Memorial Day and Marriage

I wanted to write a blog that was uplifting and positive today. I had chosen to write on the general theme of marriage and was pondering what specifically to write about. Of course this is Memorial Day Sunday and thoughts were turned to that too as I sat in church today, saying my prayers, and thanking those who are serving, have served, and who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Later I remembered a beautiful letter a Civil War soldier wrote to his wife as he waited to go to battle. Memorial Day has its beginnings with honoring the fallen from that war. I thought it fitting to include here a part of that letter. Below the letter are 2 links- this portion of the letter which became famous  when used in a Civil War documentary, and the other link which contains the full letter.

July 14,1861
Camp Clark, Washington DC
Dear Sarah:
The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days - perhaps tomorrow. And lest I should not be able to write you again I feel impelled to write a few lines that may fall under your eye when I am no more.
 
I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how American Civilization now leans upon the triumph of the government and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution. And I am willing - perfectly willing - to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this government, and to pay that debt.
 
Sarah, my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me with mighty cables that nothing but omnipotence can break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly with all those chains to the battlefield. The memory of all the blissful moments I have enjoyed with you come crowding over me, and I feel most deeply grateful to God and you, that I have enjoyed them for so long. And how hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes and future years, when, God willing, we might still have lived and loved together, and see our boys grown up to honorable manhood around us.
If I do not return, my dear Sarah, never forget how much I loved you, nor that when my last breath escapes me on the battle field, it will whisper your name...
Forgive my many faults, and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless, how foolish I have sometimes been!...
 
But, 0 Sarah, if the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they love, I shall always be with you, in the brightest day and in the darkest night... always, always. And when the soft breeze fans your cheek, it shall be my breath, or the cool air your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.
 
Sarah do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for me, for we shall meet again...

http://www.jayandmolly.com/ballouletter.shtml
http://www.civilwardads.com/CivilWarArchives/SullivanBallou.htm

Alone in the Car: Children and Adults

This is a favorite theme of mine, so it will probably pop up now and again.
I don't understand why adults think that they are always ahead of the game over children.
I am not talking about the common sense things like driving a car, cooking over a hot stove,
or climbing a ladder. I am talking about things that we learned as children, but discount as adults.

I work in a busy section of town with lots of traffic lights, traffic congestion, and re-routing of traffic due to construction. Multi-lanes of cars go this way and that as they hurry to their destination. Electronic boxes at the intersections have signs: a hand outlined in red for "Stop" and a person in a walking position outlined in white for "Go". Pedestrian traffic are to obey the electronic boxes and/or traffic lights.

Of course, some people do not. They feel they can cross the street at any time in the crosswalk as long as there are no cars. I wait. I wait until the signals and the boxes tell me to go. I do this because I remember what I was taught to do, what is the law, and what I have taught children to obey.

I have often wondered if those hypocritical adults would cross the street if they were holding on to a 3 year old's hand. Would they stop and have the typical conversation/reminder about what the rules are about crossing the street, about being safe? Or would they tell that child there are rules, but they don't have to obey them? Or maybe the child is old enough to know and asks why they are not waiting for the light to turn?

Children get it right. We got it right once too. And it is o.k. to do the right thing now.

All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I
learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school
mountain, but there in the sandpile at Sunday School. These are the things
I learned:

Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life--learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing
and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands, and
stick together.
Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: The
roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but
we are all like that.
Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the
Styrofoam cup--they all die. So do we.
And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you
learned--the biggest word of all--LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love
and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.

Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult
terms and apply it to your family life or your work or your government or
your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world
it would be if we all--the whole world--had cookies and milk about three
o'clock every afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or
if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where
they found them and to clean up their own mess.

And it is still true, no matter how old you are-- when you go out into the
world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

--Robert Fulghum

Random Facts Friday May 27, 2011

Hi all,

Here are some facts I have learned.
See if you already know any of them.
Would love to see your comments!

1. I am probably the last one to know--have used frozen bag of peas for the big bumps and bruises, but never thought of freezing the little ketchup/mustard/dressing packets for the little ones with their aches and hurts.

