Girls Camp and Youth Idea

Kiss Them Good-Bye....

(And I don't mean your parents)

Yes, that is what I told the Young Women today at our Parent/Daughter Pre-Camp Meeting regarding their Cell Phones, ipods, or any other electronic device....

Kiss Them Good-Bye...they are not coming to camp, not for the ride up or the ride home. No.....they are not attending camp, in fact, they are not invited.

As I discussed this "rule", I passed around a bowl of Hershey Kisses and told them to take one. As they ate the Kiss, I wanted it to remind them to leave their electronics home so they could "plug in" to The Spirit at Young Women Camp and be prepared for a SWEET EXPERIENCE.

I told the Girls that if they can't fall asleep without headphones and music in their ears, that NOW is a good time to start practicing how to go to sleep without them.

If you are competing with Cell Phones and other electronics at your Weekly Youth Activities or during your Sunday Lessons, TAKE CHARGE. Have a Basket for checking in Cell Phones at arrival time. Don't allow your Youth to be plugged in elsewhere and not tuned in to the Activity/Lesson.

They sit in the same room and Text Message each other over and over and over...DON'T ALLOW IT. REAL Communication is quickly disappearing. We have generation of Text Message, Face Book, Cell Phone, ipod addicts on our hands. It is out of control everywhere I turn.

Tell them to KISS their phones and electronics goodbye during formal Activities and Lessons. When you present this "rule", take the edge off with a few Hershey Kisses and a large dose of your love. My girls know that I totally love them like my own. Asking them to Kiss their electronics Good-Bye was not a problem (yes, there was some grumbles, but no challenging the issue)

How do you deal with Cell Phone and ipod use during

Youth Activities and/or Sunday Lessons?

Is this a problem in your area?

Are the Parents just as bad?

Cell Phone Love/Hate
Today was hair overhaul day for me..cut and color touch up. Any time I leave the hair salon, I feel like a new person. The condition of my hair is such a barometer for other aspects of my life. All it takes is a simple cut to make a big impact on my entire outlook on life. Am I the only one?

Today, however, I was reminded of my love/hate relationship with Cell Phones. I love having a Cell Phone and I am equally happy for others to have this convenience. As I was enjoying my hair overhaul experience, I had to hear TWO one-sided conversations (there was no accidentally overhearing these conversations) Both conversations could have completely waited until the talkers were not in the presence of half the town. The conversations were long and about nothing of much importance (at least the half I heard was shallow...I am assuming the other half matched the depth I was hearing.)

Being the huge Multi-Tasker I am, I can understand wanting to accomplish a few things while waiting for your timer to go off signaling your hair color has been processed the right amount of time. In fact, I did accomplish a few things while in that exact situation....I went OUTSIDE to make my phone calls...all three of them. (now you know.. for certain I DO have my hair colored...OFTEN! What you don't know is how much GRAY I have covered every 4-5 weeks!)

Being a mother, I understand completely the need to answer the phone if it your children or their school calling. No hesitation on that one. My children are the biggest reason I have a cell phone. No explanation needed on that one.

I do not, however, appreciate listening to you go on and on about your housekeeper not being able to work a few extra hours, or that your daughter may not breastfeed her new baby, or that you aren't sure who was invited to which party and is the attire black tie or semi formal.

On one occassion, while I was having a pedicure. I learned that a prominent person in my town was being served with Divorce papers that afternoon and would be "devastated". The person next to me just went on and on without any clue who was hearing this confidential information. (So much for strategy and a game plan!)

If you absolutely have to communicate while you are in a Salon, Doctors Waiting Room, While Volunteering at your child's school (for real this happens), Grocery Line, Voting Line, Post Office Line, Sporting Event, The Movies,etc. then TEXT MESSAGE or have a SHORT and To-The-Point Conversation about the pressing matter...then HANG UP! Better yet, when possible, respect those around you...Go Outside or Wait. The world will not end if you don't discuss the most trivial, shallow details of life for an hour.

When I have an experience like today. I remember the advice I give my children....You can learn what to do from GOOD EXAMPLES and what NOT to do from BAD EXAMPLES. So you see, I left with my hair overhaul making me feel like a new person and a resolve to learn from the bad examples on their phones in a public place.

