Communication and technology

My little cousin, who is only eight years old at the moment, has a smartphone. That’s right, she is eight and she has a smartphone.

She is WhatsApp’ing, MXit’ing and who knows what else. When I saw this, it scared me. Immediately I had a flash-forward of how I imagined the future would play out. Children couldn’t communicate with each other face-to-face anymore, there vocabulary was repulsive and they were all lost in their phones communicating only through social networks.

Still now, I am afraid of what the future has in store for us, especially the generation growing up with the advanced technology the world makes available.

It is important for parents to instil discipline in their children. If you want to give your little child a cellphone or, heaven help us, a smartphone, then PLEASE ensure that you set boundaries.

They need to know that face-to-face communication is important, they need to have set times for when they are allowed to use their phones, during the week they should not be allowed to use it, and most importantly, maybe not the most important but very important, THEY ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE ANY SHORTEN WORDS! They need to use full sentences and full words!

As parents please ensure that your child has good communication skills (real communication skills), uses full sentences and is able to have a conversation with a human being and not only a phone!

Sourced: matolic.com 

If I were the boss

I think a boss should be someone you aspire to be like, someone who has ambition, drive and intelligence.

Now, please allow me to say this: I used to work for the WORST boss in the world! Her level of intelligence is, lacking, to put it mildly. She allowed inexperienced 20-something year olds to run her company, AND tell her what to do.  She had absolutely no guidance to give me. The chances of me wanting to be anything like her are slim-to-none.

So, that brings me to the topic at hand: If I were the boss. ..

Firstly I would fire V#@$@#$ H!@#@#!@’ s ass! She has no place in the corporate environment, anyway.

Then, I would work hard to achieve my goals – this has always been a trait of mine.

I would use a top-down and bottom-up approach to business – ensuring that I can give instruction but also listen to the opinions of my staff, they add value to your projects and you cannot do it on your own.  

I would strive to be the best example an employee could want – I would like my staff to always lookup to me with respect and admiration, not only for my work ethic but also as a person.

One thing I learnt from an editor I used to work under was that you can have a balance between friendship and work, and still have a successful business. When your staff appreciates you as their superior, they will respect you and also have a deeper desire to work hard.

I know I might sound naïve, thinking that running a business is as easy as I make it sound, but I have seen the success of entrepreneurs who choose to run their businesses with respect and hard work.

If I shape my staff using my hard work and dedication as a template, I know my business can be a success.

Of course, guidance from the experienced will always have its place in success.

Sourced: The Savvy Guide 

Apples and Berries

Remember the time when apples and berries where still fruit? When children wanted apples because they were tasty and healthy? Or, when they wanted a berry as a treat?

Oh yes, we remember those days, they are gone but not forgotten. 

In this ever evolving era we are living in, the battle has moved from: who has the smarter child, to who has the smarter phone. 

That's where the battle between Apple and BlackBerry comes in. 

My boyfriend would argue that Apple iPhones are the best phones by far, which I can agree with, the technologies are amazing. 

However, when it comes to being economical BlackBerry's are your best bet. All you have to do is buy your monthly subscription, which is only R59, and you are set. Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and BBM are all just a few buttons away, and you won't even need to recharge your airtime.

Everything (except phone calls and sms's) is free (as free as R59 pm is) and fast. 

So what's your bet? Which fruit, ooops, I meant phone would you prefer?

Sourced: Vaughan Public Libraries

Two men walked out of a building and into a story

It is not only these two men that walked into a story when they walked out of their office building, no we all walk into stories wherever we go.

Some stories might be more interesting than others. Like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, when she walked out of her apartment, who would have thought her story would end with her getting married to a millionaire. The things we would do for such luck, right?

Then you get the stories which don’t end as well, and are slightly less entertaining, like the ladies who run away from their rich family to marry a man who has no money. Okay, so that might be entertaining but realistically, who wants to do that?

Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that everyone has a story, you have one, I have one and even that quiet guy in the corner that never speaks to anyone, also has a story.

Let’s all respect the journey of life, we are all on different paths, but we have the same director. Take some time to recognise Him, and thank Him for the small blessings He allows in our lives.

Enjoy the journey! 

Accepting a gay family member

I’ve realised that no matter how close you are as a family, coming to terms with a gay family member is never easy. It shifts the thinking of what ‘normal’ should be, what is allowed and what is not.

Even growing up in a family where children are brought up as friends does not make it any easier to accept the unexpected words: “I am gay”. When you grow up you expect your brother to marry a sexy, smart woman - one that you, as the sister, would have to compete with. As a father you look forward to having ‘the talk’, its fun because you understand what your son is going through - man-to-man.

When there’s a shift in the ‘normal’ family structure, it may take some time to come to terms with change – when you are set in your ways, adjusting to change takes time.

One thing I’ve learned is: no matter how hard it is for you to accept, it is substantially harder for your son/daughter/brother/sister to ‘come out’. 

So, make an effort to understand their feelings and how difficult it is to have your life judged, every day.

Who your family member loves, shouldn't change how much you them.

This is what I've learned and I'm hoping to implement it in my life when need be.

Source: dreamstime.com

How hard is it to follow instructions?

Being faced with an instruction can be very challenging if the instructor is someone the instructed does not want take instruction from. 

If everyone just took a moment to think about what they are about to ask before they give an instruction, the instruction would be clearer, and following instruction wouldn’t be too hard. Would it? 

Here are five things I think everyone should think about before you give an instruction:

• As the instructor do you know exactly what you want the instructed to do?
• Are your instructions clear and accurate?
• Are you open to answering any, topic related, questions the instructed may have?
• Is the instructed capable of doing the job?
• When is the due date?

I know that there are many more things that could be discussed before an instruction is given, but these are the basics. I know if my instructor answered these simply questions before sending out an instruction, I, as the instructed would find it easy to follow his/her instructions. 

Instructions are only as hard to follow as the instructor makes it to be. 

Agree/disagree?

Sourced: Love in da life of LeO