2. This does seem the season for disasters doesn’t it? The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are partnering once again and offering some ideas for businesses.“Businesses have a vital role and putting a disaster plan in motion now will improve the likelihood that your company may recover from a disaster faster.  http://www.ready.gov/business/index.html outlines commonsense measures business owners and managers can take to start getting ready. Go to www.Ready.gov. to learn more.

3. Vinegar and water can take many stains out of carpet.

4. Snakes like to lie on roads during the night in the desert to keep warm since they are cold blooded.

5. Recipe: A little different hot fudge sundae: make cooked chocolate pudding and while warm, pour over vanilla ice cream. Add whipped topping and assorted sprinkles/cherry/etc. and you have a great dessert!

Working Wednesday: Are We Headed Towards Mass Job Turnovers

SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management) recently released a report on higher productivity, higher skills, and preparing for a new hiring cycle now that most companies are feeling secure and consider the Great Recession basically over. The effects will of course last for a long time, but most businesses' bottom line have stabilized.

The part that caught my eye was on turnover. "The most immediate challenge -- but one many employers may not be prepared for -- is the possibility that a large number of their employees may be disengaged and looking to jump ship at the earliest opportunity. One recent study found that one out of three employees hopes to be working elsewhere in the next 12 months. The same report concluded that employers are unaware of this potential flight risk and instead believe that their organizations have maintained strong levels of employee job satisfaction and loyalty. In companies where this kind of disconnect exists, employers may be unprepared for higher than expected turnover rates if the labor market continues to improve."

In my travels I have heard people say that during the Great Recession many employees felt they had two choices: stay at their current employer knowing that more work was coming their way due to layoffs and hence a possible heart attack, or be one of those laid off and out of work and hence homelessness. Granted these are 2 extremes, but that is where many minds were. Heart attacks because of the stress and overwork(and no extra compensation) or laid off and mortgage foreclosure.

So I wasn't really surprised to see that 1 out of 3 are ready to leave as soon as they can. I think that some would anyway now that the crisis is easing up. They had to delay their plans for the usual reasons--too far from home, job didn't match newly acquired college degree as originally thought, spouse got new job, etc. These we can discount.

The ones that I am most concerned about are the ones that the employer took the economic situation and used to their advantage. They gave no motivation to the employees, no "Atta -boys/girls", no thanks for staying through the tough times, no rewards/awards/brains need a break too times. They just implied that you work or I can find someone else who will. Maybe like the report said, they truly believed they treated their employees well. I have not heard of many companies who did.

The report mentioned there were companies that did keep up training because they knew sooner or later they would get out of their slump and they needed their team to be ready and sharp. Kudos to those businesses who demonstrated respect and a panoramic view to their employees. You have got to see the big picture in order to organize and prepare the detailed one right in front of you. Best success to you in the coming months.

Is your business prepared for job turnovers? Is your business cluster going to be going through a minor/major adjustment? Are most of your employees planning to stay? As an employee are you planning to look for another job? If so, why?  Would be glad to hear what your thoughts are about this part of our economic recovery.

A simple nursery song

 This song was sung to me by my mother when I was a child and now is being passed down to the next generations. I tried to look up its origin, but I could not find out, other than it is in the public domain:
Tell me why the stars do shine,
Tell me why the ivy twines,
Tell me why the skies are blue,
And I will tell you just why I love you.

Because God made the stars to shine,
Because God made the ivy twine,
Because God made the sky so blue,
Because God made you, that's why I love you.

It has a very simple, soothing tune. I have watched as little ones relax and seem to understand the words. It can be part of the bedtime routine. I like to take the toddlers and look out the window and say goodnight to all the animals, seen or unseen - we start with the usual ones one might find in the neighborhood like a cat, dog, bird; then we move on to the barnyard animals such as the horse, cow, pig; and next we say good night to some zoo animals such as the elephant, giraffe, and panda bear.  A prayer is said thanking God for the family members and ask that He watch over them while they sleep. And then I sing a couple of songs, including Tell Me Why. Their bodies stretch out and turn over, their minds drift off to a place where they know they are safe and secure.

I hope you can end your day the same way - saying goodnight through a mental checklist, thanking God for the ones you care about, and perhaps remembering an old tune or church hymn that warms your heart and lets you drift off to sleep.

