CHANGES ... A LOOK AT THINGS THAT HAVE BECOME OBSOLETE

By Vernalee

I recently came across an article that made me go, “um.” So many innovations have made a number of items of old obsolete. Here are a number of those old versus new contemporary items that made me think about the past and how it use to be. Take a glimpse: 1. Walking someone to the airport gate. Not anymore. That’s a step of the past. 2. Pushing the rewind button to record. Now there’s Netflix’s. 3. Smoking in public places. That’s a no-no. You can’t light up anymore; not publicly that is. 4. Recording songs on a cassette tape. Do they still sell those apparatuses? 5. Paying with a personal check. Plastic is king and on line payments rule. Lest not forget Apple Pay. 6. Using a physical map. Why figure it out when GPS can make even geographical challenged people like me worry free as it takes us to our destinations? 7. Not keeping up with technology. Even Grandma texts/emails and surfs the internet. Almost everyone does. 8. Getting film developed. Taking photographs with your phone is so much easier and cheaper. Let’s look at some other items that are gone or slowing fading in the sunset. 1. VCR’s and VHS’s. 2. Travel Agents. 3. Bookstores. 4. Watches. 5. Classifieds in the newspaper. 6. Dial up internet or wired connections. 7. Encyclopedias. 8. CD’s. 9. Land line telephones. 10. Yellow Pages. 11. Address Books. 12. Handwritten letters. 13. Catalogs. 14. Fax Machines. 15. Typewriters. 16. Public pay phones. 17. Record stores. 18. Long distance phone charges. 19. Movie rental stores. 20. Bills in the mail. In our reach are iPods, iPads, Travelocity, Google, and other items whose buttons we can push and have the answers/results at our fingertips in seconds. My ...have times changed. If we are to stay current, we must change too!

We have become a click, click society as our fingers do the clicking on our computers and other technological devices.

Photo credit: www.interestingengineering.com

THE BALL IS IN YOUR COURT

By Vernalee

If the ball is in your court, it is up to you to make the next decision or step. You can pass the ball, throw it, kick it, bounce it, run with it, strike out, or hit a home run. You can even leave the ball on the court. It’s your call; your choice. The consequences also belong to you. There is no dribbling around it! You have the option to be the coach, player, or referee. You are in control as long as you have the ball. Where am I going with all of this? Basically, it’s up to you to determine your outcomes. Therefore, play to win! To assure favor, work from your court, a place of familiarity; a place that drives you; motivates you; and mobilizes you to success. Utilize and maximize your home court advantage! Those who sit at court side may or may not cheer you on! Does it matter? Understand this. You matter! You are in the game; they are sitting. Don’t let your guards down. Make the winning shot. Know your opponent. Angle the ball with great precision. Swish! Shoot; Nothing but nets! Victory is great; it’s therapeutic. Stay in the game. You can’t win if you don’t play. I stick by my motto, “If it is to be it’s left up to me!” Photo credit: speakuplondon

ARE YOU WALKING ON A TIGHTROPE WITHOUT A NET

By Vernalee

Are you a risky daredevil or do you take calculated steps? It is better to be safe than sorry! Agreed?

An associate recently recognized that his

recent venture had him freehandedly “walking a tightrope without a net!” Strangely, he did not realize that his journey was net-less as he was so entrenched that he had not taken the time to look down. Fear ...he didn’t have at the time!

Sometimes, what you don’t see or know conceal the negative consequences. However, once the wool is pulled away, the dangers become conspicuously obvious. When that happened, it was then that his after thought led him to say, “How could I have done such a thing? I’m smarter than that! I need to count my blessings that I walked away in one piece.”

Afterwards, the negative realities stared him directly in his face. The realization of not having a safety net was akin to being in the middle of the lake with no paddle! To survive, refocusing was necessary.

Gasping we say, “Whew!”

What was he thinking?

Don't judge!

Many of us have been in similar spots. Think about it.

Was it a position that you were totally unprepared to assume? Was it a risky relationship? Was it a match not made in Heaven and you proceeded anyway? Was it a financial move that you knew that you couldn’t afford but did anyway? Were you trying to keep up with the Joneses when you didn’t have the Joneses’ money?

Sometimes, no matter how thorough, we cannot always calculate the risks. What steps should we take?

We can regroup and reset the buttons. We can closely examine the precautionary warning signals that implied trust or bad judgment convinced us to remove. We can make the necessary changes by becoming equipped with armors of courage, strength, resources, and knowledge to be prepared to walk into greener pastures with keener vision, balance and wisdom. After all, we are “the masters of our fate; the captains of our souls.”

Finally, a safety net may not be a bad idea!

Having something or someone to catch you is better than landing on the ground. It just makes good sense. Right?

Photo credit: freeart.com