Pick It Up...Pay It Forward.

Did you know that yesterday was Pay It Forward Day?  A very cool idea inspired by the movie (which if you have never seen, you really should put it on your short list...it is awesome!!).

Anyhow, the whole idea of Pay It Forward Day is to take a moment to practice some random act of kindness.  I heard of people paying for coffee for the person behind them in line, or leaving money at the toll booth for the next couple cars that passed through. There are hundreds of ways to make a difference...what matters is taking the time to do it.

Anyhow, I wanted to participate in some way...but sadly, my wallet was empty yesterday so all of those real "pay" it forward opportunities were out the window.  I decided instead to make a conscious effort to pick up any trash that I saw on the ground while I was walking from point A to B during the day.  It wasn't much, but it was what I could do at the moment.

First thing I noticed was a weathered lottery ticket (much to my chagrin it was a losing ticket), then a candy bar wrapper, then, conveniently, an plastic grocery bag, then an empty to-go food container. The more I paid attention to this effort, the more debris I noticed all over the place, and in the two short blocks that I walked on this little suburban street, I filled that plastic grocery bag with trash.

When I reached my destination and put that overflowing plastic bag into the trash receptacle I couldn't help but wonder, where did all this debris come from?  And what ever happened to the "Don't Be a Litter Bug" campaign?   In a world that's so conscientious about the environment, are there just as many people who are getting lazy?

I know it wasn't much in terms of paying it forward -- but I guess the lesson I learned is that you don't have to spend a dime to make a difference.

So now I'm going to ask you...will you join me in my efforts?  Pick it up...and Pay it forward!



 

No More Hooey!

Have you ever had a job where you love the actual work you do -- but for some reason, you come home at night at just bitch bitch bitch about all the things that are wrong at work?   I feel like that has been the story of my life.  I am a pretty upbeat and positive person, and I try to stay focused on the great things we're accomplishing at work, but inevitably, when dinner time rolls around and the family starts talking about the highs and lows of our day, we linger a bit too long on Mommy's lows -- which really stinks, because I LOVE MY JOB. 


Well, after all these years, I think I may have figured out why this keeps happening to me.  I'm a result-oriented person living in a clock-watching world.  And here's the kicker -- I don't even own a watch.

I've always known I was result-oriented -- I mean, afterall, it's one of the bullet points under the "Professional Profile" of my resume :-) ... I just didn't know how it sucked the life out of me to work with clock watchers.  But as I'm reading this book, Why Work Sucks, it's all starting to make sense to me.

All I can say is God bless Andy Levine from Sixth Man for mentioning this book at a recent conference he spoke at.  I'm pretty sure I would have taken one look at the cover (and title) of this book and written it off as a bunch of hooey.  But even though I'm only on chapter 3, I really believe it's going to change my life.  In fact, I think it already has. 

Just for the record, the full title of the book is Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It: No Schedules, No Meetings, No Joke--the Simple Change That Can Make Your Job Terrific.  If you have ever felt like you needed some help dealing with the people you work with who measure your worth by the number of hours you're at your desk every day, or the number of meetings you attend -- instead of the value you bring to the organization -- you really really have to read it.

I know it might not be fully implementable if you're not the "big boss" of an organization -- but I think there are elements we can all apply to our lives.  And there is no doubt there is a truth to this book that should make everyone stop and think about how to work smarter in every aspect of their life.

OK...I'm rambling...and there is no point to that.  Get the book.  Read it.  Live it.

I'm off to make things happen!

Lost

No...
...not a roadtrip gone awry, and not the TV show that has the world so entranced with its final season.

Just a bit about how I've been feeling lately.

On the one hand, life has been just wonderful since I started my new job in November. The work I do is meaningful to me, and I know I have a tremendous opportunity to make a difference with this organization -- and Lord knows the work is plentiful, which leaves me with a strong sense of security. However, I can't help feeling a little lost because life seems so out of balance lately as work has somehow overcome my every waking moment.

I don't want to come across as complaining -- because I really love the challenge of it all. But what is exhausting though is that I just don't feel like I'm getting anywhere. Each week I come up with my list of things I need to get accomplished, but then somehow the working hours get filled up with meetings, where little is really accomplished. I find myself arriving early and staying late every day to actually get the work done. By the time I get home each night (after a 40 minute drive), I am spent -- and have little energy for anything that requires thought or human interaction.

I find myself sitting and staring blankly at a television screen, or "catching up" with family and friends through Facebook -- hardly a meaningful exchange.

If I'm smart I get myself to bed at a reasonable hour, but more often than not I fall asleep on the sofa watching TV. When I wake up a few hours later (usually around 1:00 a.m.) I've had just enough rest that my mind starts going again -- usually racing with thoughts of what needs to be done at work the next day.

When I turned the page on the calendar to March, I realized that another month had gone by with little to no time dedicated to really living.

I've been down this road before, and I don't want this to become the norm. I can't let this become the norm -- because there is nothing normal or healthy about a life out of balance. But what do I do to find better alignment?

God, grant me the serenity...

Hot Artichoke Dip

Back before the holidays, I tasted the most delicious Hot Artichoke Dip that I had ever tasted. I'm embarrassed to say that I started off with a small sampling with crackers, but then returned for a more generous portion which I ended up eating with a fork. Needless to say, I asked the hostess for the recipe, which she generously shared, God bless her!

Like so many great recipes that I've gathered over the years, after I got it, I tucked it away and promptly forgot about it. Well, I pulled it out on two occasions recently, and both times it was a huge hit. Best part of all is that it literally takes about 3 minutes to prepare -- and one batch makes a very generous portion.

I figured with Superbowl XLIV just around the corner, now was the perfect time to share it. However I'll forewarn you though -- if you're watching your calories or fat intake, you may want to avoid it -- it's super rich.

You'll Need

• 1 14oz. can artichoke hearts (drained and chopped)
• 8 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated or shredded
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese (this dip is better if you a high quality cheese like Parmesan Reggiano)
• 1 cup mayonnaise (I’ve used light and regular, and it is much richer tasting with regular mayo)
• a sprinkle of garlic salt

Step By Step

1. Mix all ingredients together
2. Place in fairly shallow baking dish (8 x 4 loaf dish, or a pie plate works well)
3. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.
4. Serve warm with crackers or crusty baguette slices.

ENJOY!!