The kinder “American Idol”

Anyone who is a fan of the “American Idol” knows that there had been a major shake-up in the recent past.  Judge Paula Abdul’s contract didn’t get renewed, Simon Cowell quit after nine seasons, Kara DioGuardi was fired.  Paula's replacement, Ellen DeGeneres, bowed out after one season because she couldn’t handle the heat of snuffing out the young hopefuls’ fire.

When I heard that Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez were sitting on the judges panel, I had mixed emotons.  I learned to love Simon despite his rather acerbic and brutal style.  I did notice that he kind of mellowed in Season 9 and I thought that it's because he got engaged.  After the announcement of his exit, that’s when it dawned on me that he probably wanted to leave with a less harsh impression.  Or that telling someone, "You sounded like a singer in a cocktail lounge" (or words to that effect), had simply gotten too old.

It didn’t strike me that either J. Lo or the Aerosmith legend, Steven, would measure up to either Simon’s or Paula's legacy.  Then AI’s Season 10 came and every Wednesday and Thursday evening, I can’t help but sit in wonderment as the two new judges do their thing.  The typical Simon "You made an utter mess" comment has been missing in action, but it will most likely be stashed away in AI history as one of the unforgettable quotes.  Instead I see snippets of the judges’ Yes-or-No predicaments:  the smile radiating on J. Lo’s face (means a YES), Steven’s closed-eyed reaction to a song or his impromptu singing with the applicant (also means a YES), Randy’s typical open-mouthed wonder (means a definite NO).  Young hopefuls get straight-from-the-heart reviews and prompt no-nonsense decisions.  This season’s judges may have allowed their hearts to rule their mouths (or maybe they’re just plain polite?) because they don’t want to squash anyone’s lifelong dream. Just the same, time isn’t wasted on you-may-love-to sing-but-singing-doesn’t-love-you kind of applicants.   In the beginning, J. Lo seemed to have a painfully tough time turning down the hopefuls, but she soon got the hang of it.  What she can’t obviously tolerate is any sign of rudeness displayed by her fellow judges to the young ones.  Steven’s constructive criticism might have let down some, but looking at his face was always a joy.  He has one that no one will love to hate.  Even Randy has toned down his “pitchy” criticisms.  He looks the most likeable now (at least, to me) than any other AI season.  The AI producers must have gotten the formula right because the judges panel is a wholesome bunch.  What a lovely transformation!

All three judges combined have a total of 97 years of experience in show business.  Obviously, they know their craft and I can't wait to see who they'll crown as the next American Idol. 

Beautiful world… please don’t go away!

I just watched an interesting feature on television today.  Young people doing something about the global warming problem.  They’re planting trees, recycling stuff and making clothes from old clothing materials.  One young man, known as the “Climate Crusader” has been making the rounds to impart the message that it's important to look after Mother Earth because according to him, “we’re the ones to take the consequences.”  He trained under Al Gore (the global warming guru) and has traveled to as far as China to promote his cause.

It’s beautiful to see our young people making an effort to save our planet.  By spearheading projects with the goal of minimizing the disastrous impact of global warming, they make the statement that they get the problem.  That’s why they’re doing whatever they can to be part of the solution.

If every person below the age of 20 will think like those responsible ecology-conscious kids, we can expect an earth-friendlier tomorrow.  It’s refreshing to know that there are members of the young generation who take the initiative to sow seeds that will reap rewards for future generations.  I wish that every kid in the world will follow their example instead of following outrageous trends that don’t do anything to enhance their soul.

Many of us may not even understand global warming and why it can be a real threat to our environment.  Global warming is the recent increase in temperatures in the air and ocean and its expected continuation can result in potential dangers.  It is believed that this is the consequence in a large part by greenhouse gas emissions.  Temperatures may keep rising, regardless of the emission levels stabilizing, for another one thousand years or more.

It is most likely the reason we have seen recent extreme weather events in many parts of the globe.  If left uncontrolled, global warming can cause the spread of disease and the extinction of species as a result of adversely impacted agriculture and glacier retreat.  Rising sea levels can result from rising temperatures and if global warming continues, there is the possibility that the Earth will get flooded out.

Everyone has our limited time on earth and if each one is like most folks, we’d like to leave this planet better than when we came into it.  It’s never too late to do our part in alleviating the problems in our midst that are global-warming related.    

Needless to day, global warming is a very real threat that everyone should address.  I found the 50 ways we can all pitch in from this link:  http://globalwarming-facts.info/50-tips.html.  For the benefit of anyone who is interested in doing something about our mutual problem, I have copied and pasted the ways:

1.   Replace a regular incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (cfl)
CFLs use 60% less energy than a regular bulb. This simple switch will save about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.
We recommend you purchase your CFL bulbs at 1000bulbs.com, they have great deals on both screw-in and plug-in light bulbs.

