A Hmm Moment and Head Slapper

This week at Best Buy I had "Winning Culture" training.  Yes, training to talk about how we create a more productive work environment.  During this training there some interesting moments, but one that stood out to me was a simple one.   One of the concepts brought up is to acknowledge what things we can control and address them and let "gravity" be what it is .  In fact, there was a short dialogue to explain this concept.

Trainer: "Do what you can with the things we can control in a situation, if it's outside of your  control, it is what it is.

For example, can we control gas prices?"

Group:  "No!"

Trainer:  "What can do about them though?"

Member of Group:  "Buy a Prius!!!"

I guess I either have found my place to be or I should just move out from the Groupthink mentality.

For this Week's Head Slapper, I found this "Supernatural" device.

Yikes!   3.5 Head Slaps

Update and an Ode to Rev. Lowery

I've been told that folks do not like reading long posts because I'm particularly boring when I talk about public policy issues and such.  Well, after the last election, I think I'll be taking a break from talking public policy on this blog for a few months.  Celebrate or suffer as you will by that statement.

I am currently in the midst of compiling documentation for filing my taxes.  This is particularly the most bureaucratic activity that I complete all year.  Documents trickle in over the first couple months of the year that I enter into my tax filing program, seeing how much I end up owing our government each year.  A painful experience that uses a whole lot of paper and apparently keeps the postal service busy.

I also had my annual medical checkup and I have to say things have really improved health wise over the past years.  All the critical numbers are moving towards the right direction.  Good cholesterol up, bad stuff down, blood sugar down, blood pressure down and weight way down (about 46 pounds lower than the checkup last year).  It's a work in progress.

I guess I have to say something political in this space regarding the video for this week.  As the President officially enters his second term after showing deft political skill against a weak opponent, I have to say I'm disappointed that the Rev. Joseph Lowery was not brought back to give the Benediction,  for this blog owes a lot to him. 

I have to say I have tried to be mellow.

Quick Follow Up and video

In regards of last week's poll result, I have purchased the Rosetta Stone via Best Buy accommodation and have started down the Mandarin track.  Yes, I follow the the will of the readers and voters.

I guess I should provide a video as well.  So here:

Head Slapper of the Week

All i can say is save us from ourselves.  

Three Head Slaps

Time on the Left Coast

This past weekend I've been in Southern California attending my cousin's wedding with my mother.  I haven't been to this area in January, so i was looking forward to experiencing the relative "climate change" between Minnesota and Southern Cal.  I have say it was quite the difference as these photos show:

Minnesota in January = Frigid

We're not in Minnesota anymore

I eventually got to my destination:

Where the snow go?

I got to my destination in Orange County, but the wedding was in San Diego, over an hour away.  So on Saturday I traveled with my cousins and mom to the wedding.

A view from behind the church

We got there a bit early, a late arriving crowd

Yes, there was a wedding, here's my proof:

After the wedding there was a banquet where we all got cookie cutters.  My mother appreciated them more than I did.

The rest of the week was spent reconnecting with family in the area.  My roots in America started in this area when my father came to CA on the USS Americana in 1946 from China.   I've generally reflected on how the Almighty blessed my father that opportunity to escape the hard life in China to build a successful life in America.  Here's a picture of the his cousins who brought him to this country back in the 1950s:

That man on the right came over on the same boat as my dad

I spend the rest of the weekend in Irvine, CA.  Each morning, I spend some time walking around in the 60 degree weather around a lake behind my cousin's house.

Alas, it's about time to leave SoCal and back to Minnesota.  I'm glad my mother took this trip, not just  for the wedding, but to gain a closer connect to my father's relatives, who she never really knew while my father was alive.    I did tell my relatives I'll be back soon though.

P.S.  Thanks for voting in my poll.  I'll be purchasing my license to Rosetta Stone accordingly.