Willow & Sage from Stampington

 

You will need

 

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup witch hazel

1/4 cup distilled water

1 TB. rubbing alcohol

20 drops eucalyptus essential oil

20 drops lemongrass essential oil

10 drops cedarwood essential oil

10 drops rosemary essential oil

10 drops peppermint/spearmint essential oil

Glass spray bottle 8 oz.

To Make

Add all ingredients together in a glass spray bottle in the order listed above, leaving essential oils to go in last. Shake to combine. Try to use an amber glass bottle if possible to prevent the sun from penetrating the oils inside, which could lessen their potency. Keep Bottle out of direct sunlight and somewhere cool.

IDEAS.TED.com

Aug 3, 2017 / Julia Fawal

Most employers are approaching job interviews all wrong, says business consultant Anthony Tjan. To identify the candidates who have substance and not just smarts, here are better questions to ask.

While the number of questions that can be asked on a job interview are infinite, almost all of them fall into one of two categories: questions about competency or questions about character. Competency questions are aimed at establishing a person’s skills, abilities and qualifications; character questions are intended to illuminate their intrinsic values and personality. Even though both types of questions are important, “we’re biased to the competency side,” says Anthony Tjan, a business consultant and CEO of the Cue Ball Group, a Boston-based venture capital firm. “And we’re neglecting important attributes like truth, compassion and wisdom.”

“What are your greatest weaknesses?” is a commonly asked character question, but it’s a bust. The interviewer often feels obliged to ask because the answer, if honest, could be valuable. But in reality, the usual responses — “I’m too detail-oriented,” “I work too hard” and “I care too much” — are rehearsed, predictable and disingenuous. And while candidates are aware that they’re not being helpful or truthful when they make such statements, they’re also afraid to reveal their true flaws.

Companies need to figure out ways to evaluate the character of potential hires. Tjan, who is also the author of the book Good People: The Only Leadership Decision That Really Matters, believes screening for traits like integrity, humility, gratitude and self-awareness are the key to job satisfaction and success. “No elements matter more than people and values for long-term competitive advantage,” he explains. “And they’re critical towards developing the purpose and meaning behind any organization.” So employers should strive to ask questions that can’t be answered with generalities or cliches.

Character question no. 1: “What are the one or two traits from your parents that you most want to ensure you and your kids have for the rest of your life?” The goal is to create a conversation that leads to a revelation, not a rehearsal, says Tjan. This question calls for a bit more thought on the applicant’s end and sheds light on the things they most value. After hearing the person’s initial response, Tjan says you should immediately follow up with “Can you tell me more?” This is essential if you want to elicit an answer with real depth and substance. And while you may be tempted to fill in a person’s silences, “be comfortable with a pregnant pause,” says Tjan. “Being patient and allowing them to share tends to lead to better answers.”

Character question no. 2: “What is 25 times 25?” Tjan wants to see how people react under real-time pressure, and their response can show you how they’ll approach challenging or awkward situations. Do they get defensive, ashamed or even angry? Or are they open-minded and willing to work at the problem? And if a candidate gives up or blurts out the wrong answer, Tjan likes to ask them to approach the question from a different angle: “Imagine instead that you have 25 quarters in your pocket — how much does that add up to?” This isn’t about checking whether someone’s good at mental math, he explains. “It’s about whether they can roll with the embarrassment and discomfort and work with me. When a person is in a job, they’re not always going to be in situations that are in their alley.”

Character question no. 3: “Tell me about three people whose lives you positively changed. What would they say if I called them tomorrow?” Checking references is generally a waste of time, asserts Tjan. Of course, they’ll have been selected and primed to brag about a candidate. Instead, he thinks it’s more informative to find out about the people whom an applicant has personally helped. It doesn’t have to be a coworker; it could be a relative, classmate, neighbor or friend. Organizations need employees who can lift each other up. “And if a candidate can’t think of a single person, I want to understand why,” Tjan says. He credits much of his success to relationships — both as mentor and as mentee — that he’s had in his life. When a person is naturally inclined toward compassionate mentorship, it can have a domino effect in an institution. “I’ve learned that it’s those types of people that cause organizations to be different,” he adds.

Character question no. 4: After an interview, ask yourself (and other team members, if relevant) “Can I imagine taking this person home with me for the holidays?” This may seem overly personal, but “you are trying to develop a relationship with them,” says Tjan. And even though you haven’t spent that much time with the person, you’ll usually have a gut reaction to this question. “When I ask this of colleagues, I get much more visceral yes/no responses than when I go through a competency checklist,” he says.

