For the town in Michigan known as Belding, saving time is critical for their self image.  You see, Belding, Michigan got its very name by honoring the Belding family; they built a business with their silk mills and thereby, provided a way of life for those who chose to live along the banks of the river.  These days, there is not much use for the structures except for its very image; which many use in their letterheads or in their desire for buying or selling collectibles.  This historic structure needs some upkeep done soon to preserve not only it’s history; but, to carry it into the next generation.

Many people are unaware that Electrolux recently repurchased the existing buildings with the intention of tearing down the remaining silk mill buildings, as well as the clock tower.  This is heartbreaking for those past and present residents of Belding.  Removing the buildings would not only change the face of the small town; but, it would create a hole in the patchwork of historical buildings of the area and diminish the importance of the contribution that the Belding brothers brought to the area.  The brothers created a rich legacy through their silk mill operation and through their contributions to the town known as Belding today.

How does one go about determining the value of preserving history and its impact on the future?  I mean, think about it…everyone values these things differently.  However, when there is a rising up of a collective outcry from not only residents of the community but those in surrounding areas; one would think that some kind of effort could be made by a corporation as large and industrious as Electrolux.  They are a corporation that prides itself on sustainability.

My online dictionary says this about sustainability:

        What’s the difference you ask?  Well, spending your time, energy and money without regard for a return on your spending is wasteful.  On the other hand, investing your time, energy and money towards achieving your goal has an expectation of growth or an achievement of some kind.

          When you set goals or mini goals…it is a way of measuring your progress.  If you just wing it as you go…your hopes and dreams have less of a chance for success.  You can always tweak your goals or plan if things start to take a detour…but, if you just let things go in whatever direction the wind blows you will end up chasing rainbows.  While it may be pretty and enjoyable…it may not serve you in the end.  Whatever your purpose is in life…construct a plan of action and put it in force-that way you will not find yourself in the position of having to regret not finding a way to make it happen!

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         Memories are important…and while this child does not and will not remember his birthday…he will associate his life with his mother’s death at some point in the future.  It is important for those around him to tell him how much his mother wanted him, loved him and looked forward to being his parent.  But just as important for his well being, is to teach him to love life, to honor the gift of his life and to live his life in a way that celebrates the life that his mother was able to give him; living in joy and purpose.  It will be harder on those who knew his mother, who lost her and who grieve the loss of her life  at the hands of someone who either cared less about it, or was ill enough to take the life of another, simply to meet her own wants and desires.  They will definately be grieving ,while at the same time trying to raise this child in love.

         So, it will be very important that the child’s grandparents, friends and other family members are careful in how they present the facts to him as he grows up.  The memories that they share will him about his mother must be handled carefully so that he doesn’t grow up feeling like he needs to apologize for living and breathing, and feeling guilty for living when his mother has lost her life.  It was not his fault that another human being killed his mother to get him.   He has to know, when he is capable of understanding, that evil exists in the world, sickness exists in the world…but it doesn’t have to destroy him  or scar who he becomes  because evil touched his life at the very beginning.  The best revenge is to live a life that is full of purpose, passion and praise for all things good and beautiful.

          Sorting through the memories and giving the good to this child is going to be one of the most powerful things that they can do for him and his mother.  They will be the conduit through which he comes to know his mother and her love for him.    Sorting through the memories and discarding those which will cause him harm or excessive pain will be important too.  There are some details that he should not grow up knowing.  He should not be exposed to the horrible way in which his mother died.   She would want him to grow and experience all the best that life has to offer. 

          We all grow up with what we know to be true; which helps us to form our basic personality and approach to life.  If he can grow up to be an emotionally healthy person who lives surrounded with love he can have something close to the life that I am sure his mother wanted for him to have.    I know that as he celebrated his first birthday…his loved ones also mourned the loss of his mother.  I feel strongly for them.  On the other hand, it is a gift that she left them; her son lives…and through him…they still have a part of her.   Happy Birthday little man…I hope you have lots of happy birthdays.   May they have a loving, healthy life together!

         My daughter had 3 children in a fairly short period of time.  The youngest is about 5 months old (and teething at present time).  So when she said, the other day, how would you like to take the two older children for a day or two?  I said oh yeah.  She could use some much needed rest…and, I could have some fun.

          So tonight, I added a 2 year old and a 4 year to my already busy household of a 10 year old, a 17 year old, an 18 year old and a 19 year old.  Ahhhhh busy-ness.  So in preparation, I made a double- batch of home-made play dough.  I cooked,  baked and I planned us a time of over- night bliss.  We’re having a campout in the living room with a video marathon.  LOL  I told them, at bedtime, we could all make nests in the living room with our sleeping bags and watch their favorite movies.   His is CARS and hers, is Hannah Montanna.    Oh boy, what have I gotten myself into?  That is a long time to watch movies… I do love CARS though. 