Alone in the Car: Your Team's Colors

Who is your favorite team? Is it a professional one, or maybe a college team, the local school district, one where you sit in the cheap seats? Maybe it's something else. You ran for Race for the Cure, volunteered for Special Olympics, or got in the water for Swim for Diabetes.

Many of us have clothing and accessory items that remind us of our favorite teams. T shirts are my number one choice for showing my team spirit. I can't stop with one either. Most teams have several colors, ergo several T shirts. But you may pick something else. Maybe long ago you decided that you would collect mugs, pins, autographed posters or photographs. Or perhaps you bought one mug and hence every birthday after that, an instant collection was born. And you didn't even have to say a thing or didn't even think to say anything. Everybody else thought about organizing the collection for you.

You may have several teams you favor and depending on the time of year, etc. you may chose to wear the appropriate piece of clothing that goes with that sport's season. Then of course you have the hat that has been worn so much and fits so well, that it may be worn almost all year round.

I am just about ready to change the artificial flowers in the vase at my office. Why does this connect with team colors? Well, the colors of the flowers represent one of my favorite teams. The season for this team could be year round but it really gets a kick off just about now. I hope everyone has chosen this as one of their favorite teams too. Some true great ones have played at different positions. The colors: Red, White, and Blue.

Random Facts Friday May 20, 2011

Hello all,

These are some random facts.
See how many you already know.

1. From Family Circle: Poultry labeled hormone-free is irrelevant. No artificial hormones are used in any poultry production.

2. Male fireflies during the night will fly about flashing their species specific flash pattern. The female of the same species has usually landed nearby on vegetation close to the ground. If a certain male catches her fancy, she will respond at a fixed time delay after the last male's flash. They chose each other before they even see each other. Does that sound similar to the way some humans chose their mate? Hmmmm.

3. Spring means the animal kingdom gives birth. A bat can live for 30 years, pretty long for a wild animal. They give birth to 1 baby each Spring = 29 bats/30 years. Meadow Voles may only live 1 year. They can have up to 12 litters in that year, with a maximum of 10 each time = 120 voles/1 year. Grizzly Bears can live up to 35 years. They give birth every 3 years, usually 2 cubs each time. Say the female gives birth the last time at 33 years old. 10 x 2 = 20/30 years.

4.Name of animal                       Name of the group
Cheetah                                       Coalition
Gerbil                                                Horde
Cat                                                    Clowder
Guinea Pig                                        Herd

Jaguar                                          Shadow
Water Buffalo                              Pot

5. Recipe: for a quick snack, try pouring salsa over a brick of cream cheese. It could be fun choosing different flavors of salsa with several choices of crackers for a casual time with friends.

Working Wednesday: Summertime Office Wear

The Human Resource Departments must really like the time when temperatures rise outside. It means the water cooler talk turns to what is acceptable clothes to wear in the office. I think H.R. may be the ones who turn down the thermostat so people have to wear winter clothing in the summer, thus avoiding the whole discussion altogether! Are you lucky enough to have doors to the outside close to your desk?
If you are, you can get those rare few weeks in the Spring and Fall, when there is no need for HVAC and you can enjoy what Mother Nature intended - fresh air. Better yet- do you have windows that open? You indeed have a true gift in "office world".

Back to the topic of what to wear during the summer. Men usually have it pretty easy when it comes to dress codes. They may participate in the summer discussion, however, when footwear is discussed.
Can one wear sandals to work? If so, are flip flops and thongs permitted? Can you wear sandals but only if they have straps over the instep, around the ankle, and don't make any noise as you walk down the hall?

And what about the length of a woman's pant leg? Try and define "capri" and "cropped". I looked on-line for some ideas of what each one was and they were all different lengths, even in the same catalog! Even though one could argue they are casual wear, they are longer than skirts. Ah, the dilemma of it all!

I am a bit old fashioned when it comes to summer attire. My pants are ankle length year round. I think it just looks more professional. I think of the others as beach wear, though I have seen others carry it off
very well. I do wear sandals, painted toes always, but no thong or flip flop type.

Manufacturers get one thing right --skirts and dresses.  Now that is one I wish they would have in the stores all year. It is getting harder and harder to find skirts during the winter season. I like to mix up my wardrobe and not wear slacks everyday. Though I would accept a uniform to wear --nice slacks with a golf shirt. A high school did that one time. The students expressed their individuality by wearing crazy socks. Now I like that!

