Failure Is Not the Same as Quitting

I consider myself to be fairly successful in life. I’ve worked hard, been smart, and pushed when the going got tough. I know that success isn’t a straight road, and that along the way, there can be a lot of bumps and potholes. But I believe that pushing through is what leads to success.

Sure, I know that sometimes there are detours. But we need to keep going towards our destination rather than turning back or quitting. I believe that failing at something is merely a set-back, and that failing is not the same as quitting! You might be familiar with the quote by Thomas Edison, inventor of the light bulb, who said: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” read more

Four Elements Of Success

Success isn’t easy. It takes focus, hard work and long-term effort, but you can get started by concentrating on these four elemental building blocks of success:

* Have strong belief. You can’t just hope you’ll achieve your goals. You have to be absolutely convinced that you’re capable of success.

* Be better than everyone else. This requires total commitment. If you’re not willing to do the work necessary to achieve greatness, you’ll have to settle for second best. Be prepared to get up early, work late, listen to mentors and critics, and make hard choices. read more

Sweet Charlie Chews


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“Ham It Up” Quiche


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Giving flowers? Know the messages they send.

Here are a few to keep in mind. Whether you’re buying flowers to brighten a summer table or special night out, remember that flowers have special meanings. Here are a few to keep in mind:

Carnation: constancy, joy
Chrysanthemum: optimism, hope, happiness
Daisy: purity, loyalty, innocence
Freesia: trust
Gladiola: remembrance
Iris: faith, wisdom, promise
Larkspur: appreciation
Lily: devotion
Orchid: love, beauty
Rose (pink): sweetness
Rose (red): true love, desire
Rose (white): true love, purity
Rose (yellow): friendship
Snapdragon: virtue
Tulip: love at first sight read more

Mistakes Can Be Portals of Discovery

Imagine an organization as a ship sailing on the ocean. All of the personnel on board, have one over-arching responsibility: Do not make a hole in the ship!

When working above the waterline, however, making a mistake and creating a hole in the side of the ship will have no serious consequences. We’ll have the time to repair the hole, learn and sail on. Below the waterline, an action that creates a hole could, quite literally, sink us.

Business Insider identified these 3 inventions that started as above-the-waterline “mistakes” and had below-the-waterline impact: read more

The Iconic Maypole

May 1st in many countries is called May Day, an informal spring festival, usually celebrated in smaller villages with dancing, drinking, and competitive games.

One of the most iconic parts of a May Day celebration is the Maypole dance, which features young girls with flowers in their hair, dancing around a tall pole, each holding a ribbon attached to the pole. The youngest girls dance in an inner circle while the older girls dance in an outer circle, intertwining and plaiting the ribbons as they circle the pole. They then unravel the ribbons by retracing their steps. read more

The Taxi Driver’s Story

I want to share a story with you that touched me deeply, reminding me to slow down and focus on doing things that are really important. This is a true story, written by a NYC taxi driver:

I arrived at the address and honked the horn. After waiting a few minutes I honked again. Since this was going to be the last ride of my shift I thought about just driving away, but instead I put the car in park and walked up to the door and knocked. “Just a minute,” answered a frail, elderly voice.

After a long pause, the door opened. A small woman in her nineties stood before me. She was wearing a print dress and a pillbox hat with a veil pinned on it, like somebody out of a 1940’s movie. By her side was a small nylon suitcase. The apartment looked as if no one had lived in it for years. All the furniture was covered with sheets. read more

DIY Home Maintenance That Saves $

* Plumbing Repairs: While plumbing can be a pain in the neck (literally), most people are perfectly capable of making simple repairs, like replacing a leaky faucet or broken sprinkler head. Potential annual savings: $100 to $1,000 for typical repairs.

* Pest Control: Using approved chemicals and methods that you can look up online, you can treat your own house for insects and rodents. Savings: Up to $50/mo, or $600/yr.

* Painting: If careful, you can tape and edge like a painting professional. Savings: $400 to $1,500 for typical interior paint jobs. read more

A Different Kind of Spring Cleaning

Spring is nearly here, and for many people that means spring cleaning. It means tossing away old clothes, moving the furniture and mopping unseen places, washing hand and nose prints off the windows, scrubbing walls, and perhaps painting or redecorating.

But there’s another kind of spring cleaning, a kind that could do more to spruce up our lives and brighten our day than any other kind of cleaning. What if we spring cleaned our relationships, too, this season?

What if we scrubbed the stains off of our marriages, our relationships with our children, our co-workers, bosses, and friends? What if we mopped up the messes we’ve made and wiped off the dirt we’ve allowed to build up? read more