Hi there! I'm back! ("Helen, I wasn't aware she'd gone anywhere--does she always just flit around? Don't tell me she always brings back stories or comments for this column--that just means she likes to talk! Okay, pour me another cup of coffee and let's see what the Pearl of the Prarie has to say now--where did she go, by the way? Texas? Whaddya mean she went down there for a mouse?  Oh, a HOUSE--well, speak clearly.") 

I am so very grateful that Ronda Maxwell could go down with me to see about putting furniture in the house in Kerrville--she certainly proved invaluable, not only for "putting together" furniture pieces and mirrors and pictures but also keeping me laughing and showing an innate ability to smooth over patches of disgruntlement (over a fabric or furniture "piece", such as a 14ft. tree to stand in a corner!) and what a wonderful "eye" Ronda has for things that look well together  and will not be thought of as a"set design" off the furniture floor.  I was trained by an aunt who had some of the same attributes Ronda has in seeing how colors and designs blended together, in a room or a furniture grouping, but I paid, at this stage of my life, a lot more attention to the expertise Ronda has vs. Aunt Luise in my teen years!

So, I worked but Ronda slaved  and it was all to the good--Himself can turn the key in the door and walk into a house that, while  still needing  some finishing touches (we had exactly 4 days in 4 different stores as our available time schedule!) is able to be lived in and enjoyed.  I've never seen anyone who can, after having fallen down--heavily--2 times be so nimble going up and down a 12 ft. ladder--while moving pictures and mirrors, vases, giraffes and plants.

We both love the traditional  Mexican dessert Flan, with a light caramel sauce, using black to accent pieces, the warm Tuscany red and the soft greens and we both like to "ponder", sometimes, before furniture purchase or placement. I defy anyone to do better than we did in 4 days! Now, for one more rug in the den area and an important wood and marble "piece" in the front hall--all in good time.

Speaking of time, we've all been aware of the time the doctor gives us in his office as we're describing our symptoms and how unique they are--perhaps even referring to a Reader's Digest article we've read that--we're certain--has the answer if we both just pay attention! Right! Well, dear and gentle readers, it may surprise you to know that when we, at times, say that the doctor just didn't seem to take a lot of time with us--the doctor/author of the book, "How Doctors Think", Dr. Jerome Groopman, AGREES THAT IT DOES NOT TAKE DOCTORS LONG TO REACH A DIAGNOSIS--ACTUALLY, 18 SECONDS!  He says, "Often, decisions made this way are correct, but at crucial moments they can also be wrong--with catastrophic consequences."  The good doctor draws on his experiences as a doctor AND a patient plus draws on a lot of research  and interviews with other doctors  and shows how--with an informed patient's help--doctors can avoid snap judgments and communicate effectively. 

This all affects us, now and in the next 40 years, for efficient health care. I found it interesting that many of our new technologies"may actually hinder accurate diagnoses."Somebody send for the witch doctor!  One lady, on Groopman's early rounds, was diagnosed with viral pneumonia until a resident said no, she had aspirin toxicity--and she did!  If, he says, after giving your story to the doctor, he has tests taken, review the results with you and recommends certain medicines, and you go away---and it doesn't--he says go back to your doctor and "the thinking doctor will ask you to tell him, AGAIN, your story and your symptoms as though he hasn't heard it for the second time" and in so doing you'll supply added details, hidden fears, anything that will "round out" your case history. It usually works!  This is an interesting book, well written, and worth your coming in for it.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the title of the next book--"The No Asshole Rule; Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't", by Robert Sutton, and the back cover also says it well:"The definitive guide to working with--and surviving--Bullies, Creeps, Jerks, Tyrants, Tormentors, Despots, Backstabbers, Egomaniacs, and all the other Assholes who do their best to destroy you at work."  This subject matter, rarely discussed in the usual business books, was first published as an article in the "Harvard Business Review", one of the most highly regarded in this country, and Dr. Sutton not only discusses mean-spirited people who are flat-out rude, selfish, uncivil and mean-spirited, "he sheds real analytical light on how this ongoing problem ruins morale, lowers productivity, and can truly devastate a company's culture"  HE does provide, in this book, strategies and information on how your company can identify these destructive personalities and  eliminate the problem.  

