Happy Halloween!

Halloween Safety Tips
By The Children's Safety Zone

For Trick-or-Treaters
· Carry a flashlight
· Walk, don't run.
· Stay on Sidewalks
· Stay in familiar neighborhoods
· Don't cut across yards or driveways.
· Wear a watch you can read in the dark.
· Carry only flexible knives, swords or other props.
· Wear clothing with reflective markings or tape.
· Approach only houses that are lit.
· Stay away from and don't pet animals you don't know.

Parents
· Make your child eat dinner before setting out.
· Children should carry quarters so they can call home.
· Ideally, young children of any age should be accompanied by an adult.
· If your children go on their own, be sure they wear a watch, preferably one that can be read in the dark.
· Older children should know where to reach you and when to be home.
· You should know where they're going.
· Although tampering is rare, tell children to bring the candy home to be inspected before consuming anything.

Homeowners
· Make sure your yard is clear of such things as ladders, hoses, dog leashes and flower pots that can trip the young ones.
· Pets get frightened on Halloween. Put them up to protect them from cars or inadvertently bitting a trick-or-treater.
· If you do use candles, place the pumpkin well away from where trick-or-treaters will be walking or standing.
· Make sure paper or cloth yard decorations won't be blown into a flaming candle.

And now the funny part, if you want to know your "inner monster" check this out.

I hope you have a safety and fun Halloween!

Politics at work

Ten Tricks and Traps for Discussing Politics with Your Coworkers, Family, and Friends

By Debra Fine
selfgrowth.com




Typically, there are dozens of topics for "big conversations" at home and in the workplace. Now, there just seems to be one: the presidential elections. How can you participate in discussions about the candidates without risking your job, losing friends, or alienating your significant other? Here are 10 tricks and traps for discussing politics:

1. Know thyself. It may be okay for most people to talk politics, but take an honest look at yourself. Are your feelings so passionate that you'll let the conversation get out of control, and you'll lose your cool as soon as someone disagrees with you? If so, then steer the conversation in another
direction or leave the room.

2. Know others. Maybe you can keep your cool during a conversation about the presidential candidates, but judge whether those around you can do the same before you launch into a discussion with them. And remember:just because someone can have a polite conversation about gun control or religion doesn't necessarily mean that a "Barack vs. Hillary" debate will go well. When it comes to politics, choose your conversational partners carefully!

3. Agree to disagree. Your mission in life isn't to persuade everyone in your sphere to vote for your presidential candidate of choice - nor do youhave to come around to your conversational partner's point of view. Know when to end a conversation by agreeing to disagree.

4. Stay flexible. Your vote isn't cast in stone until it's - well, cast. One of the things that can come out of a conversation is that you might gain a different perspective, or you might learn something new. Stay open to that possibility.

5. Don't do all the talking. During a heated discussion, it helps to really listen to what your conversational partner is saying. That means giving the other person a fair chance to speak - and then really listening to what that person has to say.

6. Be polite. Just because you have strong political beliefs doesn't mean that you have to raise your voice or use harsh language. Keep it civilized, and that will be a cue for those around you to do the same.

7. Remember where you are. If you're in the office, at the dinner table, or at a cocktail party, bear that in mind - and don't start shouting as though you're in a football stadium. Keep your demeanor appropriate for your surroundings.

8. Detach yourself. You are not the individual for whom you're voting, so don't take criticism of your preferred candidate personally. If you're a Mitt Romney fan and your boss isn't, what's the big deal? Your boss isn't insulting you, so don't internalize his or her words.

9. Put it in perspective. You can still love your significant other, and you can still respect your coworkers and friends, even if they don't share your politics.

10. Smile! Maintain your sense of humor, and keep the atmosphere light. We're lucky enough to have an opportunity to participate in the political process, and that certainly is something to feel good about - regardless of your politics.

Keep these 10 tips in mind, and you'll come through the political
season with your relationships intact - even if the aspirations of your political candidate don't survive.

Work spouses

7 Signs You Have a Work Spouse

Patrick Erwin, CareerBuilder.com writer

Do you have a "work spouse" at your workplace? A work spouse is a co-worker of the opposite sex with whom you have a close platonic relationship. In many ways, these relationships can mirror a real marriage.
A recent CareerBuilder.com survey revealed that one-in-ten workers (11 percent) felt that they had a work spouse. And though it's usually beneficial to have a close friend at work, 20 percent of the workers polled indicated their real-life spouse was jealous of their workplace counterpart.

Do you have a work spouse?

Here are seven clear signs you might have a work spouse:
1. You depend on a particular co-worker for office supplies, snacks and aspirin.
2. There are inside jokes that you and a specific co-worker share.
3. You can be bluntly honest with this person about his or her appearance, hygiene or hair (and vice versa). You're comfortable enough to point out that the other's hair is sticking up -- or that someone's fly is down.
4. When something eventful happens at work, this co-worker is the first person you seek out for a de-briefing.
5. At breakfast, lunch and coffee breaks, your closest co-worker knows what to order for you and how you like your coffee (and vice versa).
6. You and your co-worker can finish each other's sentences.
7. Someone in your office knows almost as much about your personal life as your best friend or real-life spouse does.

Pluses and minuses of a work-spouse relationship

There are great benefits to having a close relationship with a co-worker. Among the benefits of a work spouse:
· You have a friend who provides emotional support at work during challenging times. During times of stress at home or at work, you have a built-in support system.
· Work spouses often complement each other in terms of skills, abilities and their approaches to work. The two of you can make a very productive team.
· Having a trustworthy co-conspirator for those occasional workplace escapades (and juicy gossip) can be beneficial, and often acts as a way to release work-related stress.


The possible pitfalls of a work spouse may include:

· The relationship between you and your "spouse" might be misinterpreted by other co-workers as a clique. If others feel excluded, it may be a catalyst for personal or professional disagreements.
· If the relationship goes sour, it can have a negative impact on you, your "ex" and your team as a whole.
· If your real spouse becomes aware of their counterpart, it can create issues in your real-life marriage.


Managing the work spouse relationship

Here are some tips on how best to keep everyone, including your work spouse, happy on the job.
Keep the lines of communication open. Make sure that other co-workers are not feeling shut out by the perception that you and your work spouse are an exclusive clique of two. If you are working on a project together that also involves the team, be sure to reach out to everyone for feedback and suggestions.
Avoid crossing boundaries. It's great to have a support system and a close confidante, but be sure to set boundaries for how much to share with your office mate. More importantly, honor those boundaries. If the relationship becomes antagonistic or is too close for comfort, let your work spouse know you need a little space.
Lighten the mood. If your life at home and at work is filled with complications, bringing a co-worker into the middle of those issues may not be beneficial for you. You should aim to keep the mood light and happy with your work spouse. You'll look forward to enjoying gossip, taking breaks and being able to relax with a friend without any concerns or complications.

Men's fashion are "in" her

Crisp tailored suits, neckties, baggy jeans and shorter-than-short haircuts are popping up on Hollywood's biggest female stars. Katie Holmes, torch-bearer of this season's loosefit boyfriend jeans fad, turned heads earlier this week when she left an Hermes party decked out in the investment banker fav -- a three-piece pinstripe navy suit. Mere days before, Victoria Beckham paired a Dior men's tie with a cutt-off tuxedo jacket and her own dVb wide-leg jeans. Big names, the New York Daily News reports, are slipping into suits and baggy jeans in an attemp to stand out from their hair extension-wearing, mini-dress and pumps peer. However, avoid going head-to-toe in drag, they caution. Instead, add femenine touches to the style to make it look good.