2.   Install a programmable thermostat
Programmable thermostats will automatically lower the heat or air conditioning at night and raise them again in the morning. They can save you $100 a year on your energy bill.

3.   Move your thermostat down 2° in winter and up 2° in summer
Almost half of the energy we use in our homes goes to heating and cooling. You could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple adjustment.

4.   Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner
Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.

5.   Choose energy efficient appliances when making new purchases
Look for the Energy Star label on new appliances to choose the most energy efficient products available.

6.   Do not leave appliances on standby
Use the "on/off" function on the machine itself. A TV set that's switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode.

7.   Wrap your water heater in an insulation blanket
You’ll save 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year with this simple action. You can save another 550 pounds per year by setting the thermostat no higher than 50°C.

8.   Move your fridge and freezer
Placing them next to the cooker or boiler consumes much more energy than if they were standing on their own. For example, if you put them in a hot cellar room where the room temperature is 30-35ºC, energy use is almost double and causes an extra 160kg of CO2 emissions for fridges per year and 320kg for freezers.

9.   Defrost old fridges and freezers regularly
Even better is to replace them with newer models, which all have automatic defrost cycles and are generally up to two times more energy-efficient than their predecessors.

10. Don't let heat escape from your house over a long period
When airing your house, open the windows for only a few minutes. If you leave a small opening all day long, the energy needed to keep it warm inside during six cold months (10ºC or less outside temperature) would result in almost 1 ton of CO2 emissions.

11. Replace your old single-glazed windows with double-glazing
This requires a bit of upfront investment, but will halve the energy lost through windows and pay off in the long term. If you go for the best the market has to offer (wooden-framed double-glazed units with low-emission glass and filled with argon gas), you can even save more than 70% of the energy lost.

12. Get a home energy audit
Many utilities offer free home energy audits to find where your home is poorly insulated or energy inefficient. You can save up to 30% off your energy bill and 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Energy Star can help you find an energy specialist.

13. Cover your pots while cooking
Doing so can save a lot of the energy needed for preparing the dish. Even better are pressure cookers and steamers: they can save around 70%!

14. Use the washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full
If you need to use it when it is half full, then use the half-load or economy setting. There is also no need to set the temperatures high. Nowadays detergents are so efficient that they get your clothes and dishes clean at low temperatures.

15. Take a shower instead of a bath
A shower takes up to four times less energy than a bath. To maximize the energy saving, avoid power showers and use low-flow showerheads, which are cheap and provide the same comfort.

16. Use less hot water
It takes a lot of energy to heat water. You can use less hot water by installing a low flow showerhead (350 pounds of carbon dioxide saved per year) and washing your clothes in cold or warm water (500 pounds saved per year) instead of hot.

17. Use a clothesline instead of a dryer whenever possible
You can save 700 pounds of carbon dioxide when you air dry your clothes for 6 months out of the year.

18. Insulate and weatherize your home
Properly insulating your walls and ceilings can save 25% of your home heating bill and 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide a year. Caulking and weather-stripping can save another 1,700 pounds per year. Energy Efficient has more information on how to better insulate your home.

19. Be sure you’re recycling at home
You can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide a year by recycling half of the waste your household generates.

20. Recycle your organic waste
Around 3% of the greenhouse gas emissions through the methane is released by decomposing bio-degradable waste. By recycling organic waste or composting it if you have a garden, you can help eliminate this problem! Just make sure that you compost it properly, so it decomposes with sufficient oxygen, otherwise your compost will cause methane emissions and smell foul.

21. Buy intelligently
One bottle of 1.5l requires less energy and produces less waste than three bottles of 0.5l. As well, buy recycled paper products: it takes less 70 to 90% less energy to make recycled paper and it prevents the loss of forests worldwide.

22. Choose products that come with little packaging and buy refills when you can
You will also cut down on waste production and energy use... another help against global warming.

23. Reuse your shopping bag
When shopping, it saves energy and waste to use a reusable bag instead of accepting a disposable one in each shop. Waste not only discharges CO2 and methane into the atmosphere, it can also pollute the air, groundwater and soil.

24. Reduce waste
Most products we buy cause greenhouse gas emissions in one or another way, e.g. during production and distribution. By taking your lunch in a reusable lunch box instead of a disposable one, you save the energy needed to produce new lunch boxes.

25. Plant a tree
A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. The Arbor Day Foundation has information on planting and provides trees you can plant with membership.

26. Switch to green power
In many areas, you can switch to energy generated by clean, renewable sources such as wind and solar. In some of these, you can even get refunds by government if you choose to switch to a clean energy producer, and you can also earn money by selling the energy you produce and don't use for yourself.

