August 25, 2003

From the Inside Out
NO MORE WITH ME

"I'm sorry. Please forgive me! I don't mean to hold you up," he said as he struggled to get off the escalator. I'll admit to it. There have been times when walking or driving behind an older person I've gotten impatient and upset. I've huffed and zoomed around them because I was in a hurry to get nowhere.

Perhaps I'm more aware of it now because I see myself there one day soon. Today I saw myself in this old man's shoes and it caused me to slow down, stop and ask for his forgiveness.

He was about five or six people ahead of me. I was in a hurry and saw him as an obstacle. I've seen people get off the end of an escalator and stop dead in their tracks, gather their things and suddenly there's a pile up of angry people behind them. You can't stop an escalator full of people behind you. Like the Energizer bunny, they keep on goin'.

This man was well aware of the challenge. He tried desperately to step aside. Fumbling with his small packages, struggling to gain his footing, you could see how troubling this was for him. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me! I don't mean to hold you up," he said as he struggled to get off the escalator.

I suddenly saw this in a whole new light. It was like I was watching my future. I felt sorry for him. I felt sick to my stomach because this man was apologizing to everyone, when we should have been helping him and calming his fears.

One by one, people zipped around him. I heard a few angry comments whispered as one lady passed by him. I saw me. By the time I got to him he was just about steady on his feet. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know there was more," he said. "No, sir. No more with me," I said.

This really hit me hard. I realized right then how sad it was that the world was in such a hurry. That, of course, included me. But...no more with me. Count me out. This wonderful man paid his dues. For whatever time he had spent on this earth, he most likely walked many rough roads and too many important miles. Now he should be apologizing for moving slower?

My heart ached as I looked into his eyes. I wished that I could see what he had seen all those years. His face weathered from life itself, was creased and wrinkled. The small soft pockets under his eyes and the gentle lines that curved up and around them told me he had many happy moments, too. Those were traces left behind from laughter and a smiling, happy man.

"My friend, can I help you with those things?" I asked. Hesitant at first, he finally said, "Well, yes, thank you!" I placed my hand under his left arm and walked with him a safe distance away from the rush of people.

"So what are you shopping for, sir?" I asked. "Oh, just a little something for my neighbor. She's a young mother raising kids on her own. She's always so nice to me. I thought a box of candy for Mother's Day..." he said, stopping suddenly as he searched his inside pocket of his sport coat.

"Do you need something?" I asked. "Oh, no. Here. I think I have it right here. I always carry them with me," he said. Then pulling out a hand full of papers he shuffled through them and handed me a business card that read: "John A. Pomicter — Friend to all...enemy to no one! I said a prayer today and you were the answer. Thank you!"

"That's for you," he said. "Thanks for stopping to help an old man." "My friend, you helped me. I discovered that I was unhappy with the world and I was part of the problem. Now I'll be part of the solution. No more with me!"

"Then this was meant to be," he said smiling. "You know God sends me gifts every day and always at least one special person. You were my gift for today! Let's go get some chocolates, my friend."

~ Bob Perks, Motivational Speaker and Author
www.BobPerks.com
Contributed by "Mr. Positive" Dave Boufford at Positive News Network

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Yes You Can!
MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION

According to one UCLA study, people evaluate one another using the Three V's: visual (appearance), vocal (voice) and verbal (what you say). About 93 percent of a person's communication effectiveness is determined by nonverbal communication. Another study, conducted by a University of Toledo psychology professor, concluded that the first 30 seconds make or break the connection between two people when they meet for the first time. The following six steps, or "two-minute drill," will guide you toward a best-case scenario for interviews and other important presentations:

1. Appearance counts. When you look good, you feel good. Make sure you look groomed and neat. If you were a book, would someone want to read more? Your clothes and accessories should be conservative and neutral, rather than wild and loud. Your clothes are your packaging and should not take attention away from the product.

2. Nonverbal communication sometimes conveys a stronger message than verbal communication. When you slouch, whether sitting or standing, you're saying volumes about you and your confidence level. Sit up straight — like your mother always told you to. When you stand, make yourself as tall as possible: shoulders back and head held high.

3. Eye contact and smiles can indicate a confident and upbeat attitude. You will notice that many job postings ask for enthusiasm and energy. This is a good opportunity to demonstrate your social and interpersonal skills as well as your excitement about the opportunity for which you're interviewing.

4. The handshake sends a strong tactile message. Whether your hands are hot and sweaty or cold and clammy, you can try some tricks to control the temperature. To cool your hands, try running cold water on the insides of your wrists. Use hot water if your hands are cool. If you have particularly sweaty hands, try using a deodorant gel (antiperspirant) as a lotion.

5. Your voice and the volume of your speech convey a strong impression. Whether the interview's over the phone or face-to-face, you should speak with enthusiasm and energy. Use a firm voice to demonstrate your confidence.

6. Your vocabulary reveals your communication skills and ability to interact with people, especially ones you've not met before. The words you choose will say something about you, as well as your knowledge of the industry. It is important to use "their" words and talk "their" talk.

~Carole Martin, Careers.MSN.com

Photo: Sigurdur H Stefnisson

Northern Lights, "Aurora Borealis," is a visible phenomena in Finnish Lapland caused by solar particles being captured by the earth's magnetic field, accelerated to high energy levels and hitting the upper atmosphere forming large Auroral ovals around both magnetic poles. In Finnish they are called "revontulet", which means "fox fires" a name derived from an ancient fable of the arctic fox starting fires or spraying up snow with its brush-like tail. In winter time, Aurora is almost a nightly phenomena and it is no surprise the natives rarely pay much attention to it.

