Living with Lunatics: They?re Crazy and They?re in Charge! – Positive-Attitude
Living with Lunatics: They?re Crazy and They?re in Charge!
They're out there? they look like people you know, but they're different. Someone has sucked out their brains and turned them into mindless oafs. They are dangers to society, dangers to your work environment, and dangers to themselves. But the most troubling fact is that they are in charge! They are making business decisions that affect your livelihood and you don't know what to do. Help is here!Normally, when things go crazy most people turn to their supervisors or managers. But what do you do when the problem and the first source for assistance are one in the same?1. Check your emotions. Emotional responses seldom solve problems. Locate a co-worker (a sane one, if possible) and vent your emotions. Redirecting your anger or frustration away from the person who can terminate your employment is a wise thing to do.2. Sort out the details. List the issues you are facing and prioritize the list from most important to least important. Then work from the bottom of the list eliminating issues that aren't worth the fight. Ask, "Is fighting for this issue worth the potential consequences, such as jeopardizing my job?" If the answer is not a resounding, "YES!" eliminate the issue.3. Organize your thoughts. Once you have identified the critical issues, get a pad of sticky notes and begin to write individual thoughts pertaining to each issue. Then organize the thoughts under each issue from strongest to weakest. Eliminate any statements that cannot be substantiated. What you want are straight-forward statements that lead to a solution. Building your case on assumptions and hearsay will be more destructive than constructive.4. Rehearse your argument. Some thoughts are difficult to communicate, so practice saying what you intend to say. You might discover that your argument is clear in your head but stated in a confusing way. Enlist a neutral party to listen to your statements and to provide feedback or ask for clarification.5. Be positive. A full frontal attack will put most anyone on the defensive, so approach the conversation with respect and a positive attitude. In addition to identifying the problem, offer to be a part of the solution. Ask for the privilege of helping develop a solution to the problem. A positive attitude will keep the conversation calm and prevent emotion from overtaking the thought process in which you engaged.6. Accept the outcome. Realize up front that things might not go your way. Be satisfied with your effort to offer a solution. You can't control how other people respond; you can only control your reaction--and that can be a struggle sometimes! Many managers need time for suggestions to simmer. You might be surprised to see your suggestions incorporated into a future action.7. Maintain confidentiality. One of the worst things you can do is leave the meeting and start telling everyone what took place. Show respect for your manager and your employer even if it requires biting your tongue. If you are so miserable that all you can do is complain, do everyone a favor and find another job! If you're the type of person who demands your way, chances are you'll find something wrong with every job and every boss!There's no doubt that we find ourselves in frustrating situations having to implement plans that seem doomed from the start. Sometimes we reject ideas because of our disrespect for the person who generated the idea. We need to make sure that the person in the mirror isn't the real problem! Think about it!Dr. Terry Hadaway is an author, editor, university professor, and conference leader. He is the author of 30 Seconds to Chaos: Mastering the Art of "What If" Thinking, and numerous articles. His is considered by many to be a leading authority on adult education and is a gifted communicator. For more information visit http://www.thinkezine.com.
The Game of Life
The Game of Life
When your life becomes unbearable
And the light of promise ceases to glow,
When all your dreams and aspirations
Lie dormant on ambition's death row.When you feel that all is hopeless,
Life troubles just seem to abound.
When those you thought were supporters
Are suddenly nowhere to be found;When weary from the struggle of trying
And you wonder to yourself, "What's the use?"
You fight on to do the best that you can
But once again, all hell breaks loose.When things in your life become disjointed
And everything you touch turns stale.
When nerves are on edge from life's pressures,
And there's no breath with which to exhale.When the road you are traveling gets bumpy
And the hills become harder to climb,
When the going gets tougher and tougher
And persist for a considerably long time.Remember, it's not what you expect from life,
But rather, what life expects from you.
When the wind of quandary blows your way,
Life wants to see just how well you'll do.You see, life is really like playing a game.
To win, you must play as it dictates.
If you follow its built-in survival rules,
Your troubles will miraculously dissipate.So when you near the end of your rope
When your back is pressed to the wall.
When you're trapped all around by conditions
And you can scarcely move around at all.Don't give up and wave surrender's flag.
Don't succumb to the goads of strife.
Don't hang your head in resignation,
Don't stop playing this game called life.Just confront your troubles head on;
Face them all in prayer one by one.
You'll learn after a long or short while
The game of life can surely be won.For your power will suddenly increase;
Your strength to fight on, He'll renew.
God will not forsake His own blessed child;
He cannot and will not fail you.Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, veteran social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach which can be reviewed on her site. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, is expected to be available soon.You are welcome to visit AMEN Ministries: Your Soul's Service Station for spiritual refreshing, soul edification, browse our newly expanded mini shopping mall or review our recommended books you may want to add to your personal library.Blessings to all!
Blackjack Basics-Gambling
Blackjack Basics
Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games after slot machines. As the aim of the game is to get the sum of the cards as close to 21 , as possible, without exceeding the number. It is often referred as '21'.Every gambler is dealt with two cards, including the dealer himself. While the gambler's card face up, the dealer has one card facing down, that is hidden from others. The dealer has to deal himself cards until his hand at least equals seventeen. The others choose to take a card depending upon their total, else they can simply 'pass'. Aces can be assigned the value 1 or 11 depending on the player. A hand that has a total exceeding twenty one is called a "bust" and is a loosing hand. Other terminologies in the game include the concept of hit, stand, soft hand, hard hand, betting circle.The player places their wagers in the betting circle with the help of chips. As soon as all the players have made their bets the play begins. An ideal blackjack hand fetches the gambler one and a half times the bet amount.Blackjack is a gamble and one needs to be experienced to beat the odds. One of the ways to learn this table game would be to avail free blackjack lessons provided by the casinos. This also helps the novice to get comfortable with the environment and habitual to the non verbal communication involved in the game. Some software also provide lessons and strategies on playing Blackjack. Information and betting strategies can also be shared over the internet through chat rooms, weblogs and other means.The game involves three is to two odds ratio. The numerous tables in the casinos also have a lower limit. The beginners are usually advised to keep in mind the odds and play at low betting limits. The players need to be aware of their betting limits and the amount of loss that they can suffer.Blackjack is based on mathematical probability. Some experts have devised certain complex matrices that help in suggesting some strategically safe bets in a game.Blackjack is gaining popularity nowadays. New features are continuously added to the game, to keep up with its growing popularity. Some famous variations of the traditional blackjack include Split and Re split blackjack, Spanish 21, and Double Exposure Blackjack. There are also weekly tournaments organized by some casinos. The game is not only confined to casinos, but the television networks are now organizing high profile blackjack tournaments, like the World Series of Blackjack. "Million Dollar Blackjack Tournament" is one of the most famous series, and is sponsored by the Las Vegas Hilton.The cyberspace, not to be left behind, has various online blackjack games.Blackjack has the best odds among all the casino games. The skilled casino players know various strategies that give them an edge over others, like card counting, shuffle tracking and progressive betting. The experts also calculate their strategies with the help of betting matrices, further lowering the risk. Vigilance and experience are two important ingredients that can help you to become an expert.Mansi aggarwal writes about blackjack. Learn more at http://www.playsomeblackjack.com