For the Beauty of the Earth

Finally, and I do mean finally, we had a Saturday when the sun shone long enough for those of us
who like to garden were able get out and beautify the yard. Grass was cut, weeds were pulled, dirt was dug, pots were filled, flowers were bought, and baskets were hung.

We also have a small vegetable garden. Through the years we have used the square foot gardening method which has proved pretty successful. We are becoming more organic too, burying certain food scraps in the garden just like previous generations and are going to experiment this year with another fertilizer made from plants, not chemicals (see http://plantibalism.com/ ).


We usually plant the same vegetables as they are the perennial favorites: tomatoes in all their varieties,
zucchini which usually ends up feeding the 5000, green beans, lettuce, and carrots. Some we battle the insects, some we battle the rabbits. Nevertheless, there is nothing like eating the bounty of your own garden.


Not only is there beauty found in my own yard, but I appreciate the beauty found in nature. The shear
magnitude of the fauna and the flora, colors, and organizations, is astounding and peaceful at the same time. I welcome the times when I can go to a park, surround myself by nature, and let the brain truly relax and drift off. Sometimes it leads to quiet moments of pondering, thanksgiving, and praise.
I am grateful for our planet Earth and the wonderful beauties it holds.

Alone in the Car: Gas Prices

I filled up the car on my way home from work this afternoon. Cars were lined up out into the street to get the $3.89/gallon price. Drivers considered this price a deal they could not pass up!

I just truly do not understand why we are buying a product we need from outside our own country?
Gasoline is not a "want" but a "need". Why can't we just use our own gas resources? Why do we have to buy it from someone else?

Brookings Institution released a study today on mass transit. One of the statistics: nearly 70 percent of metropolitan residents live in neighborhoods with access to transit service, but only about 30 percent of metro jobs are accessible through these mass transit systems. These 100 top metropolitan cities make up 65 percent of the nation’s population and are responsible for 75 percent of its economic output. Linking transit and jobs will be a critical step in achieving sustainability. For more information see: http://thecityfix.com/brookings-institution-transit-and-jobs-in-metropolitan-america/

I guess I qualify as having access to a transit service. Two buses come for the morning commute and 2 buses for the way back home. That is it. Other parts of the city have buses that run all day long. My schedule is flexible and so I use the bus when I can, which is not very often.

Some pondering questions:
1. Do our leaders want us to use only mass transit? Tell that to the people who live in small communities.
2. Do our leaders want us to buy foreign oil and not drill for ours, thus continuing conflicts? Wars support an economy. Though Canada, Mexico, and Nigeria export more than Saudi Arabia to us, it is the overall Western dependence of Middle East oil, I guess, is the reason we are there.
3. Why do our leaders want us to suffer economically? My budget is finite. I cannot vote to increase my debt ceiling.

Ok, now let's lighten up. Let's think of some ideas that may still need some work:
1. Mini hot air balloons. They don't have to go around the world, just less than 30 miles one way. Fold up into a knap sack during working hours.
2. Cow manure co-ops. Car engines are adjusted for methane gas.
3. A small solar powered fan on the back of your car which pushes the wind and makes your car go, creating your own jet stream.
What idea do you have?

Random Facts Friday May 13, 2011

Hi all,
Let's see if you know these random facts.
Would love to hear your comments!

1.  This week the Journal of the American Medical Association(JAMA) published a study of 3,681 people that correlated their salt intake with hypertension and cardiovascular disease and death. The results are clear: People with greater salt intake have significantly less heart disease and death from it.

2. More and more people are getting into organic gardening. They want to grown their own food and know their fertilizers are organic too. You can increase crop yields with this organic fertilizer farming technique,http://plantibalism.com/ . You are using plants as food for other plants.

