Government Spending...I Gotta Do It!

Okay, I held out as long as I could.  But, there really is no better example of lack of common sense out there than our government spending.  Seriously, if any average household were run the way our government is run, it would've been broke a long, long time ago.
Here's the problem, as I see it.  People say that they want the government to do less spending, but no one wants their program cut.  I think that the reason that a federal government was formed in the first place was to, what?  Protect the people and provide services that it was not feasible for local governments or private industry to handle, right?  Things like interstate highways and the postal service.  The problem is that, in the best of times, providing for the people got out of hand.  I'm certainly not saying that people with disadvantages or people who need a leg up occasionally shouldn't be provided for.  I'm just not certain that most of these programs belong under the federal government's care.

You see, a whole lot of these programs could be run by local governments or private industry.  Here's where the whole common sense thing comes in.  When I, personally, complain about what the government spends my tax dollars on, I'm not saying that poor people shouldn't be taken care of.  To the contrary, I would love to be able to keep some more of my hard earned money in order to support charities of my choosing.  People are a whole lot more willing to give to someone in need if they feel like they're doing all right themselves, right?  It's just common sense.
So, while we certainly need the military to protect our lives and freedoms, do we really need the Public Broadcasting Service anymore?  Really?  With all of those cable channels?  Hmmmm........

Loose Change

Have you ever gotten to the end of a long day, reached into your pockets to empty them before slipping into your coziest pajamas, and suddenly realized that you gained five pounds during the day because of the change you've accumulated?  I mean, every time that you buy something with cash (which may not be too often any more, what with debit and credit cards), the cashier hands back a handful of pennies, nickels and dimes.  When Bob and I were first married, we acquired a large water bottle...you know, the kind that sits on a dispenser in an office.  We would put our change from our pockets in there every night.  About a year later, we were able to purchase a new freezer for our basement from that change.  The clerk at the store wasn't very happy with us for making him count all that change!
Anyway, Bob has come up with an idea to save the government money and save the consumer a lot of hassle.  So the idea is to eliminate all pennies, nickels and quarters.  Everything would be rounded to the nearest dime.  The coins that you would carry (no, this plan does not eliminate the heavy pocket problem, but stick with me for a minute) would be the dime, fifty-cent piece and dollar coins.  We could therefore eliminate the dollar bill also.  According to MoneyWeek.com, it costs 1.7 cents to produce a penny.  Let's do our part to save our country some money, and get rid of those pesky pennies at the same time!!

Pants on the Ground

I've noticed a trend that started several years ago:  teenage boys wearing their pants around their hips instead of at their waist.  Now, I'm not one to criticize the latest fad; I'm certain that if you look back at pictures of my teenage years, you'll find some pretty funny-looking hair-dos (and don'ts), color schemes, etc.  But we are talking Common Sense here, and there are some things with this particular look that should be considered.

First and foremost, it's DANGEROUS!  The girls and I were in the car at a stoplight in Naperville a couple of years ago.  A teenage kid was waiting to walk across the street.  It was one of those really quick lights, so as he started across, the light changed.  He started to run, and as he ran across the street, in all of the traffic, his pants suddenly dropped all the way to his ankles!  So, he's tripping across the street, bent over, trying to pull up his pants and make it across the street before the traffic starts up!  If it hadn't been so dangerous, it would have been hilarious...ok, it was hilarious anyway :o)
Another problem with this particular trend is the whole underwear thing.  Seriously, no one wants to see your underwear...it's called that for a reason:  to be worn UNDER your clothes!  When our girls were in the car watching that young man trying to cross the street, their mouths were dropped open to the floor as they watched his pants drop.  NOT exactly a PG family moment.
So please, consider some Common Sense before buying that next pair of pants.

Common Sense Kitchen Safety Tips

Feel free to view my video, recorded with the help of my family, on kitchen safety!

The Giving Nation

Here's something to feel good about...American individuals are more charitable than any other individuals in the world!
Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in people telling us how selfish we are; how rich and bigoted and small we are.  But I'd like to give you some hope; to look deeper at your fellow man.
I was watching a special by John Stossel titled "What's Great About America?".  He had some interesting stuff in there.  For instance, while the American government does give less than some countries (as a percentage of GDP), American individuals rank first out of 36 countries in giving.*  Think of the countries that have suffered tsunamis and earthquakes--Haiti and Japan--and all of the private sector American aide that has gone to those in need.

Did you know that Americans adopt more needy kids from foreign countries than all other countries combined!
Americans give twice as much of their individual income to charities as Canadians; and 10 times more than the French!
Think of the billions of hours of volunteer time that Americans give...everything from scout troops to building/repairing homes to collecting money/clothing to religious organizations...the list goes on and on!
Common sense and goodwill are at the heart of America.  I think that it stems from those first Pilgrims who came to Plymouth Rock so long ago.  Think of the community that needed to happen just for them to survive and eventually thrive to become what we are today.
So look around, find someone who could use your help, and thank your ancestors for the gift of a charitable heart!

