California freeways

Anyone who has traveled California freeways understands the peculiar effect one person applying the brakes unnecessarily can have. It can cause a traffic jam 10 miles in back of them … not affecting them one iota; but causing no less a great potential for danger.

Oftentimes, we don’t understand the effects of our actions until they are brought to our attention. When someone lovingly appeals for you to change the way you operate to reduce the potential for harm, and we reject them out of hand, minimize the possible effects, or ignore them.

The analogy reminds me of a safe driver, who is probably going the speed limit maybe even a little slower than the flow of traffic, and here are all these drivers behind them trying to have patience with the safe driver in front of them, some will ride their bumper, others just lose it and fly around them, but here is all this stuff happening a lot of accidents caused because this person perceives himself as a safe driver, but wreaks havoc along the way unaware what has happend behind him.

— contributed

May I bring my dog?

A man wrote a letter to a small hotel in a Midwest town he planned to visit on his vacation.

He wrote, “I would very much like to bring my dog with me. He is well groomed and very well behaved. Would you be willing to permit me to keep him in my room with me at night?”

An immediate reply came from the hotel owner, who said, “I’ve been operating this hotel for many years. In all that time, I’ve never had a dog steal towels, bedclothes, silverware or pictures off the walls. I’ve never had to evict a dog in the middle of the night for being drunk and disorderly and
I’ve never had a dog run out on a hotel bill.

Yes, indeed, your dog is welcome at my hotel. And, if your dog will vouch for you, you’re welcome to stay here, too.”

Emotional bank account

Six ways to make deposits to build an emotional bank account:
1. Empathize
2. Remember the Little Things
3. Keep Commitments
4. Clarify and Fulfill Expectations
5. Be Loyal
6. Sincerely Apologize When You Make a Mistake
— Stephen R. Covey

Behavior and positive reinforcement

Perhaps we’re familiar with the term “positive reinforcement”. This is a technique used in training animals to perform tricks and stunts.

The idea is to reward desired behavior and not punish by yelling or treating them badly when they don’t perform, just withhold whatever “treat” is being used to reinforce the good behavior.

For instance killer whales are trained in that manner. Ropes are used to encourage the animals to jump higher and higher. When they do as requested they get a “treat” such as a belly rub which they dearly love.

Whey they don’t do as requested, no belly rub, no “atta boy”, no treats.

Now, remember, we’re not advocating belly rubs when publishers do well, but commendation is certainly in order. And yelling at sheep does not make them respond well.

So keep up the good work and reinforce positively your brothers’ and sisters’ good behavior.

Some golden rules

1. If you open it, close it.
2. If you turn it on, turn it off.
3. If you unlock it, lock it.
4. If you break it, fix it.
5. If you can’t fix it, call in someone who can.
6. If you borrow it, return it.
7. If you use it, take care of it.
8. If you make a mess, clean it up.
9. If you move it, put it back.
10. If it belongs to somebody else and you want to use it, get permission. 11. If you don’t know how to operate it, leave it alone.
12. If it doesn’t concern you, don’t mess with it!

The parrot

A young man named John received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird’s mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity. John tried and tried to change the bird’s attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to “clean up” the bird’s vocabulary.

Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder. John, in desperation, threw up his hand, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly there was total quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he’d hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer.

The parrot calmly stepped out onto John’s outstretched arms and said “I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I’m sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior.”

John was stunned at the change in the bird’s attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird continued, “May I ask what the chicken did?”