        In the meantime, we have played on the swing set, rode bikes on the driveway…looked in on the baby chicks and the watched the fish in the pond.  A few minutes ago….they were dragging out their sleeping bags, their stuffed toys, and asking when it would be bed time.  Hahahahahah…their mother would be very un-impressed that they are in a hurry to go to bed at grandma’s house.  Not because I have the magic touch; oh no, it is because they can’t wait to watch the movies; now that their bellies are full…and they are anticipating the joy of sleeping on the floor and having fun.  I hate to tell their mother that it is only 7:15 pm.   They never want to go to bed early, just like most kids.  I should suggest a campout to their mom; for the days when they are giving her a hard time.   You know the kind of really loooooooooooong days that every family experiences, at one time or another as the children are growing up. 

        All of this day’s events have been celebrated amongst laughter and giggling.  I love this.  I’ve been a grandma a long time…and, it never gets old.   The only thing better, would be if all of the grandkids were here together!  Woohoo…then we would have a grand time for sure.    So, that had me thinking about a really sad (and angering) news story that I read about yesterday. 

          The story revolved around a 21 year old woman (old enough to know better-old enough to be ashamed of herself) who was caught prank calling her, own 69 year old, grandmother and allegedly threatening to kill her.  The young woman and a “friend” allegedly called the grandmother 45 times in the same day… allegedly saying things like, they were watching her and that she was going to die. 

          When the police got involved…they too, heard the female caller.  The young womans alleged explanation to the investigators was that she was “bored and she wanted to scare the grandmother…not kill her”.    I don’t know if there is any kind of mental illness involved, or any other kind of explanation for such behavior; but, I can never imagine having a relationship, with the children of my children, that would leave room for that kind of treatment.  It is an awful thing to even consider.

          I don’t imagine that grandmother ever considered such a thing happening in her family either.  Imagine standing in a hospital room, looking down at your newborn grandchild and envisioning a future where your grandchild could do such of a thing to you.  It is heartbreaking…where is the natural connection between one generation to another?  Our society is  breaking down in ways that a compassionate heart can not imagine.  We are becoming a nation of selfish and cruel people; when this kind of thing, and worse, happens between people who are supposed to love and support one another.    It begs the question, is time with the grandkids  found to be filled with an attitude of  love, indifference, insensitivity, or is it hate?   What is happening, or not happening, that is allowing some of the younger generation to be insensitive to the needs and feelings of the elders in our society?  Is anyone else shocked by some of the things that are happening in our country, even within our own families?  Elder abuse is becoming more common and it is wrong!

         I have listened to news reports that have made a mockery out of the trauma that they are going through by covering each and every mundane thing that they do together and seperately with the children.   It is unfortunate, but this happens to millions of families around the world every day; it isn’t meant for public consumption.   Lately,the media reports was all about suspected infidelity and book tours.  Now in the last week or two, “the announcement” of a life changing decision was used to build up suspense for the weekly show.  For real, people…doesn’t it feel a little like being a spectator for a disaster?  Waiting and wondering how things are going to unfold, who will come out a survivor, and then, what paths each individual will take on their journey if, this all ends badly? 

         What started out as a show of entertainment and a way to support their family has consummed them.  The publicity has to have turned into a kind of sword that now is only causing more pain.   I can’t help it, i wouldnt watch the show….not because they are not interesting, not because i have taken sides with one or the other of the couple…but, merely because I do not consider this to be entertainment…i happen to think that by watch the show we are actually becoming part of the problem and hurting them as a family.  Please, let them heal in their own way…out of the eyes of the viewers.

         Kate’s own brother and sister in law are begging people to stop watching the show out of concern for each of the family  members.  I am sorry, but Jon and Kate Plus Eight is no longer entertainment…it is a family tragedy!  There are people who love and care about what happens to each of them and this is painful to watch.    Are we going to be forced to hear in the media of divisions of their property, custody issues over the children, visitation difficulties and blending of families sometime into the future of this family when and if they decide to move on with other relationships?  Really, can’t we all just stop paying attention in this obsessive way and respect them enough to let them work out family issues in private to minimize damage to one another, the children and the friends and extended family members?    Should people watch or stop watching this show; what is your opinion?

