We Have Become a Society of Disrespect: Why Parents Need To Accept Their Responsibility

At one time, probably around the years during which you and I were growing up, it was generally considered wrong to defy, mock or disregard authority. We had rules, expectations and consequences which were laid out to teach us what was required. While I think more often than not, we settled down to meet those guidelines, it's possible that the fact they existed made us realize that WE had responsibilities for how we acted.

Juggling, Tricks and Technicalities | Time Management, Part I

I struggle with managing my time. There. I'm coming clean, admitting the struggle is real and that while I absolutely appreciate and value the opportunity to work from home, tasks and prioritizing and hours in the day DO in fact, often get the best of me. (Whew. I said it.) Had I realized that things needed to change? Of course - but seeing it and saying that and actually creating improvement - those are several very different things. It's so easy to become caught up in the details and projects and emails and Stuff That Demands Immediate Attention,  that I just seem to forget the goal for the day was to operate more efficiently, and thus the cycle continues. Until now.

 

I read an article this morning and was inspired by the ability which supposedly lies within me; apparently I'm more capable that I'd thought to take charge and set goals; to define work objectives and wrestle back control of my hours and minutes. I just have to tap into "what lies within" and learn to set limits and boundaries, because if not, there's no external force that can fix this for me. Confident in this new knowledge and wanting to dive right in, I implement new guidelines for the following day, which is Monday. 

Monday morning: I write and send an email detailing a situation which needs resolution ASAP. Immediately after clicking "send", I realize that omitted from the list was an article which must be written today, and so I spend 40 minutes hurriedly Googling for details and essential ingredients. Although not built into the time frame it's necessary.
 
Next, I attack the Great Pile of Paperwork. UGH. This is complex on many levels, but as the Pile poses a growing source of irritation and annoyance, I just leap in and being sorting. The goal of knocking out the mountain of papers wasn't clearly defined time-wise, but it does up end up taking more than four hours.

Update: It's Tuesday at 1:50am and I'm finished. I got all three projects done, along with a few smaller tasks, several which were normal but that I failed to include in my estimate for the day. A couple of others had cropped up suddenly with red flags requiring attention (a continual problem for me as I tend to underestimate the time needed to process). 

Despite the article's advice to take on the toughest part first, I wound up leaving the most difficult two things for last. I'm now curious if tackling the most challenging aspects could have helped productivity? At the time, feeling pretty overwhelmed, I opted to take baby steps instead, and looking back now it seems as if restructuring my process and approach could be a better game plan. We'll see what happens on the next run.

#delmarvausa | community advocate | localist | respect | united we stand

"The Things We Are Losing" | Why We Don’t Know Each Other Any More

We are changing so rapidly; sliding down the slippery slope of progress and applauding our evolution into technology; while at the same time we lose ourselves more each day. Our crazily over-scheduled lives rotate around an online world, reveling in the speed of information and how quickly we can be made happy - whole at the same time any idea of delaying a purchase until it is saved for, earned, or "worked for", appears to be rapidly fading into the past. When you look at life today, it seems we're primarily focused on getting everything right now.

Old Postcards and Vintage Images | Sussex County, Delaware

Postcards featuring areas of Delaware in the southern area of the First State. While Delaware is made up of just three counties -Sussex, Kent and New Castle - each one has many small towns which are distinctly different from one another.

Vintage Delmarva | Fenwick Island, Delaware (Part Two)

The town of Fenwick Island is considered by some to be just a shortcut, a blip on the map as they pass through heading south to the larger resort town of Ocean City. And sure, it's a tiny place, tucked just on the other side of the Mason-Dixon Line bordering Delaware and Maryland. But for many, it's magical, with that vibe of "soaking up the summertime" appreciation for the sand, surf and shore that most of us have within us.

Happy Easter | A Collection of Hilarious Cartoons, Vintage Greetings & Cute Stuff

Sometimes you just need to laugh. Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend and happy holiday! Double click to open any image in a larger window to download.

Shop Local This Easter | Small Business Matters

The upcoming holidays of Easter and Passover offer a wonderful opportunity to visit, shop and support the independently-owned businesses right in our own neighborhoods. From providing jobs, contributing to the economy to offering community support, these unique establishments provide so many layers of distinctive character which simply cannot be found in a big box store.

Tales from a Small Business Owner | "Long hours and rescued pets"

One of the short stories which originally appeared as "Juggling", a collection of events, afternoon mishaps and the struggle to balance my retail store, houseful of rescued pets and the reality of working really 12-14 hour days for months during the summer.

Off-Season in Ocean City, Maryland | Wintertime Views of OCMD

During the summertime the town of Ocean City roars to life as Maryland's largest vacation spot and favorite beach destination. Everyone wants a ride on that Ferris Wheel overlooking the sparkling skyline of the coastal resort, and no visit would be complete without a stroll on the boardwalk.

During the peak season of the warmer months is one of the best times to take photos of the lights, attractions, people and faces along the iconic strip by the ocean, but when that fades away and the crowds return home, the hectic pace is replaced by a slower and quieter version of life. It is then that this place takes on an entirely new façade dotted with vacant windows, silent coaster tracks, colorless signs sitting idle, waiting to glow again, and that spectacular view of a deserted boardwalk that seems to go on forever.....I call the months following Labor Day the time period "after the summer ends", and then by about March that transitions into "before the summer begins".

It's usually late October when they take the cars off the Ferris Wheel

Haunted House at Trimpers Amusement Park and a spooky, silent, pirate

Okay. The grinning pirate may be just a bit creepier in the winter.

"Tickets please, tickets......everyone must have a ticket to ride!"

the Oceanic fishing pier in the fog

".......oh i may not look like much now.....but wait until I get my canopy....and lights! and music! then they all line up for a chance to take a ride......"

Coaster tracks at Trimpers

the Spinning Coaster ride!

...a silent downtown bus stop

Although a few businesses and attractions remain open all year, for the most part everything closes early and is primarily open on weekends only.

"Arcade in the mist"

Signs are something I really love but sometimes in the summer it's just difficult to pull over or take a photo. So this time of the year is perfect for enjoying the neon sights.

Higgins Crab House at 28th Street

"the end of the boardwalk"

Lifesaving Station Museum

I love the signage of OC....

Sunset behind the old Coast Guard station,

now the Ocean City Lifesaving Museum

....how you know spring is on the way...the cars have returned to the Ferris Wheel!

 And yes.....despite the perception of some, Ocean City DOES remain open after Labor Day.