Common Sense Baby Names

Did you ever think about what goes into naming a baby?  Common Sense should be the first step!  Listen to my personal story, along with a lesson on how NOT to name your baby!!

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What should we name the baby?

Avoiding Check-Out Purgatory

In one scene of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Indiana has to choose which cup is the Holy Grail.  His decision is literally life or death.  This is how it feels when choosing which line you will stand in at any large store. You need to take into account how many people are in each line, how many items are piled into each cart, the experience and efficiency of the cashier...plus the unknowns:  items missing their barcode, whether the customer's check/ATM card will work, and how long the customer is willing to argue with the cashier about the price of an item.  This doesn't even include the customer who wants to barter or the old lady with exact change (as if there's some kind of "exact change award").  All of these calculations, which could reduce a PhD physicist to tears, must be made in seconds...otherwise the opportunity is gone and a more aggressive shopper claims your space.
All of this could be avoided with a little common sense.  If one line is formed before all of the cash registers, then the next person in line is called by the next available cashier.  This ensures that, if one cashier gets stuck with a problem customer, everyone in the line doesn't suffer.  I've run across a scientist who sees things my way that can express this idea much more clearly.  If you click on the link, I'll take you right to it and you can see how he explains this concept:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5Ri_HhziI0
A couple of merchants have figured out this method of fairness for shoppers, but most still need to employ this type of Common Sense!

Charlie Sheen...Does He HAVE Any Common Sense?

I used to watch Two and A Half Men...it was pretty funny, and the main characters played off each other pretty well.  It got a little much for me after a while, so I stopped watching; but you certainly don't have to watch the series to get a glimpse of Sheen these days.  He is all over the place!
I think that people generally like to watch someone fall apart in public.  Look at the antics of Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, or Lindsay Lohan, to name a few.  But I think that Charlie is in a category all by himself.  If nothing else, he certainly knows an opportunity when he sees it...
Charlie Sheen has sold out not one, but two, shows at Radio City Music Hall for his upcoming tour of his one-man show, "Charlie Sheen LIVE:  My Violent Torpedo of Truth".  The theater seats 6000 people!  Not only that, the show sold out in under 30 minutes, so they added another, which also sold out.  Since sales were so good, the actor then added shows in Cleveland, Columbus, NYC, Connecticut and Boston.
So, my common sense tells me that I would not want to play out my life in front of the entire world.  I know, I know.  He's an actor; that's what they do.  But seriously, his life, no matter how he spins it, is not going too well at the moment.  He has to see a psychiatrist before he can see his sons; he's had to pay how much money to clean up the hotel rooms he's trashed; some of the pictures floating around after his binges are NOT very flattering; and he recently kissed Jimmy Kimmel on late night television.  I know, I'm pretty old-fashioned; but, I really do think that it would be common sense for him to lay low for a while.  On the other hand, if the fans are gonna love you, and the media's going to pay you...well, good luck to you, Charlie Sheen.  I certainly hope everything works out well for you in the end!

Plugs...Simple Common Sense

This post will be short and sweet.  It's really my husband's idea.  Why don't they make plugs that are flush to the wall?  Have you ever plugged something in, then moved the item or table that it's sitting on next to the wall?  You can't do it because the plug gets in the way!!  How frustrating is that.  Just needs some common sense :o)

McDonald's Makes the Rules in Your House?

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This podcast contains some simple solutions to the lawsuit that Monet Parham is bringing against the popular fast-food chain, McDonald's.

Mobile Phone Etiquette...Common Sense Tips

So, you're at the grocery store picking through the apple bin.  Someone comes and stands next to you.  They say hello.  You turn and say "hi" with a big smile on your face.  Only to realize that they have one of those dang earphones hanging off the side of their face, and their conversation is not with you!
I am just as guilty as the next person in believing that a particular conversation I'm having in public cannot wait until I get someplace more private.  I have kids and family that think the world is going to fall apart unless I can give them permission to watch TV or settle an argument or help them figure out what to have for dinner.  I understand it, but I don't like it.  I mean, it wasn't that long ago that we didn't have a way to keep in touch with EVERYONE 24/7.  And we survived!
Really, I think I'm just asking for common sense when using a phone in public.

• Make it obvious that you're talking on a phone to avoid those ebarrassing encounters with people standing around you.
• Keep your volume at an acceptable level.  You don't have to talk any louder than you normally would.
• Watch the language and content.  You are in a public place, with the possibility that there are little ears present.  And even if there's not, I don't want to hear about every detail of your drunken brawl, or your encounter with Charlie Sheen!
• If you're in someone else's company, keep it short.  There's nothing more boring than eating dinner with someone who's focused on someone else.

