Connect 4

We plunged into the pool this weekend. One of the cleanest, well run community pools around here is in Hackettstown. Every summer they can count on us as guests. We plunged in and had a wave - the beginning of many more to come.

Now that summer is here, kids can sleep late, open the fridge 1000 times and do a whole lot of nothing. Am determined this year not to answer the question "Daddy I have nothing to do." I can't imagine asking my papa that question when we were growing up. There was just too much to do ( I mean forced labor). I can remember with chagrin those days that I plucked pyrethrum. Oh! how tiring and back breaking it was. But we had to do it .....because of school fees.

I will not answer that question because I have ways around it. I have noted, from experience, that if I ask the gals to make a day schedule, everyone will be happy. The day schedule should include academics (otherwise, all they have learned will evaporate), a sport (another word for physical exercise) and fun (Xbox included). For those days that I am home no one will be bored. By the way Tuesday afternoon is already booked for movies at Clearview Cinemas. We get free tickets for being Cablevision Triple play customers. Observe the Ratings please!

Now, just in case you are wondering how to keep kids busy during summer, there are 94 ways to do so. Enjoy it for it will be over before you say cheese!!

Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer. Prov 30:25

Training

I remember talking about this two years ago. I didn't think I would go back to explaining it again, but I have to. When you are called to make a presentation to someone or to a group of people, it would serve you well if you had a beginning, a middle and an end. If the average attention span of an adult is 20 minutes then your talk should include any material that you want your audience to remember in those 20 minutes. After 25 minutes many people will be doing other things such as doodling, looking at cell phones, reading (other stuff), dozing....

You wouldn't like it if I took these notes at the end of your presentation:

1. We're working on it...
2. Bear with us...
3. That's a good question...
4. We'll bring that up...
5. We're getting everything in place...
6. We wil take that issue back with us...
7. We have to work it out...
8. It's a nuts and bolts thing...
9. We're not sure yet...
10. I understand what you're saying...
11. We need a mechanism in place...
12. We have brought this question up...
13. We're not sure...
14. We'll have to address that...
15. We'll bring it to another level...
16. It's not working yet (the system)...
17. It's supposed to be happening...
18. Just send me an email and we'll get back to you...

I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. 2 Cor 11:6

Father, Baba - Asante

Fatherhood is an art. Happy Fathers day to all responsible fathers. Mzee Njoroge and Karanja, thank you for holding our hands and the rod. You've taught us! We'll now teach.

He will bring you to the land that belonged to your fathers, and you will take possession of it. He will make you more prosperous and numerous than your fathers - Deut 30:5

Wanna Be Human Billboard

Why would you want to use human props as billboards? You don't know what Am talking about, do you? Well, Drug Fair is going out of business. This is not unusual, after all hundreds of other big companies have gone out of business in the past year alone. What is unusual is their manner of advertising that they are going out of business and that they have goods worth 70% or more off at discount prices. Apart from a huge banner lapel on the buildings, I noticed people holding billboard props along Route 10 and 46 advertising the discounted prices. I should also mention that this is a technique also used by furniture stores closing shop and many others. It made me wonder, how effective is it to have people stand behind props all day? how much are they paid anyway? Does this work?

I did a little digging on Wikipidea and found quite interesting info. Here you go.. Sign-holders are known as human directionals in the advertising industry, or colloquially as sign walkers or sign twirlers. Frequently, they will spin or dance with the promotional sign in order to attract attention. Human billboards have been used for centuries. In 19th century London, the practice began when advertising posters became subject to a tax and competition for wall space became fierce. Human directionals are still widely used, especially in areas that have a lot of pedestrian traffic, but even in places that have a great deal of automobile traffic. However, the use of such attention-grabbing tricks has been criticized by city officials as being distracting to drivers and as a result, a number of cities have banned sign twirling. Demand for human directionals has significantly increased over the last few years. In temperate and warm locations, sign holders can be employed year-round and their effectiveness has been amply demonstrated.

OK enough of Wikipedia! Aish! Turning yourself into a human billboard can make you money (sort of). What I didn't get is how much these guys are paid. Simply hired only indicated that they get between $15.00 to $100.00 and lunch.

By the way, my favorite human billboard is that of Tim Tebow, the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy, who has sought to spread his message of faith as far as possible.

The bottom line is this: When we pay attention to something, it seems to become brighter, more distinct, more memorable. Our decision to pay attention, in other words, changes how our brains work.

Spring - turn here!

Aaaaa.... How nice it is to welcome spring, unless pollen is your enemy. I must make mention that blogging has also taken recession. Most blogs have far between entries. With the job market in sharp declines, food crises, bailouts (add your own here), writing could also become painful. I mean will you remiss on random thoughts or how the next bill will be paid? Nevertheless it is a relief, a breath of fresh air, a welcome addition, to have flowers bloom and the grass turn green.

You can't see Canada across lake Erie, but you know it's there. It's the same with spring. You have to have faith, especially in Cleveland. ~ Paul Fleischman