Here’s to All Leapers or Leaplings

Today is Leap Day.  People born on February 29^th are referred to as Leapers or Leaplings.  So how do they celebrate their birthdays on the “off” years?  Some chose February 28 or they chose March 1. Real Leapers merely celebrate on the 29^th every four years.  I’d love to have been born on the 29^th.  I’d just barely be a teenager today!

What is a Leap Year anyway? According to www.timeanddate.com  Leap Years are needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the Earth's revolutions around the sun. It takes the Earth approximately 365.242199 days (a tropical year) to circle once around the Sun. If we didn't add a day on February 29 nearly every 4 years, we would lose almost six hours every year. After only 100 years, our calendar would be off by approximately 24 days.  Now, aren’t you glad you asked!

Happy Birthday, Leapers and Leaplings! 

A Tribute to Ivy Cavenaugh Schlentz

Have you ever met someone and made an immediate decision that you like them? I mean you just feel honored to be near them? That’s what happened in 2005 when I first met Ivy Cavenaugh Schlentz. She was simply precious not only in her pixie good looks but in her deep spiritual soul.

Ivy passed away in January after a valiant 4 ½ year battle with breast cancer. She was the wife of my speaker friend, Rich Schlentz. They had a precious love affair that most of us would envy. They laughed, they had fun, they enjoyed each other’s company, they challenged each other to be better humans, and they really were devoted to one another.

Rich gave attendees at the memorial service a glimpse into their lives. He shined for Ivy. He radiated her love. He made each of us pause to consider how we will honor the people we love. Thank you, Rich Schlentz, for being a remarkable role model for all!

Casual Day Fallout

Is it me or have you noticed that people have lost their sense of style?  Oh, I am not talking supermodel stuff.  Nor am I talking WalMartian stuff.  I am talking about ordinary people that   seem to not care how they look any more. 

I think it all started with Casual Day Friday.  Employees were allowed to wear casual pants and casual tops or company logo shirts to be comfortable one day a week. It was a great concept!

Soon, employees moved to jeans and t-shirts to be comfortable one day a week.  Then in hot weather, employees started wearing shorts/skorts to be comfortable one day a week.  That led to employees wearing flip flops, floppy shorts, and floppy shirts to be comfortable one day a week. Women started wearing crop tops to show others their entire acreage of belly fat (eeeewww) to be comfortable one day a week.  Today, some employees just wear what is clean on top of the pile in the floor to be comfortable one day a week. And that’s just in the work environment. 

How many of you have seen people wearing pajama bottoms in stores?  Help!

Let’s face it.  In most companies every day is Casual Day now.  However, when we dress casual, we act casual. 

I do not bank on Fridays.  My bank observes Casual Day now.  Some employees wear the bank logo shirts. Why, some female employees have the nerve to make me look at their sausage packed leggings!  (That should be against the law!)  I do not want my money to be handled casually. 

I work too hard to get it! I want the employees to look like bankers no matter what day I chose to bank.  Seriously!

Personally, I think the first impression is a lasting impression.  It is the image we recall in our minds when we think of someone.  And lately, I have a gallery of unpleasant recalls in my mind.

Take a 360 degree look at yourself before you leave the house and think to yourself, “Is this the best I can look today to project the image I so desire?”  If not, please professionalize before you leave home!

The Height of Arrogance? Being Chronically Late

Remember when Dr. Phil first started on television and he was on Oprah’s show one day a week?  Well, I heard him say on one of those shows that the height of arrogance is someone being late. He continued saying the person who is always late honestly thinks the party can’t start without them.  They think they are more important than anyone else who actually showed up on time. 

Ohhh, I love that line of thinking, Doc!  My observations of late people:

·         I am amazed how many meetings are started late because someone decides not to show up on time.  If you’re leading a meeting – start that meeting as scheduled to reward the others who arrived early or on time.  And, please do not stop the progress of the meeting to ‘catch them up to speed’ before their grand entrance arrival!

·         If you promise someone you will be there at a certain time – simply do it.  You agreed on the time and now you have the nerve to think you can show up when it suits you?

·         If you can not show up on time…be aware there are these devices called mobile phones now, and you can call to say you will be late. Do not leave us dangling, sitting in a restaurant all alone looking at everyone who walks in the door and waiting for your late butt to waltz in.

·         If it is true the party can’t start without you....then, you plan the next event at your house. Unbeknownst to you, all of your invited guests will agree, en masse, to be late. And, the guests will not call.  They may not even show up because, quite frankly, a better offer came along.  You see, your guests feel no desire to follow through on their commitment to you because you never follow through on your commitment to them!

Late people, listen up!  Get off your throne.  Take off that crown.  Lay down your scepter.  Start early and arrive on time!

Valentine Day

Some my dearest friends have a great marriage.  They are so much fun to watch.  They are soul mates.  When they celebrated their 30^th Wedding Anniversary I asked the husband, “So, you’re having your 30^th Anniversary.  What do you have to say about that?”  He quickly turned, looked deep into my eyes and said in his slow southern delivery, “Well, 28 good years ain’t bad!!!!!” 

I fell on the floor laughing.

Ain’t that the truth?  If you added up the good years – you’d never get 100%.  Some days are just stinkers. Sometimes months just linger on and on. And, some days you really don’t even like your mate. 

As you celebrate with your valentine today, ask yourself how many good years you had and be thankful for those years and forgive the others!

Rid Yourself of The Green Eyed Monster

I am sick of people being jealous of others’ success.  Puleeze!  If you are jealous you need to look inside.  If you do not like what someone else has - then work to get it for yourself.

Jealousy can affect your well being as it is bred in your personal insecurities, fears and feelings of low self-worth.  Jealousy leads to resentment, sadness, disgust and pure meanness. 

I am fortunate to be blessed with a healthy self-worth and self-esteem. But my life has had many jealous people involved! I have no clue why anyone would covet what I have, do, or say. 

I am just being me!

·         I have worked extremely hard all my life to get what I have.  Jealous people want what others have without doing the heavy lifting.

·         I have worked diligently to improve my personal and professional skills.  Jealous people think they should have been born with money and talents in their tiny, dimpled hands.

·         I have continually worked on becoming a more positive and energized person.  Jealous people really have little desire to be positive at all.

Jealous people, listen up.  We are sick of you being so self-absorbed in your anger that you have no clue who you have become.  It is not a pretty sight to see that Green Eyed Monster raise its ugly head.  Rid yourself of the monster by looking in the mirror and excelling on your own merits.