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Fascinating Facts
ABOUT GUARDIAN ANGELS

A couple of months before he died of an inoperable brain tumor, 10-year-old Ryan Reynolds was at a picnic with family and friends, and during the hayride he told his mom he could see angels. This wasn't unusual, because Ryan often spoke of angels. But when the family photos from the picnic were developed, right there among the aunts and uncles and friends were white transparent images.

"We had first thought that it was something to do with the developing," Shirley Reynolds, Ryan's mother, told ABCNEWS affiliate WCPO-TV in Cincinnati. But Ryan's mom wasn't the only one to get back photos with unusual images. In fact, three different cameras, using three different kinds of film, developed at three different places, all had the same transparent white shapes. "No, I've never seen that before in a photo," said Angie Shafer, a photographer for a local newspaper, "We thought that maybe there were spots on it."

"That's really bizarre," said Ryan Kurtz of Cincinnati Magazine. "I've never seen anything like it." The ghostly images appeared as scattered little spots, a sort of fish shape, and one large white globe that little Ryan recognized right away. "When he saw it, he said, 'Mom, this is why I felt so good to go on the hay ride,' " his mother recalled. "He said, 'Because right there is my guardian angel. I knew she'd be there. That's my angel, Mommy. She talks to me all the time.' "

Allegedly, it wasn't Ryan's first experience with angels. "I said, 'Who were you talking to?' " Reynolds said of another incident. "He said, 'Mommy, it's my angels.' "Then he looked up at me," she added. "He never met my parents. They died way before he was ever born. He said, 'Mommy, your mommy and daddy, is that them in the picture on the wall?' And I said, 'Yes.' And he said, 'Mom, I just wanted you to know, they're both OK. They're just as pretty as they are in that picture, except they have wings, and they're waiting for me.' "

Shafer also had a camera at the picnic, where she was taking pictures for The Community Press. The spots in the photos she took with her digital camera could have been due to low light. But after she saw the other photos, she doesn't think so. "Unbelievable," Shafer said. "I believe it though. I believe there was a presence there watching over him. He seemed like such a great kid, the little time I was there and spent with him."

Kurtz, the photographer for Cincinnati Magazine, has been developing and taking photos for 15 years. He was able to explain away a few of the spots, but only a few. "That could be from dirt or water on the lens," he said of some of the marks. "These, I've never seen a shape like that as far as a reflection of a flash along with this perfect circle. You wouldn't get a circle like that from a marking on a lens."

Are they angels? Or did all three cameras see the same reflections in different places at different times? Maybe only Ryan knew for sure. "He said, 'They're my guardian angels, and they've been here since I was born.'" his mother said. "And now, when I think of Ryan, I see him as a happy healthy little boy running and playing doing everything he could no longer do the last nine months."

~By Michael Flannery Special to ABCNEWS.com
Click here for WCPO-TV coverage, including more photos
Contributed by Joan W. Anderson, Where Angels Walk

Who was the first writer to submit a typewritten manuscript? ( ...and more Book Trivia )

Click for Answer

Laughing It Off
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROOFING

Our newspaper carried the notice last week that Mr. Oscar Hoffnagle is a defective on the police force. This was a typographical error. Mr. Hoffnagle is, of course, a detective on the police farce.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you are one of hundreds of parachuting enthusiasts who bought our "Easy Sky Diving" book, please make the following correction: on page 8, line 7, the words "state zip code" should have read "pull rip cord."

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There was a mistake in an item sent in two weeks ago which stated that Ed Burnham entertained a party at crap shooting. It should have been trap shooting.

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There are two important corrections to the information in the update on our Deep Relaxation Professional Development Program. First, the program will include meditation, not medication. Second, it is experiential, not experimental.

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In the "City Beat" section of Friday's paper, firefighter Dwight Brady was misidentified. His nickname in the department is "Dewey." Another firefighter is nicknamed "Weirdo." We apologize for our mistake.

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It was incorrectly reported last Friday that today is T-shirt Appreciation Day. In fact, it is actually Teacher Appreciation Day

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In a recent edition, we referred to the chairman of Chrysler Corporation as Lee Iacoocoo. His real name is Lee Iacacca. The Gazette regrets the error.

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Apology: I originally wrote, "Woodrow Wilson's wife grazed sheep on front lawn of the White House." I'm sorry that typesetting inadvertently left out the word "sheep."

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In one edition of today's "Food Section," an inaccurate number of jalapeño peppers was given for Jeanette Crowley's Southwestern chicken salad recipe. The recipe should call for two, not 21, jalapeño peppers.

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The marriage of Miss Freda vanAmburg and Willie Branton, which was announced in this paper a few weeks ago, was a mistake which we wish to correct.

~Contributed by
Jane at Online The Cat's Meow

Untangling the Web

WHAT A SITE!

Hubble Space Telescope...
If you're at all interested in astronomy, you should visit the Hubble Space Telescope Public Pictures site. Even if you're not especially interested in astronomy, you'll probably find these pictures interesting. Some of the pictures are amazing and you'll probably find it easy to hang around the Hubble site for hours.
http://HubbleSite.org/Gallery

COMPUTER-EASE

Quick close...
Have you ever found yourself on the internet when suddenly a full screen ad pops up and you can't find the "X" to close it? Simply click once on the offending page, then hold down the "Alt" key on your keyboard and press the "F4" key. This will close the window that you just clicked on.
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Photo: Eriko Sugita /REUTERS
American Shorthair Cat Mick ...
examines a "Meowlingual" device, which can translate various meows into over 200 human words, at an unveiling in Tokyo. Toymaker Takara last year developed a "Bowlingual" communication gadget for dogs and will start sales of the "Meowlingual" in November. The feline version won't strap on the collar as does the Bowlingual, and you must hold the microphone up to the cat's mouth and hope it says something. In case your cat's not in the mood, the machine will have "playful features," such as a horoscope reading for cat lovers and other surprises. ~REUTERS