27. Buy locally grown and produced foods
The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate. Buying locally will save fuel and keep money in your community.

28. Buy fresh foods instead of frozen
Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce.

29. Seek out and support local farmers markets
They reduce the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you by one fifth. Seek farmer’s markets in your area, and go for them.

30. Buy organic foods as much as possible
Organic soils capture and store carbon dioxide at much higher levels than soils from conventional farms. If we grew all of our corn and soybeans organically, we’d remove 580 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere!

31. Eat less meat
Methane is the second most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters. Their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale with every breath.

32. Reduce the number of miles you drive by walking, biking, carpooling or taking mass transit wherever possible
Avoiding just 10 miles of driving every week would eliminate about 500 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions a year! Look for transit options in your area.

33. Start a carpool with your coworkers or classmates
Sharing a ride with someone just 2 days a week will reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by 1,590 pounds a year. eRideShare.com runs a free service connecting north american commuters and travelers.

34. Don't leave an empty roof rack on your car
This can increase fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 10% due to wind resistance and the extra weight - removing it is a better idea.

35. Keep your car tuned up
Regular maintenance helps improve fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. When just 1% of car owners properly maintain their cars, nearly a billion pounds of carbon dioxide are kept out of the atmosphere.

36. Drive carefully and do not waste fuel
You can reduce CO2 emissions by readjusting your driving style. Choose proper gears, do not abuse the gas pedal, use the engine brake instead of the pedal brake when possible and turn off your engine when your vehicle is motionless for more than one minute. By readjusting your driving style you can save money on both fuel and car mantainance.

37. Check your tires weekly to make sure they’re properly inflated
Proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by more than 3%. Since every gallon of gasoline saved keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, every increase in fuel efficiency makes a difference!

38. When it is time for a new car, choose a more fuel efficient vehicle
You can save 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year if your new car gets only 3 miles per gallon more than your current one. You can get up to 60 miles per gallon with a hybrid! You can find information on fuel efficiency on FuelEconomy and on GreenCars websites.

39. Try car sharing
Need a car but don’t want to buy one? Community car sharing organizations provide access to a car and your membership fee covers gas, maintenance and insurance. Many companies – such as Flexcar - offer low emission or hybrid cars too! Also, see ZipCar.

40. Try telecommuting from home
Telecommuting can help you drastically reduce the number of miles you drive every week. For more information, check out the Telework Coalition.

41. Fly less
Air travel produces large amounts of emissions so reducing how much you fly by even one or two trips a year can reduce your emissions significantly. You can also offset your air travel carbon emissions by investingin renewable energy projects.

42. Encourage your school or business to reduce emissions
You can extend your positive influence on global warming well beyond your home by actively encouraging other to take action.

43. Join the virtual march
The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is a non-political effort to bring people concerned about global warming together in one place. Add your voice to the hundreds of thousands of other people urging action on this issue.

44. Encourage the switch to renewable energy
Successfully combating global warming requires a national transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. These technologies are ready to be deployed more widely but there are regulatory barriers impeding them. U.S. citizens, take action to break down those barriers with Vote Solar.

45. Protect and conserve forest worldwide
Forests play a critical role in global warming: they store carbon. When forests are burned or cut down, their stored carbon is release into the atmosphere - deforestation now accounts for about 20% of carbon dioxide emissions each year. Conservation International has more information on saving forests from global warming.

46. Consider the impact of your investments
If you invest your money, you should consider the impact that your investments and savings will have on global warming. Check out SocialInvest and Ceres to can learn more about how to ensure your money is being invested in companies, products and projects that address issues related to climate change.

47. Make your city cool
Cities and states around the country have taken action to stop global warming by passing innovative transportation and energy saving legislation. If you're in the U.S., join the cool cities list.

48. Tell Congress to act
The McCain Lieberman Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act would set a firm limit on carbon dioxide emissions and then use free market incentives to lower costs, promote efficiency and spur innovation. Tell your representative to support it.

49. Make sure your voice is heard!
Americans must have a stronger commitment from their government in order to stop global warming and implement solutions and such a commitment won’t come without a dramatic increase in citizen lobbying for new laws with teeth. Get the facts about U.S. politicians and candidates at Project Vote Smart and The League of Conservation Voters. Make sure your voice is heard by voting!

50. Share this list!
Send this page via e-mail to your friends! Spread this list worldwide and help people doing their part: the more people you will manage to enlighten, the greater YOUR help to save the planet will be (but please take action on first person too)!

Beginning NOW, if we truly care about our world we should do our part to make a difference!

