Never Too Old to Work and Live!
08/26/02
Bob Dylan once sang these lyrics: "He not busy being born is busy dying."
When is "too old" to actively live life? At 100, Grandma Moses was still painting. At 93, George Bernard Shaw wrote "Farfetched Fables." At 90, Pablo Picasso still drew and engraved. At 89, Arthur Rubinstein gave one of his greatest recitals in New York's Carnegie Hall, and Pablo Casals, at 88, still performed cello concerts. At 82, Winston Churchill wrote the four-volume work, "A History of the English-Speaking Peoples," Leo Tolstoy completed "I Cannot Be Silent," and Goethe, at the same age, finished "Faust."
We are redefining what it is to be old. People are going to school, starting businesses, taking up the arts, and remaining productive to the benefit of their health, their quality of life, their budgets and to the businesses they serve! With people living longer, people are expecting to find ways to remain productive and still enjoy life.
Look for ways to hire on contract your savvy seniors on three-to-six month projects that will keep them busy using and keeping their skills up-to-date. Then let them take time to enjoy the trips they have dreamed of taking or donate time to organizations they want to support. Offer them training to keep them learning and keep them informed about what is happening. Mixing in experienced corporate alumni into the mix of your teams may very well pay benefits in teamwork, morale, and diversity of ideas.
In every person's life, there should be no such thing as an unimportant day. Be alive as long as you are alive. As a change master, you should expect nothing less out of life.
MONDAY'S MIRTHFUL MOMENT
Dan Poynter supplies this week's mirth--some quotes from Andy Rooney from 60 Minutes fame. Enjoy:
1. On Vegetarians: "Vegetarian - that's an old Indian word meaning 'lousy hunter.'"
2. On Prisoners: Did you know that it costs forty-thousand dollars a year to house each prisoner? Jeez, for forty-thousand bucks apiece, I'll take a few prisoners into my house. I live in Los Angeles. I already have bars on the windows. I don't think we should give free room and board to criminals. I think they should have to run twelve hours a day on a treadmill and generate electricity.
3. On Fabric Softener: My wife uses fabric softener. I never knew what that stuff was for. Then I noticed women coming up to me, sniffing, then saying under their breath, "Married!" and walking away. Fabric Softeners are how our wives mark their territory. We can take off the ring, but it's hard to get that April fresh scent out of your clothes.
4. On Phone-In-Polls: You know those shows where people call in and vote on different issues? Did you ever notice there's always like 18% that say "I don't know." It costs 90 cents to call up and vote and they're voting "I don't know." Honey, I feel very strongly about this. Give me the phone. (Says into phone) "I DON'T KNOW!" (Hangs up looking proud.) Sometimes you have to stand up for what you believe you're not sure about.
5. On Cripes: My wife's from the Midwest. Very nice people there. Very wholesome. They use words like 'Cripes'. 'For Cripe's sake.' Who would that be - Jesus Cripe's? The son of 'Gosh' of the church of 'Holy Moly'? I'm not making fun of it. You think I wanna burn in 'Heck'?
When you keep your eyes open for mirth, you just may find it! Hope this kicks off your morning and helps get your mood adjusted for the week. Now, get busy MAKING CHANGE WORK and have some fun along the way!...