AB C D E F G the New Alphabet song for the next generation

As I think about my grandson who is just approaching one and will be being read to and who will in the next few years be starting to learn his ABC's I dedicate this post.

For those of you who have kids, this is your homework. You will be tested tomorrow.
Looks like we have to learn our ABCs all over again.

The Latest from Nursery Schools' Syllabus:

 A:  APPLE

B:  BLUETOOTH

C:  CHAT

D:  DOWNLOAD

E:  E MAIL

F:  FACEBOOK

G:  GOOGLE

H:  HEWLETT PACKARD

I:     iPHONE

J:  JAVA

K:   KINGSTON

L:   LAPTOP

M:  MESSENGER

N:  NERO

O:  ORKUT

P:  PICASSA

Q:  QUICK HEAL

R:  RAM

 S:  SERVER

T:  TWITTER

U:  USB

V:   VISTA

W:  WiFi

X:   Xp

Y:  YOU TUBE

Z:  ZORPIA

Thank God .... A is still Apple

Passion is the key

This month we celebrated Valentines day which is a day for lovers, but also a day for many singles to think about their lack of a partner and as we move toward the 29th this may be forefront in some peoples minds. Leap year is the time when lovers can reunite or when singles can find true love. As we think about this we have to think about passion. Passion for life is, in my mind, the most important aspect to consider at this time of the year.

Passion for the adventure of life can be seen in toddlers and infants. Every minute of every day there is a new experience to be tried--watch an infant learning to walk, or seeing a new item in the room. The smiles light up their faces as they get ready to explore, create and experience what the new will bring.

As we get older, we loose site of the joy we experienced as toddlers, we need to get it back. My generation is moving into a new cycle of life and perhaps we need to reach back and bring forward the joy of experiences we had when we were young. I talked to a friend the other day about why he was returning to work. He stated that when he first retired, he found himself sitting in front of the TV wasting away. He said that he had been told find your passion and explore this when you retire. His statement to me was that he had no passion. He liked all sorts of things, golf, travelling, reading, music, money, but he could find no passion in anything. So he decided to return to work so he could make more money and spend this money on the things he liked. I thought about what he said and it made some sense. However, when he was working he did appear to have a passion for his craft and build a very strong program because of his passion for his area.  Passion attracts others, as they want to experience the joy you feel.  Perhaps in time my friend will find his passion again. I hope so.

As we think about friends, lovers and family at this time of year, I suggest you consider what your passion is and how you can ignite it once more.

Important info on shampoo

I have just discovered this important information below. Please share with all your friends.

I don't know WHY I didn't figure this out sooner.  It's the shampoo I use in the shower! 

When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body. Printed very clearly on the shampoo label is this warning, "FOR EXTRA VOLUME AND BODY."

No WONDER I have been gaining weight! 

Well, I have got rid of that shampoo and I am going to start using Dish Washing Liquid instead.

It's label reads, "DISSOLVES FAT THAT IS OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE." 

Problem solved!

Time and Purpose once retired

I was talking to a friend about retiring--okay, I have to admit that I find the concept hard—I have retired once, went back to work and then quit and returned to work. I am now in the process of retiring again—I hope I make it.

My friend couldn’t wait to get out of the day-to-day work grind. He is not alone, many of the people I work with talk about retirement and project fondly about what they would do when they retire. However, the reality of the situation may make them think again if they do not plan properly.  

It is important to consider the following when planning retirement. As a person who has worked with people involved in transitions from school to work, from work to self-employment I know the following to be true for many. Work provides money in the form of income you can count on, time management in the form of a framework for your life, and purpose in the form of getting you out of bed in the morning for something that brings meaning to your life. As you design what's next for you, make sure you provide each of these for yourself.   Many of my friends are fortunate in that they have a good retirement plan that will provide income, what they have to is create an infrastructure that will support them in thriving, not merely surviving, this next stage of life. In retirement along with a money plan, you should have both a time and a sense of purpose plan.

Yes, I know one of the lures of retirement is not having to have a schedule. Beware, though, for therein lies one of the biggest traps of retirement. Without a framework for your days, weeks, months and years, you can slip into a deadening non-routine. I had a cousin who when he retired, told everyone that he was going to use his time to do nothing. He claimed he had worked hard all of his life and in retirement he was going to have the luxury of doing nothing. He did that and within three years he had died. He did not die of boredom, but he did not have a purpose and he did not keep his brain functioning,  even though his wife, brothers and kids begged him to get active, he refused, he was diagnosed with dementia within a year, and dead two years later. He not only did not have a time management plan, he had lost his sense of purpose.

As a Career Practitioner I understand that for many of us our career, gives us a sense of purpose.  We identify with what we do; our jobs give us a reason to get out of bed each day; a place to be where people are counting on us; a focus for our skills, abilities, and energy. When planning for your retirement make it a priority to find a purpose for this next stage of your life, one that ignites your passion and literally pulls you out of bed in the morning, you'll be golden