Shh? No! Speak up!

Bail Out? Only if you are physically in a boat and it is sinking. Ok, perhaps, a couple of other situations might warrant it.  However, I feel the current bailout the government of America is working on, is not a good idea.

As much as individuals want to blame the lenders for their problems, it is the individual’s responsibility to not over extend themselves. We have all made poor decisions, I know I have, but it was my responsibility to do everything in my power to bail myself out. I have spent more than I should have, bought a house more expensive than I should have, and I have just had to do with less, go out less, buy less, for years, at times, to deal with it. It wasn’t fun, I wasn’t as overextended as many are, but the principle is the same.

It is not a good situation, it is not pleasant. But, it is no different than expecting a child or teenager to learn from their mistakes so as not to repeat history. There is only so much bailing out — there comes a time we have to stand on our own two feet.

MORE! (Yeah, I got carried away chanting as I wrote it.)

Shelly at This Eclectic Life is giving you a chance to make a memory for children, both ill and their well siblings, next summer. Cool, right? And, you do not have to be able to sew or knit or crochet - or even use a glue stick.

Now you may remember Shelly as the woman who spearheaded Share A Square this past year - successfully. If not, check it out, there were 140 children at Camp Sanguinity that had a reason to smile because normal every day people like you and I took a few minutes of their time (well, some took more).

This year, rather than afghans for the kids, we are making medicine bags (those that can, please offer to!) and filling them with three “good luck charms” each. I’m not doing the math, but it’s a lot of good luck charms, tokens, talismans, whatever you choose to label them. Now, the idea is that each little medicine bag has an item from three different people.

If, like me, you are at a loss as to what small item to donate (with a little note or poem attached), Shelly shares a few of the things she thought of. What makes you feel lucky or puts a smile on your face?

Leon carries around a tiny Guiness promotional bottle opener and knife blade that belonged to his grandmother in England. She used it to peel oranges. Obviously, that is not appropriate for the kids, but many of us have something we keep around us for luck, and who knows, maybe the kids will someday cherish something we have sent — or at least realize it is OK to keep a small something to bring back good memories or make them feel luckier than usual - and find something special to them.

Just click on this button to read the details:

Exceptions to rules are fine - and make sense - when those exceptions are thought out with care. When you just allow them when convenient to you or when you don’t wish to take the time to think, or for favorites, you undermine not only your authority, but your esteem in your employee’s eyes.

And, once esteem and respect are diminished, they are hard to win back.