The getaway luxury

It’s been a week since my BFF (best friend forever) left U.S. soil to vacation in Asia.  You can’t imagine how green I am with envy!  She’s been there for days and never once mentioned feeling difficulty with jetlag.  You see, where the airplane picked her up to fly her to that country, there’s daylight.  Where she is now is night-time.  Later next month, when she comes back and returns to work, the time difference will take its toll.  In the meantime, she and her family are living it up and enjoying every moment. 

In a few years when employment would have been a fond memory of my life, I hope to embark on an exotic journey.  Sure, I can do it while I’m still a member of the work force, but taking time off has always been a challenge for me.  Many years ago when I was able to take two-week vacations from the office, it meant STRESS in every sense of the word, before departure and after coming back.  You see, I was responsible for training my two-week replacement so that it would be business as usual even while I was gone.  The stress factor was probably inconsequential because as it always turned out, the people who pitched in for me always did a marvelous job.

However, that time was the glorious years in my corner of Corporate America.  Employees were encouraged to take a breather so that they could return recharged and ready for the challenges of the workplace.  I don’t know about other folks, but where I work now, it gets harder to get away.  I can’t complain really because I had a two-year “vacation” (forced time off due to layoff) not too long ago.  That unwanted period was enough to make me not think of another long vacation.

For others who have the good fortune of scheduling a break from their jobs, congratulations!  I hope that you spend that time in a place where you can renew your energy and optimism for the salaried tasks in your future.  Count yourself lucky that you can afford the luxury of escaping the cemented jungle which seems to get brutally demanding as time goes by.  Feel blessed that besides the opportunity to savor some vacation time, you can look forward to coming back to the job that allowed you to get away.  Wouldn’t it be unfortunate if, after spending time in some exotic location, you return to work to find someone else sitting at your desk?  Just kidding!

I’ve known some people who make it a point to go to sunny shores in wintertime.  My former boss in Australia has always loved going to foreign places with his family.  To celebrate his 80th birthday next month, he is now enjoying a cruise to South America and Antarctica.  Well, he’s retired now and can stay away for as long as he wants. 

For the rest of the corporate slaves who can only recharge their batteries on the weekends, worry not!  Our consolation is in knowing that although a long vacation remains a figment of our imagination, we are enjoying gainful employment.  Whether you know it or not, that’s something that many, many people in this universe don’t have bragging rights to at this time.  The thought alone should give us an ample amount of solace and gratitude.

Golden age loving

Yesterday's morning walk to work gave me something to chew on. Never Too Late For Love, screamed a poster on the library glass window.  The poster announced a February event that the author of a book on mid-life romance was having a week before Valentine’s Day.  I haven’t read the book, but if its promotion blurb is any indication, it answers the question, "Do you think that love disappears in the second half of life?"  Apparently, for many people, life after age 50 did not stop them from embarking on a journey of finding love.  Obviously, some people have handled the so-called mid-life crisis in a romantic way,   Good for them!.

It's always exciting to hear that people manage to find happiness in their old age.  Not too long ago, I shared a bus ride with three men who chatted about one of their fellow residents in the senior home.  I noted a tinge of envy because the subject of their conversation seemed to be popular with the "Golden Girls" who were all over him.  There's no doubt about it, the game of flirting and seduction is alive and well regardless of time and age.  Who knows, it might just be the secret to staying forever young!

I don't know what anyone else thinks, but I just don’t get why people, specially women, are fiercely in the hunt to find love.  Why can’t they just go with the wind and fall where fate takes them?  Can’t people simply go to their graves without pairing up with someone? Why has it become an unwritten law that a man and woman, or folks of the same gender, must be in a relationship to find lasting happiness? 

I’ve known many women who got married, had children, got divorced and are still single.  They’re not looking to get married again.  Perhaps a nice partner to watch a movie or enjoy a dinner with would be lovely, but to marry?  These women must have had enough of giving more than they received in return.  Also, most of them make their own money and don’t need a man to fulfill their financial needs.  If more women will learn how to take care of themselves better, they won’t find a need to seek a partner for the purpose of achieving financial security.

Wanting a partner might also come from a need to fill a void in life.  I’ve known women who feel hollow without a man catering to their whims.  One woman I know told me that the guy she was dating at that time "wasn't enough," yet a few years later, she married him!  I do believe that if a woman takes the time to pursue a passion, she’ll be too busy enjoying it to even want to go through the intricacies of a committed relationship.  Or she'll be too occupied with work or running a business that hardly leaves time to get a relationship going.  As we know, relationships, in order to thrive and succeed, need the investment of time and energy.

