Valerie

Airports are wonderful places… if you are a masochist. After a horrid checking in experience and a flight attended by the rudest airline attendants I have ever met, I finally landed in Charlotte. I was probably not displaying my sweetest dispositions at the time.
A bathroom break was first on the list. I pulled into this overcrowded bathroom and immediately was assaulted by the stench of colonic distress. Great!! This day keeps getting better. Waiting in line I noticed that they had a bathroom attendant. Hmmmm….Charlotte must be doing well. As I am covering my face to keep me from gagging, I am thinking to myself “Wow, this has to be the suckiest job ever”. Valerie (the bathroom attendant) proved me wrong. This woman was the happiest person I have met in a long time (not perky, I hate perky). She took great pride in her job. She made sure everyone was happy and well taken care of. She was hustling about greeting people, asking them if they needed anything, give a sniffling elderly lady a tissue, picking up a dropped toy for a toddler. And when there was nothing to do, she just happily sang, and with a gorgeous voice at that. She brought sunshine to this hole. She made us forget that it was stinky and that we were impatiently waiting in line. She truly made the best of every moment at hand. (She was being where she was at… see previous post on this topic). She succeeded in sweetening my disposition and bringing a genuine smile back to my face.

How many times are we faced with “sucky” circumstances? How do we react? With a smile and a song or with a lot of complaining and whinning? Are we making the best of what life dishes out even if it stinks?
Being happy should not depend on our circumstances. It’s a choice we make every day when we get up. The destination might be great but if we don’t enjoy the trip and learn something along the way, we missed out on life.

PS: This is a pic of Valerie

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Domestic Violence Awareness Month evolved from the first Day of Unity observed in
October, 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. The intent was to
connect battered women’s advocates across the nation who were working to end violence
against women and their children. The Day of Unity soon became a special week when a
range of activities were conducted at the local, state, and national levels.
These activities were as varied and diverse as the program sponsors but had common
themes: mourning those who have died because of domestic violence, celebrating those
who have survived, and connecting those who work to end violence.
In October 1987, the first Domestic Violence Awareness Month was observed. That same
year the first national toll-free hotline was begun. In 1989 the first Domestic Violence Awareness
Month Commemorative Legislation was passed by the U.S. Congress. Such legislation has passed
every year since with NCADV providing key leadership in this effort.

The purple ribbon campaign: Across the country, families and friends of victims of domestic
violence have adopted the purple ribbon to honor loved ones who have lost their lives at the hands
of someone they loved and trusted. The display of purple ribbons conveys a powerful message
that there is no place for domestic violence in the homes, neighborhoods, schools, or workplaces
in our community.

Talk to your family: Open communication about domestic violence, including appropriate
behavior and boundaries, especially when dating, and what to do if you experience any type of
behavior outside of these boundaries is important.

Speak up: If you have reason to suspect someone you know is a victim of domestic violence--do
not ignore it. Should you witness abuse, whether it is someone you know or a complete stranger,
call the police immediately. If you know someone who is a perpetrator, let him or her know it is a
crime. Explain you strongly disapprove of their behavior and encourage him or her to get help.

Resources
www.ncadv.org
www.WomenSafe.org

BULLIES

Bullying sucks!!!
But I don't believe you will ever eliminate all the bullies. Teach your kids good self esteem, proper responses and you will much better off. Plus you will instill in your kids an attitude that will serve them for the rest of their lives.


Is Your Child Being Bullied? 9 Steps You Can Take as a Parent

No magic pill

H2O: Dangerous Chemical!

A student at Eagle Rock Junior High won first prize at the Greater Idaho Falls Science Fair, April 26. He was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to alarmists practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment. In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical "dihydrogen monoxide."
And for plenty of good reasons, since:

• it can cause excessive sweating and vomiting
• it is a major component in acid rain
• it can cause severe burns in its gaseous state
• accidental inhalation can kill you
• it contributes to erosion
• it decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes
• it has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients

He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical.
Forty-three (43) said yes,
six (6) were undecided,
and only one (1) knew that the chemical was water.

The title of his prize winning project was, "How Gullible Are We?"
He feels the conclusion is obvious.

His project illustrates a good point about a lot of things. This is a SD site so let's talk SD. How many SD instructors claim they are the greatest, their never fail technique will save your life, come and take my magic pill and you will be Wonder Woman.
Let's do the research and let's not be afraid to ask the right questions and put the system to a test BEFORE we rely on it to save our lives. Don’t be afraid to call H2O, water

There is NO magic pill out there!!!!

