Tag Archive "mark-pavilons"

We have to combine resources and eliminate hate

Of all the beautiful emotions and reactions that our species is capable of, hatred reigns. It has been with us, like some unshakable callous, for millennia. It may very well be our undoing. Despite cries from prophets, seers and leaders of all shapes and sizes, this one aspect of humankind is most disturbing. And it seems it’s always there, like a dark shadow, right behind us.

Customer ‘disservice’ quickly getting old

In commerce, it was once believed that the “customer was always right.” To an extend that holds true today. Of course, customers are not always right, but to ensure good relations, customers are given the benefit of the doubt. They are treated well, to ensure a return visit. In most cases at retail and fast food outlets, customer complaints are quickly dealt with. I have witnessed many over the years, but few have ever escalated to full-scale shouting matches. That’s something we all want to avoid.

Gizmos cause us a multitude of frustrations

Things that are annoying usually stay that way. If you think about it, almost all of the frustrating gizmos, contraptions, machines and items have inherent weaknesses. They are prone to failure, just like us. We modern-day consumers believe that when we plunk down our money on a new gizmo, it should serve us for years to come. Alas, feeble humans, we are doomed by our own creations.

New words spoiling the language

There are more than one million distinct words in the English language. Most of use only 25,000 words on a regular basis. And yet, we keep adding to the list and making our trusty dictionaries that much larger. There are a few that make me cringe, every time I hear or read them.

Can we ever really ‘get it right’ in our lives?

After all these years, I still don’t know if I’ve gotten it right. I shed tears instead of burdens. Behind my smiles and smirks are other things, dark things, nagging things. Last week I received some positive news about my health, but surprisingly, I didn’t know what to do with that information. Should I celebrate? Should I be relieved? I almost felt lost, without such a burden hanging over me. Now what do I do?

Let’s spread the concept of long-living ‘blue zones’

The key to longevity, according to Carl Reiner, is to interact with other people. Turns out he was right. And comedian George Burns, who made it to 100, once said the key to longevity is avoiding stress, worry and tension. Turns out he was right, too.

Home ownership requires a certain handiness

t’s been said that if your man isn’t handsome, he better be handy! Our species has succeeded and evolved, largely because we have hands, fingers and a decent-sized brain. We can conceptualize, design, build and create. It remains our strength over our fellow mammals on this planet. Imagine if our simian cousins could build structures and tools? That’s definitely a new Planet of the Apes movie to be sure.

A cancer journey changes you forever

It’s been said when you experience two things – love and grief – it changes you and you are never the same. I would add cancer to that list. Cancer changes you forever, mentally and physically. It’s like you’re constantly running away from danger and always looking over your shoulder for something that could harm you.

Perception of time varies among creatures

Most of us know that “time keeps on slippin,’ slippin,’ slipping’ into the future,” but its speed depends entirely what you are. We humans have a pretty good grasp on the passage of time, too good, in fact. We measure our hours, minutes, days, months and years by our orbit around the sun. Our concept of time only applies here on earth and no where else in the universe do our minutes apply.

Humans have the itch to travel and explore

Theo was spot on with many of his tidbits that he shared with generations of readers. “We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment,” read a mural at Hamilton International Airport. I saw the quote when I picked up my eldest from a short trip to Alberta to visit her cousin. Lexie is the world traveller of our family and “oh the things she has seen.” She’s been to Europe, New York and LA. She did humanitarian work in Rwanda and Kenya. She’s done work in Guatemala and spent time in a small fishing village.

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