Applause for the Everyday?

I attend many events and functions in my gated-not-for-profit administration/board of directors-run-community and found that there is a pattern going on and I am not so sure I like it.

The employees/directors are applauded for the work they do.  No I am not talking about praise, pay, or even bonuses – I am talking about during meetings they are applauded.

Now I have to say, I do not do this.  I feel they are paid for the work they do, they receive benefits and bonuses, why should I clap?

I have been admonished for not clapping.   Why?  I thank them when I see them.  I make public comments on how hard they work.   Why should I applaud them for doing their job?  No one applauds me.

I am the same with volunteers. I mean we volunteer and that becomes what we do.  I don’t expect applause, why give it out.  Now don’t get me wrong, if an extraordinary measure is taken I will gladly stand up and applaud – but I save that special praise for the extraordinary – like our troops.  Our policemen and firemen..and even private citizens who make positive change in a very large way.

Is it rude that I do not applaud vigorously even when I give my thanks and praises verbally?  To be honest, in this economy, I should be applauded for being a part of the reason they have a job.

With all this clapping going on – lights could be going on and off all around us – clap on, clap off.

 

So here is my question.  Should people be applauded for doing what they were hired to do?  And if we should applaud, then shouldn’t we be able to also jeer them when the job is done poorly?

 

 

Hello world!

I started this blog to discuss things that are important or interesting to me, from personal to business, economic to family, from friends to foes – just anything that my rambling brain comes up with.  I am single by the way, and being single and a small business owner in this economy doesn’t always mesh well and allow for social life – so communicating my thoughts to a real live person – well – those opportunities are few and far between…

I guess I can start by saying that the weather is cold and windy, and with the 30 percent increase in electric rates going into effect this month, I am glad that I use my wood stove 99 percent of the time.  I unplug things that aren’t being used.  I turn down the fridge and freezer, and I keep the doors and windows closed and locked as much as possible.
When I do have to use electric heat, it is never my baseboard heat.  It is a small portable heater.  I have become comfortable wearing a sweater and accustomed to the house being a bit cooler than the 70 degrees I would love it to be.

This is just one way I try to save, and this is what I have to do because money is tight, bills get paid later and later and being a single mom and grandmother, I have to be sure to do my best to take care of business even when business is not taking such good care of me.

Yes, there is work.  Yes, money is being made.  My daddy used to say “a dollar owed is a dollar saved”  but I got to tell you – right now, I need my savings paid.  The trick is telling my clients that without offending them or losing them.  I mean God, I understand the economy is hurting everyone.

So, there you have it.  My first blog and it had to be about money.  Who knows what is next?  Maybe I can find something good about those darn credit cards…