December 14, 2007
Dogs Will Work for Nazis
During the night, I often wake just enough to feel the gentle pressure of Little Neal, one of my cats, snuggling his back against my calves, my thighs, or my butt.
It’s an extremely comforting feeling.
It tells me that everything in my house is as it should be, peaceful and calm. Were there a door ajar, a strange cat prowling, or an intruder, every cat in the house would be investigating. They would all be sniffing, peering and craning to see what was going on. But, if my little grey Burmese is snuggling against me, everything is fine.
The subtle pressure of his body is a great compliment. This extraordinary, still wild creature has chosen me to lay down with. A cat will not lay down with just anybody. A cat’s love and trust is earned and earned again every day. A cat will not easily allow himself to be taken for granted.
“But, a cat won’t shake hands, or sit up.” Remarked my doctor the other day during a telephone conversation.
“Well of course not.” I thought, but didn’t bother saying.
I didn’t bother saying it because it was preposterous on its face, the idea of a cat performing cheap tricks for a morsel of food.
No, you’ll never see a self respecting cat wearing a jester’s collar, performing for the entertainment of inferior beings who for some reason are amused by such foolishness. But, then again, you will never see a cat on a leash, snapping at the heels of wretched Jews in box cars.
Dogs will work for Nazi’s. Cats will not.
Cats have never been the pet of choice for people who find themselves drawn to subservience and obedience. Cats have a kind of stiff-necked pride that I think appeals more to women than to men. Men are, as a general rule, team players, ruled by the dominance hierarchy. Women are far more subversive, as Western civilization has recognized for eons. Women are very much like cats. They will, in the end, generally follow their own internal dictates and would rather starve themselves than compromise their ideals.
Women, like cats, are survivors. Smaller and lighter than their competitors, they have learned to run and fight only when cornered. Once cornered, however, they come out with teeth and nails flashing in a rush of fury that can scare the be-Jesus out of the bravest man.
Needless to say, as a woman, I live my life surrounded by cats and with a man who admires them almost as much as I do. I find this an admirable quality. My husband was, in fact, accepted into the family by one of my cats who climbed up on his chest before I had even decided to admit him into the fold. But, I get ahead of myself. That is a story for later.
Dr. Johns is a criminologist, trip planner, and freelance writer. She has a cat blog at http://www.blogspot.lylajean
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When searching for a unique birthday present for your father it is important to keep his personality and interests in mind. He is more than just dad. Bill Cosby has a great line; “Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope.”
Hopefully your foremost goal is to make sure your father doesn’t have to pretend that your gift is the greatest thing in the world. Think about your dad as his friends do for a minute. Think about him fishing or golfing. Think about hunting or some of his interests that are not because he is dad but as a man or an individual.
The more versatile a gift is the more likely you are going to get a look like Cosby describes. If you give a tie that says world’s greatest dad, have you really thought very deeply about the gift?
Now notice it says that if it is versatile it is more likely to be a soap type gift. It doesn’t mean it has to be so. If you want something that is versatile but unique than how about a nice leather wallet that is already outfitted with pictures of the family. Include in the wallet, pictures of mom, kids, grandkids, brothers, sisters, and parents. You could ask each of them to write some birthday wish and you have a keepsake that will be difficult to top.
There are many other ideas. One idea that is always a winner is a gift basket. Some of the things you could include in Dad’s gift basket are a small breast pocket size calendar with all of the important days already circled and marked. Things like birthdays, anniversaries, and Valentines Day can be marked.
Instead of a calendar it could be an electronic organizer already programmed with those dates and reminders set.
In addition it is a good idea to include other items in the gift basket. Things that are specific to his interests. Fishing items if he is a fisherman. Hunting items if he is a hunter.
Books are always a great addition. If he has ever said that he wished he knew more about something, find a Dummies Book about that subject or the equivalent.
You could enlist Mom’s help to find out his 10 or 15 favorite songs and make him his own compilation cd of those songs. This can be done easily now with Wal-Mart and other online stores offering single downloads,
The only danger in not buying a “dad” gift is that you may wind up with a “you” gift. What is meant by that is buying him clothes that are “in style.” If he wanted in style clothes, he would more than likely buy them himself. You will wind up giving him closet filler and not a truly unique gift.
You can be fairly certain that your dad will like his gift because it is from you. Don’t stress about it and just buy for the person and you will be amazed at how easy it can be to buy a unique birthday gift for dad.
Check out other unique birthday gifts
and ideas.