3. Looking for some easy summer reading? Like mysteries? I have the perfect list for you! I just happened to find this website: http://www.cozy-mystery.com/ The one who compiled the list has a couple of criteria --"of the cozy mysteries that I read (usually) take place in a small, picturesque town or village, with characters who I could envision having as neighbors or friends. (Of course, once I find out who the killer is, I wouldn't particularly want that person living next to me!) They are usually not zany people, although an eccentric or two might lurk here and there.  On the whole, they are usually normal, every day characters you might have known at one time in your life.  Cozies don't usually involve a lot of gory details or explicit "adult situations," either. Also, most of the books that I choose to read belong to a series."(Sorry for the bold - comes from the website). I had already read the Brother Cadfael mystery and The Cat Who mystery series before I found this list and saw they qualified, which gave me an idea of the type of books that I could find on the list. Now that it is getting close to Memorial Day, I am getting excited to chose my next series.

4. Almonds are entirely dependent on honeybee pollination. Apples, cherries, and sunflowers are 90% dependent.

5. To store fresh strawberries: Leaving the cap on the berry until just before you use it will make them last longer. Fresh strawberries should be stored in a shallow, airtight container.  Therefore for best quality, rinse right before eating and consume within 24-36 hours of picking, if you are lucky to pick your own!

Working Wednesday: Soft Skills

In just about every business cluster, employers talk about the lack of "soft skills" from their employees.
Soft skills are defined as showing up on time; showing up on time daily; near perfect attendance rate; high responsibility; completing work; completing work on time; dressed appropriately; common courtesy and manners, etc.

Some employers have paid for etiquette lessons for certain levels of their organizations. Some employers pay bonuses for showing up for so many days consecutively. Or likewise, if someone misses so many days, it is an automatic dismissal.

There is another problem some businesses are facing... parents. Parents are showing up with their grown children and filling out the applications; wanting to be part of the interview process; or calling the employer to find out why their son/daughter did not get the job. They call if their grown child is having a problem and they want to resolve it with the boss.

I know a group of people that have excellent soft skills. They have experience in getting up on time every day. Their attendance rate is excellent for long periods of time without immediate rewards. They know how to greet people properly. They stand on their own 2 feet, not needing a parent to fix the situation.

I am speaking of the Ohio Army and Air National Guard members. They leave their loved ones to protect all of us. One of the ways we can say thanks is to see that they are employed and can support themselves and their families. Does your community have a Memorial Day parade? Thank a vet you
can stand on the street and cheer as groups go by.

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all women. Mother's Day of course has the history where a daughter wanted to honor her mother and it became a national tradition. That is a great a idea, in part. I think it is much more and it is my belief that all women are born with a nurturing instinct. I also want to recognize women who helped me as a child but were not my mother: the local librarian, my 6th grade teacher, my Girl Scout leader, and others who set good examples, cared about us children, and taught us something along the way.

Women are nurturers all the time, not just with children. I always say as soon as you get married you better start carrying the "mother" purse. You end up holding his keys, sunglasses, water bottle, to name a few and then he will turn to you and ask if you have medicine for a headache, a tissue, a tape measure, a pen and paper, etc. Just carry a big bag with lots of supplies in it and be assured they will be used.

I pause on days like this and think of the large sisterhood I belong to and am ever grateful for it. So many things I do come from an idea I heard about from another woman. Not just a recipe, but her thought processes, her organizational skills, her priorities. There's another thing--ever hear that you do something just like your mother? What if your mother heard the same thing about the exact same trait coming from her mother? What if...and so forth that if could be traced back to Mother Eve. A pretty incredible woman, Eve. Like some people have a "kick the bucket list", I have a "Heavenly People list" and if I am fortunate to reach Heaven, she is definitely someone I want to chat with. I would thank her for my appreciation of music, for that is what I learned from my mother. Mom taught us the American folklore, patriotic, and earlier songs of her parents' generation. She was a pretty good singer herself. Wonder what trait you would trace back in your maternal genealogy? What ever it is, each woman adds to the bouquet of Mother's Day.

Alone in the Car: Women and the Glass Ceiling

Fortune Magazine is one of my favorites. I just about read it from cover to cover. The March, 2011 issue has an article on page 43 entitled, "Tips for Climbing the Corporate Ladder", by Beth Kowitt. Beth interviewed Linda Hudson, who in 2009 became the first female to head a major U.S. defense company when she was named CEO of BAE Systems, Inc. (I quote from the article). Linda gave 3 tips during
the interview to help other women as they try in their fields to break through the glass ceiling:
1. Stand up for yourself. Do so professionally of course. Make it a matter of the work, not your gender.
2. Project the voice. How does your voice sound to others? Linda took voice lessons. My suggestion - record your voice, listen, practice changing if you need to for large and small audiences.
3. Don't fight the system. Work from within to change things.