Sacrificing For Your Kids...Not Always Common Sense

As you  may know by now, my husband and I have four children.  The first three are very close in age, within three years of each other; and the last is almost five years younger than the third.
When the kids were pretty young, probably about 4, 6 and 7, we took them to a church-organized carnival.  You know, with games and little prizes that they can win.  I believe it may have been the ending to the Vacation Bible School for the year, or some such thing.
Anyway, the place was really crowded and, for some reason, we had a limited amount of time to spend.  When we arrived and saw the lines for the different games, we took the kids aside and explained to them that they would need to look around, figure out which games they really wanted to play, and prioritize them, as we definitely would not be able to get to all of them.  After a quick trip around the gym they decided on a game (they all chose the same one to start), and we stood in line.  The gym was hot, and very noisy.  There were kids running all over and, I'm sure, everything seemed very exciting to our little ones. After several minutes, we were edging closer to the activity in front of us and, pretty soon, the kids turned their attention to the game that they would be playing in just a few more minutes.
There was a woman standing in front of us.  Neither Bob (my husband) nor I had paid much attention, until she started yelling across the room.  We took our attention from our kids and turned to look at her.  To our amazement, she was yelling to her children, who were playing another game on the other side of the room.  When the kids heard their mom yelling, they finished up their game and came to walk right up to play the game....the game that their MOTHER had stood in line for THEM to PLAY!  We were speechless.
I believe that it is never too early to teach your children that there are sacrifices to be made when it comes to getting what you want in this world.  Every other child in that room had to make a decision regarding what game they were going to play, and what would be sacrificed, due to time constraints.  No one else was allowed to use someone else to obtain everything that they wanted.  What a lesson that mother was teaching her children.  "Here kids, go live it up.  I'll sacrifice for you.  I'll do anything for you so that you can have everything that you want.  You don't have to wait in line.  You don't have to take turns, like everyone else does."  Aren't you just asking for your kids to turn out to be selfish, spoiled brats?  Life would be pretty empty if all we ever did was strive for getting everything that we want, no matter the cost.
Rest assured our kids have grown up hearing this story, and the lessons to be learned from it, many times.  Isn't it just plain Common Sense?

Tiger Mom vs. Western Mom vs. Common Sense Mom

Okay, so the Tiger Mom (Amy Chua) has gotten news and headlines and everyone worked up over whether Chinese mothers are better at parenting than Western mothers, or just sadistic.  I think that there are pros and cons to both ways of parenting, creating what we might call the "Common Sense Mom".
Miss Chua states three differences in parenting that distinguish the Chinese and the Western parent:
First, that the Western parent is too wrapped up in their child's self-esteem.  I happen to think that there is some truth in this.  In this country, we place a lot of emphasis on a child's sense of worth---in and of itself, not a bad thing; however, it can be taken to extremes.  For example, there was an effort not too long ago for the schools to stop using red pens for corrections on papers and, instead, to use purple.  This was thought to ease the child's anguish over getting an incorrect answer on a test or homework.  What?!  Someone please explain to me how a color choice can make a child feel better about getting a wrong answer.  It's wrong!  That's all there is to it...do it over and never mind what color was used to let you know that your answer is WRONG!  On the other hand, I certainly think that the solution being to "excoriate, punish and shame the child" (Amy Chua's words) is a bit extreme.  While some children deal well with the "coaching" method of parenting (i.e. a lot of yelling and blustering from a parent), some definitely fare better with a more gentle method of encouragement.  This is not to say that a parent should not expect, and even demand, A's from a child.  You, as parent, know exactly what that child is capable of, and should make it perfectly clear that there will be absolute focus when it comes to schoolwork.  After all, as I tell my children all the time, education is their job at this time in their life.
The second difference, according to Miss Chua, is that Chinese parents think that their children owe them everything, while many Western parents (including the author's own husband) think they are owed nothing by their children.  I'm thinking that this is part of the guilt factor that we have in this country.  Many, many households have two parents working, at least one job apiece, to keep up with a certain standard that they have set for themselves.  I once talked with a mom who actually felt guilty bringing her only son into the world because she felt inadequate about what she was able to "give" him---time for friends, time as a family.  She and her husband both worked, to fulfill their own desire for worth, as well as to have nice things.  All she had to do to "give" her child what they both craved was to quit work for a couple of years to spend time with him. Sure, we need to give things up in order to do this; and some families maybe can't totally give up jobs, especially in this economy.  But we can make sure that the time that we have is spent as quality time with our families.  Turn off the TV, cook a simple meal together, play games, talk to each other, go to church or synagogue together....be together.  Your kids will love you for it, and they will feel that they owe you everything, because you gave everything that you had for them.
The last difference has to do with Chinese mothers thinking that they know what is best for their children, and overriding the child's desires and preferences.  Again, some truth and common sense to this way of thinking.  A lot of Westerners believe that they are their children's buddy or BFF.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  You are your child's parent...that means that, sometimes, your child will hate you for the decisions that you make on his/her behalf.  For instance, my husband and I insisted that our second child go to college.  She did not want to go to college; she does not like school.  However, after her first semester, we can already see a change in her sense of who she is and her belief in what she, herself, can accomplish.  As a matter of fact, she has come close, several times, to telling us that we actually may know what we are doing when it comes to raising kids!!  Will wonders never cease!!
So, to sum it up:  get to know your children, how they work and who they are.  By spending time with them, teaching them, expecting the most of them, inflicting upon them your values, you will grow a mature adult who gives back to society and will make you proud.  And they'll know how to use their Common Sense :o)
Read Amy Chua's article at www.wsj.com.