Character question no. 5: After an interview, ask security or the receptionist: “How was the candidate’s interaction with you?” Be conscious of how people treat strangers — it speaks to whether they act with compassion and openness and view others as equals. Tjan knows about one company where interviewers ask security to delay a candidate for up to 10 minutes to see their reaction. “But I don’t know if I would go that far,” he adds.

Hiring good people goes beyond corporate success. Staffing an organization with people of substance is about more than just improving your retention rate and bottom line, says Tjan. It can have ripple effects as your employees interact in the world, although this impact might be hard to detect and measure. And while the character questions here are intended to be used in job interviews, we’d all benefit from asking: “What role can I play in being a positive influence on others?”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julia Fawal is the Social Content Manager at TED.

Reblogged from 2009

I care for my 92-year-old gramps and have been here five weeks. He had three surgeries in seven days. Without Caregiving 101 training, I learned the hard way.

*Ask the doctor what happens if the  procedure does not work.

*If a second procedure does not work, is there a third option.

*What is the recovery time and type of home health services needed.

*Is the surgery necessary for a 92-year-old who is already dying!

Gramps went in for non-invasive surgery, nothing prepared me for the outcome. I’ve been through several surgeries with gramps. This procedure had not been performed before however it sounded like the least complicated procedure to date. I forgot nothing is normal or non-invasive at 92 years old. We went from going home that afternoon, to having three surgeries over seven days. I made the mistake of thinking the procedure would go as in the past. Age makes all the difference, five years at this stage of Kidney Failure can change everything.

I’m blessed to spend this time with gramps, we still have a long road ahead. It is emotional and life changing. I’ve become the parent and he doesn’t like me telling him when to take his medicine. He has raised his voice more in the past month than in my lifetime. It’s hard to take it in stride, just bite tongue. Stress has triggered my depression, I struggle to keep myself in check and take care of my gramps.

 

Xx  M   aka Warrior

Hi, so glad you stopped by today. Have a great weekend enjoying friends and family. If you like solo activities, go for it! M

Willow and Sage by Stampington

You will need

Yields 2 jars

1 cup powdered milk

1/4 cup baking soda

1/4 cup cornstarch

11-12 drops orange essential oil

Glass jars

Sharpie

Kraft labels: round

Baker’s twine

To Make

Mix all the ingredients together and scoop into glass jars with tight fitting lids.

Write a label for the top and tie a pretty piece of baker’s twine around jar.

Pour about 3/4 cup of the mix into the bath under running water to disolve.

Enjoy!

 

 

I’m having a rough day and haven’t included birthdays. Thanks for stopping by today and have a great weekend.  M

 

1777

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, disembarks in America after a two-month sea voyage from France. The wealthy 19-year-old will befriend future presidents Washington and Jefferson, and help train and lead revolutionary regiments against the British in America’s War of Independence.

1967

Stating it’s “the right thing to do, the right time to do it, the right man and the right place,” President Lyndon Johnson nominates Solicitor General Thurgood Marshall to the US Supreme Court. The first African American nominee will be confirmed and serve 24 years on the court.

1971

The first excerpt of a leaked government report detailing US involvement in Vietnam is published on the front page of the New York Times. The top-secret ‘Pentagon Papers‘ will expose secret bombing campaigns, government lies, and motivations behind the Vietnam War never before revealed to the public.

 

 

 

Most people don’t think of Mental Illness when discussing Chronic Pain. Mental Illness can be physically debilitating with many spending large amounts of time in bed. For someone like me who is challenged by both, daily life can be difficult. Today I’m in bed juggling my laptop on one knee trying to avoid the pain screaming on the left side of my body.

Over the holiday weekend my husband installed a pool shade so I can swim and get exercise without burning to a crisp lobster. They are very inexpensive and easy to install. He bought the sail on Amazon for less than $50.

One of the therapies the Pain Management doctor suggested was swimming and water exercises. Every other day I spend 30-45 minutes with my water noodle paddling around and doing basic exercises. I have noticed a difference in the muscles not used in ages.

I work on my shoulders by doing wide arm paddling, leg scissors for my back and hips, tiptoes for calves, stretching my back out till it hurts, and lunges. After spending years in bed I’m building stamina for the good days ahead.

Doing exercises in the water puts less resistance on the body which can help injuries. I’m rehabilitating my knee and it’s much easier than walking up and down the stairs repeatedly.

It helps my mental health by getting away from all the noise, I watch the butterflies and see how my flowers are growing. I work on meditating to keep my head clear. I’m also getting Vitamin D from the sun.

M

 

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “open book, point, write.” Pick up the closest book to you when you sit down to write your post. Close your eyes, open the book, and place your finger on the page. Whatever word or phrase your finger lands on, write about it. Enjoy!

