March 2009 Archives

Most Americans do like to have fun. And with so many cultures, backgrounds and nationalities in this country, we have many excuses to party.

Take St. Patrick's Day.  I'm not Irish. I'm not Catholic. But you can bet I wore green today.

In the Roman Catholic diocese of Ireland, March 17 is a holy day.  It's a memorial to a man who converted thousands to Christianity, and the day signifies the importance of this work within that particular religion.

So what about those of us who are not fond of some guy insisting his religion is the righteous one?  What are we doing celebrating St. Patrick's Day?  Is it just an excuse to drink? 

No. St. Patrick's Day may have a deep meaning for some, but for the rest, it has simply become a celebration of everything Irish.

And why not celebrate a culture of hearty stew, red hair, and tiny, lucky, forest-dwelling guardians of pots of gold? The Irish American story is riddled with pain and hardship.  They endured and prospered and have become guardians of the pot of gold that is their culture and ancestry. So we raise a glass to toast to them.  We thank them for their laughter, their beer, and their police and fire protection.

Many St. Patrick's Day celebrants are no more Christian on March 17 than they are on December 25. What matters is that we have found common ground: an excuse to lighten up and have some fun.

The reasons why we celebrate may be different for each of us, and it is important for tradition and culture's sake to remember WHY we celebrate. But in my book, a membership card is not required for admittance to the party.

Did you wear green on St. Patrick's Day?

How do you know when you've done enough?

We're regularly told that if we are not working, moving forward, challenging ourselves, then we aren't living a full life. I don't argue that hard work is rewarded, but if that's the only message, then how do we know when we're done.

The clock can be an effective motivator.  I work most efficiently when under a deadline.  But time should not be a dictator.

There are plenty of moments in life when others are depending on me to meet their schedule. On the occasions when I need only answer to myself, I must be careful to ask the right question.  I can look at it two ways: "What do I realistically want to accomplish today?" OR "How much can I get done in the few hours I have?"

There's a big difference.  Say you are painting the outside of your entire house.  Knowing you can't get it all done in one day, you set a goal to get to the first corner -- a good stopping place that won't matter if you don't leave a wet edge.

Suppose the project takes less time than expected.  Do you keep working because the clock says so?  What happens then?  You continue past the goal, and you run out of materials because you didn't plan to paint so much in one day.  You start getting tired and agitated and things begin to go wrong. The day ends with a half-finished mess of a wall and you smack yourself for being such a poor painter.

Back up to the corner.  What if you let your goals dictate when you're finished? You decide to stop and reward yourself for a job well done.  Not only is the wall finished quicker than planned, it looks darn nice.  There's plenty of time to properly cleanup and prepare for another good day tomorrow.  Then you plop down in a comfy chair with a cold glass in hand.

Having a realistic goal is the first step.  But remember, you are in control; not the clock.  Only you can say when you're done.  Only you can make non-work a priority for your own sanity.

Who rules your house: you or your clock?

So many of us wish away the end of winter. Meanwhile, we lose out on a great opportunity to prepare for spring.

Before we know it, we'll have too much to do. The days of chopping wood will be replaced with trimming bushes, spreading mulch, mowing grass, and even painting shutters.

Spring can be a pleasant experience, a chance to take in some sunshine and get the house looking spiffy again. But if your tools aren't ready for the job, it can be a frustrating mess.

Now is the time to take advantage of that spring fever and get your tools ready for some hard work. Replace broken handles. Prepare to tune up the lawn mower. Order the worn out grill parts. Address all the things that weren't properly put away in the fall.

"Clean tools do more work with less labor." - Living the Good Life, Helen & Scott Nearing

Are you ready for spring?