Common Sense Says Don't Say "Diet"

I, like just about every other woman on the planet Earth, have done my share of dieting.  In my experience, this involves a process of deciding I've put on a few pounds, vowing to take said pounds off, exercising and starving for about a week, then asking myself if it's really worth it.  The answer, of course, is NO!  Starving leads to binging which is not only unhelpful, but unhealthy.
After careful consideration and observation of friends, family and myself, I've come to the conclusion that common sense is definitely key to happy, healthy living.
About five years ago I found myself in the uncomfortable position of having put on about ten pounds.  Uncomfortable...literally...my pants were way too tight, and I decided that I either needed to lose the weight or buy the next size.  As I was not entirely against the idea of purchasing a new wardrobe, I was pretty calm and unbiased about analyzing how the pounds had come to be part of me and whether I was willing to do what it would take to get them off again.
In my case, my life had just plain become too busy.  There was definitely no time for exercise, and a good two hours of each day was spent in the car--half of that time by myself--a recipe for disaster!  Being the fast food junkie that I am, it had become quite easy to establish a routine of burgers and fries throughout the week.  You know how it starts: just a quick drive-thru for a Diet Coke (oh, I'm soooo good for having a diet...right?), and pretty soon you can't live without the word "super-size".
I decided that I definitely could not live with the thought of never tasting a juicy burger again; but could I find a solution without a trip the mall?  I made up my mind to try.  I chose one day a week--usually a busy, hectic day--that would be my "treat day".  On all other days I stuck snacks (I didn't limit myself to what I could or could not have, as long as it came from home) and one of my daughters in the car with me.  This last was to provide accountability.  I certainly didn't want her eating fast food every day.  And besides, I was sure she would tattle to the other two at home, starting an avalanche of indignant outcries that they didn't get to go!!
Believe it or not, this actually worked!  I looked forward to my day of treating myself and the food tasted better because it was something special.  In the meantime, my car snacks became healthier because I felt so proud of myself for the little bits of success I was having.
Now, of course, I still struggle with my weight occasionally; but common sense brings me back to that analysis of something simple and small to change that leads to a more healthy lifestyle.  So remember, baby steps and common sense...it's all good :o)

Joel Klein Talks Common Sense Regarding Education

I saw Joel Klein, Chancellor for New York Schools for eight years, on a late night talk show one night.  He seems so very sensible in his views on updating our education system.

Common Sense Blogs, and My Opinions

Here are some pros and cons of three blogs on common sense.

http://uncommonsenseblog.com/

I like the title/logo at the top and there is a lot of information, including twitter feed.
The colors are horrible...very hard to read.  And it seems very wordy.

http://www.dailycommonsense.com/

This blogger seems to want to please readers, commenting on taking the blog to the next level, etc.  Also, very easy to read.
I guess easy to read doesn't always mean thrilling, though.  This blog is extremely plain.  Nothing but text...not very interactive.

http://davidscommonsense.com/

This is apparently an orphaned site now, but it was funny.  The photos caught my eye right off.  Easy to read with a lot of tools for interaction.
Kind of plain with mostly pictures and videos; very little commentary.

Corporate Social Networking---Common Sense?

I was reading through an article on Social Networking in a corporate environment recently.  It seems the general trend would be toward some kind of intranet site for employees, whether that consists of operational manual type applications---think Google Docs--- or comment/complaint type blogging sites with employee interaction.  The article was questioning the pros and cons of such a site for different types of enterprises; but my take would be a wider perspective.  I mean, if someone in the company can, and will, create and maintain such a site, why not?  I see no downfall and, certainly, some advantages to having information and outlets available to employees.  However, be very careful not to think that any kind of site is a be-all, end-all endeavor.  This is where common sense comes in.  There are going to be people who are gung-ho for this technology.  There are going to be some who will take what they need, and leave a whole lot of it alone.  And there will be some who would not touch it with a ten-foot pole!  Social networking can be a wonderful tool…in a full toolbox!