He uses wit and actual case studies to point  up the problems and solutions in the ongoing and challenging  day-to-day  scenarios  in having to deal with difficult people. One of the things he suggests is  a variation on "Know Thyself" and that is, "Know YOur  Past"--i.e. were you a bully at school--did you feel, in the last 10 years, for instance, that the people around you are incompetent idiots and you have to let them know the truth every once in awhile?"

In a chapter, in here, there's a list of 24 true-false questions that you can complete that shows your gut reaction to others, how you treat them and HOW OTHERS REACT TO YOU!  Want  a true reaction to you? Change the "you" at the beginning to each question on the quiz to your NAME--but be sure you can protect the anonymity of the people who complete the survey about YOU "cause if you're a KNOWN jerk, in the workplace, they'll fear your anger and possible retribution and, says DR. Sutton, "just because you ARE an asshole and have the courage to admit it doesn't mean that you are qualified  to help yourself or other nasty colleagues, or your organization eradicate this problem." After all, as his son says, just because you HAVE an affliction doesn't mean that you are an expert on it! It's funny but "right on" and should be required reading at every business.

Every once in awhile, a really interesting Non-Fiction book comes along, as did this one, that while it is talking about a well-known person in a particular political party, it is a book that people in BOTH parties can enjoy. "What a Party!; My Life Among Democrats, Presidents, Candidates, Donors, Activists, Alligators and Other WIld Animals", by the famous fund raiser and confidante of presidents and people in high places Terry McAuliffe has been the perfect job for someone of his personality and passion for the Democratic party.  Also, while he has done his best to present his stories as accurately as possible he is, as he says, "but I've also got to tell you, I am an Irish storyteller."  This is a man who can--and many times HAS--raised over a million dollars for Clinton or Dick Gephardt and has, almost single handedly, put the fight and charisma back in Clinton's final years of his presidency. 

'Bill Clinton reveals here, for the first time, Terry was the  first one in the party (keep in mind it's the Democratic party we're talking about here) to see opportunity in the Republican gains in the 1994 Congressional elections." After he pointed out, to Clinton, all that the new proposals would entail, he said the country would hate them for it and Clinton should not be so depressed about Democrats losing seats. Terry was chairman of the Democratic National Comm. from 2001 to 2005 and gave them their first debt-free years. At on point, to get half a million dollars, he sang--badly--in from of a huge crowd and got the money!  I'm considering this as a second career in Texas!  Terry says, "You've got to keep people laughing, even when you're also hoping to make them think--and to inspire them to action!." Come and get this book--Democrat or not--and begin doing both! 

I had never HEARD of Mr. LL Cool J until, out of curiosity, I picked up his book about exercising (with a capital "E") and conditioning, "LL Cool J's Platinum Workout" that he's written with his trainer, Scooter (DAve) Honig. They have devised a program coming all of the disciplines--standard free-weight lifts, jumping, endurance training, etc.--that you'd find in a gym setting (the will power YOU supply and you'll have more of it as you begin looking and moving and feeling better, trust me!) There are 4 levels plus "A Diamond Body" level for shaping up for a special event (such as getting into your bathing suit in 4 weeks) and they are Bronze, Silver , and Gold Body. 

This Grammy-award winning rapper is in boxer/fighter shape and he stresses that whatever level you begin at, you can do better and look better. There are plenty of photos in here, a lot of good recipes for the food to eat, and both he and a girl model are shown illustrating the exercises and, obviously, his text, for the book, has some thoughts put in rapper form. Want to know what he and Scooter think about weight bands, ab wheels, and Swiss balls?  Come in and get this really well-written and illustrated book.You don't need to cut out desserts or candy or gravy--just be aware of eating smaller portions and at least 3 weeks apart--and remember that your constant exercise program will keep your metabolic rate higher to help burn All food intake. Come in and check it out.

I'm off to Ks. City, Thursday (known as 3 days ago as you're reading this column) to celebrate my daughter's birthday and see the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibition AND go, I hope, to McCormick and Schmick restaurant for a dinner, so have a warm, safe week-end, check your dog or cat's water and food supply, settle in with a good book, call your mother--or your father--, buy a good pair of walking shoes and begin your year-long program by walking 6 blocks out from your home (followed closely by 6 blocks back to your home).  See you later, alligators--Bye!