Sharpening Your Knife -- Your Life

Which is more dangerous -- A dull knife or a razor sharp knife? If you guessed sharp knife you are absolutly correct. A dull knife will slip when you try to cut. Whenever I pick up a knife, I make sure I run it over a steel to hone the edge just a little more. For more info on steeling your knife click here.

What about cutting say a tomatoe without cutting your fingers. I learned from the first time I cut something in the kitchen to always curl you fingers under and use your knuckles as a guide. For proper knife handling click here.

What about our lives? Sometimes my life feels dull and needs a good sharpening. But how can I 'steel' my life, what tool or tools can I use when my life needs just a little sharpening. Here's what I'm learning to do.

1. Work-out, ah, the pain of getting up and lifting weights, running or excerising - yuk. Afterwards though, I feel good, like now, two good days of workout.


2. Read, learn something new, exciting. Give the brain a run over the steel.


3. Do something different. Go hiking, take a boat to Catalina, Drive to the Grand Canyon, somewhere different.


4. Give yourself an adrenlin rush. Hanglde, Waterski, Bungee jump, drive a go cart, shoot a pistol -- walk down Avenida Revolution in Tijuana (maybe it's safer to just swim with sharks)

You get the idea. Growth is change, sharpening our lives makes change easier. Well thanks for reading, I think I'll go slice a tomatoe or limes or something...

Laughing and Living -- Longer

You want to live longer?? Then laugh...Yeah just let loose and laugh from the pit of your belly. You want more productive employees? Make them laugh.

Click here to see the Health Benefits of Laughter

How many times have I heard people say, SMILE! With frowns on their faces and a serious tone, THEY SAY SMILE!

It never works. It's like the fable of the wind and the sun.

The Wind and The Sun make a bet. The wind bets he can make the man take off his jacket. The Sun takes the bet and the contest begins. The Wind blows and blows - The harder he blows the tighter the man grips his jacket. Exhausted and spent the Wind gives up.

Now, The Sun's turn. He smiles at the man and turns up the heat. The man loosens his coat, beads of sweat begin to appear on his brow. He takes his jacket off and smiles at The Sun.

The moral is, you can't force people to do what is against thier nature. Soooo, how do you get someone, an employee, a friend, a co-worker, to smile? Here's what I do. I get them to laugh. If a person laughs, he or she can't help but to smile. And in the hospitality industry, as well as most service industries guests and clients return based on the 'Service' they recieve. To me Service starts with a smile.

Here's a joke to get you started:

Doctor my son swallowed my pen, what do I do? Use a pencil until I get there.

Join us Friday's at La Villa Basque as 10 crazy women share their humour and talents with us as they prepare for 'America's Next Top Sketch Comedy Show'. You will laugh yourselves into a healthier lifestyle. More info? Click Here.