 

“Joanie pressed the waxy lipstick into my lips” before I could even say hello. She was so excited and couldn’t hold the secret any longer. She said I’ve been accepted into Harvard and plan to stay in the dorm my freshman year. His heart sank…What about us? When will I see you?

Chad was reeling with thoughts, what will happen to their relationship? Is she about to break up? Joanie leads him down to the park saying it’s such a perfect day for a walk.

They found a bench and sat down. She brought up the subject first, I’m not breaking up, we won’t see each other often but you’re still my boyfriend. Then a thump….if you find someone while I’m away at school I’ll understand.

Before he could say anything Joanie pressed her waxy lipstick into my lips.

 

Join us for the fun and sharing good media stories  

For more on the Stream of Consciousness Saturday, visit Linda Hill’s blog. Here’s the link:https://lindaghill.com

Here are the rules for SoCS:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.
2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.
3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” “Begin with the word ‘The’,” or simply a single word to get your started.
4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours. Your link will show up in my comments for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top. NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, such as Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.
5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.
6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!
7. As a suggestion, tag your post “SoCS” and/or “#SoCS” for more exposure and more views.
8. Have fun!

 

1944

Four years and two days after Allied forces evacuated from the European mainland, they return in the Normandy landings, the largest amphibious military assault in history. By the end of the day, 5,000 vessels land 160,000 troops on the French coastline, launching the push to defeat Germany.

https://youtu.be/0wg5x5WaZPo

1844

George Williams, formerly of rural Somerset, England, and now working as a draper in London, is shocked by the decadence of city life and so opens the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) to give other Industrial Revolution laborers a wholesome alternative to taverns and brothels.

1933

Richard Hollingshead opens his “automobile movie theatre” in Camden County, New Jersey, featuring 400 car slots, a 40-x-50-foot screen, and three 6-foot speakers. The feature at the first US drive-in theater is ‘Wives Beware,’ with admission costing a quarter per car and customer.

1971

Truly a ‘really big show,’ Ed Sullivan’s CBS variety hour ends after reigning as perhaps the most widely seen show biz showcase in US history. The Sunday evening staple helped launch the biggest stars of the era, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis, and The Supremes.

BIRTHDAYS

Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin  Jun 06, 1799 – Feb 10, 1837

Colin Edward Quinn 1959

Sandra Bernhard 1955

Björn Borg  1956

Ideas.TED.com

May 20, 2019 / Mary Halton + Daryl Chen

Call it green energy — by giving every employee a plant, engineer Mike Robinson created an environment where both humans and their leafy friends thrive. Plus, 9 recommendations for hardy, hard-to-kill plants to call your own.

This post is part of TED’s “How to Be a Better Human” series, each of which contains a piece of helpful advice from someone in the TED community; browse through all the posts here. Besides a paycheck and reasonable hours, what else does a person need to thrive at work? Decent space, adequate supplies and tools? Yes. Lunch breaks, sick days, time off to recharge? Sure. A plant? Well … Such an idea had never occurred to engineer Mike Robinson. He owns a small company based in British Columbia, Canada, that designs and builds windbreaks and other control structures. One day, his wife, Suzanne, who runs the company with him, said: “I think we should give every person in the office a plant for their desk.” Robinson was skeptical. He thought that plants would be distracting and a drain on people’s time. “The average staff member would probably spend about five minutes a day either looking after the plant or admiring it,” as he puts it in a TEDxWhiteRock talk. Upon his wife’s insistence, however, he agreed to give it a try. He and Suzanne bought 20 plants for their 20 employees. Then, they did something a bit different. Instead of handing them out, they asked each employee to approach the tableful of plants and choose their own — but from the perspective of the plant. Think of it like a human-plant speed-date. Robinson explains, “So you have to put yourself in the spot of the plant, as it were, and say, ‘Which person do I want to be my new friend?’” Employees then received a small sign on which they wrote ‘My friend is …’ and their own name, stuck it in the soil, and brought it into their personal workspace. Over time, Robinson realized that the plants were having a positive impact. He says, “I did my own mathematics, and I reckoned that we might be doing about 30 percent more business per staff [member].” Of course, this is far from a scientific study. There’s no control group or double-blind — just a company filled with happy plant lovers excelling at their jobs. And maybe that’s enough. Another sign that something is going right: After 5 years, not a single plant has died. Robinson guesses that since each was hand-selected and bears the employee’s name on the label, they’re well-tended because “this is your friend and you care about your friend.” As he explains, “Our office is a more contented place, a relaxed place, and a place that I’m proud to be to be a part of, and a big part of that is the personal plant.” But what plant is right for your desk? Perhaps you’ve gotten one and felt the warm glow of human-plant friendship — only to see it wither before your eyes. We asked Rebecca Bullene, New York City horticulturist, cofounder of Greenery Unlimited and the person who designed and tends the greenery at the TED NYC offices, to recommend hardy plants for different light conditions. Note: Almost all of these plants are available in desktop sizes, but if you want them to stay that way, you will need to prune them.

