Day 216 - the first Friday of August

Today is the 6th day of the 31st week, the 4th day of the 8th month, the 216th day of 2023 and:

• Assistance Dog Day
• Beirut Port Explosion Commemoration Day - the anniversary of the disaster which occurred in 2020
• Braham Pie Day - this city in Minnesota was named the "Homemade Pie Capital" in 1990
• Hooray for Kids Day - remember grousing that while parents each had their day, kids didn't have a day?  The answer I usually got [and later gave to my offspring] was that "everyday was kids day".  Well now kids officially have their own day you can point to
• International Beer Day
• International Clouded Leopard Day
• Raisin Bran Day - apparently back in 1944 there was a huge argument between Kellog and General Foods over who would get to use this name for their cereal.
• National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
• National Water Balloon Day
• National White Wine Day
• Single Working Woman's Day
• Tomboy Tools Day
• Twins Day
• US Coast Guard Day
• Date traditionally ascribed to Dom Perignon's invention of champagne in 1693; it is not clear whether he actually invented champagne, however he has been credited as an innovator who developed the techniques used to perfect sparkling wine.
• and Voyager 1 is 22h 12m 15s of light travel time from Earth 

Quote of the day:

"A somebody was once a nobody who wanted to and did."

~ John Burroughs, American naturalist and nature essayist

"A new day.  A new chance to succeed" is the tag line today of an account I follow on social media because I enjoy their rambling descriptions about the task of writing.  Goes very well with the quote of the day - both individuals making management speak sound so simple, neh?  I see similar messages all the time, pressing me to be successful.  

But it's the definition of "success" that bugs me because so much of the time it is defined as a career and is definitely work related.

I have always worked to live rather than lived to work.  It was a choice that I have made with every single employer throughout my career, and according to my one friend, probably one of the main reasons I was never in senior management.  Every manager I had knew that altho I would agree to work at warp speed and would accept the need to either stay late or be sent out of town at times, I totally refused to make a habit of it.  In addition?  They knew I felt that when I am not in work for weekends, taking time off, I am off and not working.  Do not expect me to log in and check my emails or voice mails - if my direct reports cannot handle things in my absence, then I am not doing a very good job managing my people or department.  Sorry, the company does not and never has, come first.

Every single Friday, I reiterate that commitment to "me" time when I say TGIF!