The author, Mike Hamilton has a birthday website with more unique
birthday gifts and ideas.
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As business owners and managers we find ourselves thrust into our position through what is commonly referred to as “Promotion into Incompetence”. We move up through the ranks or start our own businesses based on our technical skills. Little consideration is given to the actual (non technical) skills and mindset required to manage people and run a business effectively.
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If you are having difficulty with something in your life (either personal or in business) it can generally be solved by learning new skills.
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A business coach will assist you to build these essential skills that you need to lead and manage a successful business. They will help you in setting your business development goals and ensure you become more accountable for what should be your most important work, the work of developing your business.
Business Coaches provide you with objective feedback about what you need to do to get your business on track. A healthy business coaching relationship will provide an honest ongoing assessment of your Business Development Activities, assisting you to focus your efforts on the areas that will have the greatest long term positive impact on your business.
Innovations in technology allow you to be involved with coaches from locations around the world. Do some research into the various Business Coaching options available to you. The internet is a great place to start your research.
I am a Business Coaching Client with the E-Myth Mastery course developed around the teachings of Michael Gerber. I can personally recommend the E-Myth Mastery Course and their associated products. The ongoing business development work completed as part of their courses continues to have a massive positive impact on the businesses that I am involved with.
More details about the E-Myth mastery course can be found at their web site: http://www.E-Myth.com
Another excellent provider of Business Coaching is the Action International Group headed by Brad Sugars. More information on their products and services can be found at their web site: http://www.ActionCoaching.com
Select a business coach based on their teaching methods and how their concepts fit in with the way you work. It can be useful to purchase some of their introductory books and audio programs to give you a taste for some of the concepts that they will focus on in the Business Coaching Course.
When evaluating a particular Business Coach ask for several references from coaching clients past and present. Contact the references and ask them questions regarding their experience with the respective Business Coaching Organizations.
Copyright 2006 http://www.BusinessSystemsManager.com
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Workforce experts estimate that the cost of replacing a worker is 1.5 times the annual salary of the worker. To minimize your turnover costs and maintain a productive workplace, employers need to look beyond the salary and benefits.
Work can be a satisfying and positive experience for your employees when their work expectations are being met. Salary and benefits are the obvious compensations that an employee expects from his or her employer, but there are a host of immaterial things that can provide job satisfaction. Whether you, as an employer, are considering a new hire or trying to retain current employees, there are four key factors that can help make work a positive experience.
Environment
Many employees expect a pleasant work environment. No one wants to wake up each morning dreading going to work. Do your workers prefer a low-stress environment that has a social atmosphere? Perhaps you should consider assigning projects that require teamwork and personal interaction. However, different personalities expect different types of work environments. Some people work better under pressure and welcome the opportunity to be challenged. Giving workers the opportunity to express their ideas in a workplace that emphasizes results over personal relationships may give them satisfaction.
Structure vs. Independence
Structure is an integral part of the workplace for some employees. Perhaps they like to know that certain resources are available to them. Providing workers with specific timelines, procedures, or guidelines may be beneficial to them when completing a project or problem-solving. Some people, however, expect to work independently. They may want to set their own priorities or use their methods of problem-solving. Granting freedom to take on new responsibilities or to streamline current procedures might be a way to keep your employees happy.
Work vs. Personal Life
Most employees expect a certain balance between work and personal life. They have commitments outside of work and feel that work should not distract them from fulfilling those commitments. Assure your employees that you understand their commitment to their families and other activities. Let them know that work will not interfere with their personal life, but also that you expect high standard of job performance.
Career Growth
Having a career is important to many people in today’s society. If your employees enjoy their job, invest a lot of time and effort, and succeed at it, they probably expect to get rewarded. The reward doesn’t always have to be monetary; sometimes a new job title, increased responsibility, or other incentives will provide the positive reinforcement they desire. Career-minded employees probably want to gain new experiences and increase their set of job skills, making themselves more marketable to other employers. Making sure your employees know there are opportunities for advancement may keep them satisfied and keep them with your company.
Once you have identified the things that can make work a positive experience for your employees, you must keep the lines of communication open. Your employees may never be satisfied in their current positions if their work expectations are not met. As an employer, you understand the high cost of employee turnover. If you want to retain your employees, learn what their work expectations are and do what you can to increase their job satisfaction, making work a positive experience.
Work Expectations article produced by Corexcel. Corexcel specializes in online continuing education and workforce training. For more information about Corexcel and the training materials they offer, visit http://www.corexcel.com
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