JOB DESCRIPTION - MOTHER

By Vernalee

”Being a mom is often said to be the hardest job in the world  — and now 24 more people know that being one may come with paltry “benefits.” A Boston-based ad agency, Mullen, created a campaign for Cardstore.com where 24 people interviewed for what they thought to be a corporate  “Director of Operations” position at a company called Rehtom, Inc (can you read backwards?).

The role had seemingly crappy requirements, such as:

• Must be able to work 135+ hours a week

• Willingness to forgo any breaks

• Ph.D. in psychology or real-life equivalent

• Crisis management skills a must

• Ability to manage a minimum of 10-15 projects at one time

• Ability to communicate at all levels (basic to advanced)

• Ability to work in a chaotic environment

• Excellent interpersonal skills and a collaborative approach

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in negotiating, counseling and culinary arts

• Unlimited patience

• Understanding of social media, mobile devices and video games, finance and medicine.

And although the salary is $0, the job promises “infinite opportunities for personal growth and rewards.”

Does this job description sound accurate to you?”

Ask any Mother, she’ll give you the answer.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

By Vernalee

Happy Thanksgiving! As we cook, bless the food, and enjoy the day off, it is a joyous time of reflections. Oh yes … Thanksgiving is more than a day of the huge feast – turkey, ham, dressing, cakes, and pies. Though the delectable food is yummy to our tummies! It’s more than a day of parades and countless football games. It is a day to be thankful – thankful for life, loved ones, family, friends, blessings, and the amenities of living! Recognized as one of the busiest travel times, traditionally, many people travel near and far to be with and share time with people that they love. Kindred spirits are the order of the day. However, this year, because of the coronavirus, we are encouraged to stay home and celebrate the day with our immediate family. However we gather, we must keep in mind that the holidays can be a lonely time for some! Let's share our fortunes of love, kindness, and resources with others even if it’s virtual. Let not our love be selfish and superficial; ignoring the needs of others. Turning our heads should not be an option. Let our love be overflowing like a cornucopia. I am sure that the recipients of our generosity will be thankful! For certain, we would have left them better than we found them! That feeling should fill our souls as much as the Thanksgiving meal filled our tummies!

P.S. As we treasure the memories of our loved ones who no longer walk this earth, we are immensely thankful for the loving Imprints that they left behind. They and all of the lessons that they taught us remain in our hearts forever and a day!

Blessings! Photo credit: www.startribunecom

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS

By Vernalee

As we countdown the days to Thanksgiving, I thought that I would share a story or two. We all have our holiday stories buried somewhere in our memories. Well this one places me in my hometown, Glen Allan, Mississippi about 15 years ago. Anyway, my Mother short of taking me across her knee really chastised me upon discovering that I had not taught my daughter, her namesake, the basic essentials of cooking. I remember her words to this day when she said, "It's a down right shame for a woman in our family not to know how to cook!" You see during my daughter's adolescent years, I was extremely busy balancing corporate and entrepreneurial duties that we ate out a lot! For those of you who were building careers, you know what I mean; right? My Mother was just not going to have it! Her granddaughter was going to at least know the basics. So off to the drawing board, the two Phoebe's (my Mother and daughter) went! "We are going to cook Thanksgiving dinner together baby girl," my Mother told her. Excitedly, my daughter spent the next two days with her iPad writing recipes and cooking side by side with her Granny. Word spread around our diminutive city that "Little Phoebe was cooking Thanksgiving dinner." Many town folks came over to see and taste the feast. Drumroll please … Well the meal turned out perfect and my daughter has been cooking ever since...thanks to her Granny! It left an indelible memory that was bigger than the meal!