Little Act o Kindness

RAVE to the ferry captain who stopped the ferry to protect the pod of orcas on the Bainbridge crossing. How lucky are we to live in a place where we coexist with such amazing creatures? Way to protect the pod!

RAVE to the clerk at Redmond post office who cheerfully told a customer she would save $5 if she repacked her item into a free Priority Mail box, and gave her the tape to seal it. Plus, it would arrive sooner! Wonderful customer service!

RAVE to South County Fire & Rescue paramedics Blake and team who checked out Mom then called to assure me she was OK after a recent tumble at her Mountlake Terrace assisted living facility. Mom said she was grateful that “three kind doctors came” to see her. And rave to the caregiver team at her facility for their kindness and excellent care of my 98-year-old mom! So very grateful to everyone!

RAVE to the wonderfully sweet couple and their two dogs who found my credit card in a retail parking lot, saw me looking for my lost item and returned it safely to me with a smiling face. Double rave to them for welcoming a hug from my unmasked self when they were masked. Thank you!

RAVE to a Redmond police officer. I was driving in Redmond looking at my new cellphone and trying to figure out where my doctor’s new office is. A Redmond police officer pulled me over and I accepted the fact I would probably receive a ticket with a short lecture. I explained to him that I was looking for a place to pull over and get a better handle on my search for my doctor’s office. He took my driver’s license and went back to his car. He came back with directions and my license, without a ticket. This 83-year-old great-grandfather was extremely appreciative.

RAVE to the Seattle Symphony audience members who show their appreciation for the wonderful musicians with loud applause and standing ovations. And rave to audience members who are new enough to classical music concerts to be unaware of the convention of not applauding between movements. Isn’t it wonderful to welcome new listeners to the joys of live classical music?

RAVE to the little lending library housed next to a Northeast Seattle cafe. I drop by once a month and have found literary treasures such as “An American Marriage” by Tayari Jones and, most recently, “Amy Falls Down” by the hilarious Jincy Willett. Thank you to whoever is offering such good books to share!

RAVE to bullfrogs, who nightly unleash a croakfest in my neighborhood. They are not the most talked-about or even admired sign of spring, but I always know it’s spring when they start their mating ritual.

RAVE to the police officers who helped my son when he had a psychotic break the other week. His partner called 911 because it was difficult for her to handle him. When the police arrived, they were incredibly kind to both of them. Asked specific questions related to his condition. They often receive little applause for their care when people are under very difficult mental issues. Thank you so much for your support.

RAVE to the users and staff of King County Metro. I left my backpack with ID, credit and debit cards, apartment building key fob and keys, $140 in cash, reading glasses, AirPods Pro, and lots of other stuff on the No. 8 bus. It was turned in and I picked it up a few days later completely intact.

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What you Doing this Summer?

It’s the summer of Frosty Fridays, where I take my three kids out to a new ice cream shop each Friday. — Pete Horvath, Chicago

This is #granolagrandma summer. Gardening, reading books, crossword puzzles, sitting on my patio enjoying the sounds of the birds and the bugs. — Katherine Knight, Knoxville, Tenn.

Vasectomy summer! A handful of my male friends and family members in their 30s and 40s got vasectomies over this past year, but none of them are really talking about it. This summer, let’s normalize the conversation while enjoying sex without the fear of an unwanted pregnancy. — Annabeth Rodgers Faucher, Providence, R.I.

It’s summer of dodging Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Instagram content so the concert can remain a surprise! — Havi Carrillo-Klein, Cleveland

I declare this will be the summer of growing our groceries! Getting my hands dirty to eat clean. — Melinda Deas, Stonewall, La.

I deleted all social media apps and declared a no-social summer. I want to live for the actual moments, not worry about how I will portray them. — Morgan Gelfand, Portland, Maine We’re having a summer of ice cream.

I set up a five-cubic-foot freezer on the front porch filled with ice cream bars and Popsicles. My 9-year-old and his friends? HAVE SOME ICE CREAM! The neighbors? HAVE SOME ICE CREAM! The postal delivery person? HAVE SOME ICE CREAM! It’s 2 a.m.? HAVE AN ICE CREAM! — Janet Wallace, Atascadero, Calif.

I would like for this to be the summer of taking charge. I feel as if I’ve been letting life just happen to me for too long, and I would like to step forward and participate more actively in my own existence. — Charles Surette, New York City

This will be my summer of reading six to seven books a month. I turned 73 in May, and my goal this year is 73 books. — Alice Benson, Gaithersburg, Md.

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Invest In Your Team

Do you care about the business, or do you care about the team that makes your business work? It’s a subtle but crucial difference. People spend most of their lives at work, and they’re more  willing to give it their all when they believe their boss cares about their personal goals and dreams. Take time to figure out what your employees want, and how you can help them achieve their goals.

None of this is easy. You’re moving fast, and it’s not always clear how your leadership choices are paying off. So, think of it this way: Your team is the launchpad for your future success. If they trust your leadership, they propel your future more than you knew was possible.

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Making Storage Too Deep

Extra-deep cabinets and wide shelves work well in some areas, but sometimes (especially in smaller spaces) narrower storage solutions are the most effective option. The advantage is two-fold: You can often gain extra storage spots in areas that would otherwise be too small, and with fewer items, your storage has less chance of getting cluttered and disorganized.

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Setting Boundaries’ Is Hard

All founders feel a personal responsibility for their companies, and that creates a lot of pressure. To me, the best way to cope is to stay close to my purpose — my “why.” I meditate every morning and every evening. Sometimes a family tells me a story so heartbreaking I can’t shake it. But that night, I meditate on that family. They become my new why, my reason for taking the next call — no matter when the phone rings. – Charlie Barnhart

Positively Purging-I welcome your feedbacks in the comments and your likes and passing the real-life wisdom on to others as I embark on this new venture of “positively purging”, as I know each of these pieces represents something

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