Who is in your crcle?

Who is in your circle? When we are young, we have a large circle of friends and a larger circle of acquaintances. Over time that circle changes, I once read that we have a circle of influence (friends, family and acquaintances) of about 200 people. I am not sure if that number is true or not, but it is, I think, pretty close to the reality of our life. 

When we marry and invite people to our wedding we try to hold the party to close friends and family from each side. So, we take the time and have great discussions about who we should invite and who we could not invite. We eliminate from our list, those people who are not very close to us. This is hard for both the bride and the groom but once the elimination of people is completed, the wedding guest list is around 200 plus people. 

When we die, the notice goes out to all those who have known us and at most funerals, there are about 200 hundred people, made up of friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances. They are not the same people who were at our wedding, because as we move through life our circle of 200 changes. 

Some years it expands, some years it contracts, but the size stays fairly constant--unless you are not a very nice person. In your life, you have people who love you, mentored you, who helped you, who helped, you mentored and you love. Those people play an important role in our life. John Lennon sums it up well in his song "In My Life"

"There are places I remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all
But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more
In my life, I love you more"

Think about this words and the people that surround you even now. They see, hear, and feel what you see, hear, and feel. They trade vantage points, study possibilities, and learn to think bigger. They boast about you, honour you, and smile at your jokes. They only ever argue over who likes you most.

Shhhh... they're reading this...

Lions and tigers and bears oh my

Don't be afraid. Not even a little. Not ever. If you saw the Wizard of Oz, there is one part where the adventurers are entering into a dark forest, they get scared when they start hearing noises coming from the foliage around them. The Scarecrow wonders if there are any animals out there who might be interested in eating things like, um, straw, and the Tin Man's like, Yeah, there are probably lions and tigers and bears out there. Whatever.

Being afraid, the Scarecrow begins to repeat, "Lions and tigers and bears," so Dorothy throws in "oh my" for climactic effect. Soon, all three are bounding through the forest chanting, "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! They are trying to overcome their fear of the unknown. What we know is that the lions and tigers and bears we cannot see, can't really hurt us. We live in a world of smoke and mirrors where there's only the illusion that we could somehow become less than the greatest we've ever imagined ourselves to be.

And it's this very image, the highest from within us, that’s summoned our boldest dreams, daring us into the light with the promised rewards and drawing us through the very fears that have kept us from it.

Slayer of dragons. Matador of all time and space. Rightful heir to heaven on earth. Don't be afraid. Not even a little.

Thinking about giving up golf?

The following joke was sent to me by a friend, but it was originally taken from the book "Ammunition 357: Jokes for Your Internet Ammo" by Brian King. it is also in a number of other books on the net.

 A man was walking down the street when he was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless man who asked him for a couple of dollars for dinner. 

The man took out his wallet, extracted ten dollars and asked, "If I give you this money, will you buy some beer with it instead of dinner?" 
"No, I had to stop drinking years ago," the homeless man replied. 
  
"Will you spend this on green fees at a golf course instead of food?" the man asked. 
  
"Are you NUTS!" replied the homeless man. "I haven't played golf in 20 years!" 
  
"Well," said the man, "I'm not going to give you money. Instead, I'm going to take you home for a hot shower and a terrific dinner cooked by my wife." 
  
The homeless man was astounded. "Won't your wife be furious with you for doing that?   
  
The man replied, "That's okay. It's important for her to see what a man looks like after he has given up drinking and golf."

Dog Training basic commands

One of my closest friends just got himself a new dog, and he is in the process of training the dog. I always wondered if the dog is being trained or the owner is being trained. However, there are of course many reasons for owners to want a calm, obedient and faithful dog. For one thing, obedient and trained dogs are happier dogs, less likely to get into tussles with people or with other dogs. 

Many people are afraid of dogs and want to make sure that when dogs are out and about, that they do not cause a danger to others. As a result, numerous cities require that dogs being in their communities should be well trained. This is true for many kinds of dogs thought to have aggression and behaviour problems.

If you have young children training your dog is very important so that the dog makes a better family companion. If you train your dog properly, there may be fewer dog bites and other problems.

Training starts with some basic commands which include:

Heel – it is important that any dog learn to walk beside its owner on a loose lead, neither pulling ahead nor lagging behind

Respond to the word No – the word no is one word that all dogs must learn. Training your dog to respond to this important word can save you a ton of trouble.

Sit – Training your dog to sit on command is an important starting point for your training.

Stay – This command is very important when training your dog.

Down – Lying down on command is a key element of any strong dog training program.

Dog training does much more than just create an obedient, willing companion. Training actually strengthens the relationship between you and your dog. Dogs need structure because they are pack animals, and they want their pack leader lead them. You will be successful in your training once your dog sees you as the pack leader.

There is only one leader in every pack of dogs, and you as the owner must establish yourself as the most powerful animal. If you don't do this, then the dog will try to become the leader and this failure on your part will lead to all manner of behavior problems.

A well-trained dog will respond to all of your commands, and should not display fear, anger or excitement. Your training program should concentrate on providing your dog with the chance to understand what is expected of it. One of the best ways to do this is with positive reinforcement to reward desired behaviors.

Obedience training is a great way to fulfill some of the dog’s own needs, including the need for exercise. Remember your dog, is a pack animal and only feels secure if it knows its place and role in the pack. Training allows your dog to know how you expect it to behave, which leads to a good working relationship with you as its handler. Dog training gives your dog an essential role to do.

Giving the dog a job is more important than you may think. Dogs were first kept by humans to do important work, such as herding sheep, guarding property and protecting people. Many dogs today do not know that they have an important job to do, which can lead to boredom and neurotic behavior.

High energy breeds like German shepherds and border collies need to be trained to help them. In the training sessions, these dogs can use up any extra energy while simply having fun.

Playing is an important relationship builder between you and your dog as it strengthens your bond.