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!