I truly believe that if it’s meant to happen, someone will come along to make a person’s life complete and more meaningful. Sometimes it can happen when least expected.  So for the women out there who really want to become the half of a whole, don’t despair if Prince Charming (or a passable clone) hasn’t come into your life.  It’s when you try too hard to get paired that a romantic bond refuses to form.  When you’re least expecting it is when the forces of romantic love miraculously enter your universe. 

In the meantime that dating or nurturing a relationship is not a part of your schedule, get yourself busy on things that bring you joy.  Spend quality time with your friends.  Catch up on anything that you care about, but didn’t quite pursue.  Throw yourself into activities that make you feel alive.  Volunteer in causes that matter to you.  Write your state representative on issues of great concern to you and your fellow citizens,  Having a well-balanced and full life will make you happy and attractive to the opposite sex.  Chances are, that’s when the love of your life might arrive to sweep you off your feet!

If the hoped-for love doesn’t materialize, fret not.  It’s not the end of the world!  As long as you are pursuing your life’s interests and are making every moment of your life count, you’re on the right track.  Romantic love might not be on your radar screen, but living a lovely life isn’t such a bad alternative.  It is better to live alone happy than be miserable in a relationship.

Cheers to meaningful living!

The bygone witch

I must have been nine years old when I experienced a taste of purgatory.  That’s when I went to grade school with Madeline, a girl who I thought might have been a little "witch" in another lifetime.  She could have been a lovely child if only she learned to smile.  Unfortunately, she came to school looking perpetually unhappy with a scowl that became an appendage to her young face.  Many times she looked like she was ready to pounce and in the mood to bully somebody.

As it turned out, the fellow kid whose life she wanted to make miserable happened to be me.  In those days, I was forced to confront fear every day of that school year because Madeline dowsed the joy that every child had a right to.  I can’t remember the number of times when I wished that the school year would be over soon so that I wouldn’t have to see her every day.  When that didn't happen quick enough, I found myself regularly visiting the life-size statue of the Blessed Mother in the garden to pray for help.  You see, Madeline’s favorite pastime was to tell me how rotten I had made her feel.  So much so that she told her mother about it and that Madeline’s mom was coming to school to have a word with me.  My parents seldom had a reason to scold me.  Therefore, the idea of a complete stranger reprimanding me was a total shock to my system.

I didn’t know why that made me feel so afraid when I knew in my heart that I never did anything wrong to Madeline!  Just the same, the Catholic girl in me felt guilty and many times, I would cringe in fear and desperation at the sight of that miserable girl.  Looking back, I think that she was unhappy since birth.  That’s the only reason that comes to my mind now.  She had an older sister named Catherine who studied at the same school.  Catherine was like a burst of sunshine while Madeline was like the night that never saw the light of day!  Catherine was always cheerful and delightful.  Madeline was never nice and always grumpy.

One day I got invited to their house because it was Catherine’s birthday.  Catherine flunked a grade and had to sit in the same class which Madeline and I shared.  The three of us became classmates that year.  Catherine liked me a lot and wanted me to be at her party.  Their father was an architect and his work showed in their lovely home.  I have to say that admiring the house was probably the only thing that kept me entertained.  I didn’t want to go to the party for the obvious reason, but my mother made me go.  Madeline was nice to me on that occasion, perhaps because her family was watching.  But as soon as I came home, the floodgates broke and I couldn't control the flow of tears.  My mother asked me what was wrong, but I couldn’t tell her that she made me go to the birthday party where the "witch" was in attendance! She never knew about the bad Madeline because I didn't tell anyone at home what I was going through at school.

It was my chance to let all the bottled up feeling of fear go, but I didn’t have the courage to make Madeline look bad.  It felt really good to have that long overdue cry because afterwards Madeline’s bullying lost its weight on my shoulders.  At the party I met her mother who was very nice.  After that day I knew that even if Madeline’s mom came to school to talk to me, or even scold me, I had nothing to worry about.  Many years later whenever I got the chance, I mulled over Madeline's pathetic behavior and came to the conclusion that she might have suffered from a low self-esteem.  Her older sister Catherine was pretty and had a wonderful personality.  Madeline obviously felt threatened by it and her only way to feel good was to have some kind of power over someone else.  That empowered her to make my life miserable.

Bullying me might have made her feel good about herself, even gave her moments to shine.  If that was the case, my days as a scared little girl in grade school were not in vain after all.  In a way, Madeline’s awful treatment of me had prepared me for the worse things in life.  I might not have grown into a strong person if she didn’t provide the ammunition for me to dodge life’s bullets at the earliest opportunity.

The "witch" in grade school may have made life for nine-year old me a living purgatory, but I have to admit that Madeline contributed to making the kind of human being I am today.  What can I say… thank you, Madeline!  I hope that she is still around and remembers me.  If she does, hopefully, she has good memories of the little girl who could have been her loyal friend… if only she gave that girl a chance.

