The Sleeping Fox Catches No Poultry

We didn't write that headline. Ben Franklin did. Get out of that bed and get cracking, he was saying. Set your alarm for six, not seven.

If you think you do well after a two-martini lunch, see what you do after a two-orange juice breakfast.

Ben Franklin didn't spend a lot of time snoozing. Starting at age 13, with no formal education, he accomplished more than almost any other American since.

"Plow deep while sluggards sleep," he also said. So hop out of that sack. Get up and go. The fox is wide awake. He'll grab all the chickens if you snooze.

You can learn more about John Wain by visiting: Dukes Double

This blog is sponsored by:

BIMS, Inc.

Branson, MO

Snob Appeal

Some people know so much about one thing they look down on those who aren't so knowledgeable. They are snobs. There are wine snobs, art snobs, literary, fashion, food, even money snobs.

"I can change the world," the politician boasts. "But he can't even change a tire," the garage mechanic sneers. Both are snobs because they look down on those who don't share their interests.

If you're sure you know more about haute cuisine than your dinner partner, remember she may know more about 19th century architecture.

Don't let your knowledge turn you into a snob. Find out what the other guy knows, before you show off what you know.

You can learn more about John Wain by visiting: Dukes Double

This blog is sponsored by:

BIMS, Inc.

Branson, MO

Common Courtesy is No Longer Common

Someone once asked a Southerner, "Where does the South actually begin?" The Southerner said, proudly, "When you notice the children say, 'Yes, sir' and 'No, ma'am.'"

But good manners are not a matter of geography. There are as many polite children in Caribou, Maine, Wichita, Kansas and Tacoma, Washington as there are in Natchez, Mississippi. They don't learn politeness from a postmark. They learn from a parent.

But not nearly enough seem to be learning anymore. Common courtesy, unfortunately, has become an uncommon virtue. You'll know you've done a good job of teaching when your child says: "Thank your for teaching me to say 'Thank you.'"

You can learn more about John Wain by visiting: Dukes Double

This blog is sponsored by:

BIMS, Inc.

Branson, MO

Do you remember who gave you your first break?

Someone saw something in you once. That's partly why you are where you are today. It could have been a thoughtful parent, a perceptive teacher, a demanding drill sergeant, an appreciative employer, or just a friend who dug down in his pocket and came up with a few bucks. Whoever it was, had the kindness and the foresight to bet on your future. Those are two beautiful qualities that separate the human being from the orangutan. In the next 24 hours, take 10 minutes to write a grateful note to the person who helped you. You'll keep a wonderful friendship alive. Matter a fact, take another 10 minutes to give someone else a break. Who knows? Someday you might get a nice letter. It could be one of the most gratifying messages you ever read.

You can learn more about John Wain by visiting: Dukes Double

This blog is sponsored by:

BIMS, Inc.

Branson, MO

Common Sense

A best-seller in 1776 was Tom Paine's "Common Sense." Maybe someone should do a 2007 update. You have many decisions to make every day. Just weight your answer against the simple question, "Does it make good, common sense?" If it doesn't, don't.

Common sense says, don't smoke when you're filling your gas tank. Don't run through red lights. Don't overeat. Don't spend more than you make. Common sense is sometimes called horse sense. For good reason. Have you ever seen a horse at the $2 window betting on how fast a person can run?

You can learn more about John Wain by visiting: Dukes Double

This blog is sponsored by:

BIMS, Inc.

Branson, MO

Whatever Happened to "Yes, Please"?

It went the way of "Thank you," "Excuse me," "Yes sir." Do you know who just about killed all those phrases? All of us. We did not use them enough. We now get "Huh?" "What?" "Gimme more." Mannerly responses are learned at home. Rude, barbaric responses also are learned at home. William of Wykeham, who was born in 1324, said "Manners maketh man." If we're so smart in the 20th century, how come we're not as civilized as William was in the 14th century? To the child who says "Huh?"

You can learn more about John Wain by visiting: Dukes Double

This blog is sponsored by:

BIMS, Inc.

Branson, MO

Anything You Can Do, They Can Do, Too

While you flex your muscles in front of your morning mirror and congratulate yourself on your nimble brain, consider this: The light over your mirror was perfected by a deaf man. While your morning radio plays, remember the hunchback who helped invent it. If you listen to contemporary music, you may hear an artist who is blind. If you prefer classical, you may enjoy a symphony written by a composer who couldn't hear. The president who set an unbeatable American political record could hardly walk. A woman born unable to see, speak or hear stands as a great achiever in American history. The handicapped can enrich our lives. Let's enrich theirs.

You can learn more about John Wain by visiting: Dukes Double

This blog is sponsored by:

BIMS, Inc.

Branson, MO