I WONDER IF I NEED A REALLY BAD BOSS?

Does everyone out there have a boss?
One of our sons once shared office space with my husband.
He came home saying, "Boy does dad have a bad boss.
He can't go out to lunch or take a break or go home early."
I could use a bad boss.

As our son noted, my husband has a very very good "bad" boss who demands that he shows up and works whether he wants to or not.

His boss won't let him off the hook.
NO MATTER WHAT!
My husband listens to his boss and obeys.

I can seduce my boss.
My boss believes me when I say I'll do it later. My boss believes me when I say 
"carpe diem".   
My boss lets me off the hook and underestimates what I can do.
Mmmm.
Should I hire a new boss?  
Or enjoy the bad one I have?

What kind of boss do you have? 
Tough, laissez faire, tolerant?
I think I'll name mine Ms Mc Nice-Then-Nasty.
She indulges me and then punishes the hell out of me.
Not fair. 

Yours?

IN PRAISE OF GRACIOUS HOSPITALITY

I am on vacation--visiting married friends of my daughter and mine too.
My granddaughter travels with us. Easily by the way.

Everything about our friends and their house says,  "Welcome,be comfortable, enjoy."

The house itself is welcoming and the proportions themselves
bring comfort. The space says "gracious".  Architects talk about this feeling and so do scholars of aesthetics and it sounds very esoteric ---until you experience it. Do you know what I mean?
There are certain spaces I step into and am immediately soothed, comforted, at home. This is without people involved. I'm talking about the space itself.
I wonder if all of you would experience the same thing as I do here or is it individual. Plato would say "no".
That you would feel it too.

Then add to that welcoming hosts whose mantra is "Do what you want.
Be at home. What do you need?"  In other words, gracious to the core.
Kind, pleasant, courteous as the definition says. 

I keep thinking what a power graciousness could be in a world gone crude.

WOULD YOU RATHER-------

I hope you know by now that I never know what I'm going to write until I sit down to do it. That keeps me from boring myself!!

I was heading to how and why I love sports radio.
Or my high interest and low understanding of Quantum Physics
Then I figured,"Hey,it's summer, nobody should be reading my this at all.
So here's one of my car trip survival games.
My 7 year old California granddaughter is really good at it.

I'm sure you've played.
But here are some to get you started.

l. Would you rather have to walk on gravel or a really sticky floor for the rest of your life?

2. Would you rather have to eat chocolate ice cream for every meal or 
pecan pie? (rest of your life assumed)

3. Would you rather have really really really itchy toes or a really really really  itchy armpit for the rest of your life?  (granddaughter composed)

4. Would you rather have to sneeze every 15 minutes or cough every 15 minutes for the rest of your life?

5. Would you rather wear shoes 2 sizes too small or underwer 2 sizes too big for the rest of your life?

6. Would you rather have no libraries or no churches?

7. Would you rather never to be able to cut your toenails or never be able to cut your hair?

8. Would you rather always have to cook on an open fire or never have a refrigerator?

9. Would you rather eat a pile of pancakes filled with crunch ants or a hamburger filled with cooked worms?

10. Would you rather be in a single bed with Barbara Walters or Whoopee Goldberg?  

You get the gist, right?

Would you rather that Joyce shut-up or Joyce be quiet?

MY SIDE PORCH FREEDOM LABORATORY

I'm sitting on my side porch, my favorite perch to read or feel at home.
Old wicker, flower boxes and sun faded pillows.

I sat here yesterday for the 4th of July with some spray from rain.
AND I felt "freedom".
I was happy.  All events were postponed. I had needed a people break.
I was sequestered by bad weather.
I was alone.
I FELT FREE. Unencumbered.  
No expectations. No one I had to share with. No plans. 
Free.

Then I wondered about who might appear to "infringe" on my freedom.
With their own definition of "free".  Probably someone I love.  BUT.
What happens when more than one person wants their  freedom at the same time? Different freedoms?  Feeling "free" to come sit with me whether wanted or not. Am I "free" to say, "go away" It can get complicated fast.
I know the answer.  
I raised a family of five kids.
Rules begin.
Principles are developed.
Punishments incur.
Negotiation is endless to arrive at a "fair" amount of freedom for all.
How do you give maximum individual freedom without destroying the whole group?

Our country used to be good at that.
Now we all want to just sit on our side porch and have our own freedom even if it involves taking someone else's. The whole has to matter as much as the individual if you want a culture of maximum fair freedom for all.  

Happy Fourth of July!