"Making people believe the unbelievable is no trick; it's work...Belief and reader absorption come in the details: An overturned tricycle in the gutter of an abandoned neighborhood can stand for everything." -Stephen King

Monday, April 28, 2014

Social media overload

I don't know about all of you, but I find myself suffering from "Social Media Overload" these days. It's a common condition, I'm sure; prevalent among most people. Although, I don't think the young kids and teenagers will feel the effects until college or after. But within my unorganized life , it's a condition I find myself in constantly.

The need to plug in to the social sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Goodreads, to name just a few, can be very overpowering at times. It's almost like a Death Eater; just waiting in the shadows to suck the life out of you and leave you feeling drained.

I have come to the conclusion that if I intend to get anything done in the mornings at my "real job" or at writing, I can not surf the net until I have accomplished those certain goals. SO, my next "Note to Self" is to put together a list and schedule of what I want to accomplish with my writing and "miscellaneous" in order to reach my publishing goals. And, trust me, surfing the numerous social networking sites will be at the bottom of the list.

Now, don't get me wrong. I know there will be times that I need to get on FB or to post something that I feel is vitally important, BUT I have decided to not "Start" my day surfing the net. It's unhealthy for me and puts me in a certain FUNK. Maybe it's the same for you. If so, do what I'm going to do, stay off the net until you accomplish certain goals you have set for yourself that day, and  THEN go and play. Isn't that what we always tell our kids. "Get your homework done first, THEN you can go and watch that movie or go outside."

Well, I think that policy should work for adults, too. What do you think? Join me! Make that list. Write out those goals and schedules and accomplish what you have set out to accomplish. Strike when your energy is HOT and save the surfing for when you're "done with your homework".

Monday, April 7, 2014

10 Commandments of Human Relations

I came across this article the other day. It was laminated and the paper was a discolored yellow. My mother had given it to me many years ago. She was, and still is, good at clipping out little articles and tidbits of information. Sometimes her motive was to help me with struggles I might be having at the time and sometimes they were just little pieces of information regarding every day life. I love her for it and have kept so many of these little pieces of paper she has given me through the years.

This one I felt particularly drawn to post. If you can achieve these in any consistency throughout your life, you are doing very well and can consider yourself an extremely decent human being.

Ten Commandments of Human Relations

1. Speak to people. There is nothing so nice as a cheerful word of greeting.

2. Smile at people. It takes 72 muscles to frown, only 14 to smile.

3. Call people by name. The sweetest music to anyone's ears is the sound of his/her own name.  (had to add the "her" as this article was probably from back in the 70s when the press wasn't so eager to make a statement, coed)

4. Be friendly and helpful. If you want friends, you must be one.

5. Be cordial. Speak and act as if everything you do is a joy to you.

6. Be genuinely interested in people. You can like almost everybody if you try.

7. Be generous with praise and cautious with criticism.

8. Be considerate with the feelings of others. There are usually three-sides to a controversy: yours, the other fellow's and the right side.

9. Be eager to lend a helping hand. Often it is appreciated more than you know. What counts most in life is what we do for others.

10. Add to this a good sense of humor, a huge dose of patience and a dash of humility. This combination will open many doors, and the rewards will be enormous.