Is this a gripe of yours, also?

Where is the most annoying place for you to hear other's conversations?

Have you ever heard something juicy and/or confidential?

It just drives me crazy to listen to people go on and on about generally nothing!

Palm Beach County~Cell Phones~Early Voting

2:30....The Time I Got Into Line For Early Voting

3:40....The Time I Got Into My Car and Drove Away

Not bad...not bad at all... The one hour and ten minutes went by quickly. After hearing horror stories of 2-4 hour waits all over the state of Florida, I was prepared for the long-haul and pleasantly surprised at the short wait. With no one voting at their precinct, The Early Vote process has a few more steps than the actual Election Day, hence the LONG WAIT. My polling location was generously staffed and ran on a dime. Very orderly and no questions along the way at any point.
Whether you Early Vote or Wait until Election Day (I know, some of you are Absentee Ballot Smartees..already mailed), read on...

• At first I thought....bring a chair...not a good idea. The line moves along nicely. I would have been scooting my chair every 2 minutes.
• Wear Comfortable Shoes..you are going to stand for a long time.
• Bring something to do...I got today's entire Crossword Puzzle done, the newspaper read, and my "To-Do" list edited....all while standing in line.
• PRAY and I mean PRAY you get stuck in line next to nice people, front and back. Not those who want to chat, chat, chat. Worse....PRAY you are not next to a person who tries to interrogate your political views....and even WORSE...PRAY you are not next to a person who is trying to convert you to their views. And for real...this happened....PRAY you do not have the dingey lady walking up and down the line asking YOU how SHE should vote on the amendments. (The lines are so long that this is legal up to a certain point)
• Don't talk on your CELL PHONE in line...unless it is an emergency. Oh...the conversations I had to hear today about everything and anything NON-EMERGENCY or IMPORTANT. (I don't care if you cannot find Fishnet Stockings for your Vampire Costume or that you did not have time to put your earrings on or that you like the gold paint over the brown...serious...this and more...all while in line) Turn your CELL PHONE on silent or vibrate....Don't Talk on your phone....and PRAY that everyone around you does the same...Unless, of course, you are desperate to eavesdrop (how can you help it?) on some shallow, one-sided conversations. (The whole cell phone thing is out of control where ever you go.)
• If you have the Early Vote option in a state where the weather is COLD or blustery...be prepared to bundle up...the majority of your wait will be OUTSIDE.
• Make sure you have your PICTURE ID with your SIGNATURE before you get in line. The guy next to me could not vote (after standing in line for 1 1/2 hours) because he was trying to use his Employee ID.
• Oh, I almost forgot about the lady who came to the polls to REGISTER to vote for her very first time (she was older than me) She said last time she tried to register, it was just too much of a bother, so could they register her NOW and let her VOTE NOW? And could they (the poll workers) make sure she does not have to stand in THAT LINE? Hello??? Which Rock have you been living under?

I made it through without a Chair, Snacks, or better yet, Whacking at least one of the Campaigners who badger people in line up to the last inch they are allowed near the polling location.

Honestly, if you wait until Election Day to vote in your actual precinct. The lines may be long, however, I think they will move quickly. Enjoy the process and be prepared to make history!

Now..... one last Election Day Request.....PRAY with all your might that PALM BEACH COUNTY (My home) does NOT make news headlines on Election Day...not for one minute! No Chads, No Re-Counts, No Holding up the final voter count for months and months. No headlines, Palm Beach County...Do Me Proud, please! Prove we CAN Count, Read, Vote, and Follow Directions. Is it too much to ask?

Have You Voted Yet? Was the line long?

Does Your State have the Early Vote Option?

Did you use an Absentee Ballot?

Do you remember the 2000 Vote when Palm Beach County just could not get out of the headlines while the votes were RE-COUNTED and RE-COUNTED? (The one fun thing was it made for great people watching around town)

Are you, like me, tired of this Campaign Season and happy to see an end in sight? I will celebrate the end of this Campaign Season much more that I will celebrate the victory of any Candidate.