Do not give in to the dark side

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
-Yoda

I was watching Stan Lee’s superheroes episode when Steve Santini made an appearance. Steve is a master escapologist. But what makes him stand out is that he first puts himself in a “saw” type situation, where if he doesn’t escape he will suffer a painful debilitating death (impailed, stabbed,..). They had an EMT hook him up to a heart rate monitor during the entire process. During the beginning phase when he gets secured in the “trap”, his heart rate went up to 109, not incredibly high but definitely higher than resting pulse. When the dangerous part of the escape came by, Steve was able to slow his heart rate down to 73 bpm. This allowed him the ease of a more focus mind and steadier hands.
I saw another TV shows that were in the same lines: Fight Science: the Navy Seals. They had a Navy Seal do a predetermined course where he had to use all his navy seals skills, from running, climbing, balancing, crawling, shooting accurately, and making the difference between a good guy and a bad guy. They had a base guideline from having the same course done but other people. After the Navy Seal did the course incredibly well (faster and more accurately than the base guideline) he was to submerge in an icy bath for 45 minutes. Normally 10 minutes of this treatment will deteriorate anyone’s physical skills. After the 45 minute icy bath, he was to repeat the same course he did before. He was able to not only complete it successfully but he increased his performance time by only a few seconds. The majority of people would not have been able to do any of the fine motor skills like balancing and shooting. He performed extremely well.
What those 2 stories have in common? Training. Training your mind and body to respond well under extreme stress. It is not only possible, it is necessary for survival in a life and death self defense situation. The better you are at functioning under stress, the faster you will respond properly to a stressful situation, and the least likely you will be to freeze under pressure.
While you don’t have to go to the training extreme of a navy seal, you can still train well and appropriately.
In Yoda’s wise words, learn control while you experiencing fear, learn to experience less “suffering”. Do not give in to the dark side.

Don't miss !!!

Great seminar to attend:
Preparing for real world violence
Seminar 1:
• Legal and Ethical Implications
• Violence Dynamics
• De-escalation

We will cover theory and practical application through drills and live scenarios
DON'T MISS!!!!


Time: Sunday, October 24 · 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Location: 2210 Silver Lake Rd, New Brighton, Minnesota

This seminar series is open to anyone interested.
No experience necessary
$25

Contact me for registration

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119308198125222

Tips To Prevent Car Theft

• Take Your Keys. Nearly 20 percent of all vehicles stolen have the keys in them.
• Lock Your Car. Approximately 50 percent of all vehicles stolen were left unlocked.
• Never Hide a Second Set of Keys in Your Car. Extra keys can be easily found if a thief takes time to look.
• Park in Well-lighted Areas. Over half of all vehicle thefts occur at night.
• Park in Attended Lots. Auto thieves do not like witnesses and prefer unattended parking lots.
• If You Park in an Attended Lot, Leave Only the Ignition/Door Key. If your trunk and glovebox use the same key as the door, have one of them changed. Don't give the attendant easy access to your glovebox and trunk. Upon returning, check the tires, spare tire, and battery to be sure they are the same as those you had when you parked.
• Never Leave Your Car Running, Even if You'll Only be Gone For a Minute. Vehicles are commonly stolen at convenience stores, gas stations, ATMs, etc. Many vehicles are also stolen on cold mornings when the owner leaves the vehicle running to warm up.
• Completely Close Car Windows When Parking. Don't make it any easier for the thief to enter your vehicle.
• Don't Leave Valuables in Plain View. Don't make your car a more desirable target and attract thieves by leaving valuables in plain sight.
• Park With Your Wheels Turned Toward the Curb. Make your car tough to tow away. Wheels should also be turned to the side in driveways and parking lots.
• If Your Vehicle is Rear-Wheel Drive, Back into Your Driveway. Rear wheels lock on four-wheel drive vehicles, making them difficult to tow. Front-wheel drive vehicles should be parked front end first.
• Always Use Your Emergency Brake When Parking. In addition to ensuring safety, using the emergency brake makes your car harder to tow.
• If You Have a Garage, Use It. If you have a garage, take the time to use it rather than parking outside where your vehicle is more vulnerable.
• When parking in a Garage, Lock the Garage Door and Your Vehicle. By locking both the garage and vehicle doors, the chances of deterring a thief greatly improve.
• Don't leave the registration or Title in Your Car. A car thief will use these to sell your stolen car. File the title at your home or office, and carry registration in your purse or wallet.
• Disable Your Vehicle When Leaving it Unattended for an Extended Period. Remove the electronic ignition fuse, coil wire, rotor distributor, or otherwise disable your vehicle anytime thieves may have extended access to it.
• Replace T-Shaped Door Locks With Straight Locks. Some vehicle doors have lock assemblies at window level that flare out in a knob or "T" shape. A thief can use various tools to gain access inside the vehicle, grab and pull the lock. Straight locks prevent this.
• Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Stolen cars/parts are more easily traced when vehicle VIN numbers have been etched on car windows and major parts.
• Engrave Expensive Accessories. Engrave personal ID numbers on car stereos, cellular phones, etc., so the thief will have difficulty disposing of them.