The start of something wonderful - 2012

Thank you for loving me, for teaching me, for showing me the way.
 to all of the people who have been there for me in big ways and in small ones,
 from old friends to new ones-



THANK YOU!

Find love, Lose weight, Get a new job. It seems like you can't get away from hearing about resolutions at this time of year. 

Perhaps we set our goals too high sometimes or we waste our efforts "trying" to do something. This year, I suggest something different. Let's all "try" to be ourselves. Be proud of everything that we have and that we've done. These things have made us the wonderful persons that we are and should be celebrated.

Tonight we will be bringing in the New Year again in Downtown Mt.Clemens enjoying the fireworks. Join us, even if only in spirit as we start the New Year by celebrating the old.

Happy New Year!

Time for a new car

Thousands of mourning North Koreans turned out for the memorial to say farewell to their long time leader Kim Jong-Il Wednesday morning.

The three hour procession was led by Kim Jong-Un, who walked beside his father's coffin as they traveled through the Kumsusan Memorial Palace in Pyongyang, where dead North Korean leader Kim Il-Sung is entombed.

We are yet to see what may transpire in North Korea with their new leader. However if I were leader, one of the first things I would do is replace those 1970's limousines with something a little newer. Some fine cars come from Japan, South Korea and even China. And the best they can do is old Lincolns?!


Sources: Associated Press and www.rawstory.com

The Case of the Loud Cemetery

A Councilman in Louisiana is so upset over colorful tombs in one cemetery that he is proposing a ban on them entirely.

Alvin Tillman, a councilman from the town of Terrebonne, is proposing a law to restrict the color a tomb can be painted. Included, the law would also require the colorful tombs be painted white. 

"We want to stop this before it gets out of hand", Tillman said. "Before you know it you'll go out there and the cemetery will look like Mardi Gras."

(Photo Credit: Christopher/Augafel)

A public hearing on the proposed law will be held on January 11, after the local Developing and Planning Committee approved of the proposal. If it passes, anyone who breaks the law would be charged with a misdemeanor.

I may be wrong here, but isn't it the job of the government in America to represent the people of the area that you are governing? If that's the case and the people that have family in this cemetery all seem to agree that they like it more colorful, then shouldn't the cemetery be painted this way. I don't see anything wrong with this at all. I'm just wondering if a cemetery like this one operates the same as the ones in New Orleans. As you know, we recently visited the St. Louis Cemetery #1 in New Orleans. There, the cemetery is run by the Catholic church and they do have rules about what color a grave can be painted. And the rule is white. There seems to be one local artist that has painted his family grave a funky blue and they let it slide. And there are still others that are not painted at all. But at least there, the rule is if it is painted, then it must be white. 

I can see how a white wash would be easier to maintain over time. And maybe that should be the default color. But to tell so many people that have put so much effort into this craft that they can not do it, seems a little unamerican.

Sources: The Associated Press and www.rawstory.com 

Post Post:
I had no idea until after I posted this that there is a cemetery here in Michigan named Loud Cemetery.

Sorry about any confusion. 

Contagiously Inspirational

Try not to become a man of success but a man of value....
-Albert Einstein

As some of you know, I work the midnight shift at the drug store near my home. There, I have the most amazing inspiration for many of my post as well as much of my life. I get to interact with the public there, more than anywhere that I have ever worked before. I also get to work with some awesome people. One of which is the store manager. He is an inspiration in himself. The man just doesn't know how to say NO when it comes to getting the job done. He is an avid hunter and in his spare time mentors city youth in getting outdoors and discovering all that nature holds for them. In February, he will be honored with an award from a national organization for being the positive roll model that he is. We couldn't be more proud to know him. He does all this with out the need for praise and even thinks that we don't know all that he is up to. I mention him because he is such an inspiration to me and is the reason that I have stayed with the company for the past five years although I don't really need the employment. And daily, he reminds me of how much of an inspiration I am to him. I guess we feed off each other in that respect. He is always bragging to others that he is a better man having known me. And I feel the same about him.

I don't feel that I do that much really to inspire others, but my manager would say differently. I simply treat each customer as I would like to be treated. They are each in their own place in the world. Each person that I interact with, I greet with a smile and happily help them with anything that they need. I'm also constantly looking for new and innovative ways to make their shopping experiences easier and better. I've as well stream lined the inventory and ordering process to make life easier for the other employees on a weekly basis. If this makes me an inspiration, then I am left wondering what is going on in the rest of the company.

I am simply kind to others and find ways to make every one's life easier. I think that we all underestimate our power to make the world a better place. If everyone smiled at strangers and helped the people around them, think of how wonderful this world would be. Simple, random acts of kindness when people least expect it. It will make their day. These acts will spawn and inspire other acts and the cycle will continue. If we stop thinking of ourselves only, and recognize other peoples positions, we could inspire a new world. Will winter solstice 2012 be the end of the world as we know it? I hope that it comes faster than that. It is my goal this Christmas season and into the new year to be even more of an inspiration than in the past.

 I hope to be contagiously inspirational. 

I wish each and every one of the readers here a wonderful holiday.