Saturday, November 28, 2015

Not Just Leftovers


Usually around mid-afternoon, I start thinking about dinner preparations. When I’m especially unmotivated, I dig in the freezer for leftovers, hoping to heat up a quick meal. Anyone foraging around in their freezer long enough might uncover a hidden treasure, maybe some spare burgers or chicken breasts. If not, there’s an app to help out. See for yourself:

                                         https://youtu.be/tAG3IIQ1vw4

When you tire of holiday dinner leftovers, order something more exotic through the app. Who doesn’t enjoy sampling food from their neighbor’s plate? In many cases, it helps to know who’s providing the bounty. What surprise have you received, but discovered a bigger surprise in  learning who provided it?       


Saturday, November 21, 2015

From the Mouths of Babes

Doesn’t everyone enjoy a good massage? When our kids were younger, I offered them money for back massages. The agreement worked well, until they got older. I thought the days of two dollar massages had passed until one of our kids complained about muscle soreness from sports practice and talked about needing a massage. Jumping at the possibility of swapping services, I said, “Me, too.” And then, before I could negotiate a deal, our sweet child added, “I guess we’re both dreamers.” 

Talk about crushing a dream. If I want a professional massage, I better start saving for it. Someone (Mike Phillips) once said:  Money will come when you are doing the right thing. Check out the right moves these students are making:

                                         https://youtu.be/iDTqfbqZoAU  

They say you can tell what people value by where they spend their money. Barring the necessary expenses like rent, utilities, and transportation, how would you prefer to spend most of your money?   

 Bonus:
This one’s too cute too miss.
                                         https://youtu.be/0k9K7dnDxKg




Saturday, November 14, 2015

They Said What?


You probably wonder how statements that begin with, “You know what they say… get started.”  They who? You can tell they get respect because people quote them a lot. Maybe “they” is a group of folks who’ve been there, done that, and are willing to hand over the benefits of their experience to everyone else. 

Believe it or not, last week someone claimed to be part of the great “they” mystery. The admission came as a surprise. In the middle of a conversation at our house, someone quoted a theyism, like “You know what they say, you can’t judge a book by its cover.” We all stopped to think about who “they” is. And that’s when a voice said, “I am.” And there you have it—mystery solved—one of our kids is “they.” You know what they say, “Out of the mouths of babes….” 

I never would have guessed that “they” lived in my house. Go figure. You probably thought theyisms came from people like this:

                                          https://youtu.be/wCSGKWQqrwc 


And that’s what one group of “theys” had to say. I hope you found a few words of wisdom for yourself. Who’s the “they” you turn to for solutions to your difficult questions and situations?

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Tell Us What You Think


It seems like stores want our feedback on everything we buy. When they send us online surveys immediately after our purchases, it’s like going on a first date and being invited out for a second date before the first date begins. After buying an item, we need to wash, wear, and live with it for a while so we can give accurate feedback on our experience.

As a former market researcher, I recognize the risks of a slanted survey. For example, I saw one customer satisfaction questionnaire that offered two possible ratings—good or very good. That’s not a legitimate survey. In fact, it crosses the line. Customers want their views valued, not manipulated. 

I don’t mind completing good surveys, but I do prefer to skip the rambling and repetitive ones. Checking off a lot of little boxes and filling out boring forms is no fun. A focus group is a whole different situation, especially when you toss in a couple of celebrities. Have a look:  

  

                                          https://youtu.be/KICLApm_ANE
  

What major cultural issues do you want addressed and with which influential person do you want to voice your concerns and opinions?