Home away from home

My second home is where I spend at least 10 hours of my day five days a week.  The two-story curve shaped structure sits facing a beautiful huge water fountain and the train station on one side, and a number of interesting shops and eateries on the other.  It is in this home that I have spent many hours doing creative work and income-generating responsibilities for the company I work for.  It is the special place that has given me so much confidence in what I can achieve for myself and others.  Although I don’t sleep there, I spend most of my waking hours in a corner of that building, a great deal more time during the work week than I’ve spent in my own home where I lay me down to rest.

People can’t blame me for having developed a fond attachment to my home-away-from-home.  While others can’t wait to leave their workplaces at the end of the day, I can’t arrive soon enough to my beloved work area.  The moment my office-bound bus enters the gate where I get off, I can already see my building behind the circular fountain.  On clear days, there’s a bright sky on top of the roof.  The picture is totally uplifting and the beautiful sight is reason enough to make me want to greet my work day with enthusiasm and anticipation.

My morning walk takes me through an interesting circular pathway.  If I walk on one side, I go past the City library, pieces of sculptures, and lovely landscaping.  Taking the walk on the other side brings me close to unique shops including a small coffee place where a former U.S. President came to visit.  That's also where I can pick up the biggest muffin I’ve ever had in my entire life.  The walk is only about five minutes, but it’s long enough to pump me up for a busy day at work.  During the school year, the kids are outside the library chatting or smoking a cigarette.  Many times, they’re arguing loudly over some trivial matter or picking a fight to vent excess energy until their school bus comes to take them to school.

In spring and summer, the view is breathtakingly beautiful when all the flowers are out to tantalize.  Fall looks awesome too because of the yellow-orange-brown-red foliage of the season.  Winter may look drab and dreary, but when snowflakes fall there’s bound to be an excitement in the air.

There’s one person I always see during my bus-stop-to-office routine:  the gardening crew.  Typically, it’s a one-man operation unless there’s a bigger chore to accomplish.  The guy’s always wearing his shorts during the warm months and flannel outfit during the cold season. Last autumn, although the day’s weather demanded bundling up, he wore his shorts and I had a reason to tease him about it. On a few Friday mornings, his stock greeting to me had been “Aren’t you glad it’s Friday?”  I have to say this about him.  He loves his job and is a master of his art.  Our landscaping always looks well cared for, thanks to him!  When he’s not busy walking around pruning plants and picking up wayward trash, he’s driving his golf cart-lookalike vehicle around the premises to make sure he hasn’t missed anything.

I’m not sure that many folks who come to work in the same neighborhood notice the behind-the-scene maintenance effort it takes to make our environment looking the way it is.  If they realize how much dedication and hard work come together, I’m sure they’ll appreciate the blessing of being a part of it all. 

It is a small wonderful world that I have the good fortune to call my second home, and I’m grateful!  God has obviously waved His magic wand there and, lucky me, I'm enjoying such a precious gift every day of the work week.

The beasts among us

Monday morning in the office couldn’t have started any worse.  I opened my electronic mailbox and retrieved the following message:

Am writing this with tears in my eye, my family and I came down here to Wales UK for a short vacation  unfortunately we were mugged at the park of the hotel where we lodge, all cash,credit card and mobile phone were stolen off from us but luckily for us we still have our passports with us.  We've been to the embassy and the Police station here, but they're  not helping issues at all and our flight leaves today but we're having problems settling the hotel bills, and the hotel  manager won't let us leave until we settle the bills, i'm freaked out at the moment.  we need a quick loan, promise to pay you back once we get home please help.

Thanks

The message was supposedly sent by one of my associates in the office and his wife.  The good news was that the same associate was actually in the office yesterday, looking happy and far from the picture of someone who recently got mugged while on vacation.  It wasn’t hard to figure out that his e-mail address book was hacked and an evil someone went to work to make his life miserable. 

That wasn’t the first message of its kind that has reached my mailbox.  Obviously, there are people out there who make it their business to steal others’ e-mail contact information with the goal of causing cyber hell for the victims.

We do live in very dangerous times when our cyber communications are constantly threatened by identity thieves who make it their job to pry into private citizens' personal information.  That’s just the tip of the iceberg, however.  More complicated fraudulent schemes are being perpetuated over the Internet.  One such scam involve huge amounts of money.  Below is an example of a case that recently made the news on cyber heist.

A couple refinanced their home in 2009.  As anyone who has done this mortgage drill knows, once the refinancing is approved, the homeowners show up at the designated closing to sign the papers.  Then they can move on.  End of story.