Plants for low light 

Sansevieria plant, or snake plant: “They’re an architectural plant; I usually use them in spaces that have a more modern aesthetic,” says Bullene. ZZ plant, or emerald palm: “This plant has very deep glossy leaves and a kind of two-tone coloring. It’s a softer plant.” Aglaonema, or Chinese evergreen: “It has very beautiful patterning on the leaves, and it’s a larger-leafed plant. It is a welcoming plant.”

Plants for medium light 

Monstera deliciosa, or Swiss cheese plant: “It’s a fabulous name for a fabulous plant. The leaves have a really interesting texture, and this plant is a fast grower.” Schefflera arboricola: “it’s very cute. It’s one of my favorites, and it’s easy to take care of.” Anthurium, or laceleaf plant: “This is one of my favorite flowering plants. I prefer them to orchids because orchids can be difficult to care for and their blooms only last for about six weeks, whereas the anthurium puts up new flowers year-round.”

Plants for high light 

Ficus audrey, or banyan fig: “While the fiddle-leaf fig is the most popular ficus, the ficus audrey is gaining. I think it’s just as beautiful, if not more so. It has very velvety leaves, and its growth habit is more restrained.” Philodendron selloum, or philodendron hope selloum: “This was popular in the 1970s and the 1980s and fell out of favor, but it’s having a resurgence now. These plants have large tropical leaves with really deep cuts in them and a lovely, ruffle-like texture. This is not one that you’d have on your desk — it’s large — but next to it.” Succulent plants, such as aloe vera, pincushion or zebra plant: “These are very popular right now. They’re best on a sunny windowsill rather than away from natural light. Most need water every 7 to 10 days, but touch the soil first — if it’s damp, don’t water it. They really like to dry out between waterings.” Echeveria: “This is a flowering succulent that’s good in high light. They put out these long stems with bell-shaped flowers.” But what if you’re in a space that has no windows or a window facing a stairwell? “The sansevieria and aglaonema can survive in a room with no windows, although they won’t flourish. But people without natural light should known that grow lights have come far in the past three years,” says Bullene. “They screw into any fixture and they provide the same kind of light to work by, but they’re actually introducing a full spectrum of light for plants. I’ve seen plants respond really well to them.” One brand that she’s had good results with is Sansi. What about air plants? “These generally require more care and attention than people are willing to give. When I’ve gone into a store and the sales people are like, ‘Oh, you don’t need to do anything with them,’ it breaks my heart,” says Bullene. “One of the fundamentals of plant care is to think about a plant’s native habitat and how to recreate it so the plant will be happy. Air plants grow in extremely high humidity environments that are full of life; they get their nutrients from the air.” She recommends either putting them near a humidifier (and misting them regularly) or soaking them for 20 minutes at a time in a bowl of water. Air plants like bright, indirect light. Last but not least: Don’t overwater. “There’s a direct proportional relationship between light and water. The less light a plant gets, the less water it should receive; the more light, the more water,” explains Bullene. “Often, people think they should water every day, and that’s the kiss of death. In a low light environment, you should water plants every 10 days or so.“ What’s confusing is the signs of overwatering and underwatering are largely the same — yellow leaves, wilting — and most of us respond by adding water. Says Bullene, “I’d say 80 percent of the time plants are receiving too much water, and the correct response would be to withhold it for a little bit longer.” Watch Mike Robinson’s TEDxWhiteRock talk now:

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Mary Halton is Assistant Ideas Editor at TED, and a science journalist based in the Pacific Northwest. Daryl Chen is the Ideas Editor at TED.

Willow & Sage by Stampington

You will need

Wooden diffuser sticks

Lavender essential oil

Tea Tree essential oil

Fractionated Coconut oil

Glass bottle

Blend essential oils into fractionated coconut oil at a ratio of about 1-4, fill glass bottle halfway and insert sticks.

Use a bottle with the smallest opening possible, and use as many sticks as you can fit into the opening. This will discourage oil from evaporating quickly through the bottle opening and encourage it to evaporate more slowly through diffuser sticks.

Display the diffuser far away from sunlight, strong lights, and excessive heat to increase the longevity of the oil blend, or display closer to these things for a stronger and shorter diffuser.