As the weather in Los Angeles grows warmer, it feels great to open a few windows to let in the fresh air, especially after hanging out at home for more than a year.

But apparently the inside of our home was as appealing to the flies outside as the fresh breeze was to me inside.  When I walked into the kitchen there were several uninvited guests flying from window to window, unsuccessfully trying to get back outside through the glass.

Actually, there were more than several. But I stopped counting at thirty.

Daveen promptly found two fly swatters, and, fully armed, we both began to hunt down every member of the invading hoard.

In the hallway two flies managed to evade us for nearly ten minutes, but we prevailed.  In our bedroom two stunned flies fell behind Daveen’s heavy desk and are probably still there.  In the kitchen flies zipped from window to window in a frenzy. Have you ever tried to swat a fly resting on a window six feet above the kitchen sink?

I’m happy to report that, for the most part, the invasion has been repelled. There are still a few stragglers buzzing about the house, but we are armed and ready.

I will not open any more windows unless there are screens in place, and whenever we go outside Daveen and I move through the door as quickly as we can, to SLAM the door on potential intruders.

Now when I pick up a fly swatter Daveen refers to me as “Lord of the Flies.”  I guess that makes her “Lady of the Flies.”  We do make an awesome team!

Alan

In my first People Tools book (all three are available on Amazon) I presented my thoughts on how to make a good choice despite having incurred a “Sunk Cost.”  Recently, I had to remember this People Tool myself, and I thought that maybe we could all use a reminder.

A “Sunk Cost” is the resource (time or money) you have already put into a project and can’t recover. The money or time are gone, never to return.  This Tool advises us to ignore that “Sunk Cost” when we make a decision. We all have a tendency to follow through when we have previously invested in the outcome – but maybe that’s not always the best choice.

For example, I’ve purchased many movie tickets in my life.  If Daveen and I don’t enjoy the movie, we leave.  Why should we invest more time?  A movie ticket is an option, not an obligation, and despite the fact that we paid for the ticket, we do not have to finish seeing the movie.

Two years ago I cancelled a flight on Jet Blue. To use my $600 credit I had to rebook last December.  I reserved an August round trip flight to Bozeman, Montana, an 82 mile drive from the West entrance to Yellowstone.  I thought Daveen and I could enjoy a few days inside the National Park and use my credit.

When I tried to reserve overnight accommodations at Yellowstone, however, they were completely sold out for both July and August.  As an alternate, I made reservations at the Marriott hotel in Bozeman and arranged to rent a car. The hotel and the car were expensive.

After agonizing for a week about what to do, I finally realized I was planning to spend more than $5,000 to protect a $600 credit. Despite my own good advice from People Tools, I was trying to “save” my Sunk Cost by spending a lot more. That made no sense, especially for a trip that Daveen and I did not really look forward to.

I cancelled the reservations.  I’m sure we’ll enjoy ourselves just as much at home, with no additional cost.

“Sunk Cost.”

This People Tool can save you time and money, and can help you to reach a better decision.

Alan

“Spring has sprung, the grass has riz, I wonder where the flowers is.”

Before he died in May, 2019 at the age of 104, my dad recited this little poem to me every spring. For me spring has always been a time of renewal, even in Los Angeles where no one has ever needed a snow shovel.  Although, I do remember that day in the early 1950s when an inch of snow covered the ground one January morning. Sadly, it all melted while I was taking my piano lesson – so I never got the chance to play in it.

This year I’m seeing a lot of new green buds pushing into the sunlight, but I’m still waiting for many of the flowers to bloom.

Hopefully, along with winter, the pandemic is on its way out in most areas of the country, especially as we are able to spend more time outdoors and more people get vaccinated.  Airlines are reporting advance reservations in almost pre-pandemic numbers, and when I recently tried to make reservations at Yellowstone for this summer, the facilities were already fully booked for July and August.

I’m looking forward to a productive year, with special thanks to my dad, who taught me how to garden, and who brought poetry, wisdom, and so many flowers into my life.

As a friend wrote in signing my high school yearbook, “Yours until the Hollywood Bowl has soup.”

Love,

Alan