Daily Dose of BS March 26

According to Wikipedia “abuse is the improper usage or treatment for a bad purpose, often to unfairly or improperly gaining benefit.  Abuse can come in many forms not only physical or verbal, but injury, sexual assault, violation, rape, and many more forms.”  I write this with a heavy heart today as a friend of mine asked me to write about abuse as she is afraid that a friend of hers is being abused.  I have said many times that life is too short for _____ fill in the blank of anything that you don’t like to do.  When you are in an abusive relationship you think that you are alone and that no one out there knows what you are going through. They may not know your specific issues, but there are people out there that do understand and are ready to step in and help you and your kids out of the situation.   In the La Crosse area people from New Horizons Shelter and Women’s Center are available 24 hours a day by calling 608-791-2600 or 888-231-0066 there is information available http://www.co.la-crosse.wi.us/departments/da/docs/VictimWitness/RrcsVicDomViol.htm ( by googling abuse resources and the name of your city)  As we approach April, child abuse prevention awareness month remember you are better than being a verbal or physical punching bag, and there is help available.

Daily Dose of BS March 23

We are a society that buys things when we want them whether or not we need them.  If you don’t believe me look in your closet or your junk drawer or garage.  It seems like we are collectors of stuff, junk if you will.   I am just as bad as the next guy.  I remember Christmas when I was a kid, I was excited because of the great hints I dropped to my parents, and then made sure I told Santa, and 9 out of 10 times I would get at least some of what I asked for.  Fast forward 30 years and if I want something I go buy it so when it comes to surprises there really aren’t too many, because of that.  We are buyers, not if we need it but if we want it, this is why we are in the financial problems we are in as a country.  Credit is too readily available for people without the means to pay it back, look at our housing problems and the fact that there are record bankruptcies.  As I remember hearing many times as a kid if you understand interest you earn it if not you pay it.  

Daily Dose of BS March 22

The customer is always right.  I heard these words uttered by someone in the office as they were walking past my door.  This was the concept that I have always lived by, even if you thought the customer was wrong, they are right to their face, they could be wrong afterward but to their face they are always right.  I think that businesses often forget these words and the concept of the customer being right is out the door.  I would think as the almighty dollar gets more and more scarce that businesses out there would embrace those words and especially the concept.  I had a dealing with a big company the other day, I called the 800 number on the bill and got sent on a barrage of number pushing prompts, when I finally got to speak with someone, they spoke quiet and being a wearer of hearing aids, it was hard to hear, but the broken English made it all the harder to understand.  I had a question about my bill, it had doubled from the last time I remember seeing it, I am not the bill payer in my house, so when I saw the new double price for same service I was a little perturbed.  I tried to explain my issue and the person on the other end of the line they were rude and kept interrupting.  In my opinion if are taking phone calls for your business, once in a while double check the quality of the people to make sure that they are upholding the mission of your business.  And if you are not happy as a customer switch.

Daily Dose of BS March 21

Break a leg, ever wonder what that even means?  According to Wikipedia “People in theatre consider it bad luck to wish an actor good luck, so instead they wish the opposite, by saying "break a leg!” “   The Improv Group I am involved in Sum Assembly Reekwired is having a show tomorrow night at The View on Highway 16 starting at 7:30.  We are going to be playing improv games like the games that they play on the TV show “Whose Line is it Anyway”.  The thing about improv is that the concept of the games is practiced, but you have no idea where it is going to go, every show is different as nothing is scripted.  Which is why improv is an excellent concept for me, because I forget things way too often.  As an Improv’er you learn to take what line or situation is given to you and add to it, sometimes it works and is funny and other times, well you know.  The number one rule in improv is to say yes and, and as in improv yes and works in life and business as well.  Try it sometime, try saying yes and, and add to the conversation, you may be surprised at what results come of it.  If you are looking for a cheap date please join us tomorrow night at The View, and to my fellow improv’ers Break a Leg.  Daily Dose of BS with Bob Schmidt on Magic 105 5:15 weekday afternoons on Magic 105

Daily Dose of BS March 20

My 25th class reunion is coming up August 4th. I had a goal of doing 2 pull ups by then, I have been working on it for a couple of years, going to Snap, and taking boot camp classes. I am sad to say I will not be achieving that goal, but not for lack of trying. Last year I finished 3 5k’s by walking and made the goal this year to finish at least 6. Yesterday was my first step toward accomplishing that goal, I enrolled in a 5k class, a class that trains you in how to jog, or run in a 5k. If you know me I am not built for speed, and am working on the endurance part of it. What we started with last night was a 5 minute walk followed by a 60 second jog then a 90 second walk repeated many times, with a cool down walk. In my mind I was already crossing the finish line, umm no that isn’t what happened. If you want time to stop and the clock to run backward, jog for 60 seconds. I made it through the first minute of jogging and the 90 seconds of walking and about 30 seconds of the next one minute run, and then progressively less as the alternating hell continued. Only 46 days until the LaCrosse Fitness fest and my new found running skills will be put to the test, only 21 more classes before the race. The nice thing about this goal is I know I can walk the 5k but will push to jog toward the finish line, you know the weird thing about it, is I am looking forward to the next class on Wednesday.

Daily Dose of BS March 19

The crack of dawn comes early.  I am up by 4 most days for work; this is a big reason why I don’t like getting up early on weekends.  Sleeping in on a weekend is usually no later than 6:37.  Yesterday morning I woke up at 5:30 with a panicky scream and was reaching for the phone to call in late when I was reminded it was Sunday.  I was relieved and must have been tired since I then rolled over and started sawing z’s again and when I finally did roll myself out of bed it was 7:20, 7:20 what am I a teenager?  Never mind my teens sleep till 10 most weekends.  I don’t want to pull the when I was a kid card, but my Dad never let us sleep in any later than 8:30 and that is if we were lucky.  He used to say something like how can you soar with the eagles if you are going to stay up with the turkeys or something like that.  I have been an early riser for much of my adult life, and have been late for work less than 5 times in almost 20 years of morning radio.  Usually I set the alarm listen to the news, then get ready to take on the day.  

Daily Dose of BS March 16

When it comes to hiring someone to work around your house where do you draw the line? I hate painting, to me it is way worth bringing someone in who likes to do it and wants to do it. The few times that I have painted, I have stories to go with the jobs, for example when I bought my house I was painting the window frames around the screened in porch with barn red paint while up on a ladder I knocked the can off the ladder and splash, up the side of the house, over the screens and all over the deck boards. I admit it I yelled and dropped the word that curls your mothers hair, my neighbor ran out the back door, looked over to see me stewing asked if I was ok and asked me not to say that word again incase his wife heard it. It made sense to me and we were friends from that moment on. Painting to me ranks right up there with, changing oil, picking up dog poo, doing dishes, laundry and the countless other chores that are out there as a home owner. I don’t mind mowing, shoveling snow, cooking or grocery shopping, in fact I like doing these 4 chores, but where is the line and when do you hire out the job, isn’t that what kids are for?