PRIVATE…..NO ADMITTANCE

Well you’ve made it through Christmas and Hanukkah, and the year is nearly over.  That means it’s the time of year I share with you some of my thoughts – JENuine Truths.  And hopefully provide advice to make the coming year better than the last. 

I was thinking maybe we need to do a little recap of the past couple years.  Just in case there’s stuff we’ve forgotten.

So here we go!

10/28/2011:  I talked to you about the resources God puts in your path to help you achieve success.  The goal for the coming year was to identify and make use of those resources.  Here’s an example: You want a promotion, but realize you lack even basic academic training to move to the next level.  You’ve spent the last several years complaining about needing more money, but doing nothing about it.  The company offers some tuition assistance, so what the heck are you waiting for?  OK, so it won’t be enough to help you work on your masters, or even your bachelor’s degree.  But it would be a big help paying for some classes at the community college.  RESOURCES!!!

12/4/2012:  “Dream Keeper” – You were going to develop a dream keeper if you didn’t already have one.  For those of you who had dream keepers you were going to: (1) remove the clutter; (2) add, update, and amend; (3) elevate by taking advantage of resources; and (4) make periodic reviews of your dream keeper.  Just like shampooing your hair.  Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

12/28/2014:  GOOD TIME FUND!! Hopefully you were all successful with your saving.  If not, don’t be discouraged.  Now’s the time to be honest with yourself about what went wrong.  Did you set the bar a little too high? Did you fall behind and found it impossible to catch up?  Did you lose focus and started dipping into your good time fund? (Looking at you over the top of my glasses) We will do better in 2016! Remember, it’s not about lowering expectations, but about laying the foundation for success.

12/31/2014:  You were supposed to find a hobby.  I know some of you still think that’s silly, but if you found yourself in a Barnes and Noble during the holiday season you’d have seen a wide array of coloring books for adults. Yeah, coloring books! No not that kind! You’re so fresh!  The coloring books had designs to promote meditation, to soothe, to destress.  Just as I told you a hobby would help you do! You need something that will give your brain some down time from the everyday struggle.  Hobby. Find one.

Now that we’ve been reminded of all the things we should still be doing, let’s talk about the coming year. 

This is what I want you to do when you go back to work after January 1:

Day One: I want you to go to work commando.  To clarify, I want you to go without underwear.  Ladies bras are optional.  I want you wait for everyone to get settled, then send   emails, or get on the PA system, and announce your commando-ness to the entire company. 

Day Two: I want you to send emails, or get on the PA system again, and tell everyone whether or not you had sex the night before.  If you did, describe it - in detail - and tell everyone if it was good or not.  

I could go on, but I think I’m losing some of you so I’ll stop right there.

Besides thinking I’ve completely lost my mind, you’re probably thinking that none of the things I’ve asked you to share with your unsuspecting co-workers is any of their business.

I agree with you 100%. 

But I can’t help but wonder why you think you shouldn’t tell these things to your co-workers via the company email or PA system when you tell it to the rest of the world on Facebook and twitter!

SOME OF YOU HAVE LOST YOUR DAMN MINDS!!  MAYBE YOUR MAMA DIDN’T SMACK YOU ENOUGH!

You’re putting some of the most intimate details of your life out here for the world to see. 

Couples are having arguments through their Facebook and twitter accounts.  WTF!!!

You’re seeking advice from folks that don’t have a dog in your fight!  You know you can’t afford that Mercedes SUV, so you look for validation and justification from people on your “friends list”.  NEWSFLASH: Everybody on your friends list ain’t your friend!  None of those folks will be able to help you pay your car note or car insurance if you have even a minor financial setback.  And we all know even a minor financial setback can take a long time to recover from. 

Decisions that could have a profound effect on you and yours should be discussed within the walls of your home. Problems in your house should stay in your house. 

Here is your challenge for 2016:

TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE!!

Take back you privacy! Your family’s privacy! Take back your common sense!! (You want to know about the quality of a diamond? You ask a jeweler.  You don’t ask crazy cousin RayRay, who thought the glass vase he bought at Walmart was Swarovski crystal!)

Suspend your Facebook and twitter accounts if you have to.  Shut them down!

Make 2016 the year you stop making your business everybody else’s business.

MUCH LOVE and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!