Well, for this particular couple, it was just the beginning of their two-year nightmare.  They owed almost $300,000 on the old mortgage which was supposed to have been paid off by the bank that refinanced their mortgage.  The bank delivered, but the original lender never received the money.  The payment was swiped by organized crime in cyberland which is reportedly based in Eastern Europe.  The unfortunate consequence was that as a result of the original lender not getting paid, the couple ended up with two mortgage loans.  The bank that originally handled the loan started sending them late payment notices, making follow-up calls, and eventually, the foreclosure notices showed up in the mail.  For this couple who was never ever late in their monthly mortgage payments, it was the dawn of their financial hell.

After suffering the harassment for allegedly not making payments on the original loan, the couple found out that they had been victims of cyberland theft.  The payment that should have been transferred to the original lender was stolen from the title company’s escrow account.  As a consequence, the couple found themselves on the verge of losing their home.  It’s still a puzzle how the cyber criminals knew about the money transfer, but based on other similar incidents, an inside job was a possibility.

People are already hurting as it is without crooks in cyberland contributing to the problems.  Instead of using their brain power for the good of the world, cyber criminals are obsessed with achieving wealth the fast and easy way.  It is unthinkable that there are evil doers in the world who have no qualms about preying on innocent people.  Cyber criminals will perpetuate this malevolent activity until they're caught to face the consequences of their actions.  There is Someone above Who has the power to stop this wicked nonsense.  In His time, those cyber beasts will get the fate they deserve.  Just wait and see.

A good head on the shoulders

If I ask anyone in my circle what they regard as a visible good fortune, I’m sure that the unanimous answer would be:  PowerBall jackpot... lots of money… wealth… financial independence… abundance.  I wonder if anyone would come up with… sanity?

Besides good health, I rank presence of mind on top of my list of human assets.  Perhaps it's because people talking to themselves have become a fixture of my daily commute to and from work.  A very unforgettable incident was when a young man carried a nonstop conversation with himself.  It could have been an angry confrontation, too, because his chat with himself was full of the four-letter "f" word. 

A few times in the past, I‘ve sat in the bus across from the same man who did nothing but carry a gurgling dialogue with himself.  The first time I heard him do it, I thought he was messing with someone on his cell phone.  It bothered me so much that I couldn’t help but check it out.  I found out that there was no cell phone… only the man and his imaginary friend.

Immediately, I felt sorry for him.  He looked normal… clean clothes and neat haircut.  I had to assume that he was suffering from some kind of mental disorder.  His behavior might be disturbing, but he minded his own business.  He didn't look like the type who would get so agitated at the least provocation that he would attack anyone.  That probably explains why despite his erratic condition, he is able to mix and mingle with sane society.

I have to admit that there have been moments at work when I’ve caught myself talking to myself.  Does that qualify as temporary insanity?  I don’t know why I do it except to assume that in those occasions I was simply verbally expressing a thought in my mind.  Simply adding the vocal aspect to a thought to bring more clarity to it, if you will.  I’ve heard people in the office do the same thing, but that’s because they're either mad with themselves or were reading some incredible news on the Internet.   

In addition to the man who makes gurgling sounds on the bus, there was another kind I encountered last year.  The guy stuttered a lot, but that speech handicap didn’t prevent him from carrying a conversation with me and proudly showing his gold medal from past military service.  He kept talking, and I kept interrupting for him to repeat what he just said.  Then his speech became clear as he whined how the government had mistreated war vets like him.  Perhaps I should have politely told him at the start that I didn’t want to chat as I wanted to take a nap, but I felt sorry for him.  He struck me as a very lonely soul and I didn’t have the heart to deny him the solace that I had the opportunity to extend during that fleeting encounter.

Just the other day, there was a young guy who sat behind me who couldn’t help but share his terrible rap routine with the rest of the bus passengers.  The first time I heard it, I thought he was singing out of tune in a foreign language.  No one bothered to give him any attention, so when he was ready to get off, he screamed the rap, explaining that he was doing it for the benefit of the people in the front of the bus who might not have heard him the first time. Since I sat in front of him, I probably should have said something nice to make him feel better.  But these days I tend to go into protected mode in such company.  The last time I struck a conversation with someone like him, he begged me to take him home!

After the rapper-in-an-alien-language left, all the middle school buys made fun of him.  I couldn’t blame those kids.  They’re too young to understand what mental illness is all about, how it can be hard to keep under control in public, and how it is something that the people affected never even wanted for themselves.  It is not their fault that they can't get their head together.  Nevertheless, people shouldn't be quick to make disparaging remarks about folks who suffer from mental disorder.  If we have nothing good to say, it's better to keep our mouth shut!