          It used to be that people never gave it a second thought.  They would do one of two things; either they would dump them down the sink or flush the down the drain, or they would throw them away in the trash.   Both of those methods can be dangerous.  We now know that medications are getting into our sources of water and contaminating the water supply of our nations.  We must be wiser in how we dispose of unwanted or unused medicines.

           There are some things that you can do.  First off, if your medication is an antibiotic…finish the perscription unless you have developed an allergic reaction to it.  Dont save it.  Never give your medication to another person.  Consult with your doctor or pharmacist when that situation occurs.    Truly, modern medicine is a miracle.  Medications have the ability to help save lives like never before…however, some of them have devastating effects or consequences for those who are exposed to the if they are not needed.   Extra care must be taken when handling some of these powerful medications.  We dont know the long term effects of being exposed to unnecessary medications or residual medications that have found their way into our environment.

            If your doctor changes your perscription to another medication and your perscription is not usuable….then it is best to dispose of the medication so that no one else accidently gets their hands on it.  Medication is powerful stuff and taken by the wrong person or if accidently ingested by a child or a pet it could cause serious harm or deaths. 

              Knowing what we know now about the importance of living in a more green fashion and taking care of our earth…we must be very careful how we dispose of the medicines that we no longer use.  Simply dumping them in the garbage can to go and sit in a landfill isn’t all that great of an idea either.  However, if you do decide to throw them in the garbage; take some precautions.  If the medication is a liquid in a bottle you can add water to it to dilute it and then tape the bottle shut with a strong strapping tape or a duct tape.  Put it in a ziploc bag inside of the trash bag, this will help to keep the contents from leaking into the environment. 

            If the medication is in pill form in small containers you may want to them in a small amount of liquid and again go through the procedure of taping the bottle shut and putting it into a ziploc bag.    On all perscription bottles you will want to remove any traces of identity such as your name, phone number, address, and even your doctors name.  There are too many people out there with ulterior motives when it comes to stealing the identity of others; you must be wise in how you protect yourself. 

             Over the counter medications can be just as bad for the environment and if it gets into the hands of a child or a pet.  Perhaps you could take these medications and do all of the previous suggestion along with putting any and all medications inside a resealable container such as a peanut butter container or a used plastic coffee container.  This will give an added barrier to the medicine affecting people, pets, or ground water quality.

             Some pharmacies are trying to tackle this issue and offer a safe disposal program.   Some experts say that the safest solution is to incinerate unused medications, and that may be; however, it is worth talking to your local pharmacy and asking if they have a disposal program.   If they dont have one in place already, why not encourage them to put a plan into action.   After all, the health and well-being of their customers should be at the forefront of their business at all times.  This is a responsible way to encourage both pharmacists, doctors and patients or customers to all work together for a solution to a big problem. 

            As a side note: lets remember all the dangerous chemicals that are thrown into the landfills or dumps as well.  Cleaners and chemicals that can be wrapped and protected from breaking down into the environment should also be given consideration.  If you can seal those cans, bottles and containers from leaking by take a few extra steps before throwing them away it will be worth it for the improvement of our health and well-being.  Thanks for reading!  Do you have any ideas or suggestions on this subject?  Please share.

Redmond has been sitting in jail awaiting court proceedings because of drug charges.  It is alleged that he was arrested for heroin possession at a jail facility where he was picking up/dropping off a friend.  He goes to court this week; but prior to that…this past Saturday, a judge allowed a three hour visit with his mother, Farrah who is ill.  It is possible that Redmond will be allowed to go back into rehab.  It is being said, that those in custody, in jail, are occasionally allowed supervised visits when a family member is seriously ill, or when there is a death in the family.  Spokespersons are saying that Farrah is no worse  health-wise, then when she was hospitalized in recent weeks.

My feeling is that this visit was allowed because whether Redmond is allowed back into rehab, or he is sentenced to more jail time for possession of drugs…he would be housed further away from his ill mother; making visiting her difficult, should her circumstances change during that time.

I wonder, how bittersweet was the moment of the visit.  Surely, Farrah was thrilled to see her son…filled with love and affection; as well as parental concern about his future.  On Redmond’s thoughts you have to wonder…does he understand the weight of the worry that his mother bears about his future?  This has to be extra ordinarily difficult for her; to continue her fight against this disease and, to not be able to physically stand alongside of her child to help him battle his alleged addictions.

