will be distracted. One number-crunching firm predicted last year that American companies would lose $1.9 billion in wages paid to unproductive workers spending company time on betting pool priorities. “

“According to the American Gaming Association, fans wagered more than $2 billion on March Madness brackets for the 2015 tournament. Each one of those 70-million-or-so brackets has a one in 9.2 quintillions (that’s 9 followed by 18 zeroes) chance of predicting the correct winners of every game. Good luck!”

*****

I have a friend who takes his vacation in March to watch all the games.  He has television sets that he can set up to catch most of the action. Last year (when Texas didn’t go to the “Big Dance”, but played in the National Invitational Tournament - and won; he watched all the NIT games as well!!  Such dedication!!!

*****

So, March is here - spring (and summer) is coming.  March weather is coming. Daylight-savings-time is coming.  March Madness Basketball is coming. And, maybe my friends in the north can start to put away their shovels and winter coats (dream on Ron!!) 

Hugs!!

Karen

(And, as an old high school marching band player - with a tuba - I can look forward to April 1st - because a “March” of 31 days can wear a band member out!!!) 

PollyannaComesThrough_II

Pollyanna has a bad day!! - Part II

https://www.success.com/5-ways-to-avoid-staying-too-long-at-your-own-pity-party/

This is a continuation of my post from yesterday (or, if you will from “Last Month” as yesterday was February 29th - a day that comes on my calendar only once every four years!!!).

I had a bad day two days ago.  Things just didn’t go well (or, they didn’t go well in my ‘not-so-humble-opinion”)!!  I went home after working at the early voting poll and had a “pity party”.  I got down on myself!!

I started looking at the points in the article about not staying too long at your own pity party!!  Let’s finish that off today!!!

-4 Be Proud!!

(Huh?  I’m to be proud of having a bad day and throwing my own pity party? Nope, I fell into my own trap, my own pity party!!  [Shame on me - I'm a winner, an overcomer, one with enthusiasm and gratitude.])
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The article says: “No matter the root of your pity party, let a little bit of Katy Perry into your heart. You know, “I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire.” Was it a breakup? Was it the loss of a loved one? Was it a series of unfortunate events that piled up and made you toss in the towel? No matter what, guess what’s going to happen at some point? You’re going to come through the other side. At some point, you’re going to feel like yourself again, contribute at work again, socialize with your friends regularly again. Keep that image in mind. “
*****

I have had some great moments in my life.  Yes, even though my family doesn’t talk with me, even though I have not seen my precious grandchildren for over a year-and-one-half, I have had some great moments in my life!!!

I wore my lanyard for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Team to my temporary job for the last two days.  I have awards for being an ABET CAC/CSAB board member, ISECON fellow, AITP-EDSIG Fellow, for being an outstanding teacher and more.  [Oops - there goes the humility award].  I like to think that my life has made a difference in many students' lives as well as colleagues and friends.  While selfish pride comes before a fall, I don't think my pride is haughty - but honest.

God has blessed me - with great friends, great memories, great experiences and so much!!!  I can be proud of who I am and what I have done.

-5 Pay it forward

The article suggests: “They say tragedies and misfortunes happen to make us stronger. Heaven help the person who actually says that to the person who is currently dancing through the fire and into an extended stay at their local pity party. If someone dares mention that cliché at the moment, you just might hurl something at them—perhaps that Twinkie you’re about to bite into. Hindsight is only 20/20. The older I get, the more I realize the truth in clichés. They get repeated because they repeatedly apply.”
*****
I’ve danced through the fire a few times - but not that many.  I KNOW I need to pick myself up and get going again.  And, here - in this blog - I’m paying it forward.  We ALL have had bad days now and then - and we need to understand how to have that SHORT pity party and now to MOVE ON!!!

So two days ago with my pity party, I walked at the Georgetown gym and saw about eight fantastic people that I barely know there - but they are my friends.  There is Crystal - the great hugger and overcomer!!!  And her husband, and the great personal trainer, and the guy who is a great body-builder that encourages me and the janitor.  I listened to my fun audiobook and my black mood changed.  As I was leaving my Georgetown Rec Center buddy Leland kidded me about being a Granny Basketball player.  We laughed.  As I walked to my car, my mood was lighter. 

Then yesterday was a GRAND DAY!!!  Out-of-the-blue several nice things happened to me.  I saw my dermatologist and my scars from my major surgery are healed enough that I don’t need to see her - but she is a dear and hugged me.  I had a great workout with the Granny Basketball team.  The director of the recreation center stopped me and got my NEW Recreation Center ID (with MY new name on it).  I got a nap and my shift at the early voting was so smooth and fun and two of my bridge friends showed up to vote!!!

*****

Yes, Pollyanna had a bad day (and looking back, it wasn’t really bad - just not as awesome as most of my days are).  I had a short pity party and several things helped me come back,

My many blog friends - hang in there - come through the fire - you will be stronger on the other side.  You CAN make it - and you WILL make it!!!

*****

So, in EVERYTHING give thanks; Nothing Great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.

My friends, I love you - I picture many of you as I write these blogs.  I know many of the success stories you bring to life and your enthusiasm and positive thinking!!!

Hugs!!!

Karen