Measuring Our Latitude of Gratitude

Is it "Spacious" having great length and breadth?
Is it "Ample" as in more than might be expected?
Is it "Commodious" or roomy and comfortable?
Is it "Capacious" having the ability to retain more than average?
Is it "E x p a n s i v e" having the tendacy to expand?

Is even ONE of these adjectives is worthy of use to describe your gratitude or mine? We live in a country, that while still having problems to solve, is the envy of the rest of the 'free' world. According to Edward F. Halifax-British Conservative Statesman (1881-1959), "Gratitude is one of those things that cannot be bought. It must be born with men, or else all the obligations in the world will not create it."

A 'measure' in addition to being 'an adequate or due portion' is interestingly also 'a cadence, a slow and stately rhythm, or dance.' So, 'do you wanna dance'?

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; but remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for."
Epicurus-Greek Philosopher c.341-270 BC

I adjust to the fact that my life is now a lengthy enough journey to measure the latitude of my gratitude by Epicurus' definition. What do I now have, that was once among the things I only hoped for?
So, now I'm compelled to say...

I appreciate green Spring leaves that follows the deadness of Winter.
I appreciate the heat of Summer that follows the newness of Spring.
I appreciate the coolness and color of Autumn.
I appreciate the hard cold of Winter that kills off the bugs and viruses and brings the miracle of snow.
I appreciate the hope of living in a geographic 'latitude' that goes through all the seasons EVERY year.
I appreciate my freedom from intolerable, overbearing treatment.
I appreciate freedom from condescension by those who understand me less and want me to understand less.
I appreciate the independence of my children who still love and think of me, but are finding their own way now.
I appreciate the chance to rise at 9am instead of just taking a coffee break being weak after fighting my way through traffic to an office.
I appreciate creative opportunities like this Yahoo!Blog Site and other blog posting networks.
I appreciate being valued by someone for whom my efforts to contribute to their survival have a demonstrable GOOD result.
I appreciate the media when they expeditiously report truthful, impartial news that informs and illuminates the masses.
I appreciate abundant educational opportunities that surround me everywhere in America while I demand for myself to remain teachable as I use what I've learned.

For now, I permit myself to use the word, 'Expansive' as an adjective of measurement, but will withhold using 'Ample', as in...'an ample meal'. I will continue to try to 'save room' and become 'capacious' when it comes to retention of gratitude. Where does your lattitude plot on the map of life?

THE CONCENTRATED ANTIBIOTIC OF THOUGHT

by Jeannie Welsch
One might wonder, 'What are you describing as 'the concentrated antibiotic of thought'?'
It can be defined as a mental filter. Still, allow me to wax on to explain. When I was significantly younger, my primary 'thought filter' was 'practicality'. Upon encountering my Lord, 'faith' was decidedly added to that filter. But the final ingredient for this 'antibiotic' was 'cynicism,' or total distrust of human motives.

You may think this sounds a little extreme. In keeping with the 'prescribing analogy', no wakes up, for example, drinking antibiotics for breakfast every morning-unless theiy're under physical siege. (I actually prefer orange juice.) Remember the adage 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure' ? That is exactly what I'm talking about.

You need to understand more to put this in perspective. Individually, I became predisposed to blind optimism and non-judgementalism early on...by choice. Contrary to what one might think, for many years, this perspective paved a highway for personal growth and survival. So, as one remembers familiar paths, an optomistic impulsion became my modus operandi. However, pure optomism is not good protocol without defined filters, as many businesses have discovered in their efforts to secure their servers.

My approach has improved through the years, llike distilled wine (This may be your preference, but I don't recommend it...you'll just wrinkle sooner.) Think of taking vitamins, but instead find your own daily dose of the 'concentrated antibiotic of thought.' Do not eat the whole bottle in a sitting, but NEVER to miss taking at least 'One-a-day'.

by Jeannie Welsch

You know, this is the offer you get for a vast majority of the tech startup companies. I'm sorry if I lost you, but the verbal offer goes like this.....

"If you respond TODAY, with just $1000-$2000, we will get you in on the GROUND FLOOR selling our totally 'non-competed-with' technology product! (I'd end up on the 'Ground Floor', alright.) There is NO contract either! (Mostly because you aren't purchasing anything, except possibly one of their technology products at over twice the price it would sell for on a wholesale commercial market.) ..."But you get your OWN website to market our product!" Yes, a website created by their programmers, for which they creatively program and construct the 'traffic results', while channeling all 'hits' to their own technology supply-line partners for an additional lead generation fee from them.

Not to be the total cynic, they DO offer a real opportunity to SELL, SELL, SELL for them. They DO pay you the commission they promise on each SOLD unit, but you PROVIDE them upfront with $1000-$2000 AND the FREE LABOR until that event occurs OR you starve to death, whichever happens first. While this could qualify for a valuable weight loss plan, it DOESN'T speak to me of being the best opportunity to 'BUILD MY OWN BUSINESS'. I believe that already-employed financially self-sufficient individuals who can afford to spend or LOSE the initial dollars, and survive during the time until they meet a 'quota in sales', may come out in the BLACK owning a business eventually. One would hope the technology has not been trumped by then with a new improved version by another vendor.

I relentlessly continue to love the technology business. Yet I can only reply to the pitch, "please make me an offer I CAN'T refuse, like paying me for my time spent marketing YOUR business." I'm in the terrible habit of being paid for my efforts.

01-22-2008

IN THE AGE OF TECHIE TOYS

There isn't anyone, who appreciates the advantages of each brand new technology development more than myself. The possible exception to this may be the child who has it ALL at his own disposal, every day (because I don't). This is not meant to be negative press about it. Still the point is, where does parenting now fit into this picture? How do parents maintain an influence against this amazing technology competition? Remember Peter, Paul, and Mary singing, "Where have all the 'flowers' gone?" Well, I'm asking: "Where have all the parents gone?"

My child's son recently celebrated his first birthday party. What joy to watch him amid his very FIRST wide assortment of age-appropriate learning and growth toys. (They teach SO much more than they did previously!) They are captivating enough to completely enthrall any child from age 1 to age 20 and beyond. Now being in the 'beyond' category myself, this parent wonders...What will an upcoming generation, seemingly raised by technology behave like in our culture? How will they differ from their less sophisticated predecessors, now that they are incubated in the rushing information flood?

Now I know, the parents who previously could never induce their child's attention toward classwork and homework are jumping for joy at the new tools at their disposal (when in fact, they CAN afford them). Learning toys are LESS the issue here. My thoughts travel instead, to a child glued to telephone texting, online computer gaming, and video gaming. Like TV, they aren't all-sufficient babysitters. Some might argue these are transferrable skills to help sharpen later technology competence. I agree. They can be. But how often are they replacing the parent mix of social contribution and supervision by un-indoctrinated parents?

Parental socialization needs to contribute more than two cents here. Granted, the ones who were able to afford to buy techie products have already contributed MORE than two cents to have it. (The other side is, in some cases, this Technology Mentor might have a more positive child input.) Yet many parents are merely untrained or unfamiliar with the new gadgets.

Two words come to mind that express my concern...time BALANCE...and CONTENT supervision. Perhaps these are the areas where parents who are not now, Missing In Action might have their finest say. After all, parents can learn something too.