The bonds of mother and child are a legendary thing.  Can she communicate how important his well-being is to her?  Will he be able to gain the upper hand in his  alleged struggles with drugs?  Will his battle take him away from his mother when she needs him most?  Redmond is her only birth child…she does have step children with Ryan O’Neal; but, if the media has correctly portrayed the family situation; family relationships are strained with Ryan’s children.  This family is a family filled with talented and passionate people, but they have struggled over the years; the O’Neals have had their public battles; custody issues, divorce, drugs, violence and anger issues.   Celebrity brings public awareness to some of the same issues that plague non-famous families around the world.  Often it is harder to heal those hurts when in the public eye.

The media has sent mixed messages to the public about Farrah’s medical condition.  It is all beside the point; she is definately a fighter.  I can only imagine how difficult that visit must have been…to only have three hours in which to squeeze in the transportation to and from the visit…and have so little time to actually talk and spend quality time together.  There was no time to waste on things of little importance.   One hopes that this is not the last visit that they are able to have with one another.  Addictions are a terrible thing; so is cancer…they both destroy if they go unchecked.  Let’s hope that there is long term healing in store for them both…mother and child.

        One caller was so taken aback that he laughed and said he had something all prepared to leave on a voice mail…and, when the phone was answered by the product owner…he didn’t know what to say; now that is kind of funny!   The whole response, to this old fashioned way of doing business, was wonderful in an amazing sort of way…it got me thinking; are we so deprived of good customer service that when we experience it, we are flustered enough that we feel we must acknowledge it?   

        I am a big believer in saying thank you when the circumstances call for it…but, what was amazing was to hear the disbelief in the callers voices (and emails) when a real live, helpful person not only answered the call (or email); but, actually listen to their reasons for calling and, went out of their way to provide SERVICE to them.  In fact, one of the callers even went so far as to say….while your product looks awesome, what really sold me on it…was the way that you, and your partners, responded to your customers!

        So, I guess…i am not the only person in the world who really gets irritated by products and services that i have to wait on the phone, for what feels like forever, to speak to a real live person.  Of course,  that is after having punched in number after number, to get through to an automated answering service; only to be disappointed in the end, with the poor results. 

         Brick and mortar stores can learn alot from this illustration as well.   Having the right kind of attitude, towards your customers, is important.   Remember the days when people would say, “It’s been great doing business with you?”  Customer service has all but become a thing of the past.  In these difficult economic times; getting customers and keeping customers, can mean the difference between having a company and having a company fold up.  Making sure that your employees have the right attitude towards the customer is crucial.  We have all had experiences where we have all but been dismissed or abused as a potential customer; it doesn’t inspire much customer loyalty to that business or brand, does it?

       If young people want to be successful in their careers…this is an important thing to remember;  be professional and personal when communicating your desire to giving the customer the best service.   That will wipe out your business competitors!   When the customer is not happy; they don’t come back.   Without customers, you dont have a business…simple…but true.  What are your thoughts on good customer service?  Do you have a story of poor customer service?  How did it affect your future buying habits at that business?

       Twitter is quickly becoming a way of life for many businesses and folks.  Anytime twitter shows a fail whale…(the symbol a person sees when trying to access Twitter and its service is unavailable) people quickly bemoan the fact that they can’t get on.     The fail whale doesn’t usually last long…I’ve only seen it a few times; briefly, when it was over capacity with Twitter users.  Twitter is a mini social site that is quickly becoming a large social media site; the idea is to answer in 140 characters or less the question, ” What are you doing?”.   Often, I hear other users say that they quickly become “addicted” to Twitter.   The service has spawned a bunch of books on Twitter etiquette….rules or no rules use.   Reasons for using Twitter is as varied as the number of people you ask…everyone has their own reasons for using it.  Relationships are built online…everyone has equal access to other users…both famous and non-famous users.   The latest controvery of this company which has been in business for approximately 3 years is…should they charge a fee for their services?

         So far, the Twitter service is free.  There is some discussion about whether businesses may be charged to use Twitter in the future.    People are still discovering Twitter and all that it can do.  Many people of course, use Twitter as a social networking service for their personal communication; others, are trying to find ways to use it to brand their businesses.

          Twitter has been uber successful in their goals of creating a mini social networking site.   At the end of 2008, Twitter rejected a bid for purchase by Facebook of $500 million.  To me, that means that they view their value as well over that $500 million; and it means to me that Facebook considers it a huge competitor.  Still, to stay competitive with Facebook as well as other large entities…Twitter will need to make money to stay alive and growing.

           Businesses have to make money somewhere to stay in business and pay their own employees.  Do they raise funds by putting advertising on their service, by charging for upgraded services for business accounts, or maybe charge a membership fee?  What do you think?  Do you use Twitter?  What are your thoughts on this subject?