De-Screen

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At least twice a month my husband and I have a date night. Yes, he calls me and asks me out for dinner or whatever I’d like to go and do. Our date nights are an important part of the success of our marriage so far. I’ve noticed on recent outings a phenomenon that seems to be growing. The restaurants we frequent all have television screens posted around or other screens with promotional messaging for the restaurant. One restaurant even had a television in the ladies room. Really, is all this necessary? Is there no place (within the dating budget) outside my home dining room we canscreen free escape for a lovely meal and some good conversation? Once when we were traveling there was a screen with a scrolling commercial on a gas pump!

I’m not convinced our attention deficit problem comes from video games. It comes from our constant barrage of messaging and tele-entertainment. We have phones, tablets, computers, tv’s all screaming at us. We come into the house and we turn on a television. Consider this exercise, eliminate half of your screen exposure for one day or one week (that’s after you finish this post and perhaps choose to follow my blog). The second thing I would challenge you to do is spend at least 10 minutes a day focusing on something positive, watching your children playing, watching a sunset, reading a devotion; or just be still and listen to the silence. Perhaps have a face to face conversation (in the flesh, not FaceTime) with someone.

How will this exercise change you? I say exercise, because for some, this will hurt. You’re going to feel it. After the initial twitching stops and you look around, I would imagine you will see things more clearly than HD can ever deliver. There is a freedom to letting go of trying to keep up with what the world is shoving at you and taking control of what you watch or listen to.

Don’t disconnect from your family or your responsibilities. But let go of uninvited intrusions and see what happens.

Let me know.

KK

Would you know what to do?

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The request sounds innocent. The talk is smooth. So smooth you slide into the driver’s seat having ignored the twinge in your gut and the thought in the back of your head. It’s probably not a good idea to provide this ride. What am I doing? Before you know it you are being directed onto an abandoned road far from traffic and neighborhoods.

This is not the beginning of a bad horror movie. The situation is very real and was survived by a good friend of mine SharonPortraitwhen a former client of hers schmoozed her into her own car and then proceeded to kidnap and attack her. Today, nine years later, seven of which she spent in a legal battle, Sharon launched her movement, Own Your Moment (www.OwnYourMoment.org). Her goal is to empower, prepare, and inform others on how to protect themselves or prevent a personal attack.

Many women are given mace for their key rings when they learn to drive. In defense of a personal attack, could we get to it? Do we know how to use it fast enough before it’s taken from us? Do we trust our instincts over the risk of offending someone we don’t fully trust?

Sharon is an intelligent woman with a successful law practice. This attack took hours, but the experience has changed her life. Check her website, read her story, watch the video with her 911 call. Then tell me that you are not moved to be armed with the information and confidence to stay safe.

KK

Ice by Any Other Form is Still Cold

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nugget ice

Evidently for some people ice needs to be in nugget form. Not crushed or cubed, not even chipped. It needs to be in nuggets. This shape of ice is a little larger than a pea. A few months ago, those who are fans of nugget ice received a written apology from a convenience store manager when they had to settle for crushed ice. The posted sign over the nugget ice dispenser read: “We apologize, the nugget ice maker is out of service.”

We all have our favorite refreshments, but in the grand scheme of things, I’m not sure I would expect an apology for one form of ice when two feet away I can have another form.

Can we agree that our need for a certain shape, size or consistency of ice should be added to the list of first world problems?

All the best, 

KK

 

No Coke For You, Come Back One Week

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Yesterday was the seventh day of my fast from soda pop. I gave up soda pop for one week. There really wasn’t a reason. I just decided to exercise my self-control. The only person I told was my husband. So, last Sunday was the last time I drank a coke. It was a delightful treat; a perfect fountain mix and just the right amount of ice topped with a lid and a straw.

colaI didn’t decaffeinate. Tea was my morning beverage. Besides, the caffeine from tea is actually better for you than that of soda. It is said that the body processes it at a more even rate so there are fewer highs and lows; less jitters. But I digress.

The day I missed my soda treat the most was Friday; five days in. It was a warm and sunny day. I was out and about taking care of some business and looking forward to the weekend. Like those who enjoy a cool brew after a work week, I missed my fountain soda; my favorite of which is Coca-Cola – no diet, full of sweetness and calories. The other difficult moment was after the baseball tournament we took the boys to have pizza for dinner. There is something very wrong about having pizza with iced tea. It just isn’t right. But that’s what I drank.

No earth shattering lessons were garnered by this exercise. I learned that if I put my mind to something, I can do it with little accountability. Before this week I may not have claimed that strength.

I’m not sure I felt any better physically, or lost any weight, but I wasn’t tired at odd times. I did miss the sugar. In the late afternoons admittedly I foraged through the leftover Easter candy. Not to worry, I confessed to my son. He was glad to share.

As of this posting time, I still haven’t had a soda. Not sure when I will partake. Even as I write this and think of the bubbles and ice dancing in a cup, the straw plunging in and the first draw, AAAAHHHH, I know it’s going to be good!

All the best,

KK