People who are blessed with mental health are very lucky creatures.  Most of the time, we can distinguish right from wrong.  We have the ability to conquer any roadblocks in life, unobstructed by mental handicap.  We can go through life with a clear head that mentally challenged others don’t have as a personal asset.

Enjoying good health in both mind and body is a bottomless wealth that is priceless and timeless.  Being so blessed is a perpetual “Thank You, Jesus” moment.

Corporate sins

I had a lovely Italian lunch with my fellow Capricorn friend yesterday.  It was a belated birthday celebration for both of us.  We’ve been friends for 23 years which was another cause for celebration.  You'd think that time stood still because we don't look a year older from the first day we met.  Actually, that’s our story and we’re sticking to it!

We were long-time associates at the company that broke our hearts.  Laid off at the same time, we both experienced tremendous hardship after many years of solid employment.  I have moved on from that sad and depressing episode.  Unfortunately, my friend seems to have found herself stuck in that bitter time.  She feels bad that we lost the monthly retirement pension that we would have been entitled to had we kept our positions in the company.  Others with less years of service than us, who didn't quite make the work sacrifices that we did, are enjoying the benefits that were meant to be ours.  You see, my friend and I plugged along in that company during its infancy stage, therefore, sharing many of its growing pains.  We both contributed valuable time and energy over and beyond what was expected of us.

Certainly, I knew where my friend was coming from.  I could understand the bottled up bitterness and resentment. I had to agree that we were both shortchanged by that greedy corporate giant we once called our employer.  But it’s quite obvious from what’s been happening lately that Corporate America, in general, has lost its compassion and caring for its hard-working employees.  The same people who work long hours to contribute to the glory that the company enjoy have become nothing more than disposable manpower.

At the time of our layoff, my friend and I were not extended the outplacement service that employees getting the boot these days benefit from.  We couldn't help but feel that we were pushed to the curb and left to fend for ourselves.  My first post-layoff action was to purchase a computer and printer so that I could work on my resume.  You see, I held my position in that company for 15 years and never had a reason to find the other pastures greener.  I thought it was the company where I would retire from!  I never imagined that despite all the hard work and the outside-my-job-description performance, someone with less years of service and less work-related qualities got to keep her position.  My layoff was definitely a case that screamed discrimination, but at that time everything to me was a total blur.  Besides, I didn't even have the strength to care to make a fuss.  I felt that moving on was the best way to go.  But, now that I think about it, I might have had a strong reason to file a lawsuit, and chances are, I would have won!  I apologize for sounding bitter.  For almost nine years, that feeling had laid dormant in my chest and it's time to let it go!

My friend and I had the misfortune of working for a company that lived only for its bottom line.  If that was not the case, why was there a need to eliminate entire departments for the sake of quarterly operating budgets?  Didn’t management take into consideration the bigger picture... the terminated employees' financial future?  Didn't they not visualize what such drastic mass layoffs would create in the economy?  The young hires wouldn’t have much difficulty looking for work.  But many of the terminated people were in middle age and were looking forward to retirement, not planning to put themselves in the job search market.    

I wish that companies like my previous employer would study the Oprah Winfrey Human Resources organization and follow their example.  She takes care of the people who take care of her.  Oprah Winfrey does.  That focus for her staff welfare is undoubtedly the reason that Oprah continues to succeed in everything she does.  She is not simply empowered to be #1, but is determined to have her people enjoy the benefits of the success her organization continues to reap.  She is the wealthiest African-American in the universe for a reason!  She not only gives away generous donations to her charitable causes, she shares her wealth with the people who keep her empire going.

Come to think of it, corporations will not accomplish their noble mission statements and lofty financial goals without the brains and manpower in their companies.  Generous bonuses are part and parcel of the executive package.  But something is wrong with the picture.  Those executives can’t accomplish their jobs without help from the people below.  Unfortunately, when downsizing happens it’s typically the little people who make the sacrifice.

That’s where the picture gets terribly distorted.   That’s also the reason why America is in so much trouble right now.  If companies have ceased to care for their employees, the domino effect can’t be stopped from taking its due course.  Jobless people can’t afford the mortgage payments for the homes purchased during gainful employment.  Nor can they continue to spend to keep the economy going.  The unemployment and mortgage crisis have brought havoc to the economy in addition to the Wall Street greed and corruption.  

If you ask me, sharing the wealth is the best way to go.  If only Corporate America would return to what it used to be, when people where happy and confident in their jobs, maybe we’ll all enjoy a gentler and kinder economic environment.  Profits do measure a company’s success, but when businesses and companies operate on total greed mode, negative energy will certainly prevail.   When that happens, the huge mess it creates becomes almost insurmountable.  Unfortunately, it is the little people who suffer the consequences.