FOCUS!!

At home, work or play…Keep Your Eyes and Mind on Task Today!
Repetition is good so I will be pushing this topic throughout the year. Please maintain your focus; it is a great way to avoid injury.
One day back in ’69, my mom was busy baking a pie or something (mom’s used to do that kind of thing). Being a multi-tasking Type A person she liked to clean, cook, or iron as she talked on the phone (so we had this 50 ft cord on the telephone so she could vacuum the wall-to-wall shag carpet while she chatted…but I’m starting to drift). Anyway, mom was baking up a storm and she also had a pot on the stove when the phone rang. It was some lady friend that loved talking and soon mom’s mind and eyes were no longer on task (the lights were on but well you know…). Well while she was talking, she kind of wiped off the stove and presto…her apron (guys use’m when cooking on the grill) was on fire, but us kids couldn’t tell mom that…she was on the phone. I remember because when I said "hey mom you’re on fire." She said, "be quiet I’m on the phone!"
Now I’ve always liked fire, but don’t take my word for it ask my old neighbor…the one that had the garage fire in the early 70’s. We’ll cover that when we talk fire safety.
Anyway, I knew mom didn’t like fire and my sister and I were getting pretty excited (wow, Mom is tough…she’s on fire and she doesn’t care). Finally she responded to our frantic cries, MOM, You’re ON FIRE! Suddenly we were communicating and we heard, "Oh my gosh, I’m ON FIRE, I’m ON FIRE…I’ve gotta go, I’m on fire." Aw yes, nothing like a little fire to get your mind and eyes back on task. You see phones (corded phones that is!) were a problem way back in the 1960’s.
Today almost 40 years later their distant cousin, the cell phone, is the culprit. If you drive while talking on a cell phone (hands-free included) you are more likely to tailgate and you will generally drive 2 MPH slower than traffic. Your chances of getting into a motor vehicle accident are 5 times greater then a driver that is not on a cell phone. WHY??? Because your Mind is not on task (even with a hand’-free head set – your head is out of the driving game). Memo to Self: In the car let the phone ring and return the call after you’ve parked the 2-ton monster.
About two years ago, a co-worker was on the phone with a customer (who was on a cell) when the conversation ended abruptly. He tried calling the customer/friend back and got no answer. He got a call a couple nights later…the guy he was talking to had died in a car accident a couple days earlier (while talking on the cell phone). My co-worker buddy told me, ‘Man, that funeral sucked.’
When you drive, DRIVE -- Don’t talk on your cell! Don’t eat your breakfast, lunch or dinner while barreling down the road. Ladies – put your make-up on before you get in the car. And if you are going down the road 20, 30 or 60 mph and drop something…let it go. It will still be there when you pull over. Reach for it while driving and it may be ALL OVER! And when you call somebody ask if they are driving and if they are have them call you when they are off the road. Be safe out there it’s a cruel world.