Out and About – Week of January 7th

Writing checks to pay bills is something we all do less and less these days. With the internet, it is much easier to handle bill paying electronically. You’d be surprised, however, how many people don’t use a computer. For these individuals, the one thing facing them now is remembering to date their checks for 2019. It happens every January for the non-users. Probably the only thing they can do is take their time when making out the checks. This is another one of those times when I wonder how my father would handle this age of technology. He passed in 1970. They didn’t even have ATMs back then.

I know several people who either have their own business or work in Human Resources. One of the main problems these folks must deal with is hiring qualified individuals to fill various positions. I’m thinking that most of the people seeking work are under the age of thirty. I’d like to be wrong, but I have yet to find anyone who disagrees with me about the fact that applicants under the age of thirty are difficult to deal with as an employee. Here are a few issues that are important to some applicants in this age bracket:

They want top pay right away without having to prove themselves.
They want days off and working hours to agree with their social plans.
They are not reluctant to challenge the way the operation is run in the business.
Being responsible for their actions is not one of their outstanding traits.
They do only as they are told when it comes to their duties. It is difficult for them to see work that needs to be done and would rather not do that work unless they are told to do so.
I am confident in saying that these traits might stem from the fact that they have never had to do anything on their own and have had things done for them. Perhaps they feel that the world owes them. I also feel strongly about some of them not seeing much past the end of the week. Planning for the future is not a priority for them. I say all this because I’ve talked to people who have had to deal with finding younger folks who are willing to work for their wage.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve noticed that more of my friends are passing away. That’s life, or I should say, that’s death. A wise person once said, “There are two things we all must do. We must pay taxes and we must die.” Now I don’t want to turn this column into one of gloom and doom, but there are some things one can do to make passing into eternity a more pleasant trip. I won’t dwell on your own passing, but I’d like to share a few ideas on how to plan a funeral for a loved one. One of your loved ones will probably plan your funeral.

Keep a master list of family and friends who should be notified when a close relative dies. It makes it easier to notify everyone when the death occurs.
In the death notice, name the charity friends should contribute to in lieu of flowers if this is what the family desires.
Get an itemized accounting of expenses from the funeral home director before signing off on any funeral arrangements. A reputable funeral home will do this automatically.
Use the guest book signed by those in attendance and the cards from flowers or donations to guide you in writing thank-you notes. Again, a reputable funeral home will do this automatically.
Excellence is not a skill; it is an attitude.

See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman

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