This was a great article. AND THEN the magazine ruined the whole thing.
Page 42 is on the left side. The right side, page 43, has 5 models wearing white blouses with one in particular wearing a neckline that touches the bottom of her sternum. This would be questionable at my place of work. The fan blowing the model's hair in front doesn't happen at work either. You look at the drawing of Linda's face and then back at the models. I was so disappointed. Managing Editor of Fortune Magazine: Andy Serwer.

Random Facts Friday May 6, 2011

 Hello all,

These are some facts I picked up this week.
See if you already know them.

1. Your eyes stay the same size from birth to death.

2. I attended a seminar this week where it was stated that 10%
of a company's workforce has significant performance problems.
That statistic has remained constant for years. However, during
the last 18 months, it has gone down to 7%, presumably due to
the economic down turn. People are worried about losing their
jobs and are performing better.

3. A co-worker of mine describes Ohio's 4 seasons:
almost winter, winter, still winter, and construction.

4. There were so many facts about William and Kate's wedding and
life together. My favorite-- they were going to continue to live by
themselves with no staff. Bodyguards yes, staff no. I respect them
for that. This will continue through his tour of duty.

5. I experimented with days old Italian bread loaf that had already
been sliced lengthwise and cut it up into bite size pieces. I placed
them into a glass baking dish with a whipped mixture of 4 eggs,
milk, melted butter, and sugar (be generous). Then I took about
a cup of large blueberries (mine were frozen), and mixed them
into yellow cake mix batter that had been moistened only with
water. I placed the blueberry mixture on top of the bread
pieces and baked it in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
Came out perfect and was scarfed up immediately!

Love to hear your comments and facts you learned this week.

Working Wednesday: Commuting Patterns

The U.S. Census collects data that shows how far people travel to work. Likewise they use the same data to show patterns of travel to work between cities, counties, and so forth. The 2010 census is no different than other census and has collected this data for public information.

This data is very important in my field. It helps county commissioners and other public officials; economic developers; human resource managers and employers; Chambers of Commerce; Port Authorities and Community Improvement Corporations plan and implement business retention and
opportunities in their communities. It also helps consultants as they work on recommendations where
a business may want to expand to a new city.

A personnel director will want to recruit for an open position, spending budget and time in the towns/cities where most people live and travel to the business's city, according to the data information.
A rural town that is trying to attract a new company, can show people from a wide distance are willing to travel to work by using these statistics.

Think about your business cluster. How can commuting pattern information help your company improve it's performance? What about Recruiting? Does the commuting pattern affect start/end time? How about sales - when will be your peak hours? Who will then be your customer? Have you added cost of travel (not only gas, wear and tear of car, but also loss of quality time) as part of your recruiting pitch to work locally?

For commuting patterns with the U.S Census, see: http://lehdmap.did.census.gov/

Advice from Heaven

What if you were able to receive advice from "beyond the veil"
or heaven? A friend of mine believes he can for raising his
children. It is that important to him. He wants to do the right thing
and he recognizes the next generation will one day be the leaders
and parents themselves. He takes his responsibility very seriously. 

I thought about what I would like to be able to receive advice
about from beyond the veil. Would I pray about helping the next
generation or something else? That is an excellent choice. Right
now though, the thing that is on my mind is "intensity" vs. "peace".
We are bombarded constantly. T.V. screens have running boards
at the bottom; sporting events have screens, music, announcements;
grocery stores have screens at the check-outs; and restrooms at
the malls have advertisements in the stalls. Can't I do anything
in peace?! I regard myself as a person who looks for the good,
and I find that intensity affects those around me. They are stressed,
talk in negatives, and have a hard time accepting others' opinions. I
have decided to make sure to stay as peaceful and positive as I can,
pray for help to do so, and to demonstrate it at the right place
and time.

What would you choose if you could go beyond the veil to get
advice? Would love to hear from you and your reason why.